Okay so I lied. In more than one way. But a whole crap load of stuff
happened and I just got around to writing this chapter now. It turned out
WAY longer than I had originally intended it to be, with lots of little
insights that will please people I think. So perhaps it was worth the wait.
Reviews: I'm THRILLED at how much people like my story. In all honestly I want to go up to everyone who reviewed and give you GREAT big hugs. Two things: first, I heard a couple people had troubles with seeing my chapters. If this happens again, feel free to email me or ask via review and I will try to send you the chapters via email. I would of course prefer for you to be able to read them via ff.n but I also want everyone to be able to read. Second, out of some WEIRD freak occurrence ff.n really decided that it liked coca24cola's review and sent it to my inbox like thirty times. It was kinda funny. Thought I'd point that out for kicks and grins.
A/N: (as in related to the story, sorta) YAY one more chapter to go plus minor epilogue. Also, someone was asking if I intended to write a sequel and originally I hadn't planned on doing one but recently I've been rethinking that. There were elements to this story that I'm not quite happy with and that I could address in a shorter sequel. So, perhaps. Anyway, onto the chapter already.
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. But I do own this story. All 186 pages of it and counting. Jeez that's a lot of typing.
Chapter Twenty-One: The Sweet Torture of Anticipation
It was time to leave. The past few days had been a flurry of preparation in the Li household. Everyone had been racing everywhere, desperate to finish their individual preparations for their journey. It had always been customary for the Li family to attend the coronation of their new ruler, if situation allowed, which it very rarely did not. But at the time of the previous celebration the family had been a great deal smaller and only had one outside member attending: Yelan, who had not yet married into the family.
Sakura couldn't help but find it funny as she and Tomoyo watched everyone run around much like chickens with their heads cut off. Perhaps a little more graceful but no less erratic. The two themselves were busy, true, but being far more used to such things, they already had most of their preparations finished affording a good deal of time to help their less prepared friends.
Not that any of these included Yelan, Elders Long, Chen Rong and Sheng, and the future leader. They had either little to prepare or too much sense to leave it to the last minute as the other two Elders, Li's sisters, Nakuru, Meiling and all said husbands and future husbands-to-be. Still it was amusing to watch the others when Sakura could take a time out from clearing out what would no longer be her official place of business in a few days time, after the coronation.
Syaoran quietly and obediently helped her organize missives, bills, directives, dictates and other nightmarish papers he more or less didn't want to understand. When he half-jokingly suggested she use Fiery to just burn them all away, the poor queen was sorely tempted and might have done as much if not for the realization that it would take more than twice as long to redo everything.
Kero and Suppi retained their jobs as messengers but also were put upon to transfer luggage, help pack and other miscellaneous jobs that Kero always managed to find time to argue about. And for which Suppi always took the time to show his superior maturity through doing without complaint.
All and all the days leading up to the coronation might have been busy but otherwise completely jovial if not for the darkened cloud that still hung over the entire event. Sakura's dreams had gotten progressively worse and were now occurring almost nightly, waking her up with screams so loud that the whole house flooded to her room, where no one now had the heart to argue with Syaoran's presence. All of them were secretly glad he could give her some hope of comfort after the dreams that left her bawling.
The dreams just further intensified the uneasy atmosphere that hung over their heads as everyone thought of the horrors the young fragile girl would be forced to endure. Even Xi Wang and Zhi Ye were left wishing they could se her in peace instead of cheerfully trying to hide her weariness and ill ease.
The only reprieve from the stiff uneasiness was the day before their departure. Sakura woke early and immediately was struck with the oddity of it, especially since Syaoran was fast asleep beside her. True she frequently woke up at odd hours of the night from her dreams but she immediately fell to sleep again once she had calmed, just like she had done earlier that morning. Looking around she realized that it was still before dawn, though not too far. Smiling softly, she watched Syaoran sleep for a few minutes, admiring how his normally hard cast features softened in his sleep.
Leaning forward quietly, she kissed him softly on his forehead, giggling softly at how he sighed and smiled in his sleep. With great care, she climbed out of her bed, making sure not to wake him, and quickly changed into a sapphire blue dress, embroidered with gold thread to make suns, moons and stars in varying sizes on her sheer overskirt. Glancing one last time at Syaoran, she slipped from the room and walked towards the grand entry. As she approached her omnipresent smile grew wider and more sincere until finally she threw the doors open.
"Eriol! Kaho!" she squealed, hugging them tightly each in turn. "I missed both of you so much!"
Eriol smiled softly. "You mean you've been waiting for me to take Nakuru off your hands."
Giggling, Sakura refuted him. "No, actually. She's been very helpful." Pausing to look around, she stepped closer and whispered, "That and apparently the addition of one more crazy girl to the mix manages to keep all five of them away from everyone. She and Syaoran's sisters have kept to themselves mostly."
Eriol and Kaho laughed appreciatively at her conspiratorial tone. "What about Spinel Sun?" Kaho asked as Sakura ushered them inside. "Has he been helpful as well?"
"He has been very helpful. Suppi and Kero have been making themselves useful as messengers and assistants. We had to make a game out of it for them to really get into it but nothing outside of that." She stopped and looked at them both in turn once more before hugging them simultaneously. "I'm so glad that you are here. It makes everything perfect."
Kaho smiled down at the girl who was once her student and was now her queen then solemnly knelt before her. "I am honoured you think so well of me, Sakura. May you remember that I'll always be there when you need me." Grinning, she took the hand offered to help her rise once more.
Sakura looked at the hand she held for a moment then her eyes grew wide as saucers. "Oh! That's an engagement ring!" she squealed gleefully. "Eriol you proposed?!" At the blue eyed sourcerers soft smile and nod, Sakura squealed even more loudly and tackled the two of them so exuberantly, all three of them lost their footing and fell onto the stone floor.
At this time, Syaoran, who had been awoken by Sakura's absence, approached the entry way, speaking before he entered fully. "Why are you making so much noise so early, Sakura?" he asked, raking his hand through his hair and rubbing his tired eyes as he stepped in the room. "You scared me to death when I woke up and you weren't in bed. Why are you awake any-," he stopped abruptly when he pulled his hands away from his eyes and caught sight of the scene at hand. Immediately his face turned the brightest shade of red imaginable and it was obvious he wished he had kept his mouth shut after that first question and had thought to put a shirt on. However he wasn't given much time to stare in embarrassment before Sakura had regained her feet and pounced him with as much enthusiasm as she had the other two, with identical result.
"Aaa! Sakura, don't tackle someone when they are only half awake," he groaned as he strove to stand up again, ignoring the chuckles coming from the other two has he tried to pry Sakura off of him.
"But Eriol and Kaho are engaged! Isn't it great?!"
Syaoran paused in his ministrations to look at Eriol, who had already risen to his feet. The two exchanged a long hard look until, uncharacteristically, Eriol looked away. The older boy knew that there would be questions later, but for the moment he didn't have the energy to face them.
Finally, scrambling off of Syaoran, Sakura helped him up before turning once more to the new couple. "And you will be traveling with us to the Capitol tomorrow right?"
"We wouldn't be here else," Kaho smiled. "I also have heard that, ahem, felicitations should be extended to you two as well," she grinned, glancing pointedly at Syaoran's bare chest, clearly mindful of what he had said moments before.
Sakura finally had the grace to blush full scarlet before nodding. "Y- yes, w-well, umm," she began, trying desperately to make the situation seem right to someone she respected so much. Syaoran merely glared at the woman he still could not bring himself to trust, accidentally leaving the burden to his beloved.
Kaho shook her head. "Don't worry. I know all about it, Sakura."
The younger girl's emerald eyes widened as she understood the implication but was unsure of the meaning. She wanted to ask what Kaho meant but was afraid of being wrong.
At last, unable to bear the situation any longer, Syaoran stepped forward. "Why don't I show you to your rooms so you can change out of your clothes before everyone wakes up?" he suggested politely, indicating their snow dampened garments.
"Why thank you, Li. We would be grateful," Eriol smiled, causing Syaoran to look at them suspiciously before turning and motioning for them to follow. There were still a few rooms left outside the madness that had ensued in the past week and he quickly and quietly led them to two of them. "I'll inform the kitchen you are here for breakfast."
Bowing politely, they entered their separate room, leaving Syaoran and Sakura alone in the long corridor still some time before dawn. Suppressing a yawn, Syaoran began towards his room so he could change, Sakura trailing after him, skipping gleefully, causing him to smile softly in relief. As he sorted through what was left in his wardrobe, she walked out onto his balcony to watch the sun rise over the tree tops and think in peace.
Leaning her fore arms on the stone wall, she sighed. The time had flown by both so quickly since she visited her family. She had hoped that whoever this monster was, she would have found him before now. But in her heart and soul Sakura had known all along that it was not to be. He was coming for her at his own time and she would have to fight him alone, desperately trying to save those she loved.
With a small frown, Sakura pulled on the chain that held her Key on it. She still didn't know what made her worthy of such a wonderful gift. But at the same time she knew she'd rather die than lose any one of her Cards. To her they were not just cards, but rather they were her friends and someone she could hope to fight with her, to help her. She didn't want to part with them at all. Yet there was this man who wanted their Power, who would take control of her or kill her because of them.
Contrarily, Sakura being Sakura refused to see them as a burden. She refused to put them away to spare her own life and the security of her own existence. For, just as they were her friends, she was theirs.
Pulling them from her omnipresent purse, she smiled at her Cards. "No matter what I won't let you be lonely again. I won't give you up and make you wait for years on end fro someone new. You are my friends!"
In response, The Cards flew from her hand and surrounded her, encircling her with their magic in the early morning light. Syaoran watched her with a smile as she laughed in innocent joy at the sight before they once again flue to her hand in neat order. Catching sight of him, her grin widened.
"Everything will absolutely be all right."
Amber eyes twinkling, Syaoran nodded in agreement.
That evening Li cornered Hiiragizawa in the library after dinner. The older boy was tempted to run for his very sanity, but knew it was a futile effort, despite the fact that he was in just as good a shape as Li. The chocolate haired boy sat across from him with a serious expression, merely waiting for him to speak. For nearly ten long minutes, the two just exchanged a look, waiting for the other to speak until Li finally sighed in exasperation.
"You might as well just talk, Hiiragizawa. You know as well as I what I'm here about. Be a man and stop wasting my time."
Taking his own turn to sigh, Eriol smiled. "I suppose you want to know why I proposed to Kaho when you know quite well that I confessed my love to Sakura not so long ago."
"That sums it up, yes."
"Perhaps I should inform you that I have known Kaho for years, much longer than I've known most people actually, and that even though I already knew of Sakura, I still held her in affection. I also knew from the start that I could not have your beautiful bride. It was not meant to be."
"If it wasn't meant to be then why the hell did you tell her anyway? Do you realize how bad Sakura felt, knowing you loved her and yet not being able to return your feelings? How bad she feels now, trying to convince herself that Kaho doesn't look at her badly because she knows the truth?"
"Maybe it would have been best for me to have kept it a secret. But, my dear descendant, have you never thought of what reason I had for doing what I did since even at the time it was impossible for me to believe in any other outcome than the one that occurred?"
Li sat back in his chair, contemplating for a moment before shaking his head slightly. "No, I really can't see the purpose."
"Then let me put this in a different light. Say our roles were switched, that Sakura was to wed me and that the two of us were deeply in love," he began, noting how Li's hands clenched on his arm rests at the thought. "And that you were still as in love with her as you are now. Even if you knew it were impossible would you want Sakura to know your feelings?"
Li began to speak then paused, reflecting on something Tomoyo had remarked to him earlier. "Probably."
"You would want her to know because unless someone else knew of your feelings, it would have been as if they never existed. And love should never be treated so, even unrequited."
Li sighed as he stared at Eriol, clearly irritated at having to give over the point. Eriol studied his albeit abnormal descendant for some time. "Yes," he thought, "he will protect and love her well. She is safe with him." He was about to rise and leave the room when Li sat forward again, glaring in that absolutely terrifying way of his. Despite all his appearance of aplomb, Eriol was more than a little nervous each time he received that look, if only because he had absolutely no fighting skills. The fact that Li was by no means weak in comparison to himself in anyway also added to that.
"Whatever. I think it's well known that I don't particularly like Mizuki. Still, I can't approve of you playing with her like that. It's despicable, Hiiragizawa."
Letting out a deep breath, Eriol rose to his feet, relieved at the turn in conversation. "I do love Kaho, you idiot. I never said I didn't. And perhaps my love for Sakura isn't even the kind that should be behind a man and a woman, despite it's purity, because my love for Kaho seems deeper in a different sense. So do not worry your gentlemanly instincts. I'm not being evil. Yet."
On that more than sadistic note, Eriol swept free of the room and made his getaway before the young Li could find another reason to yell at him and possible do him some physical harm.
Bright and early, two days before the coronation ceremony was to take place, the entire population of the Li mansion, minus the odd live-in servant, arrived on the castle steps. All twenty-four of them, plus three Guardians. Touya, who had been waiting patiently for their arrival, opened the door immediately after hearing the clamor of luggage being set down and was just as immediately tackled by Nakuru who had been waiting to do as such since she left the castle some years before.
"Touya! I missed you! Do you still love me?"
Having managed to keep his footing, the Crown Prince of Tomoeda sighed deeply and tried to pry the girl type person off of him. "No I don't and I never did. Now will you get off of me Nakuru?"
"Brother!" Sakura called out gleefully, hugging him tightly once Nakuru had been forced off. Touya returned the embrace just as joyfully, more glad than he would admit at the knowledge that she was returning for good this time. "I missed you so much! Is Mother still asleep? And Yukito?"
"Wait a moment, monster! Why don't we let everyone inside before you start prattling away?"
Frowning she calmly ground her heel into his foot painfully before ushering everyone else inside. This was a mistake on Touya's part for just as soon as she had passed him by, all for of the Li sisters immediately took up where Nakuru had left off. All other men present looked at him in consolation, even Liu Lok, who had more or less turned human during his stay with the Li's and had turned his adoration from his new queen to Fanren.
As the many servants came and removed the luggage to the many rooms in other parts of the castle, Nadeshiko made her way down the grand stairway to greet her guests on Yukito's arm. Sakura frowned as she watched her mother. The older lady looked tired and worn through past the cheerful smile that covered her features. Glancing at Touya, she wondered how long her mother had been sick.
"Yelan!" Nadeshiko cried out, picking her out from the crowd and pulling away from Yukito's steadying arm. "I'm so glad to see you again." All at once her youth returned in full as she embraced her childhood friend.
"You look exactly the same as you did all those years ago, Nadeshiko. I don't know how you managed."
"Probably because I didn't raise four girls and a boy, Yelan. But for all that you still look as striking as ever." Smiling gleefully, she turned from Yelan momentarily to formally greet the Elders with a respectful bow and the rest of the group before wandering off down the corridors towards the dining hall, talking animatedly.
All five of the Li children stared. They had never seen their mother act like, well, a girl. In moments she had turned from a strict foreboding woman to a teen like presence that put her daughters to shame. Xiefa, Fanren, Fuutie, Feimei and Syaoran all looked at each other in wonder.
"Do you think she's sick?" Feimei pondered.
"Mother sick? Apocalypse will come first," Xiefa commented dryly.
Syaoran nodded. "Perhaps it's momentary insanity. I hear that happens sometimes."
"Seems more plausible but still ridiculous," Fanren observed.
"It's settled then," Fuutie sighed. "Mom actually was young once and we walked into a time warp to see it happen."
Everyone but the Elders broke into laughter at that thought. But even they couldn't hide a smile at the thought of the solemn Yelan acting like a child again, especially since she hadn't been particularly girlish when she was young.
"It's probably just contagious from our mother," Touya sighed. "She never did quite seem to stop being a young girl. Not that we can blame her."
"But it's ridiculously funny to watch her sometimes," Sakura giggled. "She'll be talking with courtiers as she walks down the hallway then all of a sudden she's flat on her face without a seem in the stone to have tripped her."
Zhi Ye and Lok exchanged looks. "Our mother is really boring. You could pick her straight out of a book on how to be a mother she's so ordinary."
"Ditto," Xi Wang commented.
"Mother was much like Auntie, though perhaps a little less strict," Meiling observed quietly. "She passed away when I was twelve."
"What about your mother Tomoyo?" Feimei asked.
Tomoyo smiled. "She was fun and very expressive. She could get boiling angry at the drop of the hat and filled with righteous anger over the smallest and weirdest things. Especially when it came to Aunt Nadeshiko. But she was very loving too."
Sakura squeezed her friends hand before looking over at Kaho. "What about you? Was your mother particularly outrageous?"
Both of them looked at each other and shook their heads. "My mother is still living happily at the family temple with father. Same as she has been all her life."
Smiling all around, the group finally followed the Matriarchs into the dining all for breakfast. Because no matter what they were like, it was universal, one's mother was one's mother and that was always best.
Sakura sat happily in her night dress and robe on her brother's bed, knees pulled up to her chin and fingers curled under her toes as she watched her brother and Yukito talk. It had been a long day, but a happy one. A small celebration had been set forth at dinner to celebrate her homecoming. But Sakura also knew that despite the return of some normality to her life, things would never be as they were before. So she took the opportunity now to act as she had so many times when she was young and be a little girl, staring adoringly at her older brother.
"Touya, you'll give me away at my wedding won't you?" she asked, breaking her long held silence and interrupting the quiet murmur between the two as they played cards.
Touya looked up at her, startled. For a moment he just watched her carefully, noting how much she had grown in her time away, both physically and mentally. She was no longer his little monster really, despite his desperate fight to keep her. Though Yukito was indeed his most precious person, Sakura ranked as a close second, his adoration for her was so great. She had always been his to protect and now the time had come when he would have to give her up.
Confused at his long silence, Sakura looked up from her toes and at the troubled look on his face. After a few seconds she understood the flitting emotions on his face and slipped off the bed, walking over to him to give him a great big hug. "No matter what, Touya, you are still my one and only big brother. Even though I'm no longer a little girl, you will always be someone I look to for guidance and help. That won't ever change, nor do I want it to. So please don't look so sad, Touya. I still love you just as much as I ever did."
Touya sighed and hugged his sister back, feeling silly and deservedly so. She was right, no matter how much it hurt to let go of the person he had always held so close. "I love you, too, Sakura. My little sister. And of course I'll give you away at your wedding. But you have to promise me that if you ever have a problem you will walk down that LONG corridor and ask big brother for help, okay?"
"Except on what to buy him for his birthday. For that you come to me, Sakura," Yukito interjected with a small laugh.
Both siblings blushed a little but laughed as well. "Of course! And Yukito I want you to be one of the attendants. I've already talked it over with Syaoran and he agrees." When he nodded, she giggled. "You get to partner Nakuru." The already pale face whitened a little, but didn't lose it's smile.
"Don't worry, Yuki, I won't let her eat you," Touya laughed. "Now, monster, it's time for you to go to bed. And I don't want you to be having any nightmares okay? Good dreams only," he commanded with a frown.
Sakura laughed, rolling her eyes. "I can't command my dreams, Touya!"
"Sure you can," Yukito smiled. "You have the Dream Card don't you? Or at least so Yue prods me to remind you."
Frowning, she looked at her feet. "Dream Card would only show me what I'm already seeing," she whispered momentarily serious before grinning. "Anyway, I am tired so I'm off to bed." Hugging each of them in turn she slipped out of the room and headed towards her own room some ways down the hallway.
Yukito stared at Touya for a moment before reaching across and squeezing his shoulder. "She'll be fine, Touya. She's Sakura!"
Touya nodded, still frowning. "But will she be the same after all this?"
Sighing, the Moon Guardian's false form couldn't reply, not being able to assure that after such harsh times that simple innocent and joyful smile would be able to stay on her face. "We can only hope."
"They do make such a cute couple."
"Can you imagine what their children will be like?"
"Her hair and his eyes, perhaps. They would be just like honey but walking and talking."
"Or perhaps his dark hair and her eyes. I don't know who would be able to go against that combination."
Both prospective grandmothers sighed. "I'm surprised none of your daughters have given birth yet, Yelan."
"It's aggravating. I want a baby to take care of. It would make me feel young again. But I think Fuutie may be expecting. She's been having weird cravings. She hasn't told me anything though so I can't presume. Besides, I didn't have children until I was about Xiefa's age."
"I hope that Sakura and Syaoran have plenty of children for me to spoil. In some ways I'm glad that Touya is happy as he is, but I do miss any children he might have fathered."
Yelan patted her friend's hand. "Now, be honest with me Nadeshiko. How are you holding up?"
The seemingly young face suddenly matured and grew weary as she contemplated the question. "It's been so little time since he passed away. And in such a horrible way. What's more Sakura is in danger too. Sometimes it is just too much to bear, Yelan. I'm so worried! Fujitaka was the serious one and now I don't have him to lean on any more. I miss him so much!" she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I can tell the children do too and I wish more than anything I could help them in some way, but there is nothing I can really do."
Yelan quietly wrapped her arms around her friend. She knew exactly what Nadeshiko was feeling and it hurt to see such harsh emotions be forced on such a wonderful and sweet woman. Rocking her back and forth in her arms, much as a mother would do, she ran her fingers over her long black hair.
"It will be okay eventually, Nadeshiko. And I'm going to stay here for a few weeks to help you through this. I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier. But I'm here now and I'll help you through it."
Nadeshiko hugged her friend even tighter, grateful for the favor and the return of her friend when she needed it most, just as she had had to do so many years before when Yelan's husband passed away.
In the hallway, Syaoran and Sakura looked at their mothers in silence, solemn. Both wished they could comfort the crying woman and saddened that they both had to endure something which scared them senseless. Turning to Syaoran, Sakura hugged him. Just as hungrily, he held on to her, desperately trying to push away the fear that he too would leave her in such a state, damning the dreams that foretold as much. He also feared more than anything that the reverse would happen.
Silently they embraced each other for a long time before turning once more to look in on their mothers. When seeing that they had returned to a somewhat normal state, Sakura knocked politely, begging admittance. Cheerfully she wished her mother goodnight, hugging her and kissing her cheek. As she pulled away she looked at Yelan, who had such a sorrowful look in her eyes, reflecting what she had just seen her mother wear. Without thinking, Sakura reached forward and hugged her as well and kissed her cheek.
"Goodnight, both my mothers," she bid cheerfully before slipping out the door once more and taking Syaoran's hand as they headed to bed.
Yelan held her cheek where Sakura had kissed her and smiled. "I think she likes me," she giggled.
"You are wrong."
"What?!"
"She loves you!"
"Thank you for sharing your daughter with me, Nadeshiko."
"Thank you for sharing your son with me, Yelan."
"Now, we really must start planning their wedding."
Sakura stared in the mirror at herself for a long time. The dress was a masterpiece, as all of Tomoyo's dresses were. It was beautiful light silver with darker embroidery. On the bodice she had sewn a crescent moon and on the hem of the gauze overdress the phases of the moon circled twice over. In more than one way this dress was symbolic but to Sakura it really meant one thing.
It would be the last dress of formal mourning for her father.
The last thing she wore before her coronation.
Sighing she turned from her mirror and pulled out her Cards again. The fight would come and she had to be ready. The Elders still talked with her at the castle and she was still training in her secret room with her sword and Cards everyday. But still she didn't feel prepared. She didn't feel as if she could possibly win.
And as Queen of Tomoeda, she had to win.
Really, it was too much to have to bear another day of fittings and pomp and circumstance when she had everything down by heart already. Suddenly an idea struck her and she summoned up her 'wand'. Glancing around fervently to see if anyone had seen the bright flash of light she pulled one Card in particular.
"Reflect into another me, Mirror!" she cried softly.
As she commanded, Mirror left her frame and exited in an identical match to Sakura herself. Sakura grinned and hugged the Card, having pulled this trick once or twice before. "Will you help me out again, my friend? I need some time to myself."
"Of course, mistress. What will I be doing?" Mirror asked hesitantly.
"Oh, just fittings and a walk through of the ceremony tomorrow. I'll go through it with you before I disappear." Quickly she related the basics to the Card who soaked up all the information quickly before the two parted, carefully checking to see if anyone would notice as the real Sakura snuck away and out of the castle.
The first one to notice Mirror was Kero, who immediately realized the switch and sighed before going off to hunt down his wayward mistress before she got herself hurt. He understood perfectly her desire to escape and had no plan to bring her back. As he left, Yukito noticed, or more correctly, Yue inside of Yukito noticed, and the young man soon found himself changing form as the Moon Guardian asserted himself and followed his Sun counterpart.
When Yue finally reached Kero, the Sun Guardian had transformed to his true form and was watching as Sakura picked flowers in a quiet field. Yue quietly joined him. "What do you think, Yue?"
"Your opinion is undoubtedly better than mine since you have been with her longer while she had magic, Keroberos."
"Still, you watched her grow up. So tell me what you think."
Yue stood in silence. "I worry for her. She is too innocent and pure for the harsh things she will have to face in life, much less the battle she will have to face with this unknown enemy. But she is strong. I think everything will be fine in the end."
Kero smiled. "I'm glad that you like her."
Yue allowed his lips to curve up slightly. "Perhaps it is because my false form likes her so much, but I really think it is impossible for anyone to truly dislike her. She is very admirable and will make a wonderful queen as she grows older."
Kero nodded. "It's hard to see her suffer."
Yue stared at the young girl he was created to protect. "Harder still because she doesn't deserve it. I just hope that she won't change. And that soon everything will be over and she can continue being our Mistress, as carefree and loving as she always has been."
For long after, the two Guardians stared at their mistress in silence as she took her last peaceful hours in childish innocence before the weight of the crown so officially was settled on her head and before she was beckoned to battle from which no on knew what would happen.
Cerulean blue eyes glimmered in the dying sunlight as he stared at where the coronation would take place in only a matter of hours. It wouldn't be long before he would confront her. She would soon be his and all the waiting would have been worth it. It was so close he could almost taste it.
Laughing softly, he turned away and went to meet with the young writer who was so enamoured of him. It would be the last time he would meet with the girl before she realized who he was. Indeed, he would derive no small amusement from the look on her shocked face as she realized she had been aiding and abetting the enemy for some time.
Only hours to wait and he prayed that he could bear the sweet torture of anticipation.
(A/N: REVIEW! Erm...yeah. Anyway, I don't know how quickly the next chapter will be out since it IS the final chapter and I want to make it absolutely PERFECT and since it will be LONG as HELL. Or at least longer than any of the rest of them. Aside of maybe the first. Anyway, hopefully it won't be too long since I want to get it finished and when I post that the epilogue and final a/n should go up almost immediately after so expect the FINIS status to be soon. Enough talking, more writing right? Ja!)
Reviews: I'm THRILLED at how much people like my story. In all honestly I want to go up to everyone who reviewed and give you GREAT big hugs. Two things: first, I heard a couple people had troubles with seeing my chapters. If this happens again, feel free to email me or ask via review and I will try to send you the chapters via email. I would of course prefer for you to be able to read them via ff.n but I also want everyone to be able to read. Second, out of some WEIRD freak occurrence ff.n really decided that it liked coca24cola's review and sent it to my inbox like thirty times. It was kinda funny. Thought I'd point that out for kicks and grins.
A/N: (as in related to the story, sorta) YAY one more chapter to go plus minor epilogue. Also, someone was asking if I intended to write a sequel and originally I hadn't planned on doing one but recently I've been rethinking that. There were elements to this story that I'm not quite happy with and that I could address in a shorter sequel. So, perhaps. Anyway, onto the chapter already.
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. But I do own this story. All 186 pages of it and counting. Jeez that's a lot of typing.
Chapter Twenty-One: The Sweet Torture of Anticipation
It was time to leave. The past few days had been a flurry of preparation in the Li household. Everyone had been racing everywhere, desperate to finish their individual preparations for their journey. It had always been customary for the Li family to attend the coronation of their new ruler, if situation allowed, which it very rarely did not. But at the time of the previous celebration the family had been a great deal smaller and only had one outside member attending: Yelan, who had not yet married into the family.
Sakura couldn't help but find it funny as she and Tomoyo watched everyone run around much like chickens with their heads cut off. Perhaps a little more graceful but no less erratic. The two themselves were busy, true, but being far more used to such things, they already had most of their preparations finished affording a good deal of time to help their less prepared friends.
Not that any of these included Yelan, Elders Long, Chen Rong and Sheng, and the future leader. They had either little to prepare or too much sense to leave it to the last minute as the other two Elders, Li's sisters, Nakuru, Meiling and all said husbands and future husbands-to-be. Still it was amusing to watch the others when Sakura could take a time out from clearing out what would no longer be her official place of business in a few days time, after the coronation.
Syaoran quietly and obediently helped her organize missives, bills, directives, dictates and other nightmarish papers he more or less didn't want to understand. When he half-jokingly suggested she use Fiery to just burn them all away, the poor queen was sorely tempted and might have done as much if not for the realization that it would take more than twice as long to redo everything.
Kero and Suppi retained their jobs as messengers but also were put upon to transfer luggage, help pack and other miscellaneous jobs that Kero always managed to find time to argue about. And for which Suppi always took the time to show his superior maturity through doing without complaint.
All and all the days leading up to the coronation might have been busy but otherwise completely jovial if not for the darkened cloud that still hung over the entire event. Sakura's dreams had gotten progressively worse and were now occurring almost nightly, waking her up with screams so loud that the whole house flooded to her room, where no one now had the heart to argue with Syaoran's presence. All of them were secretly glad he could give her some hope of comfort after the dreams that left her bawling.
The dreams just further intensified the uneasy atmosphere that hung over their heads as everyone thought of the horrors the young fragile girl would be forced to endure. Even Xi Wang and Zhi Ye were left wishing they could se her in peace instead of cheerfully trying to hide her weariness and ill ease.
The only reprieve from the stiff uneasiness was the day before their departure. Sakura woke early and immediately was struck with the oddity of it, especially since Syaoran was fast asleep beside her. True she frequently woke up at odd hours of the night from her dreams but she immediately fell to sleep again once she had calmed, just like she had done earlier that morning. Looking around she realized that it was still before dawn, though not too far. Smiling softly, she watched Syaoran sleep for a few minutes, admiring how his normally hard cast features softened in his sleep.
Leaning forward quietly, she kissed him softly on his forehead, giggling softly at how he sighed and smiled in his sleep. With great care, she climbed out of her bed, making sure not to wake him, and quickly changed into a sapphire blue dress, embroidered with gold thread to make suns, moons and stars in varying sizes on her sheer overskirt. Glancing one last time at Syaoran, she slipped from the room and walked towards the grand entry. As she approached her omnipresent smile grew wider and more sincere until finally she threw the doors open.
"Eriol! Kaho!" she squealed, hugging them tightly each in turn. "I missed both of you so much!"
Eriol smiled softly. "You mean you've been waiting for me to take Nakuru off your hands."
Giggling, Sakura refuted him. "No, actually. She's been very helpful." Pausing to look around, she stepped closer and whispered, "That and apparently the addition of one more crazy girl to the mix manages to keep all five of them away from everyone. She and Syaoran's sisters have kept to themselves mostly."
Eriol and Kaho laughed appreciatively at her conspiratorial tone. "What about Spinel Sun?" Kaho asked as Sakura ushered them inside. "Has he been helpful as well?"
"He has been very helpful. Suppi and Kero have been making themselves useful as messengers and assistants. We had to make a game out of it for them to really get into it but nothing outside of that." She stopped and looked at them both in turn once more before hugging them simultaneously. "I'm so glad that you are here. It makes everything perfect."
Kaho smiled down at the girl who was once her student and was now her queen then solemnly knelt before her. "I am honoured you think so well of me, Sakura. May you remember that I'll always be there when you need me." Grinning, she took the hand offered to help her rise once more.
Sakura looked at the hand she held for a moment then her eyes grew wide as saucers. "Oh! That's an engagement ring!" she squealed gleefully. "Eriol you proposed?!" At the blue eyed sourcerers soft smile and nod, Sakura squealed even more loudly and tackled the two of them so exuberantly, all three of them lost their footing and fell onto the stone floor.
At this time, Syaoran, who had been awoken by Sakura's absence, approached the entry way, speaking before he entered fully. "Why are you making so much noise so early, Sakura?" he asked, raking his hand through his hair and rubbing his tired eyes as he stepped in the room. "You scared me to death when I woke up and you weren't in bed. Why are you awake any-," he stopped abruptly when he pulled his hands away from his eyes and caught sight of the scene at hand. Immediately his face turned the brightest shade of red imaginable and it was obvious he wished he had kept his mouth shut after that first question and had thought to put a shirt on. However he wasn't given much time to stare in embarrassment before Sakura had regained her feet and pounced him with as much enthusiasm as she had the other two, with identical result.
"Aaa! Sakura, don't tackle someone when they are only half awake," he groaned as he strove to stand up again, ignoring the chuckles coming from the other two has he tried to pry Sakura off of him.
"But Eriol and Kaho are engaged! Isn't it great?!"
Syaoran paused in his ministrations to look at Eriol, who had already risen to his feet. The two exchanged a long hard look until, uncharacteristically, Eriol looked away. The older boy knew that there would be questions later, but for the moment he didn't have the energy to face them.
Finally, scrambling off of Syaoran, Sakura helped him up before turning once more to the new couple. "And you will be traveling with us to the Capitol tomorrow right?"
"We wouldn't be here else," Kaho smiled. "I also have heard that, ahem, felicitations should be extended to you two as well," she grinned, glancing pointedly at Syaoran's bare chest, clearly mindful of what he had said moments before.
Sakura finally had the grace to blush full scarlet before nodding. "Y- yes, w-well, umm," she began, trying desperately to make the situation seem right to someone she respected so much. Syaoran merely glared at the woman he still could not bring himself to trust, accidentally leaving the burden to his beloved.
Kaho shook her head. "Don't worry. I know all about it, Sakura."
The younger girl's emerald eyes widened as she understood the implication but was unsure of the meaning. She wanted to ask what Kaho meant but was afraid of being wrong.
At last, unable to bear the situation any longer, Syaoran stepped forward. "Why don't I show you to your rooms so you can change out of your clothes before everyone wakes up?" he suggested politely, indicating their snow dampened garments.
"Why thank you, Li. We would be grateful," Eriol smiled, causing Syaoran to look at them suspiciously before turning and motioning for them to follow. There were still a few rooms left outside the madness that had ensued in the past week and he quickly and quietly led them to two of them. "I'll inform the kitchen you are here for breakfast."
Bowing politely, they entered their separate room, leaving Syaoran and Sakura alone in the long corridor still some time before dawn. Suppressing a yawn, Syaoran began towards his room so he could change, Sakura trailing after him, skipping gleefully, causing him to smile softly in relief. As he sorted through what was left in his wardrobe, she walked out onto his balcony to watch the sun rise over the tree tops and think in peace.
Leaning her fore arms on the stone wall, she sighed. The time had flown by both so quickly since she visited her family. She had hoped that whoever this monster was, she would have found him before now. But in her heart and soul Sakura had known all along that it was not to be. He was coming for her at his own time and she would have to fight him alone, desperately trying to save those she loved.
With a small frown, Sakura pulled on the chain that held her Key on it. She still didn't know what made her worthy of such a wonderful gift. But at the same time she knew she'd rather die than lose any one of her Cards. To her they were not just cards, but rather they were her friends and someone she could hope to fight with her, to help her. She didn't want to part with them at all. Yet there was this man who wanted their Power, who would take control of her or kill her because of them.
Contrarily, Sakura being Sakura refused to see them as a burden. She refused to put them away to spare her own life and the security of her own existence. For, just as they were her friends, she was theirs.
Pulling them from her omnipresent purse, she smiled at her Cards. "No matter what I won't let you be lonely again. I won't give you up and make you wait for years on end fro someone new. You are my friends!"
In response, The Cards flew from her hand and surrounded her, encircling her with their magic in the early morning light. Syaoran watched her with a smile as she laughed in innocent joy at the sight before they once again flue to her hand in neat order. Catching sight of him, her grin widened.
"Everything will absolutely be all right."
Amber eyes twinkling, Syaoran nodded in agreement.
That evening Li cornered Hiiragizawa in the library after dinner. The older boy was tempted to run for his very sanity, but knew it was a futile effort, despite the fact that he was in just as good a shape as Li. The chocolate haired boy sat across from him with a serious expression, merely waiting for him to speak. For nearly ten long minutes, the two just exchanged a look, waiting for the other to speak until Li finally sighed in exasperation.
"You might as well just talk, Hiiragizawa. You know as well as I what I'm here about. Be a man and stop wasting my time."
Taking his own turn to sigh, Eriol smiled. "I suppose you want to know why I proposed to Kaho when you know quite well that I confessed my love to Sakura not so long ago."
"That sums it up, yes."
"Perhaps I should inform you that I have known Kaho for years, much longer than I've known most people actually, and that even though I already knew of Sakura, I still held her in affection. I also knew from the start that I could not have your beautiful bride. It was not meant to be."
"If it wasn't meant to be then why the hell did you tell her anyway? Do you realize how bad Sakura felt, knowing you loved her and yet not being able to return your feelings? How bad she feels now, trying to convince herself that Kaho doesn't look at her badly because she knows the truth?"
"Maybe it would have been best for me to have kept it a secret. But, my dear descendant, have you never thought of what reason I had for doing what I did since even at the time it was impossible for me to believe in any other outcome than the one that occurred?"
Li sat back in his chair, contemplating for a moment before shaking his head slightly. "No, I really can't see the purpose."
"Then let me put this in a different light. Say our roles were switched, that Sakura was to wed me and that the two of us were deeply in love," he began, noting how Li's hands clenched on his arm rests at the thought. "And that you were still as in love with her as you are now. Even if you knew it were impossible would you want Sakura to know your feelings?"
Li began to speak then paused, reflecting on something Tomoyo had remarked to him earlier. "Probably."
"You would want her to know because unless someone else knew of your feelings, it would have been as if they never existed. And love should never be treated so, even unrequited."
Li sighed as he stared at Eriol, clearly irritated at having to give over the point. Eriol studied his albeit abnormal descendant for some time. "Yes," he thought, "he will protect and love her well. She is safe with him." He was about to rise and leave the room when Li sat forward again, glaring in that absolutely terrifying way of his. Despite all his appearance of aplomb, Eriol was more than a little nervous each time he received that look, if only because he had absolutely no fighting skills. The fact that Li was by no means weak in comparison to himself in anyway also added to that.
"Whatever. I think it's well known that I don't particularly like Mizuki. Still, I can't approve of you playing with her like that. It's despicable, Hiiragizawa."
Letting out a deep breath, Eriol rose to his feet, relieved at the turn in conversation. "I do love Kaho, you idiot. I never said I didn't. And perhaps my love for Sakura isn't even the kind that should be behind a man and a woman, despite it's purity, because my love for Kaho seems deeper in a different sense. So do not worry your gentlemanly instincts. I'm not being evil. Yet."
On that more than sadistic note, Eriol swept free of the room and made his getaway before the young Li could find another reason to yell at him and possible do him some physical harm.
Bright and early, two days before the coronation ceremony was to take place, the entire population of the Li mansion, minus the odd live-in servant, arrived on the castle steps. All twenty-four of them, plus three Guardians. Touya, who had been waiting patiently for their arrival, opened the door immediately after hearing the clamor of luggage being set down and was just as immediately tackled by Nakuru who had been waiting to do as such since she left the castle some years before.
"Touya! I missed you! Do you still love me?"
Having managed to keep his footing, the Crown Prince of Tomoeda sighed deeply and tried to pry the girl type person off of him. "No I don't and I never did. Now will you get off of me Nakuru?"
"Brother!" Sakura called out gleefully, hugging him tightly once Nakuru had been forced off. Touya returned the embrace just as joyfully, more glad than he would admit at the knowledge that she was returning for good this time. "I missed you so much! Is Mother still asleep? And Yukito?"
"Wait a moment, monster! Why don't we let everyone inside before you start prattling away?"
Frowning she calmly ground her heel into his foot painfully before ushering everyone else inside. This was a mistake on Touya's part for just as soon as she had passed him by, all for of the Li sisters immediately took up where Nakuru had left off. All other men present looked at him in consolation, even Liu Lok, who had more or less turned human during his stay with the Li's and had turned his adoration from his new queen to Fanren.
As the many servants came and removed the luggage to the many rooms in other parts of the castle, Nadeshiko made her way down the grand stairway to greet her guests on Yukito's arm. Sakura frowned as she watched her mother. The older lady looked tired and worn through past the cheerful smile that covered her features. Glancing at Touya, she wondered how long her mother had been sick.
"Yelan!" Nadeshiko cried out, picking her out from the crowd and pulling away from Yukito's steadying arm. "I'm so glad to see you again." All at once her youth returned in full as she embraced her childhood friend.
"You look exactly the same as you did all those years ago, Nadeshiko. I don't know how you managed."
"Probably because I didn't raise four girls and a boy, Yelan. But for all that you still look as striking as ever." Smiling gleefully, she turned from Yelan momentarily to formally greet the Elders with a respectful bow and the rest of the group before wandering off down the corridors towards the dining hall, talking animatedly.
All five of the Li children stared. They had never seen their mother act like, well, a girl. In moments she had turned from a strict foreboding woman to a teen like presence that put her daughters to shame. Xiefa, Fanren, Fuutie, Feimei and Syaoran all looked at each other in wonder.
"Do you think she's sick?" Feimei pondered.
"Mother sick? Apocalypse will come first," Xiefa commented dryly.
Syaoran nodded. "Perhaps it's momentary insanity. I hear that happens sometimes."
"Seems more plausible but still ridiculous," Fanren observed.
"It's settled then," Fuutie sighed. "Mom actually was young once and we walked into a time warp to see it happen."
Everyone but the Elders broke into laughter at that thought. But even they couldn't hide a smile at the thought of the solemn Yelan acting like a child again, especially since she hadn't been particularly girlish when she was young.
"It's probably just contagious from our mother," Touya sighed. "She never did quite seem to stop being a young girl. Not that we can blame her."
"But it's ridiculously funny to watch her sometimes," Sakura giggled. "She'll be talking with courtiers as she walks down the hallway then all of a sudden she's flat on her face without a seem in the stone to have tripped her."
Zhi Ye and Lok exchanged looks. "Our mother is really boring. You could pick her straight out of a book on how to be a mother she's so ordinary."
"Ditto," Xi Wang commented.
"Mother was much like Auntie, though perhaps a little less strict," Meiling observed quietly. "She passed away when I was twelve."
"What about your mother Tomoyo?" Feimei asked.
Tomoyo smiled. "She was fun and very expressive. She could get boiling angry at the drop of the hat and filled with righteous anger over the smallest and weirdest things. Especially when it came to Aunt Nadeshiko. But she was very loving too."
Sakura squeezed her friends hand before looking over at Kaho. "What about you? Was your mother particularly outrageous?"
Both of them looked at each other and shook their heads. "My mother is still living happily at the family temple with father. Same as she has been all her life."
Smiling all around, the group finally followed the Matriarchs into the dining all for breakfast. Because no matter what they were like, it was universal, one's mother was one's mother and that was always best.
Sakura sat happily in her night dress and robe on her brother's bed, knees pulled up to her chin and fingers curled under her toes as she watched her brother and Yukito talk. It had been a long day, but a happy one. A small celebration had been set forth at dinner to celebrate her homecoming. But Sakura also knew that despite the return of some normality to her life, things would never be as they were before. So she took the opportunity now to act as she had so many times when she was young and be a little girl, staring adoringly at her older brother.
"Touya, you'll give me away at my wedding won't you?" she asked, breaking her long held silence and interrupting the quiet murmur between the two as they played cards.
Touya looked up at her, startled. For a moment he just watched her carefully, noting how much she had grown in her time away, both physically and mentally. She was no longer his little monster really, despite his desperate fight to keep her. Though Yukito was indeed his most precious person, Sakura ranked as a close second, his adoration for her was so great. She had always been his to protect and now the time had come when he would have to give her up.
Confused at his long silence, Sakura looked up from her toes and at the troubled look on his face. After a few seconds she understood the flitting emotions on his face and slipped off the bed, walking over to him to give him a great big hug. "No matter what, Touya, you are still my one and only big brother. Even though I'm no longer a little girl, you will always be someone I look to for guidance and help. That won't ever change, nor do I want it to. So please don't look so sad, Touya. I still love you just as much as I ever did."
Touya sighed and hugged his sister back, feeling silly and deservedly so. She was right, no matter how much it hurt to let go of the person he had always held so close. "I love you, too, Sakura. My little sister. And of course I'll give you away at your wedding. But you have to promise me that if you ever have a problem you will walk down that LONG corridor and ask big brother for help, okay?"
"Except on what to buy him for his birthday. For that you come to me, Sakura," Yukito interjected with a small laugh.
Both siblings blushed a little but laughed as well. "Of course! And Yukito I want you to be one of the attendants. I've already talked it over with Syaoran and he agrees." When he nodded, she giggled. "You get to partner Nakuru." The already pale face whitened a little, but didn't lose it's smile.
"Don't worry, Yuki, I won't let her eat you," Touya laughed. "Now, monster, it's time for you to go to bed. And I don't want you to be having any nightmares okay? Good dreams only," he commanded with a frown.
Sakura laughed, rolling her eyes. "I can't command my dreams, Touya!"
"Sure you can," Yukito smiled. "You have the Dream Card don't you? Or at least so Yue prods me to remind you."
Frowning, she looked at her feet. "Dream Card would only show me what I'm already seeing," she whispered momentarily serious before grinning. "Anyway, I am tired so I'm off to bed." Hugging each of them in turn she slipped out of the room and headed towards her own room some ways down the hallway.
Yukito stared at Touya for a moment before reaching across and squeezing his shoulder. "She'll be fine, Touya. She's Sakura!"
Touya nodded, still frowning. "But will she be the same after all this?"
Sighing, the Moon Guardian's false form couldn't reply, not being able to assure that after such harsh times that simple innocent and joyful smile would be able to stay on her face. "We can only hope."
"They do make such a cute couple."
"Can you imagine what their children will be like?"
"Her hair and his eyes, perhaps. They would be just like honey but walking and talking."
"Or perhaps his dark hair and her eyes. I don't know who would be able to go against that combination."
Both prospective grandmothers sighed. "I'm surprised none of your daughters have given birth yet, Yelan."
"It's aggravating. I want a baby to take care of. It would make me feel young again. But I think Fuutie may be expecting. She's been having weird cravings. She hasn't told me anything though so I can't presume. Besides, I didn't have children until I was about Xiefa's age."
"I hope that Sakura and Syaoran have plenty of children for me to spoil. In some ways I'm glad that Touya is happy as he is, but I do miss any children he might have fathered."
Yelan patted her friend's hand. "Now, be honest with me Nadeshiko. How are you holding up?"
The seemingly young face suddenly matured and grew weary as she contemplated the question. "It's been so little time since he passed away. And in such a horrible way. What's more Sakura is in danger too. Sometimes it is just too much to bear, Yelan. I'm so worried! Fujitaka was the serious one and now I don't have him to lean on any more. I miss him so much!" she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I can tell the children do too and I wish more than anything I could help them in some way, but there is nothing I can really do."
Yelan quietly wrapped her arms around her friend. She knew exactly what Nadeshiko was feeling and it hurt to see such harsh emotions be forced on such a wonderful and sweet woman. Rocking her back and forth in her arms, much as a mother would do, she ran her fingers over her long black hair.
"It will be okay eventually, Nadeshiko. And I'm going to stay here for a few weeks to help you through this. I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier. But I'm here now and I'll help you through it."
Nadeshiko hugged her friend even tighter, grateful for the favor and the return of her friend when she needed it most, just as she had had to do so many years before when Yelan's husband passed away.
In the hallway, Syaoran and Sakura looked at their mothers in silence, solemn. Both wished they could comfort the crying woman and saddened that they both had to endure something which scared them senseless. Turning to Syaoran, Sakura hugged him. Just as hungrily, he held on to her, desperately trying to push away the fear that he too would leave her in such a state, damning the dreams that foretold as much. He also feared more than anything that the reverse would happen.
Silently they embraced each other for a long time before turning once more to look in on their mothers. When seeing that they had returned to a somewhat normal state, Sakura knocked politely, begging admittance. Cheerfully she wished her mother goodnight, hugging her and kissing her cheek. As she pulled away she looked at Yelan, who had such a sorrowful look in her eyes, reflecting what she had just seen her mother wear. Without thinking, Sakura reached forward and hugged her as well and kissed her cheek.
"Goodnight, both my mothers," she bid cheerfully before slipping out the door once more and taking Syaoran's hand as they headed to bed.
Yelan held her cheek where Sakura had kissed her and smiled. "I think she likes me," she giggled.
"You are wrong."
"What?!"
"She loves you!"
"Thank you for sharing your daughter with me, Nadeshiko."
"Thank you for sharing your son with me, Yelan."
"Now, we really must start planning their wedding."
Sakura stared in the mirror at herself for a long time. The dress was a masterpiece, as all of Tomoyo's dresses were. It was beautiful light silver with darker embroidery. On the bodice she had sewn a crescent moon and on the hem of the gauze overdress the phases of the moon circled twice over. In more than one way this dress was symbolic but to Sakura it really meant one thing.
It would be the last dress of formal mourning for her father.
The last thing she wore before her coronation.
Sighing she turned from her mirror and pulled out her Cards again. The fight would come and she had to be ready. The Elders still talked with her at the castle and she was still training in her secret room with her sword and Cards everyday. But still she didn't feel prepared. She didn't feel as if she could possibly win.
And as Queen of Tomoeda, she had to win.
Really, it was too much to have to bear another day of fittings and pomp and circumstance when she had everything down by heart already. Suddenly an idea struck her and she summoned up her 'wand'. Glancing around fervently to see if anyone had seen the bright flash of light she pulled one Card in particular.
"Reflect into another me, Mirror!" she cried softly.
As she commanded, Mirror left her frame and exited in an identical match to Sakura herself. Sakura grinned and hugged the Card, having pulled this trick once or twice before. "Will you help me out again, my friend? I need some time to myself."
"Of course, mistress. What will I be doing?" Mirror asked hesitantly.
"Oh, just fittings and a walk through of the ceremony tomorrow. I'll go through it with you before I disappear." Quickly she related the basics to the Card who soaked up all the information quickly before the two parted, carefully checking to see if anyone would notice as the real Sakura snuck away and out of the castle.
The first one to notice Mirror was Kero, who immediately realized the switch and sighed before going off to hunt down his wayward mistress before she got herself hurt. He understood perfectly her desire to escape and had no plan to bring her back. As he left, Yukito noticed, or more correctly, Yue inside of Yukito noticed, and the young man soon found himself changing form as the Moon Guardian asserted himself and followed his Sun counterpart.
When Yue finally reached Kero, the Sun Guardian had transformed to his true form and was watching as Sakura picked flowers in a quiet field. Yue quietly joined him. "What do you think, Yue?"
"Your opinion is undoubtedly better than mine since you have been with her longer while she had magic, Keroberos."
"Still, you watched her grow up. So tell me what you think."
Yue stood in silence. "I worry for her. She is too innocent and pure for the harsh things she will have to face in life, much less the battle she will have to face with this unknown enemy. But she is strong. I think everything will be fine in the end."
Kero smiled. "I'm glad that you like her."
Yue allowed his lips to curve up slightly. "Perhaps it is because my false form likes her so much, but I really think it is impossible for anyone to truly dislike her. She is very admirable and will make a wonderful queen as she grows older."
Kero nodded. "It's hard to see her suffer."
Yue stared at the young girl he was created to protect. "Harder still because she doesn't deserve it. I just hope that she won't change. And that soon everything will be over and she can continue being our Mistress, as carefree and loving as she always has been."
For long after, the two Guardians stared at their mistress in silence as she took her last peaceful hours in childish innocence before the weight of the crown so officially was settled on her head and before she was beckoned to battle from which no on knew what would happen.
Cerulean blue eyes glimmered in the dying sunlight as he stared at where the coronation would take place in only a matter of hours. It wouldn't be long before he would confront her. She would soon be his and all the waiting would have been worth it. It was so close he could almost taste it.
Laughing softly, he turned away and went to meet with the young writer who was so enamoured of him. It would be the last time he would meet with the girl before she realized who he was. Indeed, he would derive no small amusement from the look on her shocked face as she realized she had been aiding and abetting the enemy for some time.
Only hours to wait and he prayed that he could bear the sweet torture of anticipation.
(A/N: REVIEW! Erm...yeah. Anyway, I don't know how quickly the next chapter will be out since it IS the final chapter and I want to make it absolutely PERFECT and since it will be LONG as HELL. Or at least longer than any of the rest of them. Aside of maybe the first. Anyway, hopefully it won't be too long since I want to get it finished and when I post that the epilogue and final a/n should go up almost immediately after so expect the FINIS status to be soon. Enough talking, more writing right? Ja!)