Story Name: Portrait of a Little Wolf

Author: DarkxDiamonds

Comments: Chapter Seven is here! Hehe, t'was so fun to write! Anyway, please enjoy if you can!

Chapter Seven

"Syaoran ... what will the people think? Your wife has died and hardly three days later, you find another one. This sort of public display would hurt you very much. It would hurt both you and your fiancee ... So, I will advise you. Do not make it such a public wedding - a private one will work the best. And request the priest to do ... as I have mentioned."

Eriol didn't need to continue. Syaoran nodded and accepted his explanation. "Of course. I think he'd completely understand." Besides ... he was the one to tell me to find Sakura again. "Please do not tell Sakura what we have discussed today. It would only upset her." Eriol agreed to do so as the two men immersed themselves in their own thoughts and problems.

"One last note Syaoran ... Congratulations on choosing such a wonderful bride," Eriol murmured as he left. Syaoran felt a blush creep onto his cheeks and he nodded his thanks.

[Later]

Sakura was the first one to greet him as he entered his home again. "Syaoran! Welcome home! How was the visit?" He smiled gently at her and shrugged. "Not bad ... Things seem to be just in order. So how have the arrangements been going?"

Sakura looked down. "There's not too many people that will come .. but the flowers have been ordered and there are sure to be many cherry blossoms! That's all I managed to do today though ..." She tried to hide her embarrassment. "You see, Tomoyo and I got a little sidetracked ..."

Syaoran nodded and gently patted her head. "Of course it's normal for you to try and catch up again. After not seeing each other for so long, spending one day is not enough to make up for all that lost time." He grinned. "Though I'm quite delighted to hear that there will be cherry blossoms." Sakura smiled sheepishly. "They are, after all, your ... trademark."

Slowly, she reached up to touch the sharp angle of his jaw. "I never thought ... I'd do any of the things I have ... for just one person. For love. I never thought in my entire life ... I'd fall in love with a person like you. But Fate does have funny ideas ... doesn't it?"

He nodded firmly. "Absolutely."

Laughing, she broke the strange air. "All right, I guess I better go move all my junk again. May I stay with Tomoyo? Like I used to?" He looked at her hopeful eyes and knew that he could never deny her anything that he could grant. "Of course. Now, go finish catching up. Tomoyo is a wonderful friend."

She kissed him fondly on his cheek. "You think correctly. Arigatou .. Syaoran." She skipped off and her fiancee watched her with pure happiness and joy drawn across his face. I will never stop loving you ....

[Maids' Quarters]

"Yep! And now, I can stay here! Just like the old times, right Tomoyo?" She bounced on her bed like a child as her friend watched her sadly. "I suppose that for right now ... it will work out. But once you are married, Sakura, you will need to move out of this room." Sakura looked at her. "I suppose I will. But I'll save the future for the future Tomoyo. For now, I am happy."

Tomoyo smiled. "It is the duty of wives to produce children. The children are the real bond in the family. They are the reason parents work so hard. And why, sometimes, the love in a family is so strong." Her eyes grew distant. "And that should be the goal of every family ... to have such a love that is so strong ..."

Sakura blinked. "Children ... which reminds me .. how is Naozumi doing?" Tomoyo shook her head. "It was Meiling who chose the name ... before she died. And the child is living. But .. he lacks the love and attention ... from parents ... or from anyone at all. He's just an object in this house that needs to be tended to. I doubt .. that in this condition, the boy will survive much longer."

Sakura's head jerked up sharply. "What?" Tomoyo looked at her curious. "What a child needs more than any food or water is pure love. If all the physical things are given ... that is all right. But without any emotions, then the child can starve simply because lack of that."

"H-how is that possible?" It belied everything that Sakura knew about children and .. simply life. She had been taught that if a person had food, water, clothing, and shelter, that was all they needed to survive. Tomoyo simply sighed. "Just wait. I've tried my best with Naozumi, but even I am not allowed enough time. And every day, his soul fades a little further away from reality."

Sakura was still in shock. "No ... no! I'll make sure Naozumi will survive!" She didn't know what she was dealing with, but anything that Tomoyo said, she took seriously. "Syaoran can't do this to an innocent child .. where is he?" Tomoyo looked down. "In Meiling's old room ..."

Sakura pushed the door open and pounded up the stairs. Her mind was racing ... how could she have ignored poor Naozumi? Turning the lock, she opened the door that had once led her to Meiling. "Naozumi? It's me!" she crooned gently. "Would you like to come out and play?"

She poked her head over the cradle. At first, the closed eyes hinted that the child was sleeping. But something didn't feel quite right. Scrutinizing his tiny body, Sakura could make no movement. Children ... babies have to move a little at least. They have to breathe as well.

Gently, she prodded the child. There was no reaction. Her eyes widened as her fear seemed to have come real. Oh please ... don't tell me ... She touched Naozumi's hand. It was as cold as ice.

Her breath suddenly became hard to catch. It seemed that there would never be enough air for her to breathe. With unsteady hands, she lifted the body and rocked him back and forth, as if it could bring him back.

Her tears splattered down and her sobs erupted. Syaoran was the first to hear and then it was Tomoyo. Both rushed upstairs to find Sakura crying .. holding a small bundle in her arms that she would not let go.

"Tomoyo .. you were right! The child was starved .. of so much!" Tomoyo's eyes wavered in pain and with the threat of tears. Syaoran looked at the two, confused. Starved?

"Syaoran .. this child died ... because he lacked .. being given .. love. You gave him the materialistic things ... but not the real things that matter!" Broken, Sakura continued to cry as the two watched helplessly on.