Cinderkura

Part 33

Produced by: miss.so

-Last time-

"I know what she has done is horrible. I've fallen sick, and almost fed poison, and you, made a servant in the house, but she IS still my wife"

"You mean you still care about her?" Sakura gasped. "After what she has done?! I can't believe you. You are willing to forgive her after what she has done to you, and me!!"

Sakura ran up the stairs two at a time, tears in her fragile eyes daring to spill on her delicate face.

"Sakura!" Mr. Kinimoto cried out in distress as he watched his daughter rush up the stairs slamming the door behind her.

Sakura raced to her bedroom up in the attic. It seemed like she was never important enough. Her father was willing to forgive such a horrible woman, after all the unforgiving things she has done.

Downstairs in the library, Mr. Kinimoto was staring at the closed door in pain, when suddenly, he crumpled in pain. Holding his stomach, he cried out Sakura's name in utter pain.

-End of last time-

Sakura ran down the hall searching for something to keep her mind off the current subject, but she could not. Tears started to fall down mercilessly as Sakura leaned on the clean walls of the hallway, and slid down to her knees crying her heart out. Why did this have to happen to her? Why did all these mixed feelings happen to her? She only wanted someone to hold her and comfort her. Sakura continued to weep, carrying her sadness with the tears she shed.

-Prince Syaoran-

Syaoran shot up from his bed in sweat from the nightmare he just had. He had dreamed of his cherry blossom. He saw her weeping in a corner with such grief and sorrow. He had never seen someone cry like that before. Her tears had streamed down her face like rapid rivers. His sadness of seeing Sakura like that kept him awake all night.

The next day, Syaoran woke up from his sleepless night and dressed in silence. He HAD to find her soon to take her away from such depression and sorrow. Although he didn't know the whole story, he sought to find it out. It was his third day at searching for the girl he loved, but during this time, he didn't find anything. All that was of his travels was disappointment and many times, he had to keep his anger down from all the girls that launched on and stuck on him not wanting to leave so many times.

Prince Syaoran sighed as he picked up his red piece of red chalk and headed out for his last day out for his search for his cherry blossom.

-Sakura-

"Cinderkura, wake up from your lazy slumber" Sakura lifted her head and she awoken from her inadvertent nap by the sugary voice of Fongling. "By the way, iron my scarlet gown. I have a dinner party today at six-thirty, so take your time. Oh, and my beautiful daughters are coming with me, so you can forget about making their share of food" Sakura nodded and turned to iron Fongling's gown.

Ding dong. Ding dong. It was five o-clock.

"I'll get it mother!! It must be him!! Aah! I'm so excited, do I look good mother?" Feiling scurried down the stairs just letting her mother get a glance of her before she continued to race Meiling to the door. Sakura turned around from her dusting of the fireplace to stare at Feiling and Meiling, where one of them was fancily dressed dash to the front door, and almost tore it apart. 'What is going on?' Sakura wondered as she watched Fongling get up also adjusting her shirt and tight pants, and fluffing her already wavy hair.

Fongling suddenly turned around. "Cinderkura, get some hot tea ready, and use the china" Sakura nodded in answer curious to know what was going on, but she knew it was only a matter of time as she hurried into the kitchen to prepare the tea.

"Aii!! Prince Syaooooooooooooooorrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnn!!!!!" Feiling and Meiling greeted the Prince with what was their most seductive and happiest voice (which was – quite annoying...). Behind Syaoran was his guard who was looking quite sternly at the girls as if they would harm the Prince.

Clink.

Sakura's eyes widened as she realized what she had just done. Shaky hands lifted the china cup as Sakura breathed in part relief that it had not broken nor cracked. Her face was pale and she was breathing more quickly than before. 'Syaoran. Why is he here?' Sakura wondered in fear. 'Does he know it's me?' If he did, then the truth would be out to Fongling and she didn't know what Fongling would do to her father after.

In the front door, Prince Syaoran's eyes moved around the parts of the house he could see wondering where the 'clink' sound was coming from. Feiling noticed this as her own eyes narrowed in annoyance of the clumsy Sakura. What must the Prince think of her house now?

"Why don't you come in?" Meiling smiled as she parted to let the Prince enter the house. In his hand was a little box. Feiling noticed this too and held onto Syaoran's arm as she led him into the house. Today, she had fixed her hair into a French twist and to her taste, she had on an incredibly low green v-neck halter that showed most of her cleavage especially with her special push-up bra by Victoria's Secret and an expensive yellow green emerald necklace where the emeralds created a two by two diameter circle with more emerald jewels hanging loosely on bottom of the circle. She had on a tight short jean skirt that was way above the knee and she was barefoot. Her sister Meiling, was wearing a plain white t-shirt with black shorts and looking very casual.

Prince Syaoran looked unsure as he entered the room. He no doubt remembered them. They were the two most enthusiastic girls at the ball that surrounded him. 'I wonder where they're leading me?' Syaoran gulped as he hoped it wouldn't be their bedrooms. (AHAHAHAH!!) To his relief, they led him into the living room, where he assumed that the lady standing up were their mothers.

"Hello! My name is Fongling Kinomoto, and you must be Prince Syaoran! These two BEAUTIFUL girls surrounding you are my daughters, Meiling, on your right, and Feiling, on your left" Fongling smiled brightly to show how proud she was of her two daughters.

"I see" Prince Syaoran answered faintly. There was something about the house that reminded him of HER, but what was it? "The reason I came today is to –"

"We KNOW my Prince, you want to make sure I am the one that is to be yours. The shoe fitting is just to make sure. It MUST have been a burden trying to find me" Feiling interrupted trying to make the Prince's choice of actions be limited.

"No, I came to –"Syaoran tried to put in his own word, but it was not enough for Feiling as she babbled on, building on her hope of becoming the country's next Queen, and most importantly – Prince Syaoran's wife. If she were to succeed, it would prove to herself, and to every other girl out there that she was better than everybody else just because of her success. Then, because of the Princes choice of choosing her (she wishes), she would also become the role model for all of the Kingdom of Li.

As Feiling floated off to her own little fantasy world, Syaoran turned to people who were actually listening. "Back to what I was saying, I have come here to insure, that the girl before me is, or is not the one am looking for"

"I wonder why the tea is taking is so long" Fongling said in fake humour. "I'll go see" Syaoran watched Fongling as she left the room.

"Oh my, I need to go to the washroom. Please excuse me" Meiling then left the room too.

"It's only me and you now" Feiling whispered as she walked behind Syaoran and hugged him. Syaoran looked up at the ceiling. He was in the worst possible position ever, and his personal guard didn't help much either.

-Sakura-

"What is taking so long?" Fongling asked in impatience.

Sakura quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. It was a good thing that she had only started to cry and that there wasn't full streaks of tears on her face, which would be pretty obvious, because of the cinder on her face from the fireplace. Turning around, Sakura forced a smile. "The tea is done, I was just waiting for you to tell me when to come out" Sakura replied.

"Alright, you may serve the tea now, but don't make a fool of yourself, but then, looking at you right now, you already look like a disgrace" Fongling sneered as she looked in the drawers for a glass cup to serve herself a cup of water.

Sakura walked out into the living room with hair over her vibrant eyes to see Feiling all over Prince Syaoran while he just stood there. Holding in her tears, she quietly placed the tea and tray onto the coffee table. The Prince hardly looked at her. Returning to the kitchen, Sakura wiped up in the kitchen and left to her bedroom upstairs.

-Prince Syaoran-

By that time, Meiling and Fongling had returned to the living room. Meiling decided to start first. She smiled. Then quietly seated herself on the couch while taking off her sock. The Prince kneeled down cautiously sniffing his way down to prepare himself for the worst, but it was not to be. Sighing, Syaoran opened the metal box he held carefully, enough for Meiling to see a beautiful pink slipper on a red cushion embellished with beautiful designs of grapevines and roses.

"Your right foot please?" Syaoran asked politely.

"Y-yes" Meiling stammered in embarrassment and blushed.

To Syaoran, this girl's foot looks too big to fit the shoe, but nevertheless, he would try. Holding the foot in his right hand, and holding Meiling's foot in his left, he tried to slip the dainty slipper onto Meiling's foot, but physics told him that you can't force more water into a jar already full. This girl's foot was too wide. The extra bone mass just won't fit into the tiny shoe.

Meiling knew her foot wouldn't fit the moment she saw the shoe, but she would be happy just for the Prince to try. She now knew that Prince Syaoran was a loyal and up-to-his-word person. Once said, he would do it fully.

"Um, I'm sorry, but I don't think it'll fit Meiling" Syaoran answered trying to sound disappointed, but in fact, he was relieved. Meiling smiled. It was enough that he still remembered her name.

"It's alright" Meiling replied.

"My turn!!! My turn!!" Feiling screeched as she jumped in impatience.

"Alright alright" Syaoran moaned. He was getting pretty annoyed with this girl.

Feiling flopped herself down on the sofa and let Syaoran take her foot. She pointed her toes trying to make herself look elegant as Syaoran tried to place the slipper onto her foot, but was unsuccessful. Syaoran sighed in relief. He was thanking the gods that it was not Feiling.

"Hey! S-so, am I your princess?" Feiling asked confused with the Prince's relieving reaction.

"Uh..." Syaoran didn't know how to answer this because he didn't know what she might do to him afterwards. This was the kind of girl he didn't want; careless, dense, loud, annoying, infuriating, and intense. "It doesn't fit you" Prince Syaoran answered blandly. He didn't really care what she said anymore. The fact is right in front of her, if she didn't get it, too bad.

"What?" Feiling asked confused.

"I said the slipper doesn't fit you"

"And why NOT?!" Feiling anger was starting to surface.

"Ahem" Syaoran's guard made himself noticeable. Fongling looked confused also.

"Why don't you try again? There MUST be a mistake, one of my daughters are actually the one you are looking for, you just don't know it!" Fongling suddenly broke in enthusiastically.

Syaoran sighed before continuing. "You see, your daughters foot is too long for the slipper" The Prince gestured to Feiling and then comparing her foot with the tiny slipper.

"Are you saying that none of my daughters are the one you want? What's wrong with them?! Are they not 'pretty' enough for you? Are they not 'smart' enough for you?" Fongling raged. Syaoran didn't even flinch. "You good for nothing Prince, you have no TASTE. My daughters are the prettiest among every other girl in the kingdom. What are you actually looking for anyway?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sure your daughters must be very 'nice' but none of them are the one I'm looking for" With that, Prince Syaoran closed the box holding his precious slipper.

"You have no TASTE you wretched picky Prince, I have not seen anyone like you before. Millions of girls stand before you, begging, on their knees that you'll pick them for your wife, and here, two beautiful girls stand before you and – and you don't even flinch!" Fongling's face was beet red, she wanted to swear and slap that handsome Prince on the face.

"Mother, it's enough!" Meiling shot in, but shrunk back when her mother turned and gave her a glare. Feiling turned around also to glare.

"Well, good day to you" Syaoran headed for the door as his personal guard opened the door and they both left

"AGG!! Why don't beautiful things happen to me!!!!!!!" Feiling snarled as she headed for her room.

"You can't force things that are not to be" Meiling put in quietly.

"And when did you start to speak like Cinderkura huh?" Feiling challenged.

"I do not!" Meiling stated shortly than slowly retreated to her room.

"You do, you just don't know it"

Meiling closed the door silently then slid down to the floor silently. 'When DID I become so different from my mom and sister?' Meiling thought to herself. 'Is it a good thing, or a bad thing?'

-Sakura-

Sakura watched as her Prince and his personal guard crossed the street to the houses past the park. 'I'm right here!!' Her mind screamed as she watched him get farther and farther away. She could only say this in her mind, but not out loud, which caused a different sort of suffering. Tears could only flow down her cheeks as she watched. It was a good thing her face was full of soot, or Syaoran might have recognized her, but then again, he hardly looked at her.

She lay down on her bed and slowly closed her eyes to protect the image of him, but then again, the image of him would always remain as handsome, and kind as she first saw him. Sakura didn't know what might happen in the future with her and the Prince, and she hoped it would turn out alright even if they weren't together in the end.

-Six o-clock-

"Cinderkura!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Fongling's honey voice shook Sakura from her peaceful nap. She got off the bed quickly to see what was going on, but got down in time to see a handsome guy drive Fongling and her daughter to the dinner party.

Sakura sighed as she grabbed newly washed clothes and went into the washroom to take a warm shower as the soot was still upon her face. Her hair was up in a bun with a worn pink bandana over her hair and she was in an apron. Ripping it off, Sakura jumped into the shower. After this, she had to make dinner for herself and her father.

For dinner, Sakura prepared chop suey, instant corn soup, rice, and some vegetables. Sakura smiled as she placed the food onto the tray and brought it downstairs to the library. The library was dark as the sun had turned the other way, and Sakura wondered why her father hadn't turned on the lights. Sakura reached for the lights and flicked them on.

Sakura dropped her tray of food.

Her father was lying on the floor. Motionless.

"Dad!!" Sakura screamed as she flew down the stairs. Reaching for his shoulders, Sakura turned him over. Mr. Kinomoto was still alive as he was breathing heavily and his face was scrunched up in pain. Sweat was all over his body. Sakura gasped. 'What should I do? Should I call the ambulance? What if it's not Fongling? What if it is?' He options were limited. Each had its own disadvantage.

"The ambulance!" Sakura rushed back upstairs to get the phone. Punching in nine one one, the emergency operator answered.

"My father is unconscious and he seems to be in pain!" Sakura cried.

"How long has he been like that?" The operator asked calmly.

"I don't know! It could have been this morning!"

"Alright, we have an ambulance coming right now. Where is his pain coming from?"

Sakura ran back to the library with the cordless phone. "I don't know, but he's holding his stomach" Sakura was finding it hard to breathe with her crying. She didn't know what to do. The only thing she could do right now is to wait.

Ahaha, I made this chapter just a bit longer. I'm trying to make longer chapters, but it's tiring. I think the Sakura showering part was useless but, anyways. Yeah, the same : Read and Review.