Chapter 9: The Truth and The Memories in the Castle

Lil LoveStar: Hi everyone! Alright I think I got writers block on the beginning of my other stories and I can't understand why but as soon as I work over it I'll continue on them.

Madison: But for now she's going to work on this story and we know that many of you don't mind that really.

Kero: I see that some realizations are coming to the light.

Lil LoveStar: Oh I see you noticed Kero.

Showron: It's a real surprise.

Cosette needed more sleep then everyone originally thought, after the torture she endured she slept for two days and a lot happened while she dreamed, not only in her dreams but in the world outside. Syaoran didn't really need her for the time and it gave him time to think about what his step-mother said to him as well as his feelings toward the emerald-eyed beauty in her room sleeping. Sasami had woken up to see Cosette asleep, she wanted to wake her so they could play but Eriol advised against it, he took her downstairs with the other children and told them not to worry about Cosette, that she would be around to see them when she could. Madison stayed by Natasha's side since Cosette was asleep, she didn't like the fact that Meiling hurt Cosette but she wouldn't say anything about it to her. Meiling was angry at the fact that she had no one to talk to after that brat was put down by the emperor. Syaoran was cold toward her now and he refused to talk to her, Natasha did give her the time when she forced it but otherwise she was nowhere to be found when she was lonesome and Madison was usually with her so she couldn't find her either and she refused to play with those children or even talk to Eriol so she was left alone. Sean last but not least was happy that Cosette wasn't around for the short time but he was more concerned about the location of the Clow Cards and the good side of Clow Reed.

On a sunny day Natasha was sitting in the garden admiring the cherry blossoms and the peach blossoms and all the other colorful plants growing throughout the gardens. Natasha looked tired but still beautiful in the ripe age of 40 going on 41 soon. She stared out at the gardens as a figure came forward and stood next to her.

"You're worried about Cosette aren't you?" Eriol asked, his glasses shinning in the sun. Natasha smiled at the sky and at his words. Of course she was worried, what mother wouldn't be?

"She's special, she reminds me of my daughter from my first marriage." Natasha said looking at him. Eriol sat down and looked into her.

"Cosette is your daughter isn't she?" Natasha gasped at what he said, she had a feeling that someone would eventually notice but she never thought Eriol would. She looked at the cherry blossom and at the peach blossom trees that grew next to each other. She smiled a smile that she hadn't smiled since the day she met the grown up cherry blossom.

"Yes, Cosette is my daughter but she must not know, not yet at least." "I see you've noticed our similarities."

"Yes, the emerald eyes and the kindness to everything in life. But what I want to know is how Sean Li trapped you and Cosette."

"Oh… that was a long time ago. He drove my son Tori away from his home and he killed my husband Aiden. He wanted me to be his wife since Yelan, his first wife died a little after Syaoran was born. He forced me to marry him by taking my daughter from me, since I had nothing else and to keep my daughter alive I married him." Eriol nodded but inside he was boiling.

"You never tried to escape with Cosette?" Eriol asked.

"No, I was never left alone for a few years and after a while I just gave into him; my daughter was safe that was all that mattered to me." Natasha said looking at the sky. "But on to other things my dear boy, I've noticed that you care about my dear daughter quite a bit." Eriol did care for Cosette but he didn't love her, Natasha could see that but she did see that he was her friend and would do anything for her.

"Have you also noticed my magical powers my queen?" Eriol asked. Natasha smiled a smile that she only gave her husband and her best friend.

"I know my Aiden's powers are in you, you've become the new good side of Clow Reed." Spinner came out as she said that.

"So you're the Card Mistress' lost mother." Spinner said looking at Natasha. Natasha looked at Spinner then she looked at Eriol. He was like her husband, quiet and docile but at the same time he was his own person. He was inquisitive and was always thinking about things; it wasn't a surprise that he would notice Cosette's and her similarities.

"I must ask my queen, will you tell Cosette who she is?" Eriol asked.

"Only when Syaoran realizes his feelings, until then I will count on you to watch her and Madison." "Li won't stay emperor forever, his son will take his place very soon and my cherry blossom will be by his side."

"Sakura…" Eriol said softly. Natasha smiled and kissed his forehead. Eriol blushed out of embarrassment.

"I want you to watch her; if you wish it Spinner can watch her as well. Eriol shook his head at that.

"The emperor has made a dark side of Spinner and I can't risk being discovered until I can harness my powers. But I will guard your daughter my queen." His bowed and kissed her hand and left her with a smile that Aiden used to give her. Tears started to form in her older eyes as she saw her husband as he was in her memory and in her heart, she saw bits of her own son in Syaoran and she saw her daughter almost fully grown and it made her heart soar with happiness.

The very next day Cosette was still asleep and everyone but of course Meiling and the emperor came to see her. Sasami was worried but Natasha reassured her that she was fine, that she just needed rest. Madison had finished three dresses for her and little Sasami and a few of the other girls downstairs she had asked Eriol to bring them up to her so she could give the dresses to the girls. Syaoran was the one that stayed by Cosette the longest, he examined her every feature, her now slightly longer auburn hair, her perfectly shaped face, her delicate and creamy skin. He longed to feel her bare skin, to have her as his own but he wasn't sure of himself or his feelings.

"Kind of eats at you doesn't it your highness?" A voice asked from behind him.

"No, it doesn't bother me anymore, I just don't understand, it's almost as if she's magical." Syaoran said standing up but never taking his eyes off her sleeping form. Kero and Showron sweatdropped from their places atop her window sill.

"And why do you say that your highness?" Eriol asked his glasses flashing.

"She's… done something to me and I don't know what she's done." Syaoran said still looking at her, he wasn't sure why he was telling Eriol what was on his mind but he didn't care at the moment.

"You seem to indulge her my dear prince, you might even love her, think about it." Eriol said leaving him. Syaoran thought about his words as he turned to leave. 'Maybe I do love her…' He thought to himself.

Castle on a Cloud

Cosette felt so hurt that she couldn't find the woman in the castle; she'd been searching for what seemed to be a lifetime. She saw all the children in the castle and she even saw what looked to be statues of mystical creatures, two of them being Kero and Showron in their other forms, she also saw the symbol of what she didn't know to be the Clow Cards, as well as a statue of Clow Reed. She kept walking past the different structures and saw all the Cards made in crystal, they led her to a large set of doors. She opened the door and found a figure sitting near a window looking out of it. Cosette walked up to the figure and noticed that she wore a beautiful Chinese dress that was white and lavender colored, her hair was long and raven colored like Meiling's and it was put into a high ponytail. She was holding a Chinese fan that had a large butterfly on it.

"Umm, excuse me?" Cosette said a little timidly. The woman turned and Cosette got a good look at her, she wore make up that made her look as white as snow and she had narrow eyes but they were dark colored, she could see. She had the face of someone that was serious almost all the time but her eyes were soft and understanding.

"Well we finally meet face-to-face Card Mistress." The woman said with a small smile. Cosette was surprised that she knew that she was the Card Mistress.

"How did you know I was the Card Mistress?" Cosette asked. The woman looked out of the window once more before standing up and walking toward Cosette. She raised her fan and Cosette's Cards came out and circled Cosette.

"Because I can see you magic and I've known you for sometime now." The woman said.

"WAIT! If you know me then can you tell me who I am, why I know about this place and how I can find my family."

"I can't tell you all of those things my dear, most of it you have to find out on your own, but I can help you find out." The woman took her hand and led her to a room where she saw the town near the castle, only now it wasn't as ruined from when she first saw it.

"Why are we here?" Cosette asked looking at the town.

"I want to show you a few things." The woman said as she took Cosette to a moderately mediums sized house that was near the end of town. Cosette looked and saw a man with a kind smile, glasses and hair that was similar to hers. She also saw a young boy running toward him; he had ebony colored hair and dark eyes. And lastly she saw a woman that looked to be seven to eight months pregnant but Cosette couldn't see the woman's face. Cosette watched as the man kissed the woman and the young boy looked at his mother's swollen stomach.

"Am I going to have a little brother mother?" The boy asked.

"I don't know Tori, we'll have to wait and see." The woman said with happiness in her voice.

"What if we have a girl Tori?" His father asked him.

"I don't want a little monster, I want a brother." Tori said. Both parents smiled as the scene before Cosette started to fad.

"What was that?" Cosette asked the woman.

"That was a part of your past my dear." Cosette's eyes widened as the woman said that and couldn't believe that she had a father and brother as well. What happened to them when she was small, were they still alive? Was her mother alive? Or were they all dead and she was alone in the world like the emperor told her. Cosette watched as they came to another scene where a baby was crying. It had just been born by the look of the woman who was her mother and the happy faces of her father and brother, who was a little upset since she was a girl and not a boy like he hoped.

"It's a girl my dear." Cosette's father smiled.

"Yes I know; Tori look at your sister." Her mother said as Tori came closer.

"She's a squirt! Name her squirt momma." Tori said looking at the small baby that looked just like Cosette.

"I know what to name her; she'll be named after one of my favorite flowers." Her mother smiled. The scene faded and Cosette felt frustrated that she didn't know her name, she knew the faces of her father and brother but she didn't know her mother still.

"Please tell me, why can't I know my name and my mother's face, I know that you're purposely not showing me." Cosette said with a pout in her face.

"You have to find that out yourself young one, but there is one more thing I wish to show you." The woman said as she showed Cosette the town again only it looked better then from her past and even the present. But that's not where the woman was taking her. She took to the castle; it was redone and looked bright and beautiful like she's never seen it before. As she looked she saw Kero and Showron flying freely through the castle walls.

"Come on Kero, we're going to be late!" Showron yelled as he flew faster.

"I'm coming and I said I was sorry for oversleeping already, wait up!" Kero yelled. They both flew to the main balcony and came outside to a grand cheer that erupted as they made it time.

"Well there you two are, overslept again huh?" Madison asked as she smiled at them. Cosette wasn't sure what she was seeing, Madison knew about her guardians, but how did that happen.

"You gluttons had too much to eat probably." Syaoran joked walking next to Madison. WHAT THE HELL? SYAORAN FOUND OUT TOO, HOW DID HER SECRET COME OUT? Cosette didn't understand it but she kept watching. She soon saw herself in what looked to be a gorgeous gown of white. Sasami and Eriol were with her as well. Syaoran smiled at her, the other her and walked up to him and kissed hhim softly on the lips and Cosette thought she was in a dream. Syaoran let go of her and made an announcement to the people, saying that he was going to marry her and that he was now the emperor. The scene faded like the others but Cosette was confused and had to ask.

"What did you show me?"

"I showed you your future little one; I showed what is to come."

"But I don't understand; why would Syaoran marry me? What about his father, the queen and Meiling?"

"The queen will still be alive, Meiling will find love elsewhere and the emperor will find happiness after his time passes. And the reason Syaoran marries you is because you both will grow to love each other and your past will be revealed to you and you will be with your family again." "But now its time for you to leave Cosette, the next time you're here it will be to give your castle." The woman started to glow and Cosette covered her eyes.

Cosette awoke to her room and Kero and Showron watching over her. "COSETTE! You're ok!" They both yelled hugging her. As they hugged her Cosette could only think about what she saw, her brief past and her future, her future with Syaoran.

Lil LoveStar: I can't believe I finished it, I'm so happy and now you get to read it and review it for me.

Showron: Very dramatic indeed this chapter.

Lil LoveStar: (smiles) See you soon!