"Three Jewels Enchanted: Unstoppable Affection"
by Seventh Faythes
Raimundo: Yuck! Not another mushy chap!
Xiu Ying: Admit it! I write good!
Jezareth: But you don't guess love teams as good.
Xiu Ying: That's outta the question!
Jezareth: Xiu Ying is pretty upset right now coz she was guessing that Misaki (Angelic Layer) would end up with Kotarou! I was right! She ended up with Oujirou-kun! Yay!
Xiu Ying: Stop it!
Disclaimer: Seventh Faythes do not own any CCS characters that all belong to marvelous CLAMP ladies. Though Jeza and I agree that owning Syaoran would be quite a dream….This fic is also based on the uber-cool tele-fantasya (television Fantasy show) here in the Philippines, Encantadia, which, by the way, is sweeping us by storm. The song also doesn't belong to us. We aren't really sure who wrote it, but Sakura (or at least her seiyuu) sang it.
Jezareth: Admit it that you're a spoiled loser!
Xiu Ying: Am not!
Jezareth: Are too!
Seventh Faythes boys: (sigh) On with the fic please!
+Unstoppable Affection+
Featuring "Hitotsu Dake"
Sakura looked at the almost finished scarf in her hands. The wounds had grown in number, but she had grown numb to the pain. She tried to blot out the pain in her heart, but it was much harder.
She was currently sitting in the garden plaza. A maze of shrubs surrounded her, so it was quite a task to find her. She sat by the fountain, busying herself with her work and isolating herself from all the merrymaking happening in the castle.
But no matter how far away she hid, some of the noise would still reach her ears. She was crying as she continued knitting the scarf. Every now and then she would stop and wipe a tear away. It was all too much.
The wedding was only two days away. For the past three days, everything has been a blur for her. She kept herself locked in her room, knitting and shutting herself from the outside. Tomoyo and Jenith came in to bring her food, which she never ate and only fed it to the guardian beasts who would be the only ones accompanying her inside the garden maze.
But right now, the beasts were not there with her. They were called in by the servants to help with the continuing preparations. Sakura felt more alone than ever before.
"At least I would be able to work in peace…" She looked at her work. She was almost done. Then she would start on the embroidery.
She placed the lot back into the basket and set off for the castle. She had already memorized the maze, since she was the only one who was diligent enough to do so. She took her usual secret route out of the maze and soon found herself before the castle doors. The guards bowed as she passed and she bowed curtly as well.
On her way to her room, she passed by some servants carrying the decorations for the wedding festivities. The fabrics, flowers, and other things that she was too troubled to notice. She walked into her room without even getting one "hello" or a simple nod.
She looked at herself in the mirror. She was a total wreck. Her regularly shiny brown hair was a dull murky tone. Her shiny emerald eyes were bloodshot from all that crying, and dark circles had appeared below her eyes from all the nights she stayed up just to work on the scarf.
She was getting pretty skinny as well. She had been neglecting her food for the past few days. She looked pathetic.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Come in."
Tomoyo and Lupinelightning came in, carrying a tray of food. "Here is your lunch, Lady Sakura. I prepared it myself."
"Thank you, Tomoyo-chan. I think I will like it."
Tomoyo and Lupinelightning glanced at each other worriedly. "Sakura, you okay?" Lupinelightning asked, flying to her. Sakura nodded and forced a smile.
"What do you mean? Of course I am! What made you think that?"
Lupinelightning looked at her and flew back to Tomoyo. "Excuse us, Lady Sakura, but we must leave now. I beg for your forgiveness for we have to leave you."
"Oh, it's alright Tomoyo-chan. I know that they need all the help they can get for the preparations. I'll be the one to take the tray back to the kitchen."
Her two guests bowed and left. Then Sakura closed the door behind them and cried again. She slowly fell to her knees, leading against the furnished piece of wood that hid her from the outside.
+at Syaoran's room+
Syaoran stood before the large mirror as a tailor measured him. The tailor had also brought along samples of his work for him to choose the design he wanted. Eriol and Yue were in the room with him as well.
"That is all, your highness. Your measurement has been listed. Now, would you like to choose the clothes you would want to wear? I have brought all my finest works, and I hope that at least one of them would suit your taste."
Syaoran walked over to the clothes, but only sent them dropping to the floor with one wave of his hand. Then he stormed out the room as the tailor picked up his work.
"Oh, please accept my forgiveness, Shermlah, my brother is not himself today."
"Oh, there is no damage done, Prince Eriol. I understand that the king must be feeling anxious about his upcoming nuptial."
"If you only knew," Eriol muttered under his breath.
"I beg your pardon?"
"O-oh! It was nothing, Shermlah! Nothing at all…"
+outside+
Syaoran found himself wandering around the forest outside the garden. It was where that fateful day occurred. And that kiss…
He wanted to scream out loud, if only he had not used his precious seven words speaking to that wretched maiden Meilin.No, she may not be that wretched, but to Syaoran she was. She was the reason he is suffering. She was the reason why Sakura had not spoken to him for days. She was the reason why Sakura had not even appeared to him for the past few days. Every time they ran into each other, she would run off to the other direction and hide immediately.
Syaoran did not really know why he went to the forest. His sprites were not around. He wisely concluded that it would be better if he went back to the castle. He had already turned around when he heard a singing voice.
Massugu na hitomi
Itsumo damatteru
Yume o miru tabi ni
Soppo muite waratteru
(Looking into your eyes
You always kept silent
Each time I saw you in my dream
You turned away before I could see your smile)
Syaoran blinked. That voice was oddly familiar. He soon found himself taking that route toward the secluded meadow. He had only realized it when the bushes of Silver Moonlights came into view.
He decided to hide behind a tree to watch. There was someone sitting smack dab in the middle of the meadow, surrounded by some of the animals. A young fawn was at her feet, and she was stroking its little head. Some other animals were lying around her, listening intently to her song. Syaoran listened as well.
Taitetsu no jikan o
Zutto mamotte kureta ne
Yukkuri to dakeredo hitotsu dake
Kitsuke ita koto tsukaetai kara
(I realized who was important to me
You always protected me, didn't you?
Through it all, gradually, you are the only one
Always call me, and I'll help you)
Syaoran took a peek for his hiding place. The person, a girl, was wearing a pink gown that was all too familiar to him. And the brown hair…
'Sakura…' he thought. Thankfully, even if she was able to read his thoughts, she did not hear that short name. He continued to watch as Sakura sang. Even without the moonlight and the breeze, she was still as beautiful as ever.
Anata ni aete anata to sugoshite
Ima koko ni sotto ukabu
Afureru kono omoi o uke tomete
(You're brave, you're amazing
Here, now, gently surfacing
Receive these overflowing feelings)
Sakura was smiling, and yet she had an aura of melancholy. Syaoran felt like someone had pierced him through the chest as he watched. It was unbearable. But what made him partially wonder was how he could understand her foreign words. This was her mother tongue, and yet he understood the meanings completely.
Fukyou na shigusa
Itsumo soba ni iru
Omoi de no naka de
Houmotsu ni kawatteku
(Even though you were often scowling
You were always by my side
Among my feelings
You became treasured)
Her voice wafted through the air like a newly opened bottle of the finest perfume. Syaoran saw her take something from the basket she was carrying. It was a scarf. It was still undone. That was the first time Syaoran actually noticed her bandaged hands.
She began working on the scarf as she continued singing.
Daisuki na jikan o
Motto suki ni shite hoshi
Yukkuri todakeredo hitotsu dake
Kitsuke ita koto shinjitai kara
(I realized who my beloved was
More and more I felt in love
Gradually, finally, you're the only one
Always call me, because I will believe in you)
Syaoran had now come out of the tree's shade. But most of the bushes still hid his figure. And what's more, Sakura had her back to him. She was not paying any attention to her surroundings, obviously, and had not sensed him. She stretched out the scarf and examined it.
Anata no yuuki anata no yasashi sa
Hora koko ni kitto aru yo
Afureru kono namida o utekomete
(Your courage, your kindness
Look, I'm sure this is it
Receive these overflowing tears)
He had already stepped out of the bushes without any noise to disturb her. His expression saddened much more when he saw her wipe something away from her face. He knew well it was a tear. Was she crying again?
Mizu mo kaze mo taiyou mo daichi mo
Tsuki mo hoshi mo tsutsun de kureru
(The water, the wind, the sun, the earth
The moon, the stars, I'd give them all to you)
She pricked her finger, and Syaoran swore he would have run to her place immediately, if he had only not seen her continue singing, even as blood dripped down her finger. Tears continued to sting her eyes. It was an unbearable sight even to the strongest of Faeries.
Anata ni aete anata to sugoshite
Ima koko ni sotto ukabu
Afureru kono omoi o uke tomete
(You're brave, you're amazing
Here, now, gently surfacing
Receive these overflowing feelings)
She seemed to have finished the scarf and examined it. She held it to her chest and slightly bowed her head. She also closed her eyes. Her song was almost done.
Anata ga kureta mirai no kakere ga
Hora koko ni hikatteru kara
Meguri aeta omoi wa hitotsu dake.
(To you I give the future
Look, here, it's sparkling
Surrounded completely by feelings, you're the only one)
Sakura took a deep breath as she finally finished a song. Then she smiled. "As if he would hear that."
Then she looked at the finished product. The scarf was done. Now all she had to do was embroider on it. She marveled at how quick she did her work. It was probably because she did nothing other than that for the past few days.
She turned to the little animals who have kept her company. She patted their little heads and smiled. "What do you think of my song?"
The fawn at her feet nuzzled closer to her. "Well, at least you thought it was great. As for the other one…I don't think he'd bother listening to such a crummy song. He'd be too busy preparing for that wedding of his. Well, at least I finished this scarf."
Some of the animals looked at it in awe. "You think it's great too? Well, thanks! At least someone appreciated my work. Now what would I use as a design? That moon emblem seems too overused. I need something original…"
She was startled when she felt something lodge behind her ear. When she pulled it out, it was a Silver Moonlight, She sharply turned around and saw Syaoran approaching her. The animals dispersed and ran back into the forest. She put the scarf back into the basket and stood up. Then she tried to walk by him, giving him a curt nod. But she was stopped by a hand gripping her arm.
'Wait.'
"Your highness, pardon me, but I do not have time to chat. I have to go now. Shouldn't you be back at the castle?" Sakura turned to him with another one of her fake smiles.
'But, why do you want to leave me? What happened before-'
"Was nothing, your highness. It was nothing at all. You were only tired. You were sick so I brought you back to the palace. Nothing else happened before that."
'No, the kiss-'
"Ha? What kiss? You must've dreamed it your highness! Now, if you'd excuse me, I really must be going back now."
Sakura shook his hand away and ran off before he could tell her another word. Syaoran only stood there, watching her with sad amber eyes. 'She did not even call me Syaoran…'
+back at the castle+
Sakura tried to stop her tears as she entered the palace. She held her basket tightly as she passed by Syaoran's room.
"Uh…Lady Sakura?"
Sakura turned around and met, of all people, Meilin. She tried to smile innocently as she approached the other girl.
"Yes?"
"Oh, I-I was only hoping i-if…you would h-help me p-put on m-my dress…"
"Of course! Why not?"
Sakura followed Meilin into her room. She somehow felt a pang of jealousy as she saw how beautiful Meilin's room was. Meilin told her to wait on her bed as she opened her wardrobe and pulled out a white gown.
A wedding gown.
Sakura tried hard not to frown. Meilin laid the gown on the bed beside her. "This was brought in by Lady Tomoyo and Princess Jenith this morning. I think i-it is t-too much. I d-don't want t-to be treated like a q-queen in a foreign place…"
"Oh, it's perfect, Meilin! I'm sure, when Syaoran sees you in that, he'll fall head over heels in love with you."
Ouch.
"Why don't I help you put that on, Meilin?"
The elf nodded and stood up. She slipped off the gown she was currently wearing and put on the wedding gown. Sakura helped her in doing so.
As Sakura tied the lace on the bodice's back, she noticed some gashes on her back. "Meilin, where did those wounds come from?"
"Oh, those? I got them when I was a small child. A wolf attacked me and my father."
"Really? How's your father?"
"He…died after the attack."
"Oh, I-I'm sorry…"
"It is alright. It was not your fault. Well, what do you think of my look?"
Sakura looked at the future queen in her gown. Suddenly, a vision of Syaoran marrying Meilin came into her mind. Then she found herself fantasizing that she was the one in the wedding dress instead.
"Lady Sakura?"
"H-hoe? Oh! It's beautiful! You look like a goddess!"
Meilin blushed. "Thank you. I am so honored that you think so."
TLAK!
The two girls turned to the door as the knob turned and the door opened. Syaoran came in.
'Sakura,' he said telepathically. Sakura turned away and picked up her basket.
"Oh, it's the king. I should go. You two should get to know each other. Bye."
This time she did not let him get any hold of her. She dashed madly out of the door and out of sight. She waited around a corner to see if he would follow her. He did not.
"They must really be getting to know each other…Agh! Sakura, you say the darnest things!"
She mentally kicked herself as she trotted back into her room. She locked the door to ensure that there would be no sudden barging and then plopped on her bed. She looked at the scarf she had finished and thought again about what she was going to embroider on it. Then she saw something fall out of her basket along with the scarf.
A Silver Moonlight flower.
Sakura stared at the flower for a few minutes before she took out her needle and thread and began working.
+that night+
Thankfully, no one disturbed her. She could hear a lot of fussing around out her door, but decided not to come out. She was half-expecting that Syaoran would bang on her door and demand that she let him in. But he did not.
She worked all through the afternoon and even through the night. It was almost midnight when she finished. She had embroidered a design of a Silver Moonlight with a sapphire wolf around it. She had also embroidered a name below her design (which was on the scarf's lower right part): Syaoran.
She was staring at her work when she heard something rapping on her window. It was Lupinelightning. Sakura hurriedly ran to the window and let the little dragon in. "What's wrong, Lupinelightning?"
"Lady Sakura! S-something has happened! My p-powers! T-they have returned!"
"Hoe?"
"We can now go back to your world!"
CRASH!
The sound of breaking china that came from outside startled the two. Sakura opened the door and found Meilin, with pieces of broken china at her feet.
"Meilin?"
"Did I hear right, Lady Sakura? You are leaving?"
Sakura turned away from her. "I have to. I-I don't belong here. I belong with the mortals. But please, don't wake anyone else right now. I don't want them to fuss over me. If you want to tell them, tell them tomorrow. Let them sleep. But please, say goodbye for them for me, okay?"
"I…I will."
"Good. Now get back to your room so that no one would notice. And, Meilin, congratulations and best wishes."
"Thank you."
Sakura closed the door as Meilin left. Then she ran back to the little Illusion Dragon. She made sure that everything was how it was when she first came. She fixed everything up and wore the same clothes she had when she arrived. She looked at the scarf she had just made. She decided to leave a note. Finding a quill and a piece of paper, she quickly scribbled away. Then she left the scarf in the basket along with her note that she addressed to Syaoran.
With a heavy heart, she locked the door. She knew that Meilin might tell Syaoran. He might have even told her to spy on her, which would actually fit the reason why she was outside her door.
Then she saw the flower on her bed. She picked it up. She would keep it as a souvenir. "Lupinelightning," she said, turning to the dragon, "Take me home."
"Okay." The dragon flew above her, scattering magical dust around them. Sakura felt the familiar feeling that she was traveling dimensions again.
In seconds, all that was left in the room was Sakura's basket.
+meanwhile+
Meilin stared at the scene in Sakura's room through a magical window. Then she lay on her bed, cackling horridly.
"Oh, Laaaady Sakura! Do not worry! Your news would never reach Syaoran. Not through me, at least. Now that you are gone, I can finally fulfill my plan."
She sat up and looked at the wedding gown. "And I will soon be the ruler of all Fantasya."
+Wakas+
Seventh Faythes: Dundundundun!
Robin: We're almost at the climax!
Danny: Whew! This fic is getting hotter by the chapter!
Xiu Ying: How about ya people? Whaddaya think?
Jezareth: By the way, thanks to the people who reviewed! As I have said before, our internet keeps crashing so we weren't able to get hold of all your names! But wait for our credits chap! Or rather, the behind the scenes one! You'll see! And to those who want someone to be an e-mail pal with, just e-mail me at (The others don't actually have e-mails) Of course you have to tell me if you want to in your reviews!
Preview:
Sakura has finally returned to her hometown. But why does she feel rather sad than happy? And how about Syaoran? What is he feeling right after she left? Both are perplexed about just what they feel about each other. Can they find it out in time?
R & R