Misty Dreams

Chapter Eight

Card Captor Sakura

*starjade*

A Lie

" Keili? Where are you going?" Tomoyo asked, still weak from childbirth. She was rocking the baby back and forth on her lap and her face was aglow with maternal happiness.


Sakura looked back at her and smiled. Nowhere. Downstairs. Sew. Weave.

Tomoyo nodded with understanding. " Alright, Keili. I'll meet you down there if I can. And...thanks so much for saving my baby."

Sakura rolled her eyes and Tomoyo giggled. That was the hundredth time Eriol and Tomoyo had said thank you. The rest of the household stayed clear of her, completely believing that she had bewitched the birth and lay a curse on the baby.

Sakura crept down the stairs after saying her farewells. She felt bad about lying to Tomoyo...but what else could she do? Besides, she'd be back before anyone would realize she was gone.

She raced down to her room, grabbing her dagger and her pack. As she crept out of the doorway to the garden, Kero barked at her.

Sakura shook her head firmly, but Kero barked even louder. Sakura sighed. She couldn't blame Kero. Kero hadn't gone outside on an adventure for a long time. Ever since Meiling disappeared, that is.

Sakura put a finger to her lips at Kero and walked out of the small garden, quietly. Yamaki was on guard duty and was talking to two rather revealing girls who were giggling as if the first thing they did when they were born was giggle.

Well, it was convenient for her purposes. She crept past him and ran to the Kingdom gates. She and the dog followed a carriage that was leading out and with her poor clothes, she looked like part of the family. Once out, she raced out to the plain fields, walking along, searching for a lake.

If there was a river, the river must join up to the lake...somewhere. Kero was enjoying the trip, barking at every butterfly and squirrel there was. Sakura walked and walked, following the river. It was quite far, but soon she saw the river opening up into a lake.

Yes, she thought and started to run. Kero chased after her as she ran breathlessly to the shore. And on the hills around the lake was huge plants of starwort.

Quickly, she set to her task. Her hand were only slightly swollen because of her absence of raw starwort and at the touch of the plant, white fire raced through her arm as the needles dug their way into her skin. Gritting her teeth, she set about her task, cutting the plant and putting it into her bag.

After half an hour, she had finally filled her pack. It would be enough for two more shirts, and Sakura was filled with happiness. She had finished three shirts and she only had three left! She'd be done her task soon, she knew it!

Walking back through the woods, toward the plains ahead, Sakura felt something around her. She looked around quickly, but seeing nothing, she ignored it. Suddenly Kero began to growl loudly and a slight twang was heard in the air.

A howl filled the air and dread filled Sakura as she whipped around. What met her eyes made her gasp. Kero was pinned to a tree, an arrow protruding in his shoulder. He was whimpering and Sakura ran to the dog quickly.
She had to get the arrow out, but she knew that Kero would bite if he was in too much pain, Gently she took hold of the arrow and pulled it out of the tree. Deeper whimpers came from Kero as she took a deep breath.

I'm sorry, Kero, she thought as she pulled the arrow shaft hard. Another howl filled the air as blood began to pour rapidly from the wound. Sakura ripped the bottom of her dress and wrapped the cloth around the wound quickly.

" Oh! Fancy meeting you here....Keili, is it now?"

Sakura heard the voice and a dread filled her like a wave. Slowly she got up and turned around, meeting the blood red eyes of Duke Jel Tyran.

She quickly turned her attention back to the whining dog, trying to concentrate on picking the dog up and not on the fact that the Duke was staring at her.

" Oh is that your dog we hit?" The Duke laughed, his eyes cold. " My guards probably thought he was a wolf. I apologize for any...inconvenience that occurred because of my guard's faulty judgement."

Faulty judgement, Sakura thought bitterly, stroking the dog's fur. Yeah right.

Sakura finally hoisted the dog in her arms and winced. The starwort was heavy on her back and the dog's weight was a lot for a short girl like her.

The Duke was looking at her comically. " You are going to carry that dog all the way back?"

Sakura stuck out her chin and nodded. The Duke laughed. " Still not talking, eh?" Sakura walked forward, hoping the Duke would say his farewells, but the Duke was following her. " I wonder why that is."

Sakura gritted her teeth and walked. One step at a time, Sakura.

The Duke ran his hand through his hair. " I apologize for what I did to you at our last meaning. You must understand, I wanted to know if you were another slut that Syaoran brings home all the time."

Sakura clenched her teeth hard as the Duke grinned nastily at her.

" It was quite a shock, you must understand. Kinomoto filth...in our own castle!! A peasant, nonetheless. It was quite unheard of. Yet with the services you do for him, I guess Syaoran is getting a lot more out of your presence than I am.."

Sakura tried not to understand what the evil man was saying. The dog was getting heavier and heavier and it was whimpering and shivering because of it's wound and Sakura glared at the Duke.

"I wonder how you enchanted him. There are many stories, rumours going around. How when you healed him you poisoned him and those hands of yours is the toll of what it must take out of you to keep Syaoran enchanted. Well, I don't believe any of that. I've always wondered what it must be like to lie with Kinomoto garbage. Syaoran is one lucky man, don't you think? Or desperate."

Sakura couldn't breathe. Why was this man spewing such evil thoughts? She was no whore, she hardly had a choice in coming here....why was everyone hating her? It might have been easier if they just threw her in the dungeons and left it at that. Then this vile rumours wouldn't pierce through that fragile armour around her.

She was a beloved princess in her home country. Here, she was a witch seductress.

Sakura walked faster, trying to get back to the castle quickly. " Wait, my sweet!" The duke's laughing, snivelling voice called after her. With only a few long steps, he was next to her, grinning. " Why are you getting so worked up about it? Oh, wait, there's no use in asking that question. You can't even speak a word. Rather useful, I must add. If you were someone of important lineage, we couldn't use any ransom on you. Nor can we try and force the Kinomoto secrets out of you."

Sakura's cheeks flamed. She would never let any secrets out, no matter how much they tortured her! She gave him a deathly glare, and tried to ignore the throbbing ache in her arms as she struggled to carry the dog.

" But of course, with a bit of pleasure, any girl would give in. It doesn't have to be torturous, does it, my dear?"

His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist and she froze, as his cold fingers pulled her towards him. Her eyes looked up into his blood like eyes, which were gleaming with triumph.

" You'll spill everything, won't you?" The Duke said, his hand coming up her arm, over the bare skin of her neck. " A little pleasure will make you cry out every secret I need to know..." His fingers went to her lips and he began to lean in and Sakura's eyes winded with fear and disgust.

No!

She stomped on the Duke's foot as hard as she could and the Duke doubled over in pain, crying out to his soldiers. Sakura began to run, as fast as she could, towards the castle. The dog in her arms was making it hard for her and exhaustion was traveling fast throughout her whole body but she kept running, her breathing coming in ragged puffs.

She could hear the Duke coming closer to her and she closed her eyes in defeat. Why was she so foolish?

" Duke Jel Tyran."

Sakura's blood froze and her heartbeat began to beat fast. She looked up slowly and there was Syaoran, on a horse, his chestnut hair ruffled from the breeze, those deep amber eyes cold and icy. Sakura's breath caught in her throat and she wondered why she felt as if she was being saved...even though Syaoran was her enemy.

" Oh, hello, Prince Li!" The Duke laughed, no sign of nervousness or a hint of what had just happened in his tone. If it wasn't for the slight hobble he had to endure as he walked toward Syaoran, you would hardly think he had been in such a position.

" Get on your horse and take your soldiers back to the castle," Syaoran said, his tone barely containing the anger that shook his voice.

The Duke grinned up at him. " As you wish..." He bowed low, almost mockingly. " Your highness."

Sakura stared after the Duke as they rode away. Not until they were out of sight, could she breathe again. Why was that Duke after her? There must be some sort of ulterior motive...

Syaoran didn't even look at her. His grip on the reigns were so tight, that his knuckles were going white, and his eyes were the iciest she had ever seen. He got off his horse and grabbed her around the wrist and pulled her up onto the horse. Sakura could hardly do anything but as they rode back to the castle, she knew that Syaoran was angry...really angry.

******************

Sakura stood alone in the parlour as Syaoran yelled at the stable boys and the servants. When he was done yelling his head off, he grabbed her again and pulled her up the stairs and up into Tomoyo's room.

Tomoyo started as Sakura was thrown into her arms. " Wh-what? Prince Li, what's wrong?"

" I'll be back," Syaoran said, his voice frighteningly cold and slammed the door behind him. Sakura was shivering hard, and Tomoyo stared at Sakura with wide eyes.

" What did you do to make him so angry?" Tomoyo asked, her voice awed. " The only time he was ever this angry was when the Queen was pushing him to get married."

Sakura just shook her head, morosely. Now Syaoran was probably going to kick her out of the castle for defying his orders. What could she do? She needed that starwort more than anything. It was to save her brothers!!

She wondered what would have happened if Syaoran hadn't come on time when the Duke was chasing her. She didn't even want to think about it.

After a few minutes, where Tomoyo cooed to the baby in the carriage and folded sheets, Syaoran stormed in, his eyes enraged and livid.

" What the hell were you thinking??" He yelled at the top of his voice at her. Sakura leaned back, shocked as the prince let out a cry of frustration. " What kind of idiot are you? I told you clearly not to go out and you did!!"

Sakura tried to motion with trembling fingers that she hadn't meant to hurt anyone when he whirled back on her and yelled, " You promised! You dammit promised not to go and you fucking left and broke the promise and..." He growled under his throat and grabbed her wrists and pulled her up from the chair.

" You could've fucking gotten-" He stopped and halted and tried to pull himself together, his eyes burning with anger and another emotion she couldn't define. Her wrists were hurting now as his clasp on them grew tighter and tighter and tears of pain rose to her eyes.

" Did-Did he do anything to you?" Syaoran finally said, his voice shaking, pulling her close to him. " Did he...hurt you?"

Sakura shook her head quickly, tears falling from her eyes.

" Syaoran, you're hurting Keili," Tomoyo said calmly.

Syaoran stared down at his hands and let go of her and she fell back, her wrists red and raw. She rubbed them as Syaoran paced back and forth.

" Prince Li, I don't mean to intrude, but what exactly did Keili do?" Tomoyo asked, cautiously.

Syaoran whirled on Tomoyo. " Why did you let her go? You're supposed to take care of her!! She just left the Li castle and went off god knows where and the Duke-" He stopped, still trying to get hold of his emotions and stomped back in front of Sakura.

" What did he say to you?" He said quietly, his voice shaking with fury.

Tears raced faster down her cheeks as Sakura fought to keep the tears down. "I've always wondered what it must be like to lie with Kinomoto garbage. Syaoran is one lucky man, don't you think? Or desperate."

She shook her head, trying to clear all those morbid things the Duke had said to her. She met Syaoran's cold, anger filled amber eyes with her own watery ones and he halted, staring at her.

She looked at him and tried to convey to him a simple message. Sorry...She didn't know if he understood or not, but he fumbled around in his pocket and threw a handkerchief at her.

" Here." He said, shortly, wrenching his eyes away from hers and standing up again. He unclenched his fists and clenched them again.

" What-What were you doing so far away from the castle?" he asked, and clearly it was a struggle to keep his voice calm and cool.

Sakura trembled and Tomoyo cut in. " I think I know...Keili's been asking about that plant she uses to make her weaving. Starwort, I think its called. Her supply has been cut short and she was probably stocking up."

Syaoran's lips were pressed tightly together and he bore into Sakura's eyes. She winced as he said slowly, " Why didn't you come to us? I could've gone and cut this plant for you! What was the need for you to lie to us and go behind our backs?"

Sakura winced. She really hated the sound of that. With shaking fingers she motioned out, No, Me, Must cut, weave, thread.

Syaoran let out a burst of anger. " Then I will TAKE you there!! Just don't-" He stopped, his breathing shaky. " Just don't run off again. Please. Promise me."

Sakura nodded, wondering why he was getting so emotional. Maybe it was because of that spell her mother had laid on him? Maybe he felt some sort of guilt at not being able to protect her. Sakura looked at Syaoran sadly. Oh mother...what did you do? Why did you lay such a curse on a good prince?

Syaoran let out a sigh and reached out towards her and then froze and wrenched his hand back. " Tomoyo," He said cuttingly. Tomoyo jerked to attention. " Keep an eye on her. I'm trusting you."

Tomoyo nodded and Syaoran with not another glance at Sakura, walked out the door with some sort of mumble like, " Take care of the Duke," Or something like that.

As soon as Syaoran left, Sakura let out a breath that she hadn't know she was holding in. The baby was crying, probably because of Syaoran and Tomoyo was rocking the baby back and forth.
Tomoyo smiled softly. " You must mean a lot to Syaoran...he never gets riled up like this over anyone...the closest was when Meiling disappeared."

Sakura looked down, her eyes wet. She hadn't meant to go behind Syaoran's back and get the plant...she hadn't even known they cared so much. She shuddered as she remembered Duke Jel Tyran...Syaoran had a right to be angry, Sakura thought sorrowfully. I am just a burden to him and this whole Kingdom.

With that thought lingering in her mind, Sakura grabbed her pack and left the room, Tomoyo staring sadly after her.

************

Sakura sat in her garden, her hands covered in dirt to her wrists. The plants were thriving quite nicely and flowers decorated a garden of herbs and healing plants.

She sighed, trying to forget Syaoran's angry face. She hated making him angry. She didn't even know why, but she hated it. He was always cold and emotionless and instead of making him smile like she had been trying to do for days, he blew up at her.

Because she lied.

She didn't lie very much. When she did, she was the worst liar in the world. Someone would see right through her if she even told a little lie. Because she was mute, maybe it was more believable.

Sakura shook her head saddened and then her brow furrowed. She was a Kinomoto princess! Why was she worried that the prince of the Li Kingdom was angry at her?

Well, she wasn't a princess anymore. Oribia had probably taken over the castle by now...denounced all their titles...killed her father...and her brothers, stuck as swans. She wondered about Oribia's child...the child must have been born already.

A little half brother or sister.

She let out a tilted smile. Innocent the child may be now, but if they were to be raised by Oribia...

" Keili?"

Sakura got up quickly and stood to look at her guest. Syaoran stood there, his hands clenched tightly behind him.

Sakura stared at her dirty, mud covered hands in dismay. Not like her hands were beautiful in the first place, but this was out of it's limit. She tired to wipe her hands on her dress but Syaoran interrupted.

" No, it's-it's alright. I just...I just..." He stuttered, his normally calm and cool exterior melting away.

Sakura held out her hands, questioningly. Syaoran sighed, running his hands through his hair and then his eyes widened as he spotted her wrist. They were bruised lightly because of Syaoran's harsh grip on her and he paled considerably.

Sakura hid her hands behind her back and his eyes went to her face. " Look, Keili...I just wanted to apologize. My rude behaviour was uncalled for. I was just angry that you....you broke your promise and left the castle premises."

Sakura hung her head and Syaoran coughed. " But no matter what, I shouldn't have treated you like that. I-I was just-" He stopped again and a muscle in his jaw clenched as he searched for what to say.

Sakura went up to him softly and smiled up at him. It's alright.

Syaoran stared at her and then coughed. " I got to go...royal duties." He stood around awkwardly and then turned on his heel and went back inside the castle.

Sakura stared after him and then sat down once more. She had been thinking he would kick her out, back onto the street. Who knew..

a/n: Yes, who knew?? Lol, hi ppl! You guys did notice a mistake I made in the last chappie, where Tomoyo accidentally said Sakura...Sorry! I get so confused when I'm calling her Sakura and then ppl are callin her Keili...whoosh. Lol, aight, ppl, IGNORE THAT! Unless you guyz want me to go back and fix that in which i will tell you that I AM DOWNRIGHT TOO LAZY!

lol, aight, tell me wat ya think,

see ya latez,

*starjade*