nipagirl12193: Sorry! That was a little mistake I missed. Sorry!
Mariko: Nope, I don't know xanga, and I don't 'chat' with people that I don't know. :) Nothing personal.
anonymous: Your wish is my command--Moonlight Sonata is included in this chapter! It is such a beautiful piece.
Disclaimer: Don't own CCS.
The Veiled Piano Mistress
By: Lotus Dreams
Chapter 7: Watashi wa Hikaru
During the next couple of days, Sakura avoided Syaoran as much as possible. She was trying to make up her mind: What was she going to do? What if Syaoran found out it was HER that was playing piano? What happens if the king and queen find out?
"Ahem."
She nearly jumped a mile; she whirled around, and Syaoran was standing there, looking stern.
"My, we're pretty jumpy today, aren't we?"
"H-Hai," stammered Sakura.
"What are you doing anyway? You're drowning that plant."
Sakura looked down. The intricate flower she had been watering with a watering can was covered with water droplets, and the soil was WAY too wet. She quickly tilted the watering can upwards and curtised briefly. "Thank you for pointing that out, Your Highness."
"You're welcome."
She curtsied again. "Excuse me, sire, but I must go and water other plants now." Then she ran off, her heart pounding.
Nowadays, why did her heart beat so fast when she was around him? Every time he approached, she would get unspeakably nervous and jumpy; she almost spilled a pot of tea onto the queen once, when he emerged with a long sword! What was WRONG with her?
She was so enveloped into her thoughts that, naturally, like any other klutz, she smashed into someone.
"Oof!"
It was Hikaru and Sanako, each carrying a tray. They almost dropped it when Sakura crashed into them, but because of experience and natural skill, they caught it just before it hit the ground.
"Watch where you're going," scolded Sanako, "You could have broken the china."
"Gomen nasai," apologized Sakura quickly. "I should have been." She bowed to both of them, and ran to her tiny room.
When the door was closed firmly, she reached into her pocket tentatively. She drew out the veil.
Veil, veil, thought Sakura, you've saved my skin more than once. If it weren't for you, Prince Syaoran would have recognized me and I would have been arrested! Now, this will be the last time you will help me.
She draped the veil over her head. Full of determination, she flung open her closet, moved aside her things, and opened the secret passageway. She squeezed her self in, and started crawling. She knew exactly what to do; Syaoran's ears were keener than ever, always perked up, always waiting...
...waiting for the faithful sound of the piano.
She emerged out of the passage into the piano room. The door was slightly open, and she pushed it gently, to close it. She swallowed, her throat exceptionally dry.
She had to do it.
Taking a deep breath, she sat down at the piano, placing her hands on the beautiful white and black keys. She ran her fingers over them, caressing the wood. Then she pressed down Middle C.
The note rang out through the room, clear, solid, beautiful. Then, positioning her hands, she started to play.
It was another Beethoven song, a personal one that he wrote; Beethoven had written many pieces, many of which were violent and passionate; yet, there were those pieces that possessed quality, emotion, and the mysterious sound that none other composer achieved. The Moonlight Sonata was one of them, and it was what Sakura was performing at the moment.
Her fingers played the tonic chord slowly; her wrist moved in a circle, to emphasize the G sharp, C sharp, and E of the first broken chord. Her left hand played a deep, solid octave. She played the next collection of three notes, her wrist continuously moving in a circular shape to shape the phrase. The time was day, yet one phrase of the Moonlight Sonata, and you'd swear it was nighttime; Sakura sank herself into the music, transferring all of her emotion into a single instrument. As she played, though...
...a single tear rolled down her cheek.
She didn't know why she was crying; it was not the passion of the music, nor was it because of the law; no, it was because of...something she could not quite explain. Something to do with...
Syaoran.
Something.
She didn't know what it was, but it was making the tears fall; she emphasized the octaves in the middle of the first movement, making them sound as loud and with feeling as possible. Her tears fell even more. What was wrong with her?
Throughout the whole piece, the tears would not stop coming. Even after she pronounced the final chord of the first movement, she had to brush away the tears from her cheeks.
"It's you."
She whirled around in her seat.
Syaoran was standing there, one hand holding the door loosely. He closed it, and Sakura got the uneasy feeling that he was locking her in.
He sensed her discomfort. "That was beautiful," he said softly.
Sakura said nothing, her hand moving to the edge of the piano seat.
"Can you tell me who you are?"
Sakura's mouth went dry.
"No," she said.
"Why? I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just...curious."
"I can't."
"I won't tell my parents."
She shook her head, still.
"No matter what you say, Your Highness, I can't tell you."
"You were playing the Moonlight Sonata."
Sakura was slightly surprised. "How did you know? You don't even know F¨¹r--"
"F¨¹r Elise, I know. But I do know this one." He looked away from her. "When I was little, my sister, Fuutie, played it for me."
Sister?
"She wasn't supposed to learn; she was one of my favourite sisters, so I never told. But, at that time, my grandfather was king, and he was a strict follower of the law." His voice became funny; it sounded clogged. "So, he beheaded my sister."
"Iie," breathed Sakura.
"Hai," said Syaoran firmly. "He was an old fool. I don't even get why there's this law even when some women can play better than men. My grandfather was harsh, though--he wanted tradition to be followed precisely, and when he found out that Fuutie had somehow learned piano, he was furious." He glanced at Sakura.
"That's why I won't tell my father or my mother."
Sakura swallowed. Even though Syaoran had told her all this, she couldn't tell him who she was...she couldn't. He had never said what HE was going to do with her...
...so when he asked, "Can I have your name now?"
She replied, "Hai. Watashi wa...Hikaru."
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Yes, I know what you're thinking--ew, how can anyone be like Syaoran's grandfather?! That's just stupid! There's actually another story behind that.
Oh no! Sakura told him she was Hikaru! She still won't tell him who the REAL piano mistress is...wonder what will happen next? READ AND REVIEW!!