Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura or have rights to it. I write this without permission and as a fanfiction. If you wish to read a complete disclaimer please go back to Chapter 1.

A/N: I'm not very good with English and I cannot put baroque music to paper. Could you just imagine it? Flowing as silk and such. That's what I am listening to currently. Sorry if it makes things hard for. I don't like song fics so I do not think it will be to good to put song lyrics in this story. Hey can I at least get an opinion. I think that my e-mail address is posted. Just tell me your username. If you want to report me can you at least give me a valid reason? I was always taught to go into an argument with a case. If you don't want to make it easy on me I don't know what to say. I won't commit suicide like some(you would be surprised at the numbers), this is not my life after all. This is just a thing to "kill time" with. Can someone tell me why Americans use that expression? I still do not understand it.

Stolen or Taken?

By: Meaningless Colors

Chapter 6: Exchanges

Swishes of silk, satin, and velvet filled the autumn air as the guest poured into the garden. Grand ladies glided to their seats. Neat gentlemen, pulled out their chairs. All this was done in unison, like one choreographed Broadway musical. Violins vibrated and the piano sounded together in a harmonious duet. Many got up to dance. With a bow and inclining heads, couples joined in a waltz. Ladies on the side gossiped, while some waved their diamond-dripping hands at acquaintances. Through this, two young men searched for one person.

"Flavia, stop pulling me!" Richard pried his sister's hand off his left sleeve. 'Where was she?' His soft green eyes searched the crowd, looking for a baby blonde head. "Laurel," he said tapping the shoulder of a female. The girl turned her pale face to look at him. "Oh, I'm sorry." He rushed away from her and continued saying 'excuse me' trying to get through the thickening crowd. Flavia snatched her dress up before the blonde had a chance to step on it.

"Brother! Wait for me!" Finally reaching Richard, she dragged him to the chairs set beside the buffet. "Richard, you are not going to find her here," she said a little more forcefully than she meant to. "She'll be announced so you don't have to worry," knowing fully well, who her brother was searching for. Her heart pained to see him like this. Laurel was torturing her brother. Ugh! What was she going to do?

When Laurel was finally announced, she glided down the red carpet, just as she did when Richard first saw her. He was in love. A lovesick man despite his control. Yes, a lovesick man who did not give up. He had giving her his feelings only to have them tossed aside. When they first met, for Richard it was love at first sight. Laurel had told him that she did not believe in that. "It was something that would appear in romance novels," she said, like she was above reading romance novels. Richard knew she was. She was still the vision he saw for the first time six years ago. If only he did not propose too early, maybe, no they would, have turned out differently.

He looked at her, trying to catch her eye, yet she did not look for him. Nor did their eyes meet.

For Laurel this was not too much of a change. She had only to smile for the camera as U.K.'s Rich and Famous, taped her every move. She could wager two hundred thousand pounds that they'll dedicate a page in tomorrow's fashion page about what she wore tonight. This was how she spent the rest of the night, smiling at the camera, graciously accepting compliments and congratulations. That was until someone caught her eye.

"Excuse me," she said, as the wiry man stepped aside. To think that wiry, balding man was one of France's most wealthy men. Hiking her long dress up to her ankles, she made her way towards, a certain red-haired woman. "Miss Mizuki, what a surprise," she said, despite the fact she knew Kaho would be here tonight. She had personally made sure they would be on the guest list. Several seconds before the invitations were sent. How her father got everyone's invitation to that person within twelve hours still amazed her. Many had turned their heads to see who the new Duchess was talking to.

"I apologize for canceling our appointment. My father was insistent that I come this year."

"I understand. It was no problem," Kaho said coolly, glad Eriol was on her left.

"Glad to here it. Would you like a refreshment? The chenin blanc is absolutely exquisite tonight," Laurel said in the tome that was commonly used with the gossipy females standing not to far away from them. Laurel nearly regurgitated everything she had consumed in the past twenty-four hours. She sounded so phony. Words like "exquisite" were part of her mother's vocabulary, not hers.

"Laurel," Eriol said with a slight bow. "Lovely as ever."

"Charmed, Eriol. Be careful though. I can see more than a few young women who would be interested in your company for the rest of the evening. You wouldn't want to desert your lovely escort would you?" Both Kaho and Eriol blushed. "I expect you to stay. Have a lovely time." She waved as she walked away, smiling once more for the camera and headed inside.

There was a knocking on the door, while Laurel struggled to take the pins out of her hair without ripping it out with frustration. The knocking grew louder this time.

"Come in!" She pulled the emeralds out of her hair. She was so concentrated on unfastening them from her blonde hair that she forgot someone had indeed come in.

"Sweetheart—"

"Oh father. Sorry I did not hear you come in. I was trying to get these retched things out of my hair." She gave one more vigorous tug at the second green stone, which had refused to unfasten itself from her hair. "They are like leeches father. Have all the guests left?" Count on her to continue a conversation.

"Yes. Richard was looking for you."

"Father, Richard is forever looking for me," she said exasperated.

"Sweetheart, Richard is a good man."

"Father, are you trying to persuade me to marry him again?"

"I only want to see my little girl walk down the aisle. Is that too much to ask?" Laurel winced inwardly about being referred to as his little girl.

"Father—"

"Laurel," he said firmly. "I am not so young anymore and will be gone before the year is done. Could you not grant an old man his last wish?" Laurel sucked in her breath. She knew where this conversation would be going. "Ever since you left home, things have never been the same. I don't want to seem like I am pressuring you. I just want the best for you. You deserve nothing but the best, sweetheart."

"I will marry Richard." It popped out of her mouth before she had a chance to think. Her father's face glowed and she just did not have the heart to ruin his happiness.

"Until now, every time Richard asked me for your hand I could only say 'If she will have you.' Now I finally have a straight answer for the boy."

"Father—"

"Don't worry, my sweet, Papa will take care of everything. Your wedding will be the most splendid." With a kiss on the forehead and sweet dreams, Robert James Seer went back to his bedchamber the happiest man on Earth. Laurel was just trying to remember what she had just said. "I will marry Richard." Oh my.

A/N: It's rather boring these chapters. I don't my chapters will grow any longer. Some complain about long chapters. Sorry. I can always e-mail previews to those who are interested. (Not that there are many) Please don't kill me for the next chapter. If you attempt to, I'll fight you head on. Of course, armed. I'm not on the archery team to flaunt. Is there any one who can help me with Italian? I still can only sing the words of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.O Oh, one more thing. Since everyone is busy. I just glanced at it for mistakes. Please don't kill me for it.