AN: Sigh.. All of you should know by now that I can't update too often.
So.. don't expect me to.
Thank you, reviewers!!
DISCLAIMER: CCS is not mine, as you all know.
".."=talking ..=thinking ^*^*^*^*=change of setting [AN.]=Author's Notes
Friend or Foe, by KawaiiSakuraAngel... Chapter Sixteen:
^*^*^*^*^*^*^ The Li Kingdom ^*^*^*^*^*^*^
The next morning, Yelan got up earlier than usual. She had been looking forward to this day for a long time, even before her husband's death. At first, she thought that they would get it from the Kinomoto Kingdom, but her husband died, and the king disappeared. She looked down at the reply Syaoran wrote a month ago. He said that he felt the power of the cards, and will stop the mistress as soon as possible. This time, she smiled for real. Not a warm smile, but a triumphant smile. She will see Syaoran later. First, she will head to the temple to pray.
When she reached the temple, she kneeled before the Buddha statue, her hands clasped together. She first addressed her husband, and told him of the great deed his son did. (AN: In case you readers didn't know.. there IS a heaven sorta thing in Buddhism, and they believe that their relatives and such 'above' will look after them. Just in case... and it's the truth.)
Next, she prayed to GuanYin, and thanked her for answering her prayers. She finally had the Clow Cards in her grasp. She smiled, and walked out. She was in such a good mood that she even said 'hi' to the monks she passed, and practically waltzed to her room. All the servants that saw her thought they were hallucinating.
For the whole morning, Yelan made sure that she looked perfect in every aspect, so that when she presents the cards to the elders, they would be proud, and she wouldn't look like a 'fragile woman' to them. The elders have always opposed her ruling the kingdom, even if her husband was gone, and her only son was too young. She's going to show them a thing or two.
Syaoran didn't show up for breakfast, which he rarely did anyway, so Yelan let that slip. When he didn't show up for lunch, she became worried, and called Wei to her. "You saw him last. Where did he go?"
Wei knew who she was talking about, but pretended to be dumb. "Who, your majesty?"
Yelan knew he was pretending, and began to get annoyed. "The PRINCE, Wei, the prince. You saw him last yesterday. I felt his aura leave the castle. Where did he go?" She gritted her teeth angrily, to keep herself from ordering Wei to be punished. He was the most humble and loyal servant around, and it would be a pity to kill him.
Wei was well prepared to answer. "You Majesty, the prince said that he wished to go for a ride yesterday, and told me to prepare a horse. He would not let me follow him, even when I asked. Is something the matter?"
Yelan sighed. "He's still not back. I think you would know that. I want to go down to the stables." Wei bowed as Yelan got up...
Yelan looked around the stable. "Syaoran's horse is here," she pointed out. She counted the horses. "How many new horses did you bring in last week?"
Wei replied, "Fourteen, your Majesty." The truth was fifteen, but Wei knew he had to trick the queen. The matriarch nodded, then walked away. She knew there was something wrong. All the horses were accounted for (as she believes) and yet, Syaoran was nowhere to be found.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^ Hiiragizawa Kingdom ^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Eriol was in a bad mood, so he decided to go for a ride. Wearing a (rich) peasant's clothes, he set out of the castle on his horse. He can take this time to find out more about his kingdom. He checked the inside of his jacket, where he hid his money. Making sure he brought some, he rode into the marketplace.
In the marketplace, it was so cramped that Eriol had to get off his horse and walk. Ahead of him, a little boy was being chased by his father. The father was apparently spanking the boy, as he had a broom in his hand. (AN: You know, one of the shorter ones.) The little boy spotted Eriol, and hid behind him, clutching his jacket tightly. The father ran over, and the boy continued to use Eriol as a shield. The father cursed, and tried to run around Eriol. The little boy started running again, disappearing into the crowd.
Eriol chuckled to himself. Things were just fine in the kingdom, he thought happily. He sat down in a small inn to have a drink of water. The waiter came to him after he finished. Eriol reached inside his jacket to pay for his drink. His hand found the small pocket, and reached inside. To his surprise, there was nothing there. His mind ran back to the little boy who clutched onto his jacket.
Eriol sat down in the dark and filthy cell. He had tried to explain that his money was stolen, but the manager wouldn't listen. Instead, he got locked up in this place, with his horse still at the inn. Eriol could just teleport, but he decided to sit a while and think. Why would they do that? Playing a trick on innocent people to get their money. Eriol just couldn't understand.
Since his thinking did no good, Eriol got fed up with waiting inside the cell. He popped into his room, got some money, and reappeared outside the inn. He walked in, head held high. Eriol handed the money to the waiter. "Keep the change," he muttered, and then walked towards the stables in the back to get his horse.
Eriol was so focused on thinking about thieves that he would have rode over a person, had not the horse stopped. The sudden stop brought Eriol back to his senses. Looking down, he saw a boy with brown hair lying in the road, barely a foot in front of his horse. Eriol got down to inspect the boy. To his surprise, it was Syaoran.
Ok, I added this stuff to make up for the time that I won't be able to update later. Oh well... The next chapter probably won't be up for some time, so I'm using this 'chapter' to tell you, ok? Before you get all pissed at me.. *whispers* (I had to sneak on the computer)
~*KawaiiSakuraAngel*~ (I know this is short, but it wasn't intended to be a chapter to begin with.)
Thank you, reviewers!!
DISCLAIMER: CCS is not mine, as you all know.
".."=talking ..=thinking ^*^*^*^*=change of setting [AN.]=Author's Notes
Friend or Foe, by KawaiiSakuraAngel... Chapter Sixteen:
^*^*^*^*^*^*^ The Li Kingdom ^*^*^*^*^*^*^
The next morning, Yelan got up earlier than usual. She had been looking forward to this day for a long time, even before her husband's death. At first, she thought that they would get it from the Kinomoto Kingdom, but her husband died, and the king disappeared. She looked down at the reply Syaoran wrote a month ago. He said that he felt the power of the cards, and will stop the mistress as soon as possible. This time, she smiled for real. Not a warm smile, but a triumphant smile. She will see Syaoran later. First, she will head to the temple to pray.
When she reached the temple, she kneeled before the Buddha statue, her hands clasped together. She first addressed her husband, and told him of the great deed his son did. (AN: In case you readers didn't know.. there IS a heaven sorta thing in Buddhism, and they believe that their relatives and such 'above' will look after them. Just in case... and it's the truth.)
Next, she prayed to GuanYin, and thanked her for answering her prayers. She finally had the Clow Cards in her grasp. She smiled, and walked out. She was in such a good mood that she even said 'hi' to the monks she passed, and practically waltzed to her room. All the servants that saw her thought they were hallucinating.
For the whole morning, Yelan made sure that she looked perfect in every aspect, so that when she presents the cards to the elders, they would be proud, and she wouldn't look like a 'fragile woman' to them. The elders have always opposed her ruling the kingdom, even if her husband was gone, and her only son was too young. She's going to show them a thing or two.
Syaoran didn't show up for breakfast, which he rarely did anyway, so Yelan let that slip. When he didn't show up for lunch, she became worried, and called Wei to her. "You saw him last. Where did he go?"
Wei knew who she was talking about, but pretended to be dumb. "Who, your majesty?"
Yelan knew he was pretending, and began to get annoyed. "The PRINCE, Wei, the prince. You saw him last yesterday. I felt his aura leave the castle. Where did he go?" She gritted her teeth angrily, to keep herself from ordering Wei to be punished. He was the most humble and loyal servant around, and it would be a pity to kill him.
Wei was well prepared to answer. "You Majesty, the prince said that he wished to go for a ride yesterday, and told me to prepare a horse. He would not let me follow him, even when I asked. Is something the matter?"
Yelan sighed. "He's still not back. I think you would know that. I want to go down to the stables." Wei bowed as Yelan got up...
Yelan looked around the stable. "Syaoran's horse is here," she pointed out. She counted the horses. "How many new horses did you bring in last week?"
Wei replied, "Fourteen, your Majesty." The truth was fifteen, but Wei knew he had to trick the queen. The matriarch nodded, then walked away. She knew there was something wrong. All the horses were accounted for (as she believes) and yet, Syaoran was nowhere to be found.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^ Hiiragizawa Kingdom ^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Eriol was in a bad mood, so he decided to go for a ride. Wearing a (rich) peasant's clothes, he set out of the castle on his horse. He can take this time to find out more about his kingdom. He checked the inside of his jacket, where he hid his money. Making sure he brought some, he rode into the marketplace.
In the marketplace, it was so cramped that Eriol had to get off his horse and walk. Ahead of him, a little boy was being chased by his father. The father was apparently spanking the boy, as he had a broom in his hand. (AN: You know, one of the shorter ones.) The little boy spotted Eriol, and hid behind him, clutching his jacket tightly. The father ran over, and the boy continued to use Eriol as a shield. The father cursed, and tried to run around Eriol. The little boy started running again, disappearing into the crowd.
Eriol chuckled to himself. Things were just fine in the kingdom, he thought happily. He sat down in a small inn to have a drink of water. The waiter came to him after he finished. Eriol reached inside his jacket to pay for his drink. His hand found the small pocket, and reached inside. To his surprise, there was nothing there. His mind ran back to the little boy who clutched onto his jacket.
Eriol sat down in the dark and filthy cell. He had tried to explain that his money was stolen, but the manager wouldn't listen. Instead, he got locked up in this place, with his horse still at the inn. Eriol could just teleport, but he decided to sit a while and think. Why would they do that? Playing a trick on innocent people to get their money. Eriol just couldn't understand.
Since his thinking did no good, Eriol got fed up with waiting inside the cell. He popped into his room, got some money, and reappeared outside the inn. He walked in, head held high. Eriol handed the money to the waiter. "Keep the change," he muttered, and then walked towards the stables in the back to get his horse.
Eriol was so focused on thinking about thieves that he would have rode over a person, had not the horse stopped. The sudden stop brought Eriol back to his senses. Looking down, he saw a boy with brown hair lying in the road, barely a foot in front of his horse. Eriol got down to inspect the boy. To his surprise, it was Syaoran.
Ok, I added this stuff to make up for the time that I won't be able to update later. Oh well... The next chapter probably won't be up for some time, so I'm using this 'chapter' to tell you, ok? Before you get all pissed at me.. *whispers* (I had to sneak on the computer)
~*KawaiiSakuraAngel*~ (I know this is short, but it wasn't intended to be a chapter to begin with.)