Disclaimer: I'll say it plain and simply: I do not own CCS.
I know, I know… "WHY DID YOU TAKE SO LONG TO UPDATE"… right? Well, I added a sort of… plot twist to this chapter, so I hope it'll make up for my slow writing… ((actually it's just laziness… hehe…))
Anway… on with the show! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh, and by the way, me and my best friend, Vywien have made a sort of… joint fiction. It's called "The Cherry Blossom and the Wolf". The story is based upon Beauty and the Beast, and if you stopped by to check it out and review, it would make me mucho happy! XD
Enjoy!
Ice Queen
Chapter Thirty-three
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"I… I… I want…" Sakura looked down. For the first time in her life, she wanted to look down at her feet, to ensue such a pity in the other that he would just give up and leave her alone… because she was weak.
Weak that word in itself was the exact opposite of what she had always held herself as... completely contrary to what she had always strived to be. The Ice Queen. To hold that position, one had to be calm, cool, cold, and fearless at all times… never backing down… but now…
She took a deep breath.
Now… when she wanted to… when she needed to back down… she couldn't. She couldn't even stare at her feet… all she could see when she looked down was herself being hugged close to him. It was all his fault… surely, if she had never met him, she would have simply gone on being the Ice Queen. Terrorizing Tomoeda High, and then later becoming rich as she was taken in by Yukito… that would have saved her a lot of trouble – a lot of heartache.
Li Syaoran… what exactly are you to me? What makes you so important that I haven't just killed you already… why can't I just be done with you? Why do I feel this strong urge… this desire to stay by your side… forever?
Forever. That was also a words she never associated herself with. The Ice Queen did not think according to forever. All that mattered was that she got what she wanted… now… and yet…
Sakura leaned her forehead onto his chest and sighed.
Yet now, she wanted to have a forever… a forever to spend with him.
"I want…"
"You want…" Syaoran held her tightly, reassuring her and letting her know that he would always be there for her.
"I want…"
"Sakura-chan!" Yukito ran out of the mansion, coming towards the two of them.
She paid him no heed, but only smiled and returned the hug, "I want you…" Her voice was muffled, and Syaoran strained to hear what she had said. "What?"
"I want you.," she said, stopping the snow bunny racing in their direction dead in his tracts. "I want to stay with you forever."
An incredibly large smile spread onto Syaoran's face, and he crushed her small body to his, hugging her tightly. Without another word being said, he bent over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before lifting her up, above his head and twirling her around. "S-Syaoran! Stop! Don't you dare…!" Sakura broke into a fit of giggles – something she hadn't done in a long, long time.
"Be my girlfriend?" he whispered huskily in her ear. A pink blush staining her cheeks, she whispered just as quietly back to him. "Of course."
"And the two of them were lost, just for a moment, in their own little world," Yukito grinned. "To normal onlookers, they might have seemed like little children, playing around and having fun… and so they are. Two children… a boy and a girl, who were both denied a happy childhood. Maybe now, they can finally be happy." He shrugged happily and turned around, strolling back into the mansion. "Too bad there are going to be some definite changes in the type of… relationship they have."
"You… you cannot be serious." Sakura dropped back into her chair, in disbelief. "I… I've been what!"
"You've been match made… by your father, Fujitaka-sama… didn't I tell you? Before Fujitaka-sama passed away, he made sure to find a good husband for you," Yukito sighed. "I know that you've finally come to terms with your… feelings for Syaoran-kun, but… Sakura-chan, think about it this way. You not only hold a responsibility to me, but also to your family. That includes Fujitaka-sama, Touya, and me. Try to understand… I've already found this boy, and he is a good person. As much as you don't want to… you have to marry him."
The auburn-haired Ice Queen knocked her chair back and stalked over to Yukito, "But Yukito-san! What about-"
"I'm afraid, Sakura-chan, that you two will have to be content with being friends for now."
Her emerald eyes widened as they focused on the expression Yukito bore, "You're serious."
"Yes… I will not be moved on this point."
She stood motionless for a second, trying to grasp the full weight and meaning of his words. "Match made." Finally, after someone had found the way to pass through the barrier… the wall of ice she had built up around her heart… they… couldn't… be…?
Sakura turn and fled. She ran down the stairs and out of the mansion, moving at an incredible speed. "Syaoran…" Sakura gasped. "Where are you…"
"Sakura! What are you doing here?" Syaoran rushed out of his hotel room and enveloped his girlfriend in a hug. "Are you okay? You're covered in sweat!" He led her into the room and got her a towel.
Thanking him, she took it – and the glass of water offered to her. "Syaoran… I don't want to stay here anymore… let's run away."
He stared at her, not quite understanding what she was saying, but hanging of her head and the shadow cast over her eyes told him more than enough, "What happened?" Syaoran sat next to her and tilted her chin upwards, so that she was looking straight into his amber orbs. "What's going on?"
Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but stopped. "Yukito…" she pushed his hand away and turned her body so that she was no longer facing him. "I just can't take the pressure of being some rich heiress… Let's just leave."
"You're lying to me… well, partially at least. What did Yukito-san do?" he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Tell me."
A sigh swept through Sakura as she leaned against Syaoran and relaxed, "You're not going to like what you hear… especially at a time like this."
"Try me."
Maneuvering her body so that she was once again looking directly at him, she bit her lip before speaking, "He had me match made."
"That's not so ba- what did you say?" Syaoran's face was dangerously close to hers, and Sakura could feel the disbelief in his voice.
"Match made, Syaoran…" she squeezed her eyes shut. "He's not willing to let me go… I'm so sorry!" The auburn-haired girl buried her face in his chest. "Whoever… whoever is by my side gets hurt… Touya died saving my life in the fire… Tomoyo-chan and Eriol have all suffered because of me… and now…"
Syaoran stood up, cutting her sentence short. "I'm going to go see Yukito… you… stay. here." He walked over to the door.
"No way… do you honestly think that I'm going to let you go? I have to go with you at the very least!" Sakura moved in front of him, blocking his way.
"Get out of my way, Sakura."
She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, "No. You're acting like a child… who are you to order me around? Whether I'm you're girlfriend or not… I'm still the Ice Queen don't think that-"
"Sorry, Sakura," Syaoran smiled at her, pulling her into a third embrace. "Sleep tight."
"What are you-" her world went black as she felt a pressure at the back of her neck. Catching her lightly in his arms, Syaoran laid her onto his bed, carefully pulling the covers over her and turning out the lights before leaving.
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Sakura bowed to Yukito and a tall, regal Chinese woman. Standing straight, she and the person next to her turned to face an elderly pastor with a bible in hand.
"And do you, ----------- take Kinomoto Sakura as your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish for now and forever more?"
"I do."
Who are you?
She tried to turn and see who the man beside her was, but her body was not willing to budge.
"And do you, Kinomoto Sakura take ----------- as your lawfully wedded husband?"
Who is this? Who am I marrying?
Sakura smiled, nodding her head gently and whispered, "I do."
No I don't! Who is this? Why am I-
"Now you may kiss the bride."
Sakura turned, a happy smile adorning her face and leaned forward to kiss her husband… the man whose face was covered in shadows.
Who…
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"Sakura-chan! What are you doing here?"
Tomoyo's screech shook the girl awake. "Tomoyo-chan… what are you…" sitting up, Sakura rubbed her eyes, trying to focus in on the blurred figures standing before her. "Tomoyo-chan… Eriol… what are you doing in my room?"
"This isn't your room, Sakura-san… this is Li-kun's room," Eriol was smiling maniacally at her.
Looking from face to face, Sakura noticed that both Tomoyo and Eriol were grinning like idiots. "What is it? Why are you two…"
"You two didn't… well, you know…" Tomoyo stared at her. "I knew it! Ohohohoho! My innocent, little Sakura-chan has finally grown up!"
"Are you crazy?" she swatted Tomoyo's hand away. "Do you honestly think that would happen? I'm not an innocent child, Tomoyo… How did I get here anyway? Where is…" her voice suddenly became quiet and cold.
Eriol frowned and put his hands on her shoulders, shaking her a little, "Sakura-san… what's wrong? Sakura…"
"Where is Syaoran?" she breathed. "Where is he? Why isn't he back yet?"
Tomoyo had a worried expression permanently implanted on her face as she squeezed Sakura's hand urgently, "Sakura-chan… what's going on? What happened? Li-kun.. isn't he with you? We haven't seen him…"
"I need to go see Yukito! He's probably… Syaoran…" Sakura sprang out of the bed, sprinting towards the door. When Eriol tried to intervene, she bolted past him racing out the door.
"Syaoran…"
"Eriol we have to follow her!" Tomoyo shouted. "Go. Get. The. Car. Right. Now."
"Yes ma'am!" the sapphire-eyed teacher knew it was futile to try and catch Sakura while running, it was impossible, with her athletic skills. "Sakura-san…"
"And if you'll please consider staying in this room for a while… I believe that Sakura-chan will be coming along any minute now…" Yukito smiled, closing the door. "I'm afraid that, if she saw you now, all of my plans would be ruined."
Syaoran ran to the door, trying to open it, turning the doorknob frantically, "No! Wait! Let me speak to her first…"
"I'm afraid that I cannot do that." Syaoran stopped struggling with the door as he listened to Yukito's calm voice coming from the other side of the wall. "You understand, don't you?"
Letting his hand fall from the knob, he made it into a fist, "Yes…" Syaoran grit his teeth. "Yes, I do…"
Yukito sighed and began walking away, "Then you'll do good to keep away from her until the wedding."
"The wedding… Sakura…" Syaoran dropped to the ground and sat there, sighing. "Sakura… what are you doing right now… I wonder…"
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To be Continued…
Now… Sakura-chan's finally confessed her love to Syaoran, but lookey here! They seem pretty far apart, don't they? I hope this chapter was satisfying. XD She's going to be married, and Syaoran is not allowed to meet her… hm… I wonder how this will turn out… XP