Chapter 3: Flashbacks…and a distant memory
--------------(Sakura)---------------
Eriol…I know him. His features dredged up deep from the deep recesses of my memories…Yes, that face, those beautiful eyes…I missed him, yes…but who was he? A white horse …a garden…what?
I do not know.
----flashback---------
She was alone again, sitting in the cold, dark room. How she longed to see the daylight, but ever since that fateful night, it was as if the Sun would never shine for her ever again. Left alone with her thoughts, always so cold, always so tired…The only people she saw were the servants, passing her food for her meals and looking at her with their eyes full of pity. She rejected their pity.
Her once shining hair was disheveled, her emerald eyes dead. It was as if there was nothing for her to live for any longer. Every night the plates of food went back to the kitchens untouched.She did not know how long she went without food, not knowing joy or hunger…For she merely existed. There was no one to tuck her in at night, no one to sing to her lullabies and tell her stories. Most of all, she missed her warmth and presence, the gentleness that was part of her. But she was gone.
She had spent countless nights crying, but it had been no help, only bringing the hurt closer. There was this oppressive tightness around her heart, some obscure pain that just got worst every time she cried. She did not know what it was. She often awoke from her restless bouts of sleep weeping, the nightmares painfully replaying her mother's final moments over and over again, each time tearing her heart anew. No one visited her, not even her family. It seemed that everyone had forgotten her. Her father was… too absorbed in his own private grief, the invisible link that had always existed between the both of them cut off. Her brother was away, yet even from afar, she could sense his pain. Covering it all beneath a cool exterior and training himself to exhaustion…He had been the next closest to her besides her mother, and yet, both were gone so far away. For once in her whole life, Sakura was alone.
-----end of flashback----------
Stop it.
Stop those painful memories. I hate them. Leave me alone!
Half blinded by her tears and memories, she stumbled on, past the courtiers, the red liveried soldiers…
----flashback---------
They brought the cheer back into her life. They had brought back the laughter and sparkle in her eyes…
It was just another day. She sat in her room, enclosed by four walls and staring into the distance, caught up in her own thoughts again…when the door burst open and light flooded the room.
The light was piercing, yet as its warmth reached out and surrounded her, it brought with it memories and a promise of a better day ahead. Shaken out of her reverie, she looked up, and saw the face of an angel. But why was she crying?
She reached out slowly and softly brushed away the tears on the angel's face, and for the first time in many days, cracked a gentle smile. And the angel laughed through her tears and threw her arms around her neck.
Out of a corner of her eye, she saw a boy smiling at her seated not far away, and dimly, she could make out the outline of another boy leaning against the door with his arms folded, but he was smiling too…
And suddenly everything came back to her…memories hidden so deep, forgotten after so long…kept aside after they had gone…it all came back to her…
-----end of flashback----------
She stopped running, winded from her mad dash down the many twisting corridors. She couldn't remember how she got here, but she was here. And this was where Tomoyo was. She could feel her presence. It had always reminded her faintly of blue skies and the open sea…It was all that mattered. She was here.
"Hush…hush. It's all right now…I'm here with you. I won't let anyone hurt you again…"
A familiar voice…enveloping her in its warmth. She closed her eyes…and slept.
---------(Tomoyo)----------------
Tomoyo looked sadly at Sakura's pale face and gently cradled her head in her arms. She always knew that Sakura would be able to find her no matter where she went. Her face outlined by the light of luminous moon, she sat there under the Sakura trees as they spun trailing paths of Sakura petals in the air, lost in her own memories…
--------------(syaoran)-----------------
He strode down the corridors to the antechamber, thoughts whirling about in his head. It had been so long, and seeing Sakura again, first in the temple and next at the ball…it was more than he could have asked for. But he had to leave just as soon as he completed the trade agreement. He could not afford to stay any longer. He swept into the room and bowed before the King.
"Your Majesty."
" I was expecting you tonight. I believe you wanted to discuss the trade agreement?"
" Yes, I think that it would be best if I could be on my way at first light tomorrow."
"Could I prevail upon you to stay a little longer? My son would have dearly wanted to meet up with you after so long. Or is the hospitality unsatisfactory in any way?"
"Of course not, your Majesty, it's just that I have something urgent to see to back in China." It wasn't technically a lie. He did have many duties to see to as the next leader of the Lee Clan. It just wasn't the only and main reason he needed to leave so soon.
Sakura…I'm sorry…
The King sighed. This would mean a long night ahead of him again.
" Then let this be settled by tonight then---what? Eriol, why aren't you at the ball! You have to see to the guests!"
Eriol had just stepped into the antechamber, his mind obviously preoccupied. At the sound of his father's voice, he looked up with a startled expression.
"Oh, I'm sorry father, I was too tired and excused myself, I didn't see where I was going and I didn't know you had an audience so late at night---"
Obviously startled, he stopped his rambling and abruptly noticed to whom his father was holding an audience with. Leaving his words half finished, he openly stared.
Oh damn. He saw me. There goes my chance of leaving unnoticed. But then, it has been so long…
Inwardly sighing, he swept Eriol a bow and greeted him.
"Your highness."
Recovering instantly, he snapped back into himself and acknowledged Syaoran's greeting.The King watched the little exchange between the two of them and smiled. Perhaps business could wait.
"I believe that the two of you have a little catching up to do. Lord Syaoran, perhaps I could prevail upon you to at least stay until mid noon tomorrow? If you so wish, I will discuss the trade proposal with you first thing in the morning."
"Of course, your Majesty."
----(His majesty leaves the room, leaving the two of them together…)--------
"Why didn't you tell me that you were coming to Japan! It has been so long since we last saw each other!" Eriol asked, his voice uncertain. It has been, after all, a very long while, and he wasn't sure how Syaoran felt about him now. Syaoran opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Seized by a kind of tight emotion as he saw his old friend staring at him so hesitantly, he had a sudden urge to try and put everything all right again. But then, was it even possible to reverse the time so many years to their childhood days and revive the open friendship that they had shared?
"I've been…busy. Things have been really hectic in China lately…and I missed you all too…"
He couldn't help adding the last part, nor could he keep the emotion from his voice. He had missed them terribly when he returned to China, that was a fact, and one he could not deny no matter how he tried. No matter how hard he tried to forget.
"Syaoran…do you know how long I searched for the three of you? So many years…and now you are here again. Do you really have to leave so soon? Please, will you stay for at least a while longer? We have so much to catch up…"
" …and I would dearly love to, but I really have things to see to in China. I guess I can postpone my trip back to China for a week….but that's about all…How's everyone been?"
"I wish I knew…I only saw Sakura for the first time in many years today, in a flower shop, and later at the ball… At least I know where to find her now, at the Kinomoto residence...All this time and I didn't know where she went to...that was because I only knew her by her first name…Syaoran, you must be tired. Let me lead you to your rooms."
It's as if we were strangers…strangers who know so much about each other, and yet nothing. Walking shoulder to shoulder, the pair strolled through the corridors, telling each other about the many things and experiences they've had over the years. But not a word was further said about the old times they had shared together. It was as if they both felt that by saying out loud the unseen awkwardness and formality that separated them like a wall now, that would make the barrier more real than ever.
---------(outside)------------
Meanwhile, Tomoyo was helping a sleeping Sakura into a carriage.
"To the Kinomoto residence, please."
I'm really apologetic for the delay in getting this chapter up, for my examinations were just around the corner when I wrote the second chapter. Yeah, in case you're wondering, my results weren't too good for the End Of Year examinations...that'll mean that I have to work so much harder next year for my Olevels…To repay all of you for waiting so long, I wrote three-quarters of the chapter in a day… It's not very long but I hope that it might solve one or two little questions…
Ok, to pay credit where it's due, many many many thanks to my beloved beta reader Yuet ping! Man, you're the best, sis! And to all who've given me comments on how to improve on my writing (esp. to Shu May), a big thank you! I really appreciate it…
To my wonderful reviewers, really thank you for sticking through all my detested examinations and stuff to reach the third chapter!
d33p-s0rr0w: thanks for the compliment :)
Angel Starcalistas: thanks! Actually I wish I ad the imagination of my brothers, their stories and pictures are way better than mine…more mature for one…haha, thanks!
Suppis Tenshi: omigod! Thank you ever so much for adding me on your favourites list! Never though I'll see the day when anyone would like my stories so much! Thanks! Your comments were extremely helpful and encouraging…thanks!
Oh and the answer to your question "Why the heck won't Sakura remember who everyone is?"… It was because she had missed all of them so much and kept her memories aside/ hidden after they had all split up. Sort of like the way she hid the memories of her mother's death to avoid thinking about it…I do hope that that answers your question…So sorry that I can't explain it better…can't answer the other questions yet…still thinking about how to weave it into the story…
Candian-cherryblossom: I'm sorry that I couldn't get the chapter up so quickly…hope you like this chapter!
Thank you all so much for reading this and I do hope that you will like this chapter! Pls review :) thanks!