Disclaimer: I don't own CCS
ChiChi's Note: Well I had no idea what to name this chapter so I just went with that. I'm really tired so I didn't bother reviewing this again. No worries, I always edit my stories in the end so yeah… Enjoy
Chapter 11
Kaho or Tomoyo
Tomoyo glared at Syaoran as he circled around her like a vulture. Eyeing her from head-to-toe. Everyone just stared at her in silence. What was wrong? "Wh-What did you mean when you said that I slaughtered your entire army?" she enquired.
Syaoran stopped circling and smirked, "It's rather simple. You," he waved his hand to refer to her, "Killed every man from my elite force."
"But that's impossible! Tomoyo's never even touched a weapon before you came for us!" Sakura cried.
"Zat blood… eet must be from zee battle zat you were in," Odelette concluded.
"Ah yes, you are all covered in blood," Syaoran noticed, "Well I suppose we'll have to continue this discussion later. You will follow the guards to your quarters then you shall meet with me in the throne room to work out an agreement."
Tomoyo glanced at Sakura then nodded. Syaoran took one more look at Tomoyo then left the room. Sakura went to follow him, but stopped; she turned to Tomoyo and smiled, "I know what he said was not true. I'm glad to see you again."
With that she took in a deep breath and ran out after Syaoran.
…Tomoyo's Chamber…
Tomoyo sat quietly in the red stained water deep in thought. She made a cup with her hands and lifted up the water. 'Did I really kill all of those men?' she wondered as she let the water slip through the cracks between her fingers. She stared at her fingers then touched the water. Instantly, the water became clean once more. If only our sins were like that. Just by the touch of a finger, we would become pure once again. She looked over at the dress that was provided for her. 'I think I should go see him now.'
…Throne Room…
Sakura leaned against the wall playing with her bracelet. She knew that Syaoran was watching her and it made her feel safer. There was so warmth coming from the bracelet that soon it would burn her. How much longer would it take before it would activate? She looked up at the throne and watched his expression turn into a frown. He quickly turned his head in the other direction then muttered something quietly. "Girl, does it always take your cousin this long to get ready? I want to know where my… never mind."
Sakura tilted her head to the side, "Where your…"
"It's nothing," Syaoran got up and walked towards her, "Earlier in the garden, why did you curtsy to me when you heard my soldier coming?"
Sakura looked down at the ground, "I didn't want you to get angry again."
Syaoran smirked; "Would you prefer that I did something…" he leant in and softly brushed his lips against hers, "…like that?"
Sakura's heart began to pound but she still managed to maintain her ability to speak, "You wouldn't do that in front of your soldiers. If you ever did; you would kill all witnesses."
"Indeed he would, but if he wanted something from said person; he would, in fact, wait until he gets what he wanted, then he would get me to kill them for him," a voice intruded.
Syaoran frowned and stepped away from Sakura, "Why aren't you dead?"
He spun around and found his cousin sitting in his royal chair. "Sorry, was I interrupting?" Eriol asked innocently.
"You're alive Lord Hiiragizawa! Tomoyo will be very happy," Sakura exclaimed.
Eriol froze and stared at her, "She… she's still alive? But how?"
Syaoran stormed up to his throne and threw Eriol off of it, "Quite the savage. She killed everyone in sight. I assume that you helped her? I find it hard to believe that she did that all alone."
"No, we watched her do it," Eriol shrugged as he got up from the floor.
"We?" Sakura and Syaoran asked together.
Eriol gave a warm smile, "Yes Kaho and I."
…Somewhere in the castle…
Tomoyo walked quickly through the hallways trying to find the throne room. She remembered it being near the entrance, but… where was the entrance? She turned the corner and came face-to-face with a familiar red-haired girl. The girl gasped and bowed, "Your Majesty! I am glad that you are safe. I am Kaho Mizuki; Eriol Hiiragizawa's fiancée."
She smiled politely; "So you're the one, huh?" Tomoyo shook her head, 'I sound so jealous.' She looked around trying to find something to change the subject, "Do you know where the throne room is?"
Kaho pointed down the hallway behind her. Tomoyo looked down it and saw the main hall. She laughed at herself for a second, "I can't believe that I didn't notice that."
"Don't worry Your Majesty, I…" Kaho trailed off into a story about how many times she had gotten lost since they arrived.
Don't worry Your Majesty. Now that she thought about it, Kaho didn't seem like such a bad person and she really didn't need to be so formal. She wanted to be friends, "Tomoyo."
Kaho stopped speaking and stared at her with a confused look on her face. Tomoyo giggled, "You do not have to call me 'Your Majesty' or 'Princess' or anything that implies that I am royalty. Just call me Tomoyo."
The two girls giggled then made their way to the throne room.
They were immediately recognized as soon as they entered. "Princess Tomoyo, I have a proposition for you," Syaoran announced as he leaned back into his chair.
"I believe we have already come to the conclusion that we are to make a deal," Tomoyo rolled her eyes.
Syaoran glared at her, but it soon turned into another one of his smirks, "Hm, I like you already," he stated, earning a snigger from Eriol, "Since you are already an ally of Chikara; I need you to go into the castle and find out their plans. I believe you are friends with the head swordswoman so get your information through her, and what ever you do; stay away from Adrien."
Tomoyo nodded, "And what do I get in return?"
Syaoran paused to think about it, "The girl."
Tomoyo looked over to her cousin, "Agreed."
Syaoran stood from his seat, "It is late now. Let us all meet in the dining room to eat."
Little did any of them know, not one of them showed up to eat that evening.
…Tomoyo's chambers…
Sakura and Tomoyo sat on the bed telling each other about everything that happened while they were separated. Stories about their travelling, the things they saw, and best of all, their first kisses. "Is there something wrong?" Tomoyo asked Sakura.
Sakura's eyes saddened, "Tomoyo, it's all so unfair."
Tomoyo's expression became miserable as well, "For both of us?"
"For both of us. Lord Hiiragizawa has a fiancée but he also seems to like you, and I want to go with you, but I also do not want to leave King Syaoran's side. I guess we really will lose everything, but at least we still have each other," Sakura smiled at Tomoyo, but somehow, it seemed to be fake.
Tomoyo got off the bed and went over to the window. She had an idea. It would mean that everything she went through would be in vain, but this was Sakura's happiness. So what if she herself was unhappy? As long as everyone else was okay, she would be able to live with herself. "You want to stay with him right?" she asked.
Sakura nodded, "Yes but what about you?"
"Forget me. If he is really important to you; you shouldn't let him slip away," Tomoyo said with much emotion in her voice, "Do not come with me. I'll speak to him about a new proposition, but if he refuses…"
Sakura's eyes widened. Tomoyo couldn't imagine what was going through her mind right then. Sakura got off the bed and ran out of the room. "Sakura! Wait!" Tomoyo ran after her but as soon as she got out of her room, she was gone.
Was it something she said? Tomoyo sighed and rubbed her temple. She needed to get some fresh air… maybe out in the garden.
…Meanwhile…
Sakura ran through the hallways, 'Which door was it? Oh, I don't remember!' Suddenly, she was knocked off her feet. She looked up and saw Eriol standing before her. "Princess, what a surprise," he smiled, "Can I help you?"
Sakura got up and stared at him, 'Can I trust him? Maybe he can help me; he would understand.' She swallowed hard then spoke, "Lord Hiiragizawa, I need your help, but you have to keep it a secret from King Syaoran, please."
Eriol was silent for a moment then nodded, "What is it?"
"Where are his chambers? I left the cage keys in my dress' pouch and I am sure that my dress is still on the chair in his room. I need it," Sakura explained.
His eyebrows rose, "You wouldn't be planning on setting the other two free, would you?"
She shook her head, "No, I need it for something else."
Eriol smirked as if he read her mind, "Okay, come with me."
They walked down many hallways before they came to the door of his chambers. "I will distract him, as I do so, you will get your key, but do it quickly," Eriol whispered.
"Thank you my Lord," Sakura bowed her head.
"Go hide and when I enter the room, you go in," he ordered then knocked on the door.
Sakura rushed behind a statue and peered around the edge. Syaoran opened the door and immediately glared at his visitor, "What do you want Eriol?"
"I just came to ask a couple questions," he answered smiling like a Cheshire cat.
Syaoran chuckled, "Curiosity killed the cat, and don't smile like that."
Eriol shook his head, "Clever, but no. May I come in?"
Syaoran rolled his eyes and stepped to the side, "Are you alone?"
Eriol entered the room, "Of course."
Eriol looked around the room and saw the dress that Sakura spoke of on the chair. He went over to the chair and picked the dress up, "Your maids do not know how to clean?"
"I suppose not," Syaoran scoffed.
Eriol spotted Sakura in the room hiding behind a large vase. He nodded then tossed the dress to the ground a few feet away from the vase, "Hm, they should come clean it eventually. Isn't that the dress that the princess was wearing before? Did you sleep-"
"You're disgusting," Syaoran cut him off before he could finish.
Eriol watched out of the corner of his eye as Sakura grabbed the dress, pulled out the key and put it back in the same spot. "What are you looking at?" Syaoran enquired.
He followed his eyes and stopped at the dress. He stood there, eyes stuck on the spot. Eriol began to panic. Sakura wouldn't be able to get out if Syaoran was still staring at the spot. He had to somehow get his attention away from it, "Uh, so why did decide to trade the princess to Tomoyo?"
Syaoran didn't move his eyes, "Because she'll be safer with her."
Eriol smirked, 'I suppose I could get him to say some things about her while she's still there.' He sat down in the chair, "So it was an act of love, shall we say?"
He was silent for a moment then walked towards the vase. He stopped at where the dress laid then frowned, "Get out Eriol."
"Dearest cousin, you cannot get rid of me that easily," Eriol replied.
"Can't I?" he drew his sword and pointed it in Eriol's direction, "I don't care if I promised mother that I wouldn't kill you. If you don't, I'll break that promise within a matter of seconds."
Eriol smirked again, "Well we wouldn't want you to do that. I'll leave."
He heard a faint squeak of protest come from behind the vase, making him chuckle. Syaoran followed him out of the room and closed the door. "Why is she in there?" he demanded.
"It's for a good reason," Eriol replied nonchalantly, "But if I may, she wants to stay with you even if it means giving up her safety, her life, and more importantly, her only family."
"So what should I do?" he murmured.
"Well, I am going to the garden," Eriol chuckled as if that were his solution, "Go easy on her."
Syaoran nodded then went back into his room. He glanced at the vase then went over to sit in a chair facing it. He stared at it with amusement. He wondered how long she could stay there for.
…The garden…
Tomoyo laid on the grass smiling at the bird perched on her arm. "I'm sure I did the right thing. I just hope that he'll agree," Tomoyo said quietly.
"You started this journey to retrieve your cousin, but in the end you simply let her go." Tomoyo sighed, "Yes that's right, because her happiness-"
"Is your happiness, yes I know dearest. But what about your happiness? I believe that you are smitten with Mizuki's fiancé." Tomoyo let out a laugh, "Perhaps but once again, he is happy with her. If I interfere…"
"I'm sorry my dear. In a world filled with happy people, there will always be one who is sad." Tomoyo sat up and sighed, "I know mother. I think maybe I shall go to sleep."
The bird chirped and flew off. Tomoyo stood up and watched as her mother disappeared into the night. "Tomoyo?" a voice called from behind her.
She looked over her shoulder and smiled, "Good evening Eriol. I see you didn't go to diner as well."
"I wasn't hungry; I had too much on my mind."
"Such as…"
Eriol began to walk along the pathway, "Well, you mainly, then the war, and how Syaoran-"
"How is that? You are bound to a woman already. It's sinful to think of another woman," she interrupted and walked along with him.
"I believe you are a princess, not a priestess, and until I marry Kaho, I am not bound to her," Eriol responded and lightly took hold of her hand.
Tomoyo looked down at their hands, "You're enjoying this aren't you? Toying with my feelings?"
He shook his head, "Tomoyo, I'm not trying to. If you had any idea how much I…"
Tomoyo stared at him waiting for him to finish. They stopped walking and faced each other, "I want to be with you. I wish that I never went with you to Rosuto Daidouji, but I did and now…"
Tomoyo stepped closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder, "It's too late?"
His hand tightened around hers, "I can't do this anymore," he let go of her and began to walk away, "Because… I love you."
Tomoyo grimaced then turned to him, "I didn't want you to do this, but this situation will keep torturing you until you do it, and I can't stand to watch you suffer. Choose."
"What?"
"You have to choose between Kaho and I," she answered, "It's the only way to solve this problem."
He nodded then went to walk in the opposite direction. 'So I have to decide between the two. It doesn't matter…'
"Eriol!" a voice called out.
He looked to the source and saw Kaho running towards him. She jumped into his arms and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "What are you doing out here?"
Eriol shook his head and smiled at her giving her a kiss on the forehead, "Oh nothing special. Come, let's go inside."
Kaho began telling him about how she was becoming really close with Tomoyo and Eriol listened silently. In the back of his mind he finally figured it out.
'I think I've already decided.'
ChiChi's Note: ARGH! I feel like I rushed this chapter big time, but I am quite enjoying the situation that I put Sakura in. Fun, fun, fun. Okay REVIEW!
