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disclaimer: i dont own anything that you recognise but i do own my OCs nd some of the plot
Chapter 6
Today was the last of the three balls. Then Syaoran would be leaving after picking a bride and going to Hong Kong to get married. But I knew that Syaoran did not want to get married, he told me himself. I was relieved when he told me this because I did not want him ending up with someone like Meilin.
While I was going about my usual chores I heard Meilin complaining to her mother about how a masked maiden had been so rude to her and then gotten her wet by knocking the prince when he had drinks in his hands. I couldn't help but smirk to my self-remembering the look on her voice.
I arrived at the ball just after 9:00pm. I adjusted my mask and sorted my dress out and walked down the stairs. The mask I was wearing this time covered half of my face but there were big eyeholes so I applied my eye shadow carefully and put the mask on so that there was no chance of it coming down again. I walked down the stairs, my star necklace dangling elegantly around my neck, and my dress swishing behind me. This time I did not stumble but when I did get to the bottom of the stairs Syaoran was waiting for me! He gave me hand and he helped me down the last few stairs. I could see different girls giving me dirty looks but I didn't care, I was with the Prince not them. I looked at Syaoran and smiled, he smiled back I was happy for the first time in ages here in his arms.
We started dancing, but after a little while Syaoran took me off but not to the balcony this time, but up some stairs and into a corridor. I followed, him not knowing what to do. He beckoned me towards him so I went down the corridor and into a room, and there sitting in front of me on a balcony over looking the ballroom was a middle aged woman sitting on a tall grand chair with people all around her. Then it hit me: it was Syaoran's mother, the Empress of China. Remembering my manners I dropped to my head in a deep bow. 'Rise' I heard a stern voice commanded. I slowly lifted my head not daring to look into the Empress' eyes. She looked me up and down and asked me 'what is your name and why do you wear a mask?'
'I am Kinomoto Feng-Hua. I wear a mask because it is my custom to but I will remove it if you wish your highness.' I replied bowing again, but not as deep. 'No do not worry about removing it, if you wish to wear it then you may. I looked her in the eye this time and she smiled warmly. 'Syaoran has told me a lot about you Feng-Hua. I am pleased that he has made a good decision.' She said her eyes not leaving my face. I looked at Syaoran out the corner of my eye and I saw him going slightly red. 'Right then Mother we've got to be going now, thank you for letting me introduce Feng-Hua.' Syaoran said abruptly. 'Thank you your grace' I added bowing low and then following Syaoran out of the room. We danced for a while and Syaoran went to get a drink for me. It was great. Then Meilin confronted me, 'you really are pushing your luck Kinomoto-nyu-sansu. Stay away from the Prince he's mine. I saw him first and he's obviously in love with, me not you!' She exclaimed with such poison that it hurt; I was finding it hard not to laugh because she looked so ridiculous accusing me of stealing Syaoran! Let's just say if looks could kill I would be in the ground rotting. I looked at her and returned the glare we stood there locked in a staring but after a couple of seconds she just huffed and stomped away.
After having something to eat I joined back up with Syaoran. We were dancing to a fast paced foxtrot when I saw Meilin coming towards us, she was dancing with some earl or duke but she had an evil glint in her eyes. I thought nothing of it and kept on enjoying my time with Syaoran. Then it happened, she came behind me and untied my mask, it was just a simple yank of the string and it was off! I instantly covered my face but then I heard the shriek of Meilin recognising me. 'You!' She shouted pointing at me. Syaoran looked confused but then I saw Summie and Ying-Le coming towards us. I did the first thing that came into my mind and that was RUN! I pushed past the crowd that had gathered sending Meilin falling backwards arms flailing. I threw off my shoes and left my mask behind but. When I was running I snagged my necklace on a bush and did not have time to unhook it so I just ran on regardless.
When I got home I was not thinking straight but I decided to anyway, I was tired from running for ten minutes and I had probably five minutes before my step family caught up with me, I had to work quickly. I got the suitcase that I had taken with me to Tokyo all those years ago. I packed what decent clothes I had and a few work clothes. I packed my pictures of me Outasan and Okaasan I also packed the dresses I wore for the balls. I then changed out of my dress into a normal linen dress and flat shoes.
The door opened and Meilin, Summie and Ying-Le rushed in. as soon as I saw them I knew I was in trouble. Just as Meilin rounded on me the door opened again with a panting Syaoran falling thought the door. Just as he looked up at me Meilin slapped me, hard and viciously. Screaming, 'he's mine, not yours, mine I tell you! Why do you take everything form me? I hate you, you little juseiki!' when she finished she was panting. I looked at her, with tears in my eyes never in all my life had I thought any one could be that mean. I saw Syaoran and he was fuming, he looked like he wanted to kill Meilin for calling me that. I then looked at Summie and I could tell that she was disappointed that her daughter would resort to such foul language and then I saw Ying-Le and she looked down right scared of her sister at that moment in time.
'Leave us Sakura, go to bed and Meilin and Ying-Le go to your rooms and if I hear a word out of any of you there will be hell to pay.' Summie said in such a fiercely low voice that none of us disagreed with her. On my way up the hall I heard Syaoran say, 'why did you call Feng-Hua Sakura?' I smiled at how naive he was had he not figured out yet that I had lied to him? But why did it hurt so badly? I sat on floor and decided to listen. 'She is called Limao Sakura your highness, her mother is dead and he remarried to me, I am from China and Sakura is my step daughter whop lives with me while her father is away in Hong Kong. She will be joining him soon because he has found her a suitable husband who is rich and that will soon die,' explained Summie. I was taken a back; my own father was marrying me off to some old man that I had never met? How could he? I felt betrayed. I got up and ran to my room. I picked up my suitcase and left through the back door. Not forgetting to get the stash of money that Summie kept from inside the cupboard behind the pantry, I had seen her go to it before.