Hello boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

So this is the end of SyaoSaku Week. And so I leave you with this. I didn't really keep to the theme of the flower. Even so, I hope you enjoy.


Chapter 7: Peony

In Japanese, the peony represents bravery. In Chinese, it represents honor.

On a somewhat frigid day in November, a much older Syaoran Li was kneeling with sword in hand in the Li family estate. He was concentrating on keeping his magic circle active. A high shrieking cry echoed throughout the estate followed by an intense pulse of magic that threatened to sweep him off his feet. But he held firm. A single tear streamed down his face as another scream reached him. He wanted so desperately to go towards the scream, but he couldn't. He had to stay here.


Syaoran's life had been perfect for many years. The woman he loved, Sakura Kinomoto, had agreed to marry him after many years of dating. They enjoyed three years of marriage before Sakura had told him that she was pregnant. If Syaoran believed his life couldn't get more perfect, he was wrong. The idea that he was going to be a father made his heart swell with joy. He was going to be a father and she was going to be a mother. His life was good.

Or at least he thought it would be good.

When Sakura was well in her first trimester, something had gone wrong. Her magic flared up uncontrollably. The green-eyed magician's hormones manifested into phenomena. When she got morning sickness, her emotions made the house smell foul. Her cravings created tremors. Her internal temperature could affect the air around her.

Syaoran had talked to Kerberos and Yue to see if they had any answer. Yue explained that her body's chemistry was influencing her control over her magic. She's already so powerful. And it's very likely that the baby she was carrying has magic as well. When Syaoran asked what they could do, none of them had an answer. In desperation, he called his mother.

Yelan invited Syaoran and Sakura to the estate for the duration of Sakura's pregnancy. The entire Li grounds had been prepared with magic dampening circles in order to keep powerful magic contained. Staying at the estate limited Sakura's errant magic bursts and made the rest of her pregnancy almost enjoyable. She and Syaoran could prepare for the arrival of their new baby without having to deal with earthquakes, fires and the like.

But it was one fateful morning weeks before Sakura's expected due date that Syaoran was summoned by his mother to the family gardens. Even in her late fifties, Yelan held a beauty that was both austere and awe-inspiring. She was the only person who could immediately snap him to attention.

"You called for me, mother," Syaoran asked as he watch his mother prune a flower.

With a deliberate movement, Yelan turned around to face her son eye to eye. "Sakura will give birth soon." His mother was a woman who chose each word carefully to make sure it had the desired effect.

Syaoran couldn't keep the smile off his face. "I know, mother. I am very excited to see our child."

Yelan placed a motherly hand on her son's cheek. "As well you should be." She removed her hand and stared deeply into her son's amber eyes. "But you must also be cognizant of the dangers the birthing process will have on Sakura-san."

The hairs on Syaoran's neck stood on end. "Dangers?" He couldn't keep the fear from seeping into his voice. "What dangers?"

"As you know, Sakura-san has become a more powerful magician as she has gotten older," Yelan began. "I'm sure you remember that time when she was 12 when her power was creating new cards and creating phenomena with the power of thought alone."

Syaoran remembered that very well. He had been very worried that Sakura would fall into a cycle of misery due to her growing power. Thankfully, she was able to overcome that and become the woman he loved today. "I remember well, mother. But Sakura has gained more control now that she's older."

"You are correct that her power has been in her control now." Yelan had paused to put her pruning shears down, leaving the but hanging in the air. "I will not lie to you. The act of giving birth is going to destroy Sakura's control of her power." Yelan registered her son's fears but continued nonetheless. "Giving birth is already a painful experience for women. Magic makes things complicated. I'm sure you remember that she wasn't in control in the beginning of her pregnancy. For someone with Sakura's vast magic powers, the pain of childbirth will cause her to lose control. As such, there could be severe consequences."

"Sakura." He didn't want to believe that his wife could be in danger. "There must be…"

Yelan held up a hand to silence her son. "I understand your frustration. But getting frustrated helps no one. You needn't worry though. I've already informed Sakura-san of the dangers and she is more than willing to face it. Are you?"

"Of course, mother." There was fierce determination in Syaoran's amber eyes. "Tell me what I need to do."

"I have talked with Clow Reed's reincarnation," Yelan closed her eyes deliberately and sighed. When she opened them, she made a motion for her son to follow her out of the gardens. "He told me that I must send Meilin to a woman known as the Witch of Dimensions."

"Witch of Dimensions?" Syaoran had never heard of this woman.

"She is a powerful woman capable of granting the wishes of those who can pay a price equivalent to that of their wish," Yelan explained. "In exchange for something to help Sakura-san deliver the baby, I am giving her the Li family fan."

Syaoran couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That fan has been in our family for generations. It is the instrument you use in your magic."

A rare smile crossed Yelan's lips. "Would you rather have the fan or your child? What price are you willing to pay to help Sakura-san?"

Syaoran couldn't help but smile himself. "Anything. I would gladly pay any price to help her."

"Then it's settled," Yelan finished. "However, that's not all that must be done to prepare for the baby's arrival."

"What must I do?"


Three days before Sakura's due date, Eriol had arrived from England with Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon to use his power to help contain Sakura's. He did this by constructing a dome over the Li family estate, preventing all those without magic from entering to protect them from being hurt by Sakura's errant magic. This meant that Tomoyo, Sakura's friend, couldn't be there to film the birth. Two days before, Meilin arrived with the item from the Witch of Dimensions. It was five bracelets that was perfectly tailored to Syaoran, Kerberos, Yue, Spinel, and Ruby. At another time, Syaoran would wonder if the Witch had already known that they were going to need this long before Sakura's pregnancy. But now wasn't that time.

The day of Sakura's due date, she and Syaoran met for one last time before she was taken into one of the side houses for the birthing.

"How are you feeling," Syaoran asked.

"I'm both nervous and excited," She admitted. "But I'm also a little scared. I don't want to hurt anybody."

"I know." Syaoran placed a tender kiss on her forehead. "I'm scared too. I'm scared of losing you and our baby. But we have to be brave."

Sakura chewed on that thought for a while. "Brave, huh." A deep sigh escaped her lips. "I suppose you're right. We have to be brave."

Syaoran smiled. "You will be fine. Mother will be with you and so will Hiiragizawa."

Sakura grabbed Syaoran's hand. "I wish you could be there."

Syaoran wished the same thing. In fact, he had argued with his mother that he should be there with his wife. However, Yelan refused, saying that he might see Sakura in pain and lose concentration of his task potentially harming both his wife and child. So he had to swallow his fear and go along with his mother's plan. He was to stay outside to prevent Sakura's magic from breaking through the barrier by creating one with the other four. Eriol would protect the child from Sakura's magic inside the house. Yelan would assist in the delivery.

"Me too, Sakura." He gave his wife's hand a loving squeeze. "The two of us are going to be brave to help bring our baby into the world. Besides, you have your invincible spell at your disposal."

A smile crept along Sakura's face. "Everything will be alright."

Yelan had called for Sakura to begin the birthing. With one last squeeze, Sakura followed Yelan inside. When the door closed, Syaoran and the four others created a pentagram around the house with their magic and waited.


In the first hour, Syaoran could hear Sakura screaming. The first scream made him want to drop the barrier immediately and rush to her. But he remembered what he needed to do and kept his magic up. The second hour brought pain from the bracelet. Eriol had told him that the bracelets would help ease Sakura's pain by distributing them among those who wore it. For this, Syaoran was glad. If he could lessen Sakura's pain, even a tiny fraction, then it was worth it. Two hours had passed and still he was enduring the pain of Sakura's birthing and the strain of keeping the barrier up against Sakura's vast powers. Each minute was more excruciating than the last. Eleven hours had passed. He was about to reach the limit when suddenly Sakura's magic subsided.

Syaoran looked up at the door. It finally creaked open. Yelan exited the house looking rather haggard.

"It is done," Yelan announced. "You may drop the barrier."

Syaoran gratefully stood to his feet and embraced his mother in a rare show of public affection. Yelan returned the embrace. "Thank you, mother."

"You are welcome, my son." Syaoran had let go of his mother. "I will call for a doctor so that your child can be examined." With that, she went into the main estate.

Eriol was the next to exit the side house. If his mother looked tired, Eriol looked completely exhausted. His glasses had been cracked and his golden wand had lost so much of its luster.

"HIiragizawa…" Syaoran couldn't express how grateful he was to him for helping his wife and child.

The bespectacled magician put a hand on Syaoran's shoulder and smiled. "Go to them."

Needing no other prompting, he went inside. There, he saw his wife sitting on the bed. Her face was covered in sweat and red with exhaustion. Her hair was plastered. Yet there was a heavenly glow about her. And in her arms, there was a little moving bundle wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"Hey," Syaoran said, at a loss for words.

"Syaoran-kun." The smile he loved was on her face. "Come and say hello."

Syaoran walked almost reverently towards his wife and child. He peeked at his child.

"A boy." It was as if he almost couldn't say the word. "We have a son."

The little boy yawned and the two proud parents never saw anything more adorable.

"We did it," Sakura whispered hoarsely, her throat scratchy from all the screaming she did. "We're parents now."

Syaoran sat on the edge of the bed and placed a kiss on the forehead of his son. "Thank you for being born to us, little one." He then kissed his wife's forehead. "Thank you, my most precious person."

A new day was dawning for Sakura and Syaoran. They were about to begin a new adventure, that of parenthood.


And that's the end of the series.

I really have nothing left to say. Liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading,

A. Angel