Kind-of dramatic last chapter…wasn't it? I hope you at least feel some suspense, or I must be destined to fail as an author!LOL I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who have been so patient with me and my story, The Promise of Forever, it means a lot to me. (1) As usual, I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura, Clamp does, I only own my plot line, made-up characters and places. (2) I am seriously hoping to be able to work on later chapters of this story over Spring Break, and I pray that I will get a chance too: ) but remember I haven't quite figured out how the rest of my plot is going…I know up to this point, but for minor details, I haven't figured them out yet.- (3) I want to thank all members of who have reviewed my story! (Thank you so much everyone!!! -)
takari love: Here's your update! Sorry it's so very late…
Cherrysinger: Thanks for your continued support, and yes I know I'm extremely tardy with this update…but here it is…
(4) May I proudly present the 12th chapter of The Promise of Forever…
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The Worse Kind of Curse
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The iron wrought gates creaked open as a long, black limo pulled slowly into the drive. Almost before it had come completely to a stop the door on the left swung open as a young man rushed out carrying another young man, with a young woman not far behind.
They dashed up the stone front steps until they came to the wide door. The young man knocked once and whispered furiously under his breath. Only a second later, the door was opened by a very surprised butler. He opened his mouth to speak, but the young man pushed past him and started descending up the stairs. Tomoyo was going to follow after him, but was stopped by a hand from the butler.
"Excuse me Miss Tomoyo; do you know this strange character?" He asked angrily, his mustache twitching in annoyance, all traces of the surprise that decorated his face at Eriol's entrance had rapidly disappeared.
Tomoyo stopped quickly in mid step, and turned to glance his way, then quickly back at Eriol's retreating form descending the stairway.
"Can't this wait, Horacio?" She said worriedly, I really must to attend to more pressing matters at the moment." Her gaze turned from his face again and searching the stairs for a trace of where Eriol had gone.
"Miss Tomoyo," He said as he straightened taller, his mustache bristling and still twitching distractedly. "Under the circumstances I think I am owed an explanation. A strange character I have never met pushes past me at the door, says not one word of thanks…" He rambled on as he described what else had been done to him, with all the righteous indignation of a duke.
Tomoyo sighed inwardly, as her eyes finished searching for Eriol, she could not find where he had gone, and returned to her present matter. If she didn't interrupt him, she knew he could go on forever.
With an abrupt, "Excuse me. Horacio, I understand that you feel wronged but there is no time to explain to you what is going on. When there is time I will find you and properly explain matters to you. But in the meantime, I do not want to be disturbed. Now if you will excuse me." Tomoyo turned her attention away from the bristling butler and descended the stairs in front of her.
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As she traveled along the stairway she thought deeply about were Eriol could have taken Syaoran. Maybe he found one of the spare rooms? She thought distractedly.
She sought out an upper hallway and saw that one of the doors was open at the end, a sure sign that someone had entered recently. She hurried towards it and stopped in the doorway, looking inside.
The room was bright with the morning sunlight that streamed through one of the large, arched windows that lead to the balcony, was on the other side of the room. The curtains blew softly with the slight wind that entered and swept across the room in soft guts, brushing the covers of the antique four-poster bed that stood on the right against the wall. Sayoran, still in his travel clothes, was sleeping softly on it, a calm almost still expression on his face. She turned her head a little and saw Eriol hunched over in a chair next to Syaoran's bed, head in his hands. His hair was distinctly ruffled, and his usually pristine and pressed clothes were wrinkled. Her eyes softened as she gazed at the picture in front of her. Syaoran looked so still and pale, and Eriol didn't look much better.
She placed a hand on the doorway. "Eriol…?" she whispered, "Did you need anything right now…?" "Your room is right next door to this one…if you would like to unpack…"
He didn't turn or even seem to know she was there. "No Tomoyo. I need to watch over Syaoran-kun...To make sure he doesn't get any worse. Also, I need time to think."
Tomoyo looked at him with pain and worry in her eyes. Not only did she have to worry about Syaoran-kun…but Eriol-kun's strange behavior worried her…maybe even more. She lifted her hand from the doorframe and quietly shut the door. She turned and slid down the door until here knees were level with her chest. She had time to take a quick glance at the hallway before tears spilled down her cheeks.
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"Miss Kinomoto…" … "Miss Kinomoto" …"MISS KINOMOTO!!!"
Sakura's head snapped up in surprise, her face about two inches from Mikado-sensei's. She gasped out loud in shock and then blushed, murmuring an apology. "Oh! I'm so very sorry sensei! It won't happen again…I promise, I really do!"
Mikado-sensei gave her a disapproving look. "It had better not, Kinomoto-san, or you will see me again after class." She warned, then stalked off back to the front of the classroom.
Sakura shook her head slowly, trying unsuccessfully to shake the sleepiness from her mind. She seemed to be tired all the time now, her lack of sleep caused by those disturbing dreams. She sighed and looked over at the desk next to her, which was usually occupied by her best friend Tomoyo-chan. Today, it was empty, which worried her. Tomoyo was always at school, she couldn't remember the last time her friend had even taken a sick day. Tomoyo-chan was her constant, and her very best friend…what if something had happened to her and Sakura wasn't there to help? She felt a pang of worry hit her in the chest, but there was nothing she could do right now, not while she was in school anyway. The teachers had all noticed her new sleeping habits in school and would notice if her seat was empty. She sighed again and focused on Mikado-Sensei's droning voice. She knew that after school she would visit Tomoyo-chan's house, and make sure everything was alright.
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Eriol winced as Sayoran pulled against his grip on his arms. Well, at least he still has most of his strength; I guess I should be thankful….
He winced again as Sayoran pulled harder, putting more pressure on Eriol's already tired muscles. "If I wasn't so tired, Sayoran, this would be so much easier for the both of us…" he muttered. He knew that Sayoran wasn't trying to be difficult, the draining spell was just starting to take a more physical effect. He noted the light sheen of sweat on Sayoran's face and the heat of his skin and he knew that Sayoran had developed a light fever. Unfortunately, that had also had caused him to move deeper into his dreams and was just starting to struggle against his nightmares.
Just as Sayoran's body started to relax, he sensed another presence walk into the room and he didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Hello, Tomoyo-chan." He whispered, and then he sighed, his back still to her. "I'm sorry you had to see that, I'm afraid my dear descendent is getting worse."
Tomoyo walked towards the bed until she stood next to Eriol, her quiet steps barely echoing in the small room. "Is there anything you can do?" She whispered to him, a pleading sound in her voice.
Eriol wouldn't look at her, and stood in silence for some time still staring at Sayoran's face. "No." He finally said, and slumped into a chair bringing his head in his hands again. "No." He said again, in a disgusted tone. "Not even I, the great reincarnation of Clow Reed, one of the greatest magicians of all time, can do anything for him. Am I to be so defenseless? I know I have fought this in the past, but I cannot fight it now. Something is stopping me, holding me back and I cannot break it. I'm sorry Tomoyo but I have failed you, and everyone else who is involved. I am the most miserable excuse for a magician and wizard…" His tones deepened. "To not be able to do anything…it is the worse kind of curse."
Tomoyo looked at him, and this time really looked. She took in his rumpled silk shirt and trousers, his hands threaded into his hair, and his face hidden in his arms. He looked…defeated, would have to be the best word for it, but she hadn't seen him fight a battle. Maybe she couldn't understand, maybe she never would, but she knew that all this was beyond her. She knew that even though she wanted to protect the one she had caused all this trouble for, it was time to show her what had really happened. Sakura, her childhood friend…and, her best friend, who was already suffering, would have to know.
Tomoyo looked over at Eriol's dejected form again, the tears already starting to come. But, if Eriol, the master wizard, looked like he had already been defeated…would her Sakura-chan even have the slightest chance?