Hey-yo! Look who's back from the dead! *grins* No I'm serious, my job had literally killed me off, I was so swamped that I had to stave off from watching anime for three months! Three months people, can you even imagine that!? It's a wonder that I'm still sane (kinda!). That also meant I had to put off my writing and I am so so sorry I had to do that *cries* Anywho, I finally found some time to sit and work on PoL. Despite the fact that I already have five old chapters to use as reference, rewriting this is still a big pain in the behind! But I braved the pain so that I could bring you the long overdue rewritten second chapter. And boy this turned out loooong (40 pages!) but I hope you like it. Extremely sorry for the delay people, but I hope you can understand. Having a job in the IT industry drains the life force out of you, trust me! *grumble*
Rating: T for now, M for later chapters…maybe…if I feel like heating things up =P
Warning: Nada. This chapter's clean. Might wanna watch out for Eriol though. *grin*
Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura and Co. There I said it! Happy?
…
CHAPTER 2: THE CONDITION
SLAM!
Yelan barely flinched as the door banged shut with a loud thud that resounded through the walls and rattled the hung-up portraits. She let out a sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose, restraining herself from grumbling about her stubborn son and his lack of anger management skills. He had acted exactly as she had predicted he would on hearing her recent decision. Opening her eyes she glanced at the shattered pieces of what had once been a beautiful Ming dynasty antique vase that had been subjected to the prince's wrath. He had said nothing as she told him about the pact she had made with the Kinomoto king, but merely stood there with his eyes shadowed behind his bangs and fists clenched. The more she spoke, the more the veins on his hands stood out until he punched at the stone pillar, causing the vase on top of it to topple down. Yelan had stopped mid-sentence to see two furiously glowering amber eyes glare at her before their owner had turned and left the room without another word. She sighed again and closed her eyes, already feeling a headache blooming between them.
"Perhaps you should let us handle this Yelan."
"Yeah, maybe we can convince him."
Yelan glanced up warily at the other two occupants in the room. The young woman gave her what she hope was a confident smile but the way she wrung her hands and constantly tried to smooth the non-existent folds of her red and gold kimono told Yelan that she was skeptical of her own statement. Her ruby red eyes flitted between the queen and the door of the throne room nervously as she chewed on soft red lips. Her usually tanned skin seemed pale with apprehension and she played with the ends of her pin straight black hair put up in odangos. She cleared her throat nervously under the queen's, her aunt's stare before turning to her companion. The queen's eyes followed her gaze.
The young man smiled somewhat mischievously before adjusting the wire-rimmed glasses resting on his nose. His unblemished smooth fair skin and sharp features exuded a feminine beauty, which only seemed to enhance his charm. Tall but not buffed up, his body filled out his navy blue tunic in all the right places. His straight, neatly parted black hair shone with an undertone of blue under the sun's light. He seemed a lot more calm and composed, as opposed to his female cousin. "Think you can handle it?" she questioned the duo, though it was mostly directed at the young man.
"Don't worry my queen." His azure eyes twinkled. "Just leave it to me."
…
"She WHAT!?"
Fujitaka cringed slightly. Honestly, he should have expected the outburst.
"Why on earth should Sakura be married off to that Chinese brat?" Touya asked indignantly. "If you want an alliance sign a military contract or something!"
"Touya-sama, with all due respect, Syaoran Li is the crown prince of China. It would be disrespectful for a fellow prince such as yourself to demean him by referring to him as a mere 'Chinese brat', don't you think?" Yousuke admonished sternly. Touya colored lightly and rubbed at his neck. "Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I was just shocked is all."
Fujitaka waved off his apology. "I understand son, this is all too sudden and confusing but I agree with Queen Yelan's reasoning as to why we should unite. A military contract would work for the time being against Hyuuga's attack but it wouldn't be convincing enough. It is not just Yelan and I who will be fighting the war, our entire kingdoms will be involved. Even if the Queen and I hold no grudge against each other, most of our people still think that Japan and China are enemies. They will refuse to co-operate to their fullest if they feel the alliance is just temporary. Even you have always disapproved of them, regardless of the fact that Yelan was your mother's childhood friend. You'd never fail to tell me that they are our enemies ever since Hokkaido and Osaka came under their rule." He smiled at the dark haired prince's scowl. "Under such circumstances, even if we were to unite our army forces alone, there will still be an amount of distrust and fights can break out internally causing our strength to dwindle. In order to convince our enemy that our newly forged bond is strong, we have to convince our people. A marriage is the strongest way to do so. Queen Yelan felt that that would happen only if we join together to become one family, instead of two kingdoms fighting together."
The room fell silent again as they pondered the king's words. Yukito nodded slowly, getting the picture. "Seems convincing enough."
Touya turned to his friend in disbelief. "You agree with this!?"
Yukito shrugged. "It's a fair deal Touya. Imagine, with China by our side our kingdom would flourish both economically and politically. We will have Hokkaido back as well as a strong country as our ally. If we were to combine both our kingdoms we wouldn't have to fear Hyuuga's attack. He may be able to bring us down individually, but together, he can't defeat us." Touya had to admit, his friend was right. It really was a good deal, but that didn't mean he liked it. He opened his mouth to argue further. "But—
"But what about Sakura?" Kaho interjected. "Otou-sama, for her to get married like this is all too sudden, that too to a prince that she has never met. A month is not enough time. Besides," she turned to look at the mute princess who had her head bowed, bangs covering her face. Tomoyo moved to place a hand on her shoulder. "She already has someone." Kaho said softly.
"If by someone you mean that young knight then I don't think there is much here to argue about." Yousuke huffed and crossed his arms. He had never really liked the princess's little love affair with that man, he was their enemy's soldier for Kami's sake! "Sakura-hime needs to straighten her priorities. She is no longer a teenage girl with a crush, she is the future princess of this land and she should not allow a whimsical love affair get in the way of her and her people's future." He finished with a nod.
"Yousuke-san is right, although he could have put it forth a bit more tactfully." Sonomi said, sending the general a look of disapproval which the man pointedly ignored. She turned to the girls. "Not everything goes the way we want them to." She said, smiling slightly. "Sometimes we need to make certain sacrifices, but those sacrifices could help us in achieving a greater happiness than the one we would have got before. Your father would never put you in a situation where he feels you would suffer. It pains him too to make this decision princess and you must know that." When Sakura didn't say anything to acknowledge her aunt, Sonomi turned to the king, frowning slightly.
Fujitaka watched as his daughter stood unmoving. His eyes were drawn to her shaking hands and his heart clenched. "Sakura." He called out softly, but the princess didn't raise her head. "I realize I am being unfair to you…and to Tanaka-kun. When Yelan told me about the pact I couldn't help but think that maybe, it would be better for you to get married to prince Li. Don't get me wrong my child, Tanaka-kun is a wonderful man. But he is a man under Hyuuga's command. All this time I have overlooked the fact that he works for the man who detests me and my family simply because I know that the love Tanaka-kun holds for you is true. But that same love may put your life in jeopardy if you were to be with him. I cannot take that risk my princess. I cannot willingly hand you over to danger." he scrunched his eyes shut as the pain from the past hit him. "Hyuuga once took everything away from me, I cannot risk letting that happen again. I know that Yelan will protect you as if you were her own, and her son will let no harm befall you. You could say I am being selfish and callous," Here he paused and swallowed the guilt he felt. Sonomi squeezed his shoulder lightly and he nodded, continuing. "But I value my family as much as I value my kingdom. Your happiness is of utmost importance to me my child, and I know that with this decision to get you married to Prince Li, I risk destroying that very happiness. And for hurting you so, I shall be prepared to be hated by you. Like I said, it is your decision to agree to it or not. It is solely up to you. But I will not lose you my daughter, I cannot afford to lose you too…" his voice trailed off as a single tear built up at the corner of his eye. A vision of wavy black hair and a beautiful smiling face swam through his mind, the tinkling laughter still fresh in his memory. 'Nadeshiko…'
Feather-soft fingers caressed at his cheek lightly and he opened his eyes to see his daughter smiling at him. Cradling his face in her tiny hands she swiped at the lone tear that had betrayed his control and fallen onto his cheek. He noted that the light in her bright eyes had dimmed, but her smile eased his pain a little. "I could never hate you Otou-san." She said softly, bringing her forehead to rest against his chin. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Don't ever think I would hate you. You and Onii-chan, my family, my kingdom, my love for you all is second to no one." Lifting her head she gave him another heart-warming smile. "You have no reason to be upset. I already told you didn't I? I will do anything to ensure the safety of our people." Straightening herself, she stood to her full height and looked her father squarely in the eye. "I agree to this alliance."
Fujitaka gaped at his daughter, eyes wide. Beside him Yousuke nodded his head once, apparently pleased with the princess's answer while Sonomi looked worried.
"Sakura-hime! What are you saying!?" Tomoyo cried out, shocked. She couldn't believe that Sakura had just agreed to it without a second thought.
"I am saying that I agree to his marriage." The auburn-haired princess repeated.
"Sakura-chan." Sonomi started, moving forward to place a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "You don't have to give us an answer right away. We know this is a difficult decision for you to make and you can take your time thinking about it—
"There is nothing to think about Sonomi-obasan." Sakura directed her gaze to the older woman. "I have made up my mind. This is required isn't it?"
Sonomi fidgeted under her level stare. "Well…yes, but—
"Sakura-hime, are you certain about this?" Tomoyo couldn't help but ask worriedly. "What about Ken—
"I am the Kinomoto princess Tomoyo-chan." The princess cut her off loudly. Squaring her shoulders she turned to look at her best friend. "I am the Kinomoto princess." She continued on more softly. "All this time, I just took my title for granted. I was a princess but so what? It's not like I had any responsibilities. My father ran the kingdom and my brother would be the one to succeed him as the next king. I was just the royal princess, pampered and smothered with love and not knowing any difficulty." She gave a grim smile, looking down at her upturned palms. "I had always hoped that there was something I could do for my family besides being just a pretty face. But no one allowed me to do any sort of work; they never wanted me to 'sully' my hands. I know it is because everyone loved me that they pampered me so but sometimes it was too frustrating." She gave a small laugh. "Now for the first time, I feel as if there is something that I can finally do to make my title as a 'princess' seem meaningful. I feel as if I can earn the right to become the princess that our people expect me to be. And Kenichi-kun…" Here, her voice broke slightly. Sakura swallowed once before speaking again, clearly. "Kenichi-kun will understand. I always knew that being together with him was a distant possibility and that someday, our priorities would bring us back into the reality we had been trying to evade but I still couldn't help but dream…" her voice trailed off again and shook her head. Looking up, she forced her lips to spread in a huge smile. "Tsukishiro-san is right. I am no longer a teenager with a whimsical crush. I can't let myself be strayed by stuff like that anymore." She nodded, more to herself than to the others. Moving towards her father, she took one of his hands in hers and squeezed it gently. "Tell the Li Queen that I agree to her proposal, but before anything is finalized, I need to speak with her. There are some things that I want her and the prince to know about before the wedding."
Fujitaka looked deep into his daughter's determined eyes. All through her speech he had sat stunned, not knowing that if he should be happy and proud of the mature young woman his daughter had become or sad at the fact that her smiles did nothing to hide the pain she felt inside. He glanced at Touya and Yukito, before looking at Yousuke and Sonomi. They too, like him, had an idea as to what Sakura wanted to talk to the Queen about. Bringing his eyes back to his daughter he nodded. "Queen Yelan will be visiting us this evening, along with the prince. You may talk to her then." He told her.
Sakura nodded and blinked when her father cupped her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. "You are so much like your mother my child." He murmured softly, bringing his lips down on her forehead. "Forgive me." His whispered words against her skin went unheard. He let go and she straightened up, not looking him in the eye. "If that is all Otou-san, I'd like to retire to my room now. I feel tired." Not waiting to see his nod she turned to leave the room. Tomoyo and Kaho exchanged a look before turning to the king, silently asking permission. He nodded and they both left after the princess.
Fujitaka stared at the closed door for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. He removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, feeling extremely tired all of a sudden. He opened his eyes and blinked at the offered glass of wine. Looking up he saw Sonomi smiling at him. "She will be fine." She said, holding the glass out to him. "Give her some time." Fujitaka didn't say anything, but took the glass with a mumbled 'thank you'. He turned to see his son staring out the window, a glazed look in his eyes. "What's the matter Touya?"
Touya shook his head, still staring out into space. "Sakura, she…she seemed so grown up and so mature, it's hard for me to realize that she is no longer the kid sister who used to run and cry to you each time I pulled at her pigtails." He said, smiling softly at the memory.
Fujitaka chuckled. "Those were good times." He nodded.
"Yeah except now she's the kid sister who'd stomp on your feet each time you teased her." Yukito pointed out, smiling when the prince laughed sheepishly. "That's true." He admitted as his laughter died out and his eyes turned serious. "I just…I don't want to see her hurt father." He said, turning to the king. "Honestly I never really liked that Tanaka kid but he made her happy. That was the only reason I put up with him. If this Li prince hurts her in any way then I'll…" he clenched his fists angrily at the thought, before shaking his head and calming down. "I just hope you know what you are doing." He told his father.
Fujitaka turned away from his son's probing eyes and settled to look at the swirling red liquid in his glass. "I hope so too." He murmured softly to himself.
…
The Li kingdom overlooked majority of the trade and commerce between China and the other countries but they were also well known for another tradition; their history as samurai fighters. Every member of the Li clan underwent rigorous training since childhood to become skilled fighters in all forms of martial arts, although they primarily focused on sword fighting and Jeet-kune-do. It was for this reason that every Li household in China held exclusive training grounds, and the Li castle in Hokkaido was no exception to this rule.
Although it was nowhere near big in size or number as the main castle in Hong Kong, the palace at Hokkaido had two large training grounds, one indoors and one outdoors. The indoors looked like a mini football stadium, half of it was setup like a gym while the other half was used for training katas and for sparring. The outdoor training ground was bigger and located in the eastern part of the castle. A vast area with moderate grass and no trees, it was here where the soldiers practiced sword fighting, long and mid-range combat training. It was the prince's favourite place to train and he mostly trained alone, unless he felt inclined to spar with another. At the moment however, he definitely wanted some alone time.
The wind picked at the erotically messy chestnut hair atop his head, playing with it as it pleased. He paid it no mind as he stood upon the grassy terrain, eyes closed and body bare save for a pair of dark green training pants that rode low on his sharply angled hips. He held a long sword in his hand; its blade gleamed in the sunlight as he brought it to his face and held it upright. He stood unmoving, strong jawline set firmly and soft lips thinned into a straight line. With his sharply sculpted features, flat, firm torso that glistened with a light sheen of sweat and long legs wrapped within the confines of the green garment, he stood like a statue, unmoving save for his swishing hair. Some would say he looked like the Greek God of masculinity while others would comment he looked like a warrior straight out of a painting.
Right now though, he looked pretty pissed.
A small twitch of muscle was the only warning he gave to his next move. Eyes still closed, he leapt into the air, bringing the sword down in a series of swishes and slashes as he cut up multiple invisible enemies. He landed on his toes, taking up a cat stance quickly and bringing the sword up in a defensive pose before leaping again. He seemed to glide through the air as he somersaulted effortlessly, muscles rippling underneath the taut, tanned skin, and with his eyes still closed, did another series of complex moves before stilling again. Bringing the sword slowly above his head, he prepared to go another round when a twig snapped to his right. Reflexively he whipped around, swinging the sword brutally and with precision upon the sneaking intruder.
"Whoa watch it; you almost took out my head!"
Syaoran snapped open his eyes, molten pools of lustrous amber-gold that gleamed with annoyance at being interrupted, only to find his blue-black haired idiot of a cousin crouching in front of him, clutching at the head he almost lost. He growled, his voice a deep timbre. "What do you want Eriol?"
Eriol Hirigazawa, royal advisor slash second cousin slash constant pain-in-the-ass to the prince, straightened up and gave the other a grin. "Aww don't you look cute when grumpy?" He cooed.
Syaoran scowled and turned his back on the other. "If you came here just to get a rise out of me then I suggest you leave, else the next time my sword comes near you it won't be by accident." He warned.
"Ooh I'm scared spineless. Come on Syaoran, don't you think you've stayed mad long enough?"
"I'm not mad."
Eriol snorted. "Yeah, and I'm stupid—
"I know you are."
"—point is, Yelan is doing what she's doing for your happiness—and for the kingdom—but mainly for you." Eriol continued, ignoring the jibe. "She made this pact because she loves you, you know."
Syaoran glared at his cousin. "The last time I checked, you don't show your love to someone by forcing them to do something they don't want!"
Eriol rolled his eyes. "I don't get why you are so upset. So you're going to marry a princess you practically know nothing about, but in doing so our kingdom will be strengthened and we can claim back the land we lost. It's just a small sacrifice. Well I wouldn't call it a sacrifice considering we get a stronger empire than before and you get to finally marry and settle down with a family. I call it a win-win situation." Eriol said, as if he was stating the obvious.
Syaoran was trying hard not to rip his cousin's head off. Instead, he turned and stalked off the other direction, intent on getting away from the four-eyed nuisance but Eriol was not one to let go that easily. "By the way, Yelan said we will be leaving in the evening to meet the Kinomotos so you can finally get to meet your fiancée and—
That snapped his resolve. Syaoran whipped around and grabbed his cousin by his collar. "First off E-ri-ol, she is NOT my fiancée. I don't care what you or mother or anyone else in the castle say, I will not acknowledge her as my spouse, even if I do agree to this…wedding." He spat out the word. "And secondly, I have no intention of tagging along with you to go meet a bunch of people I want nothing to do with. It was mother's desire to have me wed the princess, not mine, therefore I need not acquaint myself with her or her family and I won't. Do I make myself clear?"
Eriol stared at his fuming cousin blankly. Then he smirked. "You can't go against Yelan's order Syaoran."
Syaoran snarled. "Watch me."
"Eriol, you stupid pea-brained idiot!" The sudden shout startled them and the duo turned to see a huffing and puffing young woman trudge towards them. Li Meiling, the boisterously loud slash self-proclaimed fan girl (in a respectful way though, mind) slash anothersecond cousin to the prince scowled at the bespectacled man. "Mou I told you not to run off without me you—Syaoran!" she gasped when she spotted her chestnut haired cousin. Had this been any other day she would have drooled and squealed over his half-naked state but as it was, she had more pressing matters to attend to. "I was looking for you all over the castle you baka, what are you doing? You need to go get ready. We're going to meet the Kinomotos and—
"I'm not going." Syaoran bit out, flinging Eriol to the side and turning away.
"What!?"
Eriol straightened his collar and sighed at Meiling. "He says he doesn't want to 'acquaint' with the Kinomotos." He curled his fingers to mimic quotation marks.
"That's absurd! You're the one getting married to the princess Syaoran of course you have to go meet your new famil—
Syaoran growled and flung his sword to the side. "I said I'm not going. And that's final!"
"But Syaoran—
"Syaoran you really need to calm down."
"Don't tell me what to do Hirigazawa, I don't take orders from you."
"Look I just want you to be rational about this—
"I can't get any more rational than this! I don't want to meet this princess, I don't want to have anything to do with them so I will not meet them. End of story!"
"Syaoran you have to stop acting like a—
"Brat. That's what you're being now."
"Don't you call me a brat you four eyed freak!"
"Geez Syaoran, it's just a wedding! It's not going to get you killed ya know!"
"I don't care what you say Meiling, I'm not going and that's final!"
"Tch. Brat."
"What did you say!?"
"Syaoran calm down—
"Let go Meiling, I—
"Syaoran-sama, the queen wants to see you."
The trio jumped at the quiet voice that had materialized out of nowhere. They turned to see their butler Wei smiling at them pleasantly, holding out a towel and a green shirt.
"Wei! You nearly gave me a heart attack." Eriol exclaimed, holding a hand over his chest. "You must have been a ninja in your past life, seriously."
Syaoran rolled his eyes at his cousin's lame joke and accepted the towel and the shirt from the butler. "What does mother want now?" he sighed.
"She wants to tell you to get ready for the visit to the Kinomoto kingdom today."
Syaoran clenched his jaw as he wiped the sweat off of his body and donned the shirt. When he moved to go Meiling grabbed his arm. "Wait Syaoran, please don't pick a fight with Aunty. Just…just come with us, won't you? The princess can't be that bad and, who knows, maybe you might even like—"
The amber-eyed prince didn't answer, didn't even glance at his cousin as he shrugged off her hold and stomped off. Meiling turned to Eriol who was eyeing the storming prince with a small smirk. She hit him over the head. "Stop smirking and help me convince him you baka!" she scolded.
Eriol rubbed at his head, scowling. "You know he won't listen to anyone once he's made up his mind Meiling."
Meiling huffed and placed her hands of her hip. "And you so cockily told Aunty to leave everything to you." She stated, eyebrows raised.
"What else could I say? She was giving me that puppy eyed look, and I have an image to uphold." The latter whined. Meiling shook her head before grabbing Eriol by his sleeve. "Where are you going?"
"To try and talk some more sense into him."
"But he won't listen—
"Yeah well I'm hoping he'll be a bit more relenting this time." She said, dragging the other after their royal relative.
Yelan raised one eyebrow when the doors to the throne room burst open and in walked her son, scowling and looking as if he'd breathe fire any minute. "You called for me mother?"
If Yelan noticed the strain in his voice she ignored it. "Ah Xiao Lang." She stated calmly, as if he had not angrily stomped out of the throne room merely an hour back. "We will be going to the Kinomoto castle later today. King Fujitaka just sent me a message saying they accept the pact so we need to make preparations for the wedding immediately. And we need to meet the princess before that. I have informed your sisters and they will be arriving to help out with the preparations. The princess's lady-in-waiting may have to stay here to help out as well so we must make arrangements for that…"
Syaoran clenched his fists so hard he was certain his nails would draw blood any minute. He stood unmoving as his mother ticked off her list of things to do. Had she not been paying attention to his reaction earlier? She was being completely blind to his feelings, stripping him off his freedom again. He had had enough. There was no way in hell he was going to agree with this. Eriol and Meiling rushed into the throne room in time to hear him say "I'm not going."
Yelan paused in her ramblings to stare at her son. "…what?"
"I said." Syaoran lifted his head to look his mother squarely in the eye. "I'm not going to meet the Kinomotos."
There was silence for a few seconds during which Eriol shook his head, sighing and Meiling sent a silent prayer above to anyone who listened. Then Yelan spoke, or rather thundered. "What is the meaning of this Xiao Lang? They will be your new family, it's only right that you—
"It won't make much difference will it?" Syaoran cut her off. "Whether I see her or not, I'm still getting married to her. You made the decision for me, so go see her yourself. I'm not going."
Yelan regarding her son for a few seconds then sighed. "Xiao Lang, stop being a stubborn child and go shower. The carriage will be here in a few hours' time and—
"Didn't you hear a word I said? I'm not going with you! And stop treating me like a child."
"I'll stop treating you like a child when you stop acting like one!" Yelan boomed. "I understand you are upset and confused with this sudden alliance but I explained it to you as to why it is necessary!"
"I am not confused! I am clear as to what I want and know, and I know that we do not require the help of another nation to solve our problems. We are a powerful clan and if you would just let me—
"You are still a child!"
"I'm twenty-four years old!"
"And you lack experience as a ruler. This is a delicate matter, one wrong move and we are finished. The Kinomotos can help us gain back the power we lost. We can mutually help each other out—
"You are just afraid to take one risk—
"I can't afford to take a risk! The future of our people lies in my hands!"
"I would never jeopardize the safety of our people and you know that!" Syaoran bellowed, the veins on his neck popping up from the strain of his anger. "And you say I lack experience when the reason Hyuuga took Osaka from us was because of your own indiscretion—
"ENOUGH!" Yelan's voice rang shrilly through the hall, effectively shutting up her son. She glared at him with hardened coal eyes, anger washing over her like waves. "You will come with us and that's final." She stated in a tone that put a full stop to any further debate.
Syaoran's chest heaved as he stared back at her. For a few seconds mother and son exchanged heated looks before Syaoran broke the contact and turned away. Yelan sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose when she heard her son talking again. "Why?" he asked softly, scowling at the carpeted floor. "I have done everything you asked of me. I trained hard, I studied every subject in the world, I strove to become the prince you wanted me to be. When father died you told me that you believed I would become a ruler just like him, strong, brave and make my people proud. You said you trusted me completely. Was that a lie?" he turned to his mother, amber eyes betraying the pain he felt inside. "Why, after everything I've done for you, do you have to torture me still?"
Yelan was struck speechless. She'd never wanted to torture her son, never wanted to see him in pain and yet, that was what she'd put him through as she groomed him to become the prince she wanted, no, the clan wanted. His golden eyes called out to her, begging her to reconsider, but like every other times she closed off her heart to his distress. "Go get dressed. We will be leaving in two hours." She informed him instead.
Syaoran didn't say anything to that. He knew his mother wouldn't listen, to listen meant she had to show that she cared. And that wouldn't do because Lis never cared. That was how they raised their young, showing you cared meant you were weak. To be strong, you had to abandon any emotion of love you had in you. Syaoran snorted. "Fine." He saw his mother's eyes go wide as she turned to him. "You want a political marriage mother, you can have it."
Yelan looked at him suspiciously, as did Eriol and Meiling. "What do you mean?"
Syaoran smirked at her bitterly. "You want an alliance with the Kinomotos and you want me to be the bridge that connects you then so be it. But don't expect me to develop any feelings for this 'new family' of mine. I want nothing to do with the princess or her people and I shall remain that way. You can order me to wed her mother but you can't force me to accept her into my life." He paused for a bit, allowing his words to sink in. "Have a safe trip tonight. And tell the princess that I accept the pact on the condition that she and her family leave me the hell alone after the wedding." Without waiting for any kind of reaction from his mother he turned and stomped off, blatantly ignoring his two gaping cousins.
Yelan stared at the spot her son had occupied not seconds ago, before sighing and slumping back in her chair again. She looked up when Eriol snorted. "That went well." He sarcastically commented.
Meiling looked at the queen worriedly. "Do you want me to go talk to him Aunty?"
"It won't do much help Meiling, he's as stubborn as a mule." Eriol answered for the queen. He turned to his aunt, smiling. "Just give him some time, he'll come around. You know he will do anything for this country."
Yelan stared at the man a while before sighing and nodding in agreement. She snapped her fingers. "Ryu Xen, Huan Tai." The Li army general and captain both stepped up from the shadows. "You listened?"
Ryu Xen nodded while Huan Tai gave her a sheepish smile. "It was kinda hard not to."
Yelan sighed. "So there's a change of plan. Eriol, Meiling and I will go meet the Kinomotos and I want you both and Jia Lin to accompany me." Both men nodded. "I just hope King Fujitaka will excuse us for not bringing the prince."
"I just hope the princess won't be a bigger pain in the ass to deal with." Eriol followed up the thought with a sigh, turning to stare out the entrance through which his cousin had stomped out.
…
Kaho hummed a low melody as she stroked her sister-in-law's soft auburn strands. Sakura had her head resting on the older woman's knee, mindful of her swollen belly, with her hands curled under her chin and eyes staring off into the distance. She felt her mind calm down and the tension in her body dissipate under Kaho's skillful ministrations. The conversation she had had with her father floated back to her and she felt the telltale pricking of tears at the corner of her eyes. Discreetly she wiped at them. She vowed not to cry, she had made the decision of her own free will and she would not upset her family by regretting it. She swiped at the tears before they could fall, but a soft hand clasped around her fingers and she looked up to see Kaho smiling down at her gently. "I should have known. You were too quite all of a sudden."
Sakura blinked and the tear left her eye to flow unrestrained down her temple and onto her ear. She moved to turn away, ashamed but Kaho held onto her chin. "What are you trying to hide Sakura-chan?" the older woman asked softly. "Your pain? Or the fact that your resolve is not as strong as you make it to be?" When Sakura didn't answer she returned to stroking her hair. "You were asked to make a tough decision today and I can't tell you yet if it was the right choice or not but you must understand, you are not alone. Never try to hide your tears Sakura. No one will blame you if you feel regret for agreeing to the pact, it is only natural to feel so." Kaho smiled sweetly at the younger girl as tears began to flow unbidden from her jade eyes. Sakura turned and pressed her face lightly onto the latter's stomach, trying to stifle her sobs. "It hurts Kaho-neesan." She hiccupped softly. "I don't regret making my choice. I want to do what I can for my family, for my people, demo…it hurts so much. I just…I love him so much!" She gasped out, openly crying now. "I love Kenichi-kun so much and I j-just can't imagine l-loving another in his place. I c-can't!"
"Hush, hush my princess. It's alright. Everything is going to be alright." Kaho cooed, stroking her sister's wet cheeks as the latter cried her heart out. She looked up when she heard the click of the door opening and saw Tomoyo enter with a tray of food. She shook her head when the latter's eyes widened and gestured her to set the food aside. Tomoyo did as told, setting the tray down on the bedside table and was by Sakura's side in a flash, holding her hands and whispering consoling words. Eventually the princess calmed down, hiccupping slightly as she rubbed at her swollen eyes. She accepted the tissue that Tomoyo gave her with a mumbled 'thank you' and blew her nose. Sakura blushed lightly when she felt two pairs of eyes staring intently at her and rubbed at her nose to dispel the awkwardness. Tomoyo and Kaho couldn't help but giggle at the cute action.
"Sakura honey, why don't you have some food? You must be hungry after all that crying." Kaho suggested. The princess straightened up and Tomoyo handed her the tray. They watched silently as she took small bites of the food. Eventually Kaho broke the silence. "Ne Sakura-chan, I can understand why you are upset now but maybe things won't turn out so bad." She said, smiling. "I had felt the same way too before my marriage. I was a very adventurous person and wanted nothing to do but travel to places and meet new people. I had no time for marriage and settling down with a family. So when my father decided to wed me off to the prince just to get on the king's good side I rebelled. I wasn't even royalty. My father wasn't concerned about my feelings, he was after the royal status and that's it. Luckily Oo-sama was very kind to me and saw me as a daughter more than my real father ever would. It also helped that Touya was completely head over heels in love with me." She grinned and winked when Tomoyo giggled. "The point is, even with a rocky and angsty start, I found my happiness, and I know that one day you will too. You just have to believe in the people who love you, and trust your heart. You are not alone and you never will be. Things will be alright, trust me." Kaho gently pushed the stray hairs away from the princess's face and placed a small kiss on her forehead.
Sakura didn't say anything as she mulled over what her sister-in-law said. Honestly, she didn't know what to say. So she gave her a small smile in return and nodded her head. Setting her plate down, she got off the bed and fidgeted. "I guess I better get ready then huh?" she asked softly, not looking at either women, and turned to rummage in her wardrobe.
Tomoyo turned worried eyes to Kaho but the latter shook her head. The princess needed time to adjust and she would give it to her. Standing up, she stretched lightly and smiled. "Otou-sama said the Queen will be here in the evening, which gives us some time to play dress up with you princess." She chuckled when an involuntary groan left said maiden's lips. Tomoyo quickly forgot about Sakura's lack of enthusiasm as she went starry-eyed. "Oh yes! I'll go get those new kimonos that I had made for you. We're going to make you look absolutely stunning! Come on Kaho-neesan!" She squealed and ran out the door. Kaho laughed, following the excited woman. "Wait up Tomoyo-chan, I can't run as fast as you."
Sakura watched as the two ladies left the room, giggling and whispering to each other. She knew they were trying to cheer her up but she didn't have the energy to even fake a happy smile. Looking out the window she noted that it was nearing evening already. Had she been holed up in her room all this time? She didn't know and she didn't care. At minute now, the queen would walk up those stone steps into their castle, along with the prince, and they would finalize her 'marriage'. The prince, she thought. Her future husband. She wondered what he would be like. A vision of blonde hair and blue eyes swam through her mind and she scrunched up her face to prevent the impending tears. No, she wouldn't cry anymore. She was a grown woman and she had made up her mind. She didn't know how the Lis would react to the news or what Kenichi himself would say, but she was determined. After all, this wedding, no matter how gloriously worded, was just another pact to sign.
…
"Irrashaimasen! Please come in." The maid by the gate bowed.
"Don't mind if I do." Eriol gave her a charmingly seductive smile as he moved to take her hand. He yelped, however, when Meiling pulled him back by the ear. "I swear to God one of these days you are going to flirt yourself to death!" The Chinese girl hissed as she dragged her cousin to the castle steps.
Eriol grinned, despite his throbbing ear. "That would be the best way to die."
Meiling opted not to respond, instead she let go of his ear and bonked him on the head. A few steps ahead of them the queen and her guards were already making their way up to the castle entrance. Yelan pretended the two bickering people behind her did not exist. Honestly, they were supposed to be adults but they acted worse than children sometimes! Between them, her stubborn son and the tension of having to run a large empire, she wondered how her hair managed to still remain completely black. She reached the castle door and looked up to see King Fujitaka greet them with a wide smile.
"Queen Yelan, welcome to my humble abode." He stretched out his arms in welcome. Yelan smiled and raised her hand, which he kissed.
"I see nothing 'humble' about this—Oof!" Eriol doubled over, courtesy of a well-placed elbow poke to his ribs by his cousin. The sound caught Fujitaka's attention, and he beamed. "And this must be Syaoran! Welcome son!" He engulfed the wheezing man in a tight bear hug. "I must say you look a lot paler than I remember."
"Can't…breathe…your…majesty…" Eriol managed to squeak. Fujitaka immediately let go and gave the heaving lad a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, I tend to get over enthusiastic sometimes."
Yelan smiled and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "This is not Syaoran. This is my nephew and Li kingdom's royal advisor, Hirigazawa Eriol." Eriol regained his composure and bowed deeply. "And this is Li Meiling, my niece." Meiling followed suit. Yelan introduced the rest of her party.
Fujitaka raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Now that I think about it, he does look a lot different from the prince. Sorry about that son." He chuckled. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. Please come in." He took them into the grand hall, where Touya and the others stood waiting. Fujitaka began to introduce his family when Yelan interrupted him. "Come now Fujitaka, do you really I don't know who these people are?" she chided gently. Walking up to Touya and Yukito she smiled and placed a hand on both their cheeks. "Touya, Yukito, it is absolutely lovely to see you both again."
Both men stared at her. Of course they had heard about the queen before but when had they gotten so familiar with her? As if she could read their mind Yelan laughed softly. "I can understand your confusion, you were but wee lads when I last saw you." She told them. "It was during that one summer when you came for a visit to China." She turned to the prince. "Along with your mother."
As if a switch had clicked somewhere, memories rushed through both men's minds. Their eyes widened and they quickly looked behind the queen, at the other guests who had come with her. Yelan understood their panic and laughed. "They are not with me now, don't worry." When the two relaxed visibly she couldn't help but add, grinning. "But they will be here for the wedding." She giggled when both men stiffened again.
Meiling looked at Eriol confusedly and received a 'I got no clue too' shrug back. The rest of the adults however, seemed to understand what was going on and couldn't stop smiling. Yelan stepped back, gazing at the prince and his friend lovingly. "I still can't believe how much you've both grown. And Touya, I heard you got married as well. I regret not being able to come to your wedding." She said. "Time flies without any restraint doesn't it?" She turned to Yousuke and Sonomi, holding out her hands. "Tsukishiro Yousuke, Daidouji Sonomi. My old friends." She smiled widely and clasped their hands in hers. "I feel that this reunion has been long overdue, don't you think?"
"It wouldn't have been so had you dropped by to visit now and then." Sonomi admonished with a smile. She waited for Yousuke to place a small kiss on the queen's hand before engulfing her in a warm hug. "It's so good to see you again Yelan. I've missed you."
"And I you." Yelan whispered back. Letting go, she held her friend at shoulder length and beamed. "I can't begin to express how happy I am to see you all again. I only wish Xiao Lang had listened and come with us tonight."
"Nani? You mean this is not the brat—er, gaki—I mean, the prince?" Touya corrected himself, pointing to Eriol.
Eriol chuckled. "Sorry to disappointment Prince Touya, I am the prince's unfortunate cousin Hirigazawa Eriol." He bowed and gave the other an innocent smile. Touya scowled. That smile seemed a little 'too' innocent for his liking.
"And I'm Li Meiling, also the prince's cousin. Douzo yoroshiku." Meiling bowed.
"Your Japanese is very good Meiling-san. I'm Tsukishiro Yukito, Touya's friend." Yukito smiled at her. Meiling blushed lightly and smiled back.
"This is Ryu Xen, Li army general, Huan Tai, army captain and my maid Jia Lin." Yelan introduced the three people behind her. "Now that we have introduced everyone, let's get down to business shall we?"
"Always to the point." Fujitaka chuckled as everyone took their seats. As if on cue, servants came in with refreshments. There was a pause in conversation as everyone settled down and took their drinks. Yousuke, however, remained standing. "I'd like to propose a toast." He said, raising his porcelain cup. He nodded Yelan. "to our long lost friend, and I say lost because it has been ages since I last got to see her," Yelan laughed at that, "and to this wonderful union that will take us from being just friends to becoming a family. Cheers." Murmured 'cheers' rang through the crowd as everyone took a sip of the sake. "By the way Yelan," Yousuke continued. "Why hasn't Syaoran come with you? I thought you being here meant that he agreed to the proposal."
Yelan sighed softly and set her glass down. "Indeed he has…but it would seem he has not completely warmed up to the idea…" she trailed off uncertainly, not knowing how to justify the lack of her son's presence. She turned to the king, eyes dimmed with remorse. "I'm sorry Fujitaka, I know you wanted to meet him…"
Fujitaka shook his head. "You don't need to apologize. We made a hard decision for our children Yelan. Necessary yes, but hard. It is to be expected for them to appear hesitant." He nodded to one of the servants, who bowed and exited. Minutes later, Tomoyo came in. "You called, Oo-sama?" she asked in a soft voice.
Eriol was up and by her side in the blink of an eye. "For once, it would seem the rumors are true, for the princess truly is an angel." He said, clasping a surprised Tomoyo's hand and bringing it to his lips. "Hirigazawa Eriol, at your service my lady."
Tomoyo blushed a deep red and gently tugged at her hand. "Hirigazawa-san—
"Please, call me Eriol." The charming grin was back on his face.
"E-eriol san, you've got it wrong. I'm the princess's lady-in-waiting, Daidouji Tomoyo."
Eriol blinked twice. "Daidouji…?" he turned to look at Sonomi.
The older woman nodded with a smile, though her eyes lingered on Tomoyo's still captive hand. "My daughter. Nadeshiko was my cousin, which makes Tomoyo and Sakura second cousins. Most people tend to mistake her for the princess."
"One can't blame them though." Tomoyo, if possible, blushed harder under Fujitaka's twinkling gaze. "Tomoyo dear, please fetch Sakura."
"Hai." The purple haired maiden bowed and left the room. Eriol stood watching till the ends of her lavender kimono disappeared behind the door. He jumped when Meiling cleared her throat. Turning, he saw her glare at him which translated into 'get back to your seat, baka'. Grinning sheepishly, he complied.
"Are you sure this will work?" Touya whispered to Yukito.
"Why not?"
The prince nodded. "I don't know, something tells me that four-eyed idiot is not the only freak in the family, not to mention them. How could we have forgotten about them Yuki?" Yukito smiled at his friend's panicked look, but inside, he felt a small stab of fear himself. Before he could say anything however, the door opened and in walked Tomoyo and Kaho. Behind them was Sakura, adorned in a beautiful cream and gold kimono. Her long hair was put in a loose fishtail braid and hung over her shoulder. A small diamond tiara sparkled atop her head. She had her eyes cast down and hands clasped in front of her.
"This is Mizuki Kaho, my daughter-in-law." Fujitaka gestured to Kaho, who gave a small bow. "And this is my beloved daughter and the princess of the Kinomoto kingdom, Kinomoto Sakura."
Sakura bowed and lifted her eyes to the crowd. "Hajimemashite." She greeted in a soft voice.
Meiling and Eriol sat transfixed at their seats. The rumors they had heard about the princess's beauty did very little justice to the real thing. She was the polar opposite of their prince, soft, delicate and vulnerable. Meiling glanced at her cousin and smirked at the open mouthed look he wore. This was the first time Eriol was struck speechless by someone's appearance.
Yelan rose gracefully from her seat and made her way to the princess. Taking hold of her chin, she lifted Sakura's face and gazed into the emerald orbs. "Sakura." Her name flowed softly from the queen's lips. "You have grown into a beautiful young woman. Much like you mother."
Sakura's eyes widened. Yelan smiled at her and bent to place a small kiss on her forehead, causing the princess to blush.
Eriol smiled at the pink hue that covered the maiden's cheeks. "A cherry blossom princess indeed. I am honor bound to meet you hime-sama." He rose to bow and kiss her hand.
Sakura's blush deepened. She had not expected such a direct approach but she decided to play it polite. "Hajimemashite Prince Li." She bowed. At Eriol's amused chuckle she looked up, confused. "I am not the prince, although many seem intent on mistaking me for him tonight. I'm his cousin, Eriol and I must admit, now that I've seen you, I am feeling a tad bit jealous towards Syaoran." He grinned, keeping her hand in his longer than necessary. Touya's warning growl bought him to his senses and he quickly let go with a nervous chuckle.
Meiling shook her head and stood up. She felt jealous too, but for different reasons. All through her childhood she had declared herself as Syaoran's bride-to-be. She had outgrown that childhood fantasy but deep down it still lingered. That was why the news of Syaoran getting married saddened her a little. But now, knowing that Syaoran was getting married to a gorgeous princess made her downright sour. She gave the princess a half-hearted smile, trying hard not to scowl. "And I'm Li Meiling, also Syaoran's cousin. Pleased to meet you princess."
But she had to admit, when Sakura gave her a beautiful smile in return, it was hard to remain sour for too long. The princess was just too lovely for her own good. Meiling's smile widened a little.
Yelan cleared her throat. "Sakura dear, I apologize on behalf of my son's absence. He had…some other things to attend to." She didn't probe deeper on the matter. "I assume you know why I have come to visit tonight."
Sakura nodded. "Hai Oojo-sama. The truth is, I have wanted to talk to you as well."
Yelan raised one fine eyebrow. "About what my child?" she asked.
Sakura swallowed dryly. "There is something you must know before you finalize this…alliance." The atmosphere in the room started to tense. The Li guests exchanged questioned looks while the Kinomotos looked on warily. Yelan focused her complete attention on the slightly nervous princess before her. She stared for a few minutes before nodding. "Tell me princess. I will hear what you have to say."
Sakura took a deep breath and steeled herself. It was now or never. She raised her head and looked the queen in the eye, unwavering, determined, unhesitant.
"There is a man that I am in love with."
…
Syaoran awoke with a start.
He glanced around with cautious eyes at his room as if he expected to see someone else in there with him, only to find that it was not his room that he was looking at. Confused, his eyes roved across the open grassy terrain and realized he had fallen asleep on the training ground again. He sighed and turned to mildly glare at the culprit responsible for waking him up. "Back from the vet I see, Cerberus."
The large, golden brown dog woofed once in reply and Syaoran grinned. Cerberus was a golden retriever and Syaoran's one best friend since the day the prince saved the puppy from the streets ten years ago. Ironically enough, the dog was the only being the prince felt comfortable enough to be around and talk about his feelings. This bond they shared had caused Meiling to go green with jealousy and Eriol to question his sanity on many occasions, but Syaoran paid them no heed. Indeed, he loved his cousins to death, but they never usually had to time to listen to his feelings, most of the time they assumed how he felt and acted on his behalf. Granted, they did it out of love but it annoyed the hell out of him. Cerberus, on the other hand, was dedicated to him. Even if the dog could not talk back and was most of the times distracted by something or the other, he was a better listener than most, and seemed to understand almost everything the prince said. Another thing they had in common was their mutual dislike for women. Syaoran chuckled as he remembered how he had come up with Cerberus's name. He got the inspiration after the maids of the palace nicknamed his dog as 'hellhound'. It suited him, actually.
Cerberus saw his master lose himself in his thoughts and he nudged the other's face with his nose. Syaoran grimaced and wiped the wetness. He pulled the dog to his side in a one armed hug. "It's good to see you again buddy, I was on the verge of going insane surrounded by the idiots I call my cousins." The dog snorted at that. "You know Cerberus, I'm getting married."
Cerberus growled lowly, hackles raised. Syaoran nodded. "Yeah, I feel the same way too. But mother thinks it's necessary for the kingdom and that the Kinomoto's will help us with the war with Hyuuga. I honestly think she's underestimating us." He shook his head, scowling. "We have done so well without anyone's help up till now. Osaka was a minor mistake, if we trained hard and strengthened our army's fighting skills it would only be a matter of time before we can get it back. Besides if she does want an alliance why not just sign one? Why pull me into a 'marriage'? It's like she wants to torture me specifically." The dog listened patiently to his prince rant. He felt an urge to yawn and the butterflies flitting across the garden tempted him to run after them but he stayed his ground. His prince sounded distressed and he would comfort him like he always did. He was a good dog.
"…and she knows how I feel about women. Constantly throwing themselves at me in hopes of gaining my status and my wealth. They never see me for what I am, all they care about is my appearance and my title as prince. Bet this so called 'fiancée' of mine will be the same." Syaoran growled, frowning. He hated it, hated to see his life being written for him by elders of his clan and his mother, the queen. He hated that his family felt he needed to find someone to love. Love, he scoffed. It was a cruel emotion. It tempted you with happiness only to rob off you of it when you are at your weakest. He had lost so much in the name of love that he now hated that emotion with a passion. He clenched his teeth as forbidden memories from the past washed over him again. And again, just like every other time, he hardened his heart to ward them off. Blowing out a breath he ruffled his already messy hair. "And you know what? I don't even know the princess's name." he told his companion.
Cerberus rolled his eyes. "As if you care." He seemed to say.
"True." Syaoran shrugged. "But it does make one curious." His pet huffed and turned away, smacking him on the face with his tail in the process. "Hey!" The prince scowled. "What are you getting mad at me for? I didn't ask for this you know." The dog came back and dropped something on to his lap. He looked down. It was a twig.
"What's this?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow at his pet. The dog looked at the twig and back at him. He looked down and saw there was a single flower at the end of the twig. A cherry blossom flower. The prince frowned. Come to think of it, he overheard some of the palace maids gushing excitedly about finally getting to meet some 'cherry blossom princess'. Could they be referring to the Kinomoto princess?
"Cherry blossom." He murmured, picking up the small branch to look closely at the flower. "Yīnghuā?" the dog shook his head and Syaoran nodded. "You're right, that's Chinese. What was the Japanese word for cherry blossoms?" The wind picked around him, embracing him and caressing his ears as if helping write the word that formed in his mind and tumbled out his lips.
"Sakura."
…
A gasp rang around the room and Meiling realized it had come from her. She probably looked like a fish with her mouth slack open but she couldn't bring herself to close it. Beside her, Ryu Xen, Huan Tai and Jia lin sported the same expressions. Eriol had one eyebrow raised as what the princess had just said registered in their minds. 'This is interesting.' He thought.
Yelan stared at the woman before her with not so much as a muscle twitch, her expression unreadable. Her eyes, however, remained soft and she nodded, urging the princess to continue. Sakura swallowed once more. "His name is Tanaka Kenichi. He is a knight from the Hyuuga kingdom."
If Meiling's eyes widened any further they would probably pop out of their sockets. Eriol had both eyebrows raised now, surprised. 'This I did not expect.'
Sakura continued without a pause. "Not many people know about us, except for my family. We knew how people would judge once they come to know, but regardless of all political setbacks I loved him. I still do." She looked at the queen, green eyes fixated on cool black. "I understand why father and you both wish for this alliance and how significant my role in it is. And I agree to it, I am willing to do anything for my family and my country. But my heart will not waver." She clenched her fists tight. "Your son will be my husband by law, I will serve him as a princess is expected to serve her prince. But I cannot set aside my feelings for the one man that I love. I will not consummate with Prince Li, nor will I fall in love with him. I will be the bridge that connects the Kinomoto and the Li kingdom and I will be only that. This marriage will remain political." She let out a breath and bowed deep and low. "Please do not expect anything further from me, onegai shimasu."
Yelan watched unblinking as the princess bowed before her. Syaoran's words from earlier ran through her mind. 'You want an alliance with the Kinomotos and you want me to be the bridge that connects you then so be it. You want a political marriage mother, then you can have it!' She closed her eyes and the rest of the crowd waited in bated breath for her to say something. Fujitaka felt a worried frown mar his face. He had faith in his old friend but he had to admit, this must have come out as a shock. Beside Sakura, Tomoyo stood tensed, chewing on her lips. 'Sakura-chan, I hope you know what you are doing…' she thought worriedly.
After moments of tense silence the queen finally opened her eyes. She looked down at the still bowing princess. "Raise your head hime." Sakura did as told, glancing up at the queen with wide eyes. They seemed a little watery and her cheeks looked slightly pale. Yelan inwardly smiled. It seems the princess did not feel as tough as she looked. "You spoke with conviction and you made your point clear. You stood by for what you cherished the most and I admire that. That is how a princess should be." She said, smiling down at the younger woman. "I agree to your conditions."
Sakura let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding the same time as Meiling cried out a surprised "What!?" Eriol looked surprised as well. "But Aunty—
Yelan held up a hand, silencing her niece's protest. Her eyes never left Sakura's. "I give you my word that this marriage will serve its purpose as a political pact. We shall expect nothing more from you." Softly, she added. "Forgive me, for putting you through this."
Sakura shook her head and bowed. She had been tense and scared of what the queen would say and she still didn't know how she was going to pull this off. A tiny part of her had hoped the queen would get angry and storm out, cancelling the alliance. But it didn't happen, the wedding was still on. She sighed softly. At least she made her point clear to them. Looking up, she saw Meiling scowl at her. Her heart clenched. The queen may have accepted her ridiculous condition, but it seems the rest of her family still had issues agreeing to it. Understandable, but it made her sad nonetheless.
Eriol moved to his fuming cousin's side and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't say anything now." He warned.
"But Eriol," Meiling hissed back lowly. "Did you hear what she said!? This is preposterous, what about Syaoran—
"Syaoran won't care and you know it." Eriol told her. "As far as I know, he would probably be glad the princess already has a lover, that way he won't have to deal with her himself."
"Eriol!"
"Yelan is right, Princess Sakura made it quite clear what we should expect from her. And frankly, I admire her courage. Not only was she willing to sacrifice her happiness for her country, but she was also clear in putting forth what she wanted from us in return. She reminds me, in more ways than one, of Syaoran himself." Eriol smiled. "Taking a princess like her as his wife would probably do him some good."
"Yes, but what good will it do if there is no love Eriol?" Meiling asked, sourly. "I don't want Syaoran to spend a lifetime married to someone he's never gonna love and who would never love him back."
Eriol's smile turned mischievous. "I don't know about that Meiling. Stranger things have happened till now. Probably fate has something far bigger planned for these two."
Tomoyo watched as the prince's cousins whispered amongst themselves. Meiling looked unhappy and Tomoyo couldn't blame her. Eriol however, seemed to be enjoying the goings-on. Tomoyo frowned and clutched her hands together. She hoped things turned out for the good.
Yousuke cleared his throat and stepped up. "Well then Queen Yelan, now that everything has been told and settled, perhaps we can finalize this."
"Yes." Yelan nodded. "We need to fix a date for the wedding. The sooner we hold it the better."
"How about by the end of this month? By 30th?" Jia Lin suggested. She along with the other Li guests realized that their queen was intent on fixing this alliance and that no room was left for further discussion. "That should give us enough time to prepare."
Sonomi and Kaho nodded in agreement. "Today is the third, we can start the preparations immediately." The advisor said. She turned to look at Fujitaka, who nodded. "The thirtieth sounds fine. Tomoyo, Kaho and Yukito will assist you. Anything you require from us you can let them know."
Yelan nodded. "Excellent. Eriol and Meiling will help you as well." The mentioned duo nodded. "I guess it's time we headed back then Fujitaka."
"Won't you stay for dinner, Your Highness?" Kaho asked.
"Some other time dear, we will have plenty of time for family dinners after the wedding." She smiled as they headed towards the castle entrance.
Eriol walked up to the princess and her lady. "It was indeed a pleasure meeting you Sakura-hime sama, Tomoyo-san." He bent to kiss both their hands when Meiling dragged him up by the ear. "Haven't you done enough kissing for the day?" She yelled, causing Tomoyo to giggle.
"Eriol-san, Meiling-san." The duo turned towards the princess. Sakura bowed deeply. "I apologize for my selfishness. I understand if you feel angry at me. Even though I will become your princess only by law, I really hope we could become good friends by choice." She straightened up gave them a small sad smile. Meiling grit her teeth hard. She wanted to hate on the princess for what she said but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. The more she thought about the earlier conversation, the more she found herself admiring the beautiful young woman for her courage. A hesitant smile spread across her face and she felt it growing when Sakura returned the gesture.
Eriol glanced at the varying emotions flitting through his cousin's face and smiled. "Iie hime-sama, no need to apologize. We bear no ill feelings whatsoever." He told the princess. "We will see you soon. And Tomoyo-san, don't hesitate to come over anytime. I will look forward to your arrival." He chuckled when Tomoyo blushed deep red and turned to leave, Meiling in tow. Things kept getting more and more interesting, Eriol thought smiling, as they got into the carriage. Meiling turned to give a hesitant wave to the princess and her family. Touya scowled back, but Yukito waved and shouted a 'See you soon' which made her blush. She turned to where Sakura and Tomoyo stood.
Eriol might be right, she thought as she felt the princess's gently smiling face pull a smile out of her own. Maybe what their untamed little wolf needed was a whiff of the gentle cherry blossom flower to soothe his lonely self.
TBC
A/N: There! Hope you liked it. I'm not taking up much time here cause I'm going to work on the next chapter. Let's see if can surprise myself and post it today too. Probably won't happen *sigh*. But a girl can dream right? Ja ne!
Kaijuu signing off.