Now that I've held you all in suspense, here's the much longed for thirteenth chapter, and an explanation of sorts.
Administrative stuff
Summary: Li Syaoran must return to Kinomoto Kingdom with the remains of his fiancée after her tragic demise. But a marriage is still required to unite the two families, and now Syaoran has his pick of the six remaining daughters of Kinomoto Fujitaka for the sake of both their kingdoms. Romance/Mystery
Ages:
Li Syaoran: 23 yrs
Kinomoto Sakura: 21 yrs
Kinomoto Tomoyo: 20 yrs
Kinomoto Ayame: 18 yrs (dec)
Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura.
It's Only Love – All's Fair in Love and War
"Ay me," Kinomoto Ayame sighed resting again the balcony and staring longingly into the distance.
"She speaks," a young man replied, his voice tinted with the perfect undulation of adoration. His ochre eyes observed her with awe as a hand swept through his silvery grey hair. "O speak again, bright angel! for thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head as a winged messenger of heaven unto the white-upturned wondering eyes of mortals that fall back to gaze him when he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds and sails upon the bosom of the air."
Ayame sighed, her eyes becoming glazed and unfocused as she turned her mind to the young man below her. "Oh Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet."
"Shall I hear more?" her Romeo asked, turning to the crowd who gave him an encouraging cheer.
Ayame performed her lines with expert parsing, revelling in the crowd and the attention. She loved the stage - loved the excitement and the adoration she received. She was addicted to what being on stage meant. It was the one time when she could have all the attention upon herself instead of it being shared among the seven in equal parts
For tonight she was the star, and come tomorrow she would be forced to return to the life of a princess, which wasn't nearly as grand as people think.
"You did wonderfully tonight, fair Juliet," her co-star told her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck from behind.
Ayame arched to his ministrations, a smirk on her lips the whole time. "Be careful, Toru," she cautioned as she felt his teeth grazing against her throat. "It took me forever to cover up the marks you made last time. Just because you play my lover on stage, doesn't mean you have free reign of my body off stage."
Odamaki Toru laughed, turning her in his arms. "Forgive me, Juliet," he replied in a low voice, "but you are more tempting than even the most succulent apple.
"Perhaps I should mark you where your husband will never find it?" he suggested, his hands shifting indecently and making their way under her dress. "He's an old fool to let such a beauty out of his sight."
Ayame gasped at the familiar route his hands were taking, desperately trying to maintain her senses. "What makes you think I have a husband?" she asked, her voice ragged and breathless.
"I assumed that was the reason why you were hiding your identity, Juliet," he replied. "But if that's not the case, then I wish to present myself to your father and ask for your hand, Juliet-chan."
Ayame had to bite back a laugh as the silver haired boy grasped her hands in his and gave her a look of upmost sincerity. She wished that he had been a better actor so that she could brush it off as a play and put his hands back to better uses. Instead she had to put her own acting skills to use before they could return to more enjoyable activities.
'Like I'd ever lower myself to marry the likes of you, Toru,' she thought derisively in her head, masking her easy smirk with a look of distress and letting her eyes fill with tears. 'Princesses do not marry kitchen hands, not if they want to get anywhere in this world. You were fun to play with, Toru, but your place is well below me.'
"Oh, Toru, I wish I could," she said instead, "but my father would never allow such a match. My love for you and my love of the stage are my two greatest secrets. I wish I could tell the world, but my family would never approve of such a path. The best I can hope for is a life in two parts, knowing my happiest life will always be here with you."
She clung to him desperately, the look of a broken woman upon her face. He opened his mouth to reply – to give comfort and solace she assumed – but a loud knock at the dressing room door drew their attention.
Fennyman, the show's producer stepped in with a rather disarming gentleman with dark navy hair and azure eyes. "I'd like to introduce you to a very important patron," Fennyman announced to his two stars. "This is Hi –"
"Li Ryuu," the gentleman cut in introducing himself by the name he was given at birth rather than the one the elders had thought was more appropriate for a child of his status.
"Li?" Ayame questioned, recognising the name of the Minami sovereign. "Are you related to Li-heika?" she asked nervously, hoping he wasn't among the higher ranking Li's that would surely know her true identity and likely blow her cover.
"Distantly," 'Li Ryuu' replied, knowing this would assure her – Ayame would be more likely to slip if she wasn't on her guard. "We are related through Li Syaoran's grandfather," he replied, which was technically true. He left Ayame to make her own inferences.
He saw her visibly relax and so began his praise. "I was very impressed by your skill, Juliet-san," he told her. "It was honestly the first time I had seen a female in the role. You are the finest Juliet I've seen in all my years as a patron of the arts."
"Thank you very much, Li-san," she said with false humility, "but I would be nothing without my fellow actors like Odamaki-san here."
The boy beside her frowned, ochre eyes flashing with hurt before he put on the same act of humility, praising 'Juliet-san' for her loveliness and talent.
"You have a certain loveliness about you, Juliet-san," Ryuu noted, pausing as if to consider it. "You remind me of someone."
He paused to give it further contemplation, noting the way that Ayame tensed as he gave a purposeful, "I've got it.
"You remind me of the late Queen of Kita," he told her. "You're as lovely as Kinomoto Nadeshiko herself."
Ayame laughed falsely at the compliment declaring that she had never been compared to royalty before adding a common lilt to her voice to throw off the scent.
"Well that certainly surprises me," Ryuu replied, his eyes smiling plainly and his tone cheerful. "Well I best be off, Juliet-san. I hope we can meet again."
He left with Fennyman, leaving Ayame to sit and calm her nerves.
"So that's who you are," Toru said, his tone almost sneering. "He's right. You look almost exactly like your mother. I can't believe I didn't see it earlier."
"Yes," Ayame said, admitting defeat. "I am Kinomoto Meilin, but you mustn't – "
"No you're not," he said, cutting her off with a harsh laugh. "Kinomoto Meilin-hime has crimson eyes. Only two of the princesses have their mother's eyes.
"And I know you are not Kinomoto Sakura-hime," he added quickly before she could claim another false name, "because she would never be so heartless.
"Which means you're Ayame," he concluded, feeling no need to honour her with the appropriate title.
She shrugged indifferently, dropping her mask for an instance. "Clever boy, Toru," she told him before reverting back to her desperate tone. "Now you see why we can never be together."
He nodded, standing up and walking towards the door. "I do, princess," he said as he walked past her, a low quality to his voice. "You're just not as good an actress you thought."
Toru's words haunted her dreams but she thought nothing of it, turning her mind instead to the handsome Li Ryuu who had visited her after the show. She was sure she had seen intrigue in his eyes as they roamed over her features, and although he was only a minor Li, she decided that his physical beauty would make up for what he lacked in status. It would save her the trouble of finding a lover if they married, which Toru proved could be quite troublesome indeed.
She considered Ryuu for a while, wondering who might be able to give her information so she could enable her plan of action. It wouldn't take much to mould herself into his perfect woman, and she might even be able to use her worldly ways to her advantage.
A knock on her door ended her train of though and Meilin flounced in a moment later with a jovial 'morning'.
"Really, sister," Ayame admonished jokingly. "I might have had a man in here."
Meilin laughed and blushed at her sister's humour, which often bordered on crude. She felt freer in letting Ayame talk like this when it was just the two of them. With the others around she felt as though she had a duty to rein Ayame in. It was somehow different when it was just she and her twin.
"I gave him plenty of notice if he needed to make his escape, A'me," Meilin teased happily. "What were you thinking about? You almost looked dazed when I came in," she added thoughtfully, taking a seat on her sister's bed.
"If you must know, I was thinking about Li Ryuu," Ayame announced proudly. "I met him last night at the show I attended," she lied. "He is a distant cousin of Li-heika, and very handsome. Have you heard of him?"
Meilin shook her head. "He must be quite distant. Perhaps Tomoyo-chan will know. I know she keeps in contact with Li Feimei so she might be able to find some information for you. Li-chan will surely know."
"I'll have to ask her later," Ayame sighed. "Hopefully he isn't too distant. He was doing so well in all other respects – handsome, well spoken, rich – I'd hate to have to knock him back on status alone. It seems to shallow."
Meilin laughed, teasingly tugging at a strand of raven hair identical to her own. "I don't suppose you'd ever consider marrying for love, would you, A'me?"
Ayame gave Meilin a patronising look at her wistful tone. "Love is a privilege of the poor – the lower classes can marry for love, but we must marry well, Mei-chan," she said almost consolingly. "Love is for mistresses, not wives.
"Now what did you come barging in here for, Mei-chan?" Ayame asked cheerily, her tone changing now her monologue was completed.
"Right," Meilin said, jumping to her feet as she recalled her reason for her visit. "I need some napkins."
Ayame shook her head in mock admonishment, getting up and taking graceful steps to her dresser.
"Have you been stockpiling, A'me?" Meilin asked, noting her sister's supply.
Ayame shook her head, paling slightly as realization hit her. "I've just missed a couple because of the stress of the season," she assured her sister. "At this rate Chiharu will beat us to the alter, and people will start calling us old maids like Sakura-chan and Tomoyo-chan."
"You've nothing to worry about, A'me-chan," Meilin promised, wrapping her twin in a one-arm hug. "Sakura-chan and Tomoyo-chan are 'old maids' by choice. They're each determined to refuse all but their 'true love'."
Ayame raised an eyebrow in intrigue and Meilin explained.
"Well you know Sakura's been in love with that boy – oh I forget his name – since we were all toddlers," she began. "And I heard Tomoyo and Sakura talking about their true loves. They said there was only one man they'd ever marry, and until he asks they'll happily bear the title of 'maid'."
Ayame shook her head. "This is why you should forget about marrying for love, Mei-chan," Ayame said wisely. "You'll just get old waiting on the one you love. You need to be smart and marry proper and let love come later – even if it is not with your husband."
"You're awful, A'me," she laughed, swatting her sister playfully, "but I'll keep it in mind."
With those last words, Meilin was gone and Tomoyo replaced her moments later. "Sakura and I are going to market soon. Are you interested in joining us?" Tomoyo asked, her eyes ever observant.
Ayame frowned. "Are you asking because you want me to come or because Sakura-chan asked you too?" she questioned, returning Tomoyo's look of quiet intelligence with one of challenge and mild contempt. Tomoyo was never fooled by any of the faces she put on, and so Ayame saw no need to mince words with her older sister.
Tomoyo shrugged. "Whichever suits you, Ayame-chan," she said with sugar coated pleasantries.
"I need some things, but I'll go later," she replied, her question answered by Tomoyo's disposition. "Before you go," she added, "have you heard of a Li Ryuu?"
Tomoyo was shocked by the question, but did not show it. "Only that he married well," she said hiding the sadness in her voice. "He's the sort of man I'm sure you'd admire, Ayame-chan. He married to achieve status instead of happiness, and now his mistress must bear the burden.
"Sakura was hoping to get some guidance of what you might like as a present, so you might want to drop a few hints," she added changing the conversation before Ayame thought too hard about her words and the lilt of disdain in her voice. "It's Sakura, so remember not to be too subtle."
The apothecary said he had no brew that would cure her this far along. He knew a man who used alternative methods to achieve the same end, but his work left obvious signs of what had been done and she would need a nurse to attend to her constantly for two days of bed rest in order to avoid its more morbid consequences. It simply wasn't an option, and she had so few to choose from.
She could tell her father and beg for his forgiveness, but even Fujitaka with his liberal ways would expect and marriage and she knew that Toru would not marry her even if she were willing to subject herself to that fate. She could lie and say she was raped, but the consequences were even worse – an inquest and then a marriage to Yukito most likely, who she was almost certain preferred his own gender.
She had no choice but to run away. Staying would only lead to worse consequences, and yet she dreaded the thought of the life she would lead having to care for this child in squalor. What she needed was to get away, get rid of the baby and then return back to her real life when it was all over and marry someone rich and handsome like Li Ryuu. She saw little chance of that happening.
And then suddenly, Li Syaoran arrived, providing the perfect opportunity. Her first plan had been to seduce him and claim that the child was his, but the plan proved difficult when he pretty much refused to even look in her direction. From the moment of his arrival, he had seemed far more interested in the company of her oldest sisters, and Sakura in particular. It seemed that she had some very stiff competition, as the young monarch appeared positively besotted with Sakura.
This left her with plan B – an appeal to Syaoran's nature. She had picked up on snippets of conversation between Touya and her father about the need for an alliance, so she knew that a marriage was guaranteed. She just needed to find a way to ensure that she was Sayoran's choice.
"Syaoran, I'm pregnant," she said quite abruptly as the two sat together in a secluded part of the castle grounds.
Syaoran frowned, not sure of what he was supposed to do with that information. It wasn't like it was his. This was the longest he'd ever been alone with Ayame, and he doubted their briefer interludes really gave enough time for him to impregnate her even if he was interested. He found her generally shallow and self-important, and her beauty hollow compared to Sakura's radiance. His best instincts told him to be on guard.
"I'm sorry for you, Ayame-san," he said plainly, his voice holding neither sympathy nor condolence. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I'm telling you because I need your help, Syaoran-kun," she said dramatically, her eyes wet with tears. Syaoran's frown deepened; he had never given her permission to address him so informally and did not think it right for anyone other than Sakura to address him by his given name.
Either Ayame didn't see his frown, or misinterpreted it as concern, for she continued on with her tirade. "I was involved with a soldier and we were to get married after his crusade, but he died in the field and now I'm left alone with his unborn child."
"What army?" Syaoran asked suspiciously.
"The Nasu army in the far north," she replied easily, having the forethought to prepare her lies in advance. "Syaoran-kun, I need you to marry me," she said seriously, emotion rising in her voice once again. "If I stay here I will bring such dishonour to my family. I just didn't know where else to turn," she cried, latching onto him.
Syaoran shifted uncomfortably, his arms pinned tightly to his side. "Ayame-san, I ca-"
"I know you want to marry Sakura," she cut in, rolling her eyes when he began to stutter his protests. "Sakura already has someone she loves," she told him. "Could you really take her away from her most important person?"
His shoulders slumped in defeat and Ayame knew that she had won. She'd easily picked Syaoran for the self-sacrificing type, and it seemed he would do anything for Sakura – even sacrificing his own happiness. The right turn of phrase and he was putty in her hands.
He sighed, his eyes pricking with tears he would never let fall. "I'll marry you, Ayame-san," he said quietly, tensing as Ayame gave him a gentle squeeze. "I-I'll go let your father know I've made my decision."
Ayame smiled victoriously as he walked away, his whole being shattered by a few simple words. She felt a brief sense of remorse, wondering if Sakura had even felt the same, but pushed the thoughts aside before she could truly dwell on them.
'I'm sorry, Sakura-chan,' she thought solemnly to herself while inwardly cheering at the job well done. 'Some things must be sacrificed for one's survival, even family.
'As they say, all's fair in love and war.'
~ to be continued ~
Probably not the chapter you were wanting, but clearly a vital piece of things. This obviously answers the question that many were wondering over whose niece they were talking about. When Eriol said niece, he meant a niece that was related to Sakura by blood and Syaoran by marriage.
Obviously I am milking this cliff hanger, but review all the same.
Next chapter: ? ? ?
Note:
Ay me . . .: The lines are from Act II, Scene II of Romeo and Juliet by the timelessly brilliant William Shakespeare. 'Star-cross'd lovers' from way back before it was a trope.
Li Ryuu: In case anyone's forgotten Li Ryuu (Jr technically) = Hirigizawa Eriol who married for the wrong reasons and is now suffering for it (along with his mistress who is not really his mistress).