Chapter 7- Trust and Betrayal
Li sat up most of the night. He had an awful feeling when he closed his eyes. A feeling of dread. When he did doze for a moment he had a terrible dream.
He dreamt that when he woke Sakura wasn't next to him.
He fought sleep as long as he could, fearing what his mind would show him. He was comforted by the sight of Sakura laying next to him, sleeping so soundly. She even smiled in her slumber. He curled up to his love and closed his eyes.
Maybe if I know she is close I won't have nightmares Li thought to himself wearily.
It didn't take him long to drift into sleep.
It felt like he had only had his eyes closed for a short while, when suddenly through his eyelids he saw a dim orange light. He ignored it and rolled over. Suddenly all of his senses hit him. He smelled fire, he felt something burning on his shoulder, and he didn't feel Sakura next to him. And then he heard Sakura gasp and something metal hit the cold floor. His eyes shot open, and what he saw horrified him.
There stood Sakura with a lit oil lamp in her hand, burning oil on his shoulder. She was staring wide eyed and open mouthed at Li. He was motionless, and he felt this strange pain. It was awful, an immobilizing feeling of betrayal. He could feel his arms shaking as they supported him up on the bed, his wings quivered and disappeared, leaving feathers on the silk blankets. His eyes fogged over with tears but he choked them back.
"What did you do?" He asked her. "We can't be together... it's.. a law." He coughed back his tears. Gods weren't aloud to be with humans. He would be banished if anyone ever found out about all the rules he's broken just to be with her.
"Why?" He asked again, sadness making his voice week. "I thought you said.. you could love me without seeing me. I know I could." he could feel tears running down his cheeks now.
They could be no more.
Suddenly he remembered the sound of something metal hitting the ground, and he looked at Sakura's feet. There laying on the ground was a knife.
Li was horrafied. He looked back up at Sakura who was crying and shaking.
"Syaoran? The God Syaoran? But how.. how could you love me?" She said in a shaking voice, covering her face she whispered. "You look just like the paintings."
"It dosen't matter now." Li said angrily, trying to be cold. Anger would make parting with her easier. "You broke your vow! There is no love anymore!"
Li stood and knocked Sakura onto the bed, and he went to the window.
don't look back. Li thought to himself. don't look back.
"Li.. I love you." Sakura said in a shaking voice.
Those words hurt more then any wound she could have given him with that knife. He defied himself and turned to look at her. Shaking and crying on the bed. His eyes filled with tears again as a wind blew through the window and killed the flame on the candle.
And Li jumped out of the window, leaving her weeping in the bedroom.
--
Li shot out of bed, gasping for breath. His eyes darted around the dark bedroom, and then right next to him. Sakura lay sleeping, soundly, unmoved. She was still smiling.
What a horrible dream Li thought to himself, sweating from the mere thought of how real that dream had felt. He placed a hand on her cheek to make sure she was real.
"Why do you haunt me?" he whispered to himself. "I love you dearly, surly you would never question that." he watched her closely as she slept. "I loved you before I could be with you... surly you can love me without seeing me."
He closed his eyes tightly and blocked out all light. He twirled Sakura's soft hair in his fingers and smiled to himself. "Nope." he said quietly. "I still love you." He kissed her forehead before he laid next to her and closed his eyes lightly, still fighting the images of a shaking Sakura from his mind's eye.
What little sleep Li got the rest of the night was undisturbed.
--
Through Li's eyelids he saw an orange light, he simply rolled over. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he turned around to find, not a lamp, but the sun rising through the window. He sighed a heavy sigh of relief and pulled himself out of bed. He changed his robes quickly and stood by his window, looking back at Sakura. He sat on the widow's ledge and thought for a moment.
Why is it so wrong for me to be with her? If I am a god I should be aloud anything that makes me happy.. right? he sighed Wrong. If this was true then my mother would have killed her long ago.
He longed to kiss Sakura. He could feel the sensation in his lips, but he knew that he couldn't, in fear of stirring her from her slumber. He smiled lightly before releasing his wings and jumping from his window out into the bright sunlight.
--
Sakura felt the warm sun on her skin. She stirred and smiled softly, stretched and opened her eyes towards the window. She took a deep breath before reality set in on her and she let all of her excitement leave her in a scream. She hoped out of bed and ran to her closet to get dressed. While she was changing her bedroom door flew open and she heard Shot's voice.
"S-sakura?! Are you o-" He sounded worried, but then interrupted himself. "Ow, ow!"
"Shot get out of here while she's changing!" Hope said, obviously dragging Shot out of the room and shutting the door behind them.
Sakura laughed and finished getting dressed. She wore pink and white robes made of silk. They were her best, and she would only wear the best for her family.
She ran to her bedroom doors and opened them quickly.
"Is it almost time?" She asked happily.
"In about a half hour." Hope said with a laugh.
"Yeah, I was coming to wake you up." Shot said, sounding a little like he was in pain.
"Are you ok?" Sakura asked.
"Fine, Hope just beat me up a little." Shot said with sarcasm in his voice.
"Well, you should know better then to just burst into a girl's room like that!" Hope scolded Shot.
"She yelled! I was worried!" Shot argued back.
Sakura laughed lightly.
"Is Illusion and the group ready?" Sakura asked.
"Pretty, poised, and perfect." Hope replied with a giggle.
"How about Windy and all the cooks?" Sakura asked.
"All the food is prepared and waiting for our company." Shot said with a smile.
"Can I go wait outside?" Sakura asked, very excited.
"Of course." Shot laughed. "Let's go."
Shot took her hand and led her down the long corridors.
Sakura noticed how clean everything was. It was sparkling brightly, not a speck of dust anywhere. It was like a painting.
"Wow, everything is so clean!" Sakura sounded very grateful.
"Yes, Loop and the others were very busy yesterday." Shot said, you could hear the smile in his voice.
Sakura was getting antsy, smiling and giggling. Asking questions about everything. Her hands were even shaking.
"You are really excited, aren't you Sakura?" Shot asked with a laugh.
"Excited? I've never been this happy in my life! But I have to say, I'm a little nerves."
"Nerves? Why?" Shot asked.
"I just... I wonder what my family will think of all this.. of everything I've become. My sisters become jealous easily. Used to I would just stop everything I did so they didn't have to feel a resentment towards me.. I can't stop being married, or living here. I just wonder.. what they'll say.." Sakura said in a very distant voice.
"I'm sure they will be very excited for you, Sakura. And very happy to see that you are safe, smiling, and in love." he squeezed her hand in an atempt to comfort her.
She squeezed his hand back. "Thank you Shot.. thank you so much. You always know what to say."
--
"Her family?" Eriol sighed as he spoke with his friend.
"Yeah" Li yawned.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Eriol asked worried.
"There's nothing to worry about, besides, she is really excited to see her brother." Li said casually.
"Perhaps, but her sisters are coming too." Eriol argued.
"So? What's the big deal. I'm not going to be there, there is no worry." Li yawned again.
"Has she never told you about her sisters? They're awful! They don't want anything good for her. They are the poster children for "Hell hath no furry like a woman scorned".. and they are always scorned at Sakura." Eriol sighed deeply.
"Are they really that bad?" Li asked.
"Their terrible! they sabatoge Sakura's life so nothing good happens to her." Eriol said, trying to get the point across.
"Well, she invited them, so they can't be that bad." Li replied with another yawn.
Sakura's too nice to say noEriol thought.
"Why do you keep yawning, Li?" Eriol asked curiously.
"I couldn't get to sleep last night." Li replied.
"Why? What were you doing?" Eriol raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing like that you perv!" Li kicked Eriol in the head. "I kept having nightmares, that's all."
"Nightmares? Aren't you a little old to lose sleep over nightmares?" Eriol asked with an almost humourus tone.
"oh please, you're never too old to be afraid." Li replied, rather annoied.
"Well, what was the dream about?" Eriol asked.
"I had a dream that Sakura got a lantern in the middle of the night and looked at me. She dropped hot oil on me and I woke to see her standing there, tears in her eyes, and a cold knife at her feet." Li shuttered while he thought about it.
"What happened then?" Eriol asked nervesly.
"I left.. I had to. I can't be with a human, and she can't be with me. It's forbidden." Li sighed.
"So even in the dream you left?" Eriol sighed deeply. "Perhaps it wasn't a dream at all."
"What do you mean?" Li asked quickly.
"Perhaps it's... something else." Eriol looked a little worried.
"Like what?"
"A premonition."
--
Outside Sakura was greeted by many new voices.
"Hello, Princess!" A small voice rang in the air. "I haven't seen you since you first arrived here."
Sakura smiled at the invisible servant. "Oh? Who might you be? Sakura asked politely.
"I am Fight." She answered with a laugh in her voice.
"Fight?" Sakura looked shocked. "You don't sound very... intimidating." Sakura said, and then paniced. "I didn't mean that! I mean, you know, you just sound like a little girl."
Fight laughed. "I get that alot, but actually I am very strong. I am a guard for the castle!"
"Oh my! You must be strong then, to guard the castle by yourself." Sakura said with a small laugh.
"She's not the only one." A male's voice spoke now.
"Oh! I'm very sorry!" Sakura apologized.
"No need to apologize, I am Lock." he replied with a laugh in his voice.
"Hello princess." Said a very soothing voice. "You look much better then the first time I saw you." the voice laughed.
"It's nice to meet you." Sakrua smiled. "Who are you?"
"I am Mirror." She replied.
"What brings you here?" a small voice asked quietly.
"I am here to wait for my family." Sakura said with a smile. "And why are you here?"
"I am Power. You know princess, we could have brought your family to you."
Sakura was shocked by all of these small voices. Surely creatures that sound so timid cannot be strong enough to be a god's bodyguard.
"I was hoping to meet them here, if that is alright." Sakura answered Power with a smile.
"Of course it is fine princess." a male's voice spoke up. "You have to ignore our stoic little Power. All she knows is her job."
"That's not true, I know you too Sheild." Power said.
Sakura giggled. "It is quite alright. I'm not getting in the way by being here, am I?"
"Not at all." Sheild laughed.
"You are safe where ever you go princess. Especially with Shot holding onto you so tight." Mirror laughed.
"I am her personal servant. I must go where ever she goes." Shot said in a small voice. He sounded like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Of course you are." Sheild said happily.
"Were you ordered to hold her hand?" Power asked in a stoic voice. She sounded like she was confused.
Shot loosened his grip on Sakura's hand. She moved her other hand overtop of their clasped hands and smiled at him.
"I asked him to." She said to the guards. "I am more comfertable knowing I'm not alone."
"But you're not alone." Power said, still confused.
"I know. I know that you are all here, despite the fact that I can't see you. But I need to feel like someone is here." She laughed. "I know it is silly, but I... I get lonely other wise."
"In that case." Fight giggled. "You're fine, but I think Shot has a crush."
"Shut up!" Shot snapped.
The group laughed together while Shot blushed.
--
Toya, Chihaur, and Meilin stood on top of that forsaken mountain top. None of them have been here since they had to leave their sister behind. The air around them was thick and suffocating, just standing there made Toya lethargic.
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Meilin said nervously.
"Yeah. "Chiharu agreed. "Clow fed our sister to a serpant and now he is sending us as well!"
"Don't be dumb." Toya said quickly. "If he was going to do that he would have made sure that Mom and Dad came too. What's the point of killing the royal children and not the King and Queen?" he sounded agitated.
Chiharu and Meilin were quiet for a moment. It was Toya first moment of peace. They hadn't stopped talking since Clow delivered the news the day before.
"Maybe." Meilin spoke up again.
Toya sighed. He knew the peace couldn't last.
"Maybe it wasn't Clow. Maybe the serpant sent on of his slaves!"
"Yeah! A shapeshifter! He is tricking us to come here so he can eat us too!" Chiharu agreed.
"Why? Why on Earth would he do that? That's alot of trouble for nothing." Toya wasn't hiding his frustration.
"He got a taste of our royal flesh and now he's back for more!" Meilin said quickly, Chiharu shaking beside her.
"You two are mad!" Toya growled. "Why can't you think that maybe, just maybe things are alright? That maybeSakura married a benevolent god who loves her dearly. Why can't you think that she is happy? Why does everything have to be so violent in your eyes when it comes to Sakura?"
"Nothing good ever happens to Sakura, brother." Chiharu spoke up.
"Surely you haven't forgotten that! She's only been gone for a few months." Meilin said.
"I haven't forgotten her!" Toya snapped at them. "And the only reason nothing good happened to her is because you two always STOLE her happiness from her." he was nearly yelling now.
The girls looked upon him wide eyed, as if they were looking past him. Were they? Were they looking past him? Suddenly Meilin raised a shaking finger and pointed behind Toya. Slowly Toya turned and when he did his nose almost touched the pale figure's nose that stood smiling behind him.
Toya jumped back. "Who are you?" he asked, noticing now that the figure hovered above the ground.
Yukito laughed slightly and brushed his wind blown, moon colored hair from his forehead. "My my, Toya, you look just like your sister. Maybe it's your eyes." Yukito reached a cold hand out and brushed back Toya's hair. Then he looked at the awe struck sisters starring behind their brother.
"You two hardly look realated at all!" He said with a sweet smile on his face.
"Answer my question." Toya said, rather flustered.
"I am Yukito!" His smile never wavered as he bowed to the group.
"Yukito? God of the west wind?!" Chiharu looked shocked.
"Surely you're not the one who married my sister!" Meilin said quickly.
Yukito laughed lightly. "Of course not."
"I thought so. You're too beautiful to marry my sister." Meilin said under her breath.
Yukito patted her rather roughly on her head.
"Jealously is not becoming, young lady."
Toya smirked at Yukito. "Maybe you should have married my sister. At least I know you're protective of her."
"Indeed, it is hard not to protect princess Sakura. She is so kind." Yukito smiled back at Toya. "But trust me, Li is far more protective then I. You will like him greatly."
"Li?" Chiharu spoke up. "I've never heard of a god named Li."
"And for good reason!" Yukito laughed. "It is an alias. He can't have normal humans knowing who he is. He couldn't have married Sakura had she known."
"Wait, even Sakura doesn't know his name?" Toya frowned.
"See! It's a trick! I bet he is a serpant!" Meilin grinned.
"Trust me, young lady, it is no trick. Li is very much in love with Sakura and has every intention of spending the rest of thier lives together, as long as their trust isn't broken." Yukito smiled brightly. "But enough of this, I'm sure you miss your sister."
"You have no idea." Toya sighed.
"Then shall we go?" Yukito slowly disappeared, his smile never leaving. Soon he was replaced by a strong wind and the three were taken into the air.
They were moving to fast to see where they were going, all they could feel was the cold wind and their hair whipping around in thier faces. But just as suddenly as they were taken off of their feet and noise surrounded them, it all stopped. It was silent as the girls falls to the ground. Toya, however, landed gently on his feet.
"I'm sorry." Yukito formed in front of them. "I tried to catch you two but you struggled so much you simply fell." He smiled sweetly at them.
The girls would have been more insulted if they hadn't already looked around them. Fields of flowers and a long winding river decorated the landscape. It was like a painting one could only dream up. And there in the distance was a large castle, far to beautiful to be real. The three of them starred wide eyed at the scenery, until Toya smiled lightly and looked over at Yukito.
"You have been taking care of my sister."
Yukito laughed. "Yes, we have been. Now if you would like to follow me, I can take you to her."
Yukito glided past the three. Toya led his sisters who were still in shock by the landscape.
"It doesn't look like we should be touching anything." Chiharu spoke quietly as a butterfly flew past her.
"You shouldn't even be here, actually." Yukito said without turning. "This is a place for gods, humans aren't even supposed to know what it looks like."
"Then why are we here?" Toya asked.
"Because Li requested it." He replied simply.
"That's odd. Li seems to break allot of rules to be a god. And why would he just ask for his bride's siblings to come to his house. That doesn't make any sense." Toya was prying now. He wanted to make sense of things.
"Truthfully." Yukito said after a long pause. "It was Sakura who made the request. She was heartbroken the day before last. So much so that we couldn't get her to eat, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She had made herself very sick at the thoughts of you."
Toya wanted to smile. He thought that this little sister had forgotten him after she married a god, but he couldn't smile at the thought of her being sick over him.
"Li returned home when the sun fell and he found her in tears in their room. When he asked her what was wrong she said that she missed you very much. Li told her that he would see to it that you three could visit, despite the fact it was against the rules."
Toya smirked to himself. Maybe this Li guy isn't so bad.
"Did she not mention us?" Meilin asked, almost insulted.
"Oh, of course she did." Yukito smiled. "But you could definitely tell who she missed the most."
"TOOOOYAAA!!" a voice yelled in the distance.
Toya looked up, and by the castle gates stood his sister, waving quickly. Smiling brightly. She started to run for him. He smiled and ran for his little sister, taking her up in his arms and holding her close. She had tears in her eyes as she spoke.
"Big brother! I'm so happy to see you!"
"I've missed you, Sakura."
They stood in that moment for a long time, until Yukito brought the girls up to them. Toya put his sister down, they both smiled at the three of them.
"Hello Chiharu! Meilin!" Sakura said happily, wiping a tear from her eyes. "I'm so happy to see you guys."
"It's good to see you too, sis!" Chiharu said hugging her little sister.
"I'm glad to see you're not eaten, Sakura." Meiling said with a smile.
"Is there anything else you would like of me, Princess?" Yukito asked Sakura.
Chiharu and Meilin turned to Yukito as if to ask him something, but Sakura spoke up.
"We are having a banquet, Yukito. Please, won't you join us?" Sakura smiled happily.
Chiharu and Meilin frowned to themselves. Here they were not princesses, here they were guests.
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to intrude on you and your family." Yukito smiled back at her.
"Oh please? You have done so much for us! I couldn't thank you enough for bringing my family to me." Sakura replied.
"Truely, Sakura, I would love to, but I'm afraid I have been called back to Olympus." His smile faded slightly. "I would very much rather stay here with you and your siblings, but I'm afraid I cannot." his smile brightened again. "But thank you so much."
Sakura shook her head. "I do wish you could stay, but I understand. Thank you again! And please be safe on your journey."
Yukito smiled softly and bowed, and he slowly faded away and was replaced by a strong wind. And then he was gone.
Sakura turned to her siblings with a bright smile. "Was mom and dad busy?"
"Yeah. They couldn't get away for a moment." Chiharu replied.
"Don't dilly dally Sakura! Look at this place! Let us in, tell us about your husband!" Meilin said quickly.
"Alright." Sakura smiled brightly.
"One moment." Power interrupted.
"Whoa." Toya looked around to find the person who just spoke. "Did anyone else just hear a little girl?"
"That was Power." Sakura replied with a smirk. "She is a body guard for the castle."
Meilin jumped suddenly. "Who touched me?"
"It was me. I have to make sure you don't have any thing that can harm anyone, or that can expose our master." Power replied.
Suddenly Chiharu and Toya were both being checked too.
"The workers in the castle can't be seen by normal humans. Even I can't see them." Sakura said with a smile. "There are quite a few of them as well."
Sakura looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Shot?" she asked quietly.
Toya watched his little sister's hand move as if someone had taken her hand in theirs. Sakur then smiled at her siblings.
"This is Shot. He is my friend."
"Hello everyone. The princess has told me allot about you all." Shot replied.
Finally her siblings were left alone.
"They're safe." Power said.
"I am the princess' personal servant, and I will be showing you guys around today."
"Shot! You're not my servant, you're my friend! And you know you can call me Sakura." She smiled at her invisible friend.
"So you've been taking good care of her, boy?" Toya said to Shot.
"She is my main priority." Shot replied.
"Toya, they take very good care of me. Please don't be so harsh." Sakura replied to her brother.
"No, no." Shot replied with a smile in his voice. "I am very happy to see that your brother cares so much about you."
"I like him." Toya said. "He knows what he's talking about."
"Can we go in now?" Meilin sighed.
"Please?" Chiharu added to her sister's request.
"Of course." Sakura smiled. "Shot can you give them the tour?"
"Of course. Please follow me."
Shot led Sakura away by her hand and her siblings followed after her.
--
Shot led the group through the long hallways, explaining every room and answering every question. Finally they made it to Sakura and Li's room.
"Here is the Master's bedroom." Shot said quietly and he opened the large wooden doors to reveal Sakura's bed room.
"Whoa! This is amazing!" Chiharu said. She ran into her little sister's room and jumped onto her bed. "The blankets and sheets are made of silk! Even the pillows. This is amazing, sis."
Meilin walked in staring at every detail. "How can you sleep with that huge window by your bed?" she asked, trying to pick out any flaw she could.
"Why should I be afraid?" Sakura asked.
"I would be afraid something would come through the window to get me." Meilin replied.
Toya sighed angrily at her. He knew she was just being jealous, but Sakura wanted to believe that Meilin was truly worried about her.
"There is nothing to fear here. This is a place for gods, one of the safest places to be. Besides the master sleeps in here as well. She is safe." Shot replied. He knew Meilin was being harsh.
Sakura smiled at her sister. "The only thing I've ever seen out that window is an angel."
Meilin sighed and then jumped onto the bed with Chiharu.
This is a comfertable bed.Meilin thought to herself. She got everything I deserved. This isn't fair. And she buried her face into one of the pillows.
"Come now." Shot said to the girls. "I have time to take you to the garden before the food is do-"
He was interrupted by an angry sounding Twin.
"Hey! What the hell I just made that bed!" It was the Twin with the darker voice.
"Sis, don't worry. I can help you remake it." Chimed in the other Twin.
"Who are you?" Chiharu asked quickly getting off of the bed.
"More servants." Meilin said to her own sister. She just sighed, she didn't get off of the bed.
"Couldn't you be polite, you little brats." Toya spoke quickly to his sisters.
Suddenly the blankets whipped up like someone had yanked on them to remove wrinkles. Meilin got the picture and moved.
"I'm sorry Twins. I didn't know or I would have stopped them." Sakura said apologetically.
"Yeah, it was Sakura's fault." Chiharu said, moving behind Sakura.
"It's fine, princess." The Twins said together.
"I was just a little frightened to see people I didn't know messing up the bed." The darker sounding Twin spoke up.
"Come on now." Shot said. "Let's leave them to their work. We're off to the garden."
"Bye bye Twins!" Sakura waved.
"Bye bye! It was nice to meet you!" The lighter sounding Twin said with a laugh.
"At least one of you." the darker sounding Twin added.
Meilin glared back, Chiharu shuttered.
When they were far out of ear shot Chiharu spoke up.
"All of these invisible servants are beginning to scare me. It creeps me out."
Toya bonked her on her head. "Do you even realize Shot is right there?"
"It's fine." Shot said calmly. "Why do we scare you?"
"I can't see you. How can I know if I can trust you?" Chiharu replied.
"Why should my looks change anything?" Shot replied.
"I'm sorry Shot, my sisters are idiots." Toya replied, annoyed by his sisters' ignorance. "They've been pampered their whole lives and they seemed to forget manners in the process." He sighed and patted Sakura on her head. "I swear you were born into the wrong family."
--
Out in the gardens Chiharu and Meilin grabbed Sakura.
"Come on, sis! We have to talk about your husband!" Chiharu said happily.
Toya and Shot started to follow, but Meilin turned and glared at them.
"You don't need to come along! This is girl time." She said.
Toya and Shot both stopped.
"Don't you put things into her head, Meilin. Let her have this." Toya said simply to his sister.
And with that the three girls ran away.
It was quiet for a few moments.
"Shot?" Toya asked firmly. "Are you still here?"
"Yes." He replied. He was standing right next to Toya. Sometimes he forgets that he is invisible.
"How has Sakura liked it here?" Toya asked.
"Am I really qualified to tell you this?" Shot asked. "Why can't you ask her?"
"My sister is a very talented person." Toya sighed. "You see, she can smile even when she is upset. She knows she will be here for the rest of her life, so just to make me feel better she will smile and say 'I love it here big brother, I simply couldn't be happier." he sighed. "So... is she happy?"
"She is. Very much so. She smiles all the time, and she laughs alot. She really has brightened up the castle.. and my master for that matter. I've never seen him so happy, never in my life."
Toya smiled faintly. "My sister is good for that. I know our castle hasn't been the same without her. I was really worried about her." he almost laughed, but stopped himself. "I have to say, she really is my favorite of the three. Maybe it's because she is the youngest and I am the oldest. My parents were always happy to pamper Meilin and Chiharu. Don't get me wrong, they loved Sakura just as much.. she was just.. mine. I took care of her, and played with her, I taught her her first word, and I was there when she took her first step. Even my parents can't say that." He smiled at the ground. "I didn't think I was going to survive without her around me, but the world is still turning. Sadly. I was worried to death that she was unhappy, and believe me, I am willing to defy the gods and get her back if she is. But as long as she is happy.. I supose I am too."
Shot was smiling to himself. He never had family, so hearing stories of their love for one another always makes him feel better.
The sisters were running out in the flowers, laughing loudly. Until finally Chiharu fell to the ground and sat, surrounded by flowers. Meilin and Sakura followed her lead.
"Sakura, how did you get so lucky?" Chiharu asked, running her hand over the flowers. "It is beautiful here!"
Sakura just smiled happily. "I'm not sure how I became this lucky. I feel very blessed."
"Don't rub it in!" Meilin said with a smile on her face. Only half joking.
Suddenly Chiharu became much more serious. "So, tell me about this 'Li'."
Sakura blushed slightly at the sound of her lover's name.
"He is wonderful. He is so kind and sweet. So gentle." She smiled at her sisters. "I really love him, with all of my heart."
"What does he look like?" Chiharu asked quickly.
"He is very slim, and sometimes he has wings, but it seems he can make those dissapear if he wishes. But to be completely honest, I'm not sure what he looks like." Sakura admitted. "But he loves me. I can feel it in my heart. And that is all that matters to me."
"Really? You really don't know what he looks like?" Chiharu asked, shocked.
"You're living as if you're blind, Sakura!" Meilin said quickly. "You can't see youre servants, you can't see youre husband, how do you know what's real and what's not?" Meilin sounded annoyed.
"Well.." Sakura had to think for a moment. It was a hard concept to explain, and for a moment she tried thinking like her sister. She just couldn't imagine not trusting Li, or Shot.
"I don't know." Sakura said. "I have come to find that you don't need to see somthing to trust it.. or to love it. I couldn't imagine Li ever doing anything to hurt me, and I know for a fact that he loves me."
"How can you be so sure?" Meilin asked quickly. "You can't see thier expressions, you can't read body language. I know I wouldn't trust people I couldn't trust what I couldn't see."
"I can." Sakura smiled happily at her sisters. "I have no doubt that Li loves me, and I love him as well."
"You are too trusting sister." Meilin said. "You don't know how gods think. This 'Li' could just be a serpant god tricking you into trusting him! He's going to eat you alive little sister!"
Chiharu screamed. She was easily frightened.
"Don't worry." Sakura touched her Chiharu's shoulder. "Don't worry about me. Everything will be ok."
"Hey!"
The girls turn around and see Toya calling for them.
"Come on! Shot says it's time for food!"
The sisters start running towards their brother. Chiharu and Meilin were smiling brightly, but Sakura was frowning, staring off into nothingness.
"What's wrong?" Toya asked his little sister quietly.
"Oh..." Sakura broke herself from her thoughts and smiled up at her brother. "N-nothing.. nothing at all."
I can't tell. Toya thought to himself. I can't tell if that smile is real or not.
--
In the dining room Sakura sat at the end of the table, her brother to her left, Chiharu beside him. And Meilin sat to her right and Shot was in the seat next to her.
Sakura was smiling brightly at her siblings, despite the fact that they were sitting at an empty table.
"Shot, I thought you said there was food." Chiharu said finally.
"Oh there is, the cooks will bring it out in just a moment." Shot replied.
The doors to the kitches opened slowly and Sakura smiled brightly.
"Here it comes." She said.
Food came out on silver and gold trays carried by invisible hands. They seemed to float to the table and place themselves around the siblings. Chiharu was slightly frightened, but Meilin was simply amazed. Toya was amused, especially when he saw how happy it made Sakura. She was delighted to be able to treat her family to something nice. After all of the food was on the table Windy's voice spoke up.
"Wil that be all princess?" She asked in a small voice.
"This is perfect, thank you Windy!" Sakura said with a brght smile on her face.
At that moment the lids on all of the platters lifted off to revil the most wonderful food any of the sublings had ever seen. Now Toya was happy. Meilin, Chiharu, and Toya all looked in amazement at thir litle sister. Sakura just smiled sweetly at the three of hem.
"Eat up!" she said.
--
Only a few minutes into this wonderful feast did the lights dim down.
"what's going on?" Meilin asked quickly.
"Performers." Sakura smiled. She had been waiting patiently for Illusion and his group to show up.
"For your entertainment." Illusions deep voice rang out. you could hear the smile in his voice as the music started to play. "Just for you princess."
Sakura's hand lifted and she could feel someone kiss the back of her hand. She blushed slightly with an idle smile on her face. Toya twitched. It is always hard to see your little sister getting flirted with. It's even harder when you can't see who's flirting.
At this moment the music picked up. The drums beat to the rhythm of Meilin's heart, and the most beautiful sound appeared. It was Illusion sining. His voice wraps itself around your soul and takes you somewhere far away. The lights fell the rest of the way out and everyone was lost in the darkness. Slowly little colored lights started to appear, like aparitions floating aimlessly around the room. They left behind them long tails, like falling stars, only you could reach out and touch them. A stray orange star stryed close to Meilin and she tried just that. She slowly moved her hand towards it, but when she was only a few inches away it floated away, just out of reach. She slowly retracted her hand, but then her attention was taken to another bright light. These lights didn't form stars, no, these lights formed the figures of two people dancing gracefully to the music. Even step was like the beat of a drum, yet their feet didn't touch anything. The dancers floated a few feet above the table.
Meilin was shocked. Everything was so perfect, like a dream. She wanted to see how her siblings were reacting so she peered through the darkness, but one couldn't be seen unless one of the stray lights, or the dancers, grew near them. A blue star flew past Chiharu face. She was speechless with tears welling up in her eyes. She wasn's scared or sad, it was just an overwhelming beauty. The blue star moved away. A white star flew past Toya who was smiling lightly. He was trying to maintain and image, but even Meilin could tell that he was enjoying himself. The white star continued on his course and soon Toya was replaced by darkness. The dancers waltzed overtop of Sakura. She was smiling brightly up at her servants, but Meilin thought she had seen something strange. For a moment, when the dancers first shrowded Sakura in light, Meilin thought she saw a frown. Sakura stareing into nothingness. Something depressing was on her mind.
It was the painful face of doubt.
--
After their meal and show was over they all stood up from the long table.
"That was actually realy good." Toya said with a smirk.
"I'm glad."Sakura replied with a smile.
"Can we go back to the garden?" Chiharu asked happily. She was always happier with her belly full.
"Yeah, we didn't get to spend enough time there."Meilin agreed.
Sakura nodded. "Of course."
"But I was hopeing to look around the castle some." Toya said, completely uninterested in flowers.
Sakura pondered for a moment.
"Perhaps Meilin, Chiharu and I can have some girl time in the garden, and Shot can show you around the castle?" Sakura suggested. She wanted everyone to be happy, but she always tries to find time to spend with he sisters. She did so want to get along with them.
Toya hesitated for a moment, knowing that his sisters would be cruel to her, butwhen he looked over at the two of them and saw them smileing happily he simply sighed. He looked back at sakura. "That.. would be fine. But I do want to see you again before I leave." he agreed finally.
"Definatly!" Sakura replied nodding her head. She smiled brightly.
"Princess.." Shot sounded hesitant. He took her hand. He was her guardian, he couldn't let her wander off without her.
"Don't worry." She smiled very politely at her invisible friend. "The guards are outside, they wil protect me."
Shot was still hesitant, though he losened his grip on her hand. She continued to smile at him.
"Please?" she asked.
He sighed lightly, and slowly let go of her hand. "As you wish." he replied quietly.
"YAY!" Chiharu exclaimed. She grabbed her sisters by their hands and together they started off towards the exit for the garden.
Toya shook his head when the three of them were out of the room. "I have a bad feeling about this." he looked over for Shot, just remembering that he was invisible. He looked at his feet.
"Shall we go then?" Shot asked. He didn't have the heart to say what he really thought.
He had a bad feeling as well.
--
After being lost for a few minutes the sisters finally found their way out into the garden. Chiharu let go of her sisters and ran up to the rose bushes, smileing brightly as she played withtheir soft petals. Meilin and Sakura exchanged glances before smileing hapily and joining their sister at the roses. Instead of playing with the flowers, however, Meilin sat in the soft grass and smiled up at the clouds in the sky. Sakura's eyes fell to the ground. She saw a single misplaced purple flower growing all by itself in the grass. She laid down on her stomach and gently touched the petals and took in it's perfume.
"It's not as pretty by itself." Chiharu said suddenly.
Sakura looked up at her sister.
"What?" she asked like she was broken from a trance.
"The flower." Chiharu answered. "I think they are more beautiful in abundance." she smiled at the rose bushes again.
"Really?" Sakura answered and looked back at the lonely little flower. She picutred the flower in a sea of matching brothers and sisters, but it didn't seem as attractive to Sakura. Her little flower was lost in a sea of purple and she could find it again. She smiled at her flower as she stroked the petals again.
"I think it is simply beautiful. And almost symbolic." Sakura replied finally. "It's alone and yet it's still so beautiful."
"Symbolic?" Meilin looked over. "For what? I don't think it symbolizes anything of good will. It says something beautiful is going to end up lonely." She laid down with her sister. "Or, atleast that's what the flower says to me."
Sakura continued to smile at the flower. It reminded her of herself. As a child she never really had any friends, and her sisters never really liked her. She was always by herself, unless Toya was there. Everyone always told her how beautiful she was, but it never meant anything to her. She would always think, If I am so beautiful then why don't people like me? Now here she was, faced with her little counter part. Meilin and Chiharu didn't like the flower either, yet there it stood. Beautiful and strong, reaching for the sun. And the grass it's only support, just like Toya was to her.
"Sakura." Meilin broke her little sister from her thoughts.
"Yes?" Sakura replied.
"I have to talk to you about something."
This caught Chiharu's attention. She quickly sat down next to her sisters so she could hear the conversation.
"What's wrong?" Sakura asked quietly, as if it were a secret from the flowers.
"I am worried about you." Meilin replied.
"Why?" Sakura looked a little worried herself now.
"It's this Li guy. I think it's a little fishy that he would break the rules to marry you, but he wont break the rules and let you see him, or even tell you his real name." Meilin said.
Chiharu nodded in agreement.
"He can't I know he loves me, why should his identity change that?" Sakura asked calmly.
"He's hiding something." Chiharu said.
"His name, his face." Sakura replied. She really didn't mind not knowing what he looked like, he was an angel to her.
"More then that!" Meilin said quickly. "I think he is a serpant. He is just trying to get you to be comfetable with him until he can finally eat you."
"He isn't! I've seen his form, he is normal!" Sakura jumped to her husband's defence. "Besides he is so kind to me! To us! He let you guys come into his home. If he was simply going to eat me, why would he let you come here and know where he lives?"
"He wants to eat us all." Meilin said.
Chiharu looked frightened.
"He is just using you to get the royalty to get here, get cozy, and become dinner!" Meilin said.
Sakura looked sadly at the ground. There is no way. Surely not. But Sakura couldn't stand the thought of putting her family in danger.
"What makes you think that?" Sakura asked in an uneasy tone.
"All signs point to it!" Chiharu said. "That's why he's so secretive. And Clow said he was a serpant!"
"He did! Remember. I bet this "Li" is just lieing to you. Why would he have Clow tell us that he is a serpant if he is not?! We would have to give you up anyway. Who was that lie for?"
Sakura looked shocked. Her eyes fell back on the little purple flower.
"But.." Sakura had no argument. Why would he tell them he was a serpant if he wasn't?
"Sakura, you have to see him. Just to make sure." Chiharu said quickly. "Please!"
"But how?" Sakura asked. She was trying to find a way out. She didn't want a plan, she didn't want to betray Li's trust.. but she didn't want her family hurt either.
"You have an oil lamp on your end table in your room. Wait for Li to go to bed tonight and light the lamp, then you can see what he is. Is he isn't a serpant then just turn the lamp off and go back to bed! He'll never know!" Meilin said with a smirk.
"But what if he is the serpant?" Chiharu asked frightened.
"Hmmn.. take a knife with you. If he is indeed a serpant then stab him and run away. You can call for Yukito, he seemed fond of you. I'm sure he would bring you back home." Meilin said.
"Where am I supposed to get a knife? And where would I hide it in the mean time?" Sakura was still picking for a way out. She wanted to be optimistic.
"Here." Meilin reached into the obi on her robes and pulled out a familure knife. It was her father's knife. He permitted the girls to carry it when they were going out by them selves. "Keep this in your robes." Meilin put the knife into Sakura's robes and hid it perfectly. "The next chance you get, go to your room and hide it in the drawer on your nightstand."
There was silence for a long moment. Then finally Sakura nodded. She had tears in her eyes as she looked back at her little purple flower.
I don't think you would look as beautiful if you were dark with lies. Nor if you were red with blood. O little flower.. what am I going to do?
--
The hours passed quickly and it was almost time for the sun to set. By this time Sakura, Meilin, and Chiharu had reunited with Toya and Shot.
"What's wrong?" Toya asked as soon as he saw Sakura.
She was watching her feet, there was no smile on her face. She looked up at him when she heard his voice.
"Nothing." She smiled brightly at her brother, and she closed her eyes. "I had alot of fun in the garden. How did you like the castle?"
Toya watched her for a moment, trying to read her body language but she was holding too perfectly still. She had trained herself to always look so happy.
"I like it alot. There is alot of room here. I think you are very lucky." Toya said finally.
"Me too." Sakura said still smiling. He eyes, however, showed a gleam of saddness.
"I'm afraid to break you all apart." Shot spoke up. "But I'm afraid it is time for you three to go. My master will be getting home as soon as the sun falls down."
"Kay." Chiharu said with a smile.
Meilin was smirking. Toya just nodded.
Sakura opened her arms wide and hugged Chiharu in a tight embrace.
"It was so good to see you little sister." Chiharu said.
Next was Meilin.
"Don't forget, Sakura. Promise" Meilin said simply as she hugged her.
"I promise."
Sakura sighed deeply and smiled up at her big brother as he approached her. He wrapped his long arms around her and held her close, almost unwilling to let her go.
"I love you Sakura." Toya said quietly. He kissed the top of her head and smiled down at her.
She smiled back and began to wave. The three of them walked off into the distance. Sakura could see Yukito appearing only inches from her brother, making him panic. They all laughed and in a moment they were gone.
Shot took Sakura's shaking hand in his.
"Are you alright Sakura?" he asked. He could see a tear falling down her cheek. "Don't worry." he said, wiping the tear. "You will see them again very soon." he smiled, despite the fact she couldn't see it.
"W-what?" Sakura asked quietly. "Oh... I know." she wiped her eyes. "I'm just a little... lonely is all."
Shot led her by her hand, on their way to her room. That dark room. She could feel the cold knife on her skin inside the robes, and she could again feel the warm tears in her eyes.
--
Night had finally fallen when Shot left Sakura alone in her room. She gently slid the knife out of her robes and into her drawer. She slowly changed out of her robes and into a night gown and she laid in her silky bed. Her mind wandered to her first day there. It wandered to Li and all of the love they shared. It wandered to Shot, and all of the servants. Everything she had recieved while she was there. She could feel her heart breaking slowly. There was a war inside of her soul whether she should go through with the plan or not. Yes, if nothing else she was curious as to what he looked like, but beyond that. She couldn't live with herself if her family was hurt because of her.
Suddenly her bed room door opened. She looked over at the familure sillhouette as Li walked over to the bed. He leaned over her and kissed her genly.
"Hello Sakura." he said quietly.
"Hello love." she smiled up at him. He calmed her completely.
"How was your day?" he asked with a smile in his voice. "Did you enjoy your family?"
"Very much!" Sakura replied happily as she remembered the day.
"And your sisters?" He questioned quietly.
"They behaved. It seems they've really matured since I've left." She replied.
"I'm glad." Li said as he kissed her again.
She smiled and laid her head on his chest. She listened to his heart beat and wondered how it was possible for him to be evil. Surely not. Their hearts beat in unison.. if he was evil then so was she.
"Are you alright?" Li asked. Sakura felt weak in his arms.
"I am..." she replied quietly. "I'm just.. very tired."
Li smiled and laid her back. "Then sleep."
"But.. we've hardly had the chance to speak." Sakura said sadly.
"We are married." Li replied as he laid next to her. "There will be many more nights ahead."
Those words cut Sakura deep. Deeper then the knife ever could. She laid in silence, hearing her heart beat in her ears. She closed her eyes and pretended she was somewhere else. She waited for Li's breathing to calm down, for her husband to fall asleep. Then she would keep her promise to her sister.
--
The time finally came. Sakura moved slowly out of bed and opened the drawer to her nightstand. She held on tight to the knife. It felt unatural to her, despite this she wouldn't set it down. She was afraid to make a noise. She quietly lit the oil lamp and moved slowly to the other side of the bed. She took a deep breath and held the lamp over Li. She started to shake. She couldn't believe her eyes.
It was Syaoran. The great god Syaoran. Her husband, the man who loved her most was the god of love himself. She felt the tears in her eyes start streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't move, but her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Then she saw it. A drop of hot oil fell out of the lamp and landed on Syaoran shoulder.
It felt to Li like he had only had his eyes closed for a short while, when suddenly through his eyelids he saw a dim orange light. He ignored it and rolled over. Suddenly all of his senses hit him. He smelled fire, he felt something burning on his shoulder, and he didn't feel Sakura next to him.
not again he thought.
He rolled over in a panic and there he saw Sakura standing, crying and shakeing, just like his dream. Something was different this time. Something felt too real. His eyes darted around the room, then he heard the strangest noise. Like something metal hitting the floor. He looked at Sakura's feet and saw a knife.
"This isn't happening." he whispered to himself.
Sakura fell to her knees and wept. "Syaoran." She covered her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she couldn't breath.
Li covered his eyes, pressing his fingers into the sokets, trying to wake himself up. But he could feel. He could feel the hot oil on his shoulder, he could feel his fingers in his eyes, and his heart. He could hardly bare the pain of his heart. He could feel it breaking, ripping in his chest. He felt like there was somwthing blocking his air ways. He looked down at her with tears in his eyes. He wanted to take her up in his arms. He wanted to hold her close and tell her everything was going to be ok, but he couldn't. How could he have a relationship without trust? She had betrayed him. He covered his eyes again.
"What did you do? What did you do?!" Li couldn't hold back the tears. "I have to go..."
Li stood up and moved to the window, he let his wings out. He turned back around and looked at Sakura again.
"I-I love you Li." Sakura whimpered.
He wiped the tears from his face and looked out of the window, turning his back on Sakura.
I love you. I love you too Sakura.
He jumped out of the window and let his wings catch him. He didn't bother wiping his tears now, Sakura couldn't see him now. He let the night swallow him and he dissapeared.
Sakura was left by herself, weeping on the floor.
end.
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