The Confrontation He looked up, feeling a strange disturbance. There was suddenly a lot of noise going on outside his room, shouting, and loud questions being asked. Above him, straddling him, the concubine was aware of nothing, her mouth brushing feather light kisses across his neck, long fingers tangled in his hair. Without saying a word he shoved her away, sitting up in the bed. “Syaoran-sama, nande-“ The door flew open a moment later, Hikaru bursting in. “Syaoran!” And then she caught sight of the other woman in the room futilely trying to clothe herself with the blanket on the bed. He rose from the bed, bare-chested, loose pants tied around his slender waist. “What the hell is going on?” he demanded and he reached toward a nearby chair, pulling off the shirt hanging from it. Hikaru looked straight at him, cat eyes narrowed. “Perhaps it would be best if you saw for yourself,” she replied and she waited as he buttoned the shirt over himself. He did so and cast a backward glance at the concubine as he strode out the door, Hikaru at his heels. “Get out,” he ordered the woman. “I don’t want to see you when I get back.” Syaoran looked up, every pore of his body aware that something was about to go terribly wrong. He had been waiting for a while, waiting for someone to come and speak to him and yet no one would answer his questions. Most people he encountered appeared to be guards, making some kind of rounds. Any other person who was not a guard seemed to be some sort of maid. At the moment he stood in a large, empty room. There were several potted plants in the room with him, some hanging from the ceiling. But other than the plants and a carpet on the ground there was nothing. He hesitated, seeing two glass doors at the back of the room, curtains pulled away and fastened to allow moonlight in. It was a lovely moon. One good thing about this ugly world. Making sure no one noticed, he carefully wandered over to the doors and peeked out. There was a long walkway there, connecting more rooms as he looked both ways. Like a square. And in the center of the square, underneath the balcony was what could have been a type of courtyard, water fountains spewing the liquid from the mouths of angels. He opened the doors slowly, exhaling thankfully when he didn’t make a noise. Once outside he glanced over the edge of the balcony and looked down. Women floated back and forth, several chatting, others seated along the fountains, writing by the light of the moon. He observed them thoughtfully, wondering why there were so many of them and what they could all be doing there. At that moment a side door opened and a young woman came out, dressed in a long, flowing gown. Her hands were fisted in the wide sleeves and she raised them to her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Minaya-chan!” cried one of the women circling the square. She hurried toward the sobbing girl and embraced her. “What happened?” Syaoran tried to hear what the girl said but she whispered it much too low for him to hear. In response, however, the woman embraced the girl again, shushing her sobs tenderly. And then a woman below, off to the side, suddenly gasped, “Syaoran-sama!” and all eyes below flew toward him. He recoiled a bit at suddenly being the center of attention for every woman down there. The sobbing girl began to cry harder, ducking her face from his view and hiding behind her friend. “Wasn’t she good enough?” her friend asked, looking up at him as she blocked his view from the girl. “What did she do wrong?” Syaoran stared at her and then quickly glanced behind him to see if she spoke to someone behind him. No, she was definitely speaking to him. He turned back to face her and hesitated, trying to think of what to say. After a moment’s thought he said feebly, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” The woman’s jaw dropped open as she stared at him in disbelief. He stared right back, eyebrows drawing in. What else could he possibly say? He didn’t understand anything at all, didn’t understand why he had been brought here. All he knew was that he had been waiting for such a long time and he guessed he had under an hour to start making his way back to Eriol. Another side door opened and a small shadow slipped out, a long gown clothing her slender frame. Syaoran looked over quickly, needing a distraction from the accusation that had suddenly entered the woman’s eyes below. And he stared in complete and utter awe. Kinomoto Sakura floated out, red hair falling along the sides of her face gently. Her green eyes scanned the courtyard cautiously and then, upon noticing that all eyes below were raised to the balconies above, she also looked up. Syaoran gazed at her, chest tightening. She was beautiful. Here. Everywhere. Anywhere. Her pink lips parted as she looked back at him, slim figure stiffening the slightest bit. And then those green eyes shifted to his immediate left, widening in confusion. Down below, several gasps rang out. He whirled, coming face to face with himself. All breath stopped reaching his lungs as he froze in disbelief. His double studied him with narrowed brown eyes, dark hair tousled a bit by a gentle breeze. And yet, he didn’t seem the least bit surprised to be face to face with a copy of himself. “Who are you and what are you doing in my home?” his double asked him, his voice smooth. But in the depths of that voice was an arrogance, a cold tone underneath seductiveness. Syaoran parted his lips, speaking faintly. “I’m…you,” he whispered dumbly. His double tilted his head to the side quickly, a small smile playing upon his lips. “I can see that,” he replied in slight amusement. “Rather ingenious, I must admit. But how far did you really think you would get?” Syaoran stared at him. “What…do you mean?” His double continued to gaze at him. Syaoran half expected him to lick his lips, he was looking at him so hungrily. “I mean exactly what I said. It’s quite obvious you’re working under Clow. I commend you on the fact that you made your way here. But really, once here, how far did you think you’d get, with me being here?” Syaoran blinked in confusion. Too much was happening and not a damn thing was making sense. “I’m not…working under Clow. Or actually, maybe I am. But he doesn’t go by that name anymore-“ “I don’t care what name he goes by.” his double suddenly spat, cutting him off in mid-sentence. “Are you some kind of fool?” Funny, how he could insult him upon their first meeting. It seemed he let too many people get away with that. With a sigh Syaoran shook his head. “You don’t understand. I’m not from around here. I’m actually from a different world altogether and right now my friend, Eriol, he’s Clow Reed reincarnated-“ His double listened for all of a moment before silencing him with a finger upon his lips. Syaoran broke off, eyes widening as his double shushed him almost tenderly. “Clow Reed has not been reincarnated. Clow Reed is not dead. Secondly, you must think me a fool by feeding me this line.” He glared icily, finally drawing back his finger. “I’m quite sorry I don’t believe your lies but I’m afraid I must have you arrested now. I’m sure they’ll find a comfortable holding cell for you.” Syaoran let his breath rattle out. Arrested? For what? “You don’t understand,” he said quickly. “I have to start making my way back. Now. Eriol’s waiting, he’s holding the doorway open and he’s going to be furious if I don’t get back in the next few minutes-“ “Eriol.” His double let the name roll off his tongue. “Clow Reed’s reincarnated soul.” Syaoran nodded. “Yes, exactly,” he said. “I need to get back right now. So if you will just point out the way-“ His double didn’t budge from his spot before him. Instead he smiled, cattily, and lifted a hand, motioning behind him. “Hikaru.” At the door of the room stood a woman, tall and slender, with long dark eyes and black hair. She bowed her head at his bidding and then pulled open the door at her side, allowing several guards to enter the room. Syaoran backed up a step, stiffening. His double didn’t stop smiling. “Take him,” he ordered and then he simply turned away, floating toward the doors as the guards came forth, surrounding Syaoran and cornering him against the balcony. “M-Matte…” he uttered, backing away from the guards as they came closer. One guard lunged at him, hand swinging. Syaoran ducked away, colliding against the balcony wall. And he quickly glanced over, looking down. At least twenty feet down. He could make it if he jumped. Maybe. But then he saw the tapestries hanging along the balconies, and there was one directly below him. Just as a hand clamped down on his shoulder he flung himself over, taking hold of the material and hanging on for dear life. Down below he heard gasps ring out and he looked to see the women below scatter in opposite directions. He slid down the tapestry, landing on the ground in a matter of seconds and then he glanced up, a quick smile playing across his lips. The guards were shouting down to him, the leader motioning for them to circle about and cut him off. Syaoran whirled to escape to his right, eyes searching the courtyard for an easy way out. And amidst the flurry and commotion of women was the single form of Sakura, not having moved from her spot at all. Her green eyes gazed at him, slender arms raised before her in a worried gesture. He came to a complete stop, staring at her wordlessly. Sakura… Behind her, the side door opened and guards came out, rushing around her and heading toward him. He backed up a step, torn between escaping and going toward Sakura, taking hold of her arm and forcing her to run away with him. He pulled forth a slip of paper, bringing it before his face and murmuring words. Fire suddenly burst from the slip, tongues dancing in the night and he flung the paper down, watching as it streaked out to form a barrier of fire. The guards came to a stop on the other side of the wall of flames, anger and surprise registering on their faces. Sakura stood where she was, eyes still caught on him, and her figure danced in the heat of the flames. I’ll come back for you. Syaoran whirled and fled, diving around water fountains and throwing himself into another side door and disappearing out of it. Up above on the balcony his double watched curiously, eyes focused on the wall of fire that had trapped his guards. He had recognized the words, had remembered them from when he had been a simple magic user. So long ago. His eyes flickered toward the red-haired girl, studying her just as keenly. A pretty little thing, no doubt. But what was his sudden interest with a concubine? “Hikaru,” he called, arms folding over his chest. As his advisor neared he motioned down below was his chin. “That girl there, with the red hair. Have her sent to my room. Tonight.” And without another word he turned and strode out of the room, heading back toward his quarters. |
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