Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Chronicles of the Ookami Realm: Legend of Li Syaoran ❯ The Calm before an Oncoming Storm ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chronicles of the Ookami Realm: Legend of Li Syaoran

According to Legend, those who encounter him will see their death flash in his eyes. Will the Legend of the Ookami Realm stand true when innocent Princess Sakura accidentally ventures forth?

Chapter 9: The Calm before an Oncoming Storm

I'll get my sister back!

Syaoran dismounted Selena and helped Sakura get off. Grabbing the horse by her Reins, he looped his free hand around Sakura's waist, somewhat to her displeasure. Guiding both the horse and the Lady deep into fresh green forest, Syaoran somewhat felt content with himself.

“And you're taking me into a dark forest where nobody can hear me scream for fear you might do something…” Sakura said sarcastically and Syaoran laughed goodheartedly.

“Yes mi'lady,” Syaoran rolled his eyes, “I have, in every intention, the mind to take advantage of you in the discomfort of a forest when I could've done so in the sanctity of my own bedroom last night.”

“Excellent point my lord,” Sakura continued their lighthearted banter, “however you do chose to forget the fact that you have imprisoned me in this unknown land for your own benefit.”

“You chose to forget the fact, mi'lady,” Syaoran countered with her exact same comment, “that you willfully came to me this morning upon hearing my maidservants saying that I had required your attendance.”

“You are eluding the fact that your maidservants had spoken to me about the fact that you had insisted, with no second opinion, that I give you my attendance this morning.”

“I had requested, not insisted with no second opinion.”

“Shall I refresh your memory?” Sakura raised a brow as they entered the forest. A crisp air shot around them and Sakura inhaled deeply, loving the scent of a forest fresh in the early morning. Turning back to Syaoran, she tilted her head and recreated the scene between herself and the maid earlier that morning.

“The Lord as summoned for you, and he wishes you to be in proper attire.” Sakura grinned up at Syaoran who seemed stumped. “Now, tell me Lord Ookami,” She tested with his title instead of his name, “isn't that insisting, rather than requesting?”

“Cut the big words, my head's spinning.” Syaoran playfully let go of Selena and Sakura to clutch his head. Sakura merely rolled her eyes and grabbed Selena's reign, walking away from Syaoran.

“You, Lord, are rather childish. Myself and the female horse are going to go on ahead, without you.”

That caught Syaoran's attention in a heartbeat. “Hey! Sakura don't venture off too far without me. These woods can be dangerous to any persons that do not know how to direct through it.”

“It's just a forest my Lord,” Sakura's voice echoed. Syaoran had lost sight of where she went and spun in a circle, hoping she was playing around with him, “what possibly can I do—AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Syaoran's eyes widened as he ran towards the scream. He couldn't let anything happen to her. She was a visitor from a foreign realm and acting as his bride-to-be, though she didn't know it. Syaoran, in his right mind, wouldn't let any harm come onto her and with the fact that Jin Tai Morimoto, exiled king, generation wise, was trying to call an attack onto his lands, Syaoran didn't want to risk anything.

“SAKURA!” He roared as he saw the white skin of his horse. He dashed in that direction, jumping over fallen logs, not caring that his outfit was being beaten up but the low-hanging branches of the forest. He had to get to Sakura right away…

Breaking through, he came to a central clearing and saw Sakura pushed up against a whinnying Selena with a rather large, contoured looking, ogre standing in front of her. Eyes flashing, a green helmed sword appeared in his hand with the Ookami insignia at the base of the blade. Charging towards the ogre, Syaoran leapt into the air and pierced the ogre straight down its midsection, cutting it from neck to navel.

Sakura was panting, fear painted in her eyes as Selena calmed down considerably. Relieving his sword (it flew out of his hand and disappeared into the sky) he inched towards Sakura, conscientiously, as he didn't want to frighten her. Sakura's eyes flashed in his direction and almost in an instant, she broke down, frightened.

Syaoran's arm wrapped around her as her hands, shakily, clutched him around his torso, sobbing into his chest. “That thing almost killed me!” She said, in hysterics. Never had she been so frightened, she normally had the backup of her Clow Magic, but because it was restricted from her in this realm, Sakura had had her first taste of real fear.

“It swung its club at me,” She said, calming down slightly since Syaoran was rubbing his hand up and down on her back, trying to ease away her tension and fear. “It was screaming in some weird language and tried to take my head off!”

“Shhh,” Syaoran soothed as he continued rubbing her back. He glanced at Selena and saw the fear in Selena's eyes too and he gave an apologetic nod to his mare. Turning his full attention back to his not-yet-but-soon-to-be-fiancée, Syaoran continued trying to calm her down. This wasn't, at all, in his plans when he had called for a picnic the previous night. He wanted this day to be perfect, without any fear or crap happening at all.

“It's okay,” he whispered, “that thing's dead now isn't it?” Sakura glanced at the dead, yet twitching, body on the ground. Nodding slightly, Syaoran continued hugging her.

“I told you not to run off. The forest is dangerous if you don't know how to direct through it.”

“Who knew an ogre would pop out! Normally I would have my magic to save myself but since that is obviously out of the question…”

“I'm sorry,” Syaoran said, not knowing what else he could've said at that moment, “come on, please?” He brought his lips down to her ear and breathed in it slowly, “Princess Wolf,” He murmured, “you're safe now.”

Sakura nodded slightly as she pushed herself off of him and wiped her face, trying to compose herself again. Syaoran smiled softly at her and crossed his arms, leaning back slightly so he could examine her.

“You're looking rather ravishing, if I do say so myself.”

Sakura glared at him. “I just went through hysterics and you say I look ravishing? I think the ogre affected you more so than it affected me!”

Syaoran rolled his eyes. “Wouldn't you like to think that.” He walked up to Sakura, lifted her by the waist and put her, side-saddling, on Selena. Syaoran then grabbed the reigns and started walking slowly, Selena trotting beside him.

“And what was that for?” Sakura raised a brow.

“In case you run off again and attract something larger and stronger than a forest ogre.”

Sakura gulped.

“Those exist?” She squeaked and Syaoran smirked.

“Oh yeah- they enjoy eating Princesses that disobey their Prince.”

Sakura crossed her arms. “That was so not funny.”

Syaoran doubled over and had a tough time trying to keep standing. Sakura looked rather cute when she was mad and he had made a mental ploy to make her made as often as he could, just to witness her cuteness.

“Yeah it was.”

“Was not.”

“I'm not about to argue.” Syaoran declared as Sakura snorted.

“Such unladylike sounds.” Syaoran tsk'ed and caused another snort to come from Sakura.

“Like you would care much?” Sakura raised a brow and Syaoran grinned, nodding.

“True- I dislike porcelain women.”

“Is that so?” Sakura smiled wickedly causing Syaoran to roll his eyes.

“Mi'lady, you're a magician, I doubt you can dislike action and fighting as much as porcelain princesses.”

Sakura crossed her arms. “You know just a bit too much about me.”

“Nahh,” Syaoran laughed, guiding them to his designated picnic spot, “you're just really easy to read.”

Atashi Ootori, general of Arms within the Ookami Realm, silently strode through the Courtyard, coming upon a rather inconspicuous looking character standing near the fountain situated at the far left. Standing idly beside him, Atashi cleared his throat.

“Do you have what I requested for?” The man asked and Atashi handed him a small bundle wrapped in white cloth.

“And you?”

The man gave Atashi a roll of parchment. Pocketing it, Atashi nodded before walking off, as unobvious as he could make himself to be. Turning around, Atashi found that the man had disappeared. Glancing around for a bit, just to make sure he was really gone, Atashi turned around and headed back into the castle to his chambers.

Arriving at his room, unquestioned by anybody, though nobody would want to question him since he ran the army to the Ookami realm, Atashi unraveled the parchment and thoroughly read it through.

Atashi

You've done a good job in keeping Syaoran in the North castle for two more weeks. I'm going to call in a guerilla attack shortly, within the next three days. Hopefully I can catch the castle unguarded and you too, do not call in for reinforcement when the attack arrives. My men are waiting in the Wolfen Forest just due east of the Northern Castle where they will be staying until further notice.

Make sure that Syaoran's lady remains with him at all times. I wish to get them together.

Jin Tai Morimoto

Atashi smirked rather wickedly as he folded the note and put it in his pocket. He knew that earlier that morning Syaoran and his lady had gone to the Wolfen Forest to have a small picnic; just the two of them and their mare. Maybe they'd stumble upon some of Jin Tai's men…

Maybe…Jin Tai didn't have to wait three days to kill Sakura and Syaoran.

Atashi's smirk widened. Perhaps, he thought, they'll die today…

Sakura's breath caught in her throat as she saw Syaoran bring them up to a tiny and quaint miniature waterfall that was bordered by a small pond bordered by rocks. There was a blanket resting on the rocks that bordered the pond and a small mound of hay set aside for Selena. Syaoran held his hands up and Sakura put her hands on his shoulder, allowing him to pull her off of the horse. Instantly, Selena headed towards hill of hay.

“This is… so beautiful.” Sakura whispered as she slowly walked towards the blanket that rested at the banks of the pond.

“It is, isn't it.” Syaoran smiled as he got the picnic basket from Selena and headed towards Sakura, sitting down on the blanket and opening the container that held their food. Sakura dropped a hand into the water and found it to be surprisingly, not as cold as she thought it would be.

“Where does the water go?” Sakura raised a brow.

“There's an underground tunnel that takes the water straight up to the castle. We use this water for drinking, since it is already purified.”

Sakura nodded, understanding fully. She turned back to the blanket and found that Syaoran had brought along a feast made for a king. Sakura's mouth started watering, since she hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. Syaoran smirked wolfishly at her as he brought out culinary utensils to eat their meals with.

“We feast?” He raised a brow.

Sakura grinned. “We feast!”

Touya sat impatiently in his fathers study as Eriol, Takashi and Mika pulled books from the castle library, trying to get as much information in creating a tear portal between two realms. Eriol rushed in to the room and stood beside Touya with a large leather-bound book in his hands.

“This is what?” Touya raised a brow.

“Ilaria: Magician Bound to Realms.” Eriol said as he opened the book and straight to a rather stringy looking page. Touya's interest was piqued as he leaned over, looking into the book.

“Anything on creating tear portals?”

“Yeah,” Eriol nodded, “if the portal is created, than energy has to be given in based on how long the portal is opened for. For example, a portal between close dimensions for a mere week can dissolve the magical power of three magicians.”

Touya's eyebrows furrowed. “So how much magic would it take to open a portal to the Ookami realm for five days?”

Eriol tapped his chin and flipped through some pages before looking up at the prince, a grim expression on his face.

“So?”

“It'll expel your magic and my magic fully for a portal to the Ookami realm for five days.”

Touya paled.

Sakura threw her head back and laughed at a joke Syaoran had so thoughtfully offered. He had been talking about his childhood and he revealed that he had thought that if one concentrated hard enough—he could fart a fart that could destroy the world.

“Oh holy name of wolves!” Sakura clutched her stomach. “You were a stupid child!”

“Hey! It was a safe assumption!”

“So was not,” Sakura rolled her eyes as she stood up. Sakura moved to grab a goblet to take a drink but screamed as it flew out of her hands. Both her gaze and Syaoran's gaze snapped towards the forest and saw the leaves rustle. Syaoran's hand reached into the waterfall pond and pulled out the arrow, frowning at a design that was etched near the base of the arrow.

“What is it?” Sakura asked.

Jin Tai's insignia. Syaoran thought as he shook his head. “Nothing mi'lady,” he smiled at her, “we should return quick. I just remembered some business I had to take care of.”

Sakura nodded dumbly as she folded the blanket while Syaoran quickly went to call their mare. Without a further moment of hesitation, he mounted Sakura and then himself and began riding back to their castle, the arrow that was shot pocketed firmly in his back pocket…

Okay so I have no idea what I'm doing but it seems to be working out… LOL! This first part of the trilogy will end in a few more chapters, not sure how much more but I'd estimate it'll end around chapter 15ish, give or take… :D

Lub,

Sakura