Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Through A Looking Glass ƽ°²¾©¤Î™ÑÎïÕZ ❯ Amber and emerald, it¡¯s a small world ( Chapter 5 )

Through A Looking Glass

By: Aisaki Sumi

 

Chapter Five

Amber and emerald, it's a small world

 

Footsteps shuffled on the stair.
Under the firelight, under the brush, her hair, spread out in fiery points

Heian Jidai - Heian Period, 1179, Autumn, Heian-Kyo

 

The silence between them was deafening, persistent and unstable. Even the drop of a needle could potentially shatter it completely and total chaos would take over. Sakura wanted to push the mysterious man away and throw up in a corner to see if she could get the pill out of her throat.

 

But she couldn't. If she moved an inch right there, her throat would be sliced and everything she worked so hard for would come to an end. Tightening her fists, she felt her nails digging into the flesh of her palm, cutting through it like a dull knife. The sudden pain kept her head clear.

 

She would never allow herself to die here. Never. She closed her eyes for a moment to adjust her uneven breathing pattern and calm down the frantic heart that was bouncing hysterically against her ribcage. Only when she was calm could she find a way out of this.

 

She waited for a moment, to see if her opponent was planning to talk at all because if he really wanted to assassinate her, he could've done so a long time ago and wouldn't haven wait until now. After assuring her life wasn't in immediate danger, Sakura felt calmer than before; though her back was still soaked in cold sweat.

 

It was rather ironic how she was being stalked and held hostage when it was bright and sunny out there. But what was more ironic was that no body even noticed this man stalking a young boy. Even she didn't notice it until a few moments ago.

 

He had to be a skilled fighter. And Sakura knew, she shouldn't underestimate his capability.

 

They stood there in the same position for a few more minutes but Sakura kept her cool even though her patience was waning rapidly. Suddenly, her ears picked up something. Drip. Drip. Drip. A liquid of some sort was dripping onto the floor from where he stood.

 

Since her head was being kept down, it wasn't hard for her to steal a quick glance at his feet. There, she saw a brilliant scarlet liquid mixed with the muddy water puddle. It was blood. She recognized it right away. He was hurt, and pretty severely too.

 

This put the trademark smile back onto Sakura's face again. “Are you going to talk or are you planning to stand here with me all day long and bleed to death?” She drawled lazily, showing no signs of fear.

 

Eriol stared at the young boy before him in shock and wondered how he could still be so calm in a life and death situation like this. If he was scared and nervous at that moment, he certainly managed to hide it unbelievably well.

 

Cringing a little, the burning pain shooting up from his abdominal area felt like something was clawing at his wound. Eriol used his other freehand to hold onto the area of his wound to keep the blood from gushing out of it.

 

But he still held his sword in place. It was the only thing he had with him that could bring him some safety and a shelter. He breathed heavily, panting and sucking on the air almost greedily. His throat was on fire and he felt exhausted and dizzy, but he knew he had to stay clear-headed.

 

The boy in front of him was his only ticket out of Heian-kyo alive and he wouldn't pass this good chance so easily.

 

“If you can get me somewhere safe to stay at, I'll give you the antidote for that poison.” Eriol offered a bargain. They both wanted to live and Eriol knew the boy would not throw away this offer because if he did, he would die right now.

 

When their lives were being gambled in the game, they had to think twice about what they would do.

 

“But how do I know the pill contains some kind of poison? What if it's just some candy that looked like a pill?” She challenged him fearlessly. “What if you're just bluffing here?” Pressed Sakura provocatively.

 

“You'll get your answers shortly.” He sneered darkly. And within a minute, Sakura felt something crushing her heart and the pain was unbearable. She couldn't breathe and her hands were shaking uncontrollably.

 

“This kind of poison would only attack your body five minutes after you've swallowed it, and then it would attack you every six hours. When 24 hours is up, you will die.” He narrated the process of her death in such a relent manner, without any remorse. (The Japanese people don't use hours back in those days, their time system is rather complex, and I don't wanna confuse anyone here. So let's pretend they use hours.)

 

The pain slowly faded away and Sakura straightened herself up again, keeping her face expressionless. “I'll just have to search the entire Heian-kyo to find the antidote then. Don't underestimate what I am capable of doing.”

 

She could just use the power of the Taira clan to find the antidote that could cure her. After all, Syaoran promised her he would give her anything she wanted as long as it wasn't love.

 

“I know you're probably from a powerful family here in Heian-kyo. But that poison you've just swallowed is very rare. The recipe to make it and to cure it was passed down from my family. You won't be able to find it that easily within a day.”

 

Sakura bit her lips for a moment. “You don't have a choice but to agree to the deal.” He pressured her gently, a triumphant smile tugging on his lips.

 

Of course she didn't have any choice. Her life was in his hand and if she didn't help him, she would die and he would die.

 

“Deal.” She agreed to it smoothly without any sign of reluctance in her soft but still masculine voice. But her hands were still in tight fists, hidden under the long sleeve of the kimono she wore.

 

Eriol let out a small sign of relief.

 

Sakura used this as a chance to move away from his sword so it wasn't aiming at the critical area on her neck anymore. She titled her head to his direction and looked straight into her “stalker's” eyes. The other's eyes widened in shock, but just very briefly.

 

Endless blue like the beautiful and enigmatic ocean, yet crystal clear at the same time, Sakura had to admit that the sight of those eyes made her breath hitch. He was very pretty if pretty could be used to describe a man. His features weren't as handsome as Syaoran's and had a slight feminine touch to it.

 

But only fools could be deceived by his somewhat fragile appearance. Because she saw the harshness in those icy blue crystals, like cutting diamonds; he was a man capable of killing if his existence was threatened. Dangerous, beautiful, and proud. Sakura smiled warmly. Her smile was blindingly beautiful.

 

As deceiving as it was beautiful.

 

Eriol continued to scrutinize the young boy before him. He was short and slender, somewhat svelte. And when he turned his way, Eriol felt his heart skipping a beat. A face as delicate and as beauteous as that shouldn't belong to a man. And his smile… how could a boy smile like that?

 

“Saa…you can stop staring at me now.” A light, soft giggle interrupted Eriol's thought. Usually, he would've been disgusted by men who were too feminine to be considered as men. But for some strange reason, when se chuckled - or rather giggled—like that, it felt so natural and enchanting.

 

“Since we've already struck a deal here, can you please remove your sword from my neck so we can get that wound of yours cleaned up? Or would you rather stay here instead and chat?” She questioned him with a hint of playfulness added to her tone, leaving the answer to her inquiry rather obvious.

 

“But if you want to stay here, I don't mind.” One of her long slender fingers brushed aside the strand of auburn hair that fell lose from the grip of her hat (which was supposed to keep her hair in place).

 

Eriol blinked, feeling slightly bewitched but he quickly shook his head to regain his consciousness. “Let's go.” He mumbled, putting his sword away.

 

……

 

Sakura took off the outer most layer of clothes she wore and gave it to Eriol to cover himself up, especially the red stain from his wound. At this moment, she was almost thankful for her decision to wear a somewhat jacket-like kimono layer to hide her feminine curves.

 

Sakura and Eriol kept their heads dipped low as they made their way through the crowd and eventually arrived at one of the biggest and renowned tavern in Heian-Kyo. Sakura paid for a room and settled Eriol down first before their actions raised any suspicions.

 

Then, she called in the waiter-boy and paid him a large sum of money to get the best medicines and herbs he could get before sending the boy out. Closing the door behind her tightly and locking it up, Sakura let out a small sigh as she made her way to the inner part of the room where the bedroom was located.

 

“I sent out the waiter-boy to fetch some herbs and medical supplies so you can clean up that wound of yours.” Sakura explained as she took a seat beside the bed he was lying on. His face was unnaturally pale she noticed, from a great loss of blood.

 

He rested there with his eyes closed. The bandage wrapped carelessly and very unprofessionally was soaked scarlet red and she knew, judging from the way he dealt with his wound, that he was running away from someone.

 

“Mind telling me your name?” The faint and curious tone she spoke in sounded strangely comforting to him.

 

He didn't reply right away. She could see the hesitation in his expression. “Well I was just curious you know…but you don't have to answer--”

 

Before she could finish her sentence, he gave out his name. “You saved me and deserve the right to know my name. It's Minamoto Yoshitsune. But most people call me by my childhood name, Eriol.”

 

Sakura's heart skipped a beat as she studied the young man who looked no older than twenty years old. Just her luck… Minamoto Yoshitsune, the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, was on Taira clan's most wanted list. No wonder he was hurt so badly, for god's sake he was a frigging runaway prisoner!

 

She heard about the news on the night of her wedding from Miyuki. No body knew about it except the Taira family members, and she wasn't supposed to know about it either. But Miyuki heard the gossips from a servant girl who served Taira no Kiyomori and immediately reported it to her.

 

Apparently, the Minamotos were a rising rebel clan and they were Taira clan's biggest threat. But luckily, Syaoran caught Minamoto Yoshitsune in a one on one combat when Minamoto Yoshitsune tried to assassinate his father.

 

Kiyomori, the head of the Taira family, planned to behead him another day then report it to the emperor that Minamoto Yoshitsune intended on assassinating the emperor and the empress.

 

It was a flawless plan, using Minamoto Yoshitsune as a scapegoat. This way, Kiyomori would seem like the hero of Japan because he protected the Emperor from a possible assassination. But at the same time, he also got rid of the brother of his opponent. One stone for two birds, it was a brilliant plan.

 

Except Kiyomori underestimated Minamoto Yoshitsune's abilities and he also miscalculated the part about his son's new wife aiding his enemy in his escape.

 

Eriol reopened his eyes quickly after hearing no reply from the boy before him and glared at Sakura warily. “What?” He demanded, keeping his guards up again. No body in Heian-kyo should know the name “Minamoto Yoshitsune”, unless he was from the Taira family.

 

Kiyomori planned to kill him tonight and then report it to the emperor the next day so he wouldn't even get the chance to speak for himself. A part of Eriol really didn't want to kill the young boy who saved his life, but if he knew his name somehow it would mean that he was an ally of the Taira clan. Thus, his enemy.

 

Sakura saw the iciness in his blue eyes and knew the way she acted raised his suspicions. Smiling casually again, Sakura replied. “Oh nothing, I was just curious why you told me your childhood name.” Her gaze aslant as her penetrating green eyes fell on him again.

 

Eriol looked away and said nothing.

 

“Maa, my name is Sakuma Ryuichi, and it's a pleasure to meet you.” Sakura introduced herself in a light and cheerful tone of voice which eased up the tension that filled the air between them a moment ago.

 

Just then, they heard a loud knock on the door. Sakura dropped the smile on her face and gestured him to hide under the bed quickly. The knocking didn't ease up, it only became louder. The loud bangs blended in so easily with the frantic beating of her heart.

 

After Eriol crawled under the bed, Sakura straightened out her kimono and headed for the door. But when she opened it, she saw a handsome man with golden amber eyes. It was none other than the husband who had never seen her before. And behind him, stood soldiers in the Taira clan's uniforms.

 

If she guessed it right, they were searching for Minamoto Yoshitsune, who was hiding right under the bed not far from where they stood.

 

She couldn't possibly show any signs of nervousness now. If Minamoto Yoshitsune died, she would die too and she couldn't let that happen.

 

Keeping her expression as naturally and as sincerely as ever, the corner of her mouth lifted upward just slightly and a faint smile bloomed on her lips. “Maa, what a small world we live in.”

 

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a.n.: Let's see how Sakura-chan's gonna pull this one off. Can she fool Syaoran? Will Eriol get caught? Read on and find out in the next chappie my darling friends XD. -dashes away before she gets killed off by rotten tomatoes-

 

P.S.: I LUB writing about people plotting against each other and about power struggles during those ancient times. XD (which is why my friends kept on calling me evil…-sweatdrop-) And so, my lovely readers, you can expect more actions coming at ur way lolz! Review remember!!

 

Important notice: I've changed things a bit for Minamoto Yoshitsune (Eriol) to fit this story a bit better. In history, Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159 - June 15, 1189) was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo (the third son of Yoshitomo) founded the Kamakura shogunate. Yoshitsune's name in childhood was Ushiwakamaru (which I changed it to Eriol so things would fit).

 

Yoshitsune was born slightly before the Heiji Rebellion of 1159 in which his father and oldest two brothers were killed. His life was spared and he was put under the care of Kurama Temple, nestled in the Hiei Mountains near the capital of Kyoto, while Yoritomo was banished to Izu Province. Eventually Yoshitsune was put under the protection of Fujiwara no Hidehira, head of the powerful regional Northern Fujiwara clan in Hiraizumi, Mutsu Province. (But for this part, I'm adding onto the Eriol escaping part so he could assassinate Kiyomori, you know, for revenge, but he, unfortunately, was captured by Syaoran. But he managed to escape again, and that's how he and Sakura met) Gomen nasai for changing this part of the history!

 

And yes I know Japanese people sleep on tatami, BUT, since the tavern is opened by someone from Da Song (name given to China during the Song Dynasty, 960-1279) of course that person will use beds instead of tatami pad to sleep on. And you'll see why I say the tavern is opened by someone from Da Song a bit later when I introduce Meiling into the picture. HINT! Buwahaha. XD

 

And to those of you who thought Eriol worked for Syaoran to stalk down Sakura because she talked back to him in that provocative manner, well it was a good try guys lol XD. But Eriol and Syaoran will be enemies in this story, sadly I know, since they've always been best buds in my other fics. XD

 

Chapter Completion: 01-03-2007 (Month, date, year)