Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ True Colors ❯ Grey-Friendship ( Chapter 1 )

I have decided to name each chapter after a color (Partially due to the name of the fanfic) and its symbolism that fits with the chapter's story. R&R!

 

Title: True Colors

Rating: T for Teen

Genre: Romance/Adventure

Type: Alternate Universe

 

Summary: Sakura is a servant in the castle of the kingdom, sold by her family when they are in crisis and finds many surprises awaiting her. One is Syaoran, who is cold and rude but softens under Sakura's influence and another is a plot that holds the balance of everyone's she loves future hanging in the balance. Can Sakura save all she loves? And can she find a loophole that can bring Syaoran and her together? Read to find out! S/S

 

Sakura: 17

Syaoran: 17

 

Card Captor Sakura and all its characters are owned by me only in my dreams (No, really it is owned by CLAMP). Starlight Rose gave me inspiration for some of the names, but everything else is mine.

 

Grey-Friendship

 

Once, in the time of Kings and Queens, there was the country of Clow. Clow was more for being peaceful and their reserved, country ways. The country flourished with their joined trade to Faulanda, who was known for their modernism and cities. That is, until “The Great Drought” that spread famine, disease, and desperate acts.

 

The Kinomotos were ordinary farmers that lived on the outskirts of the capital. They had a son, Touya, and a daughter, Sakura, whom the parents loved immensely. Touya had black hair, dark eyes, and sharp features that worked hard and teased his sister mercilessly. He had fallen in love with Kaho Mizuki, a local neighbor, and was engaged to be married. Sakura was the opposite of Touya with auburn hair that reached her waist, lively emerald eyes, soft features, and a big heart for people and animals. She excelled in when it came to cooking (after all, she got much practice, cooking meals every day) and working with animals.

 

The Kinomoto's had done well until “The Great Drought” where they struggled just to make end's meet. It was a difficult time for everyone, especially the Kinomoto's. They might only have one meal of soup and the heat was a terrible thing to bear. Then, family life only grew worse when Nadeshiko, Sakura and Touya's mother, grew sick. There was not much that could be done but pray and feed her what they could. Not only that, but with the raised taxes, they were broke and in debt. It was on a cold night that Sakura's adventure would begin.

 

Fugitaka looked grim; his new frown lines made him look older than he was. A cough broke out from Nadeshiko distracting him from his thoughts. Sakura poured watered-down tea and served it to her mother. Fugitaka watched her movements until she reached the door and then turned his attentions to his wife. He cleared his throat to begin speaking.

 

**Sakura's POV**

 

Sakura finished pouring tea for her mother and made her way to the door. She knew Fugitaka was following her every move from the corner of his eye. She knew they would be talking business and would not want her in the same room. She also knew that it was urgent and she would want to hear.

 

Sakura felt her father change his attention shift to Nadeshiko. She walked throught the door, just so her father could have his confidence, but reentered and sidled into the shadows. Carefully she maneuvered around the creaky floor board and the drying herbs hanging from the ceiling.

 

At last she reached her corner, her haven, just as her father began to speak, “I think I have found a solution, not that my morals agree with it,” he spoke in almost a whisper, so that it was difficult for even Sakura to hear it. Nadeshiko gave a little nod, urging him to continue, “I feel that there is too little food and work to continue living as we are,” his voice began to crack with strain and Sakura wondered why.

 

“Therefore, if we reduce our numbers, I feel that you might get well because we will have more food and with the money we would receive we could pay our debts and possibly more,” Fugitaka now had tears in his eyes but finished, “I have come to the conclusion that we should send Sakura to her cousin's house where they can instill employment for her as a servant. That way Sakura's well being would be taken care of and we would receive a portion of her wages.” He paused and muttered under his breath, “ I know she can do this…”

 

Sakura gasped, `Did I hear them right? Sell me?! What am I, livestock that can be pawned off on a whim?!' she suddenly could not stay in this room with her parents. She felt she couldn't breathe! She exited more swiftly than she came in, but less quiet and ended up hitting the creaky floor board not unnoticed by Fugitaka. She ran through her parents' tiny bedroom and climbed up the ladder to the loft that was Touya and her bedroom. She collapsed onto her bed and sobbed. She was lucky her brother wasn't in there with her or she may never hear the end of it.

 

She cried until she had no tears left and her blankets were soaked. She heard her brother's long strides as he came up from another day in the fields. She rolled over so he wasn't facing her and pretended to sleep. When she heard that his breathing was lengthened, she tiptoed over to the ladder and climbed down, then tiptoed past her parent's bed. She opened the door to the outside and breathed in the fresh scent of spring.

 

She ran to her haven, the cherry blossom tree she was named after and knelt near the roots. Out of a hole popped a white head and it sniffed the air and then hopped over to where she sat. Sakura picked up the bunny with the care she might lift a baby and put his soft cheek against hers. Fresh tears stung her eyes, “Kero, something awful has happened,” her voice warbled. `Did your mother pass on to the other world?' she heard his soft and gentle voice mutter.

 

“No, my parents have decided to sell me to become a servant so that they may receive my wages and save food.” The tears she held back rolled down her fair cheeks. Kero rubbed his soft head against her cheeks attempting to soothe her. “What is worse is not the fact that my father came up with this grand master plan, but that I won't get to see them. I will not get to help curing my mom and cook with her, get teased more by Touya and see his wedding, play mind games and read with Dad. I will instead sacrifice for my family to survive.”

 

After this she lay under her tree and allowed Kero to pacify her. `I will come with you,' Kero stated solemnly. Sakura shot up at his words, “You are still a baby; you shouldn't be able to make such life altering decisions.” The sentence came out less a statement and more a question because she knew Kero had made up his mind. They said no more and instead lay under the blossoming tree until the sun began his trek across the sky.

 

Sakura had not realized how much time had gone by until a ray touched her closed lids and she woke. “Oh my gosh, I stayed out here all night!” She put a hand to her head and felt her hair `Could be worse,' she thought. She got up, straightened her rumpled clothes, and entered the cottage. She felt determined, ready to face what challenges would come at her that day.

 

Her father greeted her when she entered but would not look her in the eyes. He kept his hands busy by starting to make tea over the fire. Sakura went to the cabinets and started to scavenge for things they could have for breakfast.

 

All through the day, she did her best to act normal, trying not to raise suspicion. Her father still would not look her in the eyes and evaded her to the best of his abilities until he went to work in the fields.

 

After morning chores, she ran to the forest behind their home. She dodged roots and low branches expertly until she reached a small, bowl-shaped meadow that was covered in dry, shrub flowers. Yellows, reds, pinks, blues, yellows, whites, oranges, and purples spread over all ground. Sakura ran gleefully to the boundary where the flowers began and picked a parched daisy. She twirled it around her fingers as she made her way to the center of the meadow. She laid down and closed her eyes. She tuned her senses and picked up the sound of the wind whispering through the branches of nearby trees, birds chirping to one another, and a bee making its rounds among the wildflowers. She felt a bird land on her stomach and she raised her head and peered at it. It was a female robin and its black eyes met hers as she recognized another of her friends.

 

“Ruby! I hadn't seen you since the fall! How was the migration and the warmer climates? Did everyone make it back?” And so went on a conversation with the robin Ruby as she described the males of their group and how the nestlings handled the migration. Sakura would giggle at the brazen way she described her mate, Spinnal, and her female friends' mates. As she listened she also made a daisy chain and Ruby placed it perfectly in her hair. It was when she heard hooves on the passing road, she promptly stood. The hooves startled Ruby and she fluttered to Sakura's shoulder.

 

The brown horse trotted along the path and when the rider under the hood of his cloak spotted Sakura and he pulled the reins on the horse to a stop and pulled the hood down from his head. Sakura heard the horse mumble how his rider could sometimes be rough when he wasn't paying attention and then he proceeded to mumble some common curses horses used. Sakura normally would have laughed at this comment but was transfixed on the eyes of the handsome rider.

 

His eyes were the exact color of her mother's amber ring that she had always had a fancy for. She stood there dumbly for a minute then noticed his other features as he also seemed to be taking her in. His chestnut hair was a mess on his head, but it was so adorable, and he had the features that reminded her of the handsome statues her temple kept of their gods. `God is he beautiful,' she sighed.

 

**Stranger's POV**

 

It was another blasted visit to the neighboring kingdom's king in his father's stead when he suddenly felt like he could not breathe in the stuffy guest rooms. He changed into his most casual and plain clothing he could find, a green tunic, soft, brown pants, and a black cloak (for secret identity purposes), and then suited up his stallion and rode out of the crowded capital. He had just passed through the gates and last outskirts of signs of a city when he saw slivers of a meadow through the trees. He thought this would be a fine place for a rest until he saw her.

 

She, at first glance, looked like she had been lying among the flowers until he saw those lovely, green eyes. He pulled down his hood to get a clearer look to see if they really were the same shade as his favorite color. Their eyes met and held for what seemed like hours, but in a good sense. He felt he could gaze into those eyes forever. She then averted her examine the other parts of his face, taking him in. He froze in his seat for a moment, `What if she recognizes me as the soon to be King of Faulanda?!' He then realized that she had a look of pure innocence and curiosity and did not seem to recognize him.

 

As she studied him, he examined the rest of her lovely features. He took in her waist-length, auburn hair that glowed from the sun's attentions and framed her face. She had (as far as he could tell due to the distance) long eyelashes and a slim, delicate figure. It was then that he noticed the small bird on her shoulder he then identified as a robin, seeming to be trying to hide from him or his horse.

 

He dismounted and tugged on the reins of his horse then tied his horse to a sturdy branch on a nearby tree. That secure, he proceeded to approach the girl. The girl's eyes grew wide as she saw him coming closer and she seemed about to run. “Wait!”

 

She turned around slowly with mixed emotions in her eyes, definitely fear in the look. He was about five feet from her now but had no intention of moving for fear of her running away and out of his life forever. All he wanted to know more about this mysterious stranger that he felt so strongly enchanted by. “Who are you?”

 

**Sakura's POV**

 

When Sakura saw him dismount and approach her, she grew frightened. This was like the kind of stories that were used to prevent girls from going out at night alone. The kind where girls were forced to do things they did not want to by men, things she was inexperienced in. She was about to flee when he called out to her…

 

“Wait!”

 

She stopped in her tracks, surprised that he would actually speak to her and did not jump on her as in those horror stories. She turned around and saw he was only a few feet from where she stood. She hardly breathed, preparing for the worst, but she saw only trust and security in those gorgeous amber eyes.

 

“Who are you?”

 

She did not feel it was very smart to go spilling her name and address to a total stranger, let alone a man, especially when her overprotective brother was there and would likely tear him to pieces. She would not want that fate on anyone, even more so when she felt so strongly attracted to this one. She chose her response carefully.

 

“People call me Nadeshiko,” she answered. This wasn't completely false. When she made one of her many rounds to the market in the capital, they called her this as a nickname because she looked so much like her mother when she was young. Besides, he was probably a rich foreigner and would not care about the daughter of a poverty-stricken farmer.

 

He seemed to agree with this answer for he nodded. “I'm…Xiao Lang,” he seemed to think about this answer, so Sakura had the sneaking suspicion that this was not his real name. “Do you live around here? I thought that many of the farmers from the area moved.” She did not know what to say at first, but decided to stick with the truth, after all it wasn't in her nature to lie. She nodded, “Yes, we live through those trees and down the road. I live with my mother, father, and brother,” the last part about her brother she grumbled, not exactly wanting to mention him. Her eyes burned with a fierce ambition of passion and revenge as she thought back on all the times he had embarrassed, teased, and called her “monster”.

 

“Who is your friend? You haven't introduced us yet,” he pointed to her shoulder. She showed a look of that that resembled a deer in headlights, then looked over at her shoulder and remembered the robin. “Oh, this is Ruby.” Just then another robin, a male that seemed proud of sporting a red chest, landed on Sakura's left shoulder. She held out a finger as a perch for him and he accepted. “This is Spinnal, Ruby's mate and proud father of three nestlings. I emphasize `proud'.” As if on cue, the robin puffed up even more, if that's possible.

 

Xiao Lang came forward a few feet so they were easily within arms length and he attempted to stroke Spinnal's breast. Spinnal looked ready to peck him, so Sakura grunted sternly and he responded by allowing the handsome Xiao Lang to rub him. Then Xiao Lang positioned a finger-perch for the male and he obliged, then hopped on his shoulder. `Oh, how I wish I could be Spinnal right now,' she found herself thinking. She then was horrified with herself for thinking that way and found the heat rising in her cheeks and she looked down to try to hide it. Sakura had always been a romantic at heart and easily smiled and talked around other men. If it wasn't for her brother, she might have been engaged by now, let alone had her first kiss.

 

For her sake, it did not look like Xiao Lang had seen her shame and was busy showing affection to Spinnal. “He likes you,” she said sheepishly. `Why am I so shy all of a sudden?! Just because I have one romantic thought I can now not even act straight! I mean this isn't the first time I have had romantic daydreams, it's not even the first time I have been around a hot guy!' she silently scolded herself. “Do you really think so?” Xiao Lang responded to her statement, shocking her from her thoughts. “I know so. He normally does not respond kindly to anything out of the ordinary.” Seeing Spinnal now responding well to his touch and affection she now herself puffed up with pride of yet again finding a friend for her animals, and oh how she loved to do that! She was already returning to her bubbly and loving self.

 

She was just getting comfortable with the mysterious and handsome Xiao Lang when an all too familiar voice yelled, “Monster!” Unfortunately that meant she had to respond and that was the last thing she wanted to do right now. She wanted not only to talk with Xiao Lang, alone, not with her brother eyeing her every move, and she wanted to stay just out of spite for her brother but knew it was probably to help Nadeshiko with some monotonous chore.

 

“Who was that? And who is `Monster'?” Xiao Lang added his eyes scanning the scenery, trying to find the source of the screech. Sakura sighed as yet again her brother embarrasses her as she has to explain, “That was my brother and the monster he is referring to is me.” Xiao Lang looked slightly offended, Sakura wasn't sure if that was because he had just been associating with a monster or that another human being would actual refer AND respond to one another. “I've got to go,” she simply stated without caring if her voice held as much disappointment as she felt.

 

Xiao Lang did not say anything but instead held a hand out for Spinnal, which he took and held his hand out for to her to take the bird. When she held her hand out, his cupped hers as Spinnal hopped from one to the other. This brief contact brought a light pink tint to Sakura's cheeks. She meant to quickly look at his expression, but when she saw that he was looking at her face too, eye contact was met and she felt she could not look away. `Oh God, he has such beautiful eyes,' she thought.

 

She broke the bond first when Touya screamed “Monster!” again. Sakura then traded her attention to Spinnal and threw her hand in the air giving Spinnal enough momentum to take flight in the showy fashion he so desired. Sakura observed him for a moment then looked back to Xiao Lang followed by averting her gaze when she found he was looking at her. For the third time today, she blushed. “I had better be going,” she gave him a smile before running off with Ruby flying off her shoulder. She ran along, when a thought struck her, that she wanted him to remember her, hoping that it would give him a good memory. When she reached the meadow's end, she turned around to wave with a brilliant smile.

 

**Syaoran's POV**

 

“He likes you,” Nadeshiko said so quietly that Syaoron almost did not hear. “You think so?” he had begun to direct his attention back to Nadeshiko. “I know so. He normally does not respond kindly to anything out of the ordinary.” She looked extremely happy for some reason when she lovingly gazed at Spinnal.

 

The moment completely fell to ruin when an outside voice yelled, “Monster!” Syaoran was completely confused so he asked the burning question (or should I say `questions'), “Who was that? And who is `Monster'?” Nadeshiko sighed and looked mournfully at the ground, as if seeing a blade of grass get stepped on was killing her inside, “That was my brother and the monster he is referring to is me,” she stated simply. Syaoran was offended that her brother would not care that he just referred to this angel before him as a monster. “I've got to go,” Sakura simply stated, sounding remorseful.

 

Syaoran's insides were screaming `No!' when she made that comment, but he knew that after seeing many farmers around the area on his way to the castle that many were struggling to make end's meet. Even though he knew all things must come to an end, something inside him wished this wouldn't end.

 

Syaoran remembered his feathered friend and held his hand palm up for the bird. Syaoran himself was thinking devious plans on his next move, to return Spinnal. He held his hand out to Nadeshiko's then cupped hers as the bird hopped on. Unfortunately for him, this is as far as he would go with these devious plans, only brief contact with an angel. He watched her expression as a blush rose into her cheeks and she looked up. `She is so stunning especially when she blushes; she is just way too hot for her own good.' He could not look away from those green pools. She was the first to break the contact when that awful voice screamed out again, and she threw her hand in the air. Spinnal took flight, obviously showing off, though the whole time Syaoran had been staring at the beauty in front of him. She too looked back, blushed again, and said hurridly, “I had better be going,” with a smile.

 

Syaoran, who barely smiled himself, if he had in the last ten years, was taken aback. Nadeshiko raced off through the meadow with Ruby fluttering away. She stopped at the edge where she turned, waved, and gave yet another, if not more, radiant smile. He began to feel his icy heart melting.

_________________________________________________________________ _______

 

I took out the horrid commentary here…ugh. Anyway, I fixed a few things in this version, and this should be the final version of this chapter:

The names they gave to one another

The length of Sakura's hair (and for good reason too!)

A few grammar mistakes

And a lot of Syaoran's POV, I found it to be completely useless

 

I'm back on board!

 

EmyBlossom