The Black King

Chapter Four:

AN: Everyone thank you so so so so so much for being supportive and revewing so much! I've missed all of this, and it's so good to be back! Here it is, with, hopefully, a new chapter after even faster! You're all so amazing, drop me some more reviews!

Tomoyo watched him carefully. He was bent over his work, but he seemed distracted. Not once did he looked back to her after informing her of her new somewhat freedom. She was happy; correction, she was practically ecstatic. This was one small step towards her being freed.

She watched him though. Curled against the headboard with the thick sheets and heavy quilt pulled up around her she watched his strong and devilishly handsome profile. She watched how he thought, how he looked while thinking. It was an almost cute sort of thing, his brow creased and his eyes became glassy. She never focused directly on him more or less watched from the corner of her eyes, which were steadfastly directed towards the sheets. Through her thick eyelashes she eyed him and noticed how much like a beautiful statue he was; some kind of marveled carving. Finally sleep began to slip tendrils around her. It was a slow-process, but he was much too intent on his work to notice her slipping into the bed and under the covers. She slept facing him, trusting him enough to sleep in his presence and yet not presenting her back to him. Not yet.

She awoke in the depths of the night, blackness cloaking her vision and whimpers from her nightmare of her mother literally melting before her eyes. The fire was out, and a thick, but weak, bit of moonlight drifted lazily across the room as the clouds cleared from the moon. At one point she became aware that the Black King was lying as far away from her as he could, stiff as a board.

She puzzled for a moment, and thought with a start that maybe she disgusted him and he only let her live out of pity. Something in her pained horribly when she thought this so she pushed it aside. She was very cold. And he seemed very warm. She decided against sneaking closer to him. If he had been holding her last night, let him do it again. There was no way she was going to lead him on. Not for someone she hated so much it made her heart hurt. She turned over and curled into a tight ball, hoping this would warm her. Slowly her exhaustion took over and she fell back into sleep.

Eriol had taken the far side of the bed, nervous almost of his grip over his own actions. He wanted so badly to take her back into his arms, but he had made a promise and he was loath to break it now. He never closed his eyes once. Her whimpers made him clench his hands together so he would not cradle her and hopefully stop her demons from attacking her in her sleep.

She woke up at some point, he felt it, but a few minutes later she was again asleep. He thought at one point he too had drifted off, but he'd been so restless he'd woken himself up again. It was her shivering and whimpers that broke him. He'd put out the fire because he never liked sleeping with it lit, it made him wake up with a nasty cough and an ash taste in his mouth, but he was always a bit cold.

Before his mind could react to his actions he'd flipped himself over in an agitated sort of manner, yet surely, and thrown himself towards her. His arms slid under her very skillfully and over her, dragging her against his chest and offering her his warmth. She was rigid at first, but, thank Kami, she stayed asleep. She was so small compared to him! But she fit so perfectly. Almost instantly his soul felt at peace and his mind drifted into sleep. He heard her sigh happily and inhale deeply. Her shivers stopped.

Tomoyo awoke the next morning much as she had the last. Very relaxed and after a good night sleep again about the odd knight. She now knew something new. He loved her. It was an odd realisation, but a true one. She'd felt it strongly even in the dream. Some part of her wondered who he was and another blamed it on simple fantasy of a lonely mind. She shook it off as she became aware that she was again in the position of out-stretched arms. And she knew someone had held her again.

It looked like the Black King had caved in the end. She tried not to let this make her blush, but she failed horribly. Suddenly there was a booming knock on the door. Tomoyo "eep-ed" shrilly and nearly jumped to the ceiling. After she caught her breath she said in her meek, quiet little voice: "Come in." she stood from the bed as she said this and watched as a girl her own age literally bounced into the room.

Over her arm rested an odd bundle of clothes along with three simple but effective kimono. There was a smile like sunshine on her delicate and pretty face. Her auburn hair glinted with lighter natural highlights as she skipped through a patch of sunlight. Tomoyo watched her slightly awed as she stopped before her. Her sparkling emerald eyes, which were both wide-eyed and innocent and deep and intelligent, were an eternal greeting to her. "Wow. You're really pretty!" Tomoyo flushed and looked to the ground shyly.

"D-Domo gozaimasu." She stuttered going with the girl's polished Japanese. She was lucky she had to use so little Chinese. She spoke it, but not very well. The girl only smiled brightly in return to her thanks. She threw out her hand that wasn't carrying the clothes. "Sakura, at yer service! I brought all this stuff, cuz Isa-chan told me you needed some kimono from the High Priestess." She motioned with her arm and the clothes fell to a pile on the ground. The girl cursed in just as polished Chinese and Tomoyo bent to help her pick them up, slightly flustered at her language.

They both stood and met each others' eyes. Tomoyo broke the contact and held out her own hand timidly. "I'm Tomoyo." She said quietly. The girl looked to her hand, and then bowed politely before grabbing it and laying a quick kiss on her wrist. Tomoyo was slightly thrown-off by this, but she recovered as the girl stood fast and placed the kimono on the bed behind her. She eyed Tomoyo. "Let's get you cleaned up Tomoyo-san. I'm sure Eriol-sama doesn't like his…guests to be dirty." She winked and pulled Tomoyo into the bathing room.

It must've been an hour or two later, when a very happy Sakura was sitting with Tomoyo on the bed, brushing her wet hair happily that she asked what she'd been thinking since before Sakura had slipped into the bath with her. "Why did you hesitate by calling me a guest?" she felt Sakura freeze for a moment, then resume her brushing in the same monotonous manner.

Her own shorter hair had been brushed coarsely by her self earlier. "Well, I don't really know but…everyone's saying you're Eriol-kun's…well…" she trailed off and stopped brushing. Tomoyo turned to face her and saw she was as red as a cherry. She caught on and flushed crimson as well. "It's not true!" she cried out adamantly, very embarrassed. "Yes, all the men are very curious and angry that…please excuse me lovely Tomoyo-san, but they say a Japanese whore shouldn't just be for Eriol-sama's pleasure. They all hate you without even knowing that's not true. It's because they're all such stupid, evil people who just hate the Japanese for no reason except they're a little different." She looked passionate about her belief.

She looked back to Tomoyo. "I believed it until I met you Tomoyo-san. You're much to shy to be what all those men think. Plus I believe Eriol-kun wouldn't do that to a woman. Even though you're so beautiful." "You call him Eriol-kun?" Sakura paled now. "Oh yes, please don't tell anyone. Eriol-sama and I have been friends for a very long time. Since we were all little. It's somewhat odd to have to be so respectful to one of my best friends. But I try to keep up appearances for him." "Him and Li-kun…" somehow after saying this name she became redder then earlier.

She watched the sheets then, completely shy and withdrawn. There was an odd sparkle in her eyes. Tomoyo knew that name was someone very special to her, but who it was she had no idea.

The girls' ordered lunch from a happy Isa and talked until dusk. Sakura was quickly becoming Tomoyo's best friend. She told her so. "Oh, Tomoyo-chan that makes me so happy!" Sakura wailed and hugged her soundly. She had a habit for randomly hugging her. "Let's not get dinner. Eriol-sama will have it with you." She winked and Tomoyo glared. "I told you a hundred times, he's just being merciful. There's nothing to it." Sakura snorted. "Tomoyo-chan, do you know what you look like?" Tomoyo looked to the sheets uncomfortably.

"I haven't looked in awhile…but what does that matter? All these people tell me I'm beautiful, but does that mean I am?" Sakura looked shocked. "Stay here Tomoyo-chan!" she cried jumping from the bed and bolting out of the room. She was a long time coming back, but when she did she knocked on the door and Tomoyo was met with Sakura sporting a vanity with a large mirror.

Tomoyo rolled up the sleeves of her borrowed kimono, which fit very nicely, and helped her drag it in and place it in a shadowed corner. Sakura grabbed the stool as well and made Tomoyo sit in front of the mirror. Although reluctant, she obeyed after much goading. She slid onto the stool and slowly opened her eyes, practically cringing. She almost gasped.

An attractively pale girl looked back at her thorough beautiful amethyst (AN: yeah, changed it, like this lots better, don't like me changing it, stuff it up yer…well, you know) eyes that were deep and shone in the fading sunlight out the window. Her face was smooth and very delicate, everything about it unflawed. Her nose was a nice shape, her lips nice and lush. Her hair hung in an amazing pool around her…somehow, without her knowing it; she'd come into this womanly beauty and not even known.

Sakura was grinning. "Told you." She bragged. Tomoyo didn't let this "beauty" go to her head. Her physical side had never interested her much. Her figure may be a nice shape, full curves, rounded, perfect breasts, but that didn't change anything. Besides, Sakura was pretty and she didn't hover over it. "I wish I was as gorgeous as you Tomoyo-chan." She whispered to her. Tomoyo was red again. This was too much.

She stood almost angrily. "So what? Looks don't mean anything to me." she stormed away from the mirror and a sneaky Sakura went to her, telling her she needed to leave, but she would be back tomorrow. Tomoyo hated to see her go, but Sakura left before she could complain. The girl disappeared in a brown-haired blur slamming the door behind her. Tomoyo blinked slightly surprised. She was fast when she wanted to be. Must be athletic as well.

Shrugging Tomoyo began to root through the papers and the many scrolls and papers on the ground finally settling on an interesting one about some old military tactics. She sat herself on the bed, immersed deeply in things she barely understood, but felt a wonderful hunger for….

Eriol was seated at the Grand Table in the Grand Dining Hall. 'What's so 'Grand' about all these places anyway?' he thought sarcastically. "Eriol-sama, dinner ended two hours ago." Sakura's voice didn't surprise him. He'd known she'd been standing behind him for a few moments now. Eriol sighed and leaned back in his throne-like seat at the head of a table that seemed to stretch into eternity before him.

There was an almost similar seat next to his, one that had once held his mother's royal figure. Now it was empty and foreboding. It had been placed there only this night. Eriol knew his advisors had pulled such a stunt in order to keep the nobles off of him. Their slutty daughters had been crawling all over him as soon as it had been rumoured he would soon be taking a bride. Of course it had all been smoke and mirrors, but not all entirely. It had been whispered among a few that he would marry one of the daughters of the Emperor of Japan, if not a rich noble of Japanese descent.

He had to in order to form peace with Japan at such a crucial time for a divided China. He buried his head in his hand, ruffling his hair. Sakura slipped around and kneeled at his side. "You know, she is incredibly beautiful. Why you hold yourself from going to see her is beyond me." Sakura may be incredibly sweet and occasionally naïve, but it never seemed to be about anyone other then her own love life.

Eriol snapped to attention, hand falling away and his mouth dropping open slightly. He eyed her casual features. She was trying very hard not to be anything but nonchalant. She was doing a relatively good job, if Eriol hadn't known her for the majority of her life. His gaze stiffened and his lips formed a narrow line. "Eriol-kun it looks as if your lips are going to disappear into your chin!" she giggled, breaking her casual attitude. Eriol held back the power of his gaze. Li would massacre him if he hurt her.

Plus his own small instinct in him that cared about Sakura deeply and acted as her older brother stopped him from ever doing anything but harmless play. She didn't look at him. There was silence until Sakura reached out and tried to swat him suddenly. He ducked perfectly, but almost strained his neck doing so. "Baka! She's up there all alone in that large room, in the dark of night, with no food in her stomach and needing a big strong man to protect her!"

She seemed mad, but Eriol knew better. She was the only one who could call him such and live to tell the tale. But Sakura didn't care. She was just like that. He hid a small smirk. "I doubt she needs any protecting." He looked away, slightly abashed. "Oh Eriol-kun you are such a dolt" She sighed and shook her head.

"There's some extra food in the kitchen, still warm. She hasn't eaten in awhile and I assure you, for some strange reason the bell for her room is being ignored…" Sakura trailed off mysteriously and winked at him. Eriol only glared at her sullenly. "I'll tell Li to stop in and see you with a snack." This struck a chord she blushed deep scarlet and jumped away from him, cursing in two different languages at once. "Onegai, get out of here." She waved, frustrated, over her shoulder and left the Hall.

Eriol sat and thought for a few moments, brow furrowed and eyes intense. He could've melted stone had it been conveniently in front of him. He stood swiftly, once again like a jungle cat and prowled towards the kitchens, cursing Sakura the whole way.

Tomoyo, unknown to Eriol, was at the same time cursing the same girl. One kimono had fit a little loosely and had been rather decent. But the nightclothes provided were not meant for winter wear. A sort of silk material, they were comprised of a slip-like overdress and a pair of frilly shorts beneath the slip, which reached just above the knees. It knotted in the back, leaving her whole back almost bare. As she tied it, with some difficulty, she felt horribly exposed.

She wrapped her arms around herself and eyed the fireplace growing smaller in the deepening darkness of the nighttime room. She quickly lit the candle on the bedside table then rose to move to the fireplace. She looked it over before deciding she would need a robe of some kind. On a whim she explored the Black King's closet. He had plenty of robes, most threadbare or worn and seemed un-used. She grabbed one that looked warm and soft and not too moth-eaten.

She threw it around herself and almost drowned in it. She eep-ed and attempted to roll back the sleeves. It barely worked, but she had her hands moderately freed after a few moments. Sighing and ruffling her hair so it was fluffy and not as…organised as Sakura had made it she tried to get to work on the fireplace, but discovered she had no method of lighting it so she gave up and sat back down on the bed picking up another scroll she'd been reading before she'd decided to change.

She tried to re-bury herself in the tactics of the Black King, but failed as there was an almost reluctant knock on the door. She jumped slightly, but knew who it was immediately. She threw the scroll to the ground, hoping it wasn't too obvious she'd been reading it and waited for him to enter. He didn't, so she stood and moved to the door tripping over the robe. She slammed into the hard door quite painfully, but picked herself up quickly.

She opened the door slightly. She knew it was him; she could just feel it. Like he was some kind of…beacon and when he approached she could fell this beacon light up…she was mad. This room was driving her insane. She opened the door all the way upon seeing he carried a tray of food that smelled wonderful even from where she stood. She tried not to appear too surprised by his bringing her food and too terribly hungry, but she was.

He teetered into the room awkwardly and she darted out of his way. He eventually just placed the tray carefully onto the ground. She stayed where she was and shut the door carefully. He kept his back to her. She moved closer, eyeing the food. "Eat." And he moved away from the tray.

Like a timid little rabbit she eyed him then the food. Finally she didn't care and she plopped herself onto the ground and happily began to eat. Eriol carefully moved around her and sat opposite her, reaching for a dumpling. Tomoyo watched him then looked away when he looked to her. They ate in a companionable silence. Finally it got too dark to really see properly, so Eriol stood and lit the fire.

Tomoyo missed how he did it and she regretted it. He came back and sat across from her. "Is that my robe?" he asked after a few moments in which Tomoyo finished eating. She jumped slightly and began to slide it off her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I was cold and I just wanted something to warm me because Sakura gave me some…not too comfortable clothes for bed-" He held up a hand and silenced her rambling. The ghost of a smile was in his eyes. "It's fine." He murmured.

Tomoyo blushed, slightly embarrassed and slid it back onto her bare shoulders. "It looks better on you." He said casually shrugging. He stood and placed the tray on his desk. Tomoyo felt like this was a compliment and her ears coloured slightly. Eriol looked back to her. He looked as if he were analysing her. Tomoyo felt small under his intense gaze. The room was very silent as rain began to pelt the windows in a steady drizzle. He seemed to be deciding something in his head, but what she had no idea.

When the thunder rumbled lazily and then a pitchfork of lightening lit up the room even more with its almost white flash almost mocking the fire, she jumped and shrieked. Thunder had always been her fear. It was odd considering all other things she wasn't afraid of, but when she was little she had once stayed outside too long against her mother's wishes and had been locked outside during a ferocious thunderstorm when her mother had gone to earnestly search for her.

She began to shiver and wrapped herself in a hug. She barely heard Eriol crouching down next to her. "Are you all right?" he asked, tone almost listless. She suddenly remembered where she was. Hating herself, she sat straight and tried not to let her fear become apparent. Well, more apparent then it already was. Letting him see her weakness was not an option. "I'm f-fine." She tried to look indifferent to her reaction to the lightening.

But then it struck again and all the horrified memories of her curling into a small ball in her doorway and watching the lightening strike so close looking like it was going to hit her…she screwed her eyes shut attempting to resist shrieking again. He was still eyeing her suspiciously. "Are you afraid of the thunder?" She tried to look affronted. "No. I said I'm fine." But then lightening struck again, this one loud and rattling, and she let loose her inhibitions and shrieked soundly, ducking to the rugged floor and curling over herself. She heard a chuckle.

After her shakes subsided enough so she could look up over the cradle of her arms she saw it was the Black King who was chuckling. It was a fast thing, a noise that was deep and she imagined she could feel in her own body deep in her chest. His face looked for the moment, not controlled by some sense of rigidness or lack of emotion. There was an almost merriness in his face, and a glow lit up his cheeks in a pleasant way.

"Don't laugh at me…" But it was a low whimper. When his smile grew slightly she put her head up and glared at him, her fear, for the second, forgotten. "Sir, I suggest you stop laughing at me!" she sat up leaning on her arms with her knees tucked under her. He ignored her, his chuckle spreading into a laugh he had to hide behind his hand. "Sir! You would laugh at a lady such as me when I am in fear?"

He finally stopped and opened his eyes looking back to her and meeting hers', which were burning in anger. The glow in his cheeks was still apparent, although his smile had faded. "I doubt that you are a lady." She couldn't believe it! He was teasing her! The mighty and great Emperor of China was teasing her. "I should slap you for that." She muttered. But then there was another strike of thunder. Tomoyo flinched and dove down again, seeking shelter in her arms.

"I am sorry milady. Shall I help you to the bed?" and before she could question what he meant he had slid his arms under her and around and was lifting her up into his arms. Normally Tomoyo would've been appalled by this, but when the thunder sounded, farther away now, she eep-ed and curled into him. She seemed so small compared to him! Her head tucked nicely into his chest and he was very warm and cozy.

In fact, she seemed to fit nicely into him. His hands were very large and strong. They were calloused from his sword, she guessed. He didn't hold her too close; it was more or less Tomoyo who was clinging to him. But she wanted him to hold her close. In fact during the very short walk to his bed she wanted a lot of things. None of which she could identify.

He slipped her into the bed and he turned away as she slid under to covers. She slipped off the robe and let it drop to the ground. The rain pounding outside was enough to make her want to crawl under the covers. But as Eriol moved away, she found her hand reaching out for his robe sleeve. He stopped firmly.

He seemed to be fighting something himself. He turned to face her, and she saw his eyes widen and a glow appeared in them. And when she looked back Tomoyo would believe that was the moment she began to fall in love with the Black King.

Eriol couldn't help laughing at her. She was rather adorable when she was scared. Of course he was also laughing so as not to pull her into an embrace from which he would never release her, but the fire in her eyes greatly amused him. There again was that fire, that beautiful fight she had in her. He wouldn't want a woman who would lay down and take everything that came. She was timid, but he could tell that was quickly disappearing.

He had picked her up, attempting to be innocent with it, but once her wonderful smell had hit his senses he lost all thoughts of innocence. She was such a fragile little thing, he was almost afraid of smashing her. Like glass. She was like a wonderful flame against his chest, except she didn't burn him; instead she was soft and beautiful. He laid her in the bed and turned away fast, hoping his desire wasn't burning in his eyes.

It must be so obvious to her; she must be disgusted by him. He was acting like a lecher. Self-disgust was an old friend to him and he welcomed it now. It was when her hand gripped his sleeve and he turned and looked into her wide and confused eyes and he eyed her with her hair spread out like a black curtain on the white pillows and an oddly yearning look that everything before about not touching her disappeared from his mind.

His body felt like it was on fire; just one simple look from her that seemed like want made him go insane. He wanted to bury his hands in that silky hair and kiss her until they both fainted from lack of air. And he knew that doing that for the rest of his life would never be enough. Looking at her, gazing into her eyes for the rest of his life would never be enough.

His hand reached out uncertainly towards her cheek and when his hand brushed the baby-soft pearly skin he trembled slightly. Her eyes widened as his hand slid down her cheek and rested on her chin. And then he leaned in towards her. Closer…closer…his lips were just an inch from hers', and closer, he could feel her nervous breath, those lush, rosy lips, he could imagine it now…

The knock on the door stopped him and he pulled back cursing roughly in Chinese. Tomoyo sat up, looking dazed. He didn't want to answer it, but he knew if it was this late it must be important. The thunder had almost subsided by now. He stepped away from the bed, whipping around so he didn't have to see the disgust he knew was there in her glimmering eyes that saw to the core of him.

Syaoran Li awaited him outside. He slammed the door behind him and snarled at him: "What do you want?" Li knew immediately. It was apparent to him, but not to the girl. He smirked. "Was I interrupting something?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. Eriol's face and lips tightened into their trade-mark line and he stared down Li. "No. Now what do you want?" Li looked serious.

"A riot amongst the men. There's been a murder. Shall I use force? A brute squad perhaps?" Eriol immediately forgot his earlier frivolous feeling and automatically became the great Emperor known as the Black King. He informed Li he would see to it in the morning after the storm. In the meantime use as much force and his wrath as punishment. It wasn't the best decision, but he was being selfish. He didn't care.

Li made another comment and Eriol shot back something about Sakura. Li tackled him and they wrestled in the playful manner they usually did. He almost feared to go back into the room. But then the image of her in the same position she had been in earlier that had nearly seduced him, except this time she was naked, back arched and mouth open in a scream of pleasure. He re-entered the room.

AN2: Here's the slight cliff-hanger, and I'm sorry, but I'll finish the next chapter and have it up soon! Thank you so so so much again for all of the support and welcomes!

LOVE!,

Kurai-Tenshi