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Pleasure Slave	By : Capitalist Category: +. to F > Card Captor Sakura Views: 84321 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 40
- 41
- 42
Chapter 41
‘recovery’

“Yes… there were losses. A few of my servants; I don’t know how many. No, she’s unharmed. Clow’s descendent did an admirable job protecting her.”
Sakura drifted out of sleep, disoriented and confused. This bed was not her cage floor, it was much too soft and cushy for that. Neither was it the bed of her home cabin, though she was pressed up against her brother’s chest and wrapped in his arms just like how they’d always slept when they shared a bed in that place. He was still fast asleep, eyes shut and breathing deep and even. His warmth and closeness were a comfort, even more so when Sakura remembered the reason she was sleeping with him.
“I would prefer that you didn’t. Because I said so. The threat is over now, what good would you do?”
Taking care not to wake Onii-chan, Sakura wriggled around to face the other way. In the gray light of pre-dawn, a rosy glow just starting to show outside the balcony doors, Yue was pacing back and forth with fingertips pressed to his jewelled earclasp.
“Do as you like, then,” he muttered crossly. “Just spare my ears, and do it with a lowered voice.”
“Mstryue?” she mumbled, and quickly he dropped his hand, turning to face her.
“Shh, child, go back to sleep. You’ve had a difficult few days, as has your brother, and you both need rest.”
“Master Yue, will that thing come back?”
“No, never.”
“It was scary…”
“I know. You won’t ever see it again.”
Those were welcome words indeed, and Sakura snuggled against the satin sheets. She’d felt these before, come to think of it, a day not too long ago when she was trapped here in a blindfold. Now Yue was sitting gently aside her on the bed, drawing a loose sheet up to cover her body, and she wondered why she was not afraid. Perhaps it was his soft voice, or the tender concern in his eyes that she could just barely see.
“I forgive you, Master Yue.”
“I am happy to hear that.” He smiled and laid a hand against her cheek, but to Sakura the smile seemed sad. “You are a lucky little girl, you know? He loves you so much, he would have thrown himself into the darkness to die with you. He calls me master now, but he would never do that for me. I thought that I’d won but it really doesn’t feel like it…”
He must have noticed her quizzical frown and shook his head. “Never mind. Go back to sleep now. My troubles are not your burden.”
But he looked so sad, Sakura really wanted to help him. She was sleepy, though, and had been growing more so since he put his hand to her face. She would just rest a few more minutes, and then perhaps try to talk to Yue some more. When she was more awake and could think straight…

His sister was still asleep when Touya woke up, and Yue just leaving the bedroom to confer with his top two servants in the study. When he followed and was not ordered to go back to bed, Touya shut the door between the two rooms and made himself comfortable in one of the small hardbacked chairs, straddling it backward with chin propped on folded arms. Both kid and blondie were looking a little worse off than usual: Ralen unshaved and with baggy eyes, and Li walking tenderly with the occasional glimpse of a bandage showing under his collar. Settled in the study’s only armchair, Yue was grave and somber.
“How many?” he began, simply. Li winced.
“Six, my lord. Four men from the guard and two of the servants are missing. We’ve looked everywhere but can’t find any bodies -”
“You won’t. When it takes, it leaves nothing behind.” He glanced at Touya, who grimaced. “Other damage?”
“Not very much. There is the hole in the western wall, and some doors will need replacing. We might need a few more weapons.”
The kid emphasized that last part, rather obviously, and Yue picked up on it.
“That will not be a priority, captain. The danger won’t cross these castle walls again.”
“What danger?” Ralen pressed, impatiently. “Forgive me, my lord, but won’t you please tell me what it was that attacked us?”
“A predator, Ralen,” Yue answered coolly, and a warning glittered in his eyes. “That is all you need to know. It won’t be returning.”
Ralen swallowed. “Yes sir.”
“What is the feeling among the servants? Do they wish to leave?”
Both of them nodded. “Very well. You may inform your underlings that they are free to go, but if they stay, their wages will be doubled.”
Ralen perked up, in a way that made Touya want to groan. “Everyone’s?”
“All of you. If you still feel the castle is short on hands, Ralen, it may be necessary for you to travel to the city and hire more.”
“Yes sir.”
“You will need to acquire the services of a carpenter, as well. I want all repairs finished by the end of the week.”
“Yes sir.” He darted an uneasy glance at the window, and the forest spread out below them. “Is it safe to leave these walls…?”
“Quite safe, I assure you. Dismissed, Ralen.” The blonde bowed and stepped back, then stopped as if he’d just remembered something.
“Oh yes, my lord, shall I find a metalworker in the city as well? The slave’s cage was half-destroyed, it’s a mess.”
Touya straightened abruptly, and for the first time opened his mouth. But then he caught Yue’s gaze, and realized he did not have to speak. Yue already knew what he wanted. For a long moment they just looked at one another, and then Yue turned his attention back to Ralen.
“No, it’s time that cage was disposed of. My slave can have one of the guest rooms on the fourth floor.”
“What?” spluttered Ralen. “One of the rooms?” He looked absolutely dismayed, and Touya relaxed back into his chair with a smile of gratitude for Yue. His master saw it, and smiled briefly in return. No one noticed the captain’s expression or the way he looked down to hide it.
“That’s right, Ralen. One overlooking the valley, of course. I trust you to choose something suitable.”
“But- but… she’ll be locked in, right?”
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” Yue answered languidly. “She is just a little girl, after all. What do you think she’s going to do?”
Ralen’s mouth flopped open, fish-like, a couple of times before he gave up and sulked. “Dismissed,” Yue reminded him, and he huffed out of the room without even bowing. When he was gone, Yue turned his attention to the other.
“And you, captain. It seems that the only reason any of my servants survived is because of your quick thinking and firm leadership.”
Li shrugged diffidently. “I was really very slow to realize the threat, Lord Yue, if I’d made the connection faster -”
“You did more than I would have ever expected any man to do,” Yue interrupted. “And then on top of ensuring the others’ safety, you risked your life to protect my slave. Again, I will offer you any reward you name.”
Why did he keep shuffling his feet? Li glanced at Touya, then hurriedly looked away when Touya caught him at it. What the hell?
“Sir, I was only doing my job. I don’t need a reward.”
“Unacceptable,” Yue decided. “I will at least triple your salary, to fifteen gold coins a month. I will not take no for an answer.”
On this, at least, Li was not going to put up a fight. He nodded. “Thank you sir.”
“You’ll be pleased to send that on to your family in Port Corryn, I’m sure. It’s been several months now since you saw them; I will grant you leave to visit them again.”
This time Touya thought he saw a mild flash of panic in the kid’s eyes. “Ah, no sir. I, uh, don’t think this is a good time for me to leave the castle. The men are skittish – I may have to train new hires from the city -”
“Very well.” Yue waved a dismissive hand. “Whenever you feel it’s right.”
Li bowed his head. “Thank you, sir.”
“Toya?”
“What?” he growled, still trying to understand why Li’s antsy behavior was bothering him so much.
“This boy saved your sister’s life. Don’t you have anything to say?”
“Hmph.”
“Not what I had in mind,” Yue said dryly. He was right – Touya ought to be hugging the kid and patting him on the back for keeping Sakura alive. But he just couldn’t help it; something about him made Touya’s skin crawl. He’d say it was only his imagination, except Li seemed to be having a hard time looking him directly in the eye.
“Thanks,” he muttered. Li grunted something vague in response. Yue narrowed his eyes at both of them, then apparently decided their pettiness was beneath comment.
“One more thing, captain. What you fought yesterday… no human has ever met one and lived. You may, in fact, be the first to survive a direct encounter, along with my slaves. I know you possess some magic. Did you sense its otherworldly nature?”
Li nodded. “My servants, and the people in that city, are ill-prepared to understand that creature or cope with its existence. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that you’re expected to keep silent on this matter.”
“No sir, I’d already guessed that. May I ask just what it was that I fought?”
Yue considered that. “Some other time, yes. I know that you are capable of comprehending it. But not today.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“Dismissed.”
He bowed his head a final time and left the room.
“Most ungrateful of you, Toya. After all he did, you are still determined to dislike him?”
“Maybe I hate him all the more because of what he did,” Touya admitted. “It should have been me, you know. It’s my job to protect her, not his.”
“He happens to carry a sword, a very special sword. You don’t. There was nothing you could have done.”
“You expect that to make me feel better? I thought you knew me.”
A tiny sigh escaped Yue and he beckoned with a finger. “Come here.”
Grudgingly Touya crossed the room and sat on his lap, and Yue’s arms encircled him loosely. “You may stew in your mortification that you could not save your sister, Toya, but your shame is nothing compared to the horror and despair I felt when I saw the Void preparing to kill you. Your sister also, who is just as much under my protection. It is my task to fight that creature of darkness, not yours. So I will not hear another word about your so-called failure when it only reminds me of my own.”
For sixteen years it had been Touya’s responsibility to look after Sakura’s safety, and it was never a job he’d intended to share with anyone else. He opened his mouth to say so, then swallowed the words when he saw Yue’s expression. His complaints must be rubbing salt directly into Yue’s guilty wounds.
“I’m sorry.”
Yue did not answer, only drew him closer in an embrace, squeezing him as if for comfort. Their lips were just shy of one another’s when the door behind them opened.
“Onii-chan?”
Touya was off Yue’s lap and on his feet in the space of a heartbeat. “Sakura! You’re awake, how do you feel? Are you okay?” Anxiously he moved in and started patting her down, and she had to squirm out from under his touch.
“I’m fine, Onii-chan. I didn’t mean to sleep so late.” She yawned, and raked tangled hair back from her face. “Mm, I feel dirty. Master Yue, may I please go downstairs to bathe?”
“You can bathe up here,” Touya objected, before Yue had a chance to respond.
“But I want to change clothes, I slept in this dress and I wore it yesterday too.” Distastefully she plucked at it.
“Girls are so picky. We can have someone bring you a new dress if you need one that bad.”
“Onii-chan! Don’t you think the servants might have other things on their mind right now?”
“I don’t care -”
Yue cleared his throat. “Sakura, you may go downstairs to bathe and change. I will have Ralen send someone up to escort you.”
“But I don’t want her wandering around in this castle!”
“I told you the danger was over, slave,” Yue snapped. “Do you doubt me?”
Touya forced himself to take a deep breath. “No. Master. I’m just nervous.”
“And I do not blame you. But I swear she will be safe.”
The argument was over, Yue’s gaze firm and unyielding. Already Touya knew Sakura had caught ‘master’ from the way she was staring at him, and he had no wish to draw this out in front of her. Muttering something under his breath, he ruffled her hair and retreated back into Yue’s bedroom. A few minutes later, Yue followed.
“She’s on her way. I assure you she’ll be fine.”
“It isn’t that I didn’t believe you. It’s just…”
“Hard to relax, I know. But Void has been beaten back, and does not have the power to attack twice in such a short timespan. There is no cause to worry.” That did help, and Touya drew a freer breath. “Now come here, and kiss me properly. I’m tired of waiting.”
“So this is why you were so determined to send my sister away.”
“I have not been alone with you since the attack.” The two of them came together somewhere between bed and balcony, Yue making no secret of his desire as he clasped Touya’s body to him and inhaled his scent. “I nearly lost you yesterday; if I don’t have you soon I shall go mad.”
His urgency communicated itself plainly through the hardness between his legs, and in spite of his command he did not wait for Touya to kiss him. Eagerly he pressed his mouth to Touya’s, diving in with his tongue, tasting him thoroughly as if checking for damage. Touya tried to keep up and not let himself be completely overwhelmed, but it was a struggle just to keep standing. Desperately he linked his arms behind Yue’s neck and hung on, a low moan welling up out of his throat.
“A-HEM.”
They broke apart as if splashed with cold water, the abrupt shift leaving Touya a little dizzy. He flushed when he saw Keroberos standing in the balcony doorway, golden gaze smoldering with irritation and disgust.
“I guess that explains how you managed to let it happen – were you busy jumping your boy there while it attacked? Caught in bed while Void destroyed our castle?”
Yue’s eyes flashed silver with anger. “Your mouth is better suited to eating than talking, little brother. Do close it.”
“Like hell I will.”
“Toya, you’re dismissed. Keroberos and I have things to discuss.”
Touya clasped Yue’s hand. “I want to stay.”
“Nevertheless, slave, you are dismissed. Go ensure your sister has seen her new room.”
“But you said I’m not allowed -”
“Never mind what I said, just go. Now.”
Touya’s shoulders dropped in defeat. “Yes, master.” He took a step toward the doors, paused, and glanced at the simmering Keroberos. “It was my fault.”
Then he left the room. Barely had the doors closed behind him when he heard the shouting begin.

“You STUPID self-obsessed LAZY MOODY moon child! What the HELL is wrong with you? It invaded our HOME, our CASTLE, and you WEREN’T EVEN HERE to defend it, what is the MATTER with you? Are you BLIND? How could you MISS the VOID crawling into your OWN HOME? WELL?”
“I told you before, it split itself up and lured me away with a diversion. Anyone would have fallen for it; you would have fallen for it.”
“I never have yet!”
“Because the Void is still learning!” Yue snapped, a little defensively. “It still has more tricks in store, and this time it almost succeeded in accomplishing one. I won’t fall for it again. I take responsibility for the attack. What more do you want?”
“To know what happened,” Keroberos barked. “Because you’re being suspiciously vague about this disaster. How many got in?”
“Three.”
“Three?” Keroberos uttered a strangled noise of horror. “In this castle? And you weren’t even here? How did anyone survive?”
“The Li boy is more alert and capable than even I had suspected. He gathered the servants together in a defensible position before too many were lost, and also battled the Void personally to protect my younger slave in the throne room.”
“Sounds to me like he had to do your job.”
“I sensed the attack while I was dispatching Void in the woods; I flew back at top speed and slaughtered every one of its soldiers within minutes – I did all that I could.”
“Which is more than you can say for, oh, three days ago.” Keroberos narrowed his eyes and Yue clenched his jaw, standing tall and straight before his brother. “Am I right?”
“It was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
“Why did it happen in the first place?”
“I don’t feel like telling you.”
“What was that about it being his fault?”
“It’s none of your business!”
“It damn well is my business, the Void is my enemy too!” Keroberos growled menacingly and took to pacing, his tail flicking back and forth in frustration. “What the hell’s going on, Yue? I’ve caught more of its footsoldiers roaming the woods in the past three months than I found all the last decade. You’ve let it escape you on multiple occasions because you’re not paying attention. You didn’t even completely subdue it when you knew it was dangerously close to unleashing another horde, and then you let yourself be tricked and called away by a distraction.”
“So you’ve discovered I’m fallible. Good for you.”
“It’s that mountain kid, isn’t it? You’ve been letting things fall apart ever since he got here.”
“Maybe I’m just tired. For two hundred years I have carried this thankless burden, is it so unreasonable that I slip once or twice?”
“You? Yes. Don’t even bother trying to hide it, Yue, it’s pathetic. You’re all over him, you can’t even take your eyes off him long enough to do a job you haven’t once failed at in two centuries! May Clow forgive you for allowing Void to pollute his home.”
That hurt, in a way that his brother’s name-calling never could, and unconsciously he put a hand over his wounded heart. Quickly he turned away, before Keroberos could see the pain in his eyes.
“Do you really think I haven’t suffered enough, Keroberos? I could not sleep for imagining his disappointment in me.”
“Ah, geez…” His brother’s voice turned somewhat softer, for the cat well knew his feelings toward Clow. “I’m sorry, okay? I really didn’t mean it like that, I just wanted to remind you what he trusted us to do.”
“There is no need to remind.”
A lengthy pause followed, tense and awkward, and Yue could hear his brother shuffling back and forth.
“Look, Yue -”
“No.”
“You didn’t even let me speak!”
“I know what you were going to say, and the answer is no. He stays.”
“But look at the effect he’s had since he came here, think of your mistakes with Void! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“It does, and I do not intend to repeat them.” Yue turned back to face his brother, fists clenched in determination. “But I will not give him up, I refuse. After all this time I’ve finally broken him, finally tamed him, and he’s mine. Mine! I won’t let him go no matter what!”
Keroberos flicked his ears back warily. “Yue, can you even hear yourself?”
“You have no right to tell me what I can keep or not keep!”
“Ohhhkay, Yue, I’m not telling you that you can’t keep him. You can relax.”
But he was having a hard time doing so, and it was obvious that his brother had noticed his trembling fists too.
“You’ve never cared about your human slaves before. What’s so different about this one? Do you… love him?”
“Don’t be absurd, Keroberos.” Yue managed to still the shaking by crossing his arms, and shot his brother an impatient look. “You know that I swore to love Clow always, and only Clow. He is just a toy, one that I happen to enjoy more than the others. He was wild and defiant when he came here but now I’ve broken him, he is completely my slave.”
“Gross. I wasn’t asking for details.” Keroberos snorted in disgust, and Yue breathed easier. His kittenish brother could always be counted on in his distaste for sexual implications, and there was no quicker way to scare him away from a conversation.
“Then you should not have pried. Are you quite through interrogating me now?”
“Don’t misunderstand, brother, I’m still mad. But I’m hungry, so I’ll leave you alone for now. Where’s your slave- the nice one, that is? I want her to make me another sandwich.”
“That girl has been through quite a lot in the past few days, Keroberos, I don’t want you to bother her right now.”
“Yuuuehhhh,” Keroberos sang chidingly, “what did Clow say before he died?”
Yue gritted his teeth. “That I wasn’t allowed to kill you.”
“Aaaand?”
“And… that the castle and everything in it belongs half to each of us.”
“That’s right! And that means that if she’s your slave, she technically belongs half to me too. So if I want to play with her, then I don’t need your permission. Hmph!” Nose in the air, the pompous and twitty cat trotted out of the room and left Yue in peace. Finally.
Relieved, Yue sank onto the edge of the bed and concentrated on breathing deeply until the trembling in his hands had disappeared. Keroberos was a silly, stupid creature. He didn’t know what he talked about, ever.
“I love only Clow,” he whispered to the empty room. “And I always will.”

Touya finally found Ralen somewhere on the ground floor, staring at claw marks in a thick door. When he spoke, the blonde squawked and jumped a foot in the air.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
“My apologies. Feeling rattled? Think it’s time to move on, go work somewhere else maybe?”
“I hardly think so.” Ralen crossed his arms and turned his back on the ravaged door. “It was a horrible fright, to be sure, but Lord Yue is about to double my salary. I’m not going anywhere. Shouldn’t you not be down here, slave? I’ll call Yue.”
“I didn’t want to leave him, but he didn’t give me much choice in the matter. I’ve been sent to make sure you show my sister to a good room.”
Ralen curled his lip up in a sneer. “Anyone would think you two never tried to run away just three days ago.”
“A few things have happened in the meantime.”
“Much to my regret, for so many reasons. Now I’ve got one less woman to call on at nights.”
Touya shot Ralen a disgusted look. “You should have been the one that died.”
“Oh, slave.” The servant smirked and Touya felt his fists curl up, hating the way that word fell from his lips. “You think I should have died? Imagine my disappointment when I found you’d survived. If there was ever someone that’s lived beyond what circumstances should have allowed, it’s you. I wonder how long your luck is going to hold out.”
Touya was wondering how to reply when Sakura emerged from a room just down the hall, fluffing her slightly damp hair. “Onii-chan? What are you doing down here?”
“Surprise, Sakura. I’m here to show you to what you might call ‘the silver lining’.”
“Hoe?”
“Come along.” Touya reached for her hand when she drew close enough, and squeezed it. “You’re dressed almost sensibly today. I like it.”
Her smile was a little sad as she patted her green dress, relatively plainer than most of her filmy frocks. “I dressed myself, because I didn’t want to trouble the servants. This was the darkest one I could find – it felt appropriate. Poor Lara is gone.”
“I’m very sad as well,” Ralen informed her, and Touya had to keep from gagging.
“Anytime, Ralen.”
“Fine, fine.” They exchanged nasty looks, then the overseer turned on his heels and started walking.
“What’s going on, Onii-chan?”
“I told you, it’s a surprise. You’ll see soon enough.”
Hand in hand, they followed Ralen up the stairwells and around a few corners, before Ralen came to a grouchy stop outside a pair of delicately carved teak doors. “Your new quarters, slave.”
“My what?” a puzzled Sakura asked, and Touya opened the doors to reveal what was indeed a very lavish bedroom.
“Ta-da, Sakura. This is your new room! What do you think?”
“My…” she echoed dazedly, taking it all in. The space was vast, probably almost as big as Yue’s personal suite, with its own fireplace and balcony, the glass doors displaying a stunning view of the valley below. Gauzy drapes fell over the canopy bed, probably big enough to sleep four girls Sakura’s size, and the room’s furniture included a tea table as well as two plush chairs by the fireplace. Other doors opened into a small room for her wardrobe, and a powder room that had no water source of its own but did contain dresser and vanity table, with a porcelain bowl that could be filled with water for daily use.
Sakura turned a slow circle in the middle of all this luxury, awed. “…room? Really?”
“Your room,” Touya affirmed, “really. You’ll never have to sleep in that horrible cage again. And oh, look.” From the inside of one of the doors he plucked a wrought key from its lock. “You can lock the room from the inside. Isn’t that nice, Ralen? She’ll be perfectly safe in here.”
“Perfectly,” Ralen repeated, looking as if he’d bitten into something sour. “If you’ll excuse me, I must see to it that the servants bring up fresh linens for the bed.” He turned and stalked away without waiting for an answer. Touya dropped the key into Sakura’s hand.
“And you will, little girl, lock those doors every night. I mean it.”
“I will, Onii-chan.” She closed her hand around the key without looking at it, still too dazzled by her surroundings to blink. “I can’t believe it – it’s all too beautiful. Like for a princess! Master Yue said I could stay here?”
“He did, and guess what? You can go anywhere you want in the castle during the day, you don’t have to stay locked up anymore.”
“Wow! Oh, it’s all so wonderful!” Overjoyed, Sakura fell back onto the mattress, delighting in its cushy feel. “I shouldn’t be so happy because everyone else is so sad today, but it really is nice to get out of that cage. Does this mean that Master Yue isn’t angry with us anymore?”
“Um… I don’t know.” Touya could say what he liked to Ralen, but truthfully he didn’t know what Yue was feeling right now. “Maybe.”
“Maybe he was never very angry at all,” Sakura speculated. “Or he was, but just not as angry as he was sad.”
“Sad?”
“Yes. Because you left him, and he loves you. It hurt his feelings.”
“Sakura! Yue does not- that is, we don’t love each other.” Ancestors he hated the look Sakura was giving him. “It’s complicated. You’re too young to understand.”
She pouted, then brightened when someone spoke from behind Touya. “Hello, hello! Found you at last!”
“Keroberos!” She bounced off the bed with a delighted squeal and tackled the lion headlong in a hug, to which he responded with copious licking of her face and a deep-throated purr. “Gah, stop it! You’re getting my face all sticky!”
“Faces can be washed! How’s my favorite girl?”
“Oh, I’m very well! I mean, it’s so sad what happened to the castle yesterday… but look at my new room that Master Yue gave me! Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Lovely indeed. Now, I’ve flown a long way to get here and I’m very tired and hungry, so why don’t we go down to the kitchen and have some lunch?”
“Oh yes, let’s! Onii-chan, come eat with us!”
She beamed up at him, but Touya got a shiver down his back from the look Keroberos shot him. Maybe it was just because of their introduction, but he didn’t feel altogether comfortable in the company of that beast. He had a feeling Yue’s younger brother didn’t like him very much.
“Some other time, Sakura. I have to go now, Yue needs me.”
“Hoe?” She cocked her head and blinked at him. “How do you know?”
“Uhh…” Touya felt a little caught out, especially under that sharp golden gaze, realizing that he’d spoken without thinking. “I’m not sure. I just know.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, maybe I’ll see you for dinner?” She was already trailing Keroberos out of the room, talking over her shoulder. “Later, then!”
“Later.”
He raised a hand, not that she was looking, and watched her walk away in the company of a fearsome predator. If his self of three months ago could see him now… but never mind that. Yue was waiting. He turned his back, and walked the other way.

Li was what some called the traditional sort – he was son of an old and well-respected family and had been brought up to honor its traditions, conduct himself properly, and respect his mother, which he’d always done without fail. He was not, however, religious; his inherent distrust in any power but his own forestalled any faith in the multiple gods worshipped throughout the city. So he was thoroughly uncomfortable when the servants decided some kind of memorial service was required for those lost, and even more uncomfortable during the act itself. He did force himself to endure it, though, fidgeting in one of the courtyards while the girls solemnly looped garlands of flowers around six wooden markers. Not everyone bothered to attend – Ralen was conspicuously absent, for one – but he was captain and felt it his duty. When it was over, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Hot after all that fidgeting in the summer sunshine, he found his way back to the kitchen in search of something cool to drink. Keroberos was sprawled across the flagged stone floor when he walked in, greedily lapping up a bowlful of goat’s milk.
“Yo, kid! Good to see you!”
“Lower your voice, please,” Li requested wearily. “People died here yesterday.”
“Ooh, right. Sorry.” His powerful baritone dropped a notch in volume, probably all he was capable of. “Friends of yours?”
“No.” He found a cup and dipped it into the bucket of drawn well-water. “Just… men in the guard. And a couple of servants. People who were my responsibility to protect.”
“Oh, no. Don’t you even start with that mopey look, it was not your job to beat back the Void. Just because my daft brother can’t do his job doesn’t mean it became yours.”
“The what?”
“Never mind, I don’t feel like getting into it. Just so long as you know they’re Yue’s problem, and mine. Not yours.” Thick white milk dripped off his muzzle when he looked up, a bizarrely comical picture in contrast to his serious tone. Li dropped into a chair with a sigh.
“He told me I did more than he would have expected from any human. But if he didn’t think we were a match for this enemy, then why have a guard at all?”
“Because he’s an obsessive freak who was ordered to keep this castle clean and well-guarded, and keeping you lot of humans around is the best way he can see to do it. There was a time, believe it or not, that a few greedy members of a certain family tried to take this place from him. He was smart enough not to hold that against you, at least.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. And anyway, you saved the one that really counted, didn’t you? I heard all about it from Yue. I was impressed! It was just like a fairy tale, and you were the hero that saved your princess.”
Li made a face. Irritably he reached for a bowl of cherries left on the table, and plucked one from its stem.
“In fairy tales, the hero gets the girl.”
“Well don’t expect any sympathy from me on that count. From what I’ve heard, you had your chance and you missed it.”
“I know.” Li pressed his forehead into the heel of his palm, mentally kicking himself the thousandth time that day.
“She’s pretty upset about it. She can’t understand why you didn’t take Yue up on his offer.”
“That makes two of us. Wait, you mean you’ve talked to her?”
“Sure did, we just had lunch a little while ago. She went back upstairs to take a nap.”
“How is she? Is she alright?”
“Other than the topic of you, seems okay. All aglow because Yue’s given her a room of her own.”
“Do you know where it is?”
“Sure do. Hey, whatcha eatin’ there? Cherries? I want some, gimme!” Li spat the pit on the floor and tugged the bowl back out of reach when Keroberos reared up on the table. “Hey!”
“Keroberos… how’d you like these cherries baked into a tray full of warm… gooey… tarts?”
The lion’s tongue hung out of his mouth in telltale desire, but his eyes were skeptical. “You don’t know how to cook.”
“On the contrary, I grew up with four older sisters. They wouldn’t stop teaching me how to cook. They’ll be so delicious…”
That golden gaze narrowed suspiciously. “What do you want?”
“A ride. After my evening watch, when it’s dark.”
“And supposing she doesn’t want to see you?”
“Then I leave. But I have to talk to her, even if it’s just for a few minutes.”
“Hmph. Okay… but it isn’t for the tarts. It’s because you were a good kid and saved her life that I’ll help you.”
“So you don’t want them?”
“Don’t talk nonsense, brat, of course I want them. Just so long as you know it’s not why.” Keroberos smirked and waltzed out into the kitchen courtyard, probably to steal a nap in one of the trees. “By dinnertime!”
“Glutton.”
But also, as fate would have it, his way in. Li rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

In the mellow warmth of a late summer afternoon like this, it seemed so very alien to think of bloodshed and tragedy, or to remember that they had come to this castle only one day before. Touya stretched and rolled over to lie partially atop Yue, both of their bodies completely bare to the world.
“Feeling better?”
“Very much, slave, thank you.”
“You shouldn’t have let him yell at you like that. I could hear him through the doors. It wasn’t your fault.”
Yue sighed, his ribs lifting and falling under Touya’s chin. “If one took a larger view of the situation, you could say the Void was no one’s fault. That doesn’t make it any less my responsibility. I shall have to be more on my guard in the future, and monitor its activities carefully. I can’t afford another mistake like the one that just occurred.”
“No, you really can’t,” Touya agreed, with a shudder. “But what a burden, living just to beat that thing back, protecting a lot of people who don’t know it exists or even to thank you. Clow should not have left that on your shoulders.”
“Would you rather he left it to no one at all? Let the human population fend for themselves?”
“No,” Touya grumbled. “But it’s still unfair. If this thing can constantly regenerate more of its monsters, it’s like a weed that will keep growing back because you can only trim its leaves. Why can’t you get at the root? If you fought the original form of Void, couldn’t you kill it for good?”
Underneath him Yue tensed slightly, and there was no answer. Touya waited for several seconds before realization sank in, and he sat up when it did.
“Oh my god,” he breathed. “It’s stronger than you.”
Yue looked pained to hear it. “Even I have never seen its true face, for it has lurked in its dark canyon for so long. Clow himself would not risk a direct attack. If I tried, it is unlikely I would survive. And then the task of protecting the valley would be left to my brother, and I will not do that to him. Or the valley, for that matter.” He squeezed Touya’s chin. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Since the day they’d met Touya had always assumed that Yue must be the strongest, most powerful being in the world. It unnerved him to a surprising degree that something out there was even more dangerous than he was.
“It just makes me a little nervous, I guess.”
“There is no cause to be. I have no intentions of flying down into its nest, and as you’ve seen its little creatures are no match for my arrows. The task really isn’t dangerous at all, for me, just cumbersome.”
“Yeah…” All true enough, and Touya let his head rest against Yue’s chest once more. A hand idly stroked his hair.
“You pleased me very much, slave, by coming to me though I had not even sent for you.”
“Seemed like the thing to do.”
“Beginning tomorrow you’re free to dine with your sister and walk the castle again,” Yue said graciously. “But not today. You won’t leave my side today.”
He didn’t even bother warning him not to try escaping again, Touya noticed, they both knew that Touya understood the futility. The men could leave the castle gates wide open and still he would never try, for Yue had won and Touya had lost.
“Yes, master.”

The men were, understandably, nervous about resuming their posts on the castle walls. Even though they’d elected to stay for the doubled wages, they were jumpy and disinclined to go anywhere in the castle alone. In the end, Li had to reschedule the entire shift and pair everyone up. Everyone but himself, that is, having a lot more faith in his own sword than any of those hack mercenaries.
At least, he thought, they were finally taking their job seriously. With the dedicated watchfulness of men whose necks are on the line, they stood straight and alert on the walls and perpetually scanned the forest for any movement. Luckily all their attention was focused outward, and nobody spotted Keroberos wafting upward in the darkness.
“Mmm…. Those cherry tarts were like little bites of heaven on earth! So gooey and warm in the middle, so golden and crispy on the outside. You’re better in the kitchen than with your sword! From now on when I visit, you must bake me something just as good!”
“No way, and shut up already, would you? You don’t exactly blend into the marble.”
“Why should I have to worry about hiding? I’m just as much a lord of this castle as Yue is!”
“Well I’m not, so shut your mouth.” Keroberos landed lightly on a balcony rail and Li hopped off, taking care to do it quietly. “This is it?”
“This is the place!” The doors had been left open to catch the breeze, but filmy curtains had been drawn across the doorway and partially obscured the room. Through their gauzy veil he could see a lamp burning near the bed, but no sign of her.
“Now remember what we talked about,” Keroberos reminded him prissily, when he’d taken a step from the rail. “You’re here to talk to Sakura. Just talk.”
“Talk,” Li repeated dutifully.
“And I’ll be back in one hour, and not a minute later.”
“One hour.”
“You’d better behave yourself, mister!”
“Beat it already,” Li snapped impatiently. Keroberos growled and fell off the rail, muttering things about ungrateful kids and unappreciated help as he glided away. Perhaps he’d spoken a little too loudly, because Sakura appeared in the doorway of her powder room, arms hugged to her waist.
“Hello? Is someone there?”
“It’s me, Sakura. Syaoran.”
“Syaoran!” In a trice she was across the room, lifting aside the curtains and finally giving him his first good look at her since the attack. “H-how did you get up here?”
“Hitched a ride. I had to see you.”
“I wanted to see you too…” Her eyes filled with tears and she darted towards him, collapsing against his chest. For one moment, they embraced with nothing more in their hearts than the pure relief of being together.
When the moment passed, she backed away, putting space between them again. “Why, Syaoran? He gave us our chance yesterday, I heard him! He told you to name anything you wanted, anything at all that belonged to him! Why didn’t you ask for me?”
“I’m sorry, Sakura.” She looked so crestfallen, so hurt and disappointed, that it ached just to see her face. “I’m so sorry. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love you anymore, I promise you that much. Freeing you from Yue is still what I want more than anything.”
“Then why?”
“I don’t know.” In frustration he raked at his hair. “I wish I could tell you. There was just this feeling, the same instinct that told me something dangerous had come to the castle. He wouldn’t have given you to me.”
“But he said he -”
“I know what Yue said. But he wouldn’t have, I know it in my gut. There’s something not right about that whole situation, Yue and your brother and you, and I won’t do anything like ask for your hand when I haven’t figured out what that is.”
She still didn’t understand, he could see, in the faint light her eyes were sad. “Sakura, think for a second about what would have happened if I asked, and Yue really did say no. Then he would know I wanted you, and your brother would know, and I might not be allowed to see you anymore. No more walks in the courtyard. No more time alone. I couldn’t risk that – our secret is all that we have protecting us.”
That much, he knew she could understand and appreciate. Slowly she nodded. “And, guess what? Yue tripled my salary. I now have fifteen gold coins a month.”
Hope fluttered across her expression. “So, you still plan to buy me?”
Li hesitated but nodded. “Sure. Of course.”
Deep down, in that same place from which his instincts – magical or simply mundane intuition – came, he was not so sure. But his answer reassured Sakura and anyway it wasn’t a complete lie. Li only knew for certain that he must discover what was bothering him before any approach to Yue; he had the strangest feeling that it was more important than anything else. They still had time. They could afford to wait.
He cupped a hand to her beautiful face. “Right now it doesn’t matter, Sakura. I’m just grateful you’re alive. Yesterday I thought I’d lost you.”
She shivered under his touch. “I thought I was lost too. And then when you appeared, and started to fight it, I was so scared for you… It was stupid, Syaoran. You could have died.”
“What choice did I have? It would have killed you. I’d do anything to protect you, you know that. Even if the world doesn’t think so, you are my girl.”
Again they melted into one another’s arms, and this time her lips found his. Whatever that gluttonous lion may think, this was true heaven and he parted his lips, pulling her body close to his and settling firmly into the kiss. And for once they were completely safe; no worries about who might come around the corner or spy them from a window… totally safe and alone.
He became aware of himself gradually, that he was moving forward and half-guiding, half-carrying Sakura before him. The insubstantial softness of the curtains slipped around them both, falling back into place with a swish, and scant steps later Sakura was falling backwards onto her new bed. The thing was vast and plush with bedsilks, and in the soft glow of her lamp he could see how a strap of her nightgown had fallen down over her shoulder.
“This is my new room,” she mumbled shyly. “Nice, isn’t it?”
“Very,” he agreed, and dove in for another kiss. This time he crawled on top of her, knees digging into the mattress on either side of her waist and allowing her the freedom to wriggle backward. Hands that had been cupping her face fell to her shoulders, gliding over the skin and making sure to pull aside that remaining strap. Under his touch he could feel her heartbeat racing, and lungs lifting rapidly with ever quickening breath. When he slipped his hand beneath her neckline and brushed her hard, erect nipple, she shut her eyes and squeaked.
Blood rushed to his groin, and suddenly the room seemed ten degrees hotter than it had been a minute ago. It was so hard to breathe, his lips hovering just over hers, the closeness of her warm body driving his to unbearable fire. Without removing his hand he straightened, just for some clear air, and saw that her hand had moved unconsciously between her legs as she arched her back into his touch.
Li’s hand covered hers, and she jumped a little. But she didn’t knock his hand away, and said nothing, and gradually his pressure increased until he could feel every curve of her flesh through this increasingly annoying nightgown. Her legs spread, just a little, in invitation. Her eyes held only desire. When his hands moved to the fabric of her skirt and began to pull it up, she did not protest.
Inch by inch, he peeled the entire thing off and over her head. Glorious lamplight had tinted her body with a golden glow, illuminating every curve and hollow. He didn’t even realize how long he’d been staring until she blushed, and hugged her arms to her waist.
“Silly,” she whispered. “You’ve seen me naked before. The first time you ever saw me I was naked.”
“I know. But, it’s different now.” He glided a palm up along her leg to the knee, and she shivered. “Now, you want to.”
A virgin’s shyness had prompted her to draw her knees back together when the gown came off, and slowly he levered them apart again. Not that she had any reason to be nervous, no, because she’d done this much before and he never had, he’d never gotten this far with even Meilin. In spite of that, she was trembling under his hand and squeezing her eyes shut again, gasping out loud when he bent over her body and touched tongue to nipple.
Instantly she arched her back up to him, the warmth and softness of her breast too delicious to resist – and he didn’t. His hand slid up the smooth flesh of her thigh, dipped into the crevasse of her hip, and then finally came upon the source of all her pleasure. It was warm and oozing wet, and when his fingertips brushed it she swallowed a moan.
“Please… Syaoran.”
It was all he needed, at this point, and without the slightest bit of experience he slipped his fingers inside. She was so warm, so perfect, and every tiny movement inside provoked another cry of delight. They were only growing louder in volume, as if building toward something, and then her little hand covered his and moved it slightly. Unexpectedly his thumb brushed a small nub of flesh and this produced the loudest cry yet. Like a board she went stiff in his arms, then collapsed bonelessly against the sheets with a sigh. Both of them were covered in sweat.
“That was…” Li breathed against her neck, “okay?”
“Oh yes,” she panted. “Very much.”
She smiled and tried to kiss him, but he jerked back and froze.
“Syaoran?”
“Wait… don’t move…” The urges roiling in his own body had come close to bursting, and fiercely Li shut his eyes to block out Sakura’s slim and vulnerable body. Primitive instincts demanded he rip off his clothing and ravage her, but no he couldn’t that – he mustn’t do that. The collar around her neck would – everything would be destroyed – she could be hurt so terribly and he would never see her again…
After a few seconds the boil died down, and he felt safe enough to open his eyes. Sakura looked concerned.
“It’s alright,” he was quick to tell her, and peeled back some sticky strands of hair from her face. “I’m alright. We just can’t go any further.”
“I know.” Her smiled turned sad. “It’s so unfair.”
“Just the way it is.” Li let himself fall back against the sheets next to her, trying to memorize the way her bare skin glowed in this light. Someday, he’d never have to be afraid of having her.
“Someday...”

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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters

I have been asked, not for the first time, to establish a group so that I and any of you who wish it can gather to discuss things Pleasure Slave-related. I’ve long enjoyed watching several of you carry out detailed debates and discussions in the reviews, but I suppose it could be fun doing it in email form so that I can participate too. (I never wanted to speak up in the reviews because I didn’t want to artificially boost the review count.)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pleasureslave/
This is just for fun, a place where you can ask questions or just talk about the story (though of course I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to answer all questions, not before the end is posted). It’s a good place to store the illustrations my readers have been contributing, and perhaps most important it will be a way to store your contact information. After the story’s conclusion I do intend to work at revising it into an original story worthy of publication, and I will value anyone’s ideas and contributions in that area. And if I do submit it, I’ll have to pull the story from this site. The only way for me to contact you and tell you it’s been accepted or not will be through the group. I doubt the traffic will be very high… so come and join in!
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Pleasure Slave