Veils 18:Power of Love

Tomoyo opened her eyes weakly. All she could see was pitch-black darkness. She tried to stand up, but to her consternation, she discovered that she was mercilessly bound to a chair.

"Where am i?" her mind screamed. All she could remember was that two men seized her and made her smell something. She didn't know what happened next.

Her blood froze when she felt something touch her shoulder. She turned to her left fearfully and felt warm breath om her cheek. She screamed in fright.

"H-Hey!!" The man, not knowung what else to do, silenced her mouth with a kiss.

Tomoyo's eyes widened. It couldn't be! But only one man can kiss her and make her feel this way..

His mouth left hers. "There. Relax, will you?"

"E-Eriol Hiragizawa?"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing here? And what am I doing here? Was I kidnapped? Did you come here to save me?" she asked breathlessly.

"Sure, I'll save you..in one condition though," he told her.

"What?!" Her eyes narrowed. "Whatever happened to your I-am-your-big bro-and-I-will-protect-you-ay-all-cost-but-it-won't-cause-you-anything motto?"

"Do you want me to save you or not?"

"Hai, hai! What is your condition?"

"Ask me to marry you," he said simply.

"What??!! " If only she could use infra-red vision to find Eriol in the dark, she would glare at him lethally.

"You already asked me that in the beach 3 years ago. You can do it again," he reasoned.

"Hell, that was just a game!"

"It wasn't a game to me, Tomoyo. I took it most seriously, and I want to hear those words again," he replied.

"Over my beautiful dead body!"

"Ok then. I won't save you," he said calmly.

She heard him stand up behind her. She panicked when she realized that he meant what he said. "W-Wait! Don't leave me!"

He sat down again. "So.."

She wanted to scream and tear him apart, but she knew she had to be practical. She must save herself first. She would shred Eriol to pieces later after she is safe and free.

"Alright!" She mustered her guts. "Eriol?"

"Yes?"

"Marry me," she said through gritted teeth.

"No."

Her jaw dropped. "And why not?"

"Say the proposal like you really mean it. Say it with love," he ordered.

"Eriol!!" But she knew him enough to know that he was beyond negotiation. She must play by his rules. "Eriol?"

"Yes?"

She probed her heart for the words to use. "We've known each other all our lives.."

"True," he agreed sweetly.

"..and I think I'm ready to spend the rest of my lifetime loving you. Will you be my husband?" she asked with sincerity.

"Yes, my precious Tomoyo. My beloved Tomoyo.." He kissed her cheek lovingly.

"Y-You're lying.." She couldn't believe what she just heard. Eriol loves her?

"No, I'm not. I do love you, ever since I first saw you back in our elementary days, and even more when we became close friends.." he laughed. "I love you more and more each passing day."

"But Kaho-"

"- is a distraction. Someone to keep my mind busy because you're occupying my thoughts everyday, which is not right."

"Why?" she wanted to know.

He squeezed her hands affectionately. "Because I am your best friend. Because I am your guardian. Because I am your big bro. I don't want you or the others to think that I'm taking advantage of you." He took a deep breath. "Besides, you were so young then.. I thought that what you feel for me is just infatuation. I thought you don't know anything about real love."

"And why is that?" she asked indignantly. "You're only 6 months and 20 days older than me, so I too, know what real love is.. because..because.." She looked down shyly. "..until now, it was only you," she finished softly.

He chuckled. "I know."

She looked up. "Huh?"

"But it was so much better hearing it straight from you," he continued.

At that instant, all the lights turned on. Tomoyo was temporarily blinded by the sudden light, but as her eyes adjusted, she saw Eriol smiling at her, looking so dashing in his white tux.

" Miruyuki told me about the little play you guys staged for me. It was very good," he admitted. "You nearly drove me insane, thinking that after 3 years of finally realizing that I am madly in love with you, I come home to marry you but you're a possession of another man already." He knelt behind her and untied her. "God knows how I hated myself for missing my chance to say how much I care for you back when you still love me -"

"I still do," she interrupted.

He held his hand up. "No, let me explain first. It's my fault. If I only have told you earlier that I love you, I wouldn't have to hurt you. But I was desperate then to mask my feelings for you. It wasn't right. I tried to fight it off, believe me, but I can't."

Her eyes shook. "I-I had no idea.."

He smiled. "But now I want to make things right again." He turned to a bearded man who emerged from a door in the corner, holding a bible.

"H-Hey, that's the man who kidnapped me!" screamed Tomoyo.

Laughter erupted from begind. Tomoyo turned around and saw Nakuru, Miruyuki, Naoko, Sakura, Sonomi and everyone in Tomoeda seated on pews, watching her in amusement.

She turned to Eriol, flabbergasted. "What the-"

Eriol laughed. "Oh yes, I believe you are not properly acquainted with him." He gestured towards the man. "This is Father Ichiro, and I asked his help to abduct you. Miruyuki's gardener assisted him."

She remembered the men. "You mean.."

"Yes, I am the mastermind of the kidnapping," he admitted, grinning sheepishly. "Miruyuki gave me the idea, and I pulled it off."

She turned to the basketball player. "You traitor!"

Miruyuki laughingly held his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry babe, but he threatened to abduct Fifi if I don't break off with you. I was forced to tell him the truth and to suggest that he kidnaps you instead."

"You were going to victimize Miruyuki's poodle?" asked Tomoyo, astonished, turnoing to Eriol.

He blushed. "I'm sorry! I was really desperate then, and I don't want to lose you. I have to turn to blackmail."

"Wow, Eriol dognapping," muttered Tomoyo under her breath. She then looked at the priest, who beamed apologetically at her. She turned to Eriol again. "But what is a priest doing here?" She looked around the church. "And why are we here?"

"Don't you get it yet?" asked Nakuru.

Eriol grinned. "You asked me to marry you, remember? And to make sure that you won't back out, you're marrying me now."

"N-Now?"

He turned to the priest. "Father, please begin the ceremony now before the bride changes her mind."

"Yes, Mr.Hiragizawa." Fr.Ichiro cleared his throat loudly. "Dearly beloved.."

"W-Wait! This is a wedding??!" Tomoyo looked down and stifled a gasp. She was wearing a beautifully- designed wedding gown made of fine silk and laces. She was wearing a veil adorned with fresh white roses, and her hand was handcuffed to Eriol with a cord. "Oh my god, this IS a wedding!"

"Our wedding," he said. "I won't let you go again, and I'm making sure of that." He opened a small box he fished from his pocket and took out the antique diamond ring he had been keeping for years. He placed it carefully on her finger. It sparkled brightly against her dove white gloves.

"T-This is mine?" A lump was forming in her throat. She had worn this ring before, but it was Kaho's then.

"You told me to keep it and give it to the woman I would exchange vows with, remember?" he said huskily.

She still couldn't believe that everything that was happening was real. "And it is me," she whispered happily, her purple eyes misty.

He gazed at her for what seemed like eternity before he cupped her face and kissed her lovingly.

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back with equal passion.

"Hey! You're suppose to kiss in the last part of the ceremony! You're turning the wedding upside down!" yelled Nakuru.

Sonomi elbowed her. "It's ok. They're happy, so don't disturb them." Her eyes shined as she gazed at her daughter. At last, she found her happiness. She could see again the young Fujitaka and Nadeshiko in the couple. It made the woman smile.

"This is the most special moment of my life. I married my best friend, my knight in shining armor, my big bro..and he loves me as much as I do, and maybe even more. I'm the luckiest girl in the world," thought Tomoyo blissfully.

The diamond ring in her hand glittered brightly the way it did centuries ago when once upon a time, what seemed like an impossible love between a geisha and an English lord triumphed against the odds. The ring once more witnessed the mighty timeless power of love.

The End.