Disclaimer: I DON'T own cardcaptor sakura….. but the story is MINE!!!!

Hehe now on with the story………..

Web of Fate

Chapter One

The sun shone brightly over the land, as slaves quickly rushed throughout the royal palace grounds, carrying an assortment of platters which contained sweet meats, deserts and goblets filled of spiced wine.

Aris sat annoyed and impatient in her tower chamber, fanning herself off from the hot air and summer odors. Today was not a good day for her as the weather was hot and humid. Below, a group of girls giggled and the air filled with their gossip.

Aris scowled, laughter, ugh. To her, it was like a bat's screech: a high piercing sound.

"Having troubles Aris?"

Aris whipped her head around, turning to find out who had dared to come in so boldly without even knocking, and to use such informality- only to see her identical twin's face. He had conveniently let himself into her chambers.

She growled, "Artemis…"

"You hurt me dear sister," Artemis smiled sweetly, "Why do you talk to me with such a tone?"

"Get out." Aris clenched her teeth.

Artemis smirked, "Why Aris, you seem unhappy just to see your own brother! What is bothering you on this fine day?" he grinned and added, "next to me…"

Aris frowned and pointed to the group of giggling girls "That is what's bothering me."

Artemis gave her a questioning look.

"It's that particular girl, I believe her name is Lady Sakura Kinomoto. She is the cousin of Princess Tomoyo." Aris' face turned sour, "She's always so cheerful, everyone loves and adores her. It's sickening!"

Her brother laughed mockingly, "I don't see what is wrong with her. In fact, I believe she's quite pretty."

Aris glared icily at him. Her brother did not help to lighten her mood.

Artemis sneered, "Besides, she possesses a quality that you desperately need my dear sister."

"And what quality would that be brother?" Aris asked annoyed, "What quality would a mere mortal have that I, Aris, don't?"

"She is kind and sweet. That mortal loves and receives love in return." he answered simply.

"Well I despise her."

Artemis turned to face her with a wicked grin, "Why don't you get rid of her then?" he asked, "Why not just do something with this little pest of yours if you despise her so much?"

"Well, that would be deliciously fun." Aris thought out loud, "But it wouldn't be as entertaining if I just made her 'disappear' now would it?"

She walked across the room, her thick dark gown trailing behind her.

"Suit yourself, but I know you could easily kill her with a simple snap of your fingers if you wanted to. After all, you are the kingdom's most powerful witch and the queen's most trusted subject." Artemis snorted.

Aris frowned "What do you mean by witch?" She said, emphasizing the last word.

Aris never did like being called a witch. Although she was one, the term sounded too offensive and improper for her liking. Especially the way humans portrayed witches: orange hair, green wrinkled skin with a bumpy exterior, and worst of all, a long crooked nose with a wart on its tip. Aris shuddered at the thought. How could mortals create such a revolting creature!

She looked up at Artemis, "Well then if I'm a witch, what are you brother?"

"That's easy," Artemis answered, "I'm a sorcerer."

Aris clenched her hands tightly together forming fists. Artemis almost laughed out loud, he knew he had hit a weak spot in his sister's pride, and was not afraid to continue to add salt into the wound and dent her ego. He needed to put her in her place, as he was the older and to his belief the wiser twin.

"How could you be a sorcerer and I, a witch" Aris cried, "You're just saying that because you don't like the term 'witch' yourself! If I'm a witch you're a warlock-"Aris paused and grinned wickedly, "and we all know how warlocks are like, old aging men with such long thin white hair and beards that repeatedly get in the way!"

"Fine then, think what you want." Artemis rolled his eyes, "Sometimes you're such a child! I question your intelligence at times like these..."

Aris ignored her brother and turned her attention back to the human girl. "As for you Lady Sakura, I have a plan in store to make things interesting; it's about time that I've had some fun in this utterly boring kingdom."

………………………….

"No, no, no! You're doing it all wrong!"

Sakura cringed as her dance instructor, Mistress Ellen, screeched the words.

"Remember," she said, "it's step, step, and glide! And follow the beat if you will."

Sakura sighed; learning how to dance wasn't exactly something she enjoyed. It wasn't that she completely hated to dance, no not at all; in fact she had loved it... until it turned into a chore, an expectation. Knowing how to dance was what every lady was required to do, without it, you would be considered quite unfavorable.

It confused her how each step she took had to be gracefully done while following the rhythm of the song in a simple yet elaborate and elegant manner.

Unlike all of her friends, Sakura found it hard to remember what to do. Other ladies in the court loved to dance, twirling their skirts with each turn and bow. From afar, they looked like little budding flowers in the springtime.

Sakura muttered to herself, "Step, step, turn, glide…"

"Straighten your back Sakura! And stop stomping around like a giant ogre, you must step lightly and gracefully!" Mistress Ellen sighed in exasperation. "Honestly, dancing like that will never capture a gentleman's fancy upon you."

Sakura grinned, that would be just fine. She had no intension of being betrothed and married to anyone for a long time. In her opinion, marriage should come out only from true love, not from their families' want and greed of power and riches.

Unfortunately, her friends didn't think the same way.

"But what else can us females do in life?" asked Chiharu, whenever Sakura brought up this subject, "What else can we do, but be married off and be loving and loyal wives?"

Sakura always disagreed with this point, Chiharu was one of her closest friends, but she would never understand for she was already betrothed to a boy named Takahashi Yamazaki. Sakura thought quite highly of Yamazaki, he was a very fun person to be with and had a very interesting knowledge of the world and its history!

A small cuff on the head brought Sakura out of her thoughts. She lifted her head and smiled hesitantly. "Pay attention mi lady!" cried her instructor as the music began to repeat once more while Mistress Ellen counted the rhythmical beats out loud, "One and two and three and. One and two and three and …"

With one hand, Sakura picked up the side of her skirt as she started to step, turn and bow, dancing to the melody….

Slowly the room began to swirl, dissolving into a whirling vortex as a new hall replaced it, decorated elegantly and sophisticatedly for a midnight masquerade. Torches and candles lit the room; their light radiating across the white painted walls, giving the hall a dreamy star-filled effect. Banners of a multitude of colors hung from the ceiling while hand painted mosaics adorned the wall, each with a different story of its own, of beautiful maidens in the arms of their beloved and dragons grandly basking in their lair of stolen riches from ancient kingdoms.

Chandeliers gleamed from above, showing off their beautifully polished crystal, as young laughing masked couples danced below. Many made their way towards the long white tables which were filled with golden goblets and silver platters of rich food and wine.

Sakura gasped with excitement. She was in the center of it all! The beauty enchanted her, made her drunk with joy. She began to walk out of the dance floor when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. A boy with messy auburn brown hair and a pair of handsome amber eyes warmly smiled and held out a hand. "Would you care to dance mi lady?"

She laughed melodically as she was swept away into the crowd, "I'm sorry," Sakura looked at him with apologetic eyes, "I'm not very good at dancing.

"Its okay, my little white dove." His laughter filled her ears.

"Hoe?" Sakura thought confused, "little white dove?"

She looked down and realized the she was now wearing a long sweeping white gown trimmed with pink lace and sewn with shimmering gold threads. She felt her lips curve into a smile as she felt the mask around her eyes. The edges were cut to resemble the wings of birds.

"This must be a dream," Sakura sighed happily, "it's so beautiful here." She looked up at her dance partner. "What is your name?"

He smiled and shook his head, "Remember, in a masquerade, you are not allowed to reveal your identity."

"Oh!" Realization took her as she filled with disappointment. "I'm so stupid."

The boy laughed when he saw her expression, "Do not feel so bad, people forget all of the time." He smiled thoughtfully, "But I will tell you my name."

Sakura raised an eyebrow curiously "Why? You just said we weren't allowed to do that."

"I am willing to tell you my name because you are a very good dance partner, I'd love to dance with you again! And because you are very cute!"

Sakura blushed, light pink like the petals of a cherry blossom filling her cheeks.

"Watashi wa Li Sy-"

Suddenly the room began to swirl again, slowly melting away like ice being shone in the bright rays of the sun. The decoration, the food, the dancing couples all vanished before Sakura's eyes, as the boring hall where her dancing lessons were held reappeared.

"Hoe?" Sakura blinked, "Where… where did everyone go?"

"Lady Sakura!" Mistress Ellen frowned. She folded her arms across her chest clearly displeased, "If you are not going to concentrate, I suggest we end this lesson now! It's obvious you stopped paying attention a long time ago and any further instruction would just be a waste of time. Go, this lesson is over!"

Sakura's smile grew into a grin as she rushed outside, clumsily making a curtsy at the doorway before leaving.

"Good day Mistress Ellen."

"Good day."

Sakura picked up her skirt so she wouldn't trip as she ran out of the old ballroom and into the hallway.

…………………………

Aris watched Sakura from her window, running down the hall which lead to the courtyard, "My, my," she mused, "Aren't you the clumsy one…"

She raised her hand. Series of silver threads flowed out of her palm and through her chamber walls, weaving themselves into an elaborate web of magic as they settled in the courtyard, naked to the eye to anyone who was there.

"First I will humiliate you…"

"Then I will hurt you…"

Aris broke out into a tormenting laughter, "And then I will ruin your life!"

………………………

"Free! I'm free at last!" Sakura giggled, "I won't be seeing anymore of Mistress Ellen for today! I'm so happy." She twirled around, humming a soft melody she once heard the princess sing. Sakura stopped and sighed, "but I was having such a nice dream! That boy was just about to tell me his name!" she played with her skirt, "He seemed very nice…" Sakura blushed embarrassed to find herself thinking about him, a stranger she met only in her dreams.

She laughed and closed her eyes, pretending to be dancing just like in her daydream, slowly swaying to the music. Suddenly she felt herself collide into another person. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut to prepare for the impact as she fell to the ground.

She winced, a grimace clouding her face, "Itai…" The hard stone floor was cold, and was not the least bit soft.

"Gomenasai, milady."

Sakura's eyes snapped opened, somehow, the voice sounded so familiar as if she heard it before...

She looked up to see the retreating form of a boy with messy brown hair. From the way he was dressed, she could tell that he was a servant.

How odd…

He seemed very familiar, but she quickly dismissed the thought.

She continued on her way, running out into the courtyard. The cobblestones sparkled in the sunlight like polished gems, as rows of grass and flowers stretched out over the property.

Sakura plucked a flower, its soft fragranced petals tickling her fingers as she made her way to the garden where she would meet the princess and her ladies in waiting for lunch.

………………………..

Aris smirked maliciously as she tied magical threads around her fingers. She pulled on them to see if they were tight.

Perfect.

Yay! My first chapter done!!!! Okie….. please review! I would really appreciate it if you give me some constructive criticism too! Hehe, just push the button below………….