Hey! It had taken me a year to finally write again. Wow.

Well, not much to say really. This is my first fic for CardCaptor Sakura, so I'm predicting this would be... err, as average as my other fics?

I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Sad to say, I do not own CardCaptor Sakura and its characters. But I do own my soldiers!

目は心の鏡(Me wa kokoro no kagami) - Eyes are the mirror of the soul.

- Unknown

Chapter 1: The Hue of One's Eyes

At first she had caught sight of coal in tint and hue – shady, sinister and most importantly, its rusty, terrifying coldness within.

Oh, she had never been more wrong.

As her eyes grew more accustomed to the dark, a subtle glow filled her vision... a sweet savour of brazen amber.

Now, without a doubt, her fears of being in more danger than she ever thought possible was, in fact, real. The next step she had to do was figure out which one she would be more frightened of.

You would have your own doubts too.

- But, of course, before everything had come to place, before all of her unexpected commotion of the day had come to be, our cheery and childish lady had gone through the morning just like any of her other days...

A whiff of freshly baked bread filled her nostrils, tingling her each and every nerve as she unconsciously scavenged to find its source. She bolted right up; half of her still asleep while the other trotted down the steps. Clumsy, yes she definitely was one, but seventeen years of living the same routine had caused her feet to memorize the exact stride into letting her sit on a chair perfectly unharmed. Her feet had done so, and now her longing smile had found its place: strawberry lips wide enough to reach both ends of her face, adorable dimples shyly peeking out on those rosy cheeks and hazel locks sticking out on every direction which rested just above her eyes that were still shut...

Perfect.

A sound of wood tapping wood made the girl's eyes open, catching the ever smile that not in the least, seemed to leave his face – even beneath those round glasses, his soft brown eyes still seemed to beam with warmth. That was just – of course – one of the things she loved about this caring man.

"Good Morning father!"

His reply, ever so soft and gentle, "Good Morning to you too, Sakura."

Sakura's gaze then turned to what had caused the sound previously: a basket filled with the mouth-watering loaves she had searched for. She quickly offered her graces and plunged for a piece. As expected, the taste could not even compare to what it looked like. Now this was another reason why she loved her father: his undeniable expertise in cooking 'the most delicious food in the kingdom!' as Sakura herself had described.

"Wheh i-hf brothuw?" Her gobbled statement sounded very much nonsensical to anyone at all – if you exclude her 'loving' brother.

"With you wolfing down all those loaves in one gulp, all my doubts of you being a girl..." A man shook his head in disappointment as he added, "it even screams to me that you are a monster." With that teasing remark, Sakura jerked to the end table, revealing her infuriating brother and his devious smirk that always left her to blow off steams, literally. She instantly regretted asking his whereabouts.

"Yo-mph cruwe-li!" This time, Sakura nearly spat out half of what she was munching with her retort. Crumbs flew here and there, just like a sprinkling fountain.

The young man before her rolled his raven eyes teasingly. Saluting to the door, he whipped the bread on his sister's plate and mumbled, yet an understandable "See you, monster."

Sakura – as expected – fumed like a clogged chimney, gulping all her food in an instant. There goes the outburst.

"Touya is cruel! He robbed me of my last loaf!"

Fujitaka, more likely known as Touya and Sakura's father, let out a light chuckle at the sight of his children's daily squabbling just a few moments ago.

His laughter died down, smiling knowingly at Sakura. She heard the chirping of birds – the chorus of dawn – the beginning of a new day. Her eyes sealed in prayer for a moment; the sun's rays peeked throughout the translucent veils hung by the window. She faced once more to her father, whose smile vividly resembled her own.

"It seems they have called. I will be back later, child." Her father had spoken first.

"It is alright father. You should not delay any longer. You might be late for the Academy."

Shuffling through his templates, he continued speaking, "If your brother and I are not back before dusk," this time, his fatherly smile shifted into an apologetic kind. "I am sorry Sakura but you have to go to the market."

Sakura absolutely hated bothering her father, and so she denied with every part of her body following suit, "It is fine, father! I have slipped in and out of the market unharmed many times already. I can handle myself." She threw a fist in the air with an added grin on her face, just to convince that she was, truly alright on her own.

When her father did not look convinced enough, she added, "Brother has been a great instructor in self-defensive techniques! I can protect myself, I promise!"

With that, Fujitaka only smiled back, patted her on the shoulder and bid goodbye as he scurried along to the gates of the kingdom.

Once Sakura heard the door jolt back in its place, she sighed and limbs soon melted on the stiff chair in relief. Her head had leant back as she stared at the mahogany ceiling. I am, once again, alone. Her father had gone to his profession as an academy scholar, while her brother, Touya, had done countless of jobs day and night, all for her. The two men had done everything to provide the cottage hidden by the corner of the top block kingdom walls, to live in secrecy for the past years, lying low and unseen – all just for her sake. They had no choice but to live hushed lives.

She had no choice. It was simply a matter of birthright.

In a land where enchantment and wizardry thrive, where mystical creatures live among other beings as spirits or suchlike, living amidst the forest was unproblematic. To Sakura, it was an endless delight; she could do anything – from chasing tiny butterflies to collecting herbs and plants for medicine. Her surroundings educated her enough in compensation for not attending an academy as a student. The chirp of the birds always seemed to please her just as the clear stream a few blocks away often mellows her to relaxation. Sakura definitely did not mind living in a place such as this, yet the only upsetting detail was that she could not go anywhere other than her home. All the jostling and joyous events seemed to be beyond the border walls for her to miss. True, she was happy with her life, she merely missed the people. These errands of going to the market were her ways of escaping, but even that was just a short-lived fantasy. She could not live among those kingdom-dwellers. Not for long.

It was, again, simply a matter of her birthright; her inheritance... or rather, it was just in the brilliance of her eyes.

With all the thoughts flooding in Sakura's mind, her head began to ache. Thinking of sad moments is bad for your health.Slender arms stretched up high as the brunette stood up from her seat. The dazzling smile was there to glow her face once more, brightening the room along with it. Dusting the dirt off her draped skirt, Sakura raised a finger to the tip of her chin, counting off the tasks she had to do for the day.

"Hmmm... First is to wash the dishes, then sweep the house, then do the laundry..."

Her voice had trailed off along with her thoughts, and it would be a long time before she would be out of her trance. Sakura definitely had a lot to do. You would absolutely notice the pacing of her steps as she explored every nook and corner of the house with a broom; but if you had not been aware of that, there was also the sound of the flow of water and clanking wood pieces that went along with her lively hums when she scrubbed the dishes. She was certainly restless for the rest of the day – going in and out of the lodge, exploring the woods, playing with little critters along the way, and even reading parchments on basic information her father handed to her. With all her walking from here to there, you would not even notice how much time had passed by, for she had not realized it herself.

Ginger lights peaked through blooming trees as the sun dared to sink. Dusk had come to, yet neither Sakura's father nor brother was seen to be at home.Excitement filled her lungs almost instantly. Even for a moment, she would be able to see the bustling streets again! From the soft grass Sakura had leisurely laid on, she began skipping all the way back to the door and grabbed a red cloth for her stray hair, a woven basket, a bag full of silver coins and her trusty white-hooded cape that always saved her from getting caught. She set the hood in place – perfect enough to cover her silky hair and bright eyes – and bolted all the way to the gates.

Sakura felt her squirm inside. She could not contain the thrill within her, making her prance along the streets with her chin up high, not caring about the world.

Not until she heard footsteps that were not her own.

Sakura wrenched her head down; securing the hood that sloppily settled in its place and held her tiny hands together in a poise manner with an added briskness to her feet. Without glancing back, the person had passed her without any suspicion, but Sakura could not dwell on such matters. Her first priority was to hide and run before anything else.

She had been reckless. Slapping herself inwardly, Sakura scolded herself for being so careless. She had to give herself another rundown on the set of rules she and her family had formed for her, lest this certain lady would definitely end up in distress.

First: Always hide your face.That was not a problem, not anymore. With people roaming around on both sides, she definitely did not dare to look up anymore. Though this also meant she was near the market, and it also meant that it would be harder for her to carry out the first step.

Second: Never look up when a villager speaks to you. It was worth it, Sakura thought, as she bought through the fruit and meat stands, chatting with storeowners with just a simple "How much is..." and a peak at their ebony or bronze eyes from time to time. But she could not do more than that. It would lead to her failing the next step:

Third: Do not ever get caught. She would by no means allow such a thing to happen for it would be the ruin of all her family had done; but – as Touya had told her with a stern face – if worst comes to worst...

Fourth: Run. Escape at the least expected moment.

Sakura can still remember her brother's face as he said that. "You should know that, even if you were born unnaturally with two left feet yet still energetic, do notlet your captors find out that you have escaped." Of course, she had thrown a fit with the rude remark on her clumsiness, attempting to stomp here and there. Despite that, the worrying gesture certainly eased her. It was pleasant to know that even the oaf of a brother was the best kind of Touya she ever would have wished for.

Satisfied with her almost-perfect memory, Sakura continued to walk from stall to stall, filling her basket with every stop. As she was on her way to the next stall to the front, her ears perked up by the abrupt sounds of villagers gossiping about.

"The hunt was abundant! We have been blessed with a banquet tonight, love." A man said whose bow rested on his back. A hunter, it seems.

The woman before him welcomed him with an embrace. "It seems the emerald maiden had sanctified the woods, as I had told you."

"We must offer a great share of what we have scavenged in her honor then."

Sakura's eyes widened to a great extent. Since when had there been rumors of an 'emerald maiden' in the kingdom? If she had known such, she would not have even dared to set foot in this place... but then she took a glance down at her basket. She was nearly done buying, and it would be such a shame to leave her family to starve for the night... With a lingering sigh and a nervous glance from side to side, she began a series of brief strides to the necessary ingredients she needed left.

From the celeries to apples and oranges, to beef and pork meat, and to loaves of bread she went, quickening her pace. This was certainly tiring, but definitely worth the effort.

With her task nearly done, Sakura had taken notice of an old lady right next to a stall selling a variety of mushrooms – her next stop, in fact. The old lady wore ragged clothes, her hunched back leaning on an empty barrel. The wrinkles were enough to cover her eyes, and the fact that her pupils were unfocused just assured Sakura's assumption that the elderly woman was blind. Sakura had bent down – kneeling in front of the beggar as she shifted her emerald eyes to gaze at the dull, black eyes of the woman. The bony fingers held up in a pleading manner were grasped by Sakura's own soft hands. There she laid an apple on the wrinkled palm.

Sakura could only do so much for someone in need; the guilt shot her like an arrow piercing through her chest. A smile of pity planted on her lips, filled with emotions that frustrated her to no end. She disliked anything that seemed dreadful to her eyes, to her heart. She always had this sense of kindness that was hard to find in another.

That was only one of the things that are unbelievable about Sakura.

"Thank you dear," A voice croaked, coming out raspy and weak. It came from the old lady. Her thin lips formed a smile, kissing Sakura's hands in gratitude. "May the emerald maiden guide you and your youthful life."

Sakura's hands flew back to her sides as she stood up hastily. One was for the fact that the old beggar had thanked her in a way she never could have imagined, and the other was for – yet again – the mentioning of the 'emerald maiden.' Now this was really odd for her. The villagers treated the emerald woman like a goddess! Sakura had done nothing miraculous of the sort – nay, she had not even done anything to deserve such tales! She was merely a girl, a simple and normal girl... with a different kind of brilliance in her eyes.They are really inflating all the gossip every time they pass it to another.

She plunged her head into the hood more, securing her auburn locks to hide those bright green orbs of hers. Now was really the perfect time to head home. Enough strolling and more on escaping from all these gossips, she scolded herself. No, she definitely would not let herself get in trouble.

The sun bowed low – almost nearly out of sight from the orange horizon. Stars began to zip above, dazzling sparks that decorated the darkening sky.

With added swiftness to her movements, she would have been already halfway through the streets if she had not stopped on her tracks when almost colliding with a group of villagers conversing in front of her.

"It seems the maiden has blessed us with a beautiful night."

"Are you referring to the emerald maiden? You still hope for that tell-tale of a legend?"

"It would not hurt to have faith in children's tales. Either way, there had been word lately that another had seen her along the kingdom walls..."

Sakura instantly whipped her head away from the direction of the voices, shutting off all her hearing just to calm herself. She darted as far as possible from the voices.

"In fact, the prince also has his notion on considering her tale to be true..."

It definitely was not working.

Oh the Spirits save me. I have not gotten caught, have I? The only time she had gotten over those sky-scraping walls was when she had yearned to watch the stars dive past nightfall!

'Now' truly was the perfect time to run with all her might. It was better to be safe than not. With panic rushing through her veins, her feet started with a slow pace – to avoid odd glances directed at her – but soon turned into a sprint for the gates. She was near; the broad archway only a few feet away from her. Sakura ran past the gaiting horses that pulled wagons of hays, past the Royal Guards stationed both at the tops and bottoms of the towers that supported the gate – past any obstacle in her way until she had caught sight of dark green trees enclosing the area.

Green soon filled her surroundings – an assured view that she was finally out of danger. "Hoooooeeee... I am safe." Sakura slowly halted, heaving out a sigh of relief. She had not even broken a sweat, but the uneasy thought of being caught caused her hands to perspire. The basket was still crushed to her chest, her items safe and sound. The day never seemed to stop bothering her. Too much of a turn of events occurred – from her every day morning rituals to an extensive point of fleeing from the odd rumors that spread like wildfire in the kingdom. Now she finally had time to stroll the forest with ease...

Or so she thought.

Sakura heard a cry of help to her right, and then was followed by a loud grunt of pain.

The day really will never stop bothering her.

It was time for her to groan, complaining and worrying at the same time. She was finally away from the danger, but here it comes to find her once again, even beyond the protection of her own beloved forest. Ignore it ignore it ignore it ignore it ignore it...

By gods. This was, she admitted to no one in particular, the first and only time that she will ever regret for being considerate.

"Excuse me!" Sakura yelled in audible manner, "Please tell me where you are!"

"Over here!" A voice shouted back.

She trailed the source of the subtle groans and the faint brushes of leaves due to movement. Past large raspberry bushes and sturdy trees, a figure formed on the grass. He was a slim lad, His feet were sprawled on the ground as his hands were clutching to his thigh. Raven hair stuck to his face with sweat, and then came up his also-raven eyes, looking up to see his savior – a young lady whose entire face was covered with an ivory hood.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked softly, bending low enough so as to avoid eye contact with the man.

"M-my leg..." He could only stutter.

Her eyes flicked to where his hands were clutching to, then she had finally noticed the crimson stains that were soaking his trousers. In a swift moment, Sakura knelt next to his wound, ripping the cloth to reveal three gashes, cut straight down only to stop just above his joint. It was not too deep, but surely it caused a lot of blood loss. His face was already pale enough – as ashen as the clouds. She took the cloth that had covered her basket and sadly, for reasons that she had no water, just pressed it on the wound as to stop it from bleeding. The young man cried out in pain, louder and louder as she dabbed the lady's mantleleaves on the wound (Of course, she always carried such healing leaves lest such an event happens).

"Wolves... There were-" he coughed, cutting off his words, then continued, "there were wolves. Aggressive and feisty. I was caught off guard... Thank you for your aid, my lady." He gave a brief nod in courtesy. Sakura only smiled in response, showing him that it was the extent of what she wanted to show him.

After a few more touches to the patch and cloth wrapped around the injury, Sakura stood and helped the man to his feet. Sadly, he could not walk on his own, and he could not stay in the forest that had just ambushed him with wolves.

"I deeply apologize for the burden." The man winced as he stood, leaning on the tree trunk behind him.

It was the instance for Sakura to decide once again: leave him or help him. This time she asked the heavens why her guilt must pierce her so much. Here she was, risking yet another choice for a stranger she had never met until this dire moment. Why, oh why...The groan that she had released inside her was louder than her own statement.

"It is really no problem. I will help you back to the kingdom."

The man's eyes lit up and the hopeful strained smile filled his face. The gratitude was noticeable in his features. "You are heaven-sent, truly."

And so she was back to phase one. The anxiety and awareness were there again, haunting her as she had retraced her steps, now with a man leaning half his weight on her. It was a slow process, but they had finally gotten to the gates, saluting to a Royal Guard for help. The soldier jogged up to them, and his eyes widened in surprise as his gaze shifted towards the injured man.

"Duke, sir, what had happened?"

Oh, lucky me.He just had to be entitled of an important status. When Sakura was finally relieved of his weight, she sprinted back towards the forest. Refuge, she needed refuge. Her heart could not stop beating so fast, and it still did not slow down as a hand grabbed her wrist that made her turn back again – the young man.

"Wait, lady. I must give my thanks."

"N-no... I am fine without it." She struggled this time, trying to wriggle out her wrist from his grasp. Her worry had overcome her. The young man did not doubt for a second to release her for it was disrespectful to a woman, but as for Sakura, who gave too much power into pulling her arm, fell on the ground.

"Woah!" The man's raven eyes stared in shock and concern. He held out a helping hand instead of an ensnaring hold despite the pain on his leg. This woman did save his life after all.

But his hand faltered, and his eyes could only gape more as the hood revealed short auburn strands of hair... but it was not her silky hair that appalled him, it was the bright eyes that glimmered brighter than a moon's own brilliance.

Oh no! Why Sakura, you stupid girl! Why did you look up!Why had she not just placed her hood back and ran to the forest? There was a continuous scolding session occurring in her head as she got up and attempted another escape,

But to no avail.

Royal Guards stood in place, blocking her every route, yet it was clear that her exposure had a great effect on them with their eyes wider than wide.

"By the spirits..." A guard muttered.

"So it was real, th-that..."

"But it was just a tale!"

"The emerald maiden." It was the voice of the man she had saved. Silence grew in a deafening manner, dazed eyes taking in the reality of the incident.

True. In a magical land where only the brown and black of eyes in color existed, emerald was exceptional.

A Royal Guard stepped forward, except his armor had a different pattern. A red cape hung at his back. The insignia of the Nebulas kingdom sown in the middle was larger than the others'. He must be the commander of the fleet. Through his composure and stiff actions was his shock, entranced self. Not even the most decent soldier could contain their surprise with the appearance of the emerald maiden. "By..." He cleared his throat, revealing the panic that was inside him. "By the order of the Prince of Nebulas, we are to bring back the emerald maiden if she were ever to appear."

"H-hooeee..." Sakura mumbled timidly, "U-um... If you please, do let me go." She hated violence – yes she did – and she would avoid it even if it meant giving up this chance to escape by these soldiers over as they grabbed her gently by the arm. They even took away her basket! Oh the shame of wasting such good food...

The young man stepped in, interrupting the guards' reluctant hold of Sakura. "Halt! Release her! She is not to be held captive for the prince."

"Duke, sir, as much as I have my utmost respect for you, the royalty's orders are absolute." Then and there, the commander saluted to the duke and hastily prepared the carriage for the maiden.

With a sigh, the duke's eyes were drawn downcast. "I am sorry..."

Sakura however, did not even blame him at all. It was all her. She had been at fault. Why had she looked up? Why could she have not just ignored his plea in the forest? Why had she even gone to the market in the first place? Maybe she should have just gotten fruits from the forest for supper! She had not followed her first three rules. And she had to pay for it. But nevertheless, her sadness and regret were only short-lived. Knowing this cheerful maiden, she would only reassure herself that everything would definitely be alright. One of the other specialties of Sakura was her positivity.

A soldier had bound her hands, not even daring to look directly into her eyes. With the other quarter of rumors spreading concerning those emerald eyes that could seduce you and would control you against your will, it seemed unlikely that these guards would risk a chance. There they rode, dragging and tedious. A troop of soldiers led the path while a few guarded the rear. The bounce of the carriage was a rhythmic sound to the maiden's ears, like an adventure of some sort. It was, only that there was added danger. Sakura was alone inside the carriage, and she was quite glad for it. She puffed a breath, her auburn strands flying suit. Lilac curtains covered the open window, swaying back and forth as the wind willed it to. With the back of her palm, she pushed the drapes aside and took in the twin moons' light. Their crescents shone vibrantly – the larger moon embracing the smaller in a navy blue color. The sight eased her, causing her to finally settle all the muddled ideas forming in her head.

Then her mind flew to her brother.

Escape at the least expected moment.No, she could not escape when they would have arrived to their destination; the guards would be overwhelming in number.

Now. She had to make a move now.

Her head peeked out of the window, trying to catch sight of the soldiers from the back. Only two were behind the carriage. There was a chance! A new motivation now encouraging her, the same energetic smile brightened her face and she began to gnaw on the rope binding her wrists. It was unbelievably loose, relieving her of the rough texture it had – underestimating a girl definitely had benefits, it seemed. With a test of her arms, she grabbed the top ledge of the window and twisted her wrist back and forth. She was ready

And so, with an agile step, she swung her legs out the carriage noiselessly. Releasing the grip from the window's ledge, she rolled on the ground swiftly and landed gracefully – standing on her heels and balancing herself with her arms spread wide. She grinned happily, throwing a fist to the air.

"I did it!"

Uh-oh.Then sherealized it. Her exclamation caused her hand to fly over her mouth. Catching the attention of all bystanders, along with the dozen pairs of eyes that belonged to her captors, she began a sprint through the darkness. Well, she definitely forgot the rest of what Touya had told her: do not let your captors find out that you have escaped.

"Seize her! The prince's desire for this emerald maiden is enough to put our jobs at stake!" Now this had begun the cat-and-mouse chase.

Oh, wow. Was the prince obsessed with her? Sakura made a quick disgusted retort before turning to a curve, trying to evade all the drunken men and tavern along the way. She squeezed her way through musical players, street performers, and all other sorts of people she had yet to see. It thrilled her, but there was no time for such. She heard galloping horses coming nearer and nearer...

By the spirits, save me!Even with countless gazes were directed towards her, she did not care. Her head whipped from one side – no. It was just a dead end. She glanced to another, only revealing another tavern that began to crowd around her. She then set her eyes to a dark path. Please, please please...Then she began running for her life.

With a plentiful turn of rights and lefts, she did not dare look back, nor did she even care about what was ahead of her anymore. Sakura had entered an alley without knowing – the best and worst place to hide. Her feet continued to move, right then left, right then left, ignoring all around her until she bumped into something hard. Might the tale tell you, this young maiden really was as clumsy as ever. She definitely lived up to her name of being 'the girl born with two left feet.'

She squeaked in the sudden thump, rubbing her forehead in comfort. Her gaze focused then over her. It was a shadow, or at least she thought it was. The darkness around her gave her the chills, especially the fright of not being able to see anything clearly. She despised anything terrifying. But no matter, the shadow shifted – now she was not sure if it was a shadow. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, moonlight aiding her vision. It was yet another man; his tall figure hovered over her and was fully clad in black. His tattered dark fabric covered his body from neck to toe, revealing only a set of black garments underneath. A series of black cloths also covered his entire face, wrapped carelessly around his hair and covered his nose and the rest below.

The only thing visible was his eyes.

The eyes that she thought were of coal: dark, and shady.

And certainly,that is how Sakura had ended up into that situation. In a sea of brown and black, emerald gazed intently at those mysterious, hard eyes – that were no doubt to her now – of amber. Brazen amber.

She heard a scowl of orders and the heavy footsteps of a troop marching from the main street just behind her.

The next step she had to do was figure out which one she would be more frightened of. Would it be this dangerous-looking man, or the Royal Guards that only hunted her down for their prince?

I did tell you, you would have your own doubts too.

Thank you for reading till the end of Chapter 1! :) I appreciate it a lot.

It was actually supposed to be a Prologue... but I think it turned out to be a little too long than I'd imagined.

So let's say: It's a Not so Prologue Prologue!

Horrible? Nice? Okay? Average? Omgods I fail? Please feel free to tell me and review! Anything at all! Thank you!

.Carpe Diem.

Petals of Liliah