In Love and War
Okay, CCS doesn't belong to me or the FFX ideas (I wish) so you can't sue me! LOL
By: Mistress Ness
Prologue
For a long time, the kingdoms of Clow and Yuyan have been at war; an endless battle for power. The warriors of both kingdoms were doing the dirty fighting with a shield and a sword, but the finest pieces of power were their summoners. The Kingdom of Clow was known for its powerful summoners, especially the High Summoner. The Yuyan kingdom kept losing battles because of the High Summoner's great power and also because of the Summoner Squad, led by the High Summoner. Yuyan's king, Shintaro, has sent many to kill the High Summoner, but none prevailed. But now, the fate of this great war lies within the hands of two people who together, will strive to make a difference.......
A young woman stood alone in the middle of a deserted area behind her tent. She held a pink staff with wings and an emerald orb tight in her hands, eyes closed. She then opened her eyes and swung out her staff with a mighty cry, "Firaga!" A big blast of fire appeared from beneath the sand and the girl smile her satisfaction.
"Lady Sakura." A light voice called from behind her. The girl Sakura turned her head around, soft auburn hair trailing behind her movement. A girl stood behind her, a smile on her pale face. "Your father wishes to see you, my lady." She spoke. Sakura smiled in delight and said to the amethyst-eyed girl. "Thank you, Tomoyo, I'm on my way." And with that said, she walked to her father's tent.
"Hi, Dad!" she greeted as she came into the tent. A middle-aged-looking man smiled at her as he was removing his cape. "Hello, my dear daughter." He said gently. Sakura ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "I'm so happy you're back safe, Dad." Sakura said as she took in his special scent of mint and pine. "That's only for now, Sakura. This war isn't over yet." Her father said. Sakura released him, making a solemn face, "I know." she said. Her father chuckled and patted Sakura's head. "You look so much like your mother, especially when you make that face." And she did. Her green eyes and her angelic face, just like his wife's.
Sakura turned her attention to the portrait of her mother that stood on a small table near her father's bed. "I wish I met her." she said, a shard of pain piercing her heart. Sakura's father nodded. "I wish that too, angel. Nadeshiko loved you very much." He said. Sakura looked at him again. "But you're Fujitaka, High Summoner of Clow, Dad! You're invincible!" she cried. Fujitaka shook his head and said, "Even the most powerful people can be defeated."
"But Dad......" Sakura was about to argue when she saw her father wince, his hand grabbing his shirt, where his heart is. Sakura panicked and screamed for help. "Someone help!" she shouted. Fujitaka groaned in pain and felt his legs give away. Sakura reacted quickly and caught his fall. "Dad!!" she cried, tears starting to sting her eyes. Finally, Tomoyo and several guards came inside the tent. Sakura turned to them, holding her father tight. "My dad's in pain!" she cried on the verge of tears.
Fujitaka lay on his bed, feeling his soul seeping from his body. He didn't have much time left. He opened his eyes to see the doctor, the maid Tomoyo, and a few of the Summoner Squad. Sakura was next to him, her emerald eyes swimming in tears. "Dad....." she sobbed quietly. "My lady, can you see what is wrong with Lord Fujitaka?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura picked up her staff and nodded. "I think I can."
Fujitaka placed his hand over hers that held the staff, stopping her. She looked at him in a confused expression and he shook his head. "No need to do that, angel. I......." he paused, knowing the shocked expression his daughter's face will have when he finishes. "I was born with a weak heart."
"I can cure it!" Sakura grasped her staff. "Curag.....!" her father held her hand even tighter, stopping her again. Sakura lowered her staff in defeat. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked softly. Fujitaka brought a hand up and cupped her tear-stained cheek. "I didn't want to worry you or anyone else. Your mother knew but she was good to keep my secret." he replied. Sakura cried softly, her hand over her father's. "Be happy, Sakura. For Nadeshiko and for me." he said weakly, his strength fading. Sakura nodded, her tears moistening her father's hand, "I love you, Dad."
He smiled at his daughter and closed his eyes, "Nadeshiko, wait for me......" he said with his last breath. Sakura stared in fear at her father's sudden stillness. "Dad?" she whispered as she released his hand. She watched in horror as his hand dropped lifelessly to his side. "No!" Sakura cried. Tomoyo was quietly while the guards took off their helmets and bowed their heads. Sakura hugged her father's body tight and sobbed in his shoulder.
"Dad!!" she cried loudly.
As the guards were placing Fujitaka's body in a coffin, Sakura wept in Tomoyo's arms. Another guard came up to Sakura and said. "Lady Sakura, the king would like a word with you."
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Sakura was sitting in the king's tent, wiping her flowing tears away with the back of her hands. She never met Clow's king, Shun, and knew her father knew the king well. "Ah, Lady Sakura." A voice startled her. She saw a strong-looking man with a kind face, his indigo eyes shone in royal pride. She bowed her head in respect. "Your Majesty." She said.
"I am sorry to hear about your father; Fujitaka was a great man." King Shun said. Sakura looked up and nodded slowly, "Thank you, my king. But, what did you wish to speak to me of?" she asked. King Shun smiled and said, "Ah, yes. I was thinking of making you the new High Summoner of Clow."
Sakura stared at him, wide-eyed. "Excuse me?" she said, confused.
"I said you'll be the new High Summoner." He said as he neared her, "You're 17 now, Sakura and you have been trained by your father in the summoner arts. You're powerful enough to become High Summoner." He stood in front of Sakura, "Will you accept this honor?"
Sakura said nothing for a moment. Be the High Summoner?, she thought. She then remembered of the many times she told her father she wanted to be the High Summoner like him. She finally nodded. "Yes, I accept."
King Shun smiled and said, "Wonderful!" he raised his hand above her head. "I, King Shun of the Kingdom of Clow, name you as High Summoner Sakura."
Sakura stood up and bowed. "Thank you, my lord." She turned to leave. "Just remember your father's sending tomorrow at sunset." The king said. Sakura stopped and bit back her tears. "I know; goof night, my lord." She left the tent. Tomoyo was in Sakura's tent, waiting for her. "Oh hi, Tomoyo." Sakura said as she came inside the tent and plopped onto her bed. "What did his Highness want with you, my lady?" she asked. Sakura looked up at Tomoyo with sad eyes. "I am the new High Summoner." she said solemnly. Tomoyo smiled at the good news. "That's wonderful, Lady Sakura!"
Sakura shook her head. "Not that great, Tomoyo. I.......I have to send my father tomorrow." she said softly. Tomoyo looked at her mistress with a puzzled face. "Send?" she asked. Sakura gave a small smile. "I forgot you don't know what sending someone means. To send a dead person's soul to Cielo, the holy place where all souls that were sent find eternal peace. If that person isn't sent by the time a full day has passed since the person died, he or she will become a demon and lose all memory of his or her life. Only a summoner has the power to send a person."
"And the king chose you to do the sending." said Tomoyo, fully understanding now. Sakura looked at her winged staff and nodded. "Yeah, and it makes sense too. He's my father and it's my duty as his daughter to send him." She said sadly.
Tomoyo looked at Sakura with eyes full of sympathy. "It'll be hard for you, won't it?" she spoke. Sakura nodded, a single tear staining her cheek.
"Yes, it will be."
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The next day, Sakura sat by the small pond in the back of the camp. She stared off into the distance, her staff lay next to her. She picked it up and stared at it, remembering the day she got her staff.
........flashback........
"Don't peek, angel." Fujitaka said, laughing; he and Sakura were in his tent. Sakura giggled while having her hand covering her eyes. "Come on, Dad! What is it?" she laughed. Fujitaka grabbed a staff from his bed, took Sakura's free hand and put it in her open palm. She closed her hand on it, trying to figure out what is was.
"Open them now." Fujitaka said. Sakura opened her eyes to see a staff in her hand. It was light pink with an emerald orb at the top. Wings sprouted from each to open over the orb. She smiled at her father as she now held the staff tight with both hands. "Thank you, Dad!" she cried happily. Fujitaka chuckled and stroked her light brown hair, "Happy 15th birthday, my sweet daughter." he said.
.............end of flashback..............
Sakura came back from memory lane and noticed the sun starting to set. She stood up and gulped, it was time. Tomoyo neared her and spoke, "My lady, it is time."
Everyone in the camp gathered by the pond, forming a circle that surrounded Sakura and her father's coffin. She stood in front of the coffin, her staffing two hands. Her white dress cut in the middle, exposing her slender legs and her light blue shorts since the dress cut at her belly button. Gold cuffs in each of her arms held the white cloth beneath the cuff and ended at her hand. The wind played all around her. She looked at the king and he nodded, cueing her to start the sending. Sakura slowly extended her arms and closed her eyes. The orb of her staff began to glow and the wind blew stronger. Suddenly, there was a flash of light in the sky and a glowing figure slowly descended from above Sakura. Everyone gasped in awe at the figure sent from Cielo. Sakura opened her now-teary eyes and gasped when she saw the glowing figure. It was a woman; her wavy hair was the same metal-gray color of hair as Tomoyo and was dressed in white. But what startled Sakura the most was her eyes; deep emerald-green, same as Sakura's. You look so much like your mother........, her father's words echoed in her mind.
"Mom?" Sakura said in a whisper. It was true, the woman was like a replica of Sakura except for the hair, but identical.
The woman smiled at her, her huge wings fluttered. She floated above her father's coffin and touched it. A flash of light exploded from the coffin; then, a glowing figure of a man rose from the coffin. It was her father. Sakura watched him smile at her mother and took her hand. As they floated up to Cielo, they waved at Sakura. Tears flowed down Sakura's face, feeling the pain tear at her heart. Finally, her parents disappeared in the clouds.
Sakura dropped to her knees, giving out a loud cry. Tomoyo rushed to Sakura's side and embraced her tight. Sakura sobbed as she hugged Tomoyo back, knowing she will never see her father again.
........3 weeks later........
A young man sat in a rather roomy room. His amber eyes scanned his surroundings while grasping the handle of his sword. The tent's curtain suddenly opened, startling him. He drew his sword and pointed it at whoever came in. A man dressed in gold smiled at him and looked at his sword. "You must be Syaoran Li, the legendary mercenary my trusted advisors told me about." he said. "I'm King Shintaro of the Yuyan Kingdom."
Syaoran regarded him with a cold look. "Tell me what you want from me." he said coolly. King Shintaro nodded. "You know of the Kingdom of Clow?" he asked.
Syaoran put away his sword and nodded, "Yes."
"Well......" the king walked in circles around Syaoran, "Ad you might've heard. The High Summoner of Clow passed away 3 weeks ago and now, the new High Summoner is the former summoner's young child. The kid's the youngest summoner but very powerful."
"What's you point?" Syaoran asked. The king dropped a small bag on Syaoran's lap. "Kill the High Summoner of Clow." King Shintaro said with a malicious grin.
Syaoran opened the bag to see many, small diamonds inside.
"Do we have a deal, Li?" the king asked. Syaoran gripped the bag and smirked.
"Yes.........your Highness."
AN
Chapter 1 of this story will take a bit of time since I have a notebook for the rough copy of this story and I'm not done with Ch 1! pout Well, enjoy this prologue and PLEASE TELL ME IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH TO CONTINUE!!
Thanx!
Mistress Ness
