Disclaimer. Listen up, I'm only doing this once. I own nothing, not even the computer I'm typing this with. Except for this plot. CLAMP owns CCS and Tsubasa. I own only the books. Blaha. Blaha. Blaha.
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Another cart rolled past the tent. Sakura held back unshed tears. Tomoyo's lifeless body lay in a crumpled pile with others. The bundle no longer resembled anything human. The depleted farmers stopped the cart and bowed solemnly to their princess. Sakura watched as they continued picking up bodies, as if they were trash to be taken out.
She said a silent goodbye to her cousin and best friend. Now there were two left. All that was left of what used to be the Great Kinomoto Family. The leaves of there family tree had fallen to pieces.
Still she did not cry. Honor the sacrifice, not mourn it. Sakura swallowed, feeling the familar sick tightening sensation in her throat and stomach.
Sakura made her way back into the tent. Touya was arguing with his chief commander once again.
"We can't retreat!" Touya shouted at Yukito, "They'll get Tomoki and Sanpu. Without Sanpu, we'll lose our main food supply!"
Yukito rested his hand on his king's shoulder, "Touya."
Yukito was the only one, besides Sakura who called Touya by his first name. They had a special relationship. Sakura smiled as Touya placed his hand over Yukito's and moved it to his heart. Sakura blushed in embarrassment. She shouldn't have been watching.
Touya sighed, "I know. We can't defeat them, not as we are now."
Yukito nodded, "Do you want to ask the Li Kingdom for assistance, again?"
Touya shook his head, "No, they have told me many times that they are neutral. The King Li is not someone who helps people out of charity. He would rather see us lose and then take the Hung Gway (means Red Monsters in Cantonese, which is a type of Chinese) Kingdom for himself."
Yukito responded, "Yes, but they are strong. They are the only ones strong enough to defeat the Hung Gway. The soldiers fight with a caustic and unnatural nature. They move and swing like magic is entwined into every finger, every hair. We would surely win with them on our side."
Touya said bitterly, "No, this is a war that only we can fight. Tell the soldiers to pack up, we are going to retreat to the mountains. We will stay there tonight."
Yukito was silent for a moment, "Then what shall we do?"
Touya closed his eyes. With a pained expression he said, "I don't know."
Sakura slipped out of the tent, hoping that they didn't notice her presence. She saw Yukito leave shortly afterwards. She closed her eyes snubbing off fatigue and exhaustion. They would lose. Touya knew it and so did Yukito. They only fought on because they refused to submit to the end fate had carved out for them. They refused to lie in the ground with the others, not yet.
They would lose and be executed in the streets where their subjects once prospered. Sakura could see their bodies hanging by the necks as a symbol of the power of the Hung Gway King. There, the bodies would rot.
Sakura's eyes shot open. The Li Kingdom. Yes, they were the last hope. If only she could persuade them. Maybe with riches or the ripe silkworms, which only the Kinomoto Kingdom produced. The only way they would listen, was for her to appeal to them in person.
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Touya woke with a startled shake. Yukito was standing before, looking very crazy. His hair was tousled and he was not wearing his glasses.
"Touya, Sakura's not in her bed. One of the soldiers was patrolling and they heard a cry come from her tent. Her things are in a disarray and some appear to be missing."
Touya jumped out of his sleeping bag, and ripped the tangle of cloth away from his body. . No, they would not take another loved one from him. He yanked a shirt over his head and ran off in the direction of her tent. Touya flung things out of his way. He didn't know what he was looking for, he was just looking.
Yukito watched as his King broke everything. Only he alone knew of the note Sakura had left on her bed. It said she had gone to plead the Li Kingdom for help. She told them she would send a messenger to them once she got to the palace.
He felt in his pocket for the letter reassuringly. He would not show this to the King, not yet. Knowing Touya, he would order the whole army go look for her. Sakura would never make it there if the King knew.
Touya barked and yelled out orders. The whole camp had turned into chaos. Then he yelled out curses, crushing things against his feet and fists. Yukito pulled Touya's tensed, sweating body against his. He hugged his King gently, rubbing small circles on his back. Touya hugged him back, crushing Yukito's slightly smaller body to his. Yukito felt hot tears on his neck and shirt. They stayed like that, in each other's arms.
Yukito's normally clear eyes clouded over 'Sakura, it all depends on you.'
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Sakura rubbed the bruise on her arm. Last night in her attempt to escape, she stumbled over a table. Others were bound to hear the noise she made, so she threw a bunch of stuff into her stringed bag and ran out through the trees. She hoped they found the note.
Stumbling across the road, Sakura dived into a bunch of bushes. Stems scratched at her skin and tangled in her long auburn hair. Paying no attention to them, she crouched lower. If someone caught her before she could make it to the Li Palace... she wouldn't. With an obvious look of distaste, Sakura staggered across a muddy, watery stream. Her green silk kimono was immersed in the brown liquid. The cloth stuck to her legs and made a sucking sound with every step.
Sakura held onto her composure and concentrated elsewhere. Once again she recited her conversation with the King in her head. When it was time, she would be ready for him. He was going to help her, she was going to make sure of it.
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Yelen was surprised, no that was not the word, she was shocked. When the girl staggered in, forced on her knees before the king, Yelen had thought she was an escaped slave. But she spoke with a prestige and air of a royal. This was certainly confusing. Yelen watched for her son's reaction but he showed none.
Sakura stared at the king. He sat on his dais with no apparent interest in her. His cold, unblinking eyes stared into hers, as if they could read her thoughts. Sakura straightened as much as she could in her current position. The ropes on her hands cut deeply into her skin, she winced slightly.
Around him sat the elder queen and his fiancé. They stared at her with dangerous eyes. The black hair that fell over their fair almost white shoulders made their appearances even more ominous.
They waited for her to speak. Sakura closed her eyes and took in a ragged breath. "Your highness, I am Sakura Kinomoto, Princess of the Kinomoto Kingdom. We are in great peril and tragedy as of now. The war we that had been started nearly twelve years ago is far too great to fight alone. On the behalf of Touya, King of the Kinomoto Kingdom, we plead your help. In exchange, we will bequeath our Lake Huwina and all of the eastern lands to you."
She waited for a response. A counselor whispered something to the king and he shock his head and whispered something back. Anticipation built up in the pit of her stomach.
His voice, deep and arrogant spoke, "Princess Kinomoto, I could very well take your lands with the state of your nation crumbling as it is now. Your offer is an insult. There is not possibly anything your kingdom has that I cannot take. I will not chance the safety of my people in a war that is already lost."
She countered, "We will be forever in your debt and gratitude. We do not ask you to win the war for us. Our soldiers just need time to gather and rest. Your help will only be little."
Syaoran snorted, "A pathetic lie. Your soldiers are mere farmers and merchants. They know nothing of war and fighting."
"We will give you anything and everything you want. Our kingdom has been strong for hundreds of years. We have "
"I don't need nor want anything," he held up his hand as if to signal his guards.
Sakura lost her composure. Their last chance fell and shattered in the dark. She stood up and was hit in the back of the legs. She dropped to her knees again.
With surprising boldness she spoke one more time, "I will give you one thing that you could never attain else wise. I will give you myself."
She gulped, "My father was a good king. My people will never accept you as their king, unless I do."
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Meiling almost jumped up and protested. What a ridiculous proposition. Her Syaoran would never want that. No, he had been hers since she was born. No one would take him away from her.
Syaoran smiled, almost laughed, "What makes you think I want you?"
Meiling sighed. He thought it was ridiculous too.
The girl blushed. She was rather pretty. Even in a ruined kimono, her thin legs and healthy tanned skin shone brightly. Syaoran could make out the outline of full breasts. With hair that had not been washed in a while and dried mud covering almost every part of her body, she sparked a kind of erotism. Syaoran did want her.
Sakura thought and looked down, "This is all I have left to offer."
Syaoran stood up. Sakura's eyes traveled up his body in surprise. Broad shoulders held a well-built body. His hair fell over thick eyebrows and cold brown eyes and framed high cheekbones. She wished he weren't so... so beautiful.
He beckoned her to him. Sakura was lifted off her feet and led, with startling gentleness, to the king. Her hands were untied. She stood there, waiting.
Syaoran put his fingers on her cheek. They traced her jaw and he lifted her chin. There was something about her that intoxicated him. He let his hand fall to his side.
Meiling wrung her hands together. She should not say anything. Objecting to Syaoran would not help her. It might make him decide to dismiss her at once and take Princess Kinomoto as his queen. But she could not keep still. She needed to know where she stood.
"My fiancé bores me," Meiling glanced at him in alarm. His eyes met hers for a fleeting moment, "Princess Kinomoto will be my queen."
Two figures sprang in protest. Meiling was the first to yell. Her vision blurred with tears and her voice was raspy, "Syaoran! I'm your queen! I'm your queen! You can't do this to me!" She fought against the guards that pulled her arms to reach him. They held her tightly, causing bruises on her white skin.
Syaoran regarded her with a sharp look, "I'm sorry, Meiling, but I have never thought of you as the mother of my children. In Father's honor, I kept you."
Yelen spoke sternly, "Xiaolang, Meiling is your fiancé. You cannot do this."
Syaoran growled dangerously, "I am king, I can. Hiiragizawa gather a troop of 2000 men. Send them to King Kinomoto with this message: The wedding will be held after this Hung Gway mess is over. You will be expected to give Sakura away."
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Sakura stood white with fright. What had she just gotten herself into? Syaoran excused them and pulled her out into the hall.
It was a ridiculous offer. She didn't mean for him to take it. Sakura followed him, in his slow important pace.
He neither spoke nor looked at her. Sakura staggered rigidly, afraid to breath to deeply. They came to a stop if front of a large wooden door. He opened it and led her in.
The room was beautifully furnished. The bed sheets, made of a shimmering silk, were the deepest of reds and the walls were coated in a dark purple. The chests and table was made of dark auburn wood. The curtains were pulled back to reveal a setting sun.
"Stay here until I send instructions elsewhere," Syaoran spoke without interest, "A servant will come in and help you bathe and change. Don't think about escaping me. I hold the fate of your kingdom."
He left her with a brisk turn and nothing more. Syaoran stopped outside the door. He wanted to go back in and have his way with her on the silk sheets. But Syaoran had business to attend to. That could wait until tonight, when he had her all to himself.
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Sakura sat on the bed. She stared at the mirror across the room. She looked out of place in the magnificence of the room. Just outside, the sun was setting. She prayed silently for Touya's safety.
With a knock on the door came a frail voice, "Miss, may I come in. His magesty wants you to bathe and dress before dinner."
They walked down hallway after hallway, stairs after stairs. Sakura's head spun. She was grateful for the little girl leading her, she could never find her way without getting lost.
They came to a small hot spring. The place was hot with steam and covered by a large fence, to keep eyes out or to keep people in. The place had been elegantly made, with beautiful trees and rusting stones laid out perfectly scoped in the spring.
Without a second warning, Sakura shed her dirty kimono and eased into the spring. It was hot, but it felt so good. Sakura felt the weeks of hardened mud and rubble lift off her skin. She dipped her head in and burst out with a sigh of satisfaction and pleasure.
The servant got into the spring holding soap and a scrubbing cloth. Sakura moved her hair to the side to let the girl scrub her.
"What is your name?" Sakura asked.
"Miss, you. you needn't know that," The servant said hesitantly.
"Why?"
"It is not allowed."
"It is not allowed?" Sakura repeated as if the words were unfamiliar.
"King Li does not allow names. They are personal. Servants do not have relationships with the one they serve."
Sakura pouted softly and asked again, "Why?"
"King Li's orders."
Sakura stared at the wrinkling water, she held her hands delicately at the surface, "If I beg you, can we be friends? I need friend. Perhaps you would like a gift?"
The servant looked over her shoulder, "I'm sorry, miss."
Ahem a deep voice sparred through the air.
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Syaoran had watched them from the window in his library. During his discussion with Hiiragizawa, he could not concentrate. The painful erection he suffered would not dissipate.
He looked at the map in front of him and saw her naked form flaunting across the water. He looked at Hiiragizawa and saw Sakura scrubbing herself clean.
For the first time in his life, Syaoran found himself fighting to keep a straight mind. Even with his training, Syaoran could not manage more self- control.
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The bold figure of Syaoran appeared before them. Sakura yelped and threw herself fully into the water's cover.
"You may leave now," he nodded toward the trembling servant.
She did a wobbly bow in the water and hurried out.
Sakura sank until her mouth frothed bubbles against the water. She held herself still, afraid of drawing his attention.
With one swift moment, he stood naked before her.
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Keri. Well, how do you like it? Review!