Author's Notes: Gosh, I didn't expect so many people to have read my story already I know my prologue wasn't very long so I doubt I generated much interest. Anyway, please enjoy and R&R =D It makes me happy. I feel more motivated to update if people leave reviews or favourite/track the story =D But no flaming please, this is my first fic. xD Be kind!

Please note: "Syaoxue" is the name that the Princess decided to give to her servant. They all come into the palace with their own names, and she decided to call hers 'Little Snow'

ONE. White Rabbit Hippity-Hop

Long flowing auburn hair deftly weaved into a single plait at the nape of her neck.

…

A silken black cap, with a single smooth, round piece of jade embedded to sit directly above her forehead.

…

Dragon embroidered men's robes hung loosely about her small frame.

…

He wasn't sure this was a good idea. One look at his mistress, Princess Sakura and he just knew that they'd be caught. She didn't look anything like a man, however hard she tried. Syaoxuei trusted his mistress, but she always loved getting herself, and him into plenty of trouble. He sighed to himself, brushing his silvery tendrils out of the way of his face, and kept a look out for unwanted visitors in the busy marketplace.

"Syaoxue!" She smiled smugly whilst calling out to him. "Come over here! Look at this it's so cool!" She pointed a pale, long slender finger at some sweets she had never seen before. She picked one up, and studied the design of the wrapper. White paper, with a little picture of a rabbit. Her emerald eyes glistened, a smile playing on her lips. The look of excitement on her face made her look so naïve and…beautiful.

"Snow Rabbit Sweet…YU-KI-TO!" She announced brightly, handing him the sweet. "Look, it's you, Syaoxue"

Syaoxue smiled at her, he really did love his mistress an awful lot, after all they had basically grown up together. She was like his perfect, but very naughty little sister. On taking the sweet from her, he came to his senses.

"But Princess…We shouldn't be here. You need to go back as soon as possible…"

"Oh don't be silly! No one will catch us!" The Princess flashed a sweet smile. "We'll be back before supper. No one will suspect a thing!" She light-heartedly dropped a silver ingot in the storekeepers hands for the sweet that she had handed Syaoxue. The storekeeper stared in disbelief, she had handed him enough to buy a house for one sweet.

Syaoxue also gawked in disbelief. He had lectured his Princess before about handing large quantities of money out before when they were on their secret trips outside of the Palace, but she never quite understood the value of money.

"Princess, what did I tell you about ingots?" He whispered.

"Um…Gold ones! Something about not giving those out." Her eyes shone brightly. "I did well ne? Syaoxue? This one was silver."

"That wasn't quite the point…" Syaoxue muttered. He saw the Storekeeping eyeing them suspiciously, and he was looking at the Princess with keen interest.

Now, the storekeeper was slightly confused. He knew that the two gentlemen must be very rich and noble by the way they spoke and dressed, but there was something not quite right about the smaller one who had dropped a silver ingot into his hands. His cherry lips, his porcelain skin, his long chocolate lashes which framed each emerald eye.

Ah ha. He knew it. "You two must be EUNUCHS!" The Storekeeper announced happily. "Can I help you with anything else?"

Not quite. Syaoxue looked at the old storekeeper oddly for coming to such a conclusion, but his mouth twisted into a dry smile at the old man anyway.

"Princess, please can we leave now?" He whispered urgently to the Princess. She was playing with a crudely crafted whistle, made into the shape of a bird.

"Princess?" He uttered, he really had a bad feeling.

The Princess looked up at him, her eyes gleaming. "Of course, let's go. Hey I want to see the City Lake before we leave!"

Syaoxue looked at her pleadingly, "We'll be in serious trouble if the Empress catches us sneaking out again…"

"Ok, ok, we'll go back to the palace." She smiled. Oh how she adored her favourite servant. Yet, she didn't understand why he was always such a worrywart. He wouldn't let her do this, or that, or…

Then it occurred to her, whenever she was caught doing something bad, she would only get an earful from the Empress, or any other disciplinary figure. He on the contrary, got a beating of a hundred lashings, for allowing her to do such things. Her throat suddenly went dry and the smile that was dancing on her lips disappeared. She felt really, very bad about having dragged him out into the city, just because she wanted to go for a stupid, childish trip.

"Princess? What's wrong?" Syaoxue frowned slightly, his silvery brows knitted together. His grey-brown eyes showed much concern.

"Nothing Syaoxue. Let's go home!" Her smile reappeared again, her voice jaunty as ever. "Let's go home now. I'm bored!" She ignored his puzzled stare, and began to march back in the direction of the palace. Syaoxue followed with haste, careful not to lose his Princess amongst the busy, bumbling crowds of the city centre.

Unfortunately for the Princess and her servant, their presence had already been missed by the Empress who had been making her afternoon rounds, dropping in on the royal children to give her regards. She had already reached the Princess's quarters, and had sounded the alarm for missing princess. Imperial guards were everywhere, looking for the missing princess.

As the two approached the gates of the Imperial palace, they noticed that there were an awful lot of guards running about. "Princess Sakura is missing! Find the princess!" They chanted, as they stopped every person that walked past them.

"Oh darn it." The Princess and Syaoxue backtracked, hiding behind a large leafy tree whilst trying to think of a way to get back in without anyone noticing.

"Princess?" Syaoxue looked at her seriously, his face stern.

She looked at him, giving him approval to carry on speaking with a nod.

"Let's give ourselves up. I will take full responsibility." He muttered quietly, preparing to step out from behind the tree straight in front of a palace guard. He really didn't want his Princess to be in trouble, for the Empress was a scary lady.

"No, no, definitely not an option!" The Princess stood deep in thought for a while, contemplating their options. Her emerald eyes suddenly twinkled, as she thought of a plan. "Let us Jump over the walls, straight into my quarters!"

Syaoxue looked at her for a moment, considering the consequences her being caught using magic. She had always had a little sorcery about her. Since Princess Sakura was a girl of only ten, she seemed to have acquired power over a magical set of cards that she had been presented with at birth as a gift by the Emperor himself. She kept them on her at all times, in a little golden pouch inside her robes.

The Cards had caused quite a lot of trouble back then, and there were many rumours among the city folk about how the parts of the palace kept getting destroyed by the Gods, whereas in fact it was the magic of the cards causing chaos. She had tamed the cards now, and could use them at her disposal. Syaoxue had never quite understood how they worked, but he never asked. He just kept his mouth shut, like a servant ought do.

The Princess pulled out a single pink card between two deft, long fingers. With her other hand she grabbed her servant by his jacket.

"Jump." She uttered, as feathery wings appeared at the base of her shoes. She rocked back and forth, building up momentum, and jumped straight over the tall walls surrounding the palace and straight into the back courtyard of her quarters.

As soon as she landed, she realised her mistake.

The whole courtyard was swarming with guards, like an agitated bee's nest. They all spotted her and Syaoxue at once, and wrestled Syaoxue to the ground. "We have found the Princess! We have found the Princess!" They called out.

"Thank Goodness for that." An elegant woman stepped out in front of the princess. Her robes were heavily embroidered, her hair extravagantly dressed with precious jewels. She fingered the multiple strings of pearls hanging around her slender neck, and looked at the shamed Princess. "How dare you sneak out of the palace? You think we are all blind? Did you even consider what might happen to you if anyone caught you and knew you were a Princess?!" The Empress spat, her every word bitingly spoken.

Princess Sakura dropped to her knees, bowing her head to show her remorse.

"And, what was it that we told you about using your sorcery?" The Empress seethed, her eyes glinted dangerously, her brown eyes almost on fire. "If any common folk saw you practicing that sorcery, they would deem you a witch, or a monster. What would that do for your reputation, mm?"

Once again, the Princess was completely silent. She knew that in these situations it was best to keep her tongue still.

"Bring the bench." The Empress sneered.

Now, the Empress had once been a loving and kind-hearted lady, but after almost two decades of neglect from the Emperor, her heart had turned steely cold. Before she married, she had been the popular and well-respected daughter of a Chairman.

Deep in her heart, she still wished that she was Mizuki Kaho, but now she was Kinomoto Kaho, Empress of the Middle Country. It was too late now, and she spent much of her time pressing much-needed discipline into the lives of the Emperor's wild children – all bore by his various and favourite concubines.

Upon the Empress's words, two guards brought a wooden bench along with a large, thick wooden pole. They placed it directly in front of the Empress, and waited for orders.

"One hundred lashings for the servant. I could have your head you know, for you two are repeat offenders." The Empress spoke in a cool tone. Her caramel eyes emotionless and cold.

"Please, no! It was completely my fault. Syaoxue had nothing to do with this. Please, beat me instead." The Princess suddenly cried out, her eyes welling with tears. "Please, please excuse him! It was my fault…"

Ah, his sweet, brave Princess. He'd rather die than have her hit.

The Empress was completely unshaken by the Princess's cries, and sipped at a cup of tea that was brought to her by a maidservant.

"One hundred lashings for him." Nodding to allow the guards to press Syaoxue against the wooden bench.

They began to beat him, Syaoxue's face screwing up in agony.

All he felt was pain, he saw his Princess being pulled back by the guards to prevent her from getting in the way and his heart ached. It was worth it though, as long as she wasn't hurt.

"I'm fine…" Syaoxue muttered, doing his best to smile at the Princess. On the 96th beat, it was too much pain for him to take.

Numbness. Darkness.

The Guards and the Empress retreated, leaving the Princess weeping over the limp body of her best friend.

She screamed out for her maidservants to call the Imperial Physicians.

She shook him, trying to wake him up. To bring him back to consciousness.

The sweet she had given him fell out of his hand.

Yukito.

Author's notes: Yukito might be dead, he might be alive xD I haven't decided yet. Hahaha~ By the way, an ingot is a solid gold/silver bar. In the Ancient Chinese times they were shaped like little boats.

Please DO tell me what you think so far. It might be going a bit slowly, but I was planning to put the next chapter up from Syaoran's point of view.

Please leave a review =D I feel a LOT more motivated to update quickly if I have some.