Sorry for the long wait. I work six days a week so free time is little and far between. Worse yet our next few updates may be slow going. The fall semester started September 1st and my sister and I are taking 16 credits. Updates may be a little slow for a while but we will try not to make the wait to long. Don't forget to check out our other story Shadows of the Past while you wait for Star of Hope to be updated
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Disclaimer: We do not own Cardcaptor Sakura or any related characters. We do however own the complete DVD and Manga Collection! That's something right?
Chapter 3
The Prince's Prisoner,A Stubborn Princess
Several hours after Sakura's abduction her family was able to make it to the capital. Who ever had taken her had been kind enough to leave the horses alive and unharmed, although really spooked to say the least.
"Please sire you must do something, you must find our daughter before they, before they…" Nadeshiko cried hysterically as her husband held her.
"We will deal with this matter without delay I will not allow any violation of my son's bride to go unanswered." The king said
"Violation! You are not talking about some stolen treasure you are talking about my daughter." Nadeshiko cried near hysterics.
Before she could say anything more four guards came in to see what all the yelling was about.
"You should both go see the castle healer I will personally see to Lady Sakura's safe return to us all." Prince Seiya assured them.
Satisfied the Kinomotos left to the healer's where Yukito was with their son Toya, getting his shoulder patched up. He had been badly heart but the wound was not life threatening.
The king sat back down on his throne.
"Well this is a charming development twenty of our finest guards struck down in minuets and that girl, the only thing standing between us and a peasant revolt is now in the hands of the enemy. What do the Li's want for her release?" He said angrily.
"I haven't read the ransom note yet. Although I bet that's what their counting on. Rather then face our armies they hope to stir a rebellion from within which would force us to withdraw our forces from their lands." the prince replied.
"Well get on with it already."
To the tyrant prince of the Kennard Empire,
We now have your bride to be. If you wish her to be returned unharmed we demand a trade. Over a year and a half ago you began your invasion of our kingdom without warning, with your attack on the unarmed mountain village of Lunarea. The Lunarea villagers saw you coming and were able to raise the alarm of your attack to other boarder villages and the capital. As you now know many of the Lunarea villagers were low level craft users. Although they tried to fend off your attack they failed. We had thought that all the villagers who chose to fight instead of run were killed. Our intelligence now tells us that there were in fact survivors. We now know that at least 100 or more men, women, and children were taking prisoner and sold into slavery in your kingdom. These people are innocent civilians. We demand their safe return! When they are all returned and accounted for, only then will your princess be returned to you. If our people are harmed she will suffer the consequences and so will you. If our demands are not met then we cannot, grantee the Kennard princess's safety.
Queen Yelan Li
Prince Shaoran Li
Of the Li Kingdom
"Arrogant fools! Do they think we can be ordered around so easily?" The King slammed his fist on his chair arm in anger.
"Father you mustn't lose your temper. I will see to this matter. You needn't concern yourself"
"You mean to say that you intend to give in to their demands. I won't allow it!"
"Father it will cost us nothing. The girl is mine, I clamed her. She belongs to me and I wish her returned. It's a matter of pride. Besides that, we need her you said so yourself. Her presence in the royal court keeps the rebels factions and the peasants quiet. We can't afford to spare solders to deal with an internal rebellion if we hope to conquer the Li lands."
"What do you mean? The Li lands are not so large that our army's numbers can not crush them." The king said.
"It's not size we are up against in this campaign it's the terrain, high mountains and deep valleys and gorges line the boarders. And the harsh northern weather is slowing down the advance. The upcoming winter is already forcing a halt to our invasion force in mountains until next spring.
We won't be able to advance too much more this year. Our troops are already starting to bunker down for the winter. Plus the Lis have been using sneak attacks to try to cut off supplies to the occupation forces.
We need her you know it, and they know it. That's why they took her. With out her we are going to have a peasant revolt on our hands and the Li Kingdom with all its riches could slip through our fingers." He reasoned with his father.
"I know you are right my son but I do not like the idea of giving in to that witch of a queen."
"We best appease them for now. Rest assured, we will destroy them all soon enough anyway father." The prince told his father.
"Pity I am going to have to postpone the wedding now, and even worse the honeymoon. I have been looking forwarded to having that sweet little wench warm my bed for to long to let prince Li mess it up for me." He said to himself as he left the thrown room.
Else were beyond the northern mountains…
Prince Shaoran Li and his friends were making their way through the mountains that boarder the Li and Kennard kingdoms.
Normally it would be a ten day trek through the mountains to reach the capital.
But by using the secret paths and hidden roads known only to his ex-bandit friends Ryou and Masaya, the trip would only take half as long, even at a modest pace.
They were now headed for a hidden valley in the mountain where they would stop for some rest before continuing on.
Shaoran glanced at the woman he held in front of him as he maneuvered his horse down the path.
She was still unconscious.
He had tied her wrist to the horse's saddle in case she was to wake up. He held her waist as her head leaned back unto his chest.
When he first saw her he could have mistaken her for a child, she looked very young.
But now that he had gotten closer to her there was no mistake she was all woman.
Petite, slender, curvy, it was easy to tell why Seiya had agreed to an arranged marriage to her.
"Shaoran" Eriol called to him snapping from his train of thought.
"Yea"
"We are almost at Heaven falls."
"Good we will stop to let the horses rest, have some lunch, and then continue on until dark." He told them all.
"Ryou, Masaya, circle back and make sure we haven't left any tracks for the last couple of miles." He ordered.
"Sure thing" the twins said and turned their horses around to retrace their tracks to make sure the group were not being followed by any soldiers or their old mountain bandit friends.
The rest of the group continued on for about ten minuets until they came to a small hidden valley few people knew of because it did not appear on any maps.
Heaven Falls was a huge water fall that spilled into a large lake that feed many of the tiny streams that run through the mountains.
The group dismounted and began to set a temporary camp.
The girls began to prepare the food and refill the water while the boys tended the horses.
As for Sharon he had to see to their guest who was still asleep.
"Hey Eriol, how much longer is this girl going to be out?" He asked
"Rika brew that sleeping draught so it's some strong stuff but, she shouldn't be out for to much longer." Eriol told him while laying out a blanket under the tree next to the lake.
Shoran laid Sakura down on it.
Then they went over to help the girls.
Tomoyo was preparing a vegetable and beef stew from the rations they were carrying.
Yamazaki and Yugi were feeding and watering the horses.
Naoko and Chiharu found some wild blueberries for the group.
Rika and Meilin were roasting some sweet potatoes they had brought from a village market, which the prince had ordered to evacuate because of the approaching Kennard army just days before.
When Ryou and Masaya returned, the group sat down to eat and rest their battle weary bodies while the horses grazed and cooled themselves in the lake.
While they ate and made small talk Sakura began to stir.
Meilin was the first to hear her grown.
"Hey guys sleeping beauty is starting to wake up"
"I'll handle it" Shaoran said as he got up and started to walk over to his prisoner.
Sakura's senses were very slowly starting to come back.
She could tell her wrist and ankles were bound together with rope. But her head was splitting open and she felt sick to her stomach and her vision was blurred.
What ever they had given her to knock her out had some nasty side affects.
"They…"
She felt hot and thirsty from the sun. She was tired and dirty from the attack. She was hungry and unsure of what was going to happen but she fully comprehended what had happened.
"That's right I have been kidnapped by warriors of the Li kingdom. But I'm still alive, no injuries that I can feel, why?"
As she pondered these thoughts a shadow crept over her. She turned her head to see who it was. This turned out to be a bad idea as her head instantly objected to her movement and she nearly fainted from the pounding pain that it caused.
"Don't try to move around to much yet. That sleeping draught will take a while to completely ware off."
He kneeled down and reached behind her to lift her head up.
"I am going to take this off."
This was the first time she realized she had been ganged as well.
"Now I don't want any screaming coming out of you. We are deep in the mountains now. No one is around to hear your calls for help so don't bother. The only thing you would attract is a bear and if you do that I'll feed you to it, you understand." He told her in a cold town that let Sakura know he meant it.
With that he removed the piece of cloth that had been covering most of her face.
It was only after he had removed the gag that he had gotten his first real good look at her face.
He had to admit she was pretty cute.
He absentmindedly ran his hand down her face and traced her lips with his thumb. She gowned a little and he realized she was still barely conscious.
He used his had to scoop some water from the lake into her mouth. Her eyes fluttered a little but other wise there was no response.
So he wet a handkerchief with the cold lake water and began to wipe some of the dirt and sweat off her face and neck, trying to cool her down in order to bring her around. She had to be over heated in that layered gown she was wearing, prince Seiya's idea most likely. The Source had told them she had been on her way to the capital for a banquet to celebrate her upcoming wedding to the prince later that week.
And Seiya always picked out what she wore for royal events, claming that she had a tendency to dress far too casual for someone of her station.
Shaoran knew Seiya was already in the process of gaining control over her.
Sakura's vision was finally starting to clear. She tried again to open her eyes.
This time when she did she could clearly see out or them.
And so she came face to face with her kidnaper.
"You are…"
"Prince Shaoran Li heir to the thrown of the Li kingdom." He finished for her.
"And you are Princess Sakura Kinomoto, first crowned princess of the Kennard kingdom. A fancy title granted to you by the prince himself."
"Whom is your sworn enemy and my fiancé." She stated as a fact.
"Why have you kidnapped me? Why not just kill me now, I'm surprised you haven't already." She demanded glaring at him.
"There is no point in killing you, not unless you give me one that is." He answered back at her.
"So what do you intend to do? Hold me for ransom and blackmail the royal family into paying you to release me?"
"That's right. Of course our kingdom is already wealthier them yours so its not money we are after."
"If you're not after money then I'm of no use or value to you, why would you bother kidnapping me?"
He kneeled down on one knee so he could be eye level with her as he spoke.
"The point is your useful to them, more so then they let you know. They will give us what we want to get you back." He told her with a smirk on his face that she instantly hated.
"And just what are you after?"
"I'll just keep that my little secret for now."
"That's not fair!"
"All is fair in love and war princess and you are now officially a prisoner of war."
She glared at him even harder in response.
"Look just do yourself a favor and try not to anything stupid ok." He told her while moving to get up and go back over to where the rest of his friends were.
But when he did he felt his leg get pushed aside and he fell face first into the dirt.
She had tripped him.
"You can't talk to me that way and who do you think you are to call me stupid!"
It was his turn to glare at her.
"Shaoran!" he looked over his shoulder to see Tomoyo coming their way.
"I'm so glade to see you two are getting along. Here, we won't be stopping again until night fall so you had better feed her or she will starve to death before we reach the capital." Handing him a plate full of the things everybody else had been eating.
"The capital! You're taking me to the capital!" she yelled
"Stupid, where else would we be taking you?" he asked
"How would I know but what if some kind of angry mob attacks me or something."
"Who from my kingdom would recognize you? Don't worry they won't take you for the Kennard princess trust me, your too funny looking for that."
"You jerk!" she screamed at him.
"What did I tell you about screaming?"
"You have no right to…"
"Just shut up already" he said
Then he reached down into his boot and pulled out what looked like a hunting knife.
She screamed and put her hands above her head. But instead of cutting her like she thought he would, he cut the binds from around her wrist and pushed the plate of food in front her.
"Its not poisoned or anything if that's what you're thinking. So eat it and stop screaming before you attract a mountain tiger or something. Or else it will be the one having lunch instead of you."
With that he got up and walked away.
Her legs were stilled tied up so she couldn't run even if she wanted to. So she would have to do what she was told, for now.
Later after they were done eating, the group began to clean up the camp, carefully erasing any trace that they had been there.
Sakura had been listening to them while they talked but didn't hear anything of any use just the girls gossiping and teasing the boys and the boys getting on each others cases about one thing or another.
"It's wonderful that you and Masaya know the forest and the mountains so well." Rika said to Ryou while hugging his arm.
"Yes we would never be able to maneuver as quickly or successfully as we do with out you two." Eriol confirmed.
"Besides, Rika and Naoko would be so lonely without out you."
The rest of the group laughed while the twins blushed.
Suddenly Yamazaki's head popped out of nowhere.
"Do you know why bandits are so crafty, it's because they are blessed with an ancient blood right at birth that gives them special powers…"
"Stop telling lies!" Chiharu said pushing his head back down.
"I wasn't telling lies."
"Your doing it now!" she yelled and started choking him.
"So these are the infamous group of warriors lead by prince Li, their kind of crazy." She thought as she leaned against the tree she was sitting under.
Then she saw prince Li walking in her direction.
"You done eating?" he asked her
"Yes"
"Good"
Then to her surprise he untied her legs.
"Get up" he said and grabbed her forearm and pulled her to her feet. Then he pushed a small knapsack in to her hands.
"What am I to do with this thing?" she asked him
"I want you to get rid of that dress you're wearing." He replied
Knock! She slammed the backpack across his head.
"You disgusting little pervert!" she yelled
"I didn't say strip down stupid! I want you go and change out of that dress you're wearing and into the clothes that are in the backpack."
"Why should I?"
"Because, you are taking up to much room on my horse, you can't make a two day trip wearing that gown."
"So you kidnap me, and now I'm inconveniencing you! Well I'm so sorry." She replied with her arms across her chest.
"Hey what is all the yelling about? Is this girl giving you a hard time?"
Meilin had come over to see why the two were again shouting at each other.
"Listen you." She said while pointing her finger in Sakura's face.
"You had better stop giving my cousin a hard time. I let your little tripping incident go earlier. The next stunt you pull I won't be so forgiving, you got that." She told her in a threatening tone.
"You should be grateful. You haven't been hurt or violated so stop giving us a hard time you understand."
Sakura scowled at her and then turned her head away.
"Pardon me but I was talking to the man in charge not his hired flunky."
"FLUNKY!"
The rest of the group sweet dropped as Shaoran and Yugi both held Meilin back from attacking the Kennard princess.
"Yugi do something with your girlfriend!"
"Your cousin man." He said as he pulled her back to where the others were standing, looking as though they wanted to laugh their heads off at the whole display of temper by both girls.
"Now why did you have to go and make her angry? Does she seem like the type of person whose bad side you want to end up on? Are you out to make enemies or something?"
He was really starting to get annoyed with this stubborn princess.
"I thought I already was the enemy." She huffed back at him.
"Not you, just your boyfriend, but I suggest you not try and make the list while your with us."
"I'm not hear by choice you know, so stop acting like I'm the one causing you the problem when it's because of you I'm in this mess!" she yelled
He decided it was useless to argue with her. She was mentally and physically exhausted by the days events and could not be reasoned with.
And besides that, she was technically right.
"Look this will make things a little easier on you. Now will you please just go and change?" he asked more calmly now.
It looked like she was ready to argue some more, but an intervention by another party did not give her the chance.
"Pardon me Lady Sakura."
Sakura turned around and come face to face with the dark haired girl with the bow and arrow. The one who had shot her brother!
"You, you're the one who…"
"That's right I'm the one who designed and made that riding outfit for you." She said in an excited tone.
"That's not what I …"
"You will wear it won't you. I worked really hard on in. I make clothes as a hobby, but I can never find anyone who is willing to model for me. The others are so mean. I beg and plead but it's always, "go find someone else". I know when we get to the capital you can model for me your so beautiful you'll be perfect! Now I can't wait to get home!" she said with stares in her eyes.
She was talking so fast Sakura had no chance to argue with her as she was pulled behind some trees to change and Tomoyo continued to babble a mile a minuet about how cute she was.
"Damn that princess never stood a chance against Tomoyo." he thought while scratching the back of his head.
The rest of the group finished cleaning camp and waited for them.
"Why do girls always have to take so long to change their clothes?" Shaoran taped his foot impatiently.
"I know why!" Yamazaki came up from behind him.
"No you don't." Chiharu said pulling him away by his shirt collar. As he began to tell another ridicules story.
And then…
"Cute !"
"I just knew you would look great in that. And you'll be more comfortable now."
It was Tomoyo she had come out from behind the trees with Sakura's gown rolled up in one arm and pulling a slightly red faced Sakura behind her.
Despite himself he stopped and stared as they came towed him.
The outfit was a rose colored pink. The pants were tight with a short skirt over them. A matching top short boots and gloves, all trimmed in white. Seiya had been hiding her figure under five layers of cloth.
"See isn't that better?" Tomoyo said while pushing her to Shaoran.
He snapped out of it before anyone noticed his actions. All except for Tomoyo and her very keen eye sight. She smiled coyly at him. He tried to ignore her, and climbed atop his black horse.
He reached his hand down to Sakura. "Come on."
She glared at him but knew she had no choice and took his hand and got up in front of him on his horse's back.
Tomoyo tied Sakura's gown to her side bag, mounted and the group started north moving further into the Li Territory.
Li was tying her hands to the saddle in front of her.
"So what road are we taking?" she asked him
"About that…" he said while pulling something from his pocket.
"Hey" she yelled when he tied a blindfold around her eyes.
"We can't le you see our secret trails."
"But…" and was cut off by another handkerchief around her mouth.
"And we don't want to hear your voice any more ether!" Meilin said tying the knot tightly.
Sharon rolled his eyes. With her and Meilin going at it, this was going to be a long two days.
Sorry for the long wait. I ended up revising this chapter two times. I like this version better then the original. This chapter was also the longer then the others so far. The next chapter should no take as long. Be patient with us. And remember to Read and Review. Nothing makes me type faster then a good review.