The Lost Princess
A/N: Guys! It's finally the palace scenes… Hope you all enjoy this as much as I've enjoyed writing these parts… Reviews please!!! ^^
Chapter 9
"I'm so damned weary." Came Takashi's complaint as they trudged across the palace grounds early that morning, "The Sun's not even up yet…" he added, hiding a yawn and stretching.
"Yeah. This is pure torture." Chiharu agreed while yawning.
While the two were complaining, Sakura was quietly looking at her surroundings and at the night-blue sky. The ambience was one of reluctant awakening, the grounds littered with a few sleepy servants and soldiers. Sakura shivered when the cold wind touched her skin.
"We've been doing this for almost a fortnight, aren't you used to it already?" came Sakura's quiet inquiry to her friends.
"That's just it! We've been short of sleep since we came here." Chiharu stated with a hint of frustration.
"And we've had endless trainings from sunrise till sunset…We don't even have time to relax." Takashi added with a slight frown.
"The training is necessary, guys. Without it, we'll be easy prey to the assassins." Sakura told them, recalling what the kind guard captain had told them on their first day there.
"I know…but…it's so unfair…Syao isn't here yet. While we're torturing ourselves with endless trainings, Syao is just relaxing somewhere." Takashi grumbled.
"That just means that he'll have a lot of catching up to do once he arrives." Sakura pointed out a matter-of-factly.
"Right!" Takashi realized, his expression lighting up a bit.
The dark sky was already lightening when they arrived in the practice courts. They saw the tall and burly figure of their training master, his wide back on them. He was obviously talking to someone but they were unable to see who he was talking to because his burly frame blocked the person from their view.
"Morning, Sensei!" came the sleepy and familiar voice of Chiharu.
Sir Wuu, the training master, turned to the new arrivals with a slight frown. He glanced at his wrist watch then looked back at them.
"You're fifteen minutes late!" he informed them in his usual booming voice.
"Oh, come on, Teach! Please understand. Who could manage to wake up at four in the morning after sleeping late last night?" came Takashi's complaining explanation.
"I can." A familiar voice from the training master's back announced with a hint of amusement.
"Syao?" came the surprise of his friends when he stepped from behind the training master. He was grinning in amusement, noting the comical expressions of his friends, with Sakura as an exception. She only gave him a smug grin which he returned.
"When did you arrive?" Sakura asked casually, arms crossed on her chest.
"Just past midnight." He answered off-handedly.
"Okay, people! Quit this chatting and do your warm-ups while I prepare the weapons." Sir Wuu announced before leaving them.
"So, I heard you've been training for almost a fortnight already." Came Syaoran's statement as they started doing some warm-ups.
"Yup! We've been tortured for that long already." Takashi answered with a thoughtful frown, "It amazes me that we haven't quit yet." He added.
"It's just a training, Takashi." Syaoran told him nonchalantly.
"It might be just that for you but my body's aching all over due to this." Takashi complained, doing some stretching, "And besides, how can you say that when you haven't started yet?" he pointed out, a smirk starting to form on his lips.
Syaoran decided not to answer but his grin was a smug one.
"What are you grinning about? I'm sure I can best you at sword fighting." Came Takashi's boast, his smirk still visible.
"Really?" Syaoran's tone was taunting, his hazel eyes challenging.
"Is that a challenge?" Syaoran's tone and the challenge in his eyes didn't go unnoticed by Takashi.
At Takashi's inquiry, Syaoran just arched a brow, a gentle grin on his lips and shrugged his shoulders.
"Man, you're on!" Takashi accepted Syaoran's quiet suggestion, "You'll eat dirt in no time at all."
"Let's see." Syaoran stated quietly, his smug grin still in place.
"This is stupid… and a waste of time." Sakura grumbled as they walked on to their training master for permission.
"I know you're worried about me, love, but don't worry, I'll thrash this braggart and show him real skill…" Syaoran announced in a loud and amused voice, placing an arm across Sakura's shoulders.
"Really, Syao? If I were you, I'll take it back 'cause I'm good. And besides, I've been in training and you're not." Takashi pointed out, dark eyes dancing playfully.
"You're nothing but a neophyte, Takashi." Syaoran countered with a sly grin.
"Whatever!" Sakura interrupted their banter annoyingly, shrugging off Syaoran's arm across her shoulders before running towards the stables.
She was confused because her heart had skipped a beat when Syaoran had draped his arm across her shoulders.
~Darn!~ she cursed inwardly.
The Sun was already rising in the East when the two guys' duel was about to begin. The two guys were standing opposite each other on the practice court while she, Chiharu and the training master were a few meters away… the audience.
"Okay! Begin!" came the barked command of Sir Wuu.
The two guys shifted into "guard" position, looking at each other and concentrating, trying to guess the other's first move. Moments passed but no one moved to make the first attack. Then suddenly, Takashi sprang from his position, advanced and attacked. Syaoran successfully blocked the blow and even under Sakura's inexperienced eyes, she could still notice Syaoran's grace and confidence. She could see that Syaoran seemed to be taking it lightly and playfully while Takashi was deep in concentration.
Takashi attacked and attacked again while Syaoran just blocked or evaded, a grin on his lips.
"Takashi's rushing." Sakura heard Sir Wuu's comment, a frown on his lips.
"Is it bad?" Chiharu asked, never taking off her gaze from the two.
"Yes… because his opponent is studying his every move and he's giving too much with his attacks." He explained, eyes still on the two.
Silence followed except for the sound of steel against steel.
"He's got it! Now, he's going for the 'kill'!" and no sooner had he said that, Takashi's blade flew from his hold after Syaoran had maneuvered his own blade and knocked Takashi's from his hand with the hilt of his blade. Syaoran presented the glinting and sharp tip of the sword on Takashi's neck, a smug and satisfied grin on his lips.
"Darn it, Syao! How'd you do that?" came Takashi's amazement as he wiped beads of sweat from his forehead.
"What can I say? I'm a natural." Syaoran shrugged, hazel eyes dancing merrily.
"You're no more a natural than I." Takashi told him, not believing his careless answer.
"Suit yourself." He just stated, giving him a mysterious smile.
"You're quite a swordsman, young man." Sir Wuu complimented once they were already beside their 'audience'.
"Runs in the family." Syaoran shrugged smugly.
"Braggart." Sakura muttered, rolling her eyes.
"No kidding, Saku. Father's a great swordsman and my mother too. In their youth, mother had challenged father for a duel because she was annoyed with his arrogant behavior. And believe it or not, mother defeated father. I'm not sure if it's due to skill or because father loved her too much that he let her win." Syaoran narrated, eyes dancing as he reminisced.
"I salute your mother, then. She's great! Not a push over." Sakura commented, a grin on her lips.
Syaoran looked down at her and their eyes locked. Sakura experienced an awkward feeling in her stomach, as if butterflies were present there. She wanted to look away but she was so much like her mother – courageous – that she didn't follow her urge. She boldly held Syaoran's gaze, arching a brow arrogantly although her heart rate was abnormally fast.
"Yeah, you're right. And I love my mother for that. So much. That's why I admire people with such fire and bravery." Syaoran announced quietly, his hazel eyes surprisingly turning serious. This confused Sakura. She felt as if Syaoran was telling her something. But what?
"Okay, guys! Let's begin the practice." Sir Wuu's announcement broke whatever spell had surrounded the two.
She saw Syaoran's serious gaze evaporate and replaced by a playful one.
"Okay." He answered the training master before looking away from Sakura and following the training master with Takashi.
Sakura took a deep, steadying breath.
"Weird." She breathed quietly before following the two, Chiharu beside her, thoughtful.