I was going to let you guys marinate in despair for a little longer and put this out tomorrow, but Musou Misora makes me all tickled pink inside with her reviews, and I didn't want to depress her that badly. I usually follow a little outline I wrote for myself for each story, but this time, I completely strayed from my original idea… I'm not sure if it's all for the better yet. Let me know through a review or email if you want me to upload an alternate plot twist after this series comes to a close. I think it would be interesting to see which idea would have been better. Just a reminder, Hou is written as to mean "phoenix".

.oOo.

Meilin smiled in satisfaction as she pressed the wax seal on the letter she wrote by the dawn's light creeping into her window of the Li Castle the next day. She glanced at the early morning's sign and quickly pocketed the folded sheet and spun out of her chair, marching briskly toward the chapel outside, not bothering with a cloak with the clearing air. Her breath fogged slightly before her as she tilted her head back, gazing at the absolutely cloudless azure sky overhead. She filled her lungs with the scent of the new dawn and the light aroma of chimney smoke as the various huts around the castle started their fires with breakfast stew boiling and fresh daily bread baking. She tasted the sounds of clip-clopping horses as they ambled by, dragging rickety carts of hay, of just-rousing soldiers who had not yet heard about the demise of their leader, and of numerous birds courting each other with warbling tunes. Blinking her eyes in the dazzling sunlight, she smiled at the weeds that had managed to grow in frozen masses through the snow. As she began to move again, traipsing up the front stairs, a few children ran past her skirts, the girls giggling madly as a boy chased them. She glanced after them wistfully and opened the door to the chapel.

It was quiet again that morning, Meilin smiled to herself as she walked up the familiar center aisle. It was that peaceful air she needed compared to the hustle and bustle of life outside. She knelt by Syaoran's body, which had grown paler through the night under the blood-spattered white cloak Sakura had left on him before she had fallen asleep on the floor, leaving Touya to carry her back to an empty room of the castle where she had a fitful rest, tears sliding down her cheeks in nightmares she could not be woken from. Meilin brushed her fingertips over the still-red center of the bloodstains, and after a moment of pause, with more resolution, gripped the fabric and tossed it aside. She picked up the broken shaft of the arrow lain by his side after they wrenched it from his cooling body, trying not to tremble too hard as she shut her eyes.

"Had the same idea I had?"

Meilin's eyes fluttered open to see the dark figure of Touya emerging from the shadows.

"No," she answered automatically, although her cheeks flushed guiltily with the obvious lie.

Touya gave her the grace of accepting her reply with silence as he took a seat by her side, swinging his long legs over the altar steps. He took a deep breath as he gripped his knees.

"I'm surprised you knew of such ancient Clow magic. Sakura has no idea about it, of course," he said finally.

"I could say the same for you," she responded tonelessly, dropping her hands clutching the pointed end of the arrow into her lap.

He smirked, and gave her a lazy look. "I was in line for the throne. My education was top-notch and no book in the library was restricted to me."

"Auntie Kaho told me about it before I took the portal here," she said indifferently.

He raised an eyebrow, drudging up a distant memory of the fiery-haired woman. "I always did think she was too smart for her own good."

She giggled in spite of herself, dipping her head to glance at her hands folded neatly in the puddle of frilly silk over her legs. He sat in silence by her side as they savored their last few moments of daylight.

"You're all right," he said after a moment, gazing at the high Baroque domed ceiling above them.

She snapped her head to look at him in surprise, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She slowly grinned though, and chuckled, bashfully running her fingers over the shaft of the arrow.

"I suppose we best not waste any more time," he smiled softly, turning to take up Yukito's arrow. "I think we only have a few minutes left before it becomes fully morning."

"Pity that the Romeo and Juliet curse applies, though," Meilin faintly whispered as she steadied herself by Syaoran's body. "They won't get to see us until we're good and dead, you know."

He nodded, tucking his letter in Yukito's stiff hand before standing in front of the table that Yukito was lying on. "I'm grateful enough to have this power, even if it is dependant on my bloodline."

"What are the chances that Sakura will try to replicate this process?"

Touya smirked, thinking of the beautiful and strong young woman who had single-handedly laid Syaoran to rest on the altar the night before. He was leaving with a renewed confidence in her. "I already told Yukito in the letter that a Clow can not be sacrificed in the stead of another Clow member. He'll keep her safe."

She nodded, and brushed back a forelock of chocolate curls that she had craved to touch for so long. Leaning closer, she proffered a light kiss on his smooth forehead before shutting her eyes, the last single tear sliding down past her dark lashes on her cheek in a crystalline drop of ultimate happiness for having this moment. She sniffed, and smiled softly as she readied the arrow, lining it up directly at her heart as Touya imitated her, standing tall over Yukito as she knelt by Syaoran.

The door opened, and someone was rushing in, but it was too late. Touya gave Meilin a final smile as they simultaneously plunged the arrow deep into their chests, piercing their hearts with the potent poison's residue making quick work of them.

"No!" Sakura screamed as she dashed to the altar, but the divine light had consumed both Touya and Meilin as their blood spurted heavily over the two bodies in front of them, and before she could do anything, the two had completed the Ultimate Sacrifice, and the magic had devoured their souls, twin streaks of flaring white that soared into the sky, leaving only a blazing trail and a desperate, lonely Sakura behind.

.oOo.

Syaoran groaned, or at least tried too. It seemed that even that was too much effort for his body, which felt suddenly like the focal point on which an entire heard of elephants was sitting. There was a soft sniffling near his hand, and after a moment, he finally summoned enough energy to turn his head.

"Sakura?" he croaked, recognizing the mussed honey-blonde locks.

She turned, and her watery green eyes stared back at him blankly.

"Are you alive?" she whispered softly.

"I was dead?" he winced.

She punched his shoulder as hard as she could, and under the circumstances, Syaoran almost passed out again. She seemed to sob all the more inconsolably, muttering something he didn't quite catch.

"What?" he grunted as he managed to sit up and immediately wishing he hadn't, instantly nauseated as he keeled over to one side. She seemed to be more forgiving and caught his head in her lap, although she didn't seem to ease up on the hitting him.

"All – your – fault!" she cried miserably with each smash of her fists.

Gradually, it started coming back to Syaoran: the fleeing of the Mei soldiers, the shower of arrows, the dim form of Touya bursting into bright flames… He frowned slightly, screwing up his face as he tried hard to remember, only vaguely aware of having been ripped from a vast field of light and hurtling back towards the Earth…

"I was – doing – fine – without – you!" she sobbed desolately. "It's – all – your – fault!"

"Ow," he finally murmured, burying his head into the warm recesses of Sakura's thighs through her heavily crinolined dress.

She finally let up as she settled for glaring at him angrily as he fell asleep to the light scent of cherry blossoms, her tears splashing down over his face.

.oOo.

After being greeted back to the world of the living considerably more politely than Syaoran had been, Yukito was gripping a stiff mug of tea in one hand, and the letter Touya had left him in the other.

"How unfair, To-ya," he whispered, reading over his final words once more. "You cheated me. I sacrificed my life happily for you not as a loyal squire, but as…" His voice broke off, filled with emotion. The words blurred before his eyes…

Take care, Yuki… I am not called Hou without reason. My men thought I was a true phoenix, rising from the ashes after risking much to save them. This case is no different. We will meet again Yuki…

Across from him in the airy parlor they were recuperating in, Syaoran was still numb with surprise, never realizing the extent of Meilin's love for him, something he was grossly misled to be as infatuation and gratitude.

Please consider this my blessing, the letter said. I leave you in peace with a much more enriched life than I could ever have hoped for, having for so long lived being outshined by the greatness of the Clows and for so long lived under the cover of darkness of the Meis. Let this be my one moment of having done something worthy…

Sakura did not want to talk to anyone and had isolated herself near one of the large picture windows of the room, clutching Touya's letter to her heart. "Onii-chan, how did you know about the ultimate sacrifice?" She choked back a dry sob, remembering how her father had attempted the divine magic to resurrect her mother Nadeshiko shortly after she died. He died in vain because the corrupt mages had replaced her body with an illusion that Clow, because of his grief, failed to recognize, and the precious blood was spilled futilely. In her mind, she kept replaying the scene if she had woken up just a few minutes earlier, and had been there to sacrifice herself instead of Meilin, to stop her brother… Taking a deep breath, she read over his final words to her:

Dearest Sister, Princess of the Clow Kingdom, and of much more…

I can't bring myself to call you kaijuu, even for a last time. (She laughed at this.) Did you know I couldn't call you that since I first came to the castle after being banished? I didn't realize six years of hardship could turn such a monster into… well, a princess, a truly deserving one at that. Maybe Otou-san should have made you a maid a lot sooner and you wouldn't be the brat I had to deal with for 10 years. (Her smile quickly faded into a scowl.)

But, I won't pass up this opportunity to assure you of how much I love you, and I'm not doing this to spite you in any way. I'm sorry I only have one soul to trade, but given the choices, I'd save Yukito in a heartbeat over that brat prince who would have died anyway by my hand if I ever caught you near him.

I know you were rather attached though, however wrong it was, and if you can find it in your heart to forgive me for my selfishness to save Yukito, and move on after grieving for Prince Syaoran… I give you my blessing for any relationship you choose next (She raised an eyebrow in surprise.) provided he fits under these categories…

A long scroll of parchment opened and slipped to the floor as her eyes widened at the overly detailed requirements her brother listed. She rolled her eyes as she picked it up and scanned over a few of them towards the bottom ("Must not like the color red under all circumstances!" she cried in exasperation, knowing this was just like her brother. "Really!"), but reading the last one, she smiled.

Requirement 749.

Yukito has final say, as I trust his judgment.

Of course, all these requirements become nil as I know you'll go out of your way to disobey me anyway. I just hope you truly love him, as I love you. Know that I will always be watching over you.

Love Always,

Touya

It didn't take long for Sakura to burst into fresh sobs.

.oOo.

It was a funeral like no other. Although the people of the Li Kingdom had expected the funeral of its top general to be extremely glamorous, Syaoran had outdone himself and given Meilin and Touya a royal funeral service fit for the true nobility they were. The procession itself was so dramatically long, filled with not only soldiers who came to pay their respects to the great leader, but the commoners who remembered Touya's seemingly cold façade and contrasting warm kindness when he saved them from the treachery of the other kingdoms. Syaoran headed the march, Sakura firmly within his arms as they shared the white stallion that had saved their lives, alongside Yukito who rode the somber black steed, Touya's warhorse. Behind them, the deep blue and gold banners of the Clow family fluttered next to the scarlet and black smaller flags, a tribute to Meilin.

"We're almost there," whispered Sakura softly, nodding at the mountain ahead. It was Mount Fuji(taka) the highest mountain of their country, and specially reserved for the burial of the royalty of the Clows. After what Meilin had done for her… she deserved a place in the sanctuary. She smiled to herself, aware of Syaoran's warm and powerful arms squeezing around her comfortably as he held the reins behind her.

Before she knew it, Touya and Meilin were buried next to her parents, Clow Reed and Nadeshiko. Under a large mound of white roses, the upturned earth sank a little as the proceedings went on. When it came to the time to pass a eulogy, Sakura stepped in front of the twin graves, but was rudely interrupted.

"Meilin!" came the shrieking cry as a familiar woman came tearing up the mountain toward them. She stumbled over her long scarlet gown that was already muddied along the dirt path, kicking over small flowers, and her hair in clear disarray.

"Xiao-Mei," Sakura breathed, her eyes visibly widening under the sheer black veil over her face that was fastened to her hair with a sparkling diamond tiara, but the other woman made no sign that she recognized her own name.

Xiao-Mei threw herself on grave marked as Meilin's and sobbed horrifically, taking great heaving gasps that seemed to chill her very bones. "My daughter… my only daughter!" she wailed piteously.

"You!" she spat darkly, spinning around at once as she pointed an accusing finger at Syaoran and Sakura. "You killed her!" she screamed. "I'll have you killed! I'll have you—"

"Perhaps now is not the best time to make enemies, dear sister," Kaho interjected serenely, calmly appearing by the disconsolate mother's side. "It seems that Prince Syaoran's legendary armies have some basis of truth. They are indeed vast, and numerous, your Highness," she smiled, casting a quick glance around at the thousands that had attended the funeral.

Xiao-Mei was breathing hard, and reluctantly acknowledged the fact that while Syaoran's armies flanked the entire mountain, she had only a few footmen behind her.

"This is not over," she rasped painfully, giving Sakura a most hateful glare before ducking back into her carriage with Kaho and speeding off.

.oOo.

Yukito had gone on to grieve in the privacy of his bedroom, retiring early. Sakura chose to comfort herself selfishly in the arms of Syaoran, breathing quietly against his chest as he was content to merely hold her against him as they lay comfortably on his bed, tucking his other behind his head as a pillow. After a long, cozy silence, Sakura finally spoke.

"Syaoran?"

"Hm?" he grunted back.

"I want to declare war on the Meis."

He paused for a moment. "Are you normally this violent?"

She pushed off of him slightly to square a better scowl at him; he merely grinned back, impressed with her glare that might have rivaled his. "I'm serious. I want to avenge not only Touya's death, but Meilin's, and… well, maybe Yukito's and your death as well, because you both did technically die."

"That's very sweet of you," he replied automatically. "I'm touched my death affected you that much."

She frowned. "Don't get used to it. At the rate you're going, you'll be lucky if I bury you in a ditch if you die again."

He cracked a grin and lowered her again to his body, trapping her in his arms as he kissed her lips deeply, the tip of his tongue indecently trailing along the curve of her upper lip. She shut up instantly, as was his goal.

When the kiss broke, he smiled impishly at her, and then glanced at her concernedly. "Sakura? You're still breathing, right?"

"You're going to help me defeat the Meis, right?"

He sank his head back in exasperation; she hadn't missed a beat. "Sakura," he began tiredly, "war isn't something you just declare on and off lightly."

"You declared a war to look for me, and you didn't even know what I looked like," she pointed out. He winced at the stabbing blow.

"Yeah, but now I actually have a reason to want to keep you safe." He gave her a cursory look. "I love you too much to risk you in the face of danger."

Sakura mulled over his sweet words for a moment, and then shook her head. "No, I'm in more danger if I let sleeping dogs lie."

He chuckled softly and rubbed her silky locks that slipped around her face in loose tendrils affectionately. "I think that's the wrong proverb, dear."

"I don't care. You'll help me, right?" Her eyes were suddenly ten times larger than they normally appeared as they bored into his. He blinked, almost blinded by the sheer glare from the sparkles in her emerald eyes.

After a moment, he nodded, sighing a long, drawn-out breath that he reserved for grave times. "If you promise to stay safe for me, I will do anything for you."

"Just try to stay alive this time," she grinned back cheekily before swooping down for another delicious kiss.

.oOo.

A little humor and SxS for you to compensate for the morbid loss of Touya and Meilin (but especially my handsome Touya), and NO, this time there is no secret magic that will save them. Cope. Death is part of the cycle of life.