Author's notes:- Hey ppl! Sorry about the delay. Got caught up with schoolwork. Our teachers are such slave drivers! We've never had a break from exams and tomorrow we've got Chemistry!

Anyways, this chapter is kinda short but it's filled with SxS moments and that should make up for the shortness. Hope you 'n' joy it!

Chapter 11

"Not again!" Syaoran's voice rang out from the dining room and following it a clatter of plates was heard as he furiously banged his fists against the table. "I've told you a million times now, I'm not getting married to some no good cranky princess just because you say so and that's final!" And with those words he stormed out the dining room without waiting for his parents' reply.

Syaoran slammed the door of his room shut and sunk on his bed. Sakura, who was sitting on the bedside table, let out a squawk of surprise at the sudden noise. Syaoran sighed as he stared at the ceiling. Sakura hopped on the bed next to him wondering what was bothering him.

The prince suddenly raised a hand and stroked the feathers on her head and muttered,

"Sorry if I scared you. Why do they always have to force me into marrying someone I don't even know? If they'd asked me this question few months ago, then maybe due to the pressure I may have even consented but now I'm all the more determined not to. Because…" his voice dropped lower, "I love her…"

Sakura's heart stopped beating when she heard this. She started feeling numb all over. Was he talking about her? Does this mean he loves me?

Syaoran sat up and ran his hand through his chestnut hair mumbling something incomprehensible and Sakura was too dazed to try and hear what it was.

Now Sakura don't jump to conclusions. She thought to herself firmly. For all you know he maybe talking about someone else… though she secretly wished it was her.

Someone knocked the door startling both Sakura and Syaoran out of their wits. "Come in" Syaoran called. The door opened and the queen stepped in majestically. Syaoran jumped to his feet on seeing his mother and bowed slightly.

"You came to see me mother?" he asked in his politest manner even though he was feeling frustrated at his mother.

"No need for the formalities, Xiao Lang." his mother replied giving him a small smile. Xiao Lang. his Chinese name. His mother hardly ever used it unless she had to say something very important. Syaoran groaned inwardly. He knew what was coming next.

And just as he expected, "It's about your marriage Syaoran."

"But mother…" he began to protest but Yelan silenced him with a look.

"Hear me out Xiao Lang. and then tell me what you want to say. First of all it's been a tradition in Li family for generations that the prince must get married before he's seventeen."

"But my birthday is six months away!"

"Only six months." His mother corrected, "That isn't much time. I'll give you two weeks time. Find a girl, princess or peasant I don't care. But the decision is yours. You can choose the girl you want to marry. But if you cannot find the right person within two weeks then we'll announce your engagement with Princess Maya of the Telurian Kingdom."

"Not her!" Syaoran wailed thinking of the blond haired spoiled brat who always clung onto him, fussing about a broken nail.

"Listen, mother, All my life I've been doing everything you asked me to, because I wanted to please you, for you to be proud of me. But this time I can't agree, I don't want to marry someone I don't even like."

"Calm down son. I understand and that's why I've come to this decision. This is your life and I want you to be able to decide whom you want to marry which is why I'm leaving you an option. Find a bride and I'll convince you're father,"

"So you're saying that it doesn't matter if she isn't a princess?" Syaoran asked eagerly at once thinking of Sakura.

"I believe I said that. Why son? Have you found the girl you love?" Yelan asked looking at her son with a strange glint in her dark eyes.

Syaoran flushed and stammered "Y—I mean no mother,"

"Very well. I'll be leaving then," the queen said a little pompously and swept out of the room.

Once in the corridor she chuckled on hearing her son cheer happily. Well, I never thought I'd be seeing the day Syaoran would fall in love.

Sakura, on the other hand flew out of the window to the tree house in the secret garden. She really wanted to know what the queen was going to say to Syaoran because she felt sure it was something concerning his marriage. But she felt she'd been listening to too much of the private conversation in the Li household.

She flipped open her mother's diary where she'd kept the two flowers. Surprisingly enough they hadn't withered the slightest. Obviously she thought they're magic flowers. They shouldn't whither. However she was slightly disappointed, she really had wanted to find the third flower. But then again the sooner she found the flowers the sooner she had to leave back home and that meant that she wouldn't be able to see Syaoran anymore.

Syaoran…the thought of him made her heart pound. What would happen when she'd found all the flowers? Will she ever be able to see him again? Sakura sighed, her heart feeling heavy. She knew that neither her father nor Syaoran's father would agree to their marriage that is if he loved her. Kings are so stupid. They fight for the dumbest reasons ever.

Sakura lay down using the diary as her pillow or rather her bed considering how small she was. She sure was sleeping a lot lately but she felt so tired all the time. Finding all these flowers was draining her energy. A lot.

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Syaoran on the other hand was restless during lunchtime. He kept fidgeting with his fingers and knocking his knees together nervously which irritated his parents.

"Syaoran why are you so fidgety?" his father asked him.

Syaoran at once stopped moving his knees and his fingers.

"Sorry." He apologized unable to think of any excuse.

Fortunately for him the topic was dropped right there as lunch carried on. As Syaoran walked down the corridor after lunch he wondered how he should tell her. What would she say? Would she reciprocate his feelings? Would she reject him? All these questions pounded Syaoran's mind. A loud giggle erupted from somewhere behind him interrupting his thoughts.

The four Li sisters surrounded their brother squealing and shrieking with laughter.

"Little Syao's going to profess his love to the girl who stole his heart!"

"When did you grow up, little bro?"

"I never thought you had a romantic bone in your body!"

"Is your girlfriend super kawaii?"

"Just leave me alone!" Syaoran broke from the grasp of his sisters and shot into his room slamming the door. He growled as he heard one of them some say,

"Did you see how red his face was? He was actually blushing."

The evening came before Syaoran knew it and he found himself walking down to the secret garden clutching a box in his pocket. Fortunately his parents were in an important meeting and his meddling sisters had gone shopping.

Sakura was already there standing underneath her favorite cherry blossom tree. Syaoran took a deep breath and stood next to her.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah" she replied acknowledging his presence but neither of them knew whether he meant the cherry blossom petals floating in the wind or her.

There's no use stalling Syaoran. I'd have to tell her quickly. Syaoran thought.

"Um Sakura there's something I need to tell you,"

"What is it?" she asked turning around and keeping her gaze fixed on him.

Syaoran stared at the ground for a minute before looking determinedly into her emerald eyes and he said,

"Well, I…I uh… love you Sakura,"

Sakura's eyes widened but she felt as though somewhere deep down in her heart she expected this. But what he did next she never expected,

He slid a finger under her chin and gently kissed her. Sakura froze in shock. He quickly broke off stammering an apology.

The two of them stood staring at the ground between them which suddenly seemed interesting. The tension in the air was so thick; you could cut it with a knife. Syaoran let out a long held sigh knowing that if he didn't do it now it would be too late.

"Will you marry me?" he asked suddenly going down on one knee clasping her hand in his.

"I know this is sudden and I don't know you much, but what I do know is that you're a great person Sakura and my heart tells me what I'm doing is right." He explained a faint red tint lingering on his cheek.

Sakura felt tears sting her eyes. She turned around facing her back to him and whispered,

"I…can't"

Syaoran felt something heavy drop in his heart. "So you don't like me huh? Well I understand…" he began muttering still not getting up from his position but was cut off as Sakura burst out,

"No that's not it!" she flung herself into his arms burying her head against his sturdy shoulder. He swayed as she fell against him but kept his balance. He gently wrapped his strong arms around her body which was violently shaking due to her sobs.

"I love you. I really really do. I love you more than any one else in this world." She pulled away and stared at him with tear filled emerald eyes.

"But we can't get married, at least not now. Remember that mission thing I keep telling you about? Well I can't get married until I complete it." Tears kept flowing from her closed eyes and she didn't even make an attempt to stop them.

"That's ok." Syaoran said soothingly. "My mother has given me two weeks time. I'm sure you can finish the task that you have to."

Sakura shook her head and stood up, "But two weeks isn't enough Syaoran. We can never be together!" she shrieked thinking of his father's reaction abut her family.

"Don't say that. I have faith in you. I'm sure you can complete it if you try."

"But you don't even know me…"

"I don't care!" Syaoran replied fiercely, "I don't care whether you're a peasant or even the princess of the Kinomoto kingdom."

Sakura stifled a gasp and bent down so that her bangs covered her eyes. You don't know how right you are…

"I still want to marry you because I love you Sakura. You're the only one who can make me happy and cheer me up even in the dullest moments."

Sakura looked back at him, "For how long have you…?" she couldn't complete her question but Syaoran understood what she wanted to know.

He smiled slightly, "I don't know. And I don't think it matters to me." He paused, "All my life I've been following orders." Sakura raised an eyebrow questioningly as he continued,

"…doing what my parents told me, what the elders told me to do. Training… hard…and learning to be a good king. My life was clockwork. Run by someone else. But all that changed when you came. You brightened my life and made me feel emotions that I never felt before. Happiness, joy and ….love. Your kindness and innocence broke through the barrier I had created around my heart. You tore the mask that I wore and helped become back the real me hiding behind it. For the first time in my life I want to make my own decisions. I want to marry you. I want to protect you and be with you for the rest of my life. I really believe in you, Sakura. I know you can do this."

"I'll do my best. If it means keeping you happy then I'll definitely try." She smiled at him a small one but genuine.

"I'm sorry if I sounded too dramatic." He sighed.

Sakura shook her head, "I'm glad that opened up to me Syaoran."

He walked up to her and slipped a box in the palm of her hand. "I want you to keep it till you complete what you have to." Sakura nodded and left muttering a soft goodbye.

Syaoran stared at her retreating back and thought to himself. I'll wait for you Sakura even if you don't finish it within two weeks.

I'll wait for you forever…

Sakura flung herself on her mattress sobbing. How am I ever going to find the last two flowers within two weeks? It took me three months to find the second flower. What am I going to do? God help me…

Sakura wiped her tears and opened the box that Syaoran had given her. It contained a dainty gold ring with two tiny diamond studs in the middle. Next to it was a piece of paper shaped like a cherry blossom only a bit bigger. Looking closely Sakura read

To my most precious cherry blossom

With all my love

Li Syaoran.

Sakura clutched the ring and the paper close to her heart. I can do it. I will do it for Syaoran…

Author's notes:- Well that's it. It's very short I know, so sorry.

About my other story, My pet wolf cub, Chocolate, actually I'm suffering from a serious writer's block and I have no clue what to do. I don't want it to get boring so if you have any suggestions, please tell me. Meanwhile I'd like you all to tell me what you think about this chapter.

This is sakura doll signing off!

See ya!