Disclaimer: (groans)

Sorry! I haven't been able to update yesterday…. I got a real terrible headache and well I can't focus on the fic. SORRY!

Anyway, thanks for reviewing! (smiles)

BitterSweetMel thnx for the review! (smiles) there I missed a day for updating lol

Akum I think I can lol thank you Akum-san!

review lord thanks! I'll do my best on this fic

crimsonangel enthusiastic as ever (smiles) you'll find out soon enough

mayura18 don't worry you'll find out too (smiles)

donut there will be more of that don't worry (smiles)

MysticMoonEmpress thank you for the support onee-sama

neku-chan (smiles) thanks

Pinaygrrl thank you for your consistent encouragement (smiles) I shall

animefan518 well I have to do that in order to make the story even more interesting (/no1) I'm glad you like it (smiles)

In return for my late update, I'll place two chaps (smiles)

Here goes….

Chapter 11:

Sakura's Decision

Eighteen year old Eriol Hiiragizawa stares at his crystal ball inside his dark room. He was staring at the figure of Sonomi who lay in bed at a hospital. His night blue eyes glimmered with hatred.

After he found out about the 'Protection Seal', Nadeshiko had performed he assumed that the Keeper is the Queen. Because the Daidouji's doesn't have magical powers other than read other people's mind, he easily infiltrated her mind and cursed her in her sleep. He wanted to kill Sonomi so that they could continue on with the war. To his surprise they were still unable to break into the Souma. He soon realized that the Keeper is not the Queen but the Card Mistress' daughter, Sakura.

Although he tried to kill her he couldn't get into her mind because of another Protection Spell especially made for her.

He was furious, not only because they couldn't continue on the plan to conquer the other nations but also because he couldn't sense the aura of the Li heir, Syaoran. He didn't know where he was or what happened to him. Other than that, his assistant Nakuru had fallen into a dreamless sleep in which she is like in a state of coma. And now, the King is ill. This is too much for him. But because of his calm attitude, he kept his cool and just focused himself to more dark arts, preparing himself in his future plans.

'I still have the half of the Cards,' he reminded himself. 'As long as I have them, the new Card Mistress' power is nothing compared to me,' he thought.

Yukito visited the shrine where he had studied. He went into the hall and sat with his knee bent on the floor. He prayed to their God. An old man with grey hair and a mustache, whose wore reading glasses, entered the room and smiles upon seeing Yukito.

"Huh?" Yukito stops when he sensed someone looking at him. He spun around and smiled at the old man.

"Wei-san!" he exclaimed.

Wei smiled at Yukito, "Tsukishiro-sama, it's nice to see you again."

When Yelan transported Wei into a safe place seven years ago, he was transported at the Daidouji Shrine and there the monks welcomed him with open arms.

Yukito stood up and shook his head, "Please, drop the formality."

Wei just nodded his head. Half an hour later, Yukito was drinking tea at the garden behind the shrine. Wei joined him holding a golden box with him.

Yukito looks at him and saw the box, "So, you're planning to give them that already?" he asked.

"Hai," he nodded his head. "I believe that the Prince is still alive. And I know that this treasure will be safe at the castle, with the Card Mistress and all."

Yukito smiles as Wei sat at the chair facing him. "I believe that too."

"I'm still praying for the day when the Prince will be back and rebuild the Li Kingdom," Wei told Yukito.

Yukito just stared at the box. Somehow, he was interested at what's inside the box. It feels like, whatever's inside it has something to do with his past.

Late that afternoon back at the Daidouji Castle, Yukito gave the box to Touya.

"Wei-san said it'll be safer here," Yukito told him.

Touya stared at the box, they were inside his room. He went into his drawer and kept it there just like he kept the orb. "I'll take care of it. Tell him that," he told Yukito.

Yukito nodded his head, "Okay."

A soft knock on the door interrupted them. A servant opened the door and kneeled on his knee. "The King of Souma Country has arrived King Touya," he said.

Because Sakura was unable to go to the Souma yesterday, Iain informed Touya that he'll be coming tomorrow to pay them a visit. Touya grunts under his breath, 'He never give up!' he thought angrily.

Yukito laughed at his reaction. "King Iain sure is persistent. He must have liked Sakura-chan so much," he said.

"That's why I don't like him." Touya retorted when the servant had left.

Yukito chuckled, "You sure love your sister so much, Touya."

"Urusai!" Touya snapped at him which made Yukito laughed even more.

At Sakura's room, her maidens are busily fixing her dress of emerald green with soft white ruffles at the sleeves. Tomoyo had picked and designed that dress for Sakura to wear at dinner with the King of Souma.

Sakura stared at her reflection on the mirror and sighed. She liked the dress, but she didn't intend to dress up for the King.

The door opened and Tomoyo entered. She smiled upon seeing Sakura, "Suteki! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura looked at her. Tomoyo was dressed in a purple gown with a transparent lilac shroud around her. "You looked wonderful too, Tomoyo-chan!"

"Not as wonderful as you. Oh you are so cute Sakura-chan!" she exclaimed and started videoing Sakura.

Sakura sweat dropped, "Eeh?"

(A/N hey! Where did her camcorder come from?)

At the front hall of the Castle, Touya with Yukito and the other servants had welcomed Iain.

"It's nice to see you, King Iain of the Souma Country," they all greeted and kneel on their knees as a young man with long blonde hair dress in a red suit come out of the carriage.

Iain has real out of the ordinary eyes, for his right eye is in a normal color of blue but the left is in golden color. He may have odd eyes but he is a real model of a King.

"How are you King Touya?" Seventeen year old Iain Souma greeted with a smile.

"Fine as always, please make your self at home," Touya tried his best to hide his loathe at the King.

They enter the castle and went into the dining hall where Sakura and Tomoyo were already waiting.

"You both look splendid, Princess Tomoyo, Princess Sakura." Iain said when he saw them. He took their hands one at a time and kissed it like a real gentleman.

"You're too modest, King Iain." Tomoyo said.

"But it is true, it is my pleasure to be with such beautiful ladies." He looked at Sakura meaningfully.

Touya's eyes narrowed and Yukito leaned forward and smilingly said, "Calm down Touya."

He took a deep breath, "I know, Yuki."

"Shall we proceed?" he said and gestured everyone to the table.

"I thought you'll never ask. I'm kind a starving," Yukito said and laughed.

Everyone sweat dropped. They know about Yukito's big appetite.

While they ate dinner, Touya and Iain were busy talking about important matters concerning their projects for tighter relationship between the Nations. Tomoyo and Yukito give out their opinions once in a while, while Sakura just watched them. She is still deep in thought. Just then Yukito bring up a subject that got her attention.

"By the way, Wei-san from the shrine gave me real vital information."

"Vital?" Sakura asked.

"He means important information, kaijuu."

"I know that! What I meant is what kind of information, baka!" she snapped at his brother. Touya sniggered, "Watch your manners. You don't want the King of Souma see your monster side don't you?"

Sakura reddened, "Onii-chan!"

But Iain just watched them smiling. "It's okay Touya. I much prefer that you'll act normal in my presence," he told them.

Touya was a bit annoyed but hid it. He looked at Yukito, "What had Wei-san told you, Yuki?" he asked changing the subject.

"Well, he told me that the Prince of the Li Clan might still be alive."

"Nani?" everyone's eyes are now at Yukito's direction.

"Hai, he told me that when the attack occurred the Prince was in training," he continued.

'Training?' Sakura froze. She remembered her teacher, Takka, calling Li, Prince. 'The Prince of…?' "Hoe!" she gasped.

"Sakura-chan?" now everyone's eyes are on her. She blushed, "Go-gomen."

Touya watched her steadily, "Spit it."

Sakura looked up at her brother, "Onii-chan…."

"Onegai Sakura-chan," Tomoyo pleaded. Yukito also looked at her imploringly.

"Okay," she said. "The truth, I recall a person that was in training with me back at Takka-sensei's," she started. "Sensei always calls him 'Prince' but I…. I don't remember his full name just—."

"Li Xiao Lang." Yukito interrupted her. "Hoe?"

Tomoyo stared at Yukito too. She heard that name before from her mother.

"That is the Prince's name in Chinese. Xiao Lang meaning Little Wolf," Yukito said. "In Japanese they call him Syaoran."

"That's…." Sakura was lost in words. She remembers now, everything about him.

"Why didn't Wei told us about this earlier?" Touya asked Yukito.

"He said that he doesn't want to burden us all. The war was still going on back then and well, the Queen…." Yukito's voice trail off.

Sakura lowered her head. 'For several months I was with him. I didn't even realize that he is the Prince. And at the cliff side….'

She lifted her head and look at her brother, "I'll go look for him."

"What?" Touya looked at her surprised. Everyone is surprised too.

Iain looked at her, "Princess Sakura, we really don't have enough proof that he is still alive, or if he is, where he could be."

Sakura shook her head, "That may be true but you see…. We were together when the attack at the Li happened. We were being chased by Lottuse soldiers and well…. I believe they must have taken him captive."

Now Touya looked at her with interest, "The one you told me that was with you. Is he the one?" he asked remembering how Sakura had mistaken him for someone else.

Sakura nodded, "Hai."

'Li-kun…. So she's been thinking about the Prince!' Tomoyo thought finally understanding what had troubled her for the past few days.

"If your assumption is correct, then why didn't the Lottuse take you with them too? And why wouldn't the Lottuse use him as bait for us while we are still at war? There are many complicated unanswered questions here Princess." Iain pointed out at her.

Sakura stared at him don't know what to say. Tomoyo watched her concerned.

"I'm sorry for being rude or for disregarding your beliefs Princess but, I just couldn't see why they would let you escape. And about the Prince, if they didn't used him as a bait then all that's left is that they had killed him without knowing that he is the—."

"Please stop," Tomoyo interrupted him.

"Princess Tomoyo…." Iain looked at her.

Touya couldn't just sit there and watched them, "The 'Protection Seal' that was the reason why Sakura was saved. And about the Prince," he looked at Iain. "Just as you said, they might've killed him without knowing that he is the Prince but, they could also have imprison him because they didn't know who he was," Touya said. He feel pleased with him self seeing how upset Iain become for trying to outsmart him.

"I guess…. I guess you have a point there," Iain said with a defeated tone.

Sakura looked at her brother thankfully, "And we also know that the Lottuse always take little children and enslaved them to their fortresses! It could be possible."

"Still, why wouldn't the Prince show up? I mean, of course he wouldn't have the strength to out power the Lottuse soldiers but from what I've read about the Li Clan, they could control the Guardians of the Watch Towers. At least we could've heard about someone trying to escape from them," Iain yet again tried to reason.

"That my friend, is because the Li had some sort of amplifier to call upon the Guardians. I don't know what had happened when he and my sister got separated but he left that 'amplifier' behind." Touya told him.

'Amplifier?' Sakura thought. She looked at his brother with questioning eyes but he just stared back at her with a 'we'll talk later' look.

Silence fell upon them. Iain looked at Touya once again, "Then if we are to find the Prince. We have to prepare for it."

Touya smiled, "Now you're talking."

"Let me handle it." Sakura said. "I know I'm the only one who could find him," she added.

Tomoyo looked at her for a moment then smiled, "Then I shall accompany you, Sakura-chan. To travel alone is not good for you, you know."

(A/N where did you get that saying?)

"Tomoyo-chan…." Sakura smiled at her. "Arigato—."

"Hold it! I didn't approve of this yet," Touya cut in.

Sakura looked at her brother, "You don't have any choice. First of all, I'm the only one here who recalls the Prince's appearance. Secondly I can easily find him by tracking his aura because I have been with him before and I still remember how his aura felt like. And thirdly…."

Touya could see the determination in his sister's eyes.

"I am the Card Mistress," Sakura finished.

Yukito smiled at her, "I believe that you do, Sakura-chan."

Sakura blushed, "A-arigato."

Iain watched Sakura carefully, "I'm impressed at your determination Princess." He smiled at her.

Sakura smiled back at him.

"Fine. I'll assign two soldiers to help you two with—."

"Iie."

"One soldier."

"Dame!"

"Oh alright!" Touya surrendered. Sakura smiled up at her brother, "Don't worry onii-chan. Tomoyo-chan and I will be fine."

"Wait, I'll ask father if he—." Touya tried again but Sakura shook her head. "We can't worry him. You know he is busy with his studies," she pointed out at him.

Fujitaka and Takka had gone back at the Satellite to study more about Ancient Spells and Alchemy. They wanted to know how to treat Sonomi.

"Fine." Touya finally said with a defeated tone.

Sakura and Tomoyo exchanged glances and smiled at each other.

Later that night, Touya had called for Sakura in his room.

"Are you going to tell me what you meant about the 'amplifier' thing?" Sakura asked as soon as the servants had closed the door behind her.

Touya's facing his drawer, his back at Sakura. "Yes. And I'm going to give you something that you really should take care off," he answered. Sakura was surprised to hear her brother this serious.

Touya faced Sakura, he was holding two boxes. He approached her and gave the boxes.

"Hoe?"

"You're holding onto that when I found you at the cliff," he told her when Sakura sat at the foot of his bed and opened the first box. She was shocked to see the familiar orb with thread designed as ornament attached to it. "This is…."

"The sort of 'amplifier' I was talking about."

Sakura looked back at him, "And how about the other box?" she asked.

"That's the Li treasure. You're going to look for the Prince of the Li Clan right? It's better for you to give that to him."

She nodded, "I understand."

"Remember, you have to take care of that. No matter what happens don't open it."

She nodded again.

"That's all. Be careful…. Kaijuu"

Sakura flared up, "Sakura kaijuu janai!" she shouted and stomped at Touya's foot.

"ITTAI!" Touya shrieked in pain.

(A/N) there's the chap and as promise I'll upload two chaps today so…. Just wait for it (smiles) oh and sorry that Syaoran's missing here that's because we'll be focusing on him later on so there….

Translations:

Urusai – 'shut up'

Iie – 'no'

Dame – 'no' or 'enough'

Sakura kaijuu janai – 'I am not a monster' or 'Sakura's not a monster'

There (smiles) sorry I know you know the other translations already I just included them. Well I better start the next chap now.

RR pls! (smiles) thank you minna!