AN: I am back! Now before I get any comments or complaints about my lateness/absence, I'd like to thank those of you who still have interest in this story. Unfortunately, I fell out of love with anime a few years ago and now I am slowly finding my way back. And, if anyone wanted to ask, I will finish this story. This is the second-to-last chapter, but my ending isn't quite formed yet. But, even if this does not live up to everyone's expectations, I think this story deserves an ending, despite the fact that I still can't quite write it as I intended for it to be. I just hope you all can find something good about it when it's finished. So, without further ado, please enjoy the story. :)

Sakura's POV

What exactly have you gotten yourself into, Kinomouto? I thought nervously, inwardly bashing myself in the head. This was a private conversation, something I knew never to interrupt or eavesdrop on. But my only escape route was to run to the side entrance, which sadly enough wasn't covered by any foliage and left me too easily to be caught by someone, specifically a certain golden-eyed prince.

I've suffered enough humiliation for one lifetime. Couldn't he have spared me the rest of my pride and chosen to have this little conversation elsewhere? It comes off sounding bitter and selfish in my ears, but I was tired of being the saint. No one tiptoed around the prince in fear of embarrassing him, and no one felt the need to bite their tongues whenever he entered a room because they were gossiping about him being dumped. No, that honor belonged to me and me only, and it seemed that I was the only one who would bear the brunt of this… affair? No, that wasn't it. That would mean that it was a mutual relationship, as forbidden as it was, and it definitely most definitely wasn't.

Settling my skirts, I made myself comfortable on the ground, trying my best not to make noise in their silence. Drawing any kind of attention now would practically be suicide, and as I tried my best to be considerate (more for his guest than His Highness), I found myself wondering just who this woman was. And, as I felt the deep thundering of my heart, I had a distinct sentiment that I knew deep down exactly who she was.

"You look well," the distinct voice of the woman spoke, soft in her nobility and grace. I flinched a little at it, hearing the light tone of affection rather than the unadulterated respect that was the usual tenor used to address Prince Syaoran. That was the sound of a woman who was familiar with this man, someone who knew his mood swings and tempers and handled them with ease. If I hadn't been holding up this façade for so long, I had a feeling I'd be breaking down little by little because of it. Perhaps Syaoran's callousness wasn't as unwarranted as I thought.

"Thank you. You as well," the dark-haired prince replied, looking up at her with distinctly wide eyes and offering the other seat next to him. For some reason, the bottom of my stomach seemed to fall out when she took it, and I could feel myself curl into a ball. It was something of a defense mechanism, a habit I couldn't help but do when faced with an inner battle. Sometimes I hoped that if I made myself small enough, I'd disappear and no one would find me. It was only a wish however, as they started talking in that all too familiar, almost secretive way.

"I've been very well. Tell me, how have you been?"

"Fine." Liar, I can't help but think. Luckily the word doesn't pass my lips or I'd draw unwanted notice my way. "I've been looking into a few new legislations that I want to implement before the year is over."

"While that's all well and good," the woman name Minami began, her voice having endless patience but her eyes tell him something else entirely, "I wasn't asking about work. I wanted to know how you were doing, Syaoran."

A breath catches in my throat, and it only solidifies what I already assumed. Few people outside of his family were allowed to address him so informally, and she did it as if it was as natural as breathing, blinking, living. So this was the girl who had captured Prince Syaoran's heart and left it on the wayside soon after. Something likened to jealousy sits heavy where my stomach used to be, as well as a feeling of resigned resentment. This girl was the cause of all his anger and heartache, and indirectly the cause of mine as well. It makes bitter tears well in my eyes. It was so much easier to hate a shapeless figure, a person with no face or name. Now, the fury was tangible in my veins, and I couldn't help but wonder how Syaoran stayed so calm.

But, then again, he was in love with her so perhaps it wasn't such a mystery.

"I don't know what you mean," he answered after a brief silence. I didn't intend to watch, let alone listen, to their conversation, but I noticed that there was a small hole in the hedge that allowed me to peak in on them. It felt awfully similar to voyeurism, but I couldn't hold back that inkling of curiosity I had. If I was going to break one rule of etiquette, I might as well break them all while I was at it.

"Yes, do you. You just like to pretend you don't because the answers always make you uncomfortable."

And uncomfortable he seemed because he turned his head away, his features twisting into a mask of displeasure. It was startlingly easy for her to get a reaction out of him, and I can feel that inferiority complex rear its ugly head. She knew him, really understood his character, and the only way that was possible was because he had shown himself to her once. At most, I had seen glimpses of his discomfort, flashes of his softness, but nothing like this raw demonstration of emotion. And it hurt to admit that I was truly second to someone this remarkable.

"They say it's rude to argue with royalty," he grumbled, making eye contact with that air of authority he enjoyed using.

"Then it's good that I don't follow rules quite as strictly as you do, or I would be terribly embarrassed right now." Her answer was as easygoing as her serene face, not looking the least put out by his words. But her joking was placed aside as she adopted a harder gaze. "I mean it, Syaoran. How are you? Are you well?"

"As well as one can be," he replied with a shrug, that shield of ice coming up to protect him, as if sensing her as a threat. I could see her sigh, as she seemed to realize exactly what he was doing as well and it was only a little more heartbreaking to see her read him so easily.

"Then there's nothing going on? Nothing with your family? No problems with your friends?" She paused thoughtfully, adding a bit of drama before her next question.

"What about a girl in your life?"

I stiffened, trying my best to steel myself for his answer. It wasn't fair how I never could seem to catch a break. Not only was I reeling from his rejection from the last few days, now I had to hear him say it again and to the girl of his dream too. There's no justice in the world, I wordlessly glowered, watching as his face hardened.

"There's nothing and no one." It certainly hadn't hurt as much as I thought it would, probably because he had said it enough times that it stopped being a sharp stab and was now closer to a dull ache. I could feel the smile make its way on my face; strangely enough, it was the normal reaction I had to anything that came my way. If I was happy, I smiled. If I was sad, I smiled. If I was frustrated, I smiled. No matter the feeling, it would always be my go-to expression. There was some comfort in it, knowing that even though everything around me could change in a heartbeat I wouldn't change so easily.

"Is that so?" Minami hadn't sounded so convinced, but she let it slide for the time being.

"What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be with your husband?" His tone was even, masking away any distaste he might have for the spouse or even her marriage in general. I watched as she seemed to brighten at the mention of her significant other, and how his fell just the slightest bit. Unbidden my heart hurt for a completely different reason.

"He's out on an expedition," she explained, as she leaned over to dip her fingers into the clear water of the fountain. "He has some trading to be done up north and left a few days ago. He should be back next week, but I decided to get into some mischief while he was gone."

"Am I an excuse for you to make mischief?" he asked, but there was no heat, only the sound of resignation and maybe just a hint of mild playfulness. It was strange how easily his emotions came out when she was near, how unbelievably easy it was to get him to follow her like a child does his mother.

Her eyes glittered. "Only a small one."

From here they lapsed into an easy silence, the kind that only those of close companions could share. If anyone else had seen them, it would probably look like a moment between lovers. Instead, I felt even more obtrusive and I do my best to find some way to get out from behind this damned bush. A heart is a fickle thing, I surmised, as I realized that my heart went out to these two once-lovers. Spotting a large enough tree in the distance, I notice that I could get down to the open air hallways without them seeing if I was careful enough. Rustling up my courage, I squatted down and took the baby steps as I hunched, hoping that my feet didn't make nearly as much noise as I thought. But one little sentence stopped me before I could get away.

"Please tell me you're happy, Minami." And there it was again, the blatant display of emotion that Prince Xiao Lang had never shown anyone, not even me. It was a desperate plea, as if her answer would justify all his reasons for letting her go. "Tell me… Did I do the right thing?"

"I am happy, Syaoran, very much so." It was no practiced line, no hint of acting, just the honest admission of a woman and wife. Despite my better judgment, I looked back over the hedge, managing a decent shot at Syaoran's face. My heart fluttered at the mix of relief and self-directed anger battling there, a myriad of things he could not say. And then the feeling in my chest started to clench, the burden of unrequited love feeling much heavier all of a sudden.

Without another thought, I ran my course without looking back.

Third Person's POV

A knock on the door sounded.

"Come in," he replied in a rather gruff voice. He didn't even look up at whoever entered the study, as the door shut and the sound of footsteps approached the desk.

"Excuse me, Your Highness." He stopped for a second, placing his pen down and taking a deep breath before lifting his gaze to hers. Those hauntingly memorable eyes looked down at him, devoid of that trademark glassiness she always seemed to sport. Instead they were closer to a dull jade than the lively emerald, but there was no wonder as to why. He was, after all, the one who made them that way.

It had been nearly two weeks since they'd spoken. Other than an order or a passing of a message, they rarely came in contact. He supposed it had to do with Minami's visit, since the entire castle had been regaling the tale to one another as soon as she entered the building. No doubt Sakura would have come across the gossip mongers, waiting to tell her with both interest and the vaguest sense of pity. And while he hadn't liked the idea of Sakura finding out that way, he also knew it was not his job to protect her. Going out of his way to do so would do more harm than good, he told himself, as he consciously let the distance gather between them.

He didn't want to admit it, but seeing Minami again had raised some questions in his mind, forbidden things that he had thought he'd locked away long ago. While his feelings for her had been the same, still strong and merciless in their onslaught against him, they were decidedly less pronounced, as if tamed by time and temperament. A year ago, he was sure he would have never been able to hold that same conversation without feelings of disgust and shame, his pride in the way where his heart should have been forgiving for the circumstances. Now, there was only a faint pain, much less of lost love and closer to the missing of a friend and confidant.

"What is it, Sakura?" he inquired, his attention completely on the young noble turned servant. His gaze fell to her hands that rested at the front of her dress, a letter in between her fingers. His eyes trailed back up to hers, having a feeling that he already knew what she was asking for.

"I've received word from my family, and they're asking for permission to have me sent home." Toying with the corners of the paper, she was overtly nervous, as if expecting him to say no without hesitation.

"Oh really?" He raised a brow, interest piqued at their boldness. "For what reason do they have to call you back from your duty?"

"Lady Tomoyo, my friend and wife of Sir Eriol, is due soon and would like me to be there for the child's birth," she said softly, watching him with nothing but a small bit of defiance. It was his royal whim that she obeyed, but her heart knew no master. She would soon untangle herself from the spell he had cast over it, and eventually he would be nothing to her, just as she already was to him. This could be the start of that, the start of their end. And she so desperately wanted an end to this, if not for her own sake than for some much-needed peace of mind.

He examined her, and she turned her head away, refusing to meet his eyes. For some reason, he had a feeling there was more in that letter than this simple account, something she didn't want to tell him. And just that thought was enough to put some fire behind him, as he frowned in contemplation.

"What is it that you're not telling me?"

"I don't know what you mean, Master," she answered, trying to force some cheer behind her words. But her face looked awfully tired, almost gaunt despite the fact that she was eating regularly. No, it was more of an emotional starvation she was going through, and her feelings were tumbling through her. The slight guilt he had set aside was starting to swell, as he grasped the extent of her pain. Sakura was never one to shy away from her passions, wearing them heartily on her sleeve with nothing to protect them. But it seemed that her turmoil was manifesting its way physically onto her face and body, leaving a silhouette of what he remembered her to be, of what he knew she truly was.

"I know you're hiding something," he pursued, the anger in his voice misdirected but was only met with silence on her part. Truthfully, it was himself that he was angry at for allowing her to suffer so long and so far all by herself. For him, it was a perfectly normal thing to deal with pressures alone; his pride was a well-developed shelter for his pains. Sakura had none of that strength, and instead she depended on the will of others to push through her own hardships. He wondered why he had never considered it before.

It's because you never wanted to think about it, his brazen conscience accused, and he almost flushed at the admittance. He had blocked Sakura out so long that he had forcefully forgotten about her, hoping he wouldn't have to see those eyes stare after him listlessly. But, it seemed that fate hadn't been so willing to let her forget.

"If you don't tell me what you're hiding, then I can't let you see them." No one ever gave him much credit for his tact, but it seemed to wake her up, as her eyes met his in a dark frown. She hated when he did that, absolutely loathed his ability to manhandle his way to get her to do his every bidding.

"It's nothing of your concern." It was a dismissal, the first she had ever given him, and it caused a bolt of fury to course down his spine.

"I think I'll be the judge of that."

"I assure you, Your Highness, there is nothing wrong."

"Your impertinence is testing what little patience I have for you, Sakura. I may respect you, but only that can last for so long."

"Then perhaps it is time you be rid of me."

The sheer audacity left him stunned, dark eyes widening largely as hers seemed to become a spark of life in comparison. She was closing herself off, pushing all the right buttons so he'd find her unnecessary to him. He wasn't sure if she planned to say it, or it was merely a spur-of-the-moment sort of answer, but it wasn't a flippant one. This was her wish, to wash her hands of him and start anew. For some reason, the thought made his stomach turn.

"If you don't remember, Sakura, you are here to protect your family." His eyes narrowed dangerously, challenging her newfound courage with his own tried determination. "If I let you go, then I take everything from your family, every one of your belongings would become mine. Is that what you want?"

"I never said a thing about leaving," she sniffed, her nerve growing while his irritation rose with it. "I'm saying that perhaps it's time to assign me elsewhere or to someone else. You have female relatives, no? Maybe one of them needs a lady to care for the home, or a tutor for their children. Despite what I've learned here, I am not nearly as competent as a maid as I am as a home manager or teacher. You truly have no need for me in a place as large and well-run as the palace."

"So you want to leave using the excuse that you're unfit to serve here?" He scoffed noticeably at the end, but she ignored it. Her nod was agreeing, slow but sure of the action. It only made him tighten his hands into fists, something akin to indignation lighting in his belly. "I believe I am the one who decides something like that, not you."

"You decide everything, Your Highness. I am only trying to give you options." Green eyes narrowed in response, her face twisting to reveal that hatred that was brewing deep inside her. While she would never say it aloud, Sakura wanted out of this manmade prison, out of this pathetic excuse of a master-servant relationship. She wanted a life of friends, family and perhaps a bit of love, something she had yet to feel but she felt was well deserved. He didn't want her but kept her to keep up appearances; she didn't want to need him so she did her best to cut him off, as fruitless as it was to try.

"You're only doing this to protect yourself."

"Yes." Sakura hesitated for a second, but it was only because she wasn't sure if she was ready to re-open this discussion. To be honest, she would probably never be ready to have this conversation with him again, but it was a necessary evil. If she wanted her freedom, it wouldn't be handed to her; she'd just have to take it.

"Do you think running away will protect you?" he challenged, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles began to bleach. For a moment, she was scared he'd turn uncharacteristically violent but knew better instantly, chastising herself for even thinking it. Syaoran had always been passionate, but it was always inwardly directed, a testament to his iron-clad control.

"There is little else I can do…" Sakura trailed off, feeling decidedly helpless before him. It hurt to confront him like this, especially without a decent plan to cushion her words, but she spoke from the heart that held all her pent-up rage and sorrow. It was only right that he be the one hear her frustrations thoroughly. The last bit of the letter began to appear in her mind, where Tomoyo had suggested something so outrageously unlike her that Sakura had to do a re-take just to make sure she read it right. But, it wasn't some mindless decision, nor was it an escape that just so happened to miraculously appear before her eyes. It had been a viable option before she was forced to come to the palace; she had merely been too prideful, too invested in her own ideals to even consider it. Now though, she wasn't sure she had the luxury of putting it off anymore.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura murmured in a quiet, reserved voice. "The only other option besides removing me is for me to marry a nobleman and have him pay the debt."

It was the oddest thing, saying that sentence to him. She was a staunch believer in true love, so dedicated to seeing herself find it, much like her family and friends already had. And it was even stranger that it was to him, the man she had fallen to helplessly for and to who she had lectured one-upon-a-time that she would most certainly fall in love before she married, that she was trying to break away from. Irony had never tasted so bittersweet.

"You would go so far just to forget me?" It had been a long pause between them, the tension and anxiety heavy in the air. But his voice was decidedly void of emotion, giving away nothing.

"I want freedom, and it's not something you're going to hand to me so easily." Between her debt and her chained heart, it was a wonder that her spirit hadn't already broken. They say experience and adversity are the greatest of teachers, but she begged to differ. Heartbreak was certainly a contender for the top spot.

"You think with a husband you'll gain your so-called freedom?" He laughed then, harsh and in a tone unsuited for his standing. "Not every man will be good to you, nor is there any sort of guarantee that he'll hold any sort of affection in his heart once you marry. Don't be so naïve to assume so."

"You're the one being naïve if you think I'm doing this just to get away from you," she snapped, head held high and eyes glaring darkly at him. The curious lift of his brow was the only response she was given. "I have my family to think of, my friends who love me. They wonder every day about my well-being, if I'm happy, if I'm lonely, if I'll ever come home. With a husband, I may never truly be happy but I can at least find some companionship outside of these walls. And who knows? Perhaps the man I marry will fall in love with me, and I with him. It's not the unlikeliest thing to happen."

"Nor is it very probable to occur either," he bit out, feeling a deep sense of apprehension. This conversation was beginning to feel too familiar, encroaching on territory that he thought he'd protected long ago. Many years ago, Minami had come to him with the same exact words, same actions and all, willing to sacrifice herself to help her family and free him from a relationship that would never reach marriage. At the time, it had been devastating. Now, it was just as overwhelming, but for whatever reason he wasn't sure. All he knew was that there was emotion deeply fighting inside of him, stealing away his common sense.

"You have nothing to lose from me getting married. If anything, you gain quite a bit. The money will be paid, I will no longer have to stay here and you will get that much-revered privacy you love so much. There really is no loss."

"And you? Besides your 'freedom,' what could you possibly earn that you're willing to sacrifice so much?"

Her silence was deafening, her eyes meeting his with a sorrowful gleam to them. She had hoped that she'd never have to say those words again, prayed that she would never have to throw her heart at his feet and have it crushed before it was even close to healing. It seemed that her wishes were never going to be answered.

"Being beside the one you love and never being loved back is a punishment I would never wish on even my worst enemies." Her fingers crinkled the hand-written parchment, her sadness dulling the quality of her voice. But she doesn't falter under the weight of her emotions, nor did she attempt to hide them either. They are strong and honest, things she should not be ashamed of.

"I don't want to live my life here, wondering if your feelings would ever turn my way. And I don't want to be the one waiting on your wife when you finally decide to marry. There are certain sentences that debtors deserve, but one such as that is even worse than death."

When she turns to leave, he does nothing to stop her.

AN: Nothing much to say... I hope to end this fic before the end of the year, so please look forward to that. Also, any flames towards me for not writing, please keep to a minimum. I am not a CCS fan anymore (I adore it, but my interest has waned as it does with many people who fall in and out of fandoms), but I do like this story. I don't think I'll be editing to the previous chapters, despite my need to. My writing has evolved a lot since 2007 and I think it shows. I hope that this will satisfy you until I can write an ending that'll satisfy everyone.

Please review, alert and favorite, but of course reviews are my favorite. It's only because of you guys letting me know you rthoughts that I can properly finish this story. Thank you so much and see you soon. =)