Disclaimer: I do not down CCS or any of its characters much to my dismay! They belong to CLAMP.

" Speech
* Thinking
~ Sound affects
() Translation

Unwinding Destiny
By ~Xiaoling~

Chapter 16:
I forgived

"Your majesty!!"

The three turned to look at a soldier that came limping into the room, and fell onto his knees. He had blood dripping everywhere off of him, and deep cuts.

"What happened?!" Syaoran asked immedietaly.

The soldier groaned in pain but talked. "The...~choke~ Daidouji...Kingdom...surprise...attack!!! ~choke~ They...troops!! Coming...near...~choke~...CASTLE!!" He took his last breath and fell onto the ground motionless.

Tomoyo covered her mouth in shock. "Mother?! She just ordered a surprise attack...Li-kun! You have to do something to stop my mother...without hurting anyone, onegai (please)?"

Syaoran stared at the dea body in front of them. "...Alright..." He said hestaintely. "But how will I stop your mother? It's your own mother Daidouji-chan.."

Eriol coughed to get their attention. "Tomoyo dear, he's quite right. But also, the surprise attack that your mother has lead, it includes me in it."

Tomoyo's eyes widened, "What do you mean?!"

Eriol turned his face to look at Syaoran in the eye. "We will have a match. One on one, you and me."

"...What?!" Syaoran exclaimed. "Why?!"

"Queen Sonomi ordered me to. If I win, then the war will be won for the Daidouji Kingdom. If you win, we will surrender," Eriol said calmly.

Syaoran eyed Eriol, he had an odd smirk on his face, and a odd spark in his eyes. "..Fine."

Eriol grinned, "Then let us go outside, my cute little descendant."

Sakura flew over the little market that she had went by before and where she had bumped into that mysterious old lady.

"Whoa! What happened here?!" Kero cried, pointing his little paws at the dead bodies sprawled alone the paths.

"Not good whatever it was..." Sakura answered softly as they were flying over the forest now. "How did the Daidouji Kingdom attack here all of a sudden?"

Kero shrugged in Sakura's pocket. "We don't have time to think about this right now. Right now, we have to that gaki and tell him to stop the war!"

"Right!" Sakura flew lower, brushing over the tree tops gently and soon the castle came into view. "We're almost there Kero!"

They were right in front of the castle when suddenly Sakura was thrown back. They landed in some bushes a few feet away from the front doors.

"What was that?!" Sakura cried out.

Kero crossed his arms, a stress mark on his little head. "Hmm...I sense powerful magic Sakura-chan. And there's a magical barrier surrounding the castle..."

"Did Syaoran put it up?" Sakura questioned.

"I don't think that gaki has that strong of a ability..." Kero's ears perked up, and his eyes widened. "Clow Reed..."

Sakura blinked at him. "What?"

"I sense him Sakura..."

"Isn't he dead though?!" Sakura exclaimed in shock.

Kero turned to look at Sakura with serious eyes. "Hmm..I do not know why he's here all of a sudden...it's kind of like you Sakura, you survived from dieing because you had the clow cards helping you to survive. Clow Reed doesn't...but I think he's back in a different kind of way.."

"I don't get what you mean.." Sakura said with a confused look.

"We just have to get into the castle! Or that gaki's in big trouble!" Kero pointed towards the front doors.

Sakura nodded, "Just one more question, why would Clow Reed put some barrier thing around the Li castle?"

"...Maybe he's doing something and doesn't want anyone to interfere..." Kero said in a ghostly tone.

Eriol held his dark staff tightly, Tomoyo's eyes were wide with fear and sadness at the other end of the garden. She wanted this all to stop, but they both wouldn't listen to her.

Syaoran had his sword drawn out, and he was in his green ceromonial robes. "Bring it on Clow Reed!"

"Half, of Clow Reed," Eriol corrected.

Tomoyo and Syaoran sweatdropped but they soon got serious again. "Element Fire!" Syaoran threw one of his yellow cards into the air and struck it with his sword.

A burst of flames was hurtling towards Eriol, who simple stood there and watched the fire coming. And when it did get to Eriol, Tomoyo screamed, but after the flames disappeared, Eriol was still standing there with a smile.

"Pretty good my cute little descendant, but not good enough," Eriol said matter of factly.

Syaoran grunted, "Well, aren't you going to do anything?!"

Eriol shrugged and stayed silent.

"Force know my plight, release the light! Thunder!" Syaoran cried out.

Eriol waved his dark staff into the air and the thunder disappeared. But then it appeared again, but it was heading towards Syaoran now.

Syaoran's eyes widened. "Release the light! Wind!" He was pushed out of the way by a big gust of wind.

He attacked Eriol again and again with thunder, but to no avail. Eriol simply stood there with that annoying smile, and soon Syaoran was tired from using all that magic.

"Give up my cute little descendant?" Eriol smirked.

"No!" Syaoran leaned on his sword for support but quickly stood up and raised his sword to charge at Eriol with a physical attack. To his surprise it actually hit Eriol in the arm.

Eriol flinched a bit, but stood back. "Nice shot descendant, yet once again, not good enough." Eriol sent a strong swirl of water at Syaoran.

Syaoran's eyes widened and waited for the impact.

Waited...

It never came...

"Shield! Release and dispel!" Came a familiar voice.

Syaoran slowly opened his eyes, and saw someone standing in front of him. She had long auburn hair, and she was dressed in a long pink sleeveless dress, and flying teddy bear was beside her.

"S..sakura!" He cried out.

Sakura turned around, and smiled at him. "Hey Shaoran." She winked at him, causing Syaoran to smile. Sakura turned to face Eriol. "What are you doing?! And aren't you...Hiiragizawa-kun?!" Sakura exclaimed.

Eriol simple nodded with a little bow. "Yes, your highness. I am Eriol Hiiragizawa, half of the reincarnation of Clow Reed."

"What?!" Kero's jaw dropped open. "So you're the one that put up the magical barrier!"

"Yes Keroberos, I am quite surprised that my cute little daughter broke it," Eriol said. "Actually, I am not surprised."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "Cute little daughter? Are you saying that to me?"

Eriol chuckled, "Yes Sakura Kinomoto. You are my cute little daughter."

"...Why are you doing this?"

Tomoyo was still shocked at seeing Sakura, but she had regained her compusure now. "Sakura-chan! He says that it's part of my mother's surprise attack on the Li Kingdom!"

Sakura glanced at Tomoyo and then back at Eriol. "Is that true?"

"...No..." Eriol said with a smile. "I just wanted to start a fight, so maybe you would appear."

"...But I didn't know...I just came to stop the war, and to come back to you Shaoran!" Sakura smiled at him.

Eriol smiled, "Good, then my job is done."

"What do you mean?"

"King Syaoran Li, I just wanted to test you to see if you were worthy to be with my cute little daughter. I see that you are, but if you harm my cute little daughter, then you won't be so lucky next time," Eriol said with a grin.

Syaoran felt that he was a complete idiot falling for Eriol's trick. "I would never harm Sakura again."

"That's good to hear..." Eriol turned to the shocked Tomoyo. "My dear Tomoyo, we should head back to your home."

"But..but the war is still going on!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

"Oh...we can go back and put a spell on your mother to make her forget about the war. And we'll do that to everyone else to," Eriol chuckled and took Tomoyo's hand.

Tomoyo glanced over to Sakura, and quickly ran over to her and hugged her. "Oh Sakura-chan!!!! I've missed you so much!!! Promise to visit me soon!!??"

"Hai Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura smiled.

Soon, Tomoyo and Eriol had walked away and out of the castle, leaving Sakura and Syaoran alone in the garden.

"Sakura...aren't you...mad at me still?" Syaoran asked weakly.

Sakura ran into his arms, and started weeping lightly. "How could I ever stay mad at you forever Shaoran? That would be impossible." She said sweetly.

Syaoran hugged her tighter. He missed her in his arms, and he closed his eyes in content. He could once again smell the honey suckle and cherry blossoms in Sakura's hair.

"Break it up you two!" Kero groaned his arms waving in the air.

Sakura and Syaoran sweatdropped. "Oh be quiet Kero!" They both said and giggled.

*I'm happy for you Xiaolang...you've found your love...your new queen. May god bless you two...* A whisp of black hair disappeared around the corner, but the jingling of bells could be heard lightly as footsteps moved down the hallway.

Syaoran's ears perked up at the jingling, and he looked up to see the shadow of a familiar person disappear down the hall. He smiled inwardly.

"Thank you Meiling..."

"Hoe?" Sakura said, lifting her head from his chest.

Syaoran looked down at her and stroked her hair. "Nothing Sakura...nothing..."

"Syaoran, I had a dream yesterday, and it made me forgive you.." Sakura whispered gently. "It was my family, they told me to forgive and forget, and have hope."

"..."

Sakura looked into Syaoran's deep amber eyes. "And that's what I did."





AN: Aww! Yay, S+S foreva~~! Ok, I am actually going to have one last chapter, and it's going to be short I think. Thanks for everyone for reading my third CCS fic! And please review, and thanks again for the support!

~Xiaoling~ xox