~*Destiny*~
Chapter 1: The Well and the Willow Tree
By: Sakura Sparkles
***Sakura Sparkles***: This story is pretty much based on ma imaginations and all, A/U. Many stories have S&S as prince and princesses. So I thought, what if Syaoran was the prince and Sakura's just a lowly maid? A very interesting situation, so let's see if they can fall in love, shall we? Let's hope Sakura's attractive enough...(jk). This scene begins as Sakura and Tomoyo as farm girls/servants for a rich and well-respected farmer in ancient Japan. ^^;; And yeah, I don't own CCS and stuff…*yawns*...blah blah blah... (By the way this story is not supposed to mean any offences!)
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"Hurry up, Tomoyo-chan!" a girl with emerald-green eyes and smooth but short auburn hair said as she skipped happily in a light pink and white farm-dress and apron as she held a basket half-full of apples.
The other girl who was wearing a light purple dress smiled softly as she followed her along.
Sakura danced softly as the wind blew her dress. She gently swung the basket around as she danced, yet not a single apple dropped.
"How long till we get there?" Tomoyo asked Sakura curiously as she looked around her surroundings, "We seemed to have went very far from home, perhaps we should turn back?"
"Nonsense!" Sakura said in a very confident tone, "We're *almost* there, I'm sure of it. We go a little bit more east, and you will see this magnificent Willow Tree beside a Well, and that's where it is!"
"All right, Sakura," Tomoyo nodded and continued on, "But the sun is almost setting, let's hurry up and get there faster so we can arrive home before dark. Remember, this is very close to the Li Clan territory, you *know* we're on war with them and they usually capture Japanese as prisoners and slaves here!"
Sakura skipped on without much concern, singing a song she knew very well.
"The sky is misty and night is close…
Oh Winter's near and the lakes-a-froze…
Birds fly home and the cattle sleeps…
Night's upon us as the children's dreams deep…
As the Sun slowly falls, the Moon arise…
Shepherds yawn as their herds a-cries…
It's getting late…late…
But, Love don't you wait…
Don't wait, don't wait…"
Sakura finished the song with a smooth and soft ending.
Tomoyo wiped tears from her eyes, "Oh, Sakura-chan you sing so good!"
Sakura blushed.
"You know you sing way better than me, so don't tease..."
Tomoyo shook her head seriously, "Oh-no! Your voice is really good..."
Sakura just laughed.
As the two young girls walked into the Night, they started to become worried.
"Sakura-chan, are we there yet?" Tomoyo asked nervously, "Night is half upon us, we would not be able to get back in time! What shall we do?"
Sakura seemed a little worried now too, "After we find the Well and the Willow Tree there is a small village beside it. I'm sure we could find shelter for the Night. We shall just return tomorrow."
Tomoyo listened uncertainly, "How far *is* 'the Well and the Willow Tree'? It seems like ages since we have started walking!"
Soon Night *was* upon them, shepherds *did* went home and birds *did* fly back to their nests. But they *didn't* know where they were, and Sakura was getting more unsure by the moment.
"Just around the Well and the Willow Tree." She keeps saying, but inside she barely knew where the Well and the Willow Tree was.
The Sky was dark, the Stars shine bright. Far away you can still hear few birds that were returning late to their safe, warm nests.
Sakura started walking slower and slower, she didn't really liked the Dark, she was terrified of ghosts and spirits. Tomoyo sneaked a smile when Sakura grasped her hand tightly and let out a scream when they heard the Wind's soft howl.
But Tomoyo knew it was no time to laugh, for it was Late and getting cold. And they do not seem to have the slightest sign of being close to "The Well and the Willow Tree".
"I'm hungry, Tomoyo-chan."
Sakura whimpered as she clutched Tomoyo's arm tightly.
Tomoyo can't help but let out a soft laugh.
"Dear Sakura, you have a half-basket of apples in your other hand!"
Sakura stopped and laughed too as she took out a beautiful sun-red apple in her hand. And without thinking she quickly took a bite as if it might disappear if she doesn't. Tomoyo smiled as she watched out gulped down the apple in such unique way.
But after that they quickly returned to the cold, dark, empty field.
"A bowl of hot chicken soup would do very well right now," Sakura remarked. Tomoyo tried to ignore her words.
"What will Master Tonoyet say?" Sakura suddenly thought, "What will we tell him? What if he gets mad? What if doesn't understand? What if he-"
Sakura suddenly stopped, her eyes grew wide.
Tomoyo looked at her, then immediately, "He *wouldn't* put us out! Don't think that, Sakura! We're his favourite, most trustworthy, reliable, understanding servants!We're almost like his own daughters!"
Sakura forcibly nodded. Yes, they were obedient, they understand his feelings, they made him happy when he was sad, they entertained him when he was bored, they took care of his family well, they were better than the rest of the dozen dozen servants. He treats them like his own daughters...he had servants that served them! They've been following him for so long, he *wouldn't*, *wouldn't* ever put them out…
Sakura finally convinced herself to keep walking. The cold wind was blowing on her light farm-dress. She shivered, apples don't really fulfill her hunger, and she was tired and she wants to go home.
Tomoyo tried to act brave, "Let's hurry our footsteps so we can arrive at the Village faster, and we can at least get Shelter."
Sakura nodded.
But the Wind continued its soft howl, the Moon shone yet bright, and the Stars were still sparkling, Darkness was still there, the Time was still moving.
She wished to be in her soft bed, although not exactly fancy, but at least it provides warmth and comfortness. Her eyelids dropped lower and lower. She shook her head and turned to Tomoyo, who was also struggling to keep walking.
Suddenly…SNAP!
"OW-!!!"
A painful cry filled the air.
Sakura quickly turned, to find Tomoyo lying on the dry grass holding her ankle with her right hand tightly.
Her basket of apples all rolled out into nowhere, spilled among the huge field.
"Tomoyo-chan!!" Sakura cried as she ran over and pulled her best friend up.
They were almost like sisters: both of their parents were too poor to keep them so they sold them to Tonoyet the Farmer. Although he doesn't exactly farm anymore and has many servants, everyone still calls him Farmer Tonoyet, and he doesn't care at all.
"Are you okay, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked quickly as she carefully pulled her up. Tomoyo grasped her right foot by the ankle tightly, "Ow...I think...I think..."
Sakura looked around and quickly spotted a giant Oak Tree with a deep wide hole on one side, narrowing down to the bottom like a shallow cave. She helped Tomoyo up and gently walked her to the tree, "Let's rest here first."
Tomoyo nodded painfully as they rested by the cover of the great Oak. The wind couldn't get to them anymore. Sakura turned her attention back to Tomoyo, "Are you still okay?" Tomoyo's expression was painful.
"I think...I think I might have broke my leg...it...it hurts badly..." Tomoyo managed to say before going back into another moan.
Sakura looked at her worriedly, "Will you be able to walk?"
Tomoyo shook her head in pain, "Impossible."
Sakura anxiously said , "Well, we would have to stay here for the Night...tomorrow I'll run straight west for home and find help from the Farm."
Tomoyo nodded to show that she was listening.
"Can you manage right now?" Sakura asked softly. Tomoyo nodded again, and managed to smile a weak smile, "Maybe I'm just exaggerating...I probably just sprained my ankle or something...ow!..."
Sakura didn't believe her, they both grew up on the Farm, they didn't get hurt that easily. They rarely a catch a cold or get trip. They're used to work and they kept their bodies in good shape, they rise early and they eat nutritious farm food, so they were always very healthy.
Soon they rested themselves into comfortable positions and tries to sleep
Sakura stared at the Stars, what beautiful little creatures! Sparkling and shining, just like little fireflies. The Moon was in a crescent shape, it hang lightly in the Sky, glowing as bright as ever.
Slowly, she drifted off to sleep...
* * *
"Where is the next closest village?" A harsh voice echoed in the night.
"The next village is three hours away, Sir!" a voice replied from a distance.
"Very well then, we will return for the day.
"Yes, Sir!"
Noises of horseshoes stepping over the lush grass can be heard in the dark night.
Sakura shoved her head lightly as her eyes remained close, "Mmmm...Tomoyo-chan?"
No response came, and she didn't expect any. For she went back to sleep almost immediately.
"What is this?!" the harsh voice suddenly came again, much closer this time. Sakura was too tired and in too deep of a sleep to wake up.
"Two girls...!!"
"Asleep too..."
"What are they doing here? It's so late!"
"They look like Japanese..."
"This *is* the boundary..."
"Seize them!" the harsh voice commanded without much concern.
"YES SIR!" A few voices replied quickly.
Sakura felt ropes going around her hands, her waist...and quickly tightening them around her body.
"Tomoyo-chan..." she murmured as she became half-asleep, half-awake.
"She's awake!" one cried in surprise.
"What's the big deal? It's just a little girl..." the harsh voice answered coldly.
"Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir!" the man said as quickly as he could.
"Mmm..." Sakura was beginning to wake up.
Something firm and solid hit Sakura on the head hard, and she went back into a coma.
* * *
A young man with a slight frown on his face stood alone on a balcony of a beauty Palace. He was looking out at the dawn sky, almost as if he was feeling what the wind was saying.
A buff man slowly walked out onto the balcony and stood behind him.
The young man closed his eyes. "What is it?" he said coldly.
The buff man answered respectfully and almost with fear, but unable to get the harsh-tone out of his voice.
"Your Majesty, Prince Syaoran, I have humbly returned with more prisoners from the Japanese boundary. Would you like to view them?"
The young man was Syaoran.
He drew a slow breath of cold air from the morning, "No. Not right now. Maybe in the evening..."
The buff man bowed low and retreated back into the room.
"More prisoners, huh, Syaoran?" a soft, feminine voice came from the dark.
Syaoran closed his eyes once again, "What do you want this time, Meilling?"
A girl in a ruby-red Chinese dress came from the room and skipped beside Syaoran. She smiled blissfully, "How about provide me with half of what you get this time?"
Syaoran didn't reply. "If you want."
Meilling smiled and clung her arms around Syaoran. "Okay, tell me when you have them ready and picked~!"
Then she did a little turn and walked happily back into the Palace, leaving Syaoran with a cheery laugh.
Syaoran's eyes suddenly opened.
"Someone...with very strong powers has entered this Palace."
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"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"
Sakura slowly opened her eyes.
Tomoyo was above her, her hands were around her shoulders, repeatedly shaking her, but gently.
"Tomoyo-chan...?"
Tomoyo quickly sighed with relieve and looked at Sakura.
"You got me so worried! Luckily you're all right...are you thirsty?" Tomoyo asked in concern.
"Yeah! We were so worried about you, it took you long enough to wake up!!!" a squeaky sort of voice said from the side.
Sakura looked around and saw a teddy-bear like orange thing with wings looking straight at her.
"AHHHHHH!"
"Shhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Kero quickly covered her mouth, "We're in the Li Clan palace!"
Sakura took a few breaths, "What are you doing here, KERO?"
Kero smiled mischievously, "Didn't you notice a little extra weight in your basket of apples?"
"Kero!!!" Sakura looked at him in complaint. Then she looked around. They were in a damp dungeon full of Japanese, all either tied up or sitting on the floor. "We're in the Li Clan palace???"
"Yes, we've been captured when you two were snoring your heads off under the tree," Kero said, "You should've been more careful! You *know* we were on war with them..."
Sakura rolled her eyes, "Eeesh...you sound like Tomoyo!"
Tomoyo smiled, then frowned again, "So what do we do?"
Kero looked around worriedly, "The Li Clan pocesses very strong magic powers...they would surely find us soon enough!"
"I have an idea," Sakura stated quickly, "I use Firey, burn down the walls, and Fly out of here and back to Japan as soon as possible."
Kero shook his head, "I don't think you have enough time...and besides they would surely capture you. This is their place, they have more people."
Sakura looked down.
She was out of ideas.
"What do you think they would do to us?" Tomoyo asked.
Sakura looked at her, "Master Tonoyet said they pick young people for servants/slaves, strong men for army, old men for butchers, old women for maids. And the useless......."
No one continued her sentence.
"War really isn't a good thing," Tomoyo sighed.
"The only thing we can do right now is wait," Kero said, "Hopefully Yue senses trouble, come, and among the three of us we could probably bust us out of here..."
Sakura looked at him without confidence.
"So right now all you guys have to do is start no commotion and cause no attention," Kero said warningly, "Or else if they find out we'd be in BIG trouble."
Sakura and Tomoyo nodded solemnly.
Had they no idea that no many rooms away a prince had already felt their presence.
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***Sakura Sparkles***: Hi! It's me again, hope you liked my fic. I made up the war thing since it's A/U, please don't take any offence. Please REVIEW!!! I really want to read your comments! I hope you won't flame :( Am I that bad??? Oh well, this is my first fic so please go easy on me. Thx~