Story Key:

" " = Speech
' ' = Thought
* * = Noises/Sound
A/N = Author's Note
A King and a Card mistress >> What about Meiling?

*bang! bang!* The slaves Head rung a large bell. Tomi yawned. "Get up slaves! It's time for work!" The head walked over to Tomi and a couple others's cells. "I gave you your list of tasks yesterday. You will do the same today." Tomi sighed. She had been working at the Li palace for a week and a half. She was miserable and every night, she stayed up late thinking of a plan that would enable her to free herself and as many other prisoners possible. The work was not fair at all. She had seen that some of the younger children were forced to carry buckets of water, weighing them down to their feet.

"Sir Li, I have made some new arrangements, you are free for the day now." Said a woman in a suit, rushing up to him. "Thank-you, Miss. Cheung." Syaoran found his way to a nearby room, one of his favourites. It was rather large, containing four long, velvet green couches (A/N: or however you spell couch pluralized @.@;;), black Ming vases, a lovely Kun Yam Posat plant (um, it's in chinese, I spelled it in english the best I can... It's a really nice plant^^ So is the person it's named after *bows respectfully*), jungle green carpeted floors, a fine sea green table, and baby green walls, finished off with a dark green/near black grand piano, keys of ivy, side engraved with emeralds. Syaoran sat at the closest couch and relaxed.

'A day of... How kind of Miss. Cheung to clear the day for me... Hmm, what should I do after this? Table tennis? Cycling? Maybe a nice swim? Yes, a swim should do to trick.' He got up and went looking for his swimsuit.

Syaoran, currently at the pool, slowly dipped his toes in the water. When he was sure it was safe, he climbed in. About halfway in, he realized that there was no one there with him. He felt a tinge of loneliness. He saw Meiling walking inside, through the halls. "Meiling-chan! Stop, Meiling!" climbing out, he grabbed a towel to dry himself up. He opened the door and called. "Meiling!" Meiling turned around. "Syaoran? What are you wearing?" Syaoran caught up to Meiling, panting. "Ah! Meiling! Do you want to come have a swim with me?" Meiling smiled. "Syaoran! Sure! Of course! I'm so happy to see you smiling for once. Why don't you smile more often?" Syaoran closed his eyes. "Let's just go, okay?"

Suddenly, Miss Cheung ran up to Syaoran and Meiling in the pool. She blushed from panting so hard. "I'm so sorry, Sir! It seems that your schedule has been filled up, once again. I've been looking for you everywhere, I did not expect you to be here." Syaoran got out of the pool. "I'm sorry, Meiling. Looks like I have some work to do. Please continue to enjoy yourself." He dried off and followed Miss. Cheung, which was followed by his many bodyguards. Meiling shouted, "But... What about me?" with a teared look.

"Syaoran-kun. We need to talk. Please sit down." Syaoran looked at Meiling. "What is it?" Meiling sat him down anyway, ignoring his clueless expression. "Syaoran. I do not think that our relationship is very strong. If we are to marry someday, we should be together more often." Syaoran peered out the window out of the corner of his eye. Night was coming. Maybe if he talked fast enough, this talk would be over soon enough. "Meiling, if it's about what happened earlier today, I'm sorry. Really, I am. I was having fun until we were disturbed." Meiling stood up sharply. "No, Syaoran! I'm tired of visiting you only once a month! The wedding is to be held in just a year, maybe even sooner! Our families have been waiting for this moment for a long time, and if it doesn't work out... Then I just don't know what to do." Syaoran felt lost. "What do... you mean? We are happy together, aren't we?" Meiling shook her head. "You don't understand, Syaoran! You just don't!" She wiped her eyes from the tears and ran off, sobbing. Syaoran arose quickly, taken aback. "Meiling!" He sat down again. 'What will I do now?'

"Sir. Li. I have a message from Miss. Meiling." It was Wei. Syaoran's stomach churned. He hadn't seen Meiling since last night. "Please, can I hear it?" he asked. "Miss Meiling wants to hold an exquisite ball party. Men and women are invited. She informs me that it's the perfect opportunity for you and her to meet the perfect girl/boy there. She does not believe that the two of you will work things out. Er- I'm terribly sorry, Sir, I'll leave right-" "It's alright, Wei. Please, if she said anything else, do continue." "She feels that if you do not love her, then she is simply wasting her time." "Please tell Miss. Meiling that I would be delighted." Wei, slightly stunned that Syaoran replied so quickly, which would mean breaking the poor girl's heart, stood tall and said, "Yes, sir." And went off in search of Meiling.

The next day, Meiling rushed to Syaoran. "Syaoran! How could you say that?" Syaoran, in a big puddle of paper work, was annoyed. "I'm sorry, Meiling. I'm busy at work right now." Meiling burst into tears. "Fine! I do want to have this stupid ball! Invite all of the pretty ladies! I don't care, Syaoran Li! I am over my crush!" Syaoran stood up. "I'm sorry, Meiling. Please, don't be mad at me." But it was too late. Meiling had stormed off.

Days later, Syaoran decided to take a check up around his lovely home to take his mind off Meiling. While taking a short walk in the garden of roses, he suddenly remembered. That Suzuhara girl. He wondered if she had a change of attitude yet. And even if not, it'd be great to see her green, dull, but nonetheless, green eyes.

"Tomi-chan! Sir. Li is here to see you!" called the head. Tomi got up. 'What does he want know?' she asked herself. "Hello, Suzuhara-chan. It's nice to see you again. How are you?" Tomi, who'd found that working with the other slaves wasn't all that bad, a little fun if you looked on the good side, was in a particularly good mood that day. "Hello there. Why are you here?"

"I am here on a check up." Syaoran could see that her mood had lifted. After a nice chat, he decided that she would be perfect for a upper class maid. He talked to the head, and she agreed. "I will make arrangements for her to have maid lessons soon, Sir. Do you have any certain dates in mind?"

"No, thanks. Just have her ready soon."

"Yes, sir." The head rushed to find a maid named Jenny. Syaoran continued his walk. 'Ahhh... What a fine day it is today... I hope that Suzuhara girl can make a good maid. She's different than all of the other maids... Oh, what should a do about Meiling? She seemed so upset... I wish I weren't thinking about it... What is it about that Suzuhara girl?' Syaoran thought, obviously switching his thoughts from one girl to the other, unconsciously minded.

Night fell once again as two familiar figures stood in a nearby tree, watching the prince walk back indoors. "So... Our mistress is in the hands of..." The second answered, "Yes... We must watch her, who knows what will happen."

{End of Chapter 3} Hehe, left you in the mysterious question of the two "figures" ^^; Um, this chapter in ways could seem like Syaoran + Meiling, but the fict wasn't supposed to be like that at all...@.@; And don't worry for you Meiling fans out there, Meiling (and Syaoran!) will be happy at the end of this all... Well, that's all for now, ja!