DISCLAIMER: Own: Nothing. Don't: Sue. Simple enough?

Author's note(s):

This is the seventh chapter, and. well I have a bone to pick with the world. ^-~ You guys are wonderful reviewers, and you can't imagine the delight when I see you guys have reviewed. ^_^ But. I'm also jealous. I see people who have 4 chapters up have twice as many as I do.

I don't want to put something on here that says "I'm not writing until I get a certain number of reviews", b/c. frankly, I won't be able to keep that up. ^-~ I love writing too much. But, you guys. review? ^-~

In answer to a couple of you guys, I just wanted to explain that the blue eyes belonged to Nireko, lol. I'm sorry if that was confusing. I realized you guys probably wouldn't remember she had blue eyes, so that's why I tried to add the part about the smirk. So for further reference, you hear smirk, you think either Nireko or Sakura. ^-^

Oh yea!! And I decided to start another fanfic. Check it out if ya get a chance. Only the first chapter is up, but I'll probably post Chapter Two today if I get a chance. It's called Partners. I know the first chapter isn't long or . great. but it's still okay, and the plot will DEFINITELY get better.

Gomen (Sorry??) for the long Author's note!! I'll take a vow of silence when I get 1,000 Reviews. ^-~ Heh heh heh

****

Syaoran walked slowly into the palace, his heart weighed down heavily. A pair of blue eyes awaited him inside.

"Whatever did you say to her, Syaoran? She left in quite a hurry," asked Nireko.

The king glared at her, offering no answer and speeding up. Nireko had to jog to catch up.

"Don't tell me you didn't tell her you were engaged, Syaoran," she continued. "How could you possibly keep yourself from mentioning me?"

The king snorted. "Easily. I like to keep my lunch down."

Nireko smirked. "Then why were you kissing HER?"

Syaoran turned, grabbing her. "You have no right to criticize her, Nireko," he snarled.

Nireko's eyes opened wide and she took a step back from him once he had released his grasp. A lopsided smirk took place on her flustered face. "Defending her, are you? That's a sure sign of love. Tell me you don't love her."

Syoaran shifted his gaze. "Of course I don't love her. I barely know her."

Tired of questions, he started once again to his rooms. This time Nireko followed silently, contemplating her next move.

****

As soon as the sunlight entered her room, Sakura was up. She had slept barely a wink last night. There were too many thoughts whirling around in her head; too many tears to be freed from their optic home. Her eyes started to fill with tears as an image of the king appeared in her head.

Pushing herself from her bed, she angrily swabbed at them with her rough sleeve. Walking across her room, she cursed. There was no water in the bowl.

Opening a door, she motioned to one of the idle servants outside. Mumbling her request, she turned and looked in her closet, removing the pretty green dress. Once that was done, she had nothing to do but wait.

"Do not be sad, my little cherry blossom. This will pass."

A familiar voice floated through the room.

"Sekai?" she asked, feeling instantly stupid.

"Yes. I am here to comfort you. Although, I must say. . . I DID warn you about trusting the king. . ."

She cast her eyes downward. "I should have trusted you."

A single tear dropped onto the wooden floor. Angrily, she turned upwards. "He was only using me. I was foolish enough to fall for it. I should have known better."

Whispering now, she added, "How could I have been so stupid?"

She felt an invisible hand, gently patting her on her back. "Do not worry. I will protect you from him. I will protect you from anyone who can hurt you, my little cherry blossom."

She smiled weakly.

****

'I almost have her. Soon she will realize no one in the world is worth loving, and then she shall turn to me. Then I can completely protect her. I will protect my sweet cherry blossom from this world and its people; people who will do nothing except hurt her. I will make her mine.'

****

The man carefully balanced on the balcony ledge, hiding himself in the shadows. Peering through the window, he saw his love lying on her bed, asleep. Her light purple hair surrounded her face, making her eyes stand out even more than usual.

There was a healer pressing cool rags onto her forehead. He watched enviously. Jealousy coursed through his veins.

'He's touching her. I should be the only one touching my Tomoyo.'

Sighing heavily, he relaxed. He knew such thinking would only end in pain. Wincing, he remembered the day before. The images made him shudder, and shame now took the place of jealousy in his veins. His hand felt the familiar weight of the horsewhip.

'I saw the lord's hand on her. I was watching from a dark corner. My
eyes were now locked on the hand as it made its upward journey,
heading higher and higher up her thigh. My gaze flickered to her face.
A blush spread over her cheeks and her eyes begged for help, but she
could not move. It was her job to serve the lords. And he was a lord.

I felt my blood rising. Before I could stop myself, I had removed the
horsewhip from my coat. Tomoyo, seeing this, begged me to stop, but
there was no reason in my mind anymore. Only anger. I pulled it back
and sent it hurling at the lord. She shot out, blocking the lord.
Within minutes, I was grasping my fallen love, gaping at the wounds I
myself had afflicted.

The lord had jumped up, screaming wildly for the guards. Praying for
my love, I knew I must not be caught. So I ran. It took a long time to
escape from the guards, they were at this very moment searching for
me, but as soon as I did, I hurried back to find my love.'

A single thought passed through his mind, breaking through the vivid images.

'I am no better than the lords who beat her. The lashes are no different, and neither is the pain.'

****

There was a light knocking at the door. Syaoran sat up, instantly awoken. He had gotten no sleep that night.

'Please let it be her.'

The thought surprised him. Hurriedly, he dismissed it and opened the door. Still, he felt his face fall when Hideaki stepped through the open door.

"Good morning, your highness. What's wrong?" asked the advisor right away.

Syaoran smirked. "What makes you think there's anything wrong?"

The advisor smiled slyly. "Getting you out of bed required no force."

Syaoran laughed lightly at his old friend. "I didn't get much sleep."

"Might I venture to press for a reason?"

Syaoran frowned. "Women," he said finally.

Hideaki took in his friend's worn expression for the first time that day. He smiled.

"You are in love," he said, knowingly.

Syaoran's eyes shot up, glaring. "Why does everyone jump to that conclusion? Of course I am not in love."

The advisor sent a skeptical look Syaoran's way, shrugging lightly, deciding not to press it.

"Well then I suppose, my friend, what I have come to discuss will not be a welcome matter."

The king raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"

"The courtiers are positively bored out of their minds. Many have come to me, beseeching a ball. I think it would be a good idea for your highness to host one. It has been nearly a year since the last one. This way you can introduce the kingdom to your fiancée."

The king glared. "I will not introduce the kingdom to Nireko. I do not want her to get comfortable with her position as my bethrothed. I will not marry her."

The advisor laughed. "Then perhaps you should be introducing all of the eligible men to her."

The king smiled weakly. The two sat together, letting the silence take over.

Finally, Hideaki coughed. "You know, Lady Sakura will be there."

Syaoran carefully trained his eyes on the floorboard. "Why wouldn't she?"

Hideaki ignored his question and countered with one of his own. "Will you dance with her?"

Getting a sudden need to share, Syaoran looked up. "I think you should be asking her, old friend. Not me."

The advisor looked over his highness worriedly. "What have you done?"

Syaoran snorted. "Why can't it be something she has done?"

The advisor laughed. "Because you are the man, and it is the man's divine duty to do the wrong thing."

****

Sakura was sitting at her friend's bedside when the servant arrived. The healer, Kamaz, excused himself for lunch, leaving strict orders for her care. The servant bowed to the lady and stepped forward. She watched patiently as he delivered his message.

As soon as he left, Tomoyo's eyes got big. Sitting up straight in bed, she turned to Sakura.

"A ball, my lady!! I must make you a dress right a way!!" (Some things I didn't change. ^-~)

Sakura laughed and pushed her friend back down. "You must get healthy first."

Tomoyo smiled, protesting weakly. "But the ball is in two weeks!"

Sakura winked. "You better heal fast then."

The two laughed and sat, staring out the window.

Sakura sighed and asked a question she had been holding back for days now. "Tomoyo, I know you don't want to talk about this, but. . . you have to let me know. What happened to you?"

Tomoyo looked away sadly. "It was an accident, my lady. But if I tell you what happened, you will judge . . ."

Sakura lifted her friend's chin so that their eyes met. "I will not judge."

Tomoyo sighed slowly before speaking. Reluctantly, she began. "I was serving my lord Lamar when Yema came in. He decided to wait for me in the corner, for we were to go to the marketplace that day." She paused, and Sakura noticed her starry look. "But my lord Lamar had more on his mind than food. He began to hit on me, and Yema became jealous. Yema took out his whip and flung it at my lord."

Her friend's eyes were now filled with anguish. She took a minute before continuing. "I couldn't just watch Yema do that. He would be hung! So I jumped in front of the whip." She flinched, looking up at Sakura with pleading eyes. "Yema didn't mean it. He would never beat me. He may be very protective, but he loves me."

Sakura pulled her friend closer to her, smoothing her hair protectively while her friend cried. Once the sobs had subsided, Sakura spoke.

"I knew Lamar when I was younger. I hated him then, and I hate him now." She lowered her head so Tomoyo would have to look her in the eye. "If he ever tries this again, you tell him to come see me personally. That's an order Tomoyo," she added firmly.

Tomoyo smiled gratefully through her tears and hugged her friend weakly.

Sakura heard the door open behind her. Knowing it to be the healer, she started her apologies over her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Kamaz, I know you told me not to let her move, but she was upset and--"

Tomoyo's gaze let Sakura know it was not Kamaz. Slowly she turned, praying it wasn't who she knew it to be.

****

Author's Note 2: -whistles- I hear you should do it while you work.