Auther's note : Please, please review this! It's my first fanfic and even
if you hate it, post it up, so I can see somebody's read it!
Chapter 2 - Protected
Sakura approahed hesitantly and nervoulsy called out the boy's name. "Um, Li Shoalon?"
His head snapped back to Sakura, and he jumped in mild surprise. Slowly a faint pink tinge appeared on his cheeks, and as Sakura looked at him she too started blushing. Sakura was very aware of the many giggles in the background from her friends, which only made her blush more deeply. She stuck out her hand and lowered her head.
"Um, h-hello. I'm Kinomoto Sakura. It's a peasure to meet you." she said to his feet. Behind her, the giggles grew louder. Meanwhile, the boy stayed calm. He took her hand and shook it.
"It's nice to meet you too."
"May I call you Shoalon?" (A/N I don't speak Japanese, so I don't know what they are supposed to use. Sorry!) she said while she slowly raised her head.
"Yes of course. May I call you Sakura?" he asked slowly
"Uh, sure!" she said brightly, blushing again. The giggles grew ever more loudly and and Sakura heard a digital beeping which meant that Tomoyo was taping this. "Um, the thing is that my friends- " she beckoned towards the groups of laughing girls who all waved, "we were just um, wondering, if, um, by any chance you'd like to -"
"Watch out!" screamed one of the boys playing soccer. Sakura and Shoalon both turned to see the soccer ball heading towards Sakura with the force of a cannon. Sakura screamed in fear, and surprise, because at that moment Shoalon had dived at Sakura and knocked her down.
"Oh" she exclaimed as she opened her eyes. Shoalon's face was no more than an inch away from hers, and they were both on the ground. She started blushing, as to how close he was and he too starts blushing.
"Thank you" she murmured quietly when suddenly two arms come out of nowhere and yank Shoalon swiftly off of Sakura. She shakily got to her feet while she heard an awfully familiar vioce yelling behind her. She turned around and gasped. "Oh no. Touya"
"What the hell were you doing on top of my sister?!?! You have about five seconds to answer before I beat you to pulp! One, two, five! Time's up!" Touya was looking more angry than Sakura'd ever seen and he was yelling at the top of his lungs at Shoalon, who looked so shocked, he couldn't seem to make out any words. Sakura ran up to Touya as he grabbed Shoalon's collar and was about to punch him.
"Touya, stop!" she screamed but her brother paid no attention. He aimed his fist at Shoalon's face, as everybody in the schoolcourt was watching. Sakura braced herself to see Shoalon get hit, but it didn't happen. Automatically it seemed, Shaolon blocked the punch without even blinking.
Sakura grabbed a hold of of Touya and pulled him back. "What do you think you're doing "Touya?"
It sounded like Touya almost growled. "I'm protecting you from this crazy maniac!" he jerked his head to indicate Shoalon. "I come here to see if you remebered your lunch or not, and I find you pinned to the ground, with him on top of you! You had better have a good story to back this up!" The last sentence he said louder than the rest and seemed to be aiming the comment at Shoalon.
Sakura sighed, "Touya you're causing a scene, everybody is looking at you!," and indeed everybody was staring speechless at them "Why don't you just go home? I'll just explain everything that happened we I come home this afternoon?" She looked at him pleadingly, but he just continued to glare.
"As if I'm going to leave you here with this, this -," he seemed to be searching for a word to describe Shoalon, but couldnt come up with one. "We'll, in any case, you are coming home with me this instant!"
He grabbed Sakura's wrist and started to drag her away, but she swiftly broke through his grip and slapped him.
"Touya what is wrong with you?! I said I'm okay, and I will be alright. I'm fourteen years old for crying out loud! I will tell you what happened when I get home, and if you don't go this instant, I won't tell you anything! Ever again!"
Everybody was shocked, but they didn't dare say anything. Sakura's eyes were flashing dangerously and with that she turned on her heel and walked back towards the school, just as the bell rang. Tomoyo ran after her "Sakura!" she called, but Sakura paid no notice and kept on walking.
Slowly the other students noticed that the bell had rang and then they hurriedly made their way to the school also. As Shoalon made his was back to the school he passed right in front of Touya and made no notice of him, but Touya grabbed his wrist.
"Stay away from my sister." He hissed in Shoalon's ear. At first Shoalon stood very still and acted like nothing had happened, but then he turned with a smirk on his face. "I'll do as I feel. I, however think that *you* should be getting home." He jerked his wrist out of Touya's grip and walked away without so much as a backwards glance.
"I don't like him" They both simultaneuosly thought.
*** Princess Sakura was sitting in her Royal Chambers brushing her long auburn- orange hair when she heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Sakura? It's Kotori. Can I please come in?"
"Yes, of course, come right in."
As her sister entered the room, her hazel eyes were looked concerned, and as she looked calmer when she saw Sakura was alright, but she still did rush to embrace Sakura.
"Oh Sakura thank goodness you're alright. I know I shouldn't be, because you can more than take care of yourself, but I was so worried! Please don't do that ever again." She sounded desperate and there were tears in her eyes. Sakura was again taken aback. Kotori had alway been rebellious, and encouraged Sakura, but now she sounded like her Father.
"Oh Kotori, nothing is going to happen to me! I'm fine and I'll always be here. Stop worrying!" She hugged her sister, and for a while neither of them spoke. Kotori released her and sighed, then she managed a weak smile.
"Yes, I guess you're right. I'm just being silly that's all, you usually come back before dark. Eriol would have come to see you, but it's late, and he didn't want to disturb you. He says he'll see you in the morning. You should be getting some sleep." She walked to the door and as about to leave, when she stopped and turned around. "Good night Sakura."
She closed the door and leaned against it, and as she did, her face darkened. "Oh, Sakura, you're in so much more trouble than you realize." She sighed and turned to the guards. "Nobody is to enter here is that clear? We should bring some more guards, but don't inform Sakura, she doesn't know that there is increased security." The gurads nodded and she walked away, the candlelight making the worry on her face more pronounced.
Sakura was about to get into bed when she heard her name being called from below her window. She got up and looked out the window, but it was dark so she couldn't make out the firgure.
"Who's there?"
"Sakura it's me!"
"Kumai? Is that you?"
"Yes! Can you come down? We need to talk"
Sakura was suspicous. Usually Kumai hardly ever called her down, only on special occasions, like a festival. She hesitated, but then obliged.
"Alright, let me just get the Fly Card."
She walked over to her small table and took out a pink book, with silver edges that shone brightly. Then she took out a small pendant on a necklace, that looked like a star wand with wings, and she began to chant an incantation.
"Spirits of the Sun, Moon, Earth and Sea, Power of magic, Power of my Star I command you bring to me, All of the forces near and Far!" (A/N I really can't think of a better incantation. Please wirte to me with suggestions.)
A circle with an intricate design appeared glowing below her, and winds started to surrond her. The pendant enlarged itslef, and was now a large staff. "Fly card!" she called. The seal on the book opened and a card flew out of it. A spirit soared out of it, and incircled Sakura, and shen things calmed down again, she had enormous wings, making her look like an angel. She spread her and flew out the window, landing softly on the grass.
She turned to face Kumai. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
"Sakura, you have to be very careful now, there's romurs going around that there's a traitor among us. They say he will try to hurt you, or even worse kill you." Kumai was very pale, and was speaking in no more than a whisper.
Sakura was shocked, but then it started to make sense. So this is why....Kotori's reaction....her Father, it fit into place. But then she was confused.
"But why would I be a target? I'm not firstborn or a prince, I'm not the heir" She turned to Kumai for confirmation, but he just hung his head. She gasped. "I am the heir? How that be? Kotori and Eriol are both older than me, and not to mention, Eriol is the Prince! Kumai, how could i possibly be the heir?"
He sighed. "I'm not sure, because at first, yes Eriol, was to be the heir, but then something changed. About a year ago, your Father said that you would be the heir. There was an announcement made, but I guess he didn't want you to know. Nobody knows why he changed his mind."
Sakura thought back for a moment, but couldn't come up with a reason. "Nothing happened at that time though, the only thing that I did was..." she looked at the staff in her hand and gasped. "I created the Star Cards last year. But even if I did, I don't understand how this fits together.
Kumai looked shocked. "Sakura don't you see? It's because of your magic! You even told me yourself, your father helped with the cards, but he wasn't as powerful as you. Nobody is!"
Sakura still looked a little unsure. "But, what does that have to do with me being the heir?
Kumai shook his head. I don't know Sakura, but I just wanted to warn you, so you should be going back now." He gave her a quick kiss, then disappeared into the darkness.
"Kumai!" she called, but he was already gone. She spread her wings once more, and flew back to her window, but when she tried to enter her room, she was thrown back by and invisible force field. She mentally kicked herself, because this was her own fault.
"Shield Card! Let me through my window!" The spirit became a shield with a star on the front with wing, an then dissolved into a card, that flew into Sakura's hand. She looked at it for a moment before flying into her room. After the 'Fly Card' returned to it's original form, and the staff returned to the pendant, she collasped onto her bed.
She immediately fell into an unsettling sleep and she kept seeing shadows of figures that disappeared once she got closer to them. Then she saw a fire, it engulfed everything, and the heat was all around her, there was no way to escape. She woke abruptly once she heard a person screaming, and realized with a jolt, the scream was coming out of her own mouth.
There were many guards rushing into her room, to ask if she was alright, asking what happened.
"I'm alright!" she kept saying over and over again. "I just had a bad dream, that's all." Slowly the guards were assured and they left. As they were closing the door, another figure rushed inside, who had navy blue hair, and mysterious eyes.
"Eriol" said Sakura while bowing. He let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Sakura I was just so worried about you, you know better than to - " He said as he launched into a speech that he had obviously prepared, but Sakura cut him off.
"Eriol, why didn't anybody tell me that I am now Heir to the throne, and more importantly why has that been changed?"
He still had his mouth open in shock, but then closed it slowly.
"Who told you?" he asked quietly.
She didn't want to get Kumai into trouble so she answered with a question.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I can't -"
"Why!?" Sakura yelled, now with tears streaming down her face. She had never felt so alone or betrayed. "Didn't you feel that I should have the right to know?"
Eriol sighed again, and looked obviously pained by the way Sakura was acting.
"Father didn't want to scare you. He didn't think that you would take the news very calmly."
Sakura still had many questions, but Eriol had turned his back, and was starting to walk out of the room.
"Eriol, stop!" she commanded, and to her surprise he did, but he didn't turn to face her.
"Sakura I can't answer any questions right now. It's not the time for you to know the answers, and I need to inform Father that you about you being heir."
He walk out of the room and shut the door which left Sakura confused and angry. She held back the urge to throw her book of Cards at the door, but instead opened it, and extracted another card, threw it up in the air and yelled "Yue! I need to speak to you!"
The spirit that came out was more of a person, dressed in lavender, with long flowing silver hair, but with wings.
"Yes Mistress?"
(At the Chinese camp)
The generals were gathered around a table listening to the head general and his speak for the last fifteen minutes, as they laid out their latest plan.
"So does everybody know what they must do?" Xiao Lang asked after he and his father were finished? He looked around and saw that everybody was nodding confidently. "Good." he responded. "We strike at midnight."
Chapter 2 - Protected
Sakura approahed hesitantly and nervoulsy called out the boy's name. "Um, Li Shoalon?"
His head snapped back to Sakura, and he jumped in mild surprise. Slowly a faint pink tinge appeared on his cheeks, and as Sakura looked at him she too started blushing. Sakura was very aware of the many giggles in the background from her friends, which only made her blush more deeply. She stuck out her hand and lowered her head.
"Um, h-hello. I'm Kinomoto Sakura. It's a peasure to meet you." she said to his feet. Behind her, the giggles grew louder. Meanwhile, the boy stayed calm. He took her hand and shook it.
"It's nice to meet you too."
"May I call you Shoalon?" (A/N I don't speak Japanese, so I don't know what they are supposed to use. Sorry!) she said while she slowly raised her head.
"Yes of course. May I call you Sakura?" he asked slowly
"Uh, sure!" she said brightly, blushing again. The giggles grew ever more loudly and and Sakura heard a digital beeping which meant that Tomoyo was taping this. "Um, the thing is that my friends- " she beckoned towards the groups of laughing girls who all waved, "we were just um, wondering, if, um, by any chance you'd like to -"
"Watch out!" screamed one of the boys playing soccer. Sakura and Shoalon both turned to see the soccer ball heading towards Sakura with the force of a cannon. Sakura screamed in fear, and surprise, because at that moment Shoalon had dived at Sakura and knocked her down.
"Oh" she exclaimed as she opened her eyes. Shoalon's face was no more than an inch away from hers, and they were both on the ground. She started blushing, as to how close he was and he too starts blushing.
"Thank you" she murmured quietly when suddenly two arms come out of nowhere and yank Shoalon swiftly off of Sakura. She shakily got to her feet while she heard an awfully familiar vioce yelling behind her. She turned around and gasped. "Oh no. Touya"
"What the hell were you doing on top of my sister?!?! You have about five seconds to answer before I beat you to pulp! One, two, five! Time's up!" Touya was looking more angry than Sakura'd ever seen and he was yelling at the top of his lungs at Shoalon, who looked so shocked, he couldn't seem to make out any words. Sakura ran up to Touya as he grabbed Shoalon's collar and was about to punch him.
"Touya, stop!" she screamed but her brother paid no attention. He aimed his fist at Shoalon's face, as everybody in the schoolcourt was watching. Sakura braced herself to see Shoalon get hit, but it didn't happen. Automatically it seemed, Shaolon blocked the punch without even blinking.
Sakura grabbed a hold of of Touya and pulled him back. "What do you think you're doing "Touya?"
It sounded like Touya almost growled. "I'm protecting you from this crazy maniac!" he jerked his head to indicate Shoalon. "I come here to see if you remebered your lunch or not, and I find you pinned to the ground, with him on top of you! You had better have a good story to back this up!" The last sentence he said louder than the rest and seemed to be aiming the comment at Shoalon.
Sakura sighed, "Touya you're causing a scene, everybody is looking at you!," and indeed everybody was staring speechless at them "Why don't you just go home? I'll just explain everything that happened we I come home this afternoon?" She looked at him pleadingly, but he just continued to glare.
"As if I'm going to leave you here with this, this -," he seemed to be searching for a word to describe Shoalon, but couldnt come up with one. "We'll, in any case, you are coming home with me this instant!"
He grabbed Sakura's wrist and started to drag her away, but she swiftly broke through his grip and slapped him.
"Touya what is wrong with you?! I said I'm okay, and I will be alright. I'm fourteen years old for crying out loud! I will tell you what happened when I get home, and if you don't go this instant, I won't tell you anything! Ever again!"
Everybody was shocked, but they didn't dare say anything. Sakura's eyes were flashing dangerously and with that she turned on her heel and walked back towards the school, just as the bell rang. Tomoyo ran after her "Sakura!" she called, but Sakura paid no notice and kept on walking.
Slowly the other students noticed that the bell had rang and then they hurriedly made their way to the school also. As Shoalon made his was back to the school he passed right in front of Touya and made no notice of him, but Touya grabbed his wrist.
"Stay away from my sister." He hissed in Shoalon's ear. At first Shoalon stood very still and acted like nothing had happened, but then he turned with a smirk on his face. "I'll do as I feel. I, however think that *you* should be getting home." He jerked his wrist out of Touya's grip and walked away without so much as a backwards glance.
"I don't like him" They both simultaneuosly thought.
*** Princess Sakura was sitting in her Royal Chambers brushing her long auburn- orange hair when she heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Sakura? It's Kotori. Can I please come in?"
"Yes, of course, come right in."
As her sister entered the room, her hazel eyes were looked concerned, and as she looked calmer when she saw Sakura was alright, but she still did rush to embrace Sakura.
"Oh Sakura thank goodness you're alright. I know I shouldn't be, because you can more than take care of yourself, but I was so worried! Please don't do that ever again." She sounded desperate and there were tears in her eyes. Sakura was again taken aback. Kotori had alway been rebellious, and encouraged Sakura, but now she sounded like her Father.
"Oh Kotori, nothing is going to happen to me! I'm fine and I'll always be here. Stop worrying!" She hugged her sister, and for a while neither of them spoke. Kotori released her and sighed, then she managed a weak smile.
"Yes, I guess you're right. I'm just being silly that's all, you usually come back before dark. Eriol would have come to see you, but it's late, and he didn't want to disturb you. He says he'll see you in the morning. You should be getting some sleep." She walked to the door and as about to leave, when she stopped and turned around. "Good night Sakura."
She closed the door and leaned against it, and as she did, her face darkened. "Oh, Sakura, you're in so much more trouble than you realize." She sighed and turned to the guards. "Nobody is to enter here is that clear? We should bring some more guards, but don't inform Sakura, she doesn't know that there is increased security." The gurads nodded and she walked away, the candlelight making the worry on her face more pronounced.
Sakura was about to get into bed when she heard her name being called from below her window. She got up and looked out the window, but it was dark so she couldn't make out the firgure.
"Who's there?"
"Sakura it's me!"
"Kumai? Is that you?"
"Yes! Can you come down? We need to talk"
Sakura was suspicous. Usually Kumai hardly ever called her down, only on special occasions, like a festival. She hesitated, but then obliged.
"Alright, let me just get the Fly Card."
She walked over to her small table and took out a pink book, with silver edges that shone brightly. Then she took out a small pendant on a necklace, that looked like a star wand with wings, and she began to chant an incantation.
"Spirits of the Sun, Moon, Earth and Sea, Power of magic, Power of my Star I command you bring to me, All of the forces near and Far!" (A/N I really can't think of a better incantation. Please wirte to me with suggestions.)
A circle with an intricate design appeared glowing below her, and winds started to surrond her. The pendant enlarged itslef, and was now a large staff. "Fly card!" she called. The seal on the book opened and a card flew out of it. A spirit soared out of it, and incircled Sakura, and shen things calmed down again, she had enormous wings, making her look like an angel. She spread her and flew out the window, landing softly on the grass.
She turned to face Kumai. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
"Sakura, you have to be very careful now, there's romurs going around that there's a traitor among us. They say he will try to hurt you, or even worse kill you." Kumai was very pale, and was speaking in no more than a whisper.
Sakura was shocked, but then it started to make sense. So this is why....Kotori's reaction....her Father, it fit into place. But then she was confused.
"But why would I be a target? I'm not firstborn or a prince, I'm not the heir" She turned to Kumai for confirmation, but he just hung his head. She gasped. "I am the heir? How that be? Kotori and Eriol are both older than me, and not to mention, Eriol is the Prince! Kumai, how could i possibly be the heir?"
He sighed. "I'm not sure, because at first, yes Eriol, was to be the heir, but then something changed. About a year ago, your Father said that you would be the heir. There was an announcement made, but I guess he didn't want you to know. Nobody knows why he changed his mind."
Sakura thought back for a moment, but couldn't come up with a reason. "Nothing happened at that time though, the only thing that I did was..." she looked at the staff in her hand and gasped. "I created the Star Cards last year. But even if I did, I don't understand how this fits together.
Kumai looked shocked. "Sakura don't you see? It's because of your magic! You even told me yourself, your father helped with the cards, but he wasn't as powerful as you. Nobody is!"
Sakura still looked a little unsure. "But, what does that have to do with me being the heir?
Kumai shook his head. I don't know Sakura, but I just wanted to warn you, so you should be going back now." He gave her a quick kiss, then disappeared into the darkness.
"Kumai!" she called, but he was already gone. She spread her wings once more, and flew back to her window, but when she tried to enter her room, she was thrown back by and invisible force field. She mentally kicked herself, because this was her own fault.
"Shield Card! Let me through my window!" The spirit became a shield with a star on the front with wing, an then dissolved into a card, that flew into Sakura's hand. She looked at it for a moment before flying into her room. After the 'Fly Card' returned to it's original form, and the staff returned to the pendant, she collasped onto her bed.
She immediately fell into an unsettling sleep and she kept seeing shadows of figures that disappeared once she got closer to them. Then she saw a fire, it engulfed everything, and the heat was all around her, there was no way to escape. She woke abruptly once she heard a person screaming, and realized with a jolt, the scream was coming out of her own mouth.
There were many guards rushing into her room, to ask if she was alright, asking what happened.
"I'm alright!" she kept saying over and over again. "I just had a bad dream, that's all." Slowly the guards were assured and they left. As they were closing the door, another figure rushed inside, who had navy blue hair, and mysterious eyes.
"Eriol" said Sakura while bowing. He let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Sakura I was just so worried about you, you know better than to - " He said as he launched into a speech that he had obviously prepared, but Sakura cut him off.
"Eriol, why didn't anybody tell me that I am now Heir to the throne, and more importantly why has that been changed?"
He still had his mouth open in shock, but then closed it slowly.
"Who told you?" he asked quietly.
She didn't want to get Kumai into trouble so she answered with a question.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I can't -"
"Why!?" Sakura yelled, now with tears streaming down her face. She had never felt so alone or betrayed. "Didn't you feel that I should have the right to know?"
Eriol sighed again, and looked obviously pained by the way Sakura was acting.
"Father didn't want to scare you. He didn't think that you would take the news very calmly."
Sakura still had many questions, but Eriol had turned his back, and was starting to walk out of the room.
"Eriol, stop!" she commanded, and to her surprise he did, but he didn't turn to face her.
"Sakura I can't answer any questions right now. It's not the time for you to know the answers, and I need to inform Father that you about you being heir."
He walk out of the room and shut the door which left Sakura confused and angry. She held back the urge to throw her book of Cards at the door, but instead opened it, and extracted another card, threw it up in the air and yelled "Yue! I need to speak to you!"
The spirit that came out was more of a person, dressed in lavender, with long flowing silver hair, but with wings.
"Yes Mistress?"
(At the Chinese camp)
The generals were gathered around a table listening to the head general and his speak for the last fifteen minutes, as they laid out their latest plan.
"So does everybody know what they must do?" Xiao Lang asked after he and his father were finished? He looked around and saw that everybody was nodding confidently. "Good." he responded. "We strike at midnight."