Disclaimer: Nope, CCS is still not mine.
Author's Note(s): I hope the last chapter was exciting enough. Umm. . . the very end scene was very important. I forget who asked, but no, I really couldn't shorten the preparations. I wanted the horses' descriptions in there because so far I've not described many things, including appearances of people. So yeah.
That's it. Hope you enjoy.
****
Yue watched her with a frown as the Elite moved forward to congratulate her. He heard Kero join him. He coughed back a snort when he saw the guardian was still in his false form.
"She was wonderful! You've trained her well," he said with a smile.
Yue glared. "She's not good enough. He was just careless. If he'd have been serious, she wouldn't have won."
Kero sighed. "You're too tough on her, Yue. She's learned so fast."
"She still needs training. Lots of it," he said.
Kero glared. "Fine. Train her until you've grilled her into a pulp. I'm sure she'll be useful then." He flew off, taking his anger with him.
The moon guardian sighed, keeping his face straight.
'I just want to help her. I won't watch her get killed.'
****
After five minutes of their congratulations, she was ready to push each and every one of them over a cliff. At first it had been nice to let her ego feast. Her ego was now full and giving her indigestion. She sighed before stepping through the crowd of Elite. Before they could continue, she held up a hand.
"We can't waste anymore time. Mount up."
She turned her back on them as she checked her tack to make sure it was still in place. She patted Adara's head and went to examine Talos. He snorted into his mistress's hand and was rewarded with a gentle smile. Lifting his head to reach her face, he smelled all over before finally snorting again. Sakura ducked to avoid it. With a stern look, she strode over to Aeolus.
Master Panos was standing next to him, returning his lunch to his saddlebag. He saw her approaching and flashed a charming smile.
"That was some wonderful lunchtime entertainment," he said, his voice light.
She cringed. "It was nothing. I just hope he doesn't reappear anytime soon."
He smiled politely, letting their conversation fall into silence. Sakura watched as the Elite, along with the troop the king had assigned, mounted up. She turned suddenly to the mage.
"Will you have enough magic to close an entire valley?"
He looked surprised. "Well, if there are rocks nearby, yes. If not, I might have to ask for your help."
She nodded and looked away. "I wish I at least knew why the Li's suddenly hate us so much. We were never wonderful allies, but why did they suddenly get an itch to attack us?"
He looked away thoughtfully. "I don't know, but for some reason our eastern neighbors DO hate us. And we'll just have to be ready." He smiled at her. "And with the strongest Champion our country has ever seen, we should be able to hang on."
She blushed. "I don't know about that."
He rested a hand on her shoulder. "I do. You're a wonderful Champion, Sakura. And a wonderful leader. Your men all love you. I've never seen men obeying someone as well as your men obey you."
Her blush deepened. With a polite nod, she left him for her mare.
Throwing herself into the saddle, she looked over to see Yue already seated atop Talos. His face was impassive as he stared at her. She shared the gaze before breaking away and turning towards her men.
"We'll ride till late night. Be prepared for a late meal. We need to make better time," she said, letting the wind carry her voice.
Grimly, they nodded. Sakura spurred her horse forward, leading the train of men towards the valley.
****
Sakura rode in silence, glancing often at Yue. He hadn't said a word to her since they'd left. He kept his face looking forward. She sighed finally and turned to him.
"What is it that's turned your face so sour, Yue?" She tried to keep her voice light, but winced when she heard the harshness embedded inside.
He turned to her, his face the example of her statement. He raised an eyebrow.
"I've done nothing wrong. Why are you acting like that?"
Slowly, he answered. "I'm acting like myself. I never said you did anything wrong."
She sighed, a long, angry sigh. She decided a change in subject was needed. "Did you cover our tracks so the prince couldn't See us anymore?"
He nodded without looking at her.
Sakura turned sharply to face the front, her anger making her sit straighter. She glanced down at Kero, who had curled up in her lap. He was looking at Yue with a scowl.
Keland pulled up beside Sakura, chattering away. He stopped suddenly, unnerved at the silence surrounding the Champion and her guardians. He glanced anxiously at her. She shook her head lightly with a silent 'Don't ask'.
"How is everyone back there?" she asked politely.
His face broke into a grin. "Still discussing your fight with the Prince."
She heard Yue snort. Motioning discreetly to Keland, she waited for him to fall back before pulling her horse right next to Yue.
"Yue, this is the last time I'm going to ask you. Why are you so mad?" she asked, keeping her voice low so the men wouldn't overhear.
He looked up at her, eyes icy. "You're over celebrating your luck."
Her eyes widened before narrowing in anger. "What are you talking about?"
He just stared at her.
She fought to keep from snarling at him. "I've just beaten the same guy who, less than twenty-four hours ago, left me unconscious. Do you understand that?" When his face remained impassive, she let out a short laugh. Throwing her hands up in defeat, she continued.
"Fine. I'm sorry for being a little proud of myself. I'm sorry for being happy when others recognize what I accomplished." She realized her voice was getting louder and more hysterical. Eyes flashing, she moved in a closer to deliver the last sentence. "But most of all, I'm sorry I'm not like you, sitting on your horse and acting cold to those who love you."
She pressed her horse away from Yue. He answered her, his tone icy. "And I'm sorry, Sakura, that you're proud you beat a man who wasn't even trying."
The men behind her went very silent. The Champion's anger rose and her aura flew out, stifling some of the Elite. Instead of its usual light pink it was not closer to red. Shaking with anger, she forced herself to keep from answering. She didn't want her men to see her lose control.
She rode in silence for the next hour, hoping Yue was reading the vicious thoughts she projected towards him in her head.
****
Yue stared forward, watching the road disappear under the borrowed mount he was riding. He ignored the curious looks the Elite gave him. He was in no mood to deal with them.
His anger surrounded him like a warm cocoon, keeping almost everything but his angry thoughts from him.
'I thought I raised a warrior who knew how to tell the difference between luck and skill. Instead it appears I've raised one who gloats because someone else messed up.'
His rants continued until a lone thought broke free. This one didn't match his own angry ones. It was hurt. It was also Sakura's.
"Why isn't he proud of me?"
His anger drained, replaced by a new feeling. Guilt. He sighed and glanced over at his mistress. Her aura had cooled to its normal shade of pink, but he didn't dare visit her. He knew her anger would return if he took one step towards her.
'She still shouldn't have been so proud. I had to make her realize the victory was small,' he said, trying to convince himself.
"Victories give her hope, Yue. And hope is fuel. Let her have her fuel."
Yue growled when he heard Kero's voice. He hated the guardian entering his thoughts. He felt the lion's smile before he withdrew himself.
Yue sighed. He hated apologies.
****
Sakura sighed as she watched the sun sinking slowly down the horizon. She didn't want to travel at night, but she knew they needed to get farther. She glanced down at Adara, checking her condition. The men behind her looked weary, but she knew they would push on if asked to.
She called Lanus to her. "See how tired the men are. I need to know if we can keep going tonight," she said softly. He nodded. He was used to this command.
She watched as he wandered slowly from one group to the other, asking them casually how they fared.
Keland rode up beside her. "Are we continuing more into the night, or will we stop soon?" he asked.
She frowned. "I haven't decided yet." Looking him over, she asked, "How are you feeling?"
He smiled. "You know me. I just adore spending an entire day in the saddle."
Sakura laughed at his sarcasm, leaning over to push him on the shoulder.
His face turned serious. "How are you?" His eyes were glued to her face. She smiled grimly. It didn't touch her eyes.
"I'm fine."
Sakura knew he didn't believe her. She sighed.
'That's what you get for being so close to them. They know you so well you can't lie about how you feel.'
Before he could say anything, Lanus returned.
"The majority of the men say they're just bored. They want to stop, but I think they can handle more time in the saddle."
She looked forward at the slowly passing ground, frowning as she thought. Finally, she stopped her horse and turned to address them.
"We're going to press forward a little more. I know of a place where we'll have good shelter from any enemies. It shouldn't take us more than an hour to get there."
They all nodded. She stifled a sigh as she realized they were once again watching to make sure she was okay. She cursed Yue. If they hadn't gotten into a fight loud enough for the man on the moon to hear, the men might be leaving her alone.
She set her mount forward, increasing the pace slightly. She set her mind on the road.
'I hope we get there soon. I'm ready to forget this day.'
****
Syaoran sighed in frustration. "They weren't a large fighting force, Einar. Not large enough to take on our troops."
Einar smirked, "Maybe they don't know just how many troops we have."
He looked the man over, eyes cold. "Are you going to risk this war on a 'maybe'?"
Yelan walked into the room. "Ahh, my two favorite boys. What are we discussing today?"
Syaoran nodded politely to his mother, pulling out a chair for her. She smiled at Syaoran and let herself be seated.
"A group, containing the Champion, has been spotted," said Einar simply.
Yelan raised her eyebrows delicately. "And why don't we know where they're headed?"
Einar looked at Prince Syaoran, remembering their earlier conversation. Sighing, he turned towards the queen. "Because they have a spell preventing our Seer from Seeing them."
The queen looked at Syaoran. "And you, my sweet, cannot break the spell?"
He frowned. "It's Yue's magic."
The queen watched him, speaking slowly. "I've seen you crack hard spells before. You just need to concentrate on it." She looked at Einar. "Would you say it's vital for us to know what the Champion is doing?" At the advisor's nod, the queen focused her attention back on Syaoran. "Then I suggest you try harder."
Before Syaoran could protest, his mother rose from her chair and, content her deliberating job was finished, left them. Einar watched the prince, victory creating a gleam in his eye. Syaoran looked at him carelessly.
"Would any of your reports have information on Yue's magic?"
Einar watched him, eyes narrowing. "No, your highness, they only contain information on the Li's Staff and other miscellaneous intelligence."
The prince smirked. "Well, you've had so much on your mind, Einar, that perhaps you have forgotten. I think I'll begin my search there."
He left the room, leaving the advisor's anger behind.
Einar watched the prince go before hurriedly crossing to the other side of the room. A small table lined the wall. Reaching inside, he dug out a mirror. With a smile, he sent a spiral of his own dark blue magic hurling towards it. He watched as it began to show the shape of a young woman.
"Lisha?" he cooed softly.
Her hair was a dark black that surrounded her sapphire-blue eyes like a curtain. Her robe was a similar shade of sapphire. It covered her, engulfing her small figure, and yet strangely accenting her curves. Once she heard Einar, she looked up, mirroring his smile.
"Hello my love, how are things there?"
Einar's smile turned into a frown. "That brat of a prince is starting to suspect something. He's looking through my reports."
"And will he find anything?" Her voice stayed light.
"Of course not," he said quickly. "I took great care in writing those."
Her smile grew. "Good." Before she could continue, there was a knock on her door. She frowned. "I must go."
Einar nodded. Her image disappeared.
He placed the mirror back into the drawer before leaving the room. He was unaware of the amber watching him carefully.
****
Author's Note2: Heh, the last scene is a little darker. Hope you enjoyed.
-does a happy dance- I have a proofreader! Yay! Mini Star is SUCH a lifesaver. ^_^
-_- Sadly, though, stupid ff.net is not working. I will have to wait to post this.
Author's Note(s): I hope the last chapter was exciting enough. Umm. . . the very end scene was very important. I forget who asked, but no, I really couldn't shorten the preparations. I wanted the horses' descriptions in there because so far I've not described many things, including appearances of people. So yeah.
That's it. Hope you enjoy.
****
Yue watched her with a frown as the Elite moved forward to congratulate her. He heard Kero join him. He coughed back a snort when he saw the guardian was still in his false form.
"She was wonderful! You've trained her well," he said with a smile.
Yue glared. "She's not good enough. He was just careless. If he'd have been serious, she wouldn't have won."
Kero sighed. "You're too tough on her, Yue. She's learned so fast."
"She still needs training. Lots of it," he said.
Kero glared. "Fine. Train her until you've grilled her into a pulp. I'm sure she'll be useful then." He flew off, taking his anger with him.
The moon guardian sighed, keeping his face straight.
'I just want to help her. I won't watch her get killed.'
****
After five minutes of their congratulations, she was ready to push each and every one of them over a cliff. At first it had been nice to let her ego feast. Her ego was now full and giving her indigestion. She sighed before stepping through the crowd of Elite. Before they could continue, she held up a hand.
"We can't waste anymore time. Mount up."
She turned her back on them as she checked her tack to make sure it was still in place. She patted Adara's head and went to examine Talos. He snorted into his mistress's hand and was rewarded with a gentle smile. Lifting his head to reach her face, he smelled all over before finally snorting again. Sakura ducked to avoid it. With a stern look, she strode over to Aeolus.
Master Panos was standing next to him, returning his lunch to his saddlebag. He saw her approaching and flashed a charming smile.
"That was some wonderful lunchtime entertainment," he said, his voice light.
She cringed. "It was nothing. I just hope he doesn't reappear anytime soon."
He smiled politely, letting their conversation fall into silence. Sakura watched as the Elite, along with the troop the king had assigned, mounted up. She turned suddenly to the mage.
"Will you have enough magic to close an entire valley?"
He looked surprised. "Well, if there are rocks nearby, yes. If not, I might have to ask for your help."
She nodded and looked away. "I wish I at least knew why the Li's suddenly hate us so much. We were never wonderful allies, but why did they suddenly get an itch to attack us?"
He looked away thoughtfully. "I don't know, but for some reason our eastern neighbors DO hate us. And we'll just have to be ready." He smiled at her. "And with the strongest Champion our country has ever seen, we should be able to hang on."
She blushed. "I don't know about that."
He rested a hand on her shoulder. "I do. You're a wonderful Champion, Sakura. And a wonderful leader. Your men all love you. I've never seen men obeying someone as well as your men obey you."
Her blush deepened. With a polite nod, she left him for her mare.
Throwing herself into the saddle, she looked over to see Yue already seated atop Talos. His face was impassive as he stared at her. She shared the gaze before breaking away and turning towards her men.
"We'll ride till late night. Be prepared for a late meal. We need to make better time," she said, letting the wind carry her voice.
Grimly, they nodded. Sakura spurred her horse forward, leading the train of men towards the valley.
****
Sakura rode in silence, glancing often at Yue. He hadn't said a word to her since they'd left. He kept his face looking forward. She sighed finally and turned to him.
"What is it that's turned your face so sour, Yue?" She tried to keep her voice light, but winced when she heard the harshness embedded inside.
He turned to her, his face the example of her statement. He raised an eyebrow.
"I've done nothing wrong. Why are you acting like that?"
Slowly, he answered. "I'm acting like myself. I never said you did anything wrong."
She sighed, a long, angry sigh. She decided a change in subject was needed. "Did you cover our tracks so the prince couldn't See us anymore?"
He nodded without looking at her.
Sakura turned sharply to face the front, her anger making her sit straighter. She glanced down at Kero, who had curled up in her lap. He was looking at Yue with a scowl.
Keland pulled up beside Sakura, chattering away. He stopped suddenly, unnerved at the silence surrounding the Champion and her guardians. He glanced anxiously at her. She shook her head lightly with a silent 'Don't ask'.
"How is everyone back there?" she asked politely.
His face broke into a grin. "Still discussing your fight with the Prince."
She heard Yue snort. Motioning discreetly to Keland, she waited for him to fall back before pulling her horse right next to Yue.
"Yue, this is the last time I'm going to ask you. Why are you so mad?" she asked, keeping her voice low so the men wouldn't overhear.
He looked up at her, eyes icy. "You're over celebrating your luck."
Her eyes widened before narrowing in anger. "What are you talking about?"
He just stared at her.
She fought to keep from snarling at him. "I've just beaten the same guy who, less than twenty-four hours ago, left me unconscious. Do you understand that?" When his face remained impassive, she let out a short laugh. Throwing her hands up in defeat, she continued.
"Fine. I'm sorry for being a little proud of myself. I'm sorry for being happy when others recognize what I accomplished." She realized her voice was getting louder and more hysterical. Eyes flashing, she moved in a closer to deliver the last sentence. "But most of all, I'm sorry I'm not like you, sitting on your horse and acting cold to those who love you."
She pressed her horse away from Yue. He answered her, his tone icy. "And I'm sorry, Sakura, that you're proud you beat a man who wasn't even trying."
The men behind her went very silent. The Champion's anger rose and her aura flew out, stifling some of the Elite. Instead of its usual light pink it was not closer to red. Shaking with anger, she forced herself to keep from answering. She didn't want her men to see her lose control.
She rode in silence for the next hour, hoping Yue was reading the vicious thoughts she projected towards him in her head.
****
Yue stared forward, watching the road disappear under the borrowed mount he was riding. He ignored the curious looks the Elite gave him. He was in no mood to deal with them.
His anger surrounded him like a warm cocoon, keeping almost everything but his angry thoughts from him.
'I thought I raised a warrior who knew how to tell the difference between luck and skill. Instead it appears I've raised one who gloats because someone else messed up.'
His rants continued until a lone thought broke free. This one didn't match his own angry ones. It was hurt. It was also Sakura's.
"Why isn't he proud of me?"
His anger drained, replaced by a new feeling. Guilt. He sighed and glanced over at his mistress. Her aura had cooled to its normal shade of pink, but he didn't dare visit her. He knew her anger would return if he took one step towards her.
'She still shouldn't have been so proud. I had to make her realize the victory was small,' he said, trying to convince himself.
"Victories give her hope, Yue. And hope is fuel. Let her have her fuel."
Yue growled when he heard Kero's voice. He hated the guardian entering his thoughts. He felt the lion's smile before he withdrew himself.
Yue sighed. He hated apologies.
****
Sakura sighed as she watched the sun sinking slowly down the horizon. She didn't want to travel at night, but she knew they needed to get farther. She glanced down at Adara, checking her condition. The men behind her looked weary, but she knew they would push on if asked to.
She called Lanus to her. "See how tired the men are. I need to know if we can keep going tonight," she said softly. He nodded. He was used to this command.
She watched as he wandered slowly from one group to the other, asking them casually how they fared.
Keland rode up beside her. "Are we continuing more into the night, or will we stop soon?" he asked.
She frowned. "I haven't decided yet." Looking him over, she asked, "How are you feeling?"
He smiled. "You know me. I just adore spending an entire day in the saddle."
Sakura laughed at his sarcasm, leaning over to push him on the shoulder.
His face turned serious. "How are you?" His eyes were glued to her face. She smiled grimly. It didn't touch her eyes.
"I'm fine."
Sakura knew he didn't believe her. She sighed.
'That's what you get for being so close to them. They know you so well you can't lie about how you feel.'
Before he could say anything, Lanus returned.
"The majority of the men say they're just bored. They want to stop, but I think they can handle more time in the saddle."
She looked forward at the slowly passing ground, frowning as she thought. Finally, she stopped her horse and turned to address them.
"We're going to press forward a little more. I know of a place where we'll have good shelter from any enemies. It shouldn't take us more than an hour to get there."
They all nodded. She stifled a sigh as she realized they were once again watching to make sure she was okay. She cursed Yue. If they hadn't gotten into a fight loud enough for the man on the moon to hear, the men might be leaving her alone.
She set her mount forward, increasing the pace slightly. She set her mind on the road.
'I hope we get there soon. I'm ready to forget this day.'
****
Syaoran sighed in frustration. "They weren't a large fighting force, Einar. Not large enough to take on our troops."
Einar smirked, "Maybe they don't know just how many troops we have."
He looked the man over, eyes cold. "Are you going to risk this war on a 'maybe'?"
Yelan walked into the room. "Ahh, my two favorite boys. What are we discussing today?"
Syaoran nodded politely to his mother, pulling out a chair for her. She smiled at Syaoran and let herself be seated.
"A group, containing the Champion, has been spotted," said Einar simply.
Yelan raised her eyebrows delicately. "And why don't we know where they're headed?"
Einar looked at Prince Syaoran, remembering their earlier conversation. Sighing, he turned towards the queen. "Because they have a spell preventing our Seer from Seeing them."
The queen looked at Syaoran. "And you, my sweet, cannot break the spell?"
He frowned. "It's Yue's magic."
The queen watched him, speaking slowly. "I've seen you crack hard spells before. You just need to concentrate on it." She looked at Einar. "Would you say it's vital for us to know what the Champion is doing?" At the advisor's nod, the queen focused her attention back on Syaoran. "Then I suggest you try harder."
Before Syaoran could protest, his mother rose from her chair and, content her deliberating job was finished, left them. Einar watched the prince, victory creating a gleam in his eye. Syaoran looked at him carelessly.
"Would any of your reports have information on Yue's magic?"
Einar watched him, eyes narrowing. "No, your highness, they only contain information on the Li's Staff and other miscellaneous intelligence."
The prince smirked. "Well, you've had so much on your mind, Einar, that perhaps you have forgotten. I think I'll begin my search there."
He left the room, leaving the advisor's anger behind.
Einar watched the prince go before hurriedly crossing to the other side of the room. A small table lined the wall. Reaching inside, he dug out a mirror. With a smile, he sent a spiral of his own dark blue magic hurling towards it. He watched as it began to show the shape of a young woman.
"Lisha?" he cooed softly.
Her hair was a dark black that surrounded her sapphire-blue eyes like a curtain. Her robe was a similar shade of sapphire. It covered her, engulfing her small figure, and yet strangely accenting her curves. Once she heard Einar, she looked up, mirroring his smile.
"Hello my love, how are things there?"
Einar's smile turned into a frown. "That brat of a prince is starting to suspect something. He's looking through my reports."
"And will he find anything?" Her voice stayed light.
"Of course not," he said quickly. "I took great care in writing those."
Her smile grew. "Good." Before she could continue, there was a knock on her door. She frowned. "I must go."
Einar nodded. Her image disappeared.
He placed the mirror back into the drawer before leaving the room. He was unaware of the amber watching him carefully.
****
Author's Note2: Heh, the last scene is a little darker. Hope you enjoyed.
-does a happy dance- I have a proofreader! Yay! Mini Star is SUCH a lifesaver. ^_^
-_- Sadly, though, stupid ff.net is not working. I will have to wait to post this.