Hello readers.
Sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time. To let you know how I'm doing with my stories, you can go to my bio. You'll find all the information there. Oh, and I got a question if Tomoyo is going to be in this story. And, yes, she will be. Just later on. But I must tell you that there's no E/T in here. They're just going to be good friends... Enjoy.

Tears Come
Chapter Three: Just Because

All was quiet.

The crickets were singing that night loudly, the fires crackled against the wind, and Sakura just stood there as if she were a lifeless doll. A large gulp descended down her throat while wringing her hands in agitation. She felt awkward in the midst of all these common men. Her feet were as if they were bound together with uncomfortable ropes. She was almost crippled from this curtain of silence.

As soon as the men heard the one standing before her say that she was the princess of their land, their jaws hung from their hinges. There was a slight murmur of voices that sounded like the wind. She saw the soldiers looking at one another with curious and incredible looks.

"Uh's" and "Um's" fell out of her mouth. Her eyes were set on the top of bowing man's head. He was still there in the same position for almost more than five minutes...seven feet away. Sakura's breathing induced to short, labored breaths.

Syaoran was a toy soldier. His body and legs could not stand this much longer.

Hushed snickers came Sakura's way as she just stood idiotically in the middle of the congregation. She pursed her lips together in embarrassment.

Careful not to make any sudden moves, Kero floated behind her cheek and gently whispered in her ear," Sakura, you've been in many similar situations. Just calm down and say something."

Small nods came from Sakura thanking Kero in her mind. Silence reigned once again. She took a deep, confident breath with the soldiers following her every move. But her confident breath vanished and it was replaced by a weak voice.

"Could you escort me to the authorities of this camp?"

A bursting laughter came forth from the quiet crowd of men. Sakura shifted her head to the outrageous sound. Syaoran's downcast eyes flickered sideways toward the approaching man

"They've gone away!" A barbaric and filthy man took long strides toward the princess. "You and your friends here to take their place?" From fifteen feet away, Sakura could already smell his vulgar stench. "'Cause I'll gladly help you...adjust." The foul man's last word blew Sakura away. Her mouth was opened in disgust, although no one could see her reaction. On the other hand, the creepy man's lips framed bare, yellow teeth; some were unaccounted for. His egotistic advance did not stop from her disregard of him.

Ah... Why is he walking toward me? Don't come any closer! Or else Yue will...
Oh, Sakura did not want to think about it.

Thirteen feet away.... Ten feet.... Eight feet....

The dirty man stopped dead in his tracks. He had roamed too closely for Yue's taste. Yue's magical bow and arrow were in his hands instantly. A faded silver reflected off of the bow. The distasteful stare that Yue gave the man was as if it was the essence of death. Not knowing what to do, the man made no thought of moving. He was tied down like a sickly dog.

His whole body was enveloped in terror of losing his life. The trembling increased. His eyes seemed to bulge out at any second like a helpless hare on the verge of life and death.

Yue tugged the illuminated string along with the arrow to its full extent and fixed the point of the arrow on the man's excess neck.

"You're out of your palace. It's not necessary to kill your own soldiers during a time when you need them the most." The other man who was still in his bowing position, Sakura noted, had a strong-willed voice as he said these words to her guardian, Yue.

The bow lowered and was pointed down in between Yue's feet. His head swiftly whirled around to his left, glowering at the boyish man because of stealing his attention away from his prey. He seemed as if to destroy with those icy fire eyes reflecting the moon's pale fulgor. They shrank into snake-like slits.

"What is your name, peasant?" Yue's enunciated the final word haughtily to demonstrate his capability of the life of this feeble, ordinary boy.

This boy finally raised his head up, but was still in his bowing position. They peered into each other's souls.

"I dare not tell, for my peasant name could defile your imperial and taintless mind," said this enigmatic man, who itched to mention some other taunts. But reluctantly, he lowered his head, once again, and faced the muddy ground.

Soldiers cackled with mirth as Syaoran declared the outlawed statement. They whispered to each other saying," Li-san's the only one who'd say somethin' like that." Syaoran withheld a chuckle as he could hear Yue grumbling incoherent words.

Joining Syaoran's joke, the soldiers created some of their own. They threw their fists in the air repeating some different versions of Syaoran's statement. However, most did not make sense at all. But that made Yue even more furious.

Yue's hands tightened around his bow and arrow, ready to annihilate anything in his path.

Sakura was quite a bit offended by this man's words, for she was also royalty. With a touch of hands, Sakura pleaded softly for Yue to not cause any ruckus. Knowing that Yue was able to hold in his anger, she began to retaliate. A curtain of silence fell over the men. Her lips opened cautiously. Eager ears listened for the princess' voice. Would she command them to stop? Command her guardians to annihilate every one of them for insulting her majesty? That would be a massacre! The soldiers trembled at the thought.

"I have come here to serve you, to assist you in this kingdom's war, to risk my life for yours," Sakura's quavering voice soon became dauntless all of a sudden, knowing that she had the men's undivided attention. "And, here, you taunt me with words that do nothing and that will never mean anything."

Tension filled the air. A few whispers could be heard among the soldiers once again. Not one person dared to speak up. Neither Yue nor Kero could contemplate of what to say for support. Sakura had practically summarized everything that was muddled in their heads. Never knowing that Sakura could say something so persuasive, they glanced at each other in amazement at what had fallen out of her mouth.

Suddenly, the man spoke up, still in his curtsy. "Forgive me for starting these unwholesome antics. We'll take your words to heart, Princess." With one arm across his abdomen and the other behind his back, he stepped backwards three steps carefully from his toes to his heels. He then wheeled around, showing his back to Sakura.

Now Sakura's mind was evaluating what had just occurred before her. Questions popped up out of nowhere.

The man walked into the woods. But for a brief second, Sakura sighted him turn his face to the side to look at...her. She squinted her eyes to make out a soft, miniscule smile appearing on his handsome face. Not one person had detected that moment. Everyone was too busy to notice as they came closer to say their apologies. Yue and Kero were keeping the men's distance.

That man faced forward to his destination as he was before. Then disappeared from everyone's sight into the shadowy forest.

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Sakura giggled as a few soldiers advanced towards her to say their apologies. They were so humble. Many of them stuttered in embarrassment as they asked for forgiveness. Some had even offered to help her with setting up her tent. But the ones that had assisted her, had wondered why her tent was the same as their plain and simple ones. She had shrugged in reply with a pleasant laugh.

While constructing her tent, she would always glance at that man. He had been in that forest for about an hour so, but he had returned and casually leaned against a large trunk of a tree.

Finally, the soldiers stopped coming up to her. She now sat inside her tent while Yue and Kero seated themselves outside of it. The shelter was much too small for two people. Besides, it would be awkward to be so close to Yue while sleeping. He was practically a man. So it was settled that Kero would sleep inside for he was a "stuffed animal," as Yue would always say.

Sakura fell back into her cushioned pillow. She thought more about that man. The soldiers had mentioned his name before... Li-san, was it? Why the '-san?' Was he that significant to the men? Her brow furrrowed in concentration. How was it that he knew to stand exactly seven feet away, and then step backwards three steps before he turned around? He never lifted his head up until he was joking with Yue. But right after, his head went straight back down. How did he know how to act in front of royalty? Who was thi-

Horses' hooves outside her tent suddenly interrupted her train of thought.

But when the sound instantly halted, there was nothing at all. The chatter and the laughter of men had disappeared. Those blatant grasshoppers were at it again. Did Yue and Kero not notify her of something? They were lounging outside her tent, were they not? Sakura did not overhear them exchanging words. No way would there be a battle now. She did not make out the slice of any swords.

Quizzically, Sakura popped her head out between the flaps of her beige tent.

The soldiers were all on one knee with their heads bowed. Yue and Kero were nowhere to be found.

Wait...she heard horses. Where were they now? The sound of the pounding hooves seemed to be growing distant. Her eyes wandered.

There she saw a man - a very familiar man. Black hair... Tall stature... On the contrary, he rode a majestic stallion that was coincidentally a carbon copy of her brother's... Oh, how she loved to ride her bro-

Her brother's...

Sakura choked on her breath, forming an audible peeping sound. Everyone turned to look at her. Her head sunk to its lowest level, releasing an uneasy laugh. She glanced around and saw that they began to chat of the random noise that leaked out from her. The murmurs spread. They grew into amused sniggers and snorts.

Not wanting her unexpected brother to turn around, she made bizarre hand motions signaling the men to stop their noise. But because of her strange hand motions, their chuckles transformed into howling laughter.

Sakura glanced to her right, sighting that mysterious man from before. The one she had been musing over. He never looked up. His head was still facing the dirt with one knee in the grass.

Disappointed with her lack of attention, Sakura immediately looked back at the men who were laughing… just… a minute ago. And those hooves... why did they stop? They were in their kneeling position as before. How come they did not treat her with the same respect? Concentrate.

Reluctantly, Sakura looked up at her brother who had always told her to stay in the palace. And what she saw was him, staring right back at her.

Oh no. Oh no. He sees me! He's staring at me! I need to hide!

Innocently, Sakura crawled back in her lonely tent. She scooted to the back of the tent and buried her head in her knees which were secured by her quivering arms. Praying that this was just some kind of nightmare... Praying that that man was not her brother, but just another soldier...

However, that was not the truth. She understood that he came here to fight, not to waste his time searching for her. Oh, what a surprise for him to find her here above all places.

Touya popped his head in the tent and saw The Kaijuu shaking. He sighed. He had always known that The Kaijuu had desired to fight more than anything in the world. But she had to go back home, where his father was. He had been pacing around the throne room for hours because of her. How troublesome!

Soldiers endeavored to peek in, but with the heir to the throne kneeling there, they were a bit unsure.

"Oy, Kaijuu! Get up! You better not be crying! Or else... I'm going to take you back home."

Sakura instantly moved over to her brother's head as she laughed with glee and wrapped her arms around him. Touya shut his eyes tightly as his body was thrown backward by the pressure. Slowly, he opened them finding The Kaijuu embracing him securely. Seeing all the men smirking at him, Touya shoved her off as she clung onto him like a stubborn crab. With his flustered face, the men chuckled.

As each soldier passed by Touya, giving him some manly pats, Sakura clutched her brother's arm in refuge. But that man... Li-san... He never made a sound, nor did he ever smile. It was just that one time he did. Just that once. And it was for her.

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Wow. How cute.
Anyways, since the school year is coming, I'll be updating slowly, but surely. If you have any questions or comments, just review the fic. If you want me to reply to you if you have a question, email me.

-AnonymousT