Summary:  In the beautiful moonlit garden sits obviously the princess, her emerald eyes gleaming.  Next to her is the Prince, with messy chestnut hair partly covering his eyes.  What a perfect scene…too bad the princess isn't really a princess.

Authoresses Note: Yeah, here's chapter 2!  Thankies for all who reviewed!  Keep it up! .

DISCLAIMER: it all belongs to CLAMP, just the story pot is done.  There.

This chapter is dedicated to my Dance teacher at M.S. 51, Mrs. Felio.  Although I was only in her class for one year before she had to leave and move away, it was unforgettable.  She was no doubt, my most inspiring teacher.  And that year in dance made me really see that I actually could do things I didn't believe I could. and although she's not gonna read this, she's made me think about not just dance, but everything else, including writing.

Waltz of the Katana

Chapter 2: Leaving

A young man stood, facing the sun as it dipped into the ocean.  He squinted his fierce amber eyes in that direction, and then turned around; leaning on the balcony he stood on.  He must have been just a teenager, but there was a sense of importance about him.

"Syaorannnnnn!"

The boy sighed and turned to face the voice below him.  "Yes cousin Meiling?"

From below, a girl about the same age as the boy waved happily.  "You excited?" she clapped her hands.

"About what?"

"Oh, don't be silly," the girl Meiling put her hands on her waist.  "You know what I mean."

Syaoran ran a hand through his chestnut hair.  It fell to the sides in a messy way, but he didn't care much.  "Yes, Meiling, sure I'm excited." He shrugged.  "Hold on," he disappeared from the balcony, and a minute later joined Meiling where she stood on ground level.

"They're going to be here soon.  Remember, Ruby Moon went out to meet them," Meiling linked arms with Syaoran, swinging by his side.  Her black hair, tied in two pigtails with buns, whooshed back and forth, hitting Syaoran's shoulder.  "I wanted to go, you know?  But of course, your Uncle wouldn't let me," she ranted on.  "No, no one in the royal family can be hurt," she mimicked.

The two walked along a stone paved path, entering a garden.  Syaoran dully half-listened to his cousin's conversation.  Did anyone notice the four men surrounding them?  They stood solemn, ready to attack any disturbance to the children.

"But everything your father says is law.  Well, of course, your father is King Li," she continued.  "I wonder if…"

Syaoran frowned the slightest bit.  Yes, word was law from King Li, and the word was that he was to marry the Senator's daughter.  Still…it can't be that bad, right? He convinced himself silently.  But then again, now protection for me it going up…not that I want to end up dead.

"I wonder if the Senator's daughter is nice," Meiling's voice was heard again.  "What's her name?"

"Mineko."

"Oh, yeah, now I remember.  Mineko…" she repeated.  "I can't wait to meet her!"

Sakura

"Tomorrow,"

Sakura nodded silently, and bowed to Watanabe.  Tomorrow… her mind echoed.  Tomorrow this time, she would be gone from Chiheisen academy.

"You'll be leaving at dawn to get a good start before the sun is full up," Watanabe explained further.  She fanned herself with merely simple flicks of her wrist to move the fan.  It had the kind of grace that everyone could only admire.

Sakura leaned forward a little, looking both ways at the other people sitting by her side on the bench.  There was a total of about twenty, mostly students she knew, but some were known to her as her teachers.  She squinted to shade herself from the sunlight, trying to watch Watanabe as she paced in front of the bench slowly.

"Well, that is all.  Go back to your quarters and pack first…I'll see you at supper," Watanabe excused the group.  She smiled a little, and waited for everyone to trail off into their separate ways.  Then she headed back to the Main house.

Later

Back at the quarters, Tomoyo was rushing back and forth across the room.  "Oh, I'll have to bring this too," she held up a small pile of parchment, and then mumbled something about recording the journey.  "And where did my bottles on medicine go?  I should bring all my notes from school…"

Sakura watched without much interest, perched by the windowsill.  She swung her legs, back and forth, back and forth, like a pendulum.  Her eyes stared into the thick air dully.  Decoy her head printed out to her.  Now it actually sounded a little fun.  It's like playing make believe.  I'm gonna be the princess!

"Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

"You should start packing," Tomoyo instructed.  She yanked a brown net-like sack from a shelf and tossed it in Sakura's direction.

"Oh, yeah," Sakura crouched over by her possessions kept in a rather small cubby.  In the very back, was a red book, lined with gold pictures.  The front was a picture of some sort of winged lion, and the back a sun and moon.  It was secured shut with a golden lock, but Sakura clicked it open.  Inside were the Clow cards, safely resting in the pile inside.  She shuffled through them to make sure they were all accounted for, then tucked it into the sack.  Next in her belongings was a series of blankets and cloths.  Those she put in the sack too, following things like books.  By the time she had dropped in her hair accessories and medicine bottle, she figured she was done.  Not that she even had much to bring.  Finally though, she added two daggers…just for…cooking.  Self protection would do too. (=P)  Her sword she left lying next to the sack.  It was secured in a worn down sheath, but the sword itself was something to look at.  In the handle, vines were engraved in tiny etches that were small enough to act for better grip.  The blade shined bright, as if proud to show off for anyone watching.  Sure, this sword looked beautiful, but did it work well?  It actually did.

"Oooh, taking your katana out again?" Chiharu inched closer to Sakura from where she sat with her sack.  "Can I try it?  Just for a second?"

The sword cut through the air swiftly, as Sakura gave it a swing.  "Uh huh," she handed it to Chiharu.

Chiharu nodded and grasped the handle.  It was heavier than it looked… "Waahh…h-e-a-v-y…" she breathed out.  Still she grinned and waved it around a little.  Once she was done, she returned it to Sakura.  "Thankies!"

And then…

"Psst!"

"…mmmnn…"

"Psssssttttttt…pssssssss!"

A lump shifted slightly, and the tiniest humming came.  "…zzz…"

"PST!" the other silhouette crowed.  A hand went up, then down on the lump.

"Phweee…!" the lump responded back, and jerked upright.  "Mmmnnn…no-drill-"

"Sakura, up!" the silhouette commanded.  "Watanabe passed by a minute ago.  She told us to wake you.  You're to head to the Main house."

Sakura rubbed her eyes.  "Now?"

"Yes!" This time two voices chorused together, those she knew as Tomoyo and Chiharu.

Chiharu yanked Sakura up and off of her sleeping matt, while Tomoyo dropped a thin robe over her.  Sakura nodded faintly.  "What time is it?" she muttered.

"Byebyes," Chiharu ignored the question and pushed Sakura out the door, closing it behind her.

Sakura's answer was found when her eyes adjusted to her dark surroundings.  The sun was no where to be seen, and the only sounds were the crickets and her footsteps as she stumbled across to the Main house.  She could see a few lights were on in it, and guided herself to the entrances nearest the lighted rooms.

"Ohayo Kinomoto," a woman greeted her into the building.  She ushered her to one of the lighted rooms and gestured for her to sit.

Barely morning…can't really say 'Ohayo' yet in my logic, Sakura thought and plopped onto a cushion.  "Uh, why am I here?  We're not leaving yet, right?"

"Oh, no, not yet.  Just, you need to get ready.  You are going to have to look like the senator's daughter, future princess after all," the woman chuckled at her 'joke'.  She snapped her fingers twice, and another woman came in.  On her arm were two dresses, both only kinds Sakura had seen Royalty wear.  "Choose one you like,"

Sakura's face lit up.  Tomoyo would love designing things like this, she couldn't help thinking.  Both were stunning, but she chose.  Then the two women sent her to the bath to scrub herself clean.  Finally, she slipped on the dress and looked in the mirror.  The dress was a light shade of pink, her favorite color.  Over it were layers of pale white, transparent-like pieces, like big flower pedals.  It had a traditional Chinese neckline, laced in white as well.  The sleeve were long and widened at the end, and Sakura couldn't help seeing what she'd look like holding her hands together in them, trying to look 'princess-like'.

"Now we do your hair," the woman approached Sakura with a small dagger.  "We'll just make the back shorter…"

Giving a look of goodbye to her hair, Sakura nodded.  "Uh…okay."

Sakura's hair had been barely higher than shoulder length, but then the woman cut.  She cut and cut, the blade of the dagger slicing through her hair.  Out of the corner of her eye Sakura could see when strands of hair would drop out to the floor on her side.  Finally it was done.  Her hair was now in an almost boyish hair cut, in that short way.  Still, the front strands of hair hung around her face, just as it did before.  She actually liked it, when she thought about it.  Then the woman started doing things such as filing her nails and doing makeup…

By the time Sakura stumbled back out of the Main house, the sun appeared, rolling gently over the horizon.  It would be time to leave.  Sakura walked back to the quarters, feeling guilty about getting any dirt on the beautiful slippers she wore, and careful not to catch the dress and rip it, no dirty it.  Sounds like hard work.

"Kawaaiiii!!!"

Tomoyo pranced around, examining Sakura from all angles.  "Look at her!"

When Sakura opened the door to the quarters, her whole cabin was up to see the three off.  They all beamed at Sakura's appearance.

"I told you you're a princess!"

"Can I feel the sleeve for a second?"

"You're hair's different!"

"We'll miss you!"

Everyone gathered around the three, exchanging hugs.  Finally, they let them pick up their sacks.

"Good luck!  We expect you back soon!"

Sakura sighed, taking in the quarters for the last time in a little while.  She didn't know when she would be back, but…she'd be back…one day.  She hated to interrupt his slumber, but Sakura tapped her finger against Kero's head, waking him up.

The little creature rolled to its side, and absently floated up a few inches above the floor where he slept.  His small wings propelled him.  "Aww, time already?"

Sakura nodded, and perched him on her shoulder, where he fell back asleep, mumbling, "Cupcaaaake…food…sweet food…"

After more goodbyes, Sakura, Tomoyo, and Chiharu left the house.  They walked down the trail in silence, but when they met up with everyone else, Tomoyo broke the spell.  "Uh, is the senator's daughter here yet, by any chance?"

Another voice replied, "She's over there,"

The three shuffled past the others who were finalizing preparations, eager to meet the princess.  "Hold it."

A man in his early twenties or so held his arm in front of Sakura.  She looked up to meet the eyes of her older brother, Toya.  "You didn't put your things on your horses yet, did you?" he nodded at the sacks in their arms.

"But I wanna-"Sakura started to protest.

"Do your work," Toya interrupted.  His facial expression was calm as he led the three to their horses.  "Here,"

Sakura pouted, then stuck out her tongue childishly.  "Stinky,"

Toya smirked at his sister's reaction.  "What would mother or father say?  Poor them, landed with a kaijuu," he joked.  A small thud was heard, and he kneeled over.

"Good kick…" a girl observed.  She laughed a little, a small delicate laugh.  Her eyes sparkled a familiar emerald, and her hair was short, boyish short.

"Oh, excuse me," Sakura recognized her, and rushed in front of the girl.  "Are you Mineko…uh, I mean Yamamoto-sama." She corrected herself.

The girl blinked her green eyes, and nodded.  "Yes, that is me,"

Sakura quickly bent into a bow.  "Pleasure to meet you Yamamoto-sama!" she bowed a few more times.  "I'm S-"

"Sakura Kinomoto, right?" Mineko held a hand out.  "I can tell by your looks," she grinned.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense," Sakura sweatdropped.  "These are my friends," she stood aside.

"Tomoyo Daidouji," Tomoyo smiled sweetly, bowed, and said politely, "Konichiwa,"

 Next Chiharu bowed.  "Hi, I'm Chiharu Mihara.  Good to finally meet you, Yamamoto-sama!"

Mineko shook her head, "Oh, you all really don't have to use formalities.  Call me Mineko…Mimi for short." She bowed back to them.  She really was the split image of Sakura, so much that they all looked in awe.  "Besides, you really should be calling Kinomoto Yamamoto-sama," she joked.

"You don't have to use formalities either," the girls chorused.

"Attention!"

They spun around to watch where Watanabe stood, her voice high above the others.  Silence followed them.  "Are all preparations finished?"

A murmur of agreement was responded back.  "Well, then start mounting, we'll be leaving in a few minutes.  I cannot come on you on this journey; I have Chiheisen Academy to attend to.  Still, I wish you the best of luck, and bless the marriage of Mineko-sama to Prince Li.  I have complete faith, watching you as you've grown in this academy.  Farewell for now," she bowed to the crowd, then waved them to get back to their business."

"Hello Sakura," another man in his early twenties nodded to Sakura.  He had grayish hair, and magical blue eyes, overwelling with kindness, from behind thin rimmed glasses.

Sakura blushed slightly, "Hello Yukito!"

Yukito waved at Toya, who had just finished packing the bags.  "Hey Toya," Then turned back to Sakura.  "From now on, you are Princess Mineko.  I'll show you to your carriage."

Yukito took hold of Sakura's hand.  They walked past the horses, and stopped in front of the small box-like compartment.  He opened the side, and ushered Sakura inside.

"Wow…" she looked around it, and patted the cushion she sat on.  She closed the door, and then poked her head out the side windows.

"You look like a real princess, Sakura," Yukito patted Sakura on the head.  "You have the Clow cards?"

Sakura nodded.  Se rummaged through her sack, and started to hold the up, but Yukito stopped her.  "Just checking." He gestured at Sakura's katana, laid down on the floor of the compartment.  "I'm going to have to hold that for you…at least for a while." He waited for the katana to come to his hands, and when it did, he bowed slightly and left her.

Sakura looked down into her empty hands, without her katana.  She looked back at Chiheisen Academy, her home since she was born, for the last time in a long while, before shutting the window.