Disclaimer: Must I go through the pain all the time? Don't own.
-.-.-.-.-
"Saguro," a voice said.
"What is it Li-sama?" said a messenger.
"Do you have any news of that Japanese kingdom which the Kinomoto line rules?" The prince asked. "I heard it's powerful, rich, and all that jazz. It would immensely improve our condition here...especially after that war we had with those foolish Europeans. Even though we won, I am sure you are clear with the fact that we have lost much in the war. A Pyrrhic victory."
"Y-yes of course, Li-sama," came the reply. "Well, the kingdom pretty much belongs to the Princess Kinomoto Sakura since the rest of her family died...I'm not so sure why. She's only eighteen. But I heard that she is refusing to marry anyone because she's afraid of her husband completely sucking the power of the kingdom out of her hands."
"And that's exactly what we'll have to do. I'd marry her if it would bring China to a better condition that now. Even if I probably can't stand her," The prince replied.
"Yes, we all know you are trained not to love. But...how are you ever going to make her agree to marry you?" The messenger asked.
"Simple. Make her fall in love with me. It'll be too easy."
It was common knowledge that the Prince of China, Li Syaoran, was cold, unloving...but majorly attractive. He could not walk outside of the palace with women swooning over his amber eyes or unruly chocolate hair, which is why he hated taking a stroll outside the castle walls and never did. He had lost his family in the war so it was up to him to rule China, even if he was a young man in his twenties. Twenty and a half to be exact. (A/N: -sigh- Typical Syaoran, ne?)
He did, thankfully, have his two distant cousins Eriol and Meiling to help him there. They were his closest friends and the only people he would soften up to. Since they weren't the in line obviously, they weren't ruling even though they were older than Li Syaoran.
"But sir, I heard that she has turned down every single suitor without even so much as glance at them! And she gives each suitor a warning that if they return, they will be executed!" The messenger cried.
"Do you think I'm stupid? I won't get executed. You know I am well trained and am able to wiggle my way out of any tight situation. It's not like I haven't done it before. And you know that. Are you saying that I can't do this?"
"O-of course not, sire," the messenger bowed deeply.
"Alright, you may leave. I need to plan this out carefully."
After another bow, the messenger left Li Syaoran to his thoughts.
-.-.-.-.-
"Ah...ahh...AHHH..." Sakura started. Then she let out a big yawn. Not long after the big yawn, she suddenly sneezed. "AH CHOO!" (A/N: I hate when that happens lol.)
Sakura rubbed her slightly red nose with her finger and sniffed. Tomoyo ran up to her and patter her back softly. "Are you alright, Sakura?"
"Mmph, yeah," Sakura said as she scrunched up her nose. "Someone must be talking about me."
Tomoyo giggled. "So superstitious, Sakura. But I don't doubt that someone could be talking about you." She winked at the princess and chuckled at her angry face as the princess whined, "Tomoyo..."
"Well, seeing that you're finished with breakfast, do you want to do your daily workout? Or training. Whichever you prefer to call it," Tomoyo suggested as she picked up her tray full of empty silverware.
"Sure, I guess," Sakura replied as she got up from her throne and made her way to her backyard. Tomoyo watched her best friend and cousin with a smile as Sakura slashed the air with her sword. Without her father or brother, she now had to train alone. They always insisted that she be well trained and fit to fight anyone in case times became dire.
-.-.-.-.-
"Meiling," Syaoran began, "When you meet your dream guy, what would you like him to do...or act like the first time you meet him?"
"Funny someone like you should ask," A young woman with long black pigtails and ruby eyes said as she raised an eyebrow at him. "Hmm...I've actually never thought of it before. Well, um...I don't know what else to say. That's such a random and sudden question, Syaoran. But I would want them to be themselves."
"It's just that...I want to improve our country of course, but we'll need money. And the closest palace to us is the Kinomoto Kingdom...and they're pretty rich. Our country will suck if I don't marry the princess there." Syaoran explained.
"Typical greedy Syaoran," Meiling teased, shaking her head slowly at him, "But why are you asking me for all those tips for? Me of all people! I know you can just make any woman swoon by just looking at her. Everyone who knows you knows that."
"Saguro told me that the princess is afraid of her husband taking the power from her and that she turned that every single suitor—she got a lot, mind you—without so much as a glance at them. So, maybe the first impression will throw her off? I don't know, I just need to make her fall in love with me if that's the case."
"Fall in love? Well, maybe you ought not to be yourself," Meiling joked. "I suppose you can still try that. Maybe just for a week or two and see what happens. I certainly don't disagree that our country is in need of the money...but I have a bad feeling about it..."
"Maybe it's because you're too nice," Syaoran said. "You don't want the princess to be heartbroken even if it means our country is going to be poor."
"Don't you think it's mean, too?" Meiling asked with a concerned look about her face. "She obviously doesn't ever want to fall in love. And if she does, what if she finds out you did this for your own selfish desires to enrich our country? She'll definitely be completely heartbroken. AND she'll probably get mad at you and she can have you executed if she wanted! I wouldn't want that to happen to my dear cousin!"
"Meiling...you know I can wiggle out of n execution."
"But it doesn't hurt to worry, does it?" Meiling asked. "Actually, scratch that, it does in a way."
-.-.-.-.-
Syaoran was barricaded in his enormous room, thinking everything over. He was still deciding whether to just be himself—the cold-hearted and ruthless prince, or be some Prince Charming that will sweep the princess off her feet like a knight in shining armor. The Prince Charming idea was probably a better bet but Syaoran definitely was not good at being one. 'Besides', he thought, 'I bet pretty much all the suitors that tried to marry Sakura acted like some kind of Prince Charming. She must be sick of it…but then again, how would she know if she barely even glanced at them? Well, it's probably what she expected...so cold and ruthless prince it is.'
"Saguro!" Syaoran shouted, summoning his messenger again. When the breathless man arrived, he bowed deeply and waited for instructions. "Please tell Eriol everything and tell him to prepare. I want him to come with me. It might help."
"Yes, Li-sama." And with another deep bow, Saguro left Syaoran once again.
-.-.-.-.-
"Hiiragizawa-san." A man with navy blue hair and sapphire eyes turned around from his studies. He adjusted his glasses and focused his stare on the messenger. At his glance, the messenger bowed at once and asked, "May I come in for a moment?"
"Of course, Saguro," The man said as he stood up and allowed him to enter. He pulled up a chair and placed it in front of his own chair, but after turning his own chair to face the second chair. "Sit."
Saguro obeyed and he sat down after Eriol. "What is it that you must tell me, Saguro?"
"E-eto...Li-sama ordered me to tell you of his plans to enrich our country and improve our condition. All he needs is more money since most of it was spent on the war, of course." Eriol listened intently and Saguro continued. "Obviously, the nearest kingdom to ours is the Kinomoto palace but the princess there Kinomoto Sakura is the only one ruling because she also lost her family. So Li-sama's plan is to simply marry her so he could take over Japan and improve our conditions...but Princess Kinomoto is not easily won over. She won't marry a husband in fear of him taking the power, the palace from her. The only way for Li-sama to marry her is to make her fall in love."
Eriol sighed. 'Of course. That's the way Syaoran is. Greedy.' He shook his head slowly and turned his head to Saguro. "I'm not liking the idea...but I'll talk to him about it later. Is that why you're here? If so, you may leave."
"No, he also wanted me to tell you to prepare because he wants you to go to Japan with him."
"Alright, you may leave. But I still need to talk to Syaoran. Go on." Eriol nodded at the door and Saguro bowed and took his leave.
-.-.-.-.-
"Oh, Syaaaoooo-kun!" Eriol called out.
"What!" Syaoran snapped as he pulled open the door to his vast room, clearly annoyed at Eriol's sing-song voice and the nickname he gave Syaoran. "And stop calling me Syao-kun."
"I don't think you should trick a woman so you can take over her palace, Syao-kun."
Syaoran twitched at the nickname. "And...who're you to tell me what to do?"
"I didn't tell you not to. I just said you shouldn't." Eriol sighed exasperatedly. "Please use your ears, Syao-kun. They're there for a reason."
"Well..." Syaoran said, fumbling for words. "Still, just come with me to Japan. I already made up my mind. What other choices do I have?"
"Okay...I just hope all goes well but I really am against playing with a girl's heart..."
Syaoran glared at him. "We're leaving later today."
"Already!" Eriol asked, surprised.
"Hai. It's going to take a while to get there...duh."
-.-.-.-.-
"Tea, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked as she stepped into the library and headed toward a table Sakura was sitting at. She was reading from a thick book and was scribbling on a sheet of parchment. She would study the tactics of fighting and everything remotely related to it everyday. Sakura looked up as Tomoyo approached her with a tray. Two cups of green tea were sitting on it. Sakura took the nearest one when Tomoyo set it down on the table and thanked her. Tomoyo sat next to her and drank her own cup of tea. "Don't work yourself too hard, Sakura."
"I kind of have to...especially without Touya around." Sakura winced at the memory and Tomoyo gently patted her hand sympathetically.
-.-.-.-.-
"Kasuke's late," Syaoran said impatiently. He stared at the peaceful ocean water as he sat down on the dock. The calm dark blue of the water could calm even Syaoran down...not as well as other people but yes, it could. Syaoran and Eriol had booked a private boat to Japan and they were obviously waiting its arrival.
"Patience is a virtue, Syaoran."
"Shut up—"
At that moment, Eriol's life was spared as a small boat floated up to them. It was white with a golden outline as the sun shone down upon it. There was a white statue of an angel with its back stuck to the front of the boat. A golden bird rested in the palms of both her hands. Eriol turned to Syaoran and smirked.
"Ready, Syao-kun?"
-.-.-.-.-
Sorry it's short...and kinda crappy especially near the end but I was writing this at 1:30 AM. XP Just wanted to finish it. So review if you would be so kind. x)