FAMILY TIES

By JustAkiko

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but the story is all mine.

Setting: At the end of the anime… and the almost end of the manga.

Notes: This fic is mostly canon, focusing more on the manga than the anime. HOWEVER, I wrote this BEFORE I saw the first or second movie, so they have no relevance to this story. Hence the Li family etc are entirely characterised from my imagination.

Phew! I've finally returned to to my fast broadband connection at Uni and man does it feel good! I hope waiting a couple of weeks hasn't put you guys off but has maybe built up a little anticipation because... here it is! The First Challenge for our Card Mistress. In apology for such a long gap between chapters this one is slightly longer than the rest, I hope it will suffice. And there's a nice bit of S/S lemon thrown in there for all those who are missing it (like me! squee!)

Please let me know what you think, I'd love to know how people find the story/characters etc and where people maybe think this is leading... hehe So REVIEW!

Once again thanks for reading and keeping up with this tale... hopefully the wait will pay off now.

Hugs

Ja

CHAPTER 7

An Unfair Fight

Breakfast arrived much too soon for Sakura's liking; she was sure that after tossing and turning all night, she'd only just closed her eyes when a sharp knock on the door summoned both her and Tomoyo to the breakfast room.

They had dressed quickly, talking little in words, but their eyes communicating nervous thoughts rapidly between them. Sakura felt her fears come creeping back in earnest as she gazed blankly at their still unpacked luggage. All she could see was Syaoran's hard, determined face as he disappeared the night before. She hadn't seen or heard anything of him since they'd been marched to this room after that hellish dinner and she was desperate now for his reassuring presence.

Tomoyo's gentle nudge woke her from her musings and Sakura noticed that their door was open and one of the household's many servants was waiting patiently at the threshold.

"It's time to go Sakura-chan."

Sakura nodded mutely and clutched her friend's hand as they stepped out into the empty corridor, following the rapidly departing maid. The house was filled with the thin light of morning and Sakura could already feel the heat of the coming day flushing her cheeks. Or was that just her nerves? She wasn't sure.

They followed the young maid to a large door like all the others they'd seen so far. However when opened it revealed a much smaller, more homely looking room than they had both expected. A square table sat in the centre of the plain wooden floor, surrounded by four ordinary dining chairs. It was covered in a simple white cloth and atop the small surface was an impressive spread of both Japanese and Chinese breakfast foods. Four empty plates waited patiently to be filled before each empty seat.

"Please enjoy." The maid announced softly, her voice smooth and polite, before stepping back out of the room and closing the door, leaving the two girls alone with their breakfast.

Tomoyo was first to snap out of their appreciative silence.

"Well, this is more pleasant, ne Sakura-chan?"

Sakura walked slowly towards the table, marvelling at the impressive spread and the pretty simplicity of the new room. It was certainly less intimidating than the grand dining room in which they'd eaten last night, with a much friendlier atmosphere and the most delicious smells coming from the stacked table.

"Mm." She replied finally "Much nicer."

Tomoyo nodded in agreement and reached confidently to pull out a chair. Sakura, noticing her actions, cast a panicked glance around and cried out.

"No Tomoyo-chan! Perhaps we have to wait, you know, like last night."

"There's no need, my Mother won't be joining us."

The low voice carried easily across the bright airy room and Sakura felt her heart skip as she turned sharply. In front of the door, a small smile on his face, was Syaoran, looking much more relaxed than he had done the night before. The dark circles under his eyes indicated he'd only slept about as much as she had but the warmth in his amber gaze was enough to send Sakura flying into his arms. She restrained herself however, wary of their foreign surroundings and Tomoyo's ever-present camera, instead simply returning his smile.

"Ohayao gozaimasu." She said quietly, suddenly shy under his intense eyes. She heard Tomoyo's soft giggle behind her but ignored it, focusing on the boy now walking towards her.

"Ohayao." He was close enough to touch now and Sakura was sure she heard the snap of a camera case. "Did you sleep well?"

Of course I didn't, you're mother gave me nightmares!

"Hai. Arigatou."

The sympathetic glint in his deep eyes was enough to tell her he didn't believe her one bit but his weary smile gave her his understanding and Sakura felt her blush brighten as he squeezed her fingers for a brief moment.

"Ohayao Daidouji-san. It's a little early for that ne?"

Reluctantly, Sakura pulled her gaze from Syaoran and turned back to the table and her waiting friend. She'd been right, the ebony haired girl stood, waiting expectantly, with video camera in hand and an innocent smile on her face.

"The early bird always catches the worm, ne Li-kun? And I'm always ready to capture Sakura-chan's sweetest moments."

Sakura sighed at her friend drifting off into her usual daze, and finally took a seat at the table between both her friends.

"Can we?" Sakura asked politely, her hands already gripping her plate in anticipation; now Syaoran was here, she felt herself relax and the smell of food was finally penetrating her nerves and awakening her long lost appetite.

He nodded.

"Itadakimasu!"

Breakfast was a quiet affair with little talk and much eating. Once her raging appetite was sated Sakura noticed the gaze of both her companion flickering nervously around the table once again. Soon the silence had become uncomfortable and she forced herself to as the question they were all thinking.

"So… what does your Mother want me to do, Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran winced at the question and the definitive click of a camera being turned off only served to increase Sakura's fears. Tomoyo was waiting silently, an unusually grave look on her face, as Syaoran seemed to sort through his thoughts. Finally he answered.

"They'll collect you from your room this evening and take you to the Arena where they'll hold the challenge. My Mother wouldn't say much, but she did say you should dress comfortably and…"

Sakura held her breath waiting for him to finish, but his lips remained closed and he refused to meet her anxious gaze. Eventually she whispered "What?"

His eyes met hers briefly before skittering away again. His voice was hard as he finished,

"And you must leave the Cards and your Key behind."

Sakura was sure her heart stopped.

"B-but, but this is a test of my magic i-isn't it? How can I show them my power without…"

"That's all she told me." Syaoran cut her off quickly, "I can't tell you any more than I know."

Silence covered them all as the conversation was abruptly closed and Sakura's mind filled with hundreds of pointless questions about the task ahead. Questions she knew no-one in the room could answer. After what seemed an eternity, Tomoyo's warm tones broke through the tension.

"Don't worry about the Cards, you'll always have your power Sakura-chan, even without them at your side. You have your invincible spell, ne?"

Sakura smiled weakly at her best friend, who beamed encouragingly back. No one could disagree with Tomoyo for long and finally she found her own bright smile had slipped unnoticed onto her face.

"You're right Tomoyo-chan. I know that everything will be all right. Ne Syaoran-kun?"

She reached out with tentative fingers and pressed them comfortingly over his. His aura flared briefly in response and she was pleased to see a small smile form on his lips. Eventually he looked up and met her gaze, those intense amber eyes flashing once more.

"Right."

Sakura squeezed his hand gratefully and for the second time that morning she felt her spirits lift with his warm smile.

"Then it's settled." Tomoyo continued, her voice bright and eager once more. "So how about that tour you promised us Li-kun? I'd love to film such a beautiful home in daylight."

Darkness.

Heat.

A sickly sweet smoke billowing all around.

Who am I?

Cradled by a hard slab of marble the tool rested peacefully, absorbing the last of the magic.

Why am I here?

Words were murmured from languages long dead, as sorcerers long lived applied their final touches.

A blank mind. A lust to kill. Base instinct was theirs to control and they would use it to take down one of their own.

Stop!

A child.

Their superior.

The Card Mistress.

"It is finished."

Evening had fallen without much warning, giving Sakura little time to prepare for her challenge. The Sakura Cards were locked safely away in a drawer by the side of her bed. Tomoyo held on to the Key and by the time they were ready to leave for the Arena the Card Mistress was ready to do just about anything to take it from her.

Tomoyo however seemed unaffected by her predatory gaze, and had instead crooned over the girl now encased in a soft shell of the finest pink silks. Emerald eyes had widened into saucers when Tomoyo proudly revealed the 'extra-suitcase-she-must-have-brought-by mistake' that just happened to contain a whole new wardrobe of costumes for the Hong Kong trip. Within moments, the ebony-haired girl had had her kitted out in full Chinese fighting robes, not unlike those she'd seen Meiling wear in the past; But instead of the stark black, white and red, she was wrapped head to foot in a warm pink, with a red silk lining, embroidered pale pink cherry blossoms and a large golden star adorning the chest.

As she stared at her reflection in the huge gilt mirror Sakura now felt, to her surprise, a small smile grace her face. Okay, so Tomoyo's little hobby could be frustrating at times, but there was no doubting she was talented at it. And thanks to her great skill Sakura now looked much more capable for battle than she would ever feel, the lightweight cloth moving gracefully with her every movement. It took her back to her Card catching days and remembering her accomplishments then made her wonder whether she could in fact make it out of this with a smile. Perhaps she had a little of that old luck left.

A heavy knock on the door announced the beginning of her trails and Sakura watched helplessly as Tomoyo opened the door. To her surprise she saw Syaoran, also dressed in smart Chinese robes of darkest red, waiting to escort them. Her heart fluttered as he smiled wanly at her, part of her idly wondering if Tomoyo had had another suitcase just for him. She could feel the tension in his body easily matching hers and knew that they had a long night ahead of them.

"It's time." was all he said, before standing back to let the girls pass. With a small nod, and a last longing look at the locked drawer, Sakura took a step into the hall and allowed herself to be directed to where the Li Clan was waiting.

For one wild moment Sakura had expected the whole Arena to be filled with members of the Li's extended family, row upon row of angry glaring faces al awaiting her downfall. However, stepping into the appointed room she was pleased to find it almost empty, with no large audience for her to humiliate herself in front of. That only served however to add to the enormity of the space around her.

The room was huge, bigger than even she'd imagined, and bordered by rows of wooden benches, rising slowly up towards the ceiling. It truly did look like a sporting Arena; it even had a special VIP area in the centre of the seating, and as far as Sakura could see, these were the only seats filled. In each cushioned chair sat an old man, each one with varying degrees of age and wrinkles, and from the great power radiating around them Sakura knew they had to be The Elders that Syaoran had told her about. Below them sat the four Li daughters on a padded bench, one seat beside them noticeably vacant. And then in the centre of them, a rose in the midst of old thorns, was Li Yelan, her face as cold and blank as ever.

Nerves crawled across Sakura's skin like static electricity, mingling with the taste of magic that already filled the air. She clenched her fists tightly and took a deep breath, remembering some of the vague tips Syaoran had given her earlier, then forced her gaze away from the forbidding sight of the Li's, to the ceiling above. She couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her throat.

The roof was highly domed and for a moment Sakura was unsure whether or not it actually ever ended. It was the colour of a clear spring night, blues and blacks intermingled, but most surprising of all the, colours chased themselves across the very solid surface like liquid. Flashes of purple and occasionally gold appeared in the vast swirling mass of colour and Sakura could already feel herself being drawn steadily into its immense beauty.

"It's a magical barrier."

Syaoran's voice startled her and she had to force herself not to jump as it almost physically tugged her from her reverie

"Barrier?" she questioned in a whisper.

"This place is used for magical training ad tournaments. The magic in the ceiling stops any stray power from affecting the outside world. But it's usually hidden by a solid covering; to stop it causing distraction. She's trying to confuse you."

Sakura winced at the implication in Syaoran's words. She could see in his eyes just how much this was hurting him. Though he'd never admit it, it was hard for him to see his own mother acting so dishonourably. Sakura wanted nothing more than to reach out and hug him, but the watchful gaze of his family was burning into her back and instead she stared unseeingly at her shifting feet.

"Arigatou." She whispered.

"Just do your best Sakura, no matter what they throw at you."

"Kinomoto Sakura."

Yelan's cold voice echoed loudly across the vast space, breaking the tense moment. Sakura's eyes snapped towards the commanding woman, who was now standing in the midst of the assembled audience, and forced herself not to flinch as she continued.

"Welcome to your first task; a test of physical strength and ability. There will be no magic allowed for the entirety of tonight's activity and any breach of this rule will result in immediate disqualification. We wish to see you fight Kinomoto-san, after all, a Card Mistress must be able to defend her magic with her body alone."

Sakura swallowed hard as her confidence began to trickle away. For a fleeting moment she imagined bolting for the large wooden doors behind her. Then Yelan's words came back to her and she remembered why she was doing this in the first place: the Cards, her friends. They'd already done so much for her, helped her fight so many problems before. How could she not return the favour and fight for them now? With that thought in mind, she made a smart accepting bow towards her audience.

"Li Xiao Lang!"

Sakura felt the body beside her tense abruptly.

"Come take your place my son."

A thin, sweeping hand gestured towards the empty space on his siblings' bench, a cold smile gracing Yelan's lips. The reluctance in Syaoran's aura was frighteningly strong but before Sakura knew it he was gone and she was watching him move swiftly across the Arena floor. At the same time she felt Tomoyo's presence disappear, led away to another seat in the stands, but not before a whispered "Good Luck" in her best friend's ear.

And then she was alone in the centre of the Arena. Despite it's size Sakura felt as if the walls and burning eyes of the spectators were closing in around her, ready to crush her before she even had a chance to try. Her legs felt weak and her hands were just two useless weights dangling by her side. She shook herself quickly, forcing her mind back to the Cards and the only words of advice Syaoran had given her earlier that day.

"Be fast and don't think too much. Just remember what you're fighting for."

With his warm voice filling her ears, Sakura finally looked towards the doors opposite her, that were slowly swinging open. She barley heard Yelan's final instructions as her opponent came into view.

"This will be a fair fight, ending when one of you is taken down and stays down. Good luck to you both."

The slim silhouette gradually became a person as her fighting partner stepped forwards into the full light of the Arena.

Sakura choked on a strained cry.

"Meiling-chan!"

Meiling!

Syaoran closed his eyes tightly before quickly opening them again, praying that he'd seen some sort of mirage in this awful place. But when he opened them again and looked down at Sakura's opponent nothing had changed. There in her best fighting robes was his cousin Meiling; her black hair swept back severely from her face, posture stiff as a soldier's. And it wasn't just her appearance that was strange, but the look in her eyes also. It was positively frightening, so void of emotion, of anything, that again he couldn't believe it truly was his loud, obnoxious cousin waiting there patiently to draw blood.

Sakura, he saw, had noticed too. She stood some feet from Meiling's silent form, mouth open and her eyes pulled wide in shock. Moments later she was scanning the stands, looking for him, he knew, and when her frantic emerald eyes found his he wanted nothing more than to stand up, shout and stop this nightmare from playing out before him. But the presence of The Elders pressed heavily around him and he felt his usual courage falter under their gaze. Instead he turned towards his mother, amber eyes almost pleading with her to cease her cruel games. She met his gaze briefly, then with a small smile she got to her feet. For a brief moment he was sure this madness was about to end.

"Is there a problem Kinomoto-san?"

Or not. He kicked himself for being so foolish and instead forced himself to remain in his seat and not run to Sakura's aid. Her eyes were now fixed on Yelan's forbidding form and he could see her struggling to make sense of the situation.

"Gomen nasai Li-sama, but I-I can't fight Meiling-chan. Sh-she's my friend."

Syaoran's gaze watched his cousin, waiting for her to agree. But the Chinese girl remained strangely silent, and this being Meiling, Syaoran felt his worry turn quickly to panic.

"I don't see why that is a problem Kinomoto-san." His mother's voice was continuing, "Meiling are you prepared to fight this girl?"

"Hai!"

The dark haired girl punctuated her reply by dropping into her usual fighting stance, legs bent and ready to spring, her eyes fixed firmly on Sakura. Syaoran watched in dismay as his auburn haired girl recoiled instantly and he knew exactly why. Meling, when she was fighting, was a force to be reckoned with. Her cat-like movements were sharp and predatory and even he had faltered in face of that cutting gaze.

He, who knew he could hold his own in a fight.

He, who knew her style and had catalogued her weaknesses over years of shared training.

His heart clenched just imagining how Sakura must be feeling.

Apparently his mother was oblivious to her discomfort and pushed on regardless.

"Good. In that case, we can begin. Ready. Fight!"

At her shout, two heavy locks fell across the sets of doors leading out of the room. Sakura was trapped, and Syaoran didn't need to see her face to know the terror she was feeling. His eyes kept flicking back to Meiling, waiting for her to snap out of the charade and tell his mother there had been a terrible mistake. But instead of breaking stance she was steadily advancing on Sakura with a careful but sustained speed. He could see Sakura backing away, her mouth moving constantly as it she was trying to reason with her attacker, but her words didn't seem to work, and in the blink of an eye the tension snapped and Meiling struck.

Her aim was true and she gripped Sakura's trembling wrist firmly before flipping her onto her back. The smaller girl landed with a thud on the floor and Syaoran winced, his legs moving to stand. But an arm fell across his lap and held him firmly in place. He glared at the sister beside him, surprised to see Fanran restricting the move to save his girlfriend. She wasn't looking at him, but her grip was true and he wasn't going anywhere.

"Let me go." He hissed angrily, and struggled once more.

Fanran's eyes never left the Arena floor but she whispered back calmly,

"Just wait. You'll see it soon."

Another loud smacking sound brought Syaoran's attention back to the floor and he almost cried out as Sakura went careening into one of the Arena walls. His heart lurched as he watched her turn tear-filled eyes towards Meiling, before dodging smoothly to avoid her powerful fist. She was running oddly he noticed, her weight tentative on one foot, and her eyebrow was split and bleeding, along with her lower lip. They weren't the worst Meiling could do, he knew that, so it seemed Sakura was at least capable of defending herself. As he watched, she even blocked a couple of punches before dodging once more out of the Chinese girl's unstoppable path, all the time her lips chattering as she tried to talk her friend down.

Syaoran was on the brink of breaking his sister's arm just to stop his rampant cousin, when he saw it. A sudden flash, probably not visible to many others in the room, of glowing red light enveloping Meiling's head. It churned and swirled violently for a brief second, obscuring her hard face, before disappearing again. But a second was all Syaoran needed to make the connection and this time when his legs urged him to move, he did so. His sister's arm was gone; her face impassive as if nothing had changed. In the back of his mind he reminded himself to thank her, but that was for later, when Sakura was safe.

He cleared the benches in front of him in a single leap and was soon standing at the small wall, separating them from the still fighting combatants. Sakura looked weary and sadder than ever. Tears stained her cheeks and she finally seemed to have given up on convincing Meiling to stop. Syaoran willed her to stay standing just a few moments longer, as he finally provided the right words to stop all this.

He focused his mind and murmured the syllables to make up the correct counter spell. He felt the sudden rush as the magic took hold before swirling out of him towards its victim. Only he could see the glowing white light engulf the cloudy red mist obscuring his cousin's vision until finally it dissolved, and the usual spark flickered back into her crimson eyes.

Meiling had stopped advancing, was no longer staring her straight in the eye. Sakura stopped her slow, weary retreat in surprise and dared to look closer at the Chinese girl's face. Meiling was looking around, bewildered, as if she had just woken from a dream.

"Where am I?"

The words were a whisper, but Sakura heard and in them she found the old Meiling, the good friend she hadn't seen for years. Throwing caution to the wind, Sakura took a tentative step towards her and called out her name.

"Meiling-chan?"

Crimson eyes looked around slowly before finally finding her own. They widened in surprise as they focused on the familiar face.

"Kinomoto-san? What are we doing here?"

Sakura opened her mouth to reply… and failed. What could she say? Tell Meiling, who was apparently oblivious, that she had been trying to kill her only moments before. Then realisation began to filter into the bright red eyes. Memories it seemed were flooding back and soon anger and disbelief contorted Meiling's pretty face.

"How could they?" She whispered almost silently.

"They?" Now Sakura was even more confused.

Meiling ignored the question, fixing Sakura with an intense stare.

"Hit me." She whispered simply, her voice rough but commanding.

"Hoe!" Sakura felt tears prickle at her eyes. She had thought this was all over. Why was Meiling dragging this out when she was once again in her right mind? Sakura shook her head violently but Meiling reached out and grabbed her arms in a tight grip.

"If you don't they'll say you lost and take the Cards. I know what I'm doing Sakura-chan. Now hit me!"

The relief of Meiling's return, the pain in her eye and foot, and now all these confusing instructions; Sakura's tired mind couldn't take it anymore. She tried to pull away but Meiling's grip was strong and in a fit of panic she struggled harder, hot tears slipping slowly down her cheeks as she pushed out towards Meiling's chest. Her hand connected hard and Meiling flew backwards through the air before hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

And to Sakura's horror, she didn't get up. Instead she lay there, unmoving, eyes closed and muscles relaxed. Sakura recoiled in horror. She was sure she hadn't hit her that hard… and Meiling was so much stronger than her… and…and…

"Stop! It's finished! It's over!"

Syaoran's loud shouts echoed in her ears and the worries dissolved into relief. She sank to the floor her legs buckling beneath her and tears one again filled her emerald eyes. She ignored the thunder of feet coming towards her and instead stared fixedly at Meiling's prone form. It was then Sakura noticed the 'unconscious' girl's pale, left hand, the one furthest away from the audience in the stands, tapping softly on the sandy floor. Sakura gasped as it curled upwards and gave a quick thumbs up before dropping quickly back to the ground.

Relief washed over her in waves as tears washed the dirt on her cheeks.

It was over.

They hadn't stayed long in the hideous Arena escaping, as quickly as Sakura could move, into the open night air. The evening was warm and a large moon shone brightly upon the two small figures sitting side by side on a secluded patio at the quieter end of the Li Household. The small garden area glowed with a soft silver light and the stillness seeped comfortably into Sakura's aching bones. It was just the medicine she needed to calm her wild heart and sort her spinning head. Unfortunately her burst lip wasn't so readily cured, which was why Syaoran sat by her side, pressing a cold cloth to her bruised face.

"Just a little longer, it'll stop the swelling."

Despite Syaoran's assurance, Sakura was unable to comprehend how her lip, which felt like a balloon stuck to the front of her aching face, would ever look less than horrible ever again. And besides, even with all the blood cleaned away and her eyebrow covered, she could still feel the sickening pressure of each impact… the stinging of her sweat as it tortured her broken skin… and more than anything, the fear that still coiled and writhed in her gut.

"What happened out there Syaoran-kun?" she whispered quietly, her voice cracked and tired.

The boy beside her looked away quickly and she could almost taste his anger and embarrassment in the air surrounding them. When he finally brought his amber gaze to meet her own she winced at the pain it held.

"It was all a trick Sakura, a spell. They are cowards, The Council, and wanted to get this whole testing thing over with as soon as possible. So they used Meiling. She's so sorry for what happened… and so am I."

His eyes had slipped away from hers, his hands falling limply to his sides. Sakura immediately missed the warm pressure of his attending touch and reached out awkwardly to take back his strong fingers. But he snatched them away, rising to his feet and pacing restlessly before her.

"Syaoran, please," she pleaded softly, head aching as she watched him stew in his own anger, "This isn't your fault, or Meiling-chan's. It's alright, it'll all be okay."

"How do you know!" he snapped, eyes flashing and glittering oddly in the moonlight, "I never believed these people, my family, could be so… dishonourable." He spat the word angrily into the night but Sakura could see the unshed tears, waiting, threatening to betray him. So she remained silent, allowing him time to continue.

"They aren't playing fair Sakura. They dared to use magic, powerful magic, on one of their own. And … and you…" He stopped his frantic pacing and came to crouch in front of her, taking her hands gingerly in his "You just don't think like they do. And they'll use that against you. I just… don't want them to hurt you, Sakura."

The battered girl gave a soft smile, as the passion in Syaoran's eyes warmed the chill that had settled around her heart. She squeezed his hands tightly, trying to reassure him.

"I'll be okay, I'll heal, see." She reached towards her lip with the cloth and pulled it away clean, "The bleeding has stopped. I was just… scared." She blushed lightly at the admission and the sympathy painted on Syaoran's face.

"Then we'll leave, go back to Tomoeda. The Clan deserve to lose their heir. And I'll stay with you, protect you, I promise."

Sakura giggled then, as Syaoran poured out his feelings so earnestly. As much as the words made her smile and were so sourly tempting to hear, she knew deep down that it could never happen; his Clan had started all this and now she would have to finish it.

"I know you will protect me," she replied finally, "which is why I'm staying here. I made a promise to your Mother, to see this through, and I will. As long as you're here to help me, I just know everything will be all right." She smiled with, what she hoped, was confidence. "Arigatou Syaoran."

It was his turn to blush then and Sakura felt her own cheeks flush deeper as she watched his reaction. The awkward teens quickly averted their gazes, concentrating instead on the cool night surrounding them. Both of them realised they would have to return soon, to that suddenly dangerous place one of them called home, but for the moment their support of each other was enough to keep them from fleeing altogether.

Finally, Sakura turned back to see deep amber eyes staring softly into her own. She smiled gratefully at Syaoran and reached out to pick up the scattered medical supplies. It was then she felt a warm pressure brush her bruised cheek; tenderly, delicately, a butterfly kiss in the silent garden. She froze as Syaoran's lips burned softly against the injured skin, before disappearing as quickly as they'd come. She didn't look back; she knew she would meet only the back of a messy head of hair. Instead she picked up the last of the bandages, a warm feeling radiating in her chest, before rising to her feet and laying a small hand on his arm.

"Let's go inside. Tomoyo-chan will be waiting."

"It's an abomination! A total abomination! Never, in all my years, have I seen such a dishonourable attack upon an opponent. Not to mention a child! Even in the darkest of times we have never had to stoop this low. My husband would be appalled."

Yelan's cold voice rang out clearly in the small antechamber deep within the heart of the Li property. It's heavy wooden walls blocked the sound in, and let it echo angrily back at it's silent occupants. She and the twelve Elders were seated around a large table, with Yelan herself on her feet in a pique of rage. To her annoyance however, the words seemed to be having little affect on the elderly figures staring placidly back at her.

"How can you justify this? Using a child, a Li child, in such a deceitful act. When you said she would fight Sakura I didn't think you meant kill her!"

A wrinkled gentleman to her right gave a deep sigh, his eyes rolling irritably.

"Yelan-san we can not show weakness in front of this girl, just because of her age. She has more power than any one of us sitting at this table, if only she knew how to wield it. Thankfully, at this time, she doesn't."

"Yes, or she'd be grilling your hides about now!" Yelan growled angrily, her eyes still flashing with frustration.

"And yours." A deep voice resonated from across the table, "This was your idea, to test her physical strength."

Yelan's complexion paled every so slightly, but her anger remained and her lips thinned to a formidable line. "Yes but I didn't intend that we cheat."

A general murmur flew around the table as the old men huffed and puffed around their devious actions.

"We have to make allowances for her powers!"

"We had no idea how advanced this girl was."

"Besides we weren't the only ones to break rules now were we?"

"And be sure Li Meiling will be dealt with for helping that little witch." The man to Yelan's right spoke up, again receiving a rush of agreement from around the table. The Clan leader herself remained silent, but her eyes flickered with what some may have called distress. Finally, when the murmurs died down, she cleared her throat before beginning again, her voice a deceptively calm whisper.

"So, how does this continue? What will be Kinomoto's next task?"

"She doesn't get one! She cheated!" a thin reedy voice floated from Yelan's left and she turned violently upon it's owner.

"As did we." She hissed, her eyes narrowing dangerously, "Therefore, two wrongs make a right and she remains. Now we start what you brought her here for and we test her magic. I want to see those Cards of hers in action before we make any more 'allowances' for her so-called power."

Thick silence met her words and she watched the eyes of each man wander around the dozen faces at the table. She held her breath tightly, praying that they'd see sense for once in their never-ending lives, and let her do things her way. After all, this concerned her future, her son's future, and she'd organised the whole event accordingly. She wanted the Cards returned to their family just as much as they, if not more, but she would not stoop to cheating to get them. There was no way this child could withstand the best and brightest of the Li Clan, of that she was sure; before long Kinomoto Sakura would return home and leave all their lives for good. That was, of course, if they didn't kill her first. But in their need to see the girl defeated quickly, The Elders had almost sealed that fate, pushing not just the Cards, but also Xiao Lang, her Xiao Lang, further away; and without him… the Clan was finished anyway.

Eventually the men stopped twisting and turning all coming to rest on the elegant woman at the head of the table. With a silent nod she asked for their reply. Again the man to her right spoke up.

"Alright, we begin more tests in two days time. Give her a chance to… recover." He grunted the word cruelly, but Yelan simply nodded.

"Good."

"However…"

Her heart almost stopped at the smug tone coming from her right once more. Looking over she finally met his, the eldest Clan member's, gaze for the first time. His eyes were decided. Un-negotiable

"Xiao Lang. He is getting far too involved in all this for any of our liking. I'm sure you'll agree Yelan that they must be separated."

"It is for his own good Yelan." Another said. "Surely it cannot be deemed fair that she have his help in these trails. And besides, we can not, will not, have the heir to the Li Clan mixed up with the likes of her."

The words were calm but carefully chosen, and they hit all the right buttons in Yelan's mind. Pride overcame her maternal instincts, as it almost always did, and she pushed any motherly fancies aside.

"Very well. They won't see each other again."

The satisfied nodding that surrounded her was just a little too superior for her liking. Yelan turned sharply on her heel and swept out of the room.

Outside the heavy door, concealed in shadows, Li Fanran came back to reality. She held her breath as her mother swept rigorously past, unseeing and not sensing her eldest daughter's presence. When she was out of sight and sense, Fanran exhaled, her voice a silent whisper,

"Be careful Xiao Lang."

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Ja x x