AN: Finally back! And here's the chapter I promised! Not as long as I hoped it would be but I'll try to make them longer from now on. I'll try to update soon, but with school starting... Oh well, for now, enjoy the chapter!


Chapter 2: The first step

The whole afternoon was filled with people running all over the place to get Sakura's and Takashi's trip ready. Servants were fussing over everything they could think off and barely two hours has passed that the children were exhausted. After a very long session with the tailor, Sakura was finally allowed a little free time. Unfortunately, that didn't last as long as she hoped. She was on her way to dream land when her foster-mother Kyoko shook her awake. Lazily opening her eyes, Sakura turned her attention on the woman beside her. She was holding a pair of delicate silver scissors in one hand and a basket in the other. Sakura's eyes widened as she remembered the most important part of her costume, the haircut. Glancing down at her waist length hair, she sighed.

"Well, it will grow back. It's a small sacrifice compared to the opportunity ahead of me." Sakura thought gloomily and surrendered to her mother. The feeling of her heavy lock being cut off was the most uncomfortable feeling and she felt a pang in her heart each time she heard the little snipping sound a the scissors. All too soon, it was over and she examined her new hair style in the mirror her mother held out for her.

"It's a very popular style nowadays, many young boys love it." Kyoko said as she combed Sakura's hair. It was pretty long for a boy and now arrived halfway between Sakura's ears and shoulders. She was surprised to see how much it changed her and was satisfied on the way she looked.

"Well, it wasn't so bad wasn't it darling." The countess said gently and the girl smiled in response.

Sakura flipped her head from one direction to another, feeling light headed. She dashed towards a tree, changed directions and did a cartwheel. It was a great sensation not to have her heavy hair trail behind her but she still missed it. Shrugging she banished that though from her mind and got ready to start her life anew.

Supper that evening was loud and cheerful. Stories of the past were brought up and laughter echoed in the room. Everyone tried to forget the fact that they will not see each other for a while except at parties and maybe during holidays if they were lucky. That night, Sakura fell instantly in a deep sleep, unaware of the hardships to come.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

George raised Sakura early next morning, the castle being a good day's trip and not wanting the children to be late for the ceremony. She was about to put on her smock on when the servant stopped her.

"No more skirts for you missy but tunics and breeches like all the other lads of your age." He said merrily helping her get dressed.

When Sakura was ready and breakfast was over the whole household came down to see Sakura and Takashi off. Kyoko and the maids cried and the men looked solemn and the happiness of last night was gone. When the farewells were over, count Tsujiai explained the last details.

"First of all, I want you two to take care and watch out for each other. Always be polite with the people around you and if there's any problems, write to us and we'll try to help you. Now, Sakura, you're registered as Yamazaki Sasuke, Takashi's cousin. I'm sure you will be fine. Good luck both of you." The minute he finished, the kids jumped in the awaiting carriage and were off.

The journey started out pleasantly. Sakura, having never left the county, was mesmerized by the colors around her and soon got absorbed by the beauty around her and listened to the stories Takashi told her, which were all lies but naïve as she is, Sakura believed every single one of them. But all good things have an end and the duo got bored of the rushing valleys, plains and mountains and dozed off in a peaceful sleep.

Hours later, Sakura woke briskly, her body sore by sleeping in an uncomfortable position in a moving carriage. She looked around her. Takashi was still sleeping tightly. Suppressing the sudden desire to scare him, she turned to the window.

"He's probably tired after the excitement of yesterday and I don't want him falling asleep during supper in front of all the other people." She thought.

It was dark outside and the bumpy road became flat, which meant they were approaching a city. Curious to see how the castle town looked like, she poked her head out of the carriage. It was breath-taking. The whole town was made of stone and the castle, perched on a hill, shined by the moon light, being made of a pure white material that Sakura didn't know of. Tall white pillars encircled the place, and in the back of the castle was a great tower. A humming sound was heard and Sakura was almost certain it came from that tower and a great curiosity invaded her. They passed through the gate before she could ponder on the meaning of the humming and they arrived a few minutes later on the castle's front door.

Shivering slightly from the cold, Sakura went forward, Takashi following her grumpily having been woken from his slumber. The interior was even more magnificent then the outside. The hall was covered with rich tapestries and the stone floor had delicate engravings in it. The butler hurried them through the corridor till they reached a great door bearing the Li insignia, a half-moon surrounded by seven stars.

"Please go in Sirs." The butler said bowing. Sakura smiled and laughed interiorly.

"If he only knew I was a girl." She thought giddily, her confidence growing.

Two doormen hurriedly opened the door for them and Sakura stepped in the room. The first reaction Sakura had was to step backwards in front of the burst of color before her. Her second reaction was to take Takashi sleeve in fear off losing him in the crow. The whole room was filled with people dressed in various ways and colors, ladies and men from various rank and chattering from one language to another. It was the biggest party ever. At the sound of the door, the whole room silenced and watched the new arrivals. She smiled shyly and presented herself.

"Hello, my name is Yamazaki Sasuke and this is my cousin Yamazaki Takashi." She said remembering her fake name.

A few nodded in her direction but most turned their back at her and ignored her completely. Sighing, she advanced a little.

"Well!" She thought "That was a pretty cold greeting."

She was starting to get bored by all those people when a tall woman in the center of the room gestured for everyone's attention.

"Since the entire guests have arrived, we will proceed in the dinning hall where I will give out the schedules for classes. All the adults may go now, only the boys who will become or are already pages and squires may stay." She said with authority.

Many where shocked with such an abrupt dismissal but no one dared disobey for she was the great Queen Yelan. Sakura was awed by her beauty, her long black hair flowing down to her knees. So beautiful yet so strict! Shrugging, she followed the older woman along with many other boys her age and a few years older. Queen Yelan waited until they were all seated before she continued but she paused she was unable to for at that moment, four women came bouncing in pushing a young boy before them.

"We found him mother!" They all said at the same time presenting the boy. The boy freed himself from their clutched fingers but couldn't escape his mother's sermon.

"I am disappointed in you Xiao Lang, that you of all people should be late for supper." The Queen said her eyes narrowing. He only bowed before he headed towards a certain table. He was about to get seated when the person a few seats from Sakura, a navy-blue haired guy with matching colored eyes, waved and yelled out his name.

"Hey, Syaoran! Come here there's an empty chair beside me!"

"Not for all the money in the world" The other hissed and sat down further away. The whole room laughed except for the first years, Sakura and Takashi included, that didn't understand. Seeing their puzzled faces, a boy in front of them explained.

"You see, that boy there is Prince Li Shaolan and this guy with the glasses" he said jerking his head towards the other one, "is his cousin, Hiirigizawa Eriol. Anyway, Syaoran has been hanging out with us last year because he was at the castle and we started out our page's training and he had nothing else to do. But it looks like now that he is starting as well, he won't be with us anymore. Really, that guy is unpredictable; after all, we are his pals. Oh well." He shrugged and started eating the food that has recently been served.

"Thank you for the information." Takashi smiled at him and held out his hand. "My name is Yamazaki Takashi and this is my cousin Yamazaki Sasuke." They both shook hands with him.

"Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Wang Choji." He was a big guy, with a wide chest and a round friendly face with short black hair. Time passed by quickly with their new friend and Sakura was caught by surprise when the desserts appeared before her. Although she ate so much already, her mouth watered at the scent of all the delicacies on the table.

"You're from the country Sasuke?" Choji's rough voice resonated with a hint of mirth.

"Well, not really country but not as rich as this place that's for sure. Why?" Came the answer half muffled by the food in the girl's mouth.

"Because by the way you're eating, we would think you didn't eat for weeks." The Chinese boy said laughing gaily. Sakura blushed and mumbles an explanation making the laughter around her double as Takashi joined his friend.

"It's not funny! And you have eaten much more then I have Choji!" She pouted angrily, her blush spreading on her face. Choji shook his head at the younger boy's girlish behavior and resumed his eating.

"That is because he is much bigger than you. It is comprehensible. He has to eat according to his size but you have been eating like a pig and you're as small a toothpick." Takashi said teasingly beside her. Smacking him on the head, causing the boys to laugh once more, she finished the pie that was in her plate.

By that time, the stars in the sky shone brightly, indicating the late hour and many yawns have been heard in the dining hall. Sakura's eyelids were becoming heavier and heavier as she was fighting off the sleepiness that was overcoming her. Many others were in the same state when the Queen rose to her feet to speak to them. She talked about schedules and groups for classes but none of her words registered in the girl's mind, until a cold feeling, as thought she jut ran through a waterfall, seeped into her mind and shook her awake. She jumped in surprise, moving too quickly towards Takashi, causing her to stumble backwards, but someone held her tight, preventing her fall.

"Looks like you felt that too." A voice veiled with mystery said behind her. "First experience with magic I presume? Or you wouldn't be so affected by it." She spun around abruptly to see the person that held her. It was Hiirigizawa Eriol.

She steadied herself and thanked him but he held on. He entered some kind of trance and looked at her with wide, twinkling eyes that pierce into hers, as if searching her soul.

"Only a little number of people can feel magic. You must be very powerful if you felt it that way. One thing for sure, the magic around you is very strong, though it is not yours but another's. He did a big job on you."

His voice had become hoarse and he smiled lifelessly. He was scaring her out of her wits and she was shaking uncontrollably. She would have ran but her body didn't move, her desire to know more, to understand what the boy said held her back event more than his grip on her arms. He knew something about her that she didn't know herself, but what? What was that thing about magic? He stared at her for a moment with his inhuman expression and her mind was screeching to keep away from him when suddenly, his face lit up and he grinned cheerfully. The Eriol she saw earlier that evening was back and the mad man has evaporated to give place to a normal eleven years old boy.

"Well hello Sasuke! I'm Eriol. Come on, I think Yamazaki is waiting for you at the door, but don't forget your timetable. I'll see you tomorrow morning!" He cried happily pushing her towards the queen's table were Sakura saw a pile of papers. She stood there dumfounded by what just happened. How long she stood there before Takashi came for her, she didn't know, but soon after, he had found a parchment with her name on it and dragged her out of the hall. He brought her to where Choji stood, who offered to show them to their rooms. They both accepted and they followed him up the stairs to the first floor were Choji asked to see their papers. There a number in the upper left corner indicating their apartments and the older boy smiled.

"Great, he said, your rooms are on the same level as mine and all three of us are only a few doors apart! Come on, its on the third floor."

How she managed to climb all the stairs to the third floor, Sakura didn't know but went they finally arrived, she was dead tired. Choji showed them their rooms and indicated his own if they needed his help, waved and disappeared into his apartment.

"I don't know if you're aware Sakura, but the Queen doesn't abide those who are late and tomorrow, the day starts at seven o'clock." Takashi said smiling slightly, knowing the girl wasn't an early riser.

"Hoe! How on earth will I be able to wake up that early?" Sakura exclaimed suddenly fully awake.

"I'm sure there's some kind of wake up call for the castle. Don't worry, I'll come to wake you up in the morning if you don't hear it." He bid her good night and was off. Sakura entered her own room and looked around. It was a two room apartment, one was a big bedroom with a comfy looking bed in the upper left and the other, she presumed, was the bathroom. There was a desk on the other side of the bed and a wardrobe on the right side of the room the door leading to the connecting bathroom. There was also a smaller wardrobe with shelves and a large window with light blue curtains let in the soft glow of the moon. Her room seemed very cozy and she quickly tossed her luggage which was on the bed to the floor to instantly fall asleep without even changing into her pajamas.

And that's it for now. See ya and thanks for all the reviews!