Author's Notes: I'll just write for fun, just for jest. I was bored and i want to let you read more of Shattered Hopes. I hope you'll enjoy it. You'll find out more about the kingdom in this chapter. To lady maia, there are such children that can actually do acrobatic acts at such young age. They hail from the country of China. There are even some that are 3 to 4 years old. Some started very early so Sakura is pretty much no exception...O. K ?

Chapter 4

Finding Out

A royal figure stood atop a balcony overlooking the village of Kokoron. She had a commanding voice and her hair swung down from a ponytail that was adorned with ornaments that told others that she was of a high position. She surveyed the village under the night sky, in the balcony of her castle. Her soldiers could be seen all over, helping the citizens of Kokoron clean up their village, doctors helped injured villagers that had gotten hurt in the war. She gave a small but grim smile. Things were going along as planned. If all was well, and the weather held up, all could be repaired in a mere period of 6 days.

" Queen Yelan! " a guard's voice rang. He kneeled in front of her, requesting an audience. " Rise. " she answered. " Queen Yelan! We've found Queen Nadeshiko and King Fujitaka! " he responded. Yelan's eyes lit up. She had been trying to contact them, ever since she found out that one of her sworn sisters, Nadeshiko, had run away.She had flat-out refused to allow Nadeshiko to marry him. But Nadeshiko had disobeyed orders and married him, to live life as a commoner. Sonomi and Yelan had fallen into despair when they had heard that she was gone. " Very well. Bring me to them. " she commanded.

" But Queen Yelan,they- " the guard started. " Now. " she answered again, in a voice that sent a dangerous warning towards the guard. He nodded mutely and brought Queen Yelan toward the hall, where the bodies were. The guard, seeing as there was no choice, could only follow her orders. " This way. " he muttered.

Hall Room

There, lay three lifeless bodies. Queen Yelan's eyes visibly widened. She picked up her pace and walked over to the " things " covered with white sheets. Hiding most of her fear, she regained her composure and liftes one of the three sheets over. Black hair, a pale face, closed eyes. Horror struck Nadeshiko like a bolt of lightning. It was Nadeshiko. Yelan staggered backward, her breath scared out of her. " No... It can't be my dear Nadeshiko... It can't... " But there lay Nadeshiko, as real as can be. Yelan carassed her face tenderly, before flipping over the other two sheets, to find Fujitaka and a young boy. Something fluttered by her. Yelan's gaze followed it, and there lay a small family sketch of their family portrait. "Nadeshiko's talent... of drawing " The sketch was barely the size of her fist. There, on the front, was a picture of their family. Fujitaka, with his old wizen face. Nadeshiko, with her pale face. And the boy, grinning away, like no tomorrow. But, there was other girl, with the most startling emerald eyes. Flipping the sketch over,the were the words, written evenly- Fujitaka Kinomoto, Nadeshiko Kinomoto, Touya Kinomoto and Sakura Kinomoto. Yelan smiled fondly at the lifeless Touya, for she knew, that Sakura was a girl's name.

But, the three sworn sisters had a necklace, that each would always wear till their children got married. Yelan scanned Nadeshiko's neck for it, but it was nowhere to be found. It was then, when Yelan realised that there was a small postscript at the bottom of the sketch. It was written- " Today, my dearest daughter, has received my necklace. She will be my pride and honour, my beloved Cherry Blossom. "

At this, Yelan let a tear flow down her face. She was overcome with emotion. She had abadoned her. She had abadoned her dearest Nadeshiko. Giving a wave of her hand, the guards and palace maids left, leaving Yelan to dwell in peace. She remembered the day that they had become sworn sisters and the necklaces were presented to each other.

Flashback

A beautiful voice carrying a harmonious melody drifted across the Sakura garden, in honour of Nadeshiko and her love of Sakura flowers. Nadeshiko sang the last three notes of the song,with three last dwelling notes, as if not wanting the song to end. " Wow...Nadeshiko, I'm jealous! " Sonomi cried, in mock jealousy. " Yeah, Nadeshiko. How come you have such a melodious voice and we don't?? " Yelan continued, in an equal tone.It was Nadeshiko's twenty- first birthday. She was the last of the three to celebrate their twenty- first birthday. Nadeshiko gave a giggle. " But Yelan is so dignified, while Sonomi is so absolutely beautiful... " Nadeshiko trailed off. They all giggled. " Let's all make a pact to be sworn sisters! " Yelan cried. Nadshiko stared while Sonomi nodded and gave a smile. Yelan drew a box from a hollow Sakura tree and out came three necklaces. A star neckace, a moon necklace and a sun necklace. All of them were silver. Nadeshiko ran up to them, her eyes widening. She looked up at Yelan. Yelan smiled, before saying " Since it is our dear Nadeshiko's birthday, she will have the honour of presenting to us the necklaces. " Sonomi agreed heartily. Nadeshiko shut her eyes, grabbed the necklaces and slipped one over Yelan, and the other over Sonomi. " There! Now it's fair! " Looking down, the three girls found out which of the three necklaces they got. Sonomi held out the Sun necklace, Yelan the Moon, and Nadeshiko, the Star. They shared a hug, before Nadeshiko announced, " I'm going to get married, to Kinomoto Fujitaka, the close worker of the king of the village of Kokoron. " Sonomi and Nadeshiko gasped.

End of Flashback

A handkerchief appeared in front of her. " Here, okaa- san. " A soft solemn voice spoke up. She looked up, and saw her five year old son, Li Syaoran. It was then that Yelan realised that she had been crying. Wiping her face, she smiled at her son. Syaoran smiled back. Yelan noticed, it was a smile, a smile of worry and sadness. Syaoran had been like this ever since he found out that his father had passed away on his birthday, a whole year ago, casting Syaoran into a world of despair. He had not smiled since then. Glancing up, she gazed out the open window, where a breeze was drifting in. She whispered, " I'm sorry, Nadeshiko... "

Somewhere, a mile away

" M-master, welcome b-back... " Sakura stammered. Master, after Sakura's debut perormance, had gone drinking. He reeked of alcohol and he brandished a " weapon of torture" in one hand, a glass bottle. He might hit Sakura on her head with it... Sakura shuddered. Grunting a reply, Master marched off to his room. Sakura sighed, glad for once she had escaped punishment. She trudged back to her room, feeling a sense of relief. She had just started to adapt here and was starting to like it, with the exception of Master, of course. Sighing, she went to bed and prepared for the day ahead tomorrow, for it would be the same routine again and again, for the next few years, for as long as she lived...

Hope you've enjoyed it, BubblyEmerald