Chapter 9

A: N/ well, thanks for the reviews…they gave me the inspiration I'd been lacking for a while (that and I had writers block). Just one thing id like to say though, I don't know why you're all so interested in a fight, surely it cant be that interesting right? Well, I know that I'm going to get bored writing it lol. I'm so I don't know, stuck really. And this is really, well cheap, but can you please please please check out my other story 'Missing you'? Wow…I talk too much, but then again, it does increase my word count so it seems like I've written more…anyway, shut up Vicky!

A quick review of last time, then on with the story!

Sakura met them by the stables; she held a scroll in her left hand. Chelsea had never noticed before but on Sakura's wedding finger was a white gold ring, set with a musical note, with a pink diamond at the bottom (you know, the round blob). She glanced over at Tomoyo's wedding finger too, there was another white gold ring, but this one had a sword instead of a note and at the hilt of the mini sword, there was a purple diamond.

Sakura handed the letter to Chelsea, "The guards will see you out, I would, but I must train and Tomoyo must get to her singing. I do apologise."

Chelsea bowed to Sakura and Tomoyo in turn. "Thank you for everything."

Chelsea left, the guards escorted her to the forest, and once again she was alone. She drew her dagger, and began her journey back to the Li castle. She had not feared the forest on her previous journey, but now she was afraid and she didn't know why.

ON WITH THIS CHAPTER! (Yes, its true, it's the chapter you've all been waiting for, AND don't deny it you bloody thirsty lot… sorry…I'm on a bit of a high, hehehe!)

Sakura watched the outline of Chelsea recede into the distance, until she was merely a blur.

Tomoyo gazed at Sakura.

"You like her, don't you?" Tomoyo said unhappily.

"Not as much as you." Sakura tried to kiss Tomoyo, but Tomoyo backed off, then she ran into the distance.

Sakura sighed, she had told the truth, she only liked Chelsea as a friend. But Tomoyo, well this was the first time she had seen Sakura around another girl of their age.

Sakura took the same route as Tomoyo; her head hung low, feet dragging and arms hanging limply at her sides.

She took a wooden sword out from the rack (when she arrived at her training area).

"I want 10 to fight!" Sakura bellowed, angry.

A soldier, clad in blue darted from the shadows, into the light and into the castle to fetch ten sword-trained soldiers.

A moment later, he returned, accompanied with the requested soldiers.

Sakura stood in the middle of the raised platform.

"Wooden swords, and so god help me, give me your all!"

They followed her instructions swiftly and silently.

Sakura stood in a defensive stance, awaiting their oncoming approach.

Left, turn, coming high, duck, coming right, coming high again, centre. ATTACK!

Sakura struck the centre soldier in the chest, spun around and hit the right soldier in the neck, the left soldier proved to be a little more difficult, he had learnt to dodge, but not well enough, Sakura struck a high blow.

Three down, seven to go. All at once, delightful.

Sakura weighed down her chances, and decided that high attacks were simply out of the question, she would take three out by the legs and three in the stomach, the last, she would go one on one.

Legs. Legs. Heart. Legs. Heart. Stomach.

Only one soldier was left standing, the rest were taking themselves off the platform, they would have lost if they were using real swords.

Sakura had left this one specifically; he was known to be the fiercest sword fighter of the soldiers in the Kinomoto army. His blocking skills were very high. But of course, unmatched to those of Sakura's offensive.

He grinned a toothy smile at Sakura. (Which in Sakura's opinion wasn't a good idea, as his teeth were rotten…) He was only 25 and of course was in love with Sakura, but gave up because she was A. A princess and B. She didn't swing that way.

"Long time no fight, eh princess?" His accent was slightly Scottish, but it had mainly been lost due to living elsewhere for a long time.

"And do you remember why?"

The soldier raised his left arm, and as his sleeve rolled down, it revealed a stump.

"Clearly princess. I'll remember it forever, especially your beautiful, apologetic face afterwards."

"Next time you'll lose far more than a hand…if you get my notion."

"Of course princess, now, shall we?"

Sakura grinned evilly.

"Lets." She said calmly, before charging at him with all the anger in her heart.

He had tried to rape her once, but Sakura being only 7 was too scared to tell anyone, now at the age of 17, realised it was too late to mention it.

She viciously hit his right side, but he merely countered by hitting her left. Sakura grimaced with the pain.

She stood still for a moment, surveying him. She ran towards him, wooden sword raised high, he tried blocking high, but in the last instance Sakura lowered her sword and thrust the sword right at his stomach, it would have gone through if it were real. But instead, left him winded on the floor.

"I hate you." Sakura hissed before throwing the sword at his leg and walking towards the castle.

The man laughed. Sakura heard him, she spun backwards, and walked over to the sword stand, she took out her old sword, long with an emerald at the hilt and a tribal design down the blade.

She swung it around in her right hand, it was heavy, but Sakura was used to the weight and it didn't seem to affect her.

She stood above the man, who looked petrified.

"Rot in hell." She sneered, before taking the sword in both hands, raising it above her head and delivering a deadly blow to the mans side. She tugged the sword out, swung it in front of her, then cleanly sliced off the mans head. Alas, the man was no more.

The other soldiers tried hiding in the shadows, Sakura looked at them, her face soft and radiant once again.

"You have nothing to fear. My hatred for him runs deeper than today."

She threw her sword on the ground (The soldiers will clean it automatically) and once again made her way back to the castle. This was the first time she had fallen out with Tomoyo, it had affected her fighting greatly, the man had been able to land a blow on her, and she had killed him…. just like that.

Li castle:

Night had fallen, the trees were gently swaying in the wind, and the soft pitter-patter of the rain could be heard from inside the castle. The grass was wet and sodden and all the animals had found shelter.

Li was storming through the castle, with Meilin fast in his wake.

"WHERE THE HELL IS THAT BLOODY MESSENGER?"

"I'm sure that she's coming Syaoran." Meilin replied calmly.

"I CANT GET ANYTHING DONE IN THIS WEATHER, WHAT IDIOT DECIDED TO MAKE THE TRAINING GROUNDS OUTSIDE?"

"You did." Meilin giggled. Li stopped in his tracks, his rage had been building for several hours now, and to Meilin it was highly amusing.

Li turned to face Meilin, he aimed a punch at her, but she was too fast for him and she dodged and whacked him in the face, giving him an instant nosebleed.

"Curse it!"

"I'm sorry Syaoran! I didn't mean to! Its just my reactions, they kick in before I can control them, please forgive me!" She begged.

"Sod off Meilin. I just need to be alone for a while, yes I forgive you…if you give me some time to myself."

"Of course!" Meilin was willing to do anything to get Li's forgiveness and she went as quickly as she could. (Any other time she would have stayed just to irritate him).

Li slowed down until his original jog was now merely just a stroll.

She's so annoying, she can hit me, but I never seem able to land a blow on her. Of course she's the expert and I'm merely second best to her at combat. If only she tried sword fighting, then I could actually whoop her. She's equal to me in every physical sport we play, excluding sword fighting and hand combat. I, Li Syaoran should not be equal to any woman; I should be above them…which is what miss Kinomoto will soon find out.

"I'm sorry Syaoran, and I know that you told me to leave, but the messenger's returned!"

Li didn't say anything, but just ran after Meilin, to his mothers' conference room.

When he got there, his family were patiently waiting, seated high, looking down on the wet and bedraggled messenger.

He stood at the door with Meilin.

"Begin." Yelan demanded.

Chelsea opened the scroll and began to read aloud.

To the Li family

I'm sorry to have kept your messenger for so long, but there was a security breach and no one was to leave the castle until the problem was discovered.

I give you my acceptation of the challenge, on one condition: Only one weapon.

No hidden weapons whatsoever, I will have soldiers watching the fight from the castle, but they will not step in at any time, this I can assure you. Unless of course, you do use a hidden weapon then they will be forced to act.

The person accompanying you and I, also must not have any weapons on their person.

No exceptions.

I shall see you, Prince Li halfway on the field in two nights time (providing the messenger reaches you on the twenty eighth)

Signed

Princess Sakura Kinomoto

Li grinned, finally there was an answer!

"Thank you, messenger. I say she shall be given a room tonight and shall eat some nice food."

Chelsea bowed her appreciation, although she knew that his kindness was going to be short lived.

She allowed herself to be led away by a servant.

"Li, how are you planning to cheat then? We're all very curious to know, and the rules that have been set out seem to be unbreakable." Queen Yelan asked in a soft and curious voice.

"Its simple mother, I'm not going to. Not at all, I was at first going to use my samurai sword so I could cut her own sword in half, but I do not want to go down in history as a liar and a cheat, but a proud, strong and honest prince. So, this fight shall be as fair as she makes it."

Yelan was shocked to say the least.

"Very well, you and Meilin should go to bed, you both have a rigorous day of training tomorrow and it is late. These next two sleeps may be the last you ever get."

His mothers' last words struck fear in his heart, even his mother doubted his ability.

Meilin followed him to his chamber, he sat on the bed and for the first time in his life, he invited her to follow.

"What my mother said has slightly scared me Meilin. I no longer want you to come with me. If I die, then I don't want you to die as well."

Meilin was touched; Li had never been so caring towards her before.

"If you die Li, then I wouldn't be able to live. I'm coming with you like it or not."

Meilin put her arms around Li, but he pushed them away instantly.

Oh well, I thought there was a moment there, but maybe not.

Meilin thought to herself.

She rose silently and left Li to his own thoughts.

Li fell asleep instantly.

Kinomoto castle:

Sakura pulled her chain from under her t-shirt and twisted it in the lock. It turned halfway, but would go no further.

Tomoyo had locked her out.

"Tomoyo, I love you. I would die for you. Chelsea is just a friend."

"Oh so its Chelsea now is it?"

"Well you let her call you Tomoyo!"

"That's because you liked her!"

"She's the only friend of my age, apart from you."

"Just leave me alone Sakura, at least for tonight."

Sakura walked away from her room, tears fell thick and fast from her eyes. It was the first time she had cried in years. She went to her old room, looking around, there was Tomoyo's piano in there and several of Sakura's old swords. She threw herself on the bed and buried her face into the soft pillows, her crying muffled.

Tomoyo felt so guilty, she knew how much Sakura loved her. But Tomoyo was paranoid and thought that Chelsea was prettier than she was. She didn't like another person talking to her.

Tomoyo was stressed, she was scared for her and Sakura's safety in the fight, if they were captured in the Li castle, then who knew what horrors would befall them.

Tomoyo had never been brave, she had always ran and his and since she had met Sakura, she felt she had nothing to fear because Sakura was always there to protect her. But who would protect Sakura?

A:n/ I'm SORRY! I know that I've just broken a promise, but I don't like my chapters getting too long, normally I limit them to 4 pages and this one has run on for 7…so I think that's long enough, I am sorry. I don't plan my stories at all, I just let them run and any ideas that I have in my head I just shove in…so the fight will definitely be in the next chapter. I am sorry, don't hate me!

But hey, at least it was a quick update!

Vicks

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