Brief Pre-ramble: Well… here's where things start getting clearer, yet fuzzier.

Sadame no Tsubasa : Wings of Destiny

Chapter 5: The Ties That Bind

A cold cresent moon looked from the edge of the night sky, as a pall of silence settled over Crystal Palace. Minutes after being laid to rest in her room by her brother, Yukito came in to examine her, with Touya pacing and muttering angry cries to no-one in particular. Most of the people around him understood his feelings, yet tried to keep silent and their distance. The last thing they wanted was to become the unwitting focus of all that anger.

"How is she?" Touya stopped in his pacing to turn towards Yukito, who was just gesturing to Sasaki Rika to go inside and change Sakura's clothes for her. Rika herself was looking oddly nervous, occasionally glancing at the prince beside her.

"Go on in, Sasaki-san." As he quietly closed the Princess' bedroom door behind the young woman, he sighed. "…I won't lie to you, Touya-kun. She looks bad. Whatever happened to her, someone or something has drastically altered her aura. Where it was a nice, warm pink, it's now darkening. She's still her, but it's getting hard to tell."

"I see." Touya clenched his fist tightly, then pounded on the wall. "I swear, when I get my hands on…"

"Don't worry." Yukito clasped his hand on Touya's shoulder. "We'll catch the ones responsible. They won't get away with this."

"No, they won't," Touya growled. "Even if it's the last thing I do."

"You know what Sakura-chan always says, right? 'Everything will be alright.' Come. I need to report everything to your father." As they turned to walk towards the library, Yukito paused, earning a questioning look from Touya. "It seems like she was stabbed, Touya-kun. Right through the stomach."

"What… but she's alive! There was barely any blood when I saw her, either."

"She's physically fine, aside from her minor wounds. But I did sense that from her auras. I wonder…" 'Are you waking up?' Yukito looked around him, then wondered at the wave of detached curiosity he felt. Shaking his head, he patted Touya's shoulder once more. The prince looked at him oddly. "Come, let's hurry toward to the Throne Room. Your father will be overjoyed, no doubt."

Sasaki Rika, upon entering the room, put down the change of clothes she had ready on the chest at the foot of the bed. Gently pulling the thin, white sheets covering the princess' body away, her eyes started to tear up at seeing the cuts and scratches.

"Sakura-sama… what have they done to you?" Rika whispered.

After wiping her eyes, Rika, with utmost care, started undressing the unconscious girl before her. Starting from the boots and working her way up, she smiled as a murmured "Clow-sama…" reached her ears. 'She's going to be okay. Sakura-sama'll be okay.' As she sighed and whispered a quick "Gomen nasai!", Rika pulled out a knife and started carefully cutting open the tattered crimson tunic, starting from the collar. So focused on trying to be as careful as possible, she didn't see her patient's hand rising, reaching out towards her hands.

"Ara? Sakura-sama!" Rika's smile, at seeing the princess hold onto her hand and sit up, didn't hold. "Itai!" Rika cried out as her arm was twisted behind her back, her captor slipping off the bed and forcing her onto it. The knife she dropped in pain and surprise was suddenly held at her throat. 'Sakura-sama's doing this…?' Tears returned to Rika's eyes.

"You… are trying to kill me. No matter." The blade tapped Rika's throat twice. "Where is Clow-sama?"

"Clow-sama? Clow… Reed?" Rika gasped out as her captor applied more pressure.

"Don't play dumb with me, girl. Where is he?" Sakura's voice whispered low in her ear.

"Clow is dead… Sakura-sama!"

"Worthless… He can't be dead! I saw him just the other day!"

"I'm not lying, Sakura-sama!" A sharp blow to her neck was the last thing Rika felt.

Sighing, Nekane looked down at the girl before her, then down at herself. A frown soon marred her face. "Clothes… I need better clothes, so I can be presentable to Clow-sama…" Spying the clothes on the chest, she smiled broadly and started changing. "Yue would know… Yes, I'll just have to find Yue. He always knows where his Master is."

A girl's scream turned heads, as members of the royal guard rushed past both Prince and Advisor on their way towards the scene. Touya turned to Yukito. "That sounded like…" Touya hrmmed a moment, then shook his head. "I can't place the name. The others should be able to handle it, right?"

Yukito, on the other hand, had his eyes closed, and frowning. "No." He turned sharply away from the throne and started running back down the hallways towards the princess' room. 'This aura… it can't be! Not now!' Yukito growled and pointedly ignored the voice he couldn't recognize.

Touya blinked, then followed in pursuit. "What's wrong, Yuktio-san? Yukito-san!"

"Sakura-chan's aura disappeared. Can't you feel it? The darker aura… Even untrained, you should be able to feel it."

"Sakura…" Touya had to cover his eyes as wings, once again, surrounded Yukito.

"Touya, draw your weapon." Yue commanded, as he caught up and then passed the running prince.

"What! But… Sakura's…" Touya's steps slowed.

"It won't be Sakura. Not anymore." The stoic guardian flew onward.

Touya growled, far from convinced, and sprinted forward to catch up to the winged man, his sword still sheathed. From the courtyard far ahead came a sudden blinding light. With the intense light came an aura of magic that caused Touya's hair to stand on end. The bright light soon dimmed down to a reddish glow. It worried the young prince. Yue, far ahead in the corridor, seemed to have a reddish aura surrounding his body. Yue soon slowed down and came to a stop, just before the small courtyard close to the princess' quarters, Touya following suit. Yue somehow managed to retain his impassive look, while Touya grasped his sword hilt tightly, his knuckles growing very white.

The inner courtyard was awash in red. Most of the torches, usually burning bright this hour, were all dying or flickering, casting reddish shadows everywhere. Dripping blood slowly ran down the eight pillars and down along the walls. Small pools of blood collected below the bodies scattered everywhere, of servant and guard alike. Even the fountain in the center wasn't spared. Streaks of red intermingling with the water flowed down the four small canals leading from the fountain to the edge of the walkway. An unnatural silence permeated the red-splattered garden.

The pained groans of someone behind the fountain bid the two to rush forward towards the sound. Passing the fountain, they came upon Sakura's profile. The white sundress the princess loved was torn slightly along the skirt and splattered with streaks and globs of blood, bright red against her skin and clothing. Pitch-black wings, unmoving against the darkness, held the young princess aloft. Yue narrowed his eyes at the sight. She was hovering a couple of feet off the ground, holding Fujitaka aloft with her left hand alone, her silver shortsword held casually low in her right. The princess turned and smiled brightly at them, though her cheeks were streaked with tears. Her ruby-eyed gaze bore into Yue's.

"Yue-san! I've been looking for you! Everyone wasn't every helpful!" With almost a careless gesture, she tossed the king she was holding towards one of the pillars, which cracked from the blow.

"Nekane… what do you want?" Yue almost spat out.

"You know best, after all. You're the best Moon Guardian ever! You always know where Clow-sama is!" At that, Yue glared at the young woman before him.

"What have you done with my father and sister!" Touya yelled, finally losing his cool and drawing his weapon.

"I am your sister, Touya-kun! Kinomoto Nekane!" Her ruby eyes seemed to twinkle as Touya, dumbfounded by the statement, lowered his sword. She refocused her gaze completely on the guardian. "Yue, Yue… tell me! Where's Clow-sama?"

Barely above a whisper, Yue replied, "Clow Reed is dead, Nekane."

"What…?" The tears lining her face seemed more fitting, as Nekane's face fell.

Yue raised his head and looked straight at Nekane, speaking clearly and evenly. "Clow Reed, the master I loved so dearly, is dead."

'Is this really my sister!' Touya desperately tried to come to grips with what had happened.

She shrieked, "No! I saw him! I was with him, damn it!" Yue's eyes widened at that. "I…" Without warning, she fell forward, her wings becoming slightly grey, then flashing out of existence. Touya started to run forward to catch her, but Yue raised his arm to keep the prince back.

Slowly, the fallen girl sat up onto her hands and knees, leaning heavily forward. Her right hand clutched at her stomach while she stared downwards at her left hand, stained red from all the blood. "… onii-chan…" She looked up, dimming emerald eyes shedding fresh tears. " I…. I… I feel…so..."

Blink. "…dirty? Yes, we're dirty aren't we, Sakura? I can't face Clow-sama like this!" Dull red eyes stared up at the two men before her before pitch-black wings sprung from her back once more. Flapping once, they brought her airborne. "I'll come back after I clean off, Yue! Be sure to tell me then!" A second flap sent the auburn-haired girl towards the west.

"… Sakura! Damn you, Nekane!" Touya cursed at her retreating form. After she disappeared from sight, he stumbled towards Fujitaka, lying motionless in the dimming light.

"Tell me, Yue." Touya gently tucked his father in his parents' bed, as the moon guardian stood behind him. Fujitaka's face was ashen, his breathing shallow and sporadic. Touya dabbed at his father's forehead with a damp, soft cloth. "Who… no, what is Nekane?" His voice was subdued. "What does she want?"

"Nekane is a… dark spirit, prince." Yue reached down towards his sash, where the sleeves of his robes hid a sheathed katana. "Her sealing, I realized soon later, is what brought upon the death of my master, Clow Reed. Although we all… loved him dearly, Nekane especially. Apparently, she wants to be with 'her' Clow-sama once again."

"You're telling me that… spirit is what stole my sister away from me?" Touya growled. Yue sighed in response.

"I know what you are thinking. You can't hope to separate her from Sakura-sama and seal her away. It took all of Clow's strength! You are strong, I shall give you that. But you are a fool to think you are as strong as Clow Reed." Yue crossed his arms and strode towards the window. He opened it, a light breeze flowing through the room.

"No. I don't intend to seal her away. I intend to save my sister from such."

"You'll fail. You'll die." Yue looked out the window, towards the waning moon.

"So be it." Touya's voice was grim, determined.

"…" Yue pulled out the katana at his waist by grasping its stylized white and gold saya, and then presented it to the prince. "Here, then. I'm not going to stop you. But, neither will I join you. This sword will adapt to you and your wishes."

"T-thank you, Yue." Touya grasped the weapon by the sheath, and almost dropped it as the sheath suddenly widened and elongated, the hilt morphing into a slender straight handle with a curving feather for a hand guard. The cross piece, once a stylized gold moon, transformed into a pair of slender wings which flanged out at the ends. He drew the blade and marveled at the pinkish gold blade. "I'll use it with care."

"Bring her back safe." Yue bade, before taking the cloth from Touya's hands to gently wipe Fujitaka's brow. 'Otherwise, I will have likely failed my promise to my Master.'

The young prince bowed to him, and then turned to leave the room, leaving Yue to care for the ailing Fujitaka. Yue sighed and turned towards the window some several feet away. Dark clouds rolled past, covering the moon.

"With light gone away, only the darkness is left. " he whispered.

'What did... you… we do? Father? Why... everyone is... I killed... no!'

"Nothing, Sakura. Just something that needed to be done." Nekane swam somewhat lazily around the turbulent waters. "Ahh, doesn't the cold water feel nice?"

Tsuzuku

Author's Notes:

I honestly don't know what to say at this point. While part of me wants to cheer at seeing the end of the first arc in sight, I also want to curse at some of the characters. Either for not being very strong, or… uncooperative. Oii... Sakura-chan, where are you?

If you like what you see? Or if you don't like something? Please leave a review! Thanks to all who reviewed, as well as a big thank you for xDianaMoonx. For pre-reading, editing, and just plain listening to my complaints and whining. (sage nod)

A saya is the sheath for a katana, in case you didn't know. I hope that clarifies a few things.

Let's see:

bittersweetdreams: Thanks for the comment! I hope this chapter keeps to your expectations.

Windflight: Well... as the chapter hopefully shows... both?

dbzgtfan2004: Thanks for the opinion! Hum. More SS.

Signing off for now,

Eni Li'Nave