I was looking through this story and realized I have no inclination to finish it. The style of what is to come is kinda outside of my writing range and I've just left it so long I know it's not going anywhere. But looking at this, I did notice that the first arc is complete, and if I leave the story at this chapter, there is a small sense of closure even thought there are some questions about the vague impending doom written through out. Anyway, I've decided to leave this story here and call it for the most part complete. If I ever decide to carry on the second arc, I'll post it in the same story, but for now this is done and I'm sorry to anyone who feels a bit shafted by this. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited, and alerted. All was much appreciated.

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS.

Queen of my Heart – Don't Say It's Perfect

"This is wonderful!" Yelan cheered as she danced her son and his future wife around the room consecutively. "We really must tell everyone straight away. We need to set a date. My son is getting married!" Yelan continued to ramble happily.

It was almost odd to see the woman in such a state.

Even Syaoran – who had known her his entire life – had never seen her this happy about anything. Then again, this was the day of her only son's engagement, why wouldn't she be happy?

"Who to call first?" Yelan asked herself as she flicked through one of her many address books. "Your sisters, of course."

Syaoran's eyes widened in horror at the thought of what his mother was about to do. He couldn't let it happen. He didn't want to think about what his sisters were going to do when they found out.

They'd probably rush to the castle straight away and then instead of just the one there would be four exaggerated versions of his mother dancing around the room excitedly as if this was the happiest day of their lives, even happier than their own weddings and engagements. Except with these versions there would also be the cheek pinching kind added for effect and he was sure that Sakura had been given more than enough of that treatment in the last week to last her lifetime.

He was surprised she still wanted to marry him after coming face to face with his not nearly distant enough family.

"Mother please," Syaoran said half pleading on his hands and knees, half stern and commanding, "anything but that."

"But Syaoran," Yelan begged her son who shook his head.

"What about just Xie-Fa?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"Fuutie?"

Same response.

"How about Wei?"

"No."

"The elders?"

"No."

"What about . . ."

"No."

"Syaoran . . ."

"No."

"Mrs. Li," Sakura began trying to make sense of the conversation.

"Oh Sakura please, call me Yelan," she said happily. "Or better still," she added as an afterthought as her eyes lit up happily, "why don't you call me mother?"

Sakura smiled awkwardly but knew it was probably best to comply with Yelan's wishes for now.

"You see, what I think Syaoran mean's is that we kind of just want to keep our engagement to just ourselves for a day or two before we tell the world," Sakura explained looking to her fiancé for support. "We just don't want people to think that were rushing into things even though we know that we really love each other."

"Why didn't you just say that from the start?" Yelan asked turning to Syaoran and then back to Sakura. "Oh, of course dear, I understand. I remember Syaoran's father and I were much the same way when we got engaged. We weren't sure what people were going to think, especially with all that was going on between the Li Kingdom and the Yawa's. Sometimes it's just best to keep this sort of thing between the two of you while you get used to it. I mean it does take a little getting used to introducing him as your fiancé rather than your boyfriend."

Sakura blushed for a second but shook it off as something else grabbed her attention. "Yawa, that was my mother's kingdom," Sakura stated more to herself than anyone else.

"Yes, I do believe it was," Yelan said happily. "I remember what a lovely person your mother used to be. She was always so cheerful, much like you Sakura, and she would always sacrifice her own happiness for other people, accept of course when it came to love.

"To her love was more important than anything else in the world and she was even willing to go against her family to prove that," Yelan sighed wistfully as she recalled a forgotten memory. "She loved your father so much and she would have given up everything that ever seemed important to her before just to be with him forever.

"She would have been so proud of you, you followed your heart despite any odds and it lead you to true loves desire. You never lost sight of what lay within your heart and that will always be enough."

"Thank you," Sakura said quietly as small tears welled in her eyes. She had always hoped that her mother would be proud of her and of the life she was living and Yelan voicing that was like a wish come true.

Yelan smiled and wrapped her arms around Sakura in a light hug. "My dear," she said softly so Syaoran wouldn't hear, "I can't think of anyone I would rather have marrying my son and if I could choose anyone in the world to be his bride I would always pick you."

Sakura whispered yet another thank you as she embraced her future mother in-law in a hug almost as if it were her own mother.

It seemed as though life truly couldn't get any better than this.

"Stupid brat," Rose muttered. "Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse she decides to have a stupid heart felt chat with her mother in-law. They all make me so sick."

"Madame," a voice called cutting off her angry ramblings.

Of course, it was that blasted assistant of hers, Ivanhoe that just seemed to be utterly incapable of doing anything on his own. Really, if it weren't for the fact that he was a demon and practically invincible she would have gotten rid of him a long time ago.

The fact that he was so closely attached to her dark powers probably played in his favour too.

They say that some people are alive simply because it's a illegal to kill, well Ivanhoe was simply alive because it would be a complete and utter waste of time to kill, who cared if it was legal. Knowing her luck he'd probably resurrect himself within seconds and the giver of her powers wouldn't be too impressed with her behaviour either.

Rose sighed haughtily as she turned around from where she was surveying how things were going in the Li kingdom.

"What is it Ivan?" she sighed again. "My day is already ruined so whatever you have to say, say it now and say it fast."

"M-ma-mad-d-dame," Ivanhoe stuttered as he tried so hard to slink away into the corners.

"I'm waiting," she hissed glaring at him.

"Th-the-they, I-I m-mean, the A-av-ava-l-lon's th-they're, they're looking for you."

"What!" she screamed.

"I-it's T-to-yai," he forced out slinking further and further into the dark shadows that scattered through the blood red furnished room. "S-su-som-some-w-one s-s-s-s-suggested th-that m-maybe you w-were involved. He w-wants . . . he wants to talk to y-you."

"But I thought I was dead," Rose said glaring at her pitiful assistant. "I was told that they all thought I was dead and that no one would ever come looking for me. That no onewould come looking for me and that in the end we would both be happy. Are you saying I was lied to? Are you happy Ivanhoe?"

"No!" Ivanhoe insisted quickly. "Y-you k-know t-th-that is h-his p-power. He kn-knows wa-what is a-l-live and wa-what is dead."

"Yes, of course, just like his evil she-bitch of a mother," Rose hissed spitefully. "I suppose he has the power to reach out to the dead, to act as a median between the living and the dead. And I suppose he hasn't a clue of any of this and puts it all down to intuition and a few too many mai tai's at the Christmas do?" Rose question rhetorically looking out her window and glaring into the night.

"But of course my dear," a deep voice not belonging to the annoying Ivanhoe replied to her walking up beside her. "He would not be her son if he didn't."

"And what about the daughter? I suppose she has no clue either of the power she holds, of the power she will bare if they have their way," Rose continued angrily.

"You would be correct in that assumption Rose," the deep voice replied from right beside her but she didn't turn to face him. "She does not know her future, or even what she is now. She barely knows her past, and sometimes that is all you humans have."

"It is well to remember that you were once human too, master," she replied looking to the demon caped in a shadowy cloak of death.

He was, as she said, her master, the giver of her powers. He was the reason she had not died when she was exiled from a kingdom which so rightly belonged to her. He was the reason for the many minions that worshiped her and cowered under her violet stare.

But he was only part of the reason for the pure evil that coursed through her veins, the evil that she drew the powers he had so charitably given unto her from.

There were many things that could have been the cause for it.

Perhaps it was the fact that she had rather coincidently be born on Friday the 13th under a full moon at exactly 6 minutes and 6 seconds after midnight. But then again, that would all just be far too cliché.

Maybe it was from that time when she was bitten by a white cat with piercing Ruby eyes. But then it hadn't been too fond of dear little Hyacinth either.

It could be the lack of love and nurture she was given by her parents, the way she was always pushed out of Nadeshiko's light. But, of course, she was sure this had begun long before that.

So perhaps there is another reason, that we are as they say, depraved, currupt and utterly hopeless. Maybe some are simply born evil, destined to be on the side of evil, never meant to be part of the light.

I suppose if that is truly the case, then Rose was one destine for the darkness the shadows held so inviting. One always meant to find comfort in the shrouded, grey area's of life that no one else seemed to understand but her.

But the darkness was her home, and he was the landlord you could say. He held the key to her powers.

"You must act now," he spoke suddenly in his monotonous, unfeeling voice.

"I know," she replied nodding her head. "They are engaged, and if I know Yelan, it will not be a short engagement."

"Their power grows," he said his tone never varying. "That's all you need to worry about."

"But what a . . ." Rose began only to be cut off.

"I will send you the shadow warriors tomorrow," he told her. "Do what you like until then, but tomorrow we are preparing for war."

Rose nodded.

Their cause may not be right, but in the end, they would be what was left.

She would do everything in her power to make sure of that.

~ The End ~