The Lost Princess

A/N: By the way, guys… I hope you don't mind the Clow King's name…^^ My cousin was the one who suggested it and I have no idea what to name him because I don't know the name of Xiao Lang's father…XD… and thank you chainedheart999 for the help again…^^

Chapter 14

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Sakura heard a familiar voice say from behind. She turned her gaze from the life-size painting of a pretty lady hanging on the wall of the palace library. She saw the familiar face of the servant-woman she had talked to many nights ago. Her gentle lips were in a smile, her eyes on the portrait.

"Yes, she is." Sakura agreed, looking at the painting.

The moment she had set eyes on the portrait, she had felt queer, so calm and assured, as if the lady was hugging her in silent comfort. She even felt a sort of connection to the lady.

"That's Nadeshiko… when she was eighteen, newly wed to the Reed king. She was so happy and vibrant as she let King Fujitaka paint her." The woman narrated, her voice filled with longing for the lady in the painting.

"If she's the Reed queen then how come her portrait is here? Shouldn't it be in the Reed palace?" Sakura inquired in confusion, transferring her steady gaze on the woman. The woman also met her gaze and gave her a slight smile.

"We took it from the Reed palace after they had disappeared inorder to preserve this piece of treasure." The older woman explained to the young lady.

"Were the Clow and Reed monarchs close?" Sakura murmured her inquiry, loathe to disturb the silence inside.

"Yes… The Clow king had been in love with her and she was the best friend of the now Clow queen." Yel answered with a thoughtful smile on her lips as if the recollection was so sweet.

"If that is so… then why didn't she become the Clow queen? Why did she marry the Reed king?" confusion lit her emerald eyes.

"Because she had long been in love with the Reed heir even in their youth. She was only the daughter of a humble hostler in this kingdom and had become the play mate of the Clow and Reed heirs. They grew up together and it was inevitable that one of them would fall for her. To everyone's surprise, both the heirs had fallen for her but at first, she decided not to choose any of them because she was a practical woman who knew to which class she belonged and that her friends must only marry for the good of each of their kingdoms…" she narrated, pausing only to look at the portrait.

"How sad…What happened next?" Sakura asked, completely immersed in the story.

Yel went on, her mind transported back in time…

~XXX~

Yelan watched from afar as the young lad, Deshi, spoke to her best friend. It was clear that the two were arguing and she looked away, resuming her work of weeding the palace garden.

A while later, she sensed her friend's return.

"How was your talk with the stubborn lad?" she asked as her friend crouched to help her.

"It didn't go quite well… He wanted me to elope with him. I discouraged him of that stupid notion." Nadeshiko stated, her --- eyes flashing in annoyance.

"The guy's really in love with you." Yelan spoke quietly, feeling so hurt at her own statement. She couldn't really blame Deshi if he'd fallen for Nadeshiko who was so beautiful and tough, a rare combination. Unlike her, who seemed to have no markings of being a woman at sixteen.

"I'm sorry, Yellie… I know you're in love with him." Nadeshiko said gently, turning to her friend with sincerity shining in her eyes.

"No, I'm not. It's just a silly infatuation, that's all." The lie tasted bitter on her tongue.

Nadeshiko just nodded in understanding although she didn't really believe what she'd just said.

XXX

"Yellie!!!" a very happy Nadeshiko had ran to her one summer night, a year later. Nadeshiko threw her body at her and hugged her tight. They were near the river.

"Fujitaka told me he loved me! At long last!" Nadeshiko announced, her happiness visible.

"How about Deshi?" her voice was sad.

Nadeshiko's happiness melted at the sight of her best friend's sad expression.

"I know I had said before that I won't choose any of them… but I realized I can't keep my feelings for Fujitaka silent any longer, Yellie. I've been loving him since I was old enough to know what it is…" Nadeshiko tried to explain, the light of happiness in her pretty face dimming because of worry.

"I know, Nadeshiko… It's just that Deshi's not going to give up easily. I know him. He'll surely fight for you and damn all the consequences." Yelan stated without hesitation.

XXX

"What!? A duel to the death?! But, Deshi?! That's stupid!" came Yelan's outrage at what the Clow heir had confided in her.

"I've got to have her, Yellie! I want her as my wife!" Deshi said this with firmness and conviction, his hazel eyes shining with determination.

"But, Deshi?! A duel to the death?!" she couldn't seem to believe such insane decision.

"Back me up on this, Yellie. And please understand me…" he begged her, his hazel eyes steady on hers. At his gaze, her resolve to talk him out of it wavered.

"Please, love." He said, enclosing her hand with both of his huge and callused hands.

XXX

Yelan watched as the two guys faced each other on the practice courts, surrounded by a few people. They had already drawn their blades from its sheath.

She looked at Fujitaka worriedly, guilt slowly eating her away.

~He's at a disadvantage.~ she thought, her eyes landing on Fujitaka's right shoulder and her mind wandered back to the unfortunate event earlier.

~Damn~ she cursed, then transferred he gaze to the other guy, whose hazel eyes concealed his emotions. She'd always hated it whenever he did that and he knew it, that's why he oftentimes teased her with it.

~Please, Deshi. Let them be… They've in love with each other.~ she thought, knowing that it was useless. One had to die unless the loser admits defeat.

She had tried to dissuade Deshi of it but he was so stubborn, never listening to her reasons and their talk had led to a fight --- a huge one!

XXX

"Fujitaka!" a shriek of fear cut her musings and absent-mindedness. Her chocolate eyes widened at the sight before her. Fujitaka was down on the ground, bruised, clutching his right shoulder which had bled, the wound that he had acquired that morning because of her, opening. Deshi was towering over Fujitaka, the tip of his blade on Fujitaka's neck.

"Admit defeat now, Fujitaka. I don't want to kill you… unless you force me to." This was said coldly and quietly, his hazel eyes betraying no emotion.

Fujitaka looked up and held Deshi's gaze levelly.

"No, I won't. I better die than see her unhappy." This was delivered firmly but quietly.

"So, be it!" he raised his blade up in the air, about to strike him.

"No! Stop!" Yelan interfered, her voice ringing loud and clear. She had seen horror in Nadeshiko's --- eyes.

~XXX~

His Majesty, King Deshi's, smiled slightly as he heard her narrate.

"What happened next?" there was eagerness and awe in the young lady's inquiry.

He knew well what had happened that day. It was one of his cheeriest moment in life… and the first time that he felt the anger, confusion and jealousy get tangled with his fondness of his little Yellie.

~XXX~

His sword-hand stopped in mid-air when Yellie's firm voice penetrated his hazy mind and red vision. He turned to her direction and saw her furious chocolate eyes. He flinched inwardly but didn't show it.

"This fight is unfair, Deshi." She stated quietly, her eyes meeting his levelly. He didn't answer, just arched a brow mockingly.

She proceeded to tell him about the accident earlier in which the only thing that stuck in his mind was the fact that Fujitaka had saved his little Yellie's life, that if it weren't for Fujitaka, Yelan would have been dead.

"So, for this fight to be fair, I'll take his place and fight you 'cause I owe him my life. My life is his now and I offer it to him willingly." She announced without any reservations, bending down and picking the sword of the fallen Fujitaka whose right shoulder had bled profusely, staining his shirt.

~No way!~ his mind screamed in panic, almost losing his carefully placed mask.

"Oh, yeah? You're willing to die?" he said mockingly, smirking.

"You're implying that I'm weak…" it was a statement rather than a question, "I'll have to prove you wrong then…" she added calmly, although her eyes had flashed in temper.

"No, Yellie." Deshi heard Fujitaka's quiet dissuade. At this, Deshi's jaw locked, his hazel eyes revealed nothing but something seemed to be invading his system, a strange feeling --- something he couldn't seem to define… It was a mixture of anger at Fujitaka's fond tone and Yelan's loyalty to his sworn rival. He hated the latter! He didn't want her to be loyal to anyone but him! She was his!

"Bring it on." He ignored Fujitaka's statement and gave Yelan a thorough look with a matching mocking grin.

The duel started and it lasted longer than expected but the inevitable happened. Yelan fell down on the ground, the blade flying from her hand uselessly.

"Give up now." He whispered quietly, tip of the blade poised on her neck. She looked up and met his cold gaze levelly, steel and determination in her eyes.

"Kill me now and be done with it." She announced casually.

He raised his blade for the death strike, hazel eyes focused on her defiant chocolate ones.

"No, Deshi! Don't!" he vaguely heard Nadeshiko's scream.

"Desh! Please! Don't!" Fujitaka's panic-stricken voice fell on deaf ears.

His gaze never left Yelan's eyes, drowning in it. He saw in his mind's eye the days they spent together. How she always made him smile during his troubled times and how she had always helped him face his problems then he saw her image disappear, leaving him forever. His heart constricted. He knew he'd be miserable if that vision ever came true, he'd be miserable if she died…what more if she died by his hands.

~But, if she dies, I'll have Nadeshiko.~ his mind whispered.

Yes, he might have Nadeshiko but she'll be unhappy and so would he. If he chose to kill Yelan to gain victory, he'll lose twice. But if he'll concede defeat, he'll still have his little Yellie and in the process, make two persons happy, his friends.

A sacrificial lamb. That's what he thought of himself but he'll do it --- with selfish reasons. He'll do it to be able to keep Yelan. He'd do anything for Yellie, he realized.

The sword that was going down to strike Yelan suddenly stopped. Deshi's hazel gaze was still fixed on Yellie's now confused chocolate ones.

"So, you've chosen him over me." His quiet statement was breakingly sad, "You win… I give up." And he stuck the tip of the blade on the ground and walked away without a backward glance.

~XXX~