The Lost Princess
Chapter 17
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"What happened to her, young master?" came Yel's worried voice the moment he saw Syaoran carrying the blood-soaked Sakura into the young lady's room.
"This is the product of his carelessness and stupidity." Syaoran answered in a controlled and quiet voice laced with anger.
Yel was surprised at the anger she heard in his voice and at the fear she saw in his hazel eyes.
"That's not true!" Yel heard Sakura's indignant counter.
Yel smiled furtively at the exchange between the two, sensing the real reason behind the young man's unreasonable anger and annoyance. She watched as Syaoran carefully laid Sakura on the canopied bed. Sakura tried to sit up but Syaoran pushed her back on the bed by firmly, placed his lips near her ear and whispered something that made her behave.
"Good." Syaoran stated before straightening up.
"That's unfair, Syao." Came Sakura's carefully controlled voice, hurt visible in her emerald eyes and in her quiet tone.
Syaoran turned to her direction, raked his already messy hair for the umpteenth time. "That's the only way I can think of to make you listen to me." He explained wearily, apologizing hazel eyes meeting her hurt emerald ones.
"But that's dirty. Threatening to tell ma and dad about this." She complained, looking like a hurt kid, eyes starting to fill up with annoyed tears.
"I'm sorry. But I'll do anything – dirty or not – to keep you safe." Was his serious reply that shut Sakura up because she saw the truth in his eyes.
"Where's his Majesty? I want to talk to him about this incident." He turned to Yel and directed the inquiry to her.
"In the Throne Room." Yel answered.
Syaoran nodded his thanks. "Please watch her for me. I'll be back in a while." He added before placing a chaste kiss on Sakura's forehead before leaving.
"He's worried." Yel commented while opening the curtains.
"Of course he is. An assassin managed to enter the palace grounds. It means the princess is in danger." Sakura's reply was delivered in a matter-of-fact tone.
"He could care less about the princess, my lady. He's more worried about you." Yel told her with a smile.
"He's just being overprotective and overbearing as usual." Sakura shrugged nonchalantly.
"If you say so, My lady." Yel said obligingly. Then, the doors opened and the doctor came in together with Takashi and Chiharu.
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Xiao Lang entered the throne room and saw the captain of the guards kneeling infront of the king, delivering a report about the incident and the results of the scouring that happened.
"Your Majesty, we found a badly wounded man not far from where the incident happened and we locked him in the dungeon while awaiting his trial and your decision. He has already confessed that he was indeed sent here together with his now already dead partner to kill Lady Sakura." The captain relayed clearly.
Xiao Lang's hazel eyes hardened at what he heard and, hands clenched in barely reined in fury. He heard his father give out a weary sigh before speaking, "Thank you for the hard work. Please alert Eriol and the others about this. Princess Tomoyo's protection must be doubled."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The captain replied before standing and bowing to the king. He walked towards the oak doors, saw the prince leaning on the frame of the door. He bowed in respect to the young prince, who nodded in acknowledgement.
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"Is Sakura okay?" the king asked his quiet son who didn't move from his position on the frame of the open door. He got no answer but he knew that the young lady's condition was bad based on the palpable fury emanating from the quiet guy.
"Permit me to be present during that bastard's trial." He finally spoke, his voice quiet but dangerous. The king scrutinized his son and shook his head.
"No. I won't." came his decision.
"Why not?" Xiao challenged, meeting his father's understanding eyes.
"You're furious right now, son. I can see murder in your eyes. I can't have you making rash and harsh decisions that you'll regret after." His king explained, a smile slowly forming on his lips.
Xiao felt surprised because his father had correctly guessed what he was feeling at the moment. He gave the king a puzzled look that made his slight smile widen. "I would have felt the same unreasonable fury if it was your mother in her position." He answered his son's silent inquiry.
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"How is she?" Xiao asked his mother the moment he entered Sakura's room. Sakura was sleeping soundly, his mother guarding her.
"She's developing a high fever. But the doctor assured me that she's going to be fine." His mother explained, smoothing Sakura's light tresses from her face.
He walked to where the bed was and sat on it, beside Sakura's head and caressed his cheek, trying to control the anger inside him.
"I'll make the person responsible for this pay dearly." Came his tight voice.
"Son…" his mother tried to appease his temper.
"No, ma. Don't reason out with me because I won't listen. They've touched what's mine and they're going to pay." His statement was delivered in anger that his mother winced, especially when she saw the fury in his story eyes.
"Why don't you want to see her when she's awake?" his mother tactfully changed the topic after a tensed silence.
Xiao seemed to have not heard the inquiry because instead of answering, he picked Sakura's right hand and enclosed it inside his, feeling her unusual high temperature. "I don't want her to see me lose my temper because it's going to piss her off." Xiao answered quietly after a while, a smirk visible on his lips.
The queen nodded in understanding while watching the fond expression cross Xiao's hard countenance, smiling. You really do love her, don't you, son? But you have to marry the princess…for everyone's sake. Her thoughts made her smile die, replaced by sadness and guilt.
