Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me. The day they do, my professors would stop giving me assignments and tests, Johnny Depp would step in front of my door and profess his undying love for me and a flying purple monkey will zoom around the city.

Enjoy and review!

Sakura tapped her finger on the half filled glass, contemplating on making the room-temperature water to cold. She knew she was being impatient but she couldn't find it in her to care. She sighed; silently admitting defeat. It's not worth the risk, her power was still recovering. To attempt using them while she was healing could be disastrous.

Sakura closed her eyes shut and concentrate, delving into the core of her power. She saw the familiar, slightly unbalanced storm of herself. Patches of pale red were there, she was nearly healed and she couldn't deny what she saw pleased her. It was strange not having her power close to her skin, she felt exposed without them, vulnerable.

She blinked bewilderedly, something was happening. Her powers calmed somewhat rather than their usual restless waves. That's when she felt the soft brush of his magic against hers. She was quick to withdraw from herself but not before she saw her powers became calmer, moving lethargically against her core. He was keeping her power calm, intentionally or not she had no idea. She decided to dwell on that later.

She turned, leaning against the kitchen's wall. She knew who she would see. "Syaoran." She greeted softly.

A smile curled on his lips and he tilted his head to one side. "You're nearly healed." Syaoran turned his gaze to the glass in her hand as if knowing what she was contemplating of doing. "Have patience."

Sakura shrugged daintily. She lifted the glass to her lips and gulped the rest of the water down. Licking away the stray drops clinging to her lips, she said. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Syaoran drew in a deep breath slowly, forcing himself to calm down. She was driving him to distraction this whole week. He forced his eyes away from her moist lips and his mind to concentrate on why he came to find her on the first place.

"Damion wanted a temporary truce. He wanted to negotiate." Syaoron relayed the information Touya had told him earlier.

Sakura's expression darkened. "I will not be held responsible for my actions if he does anything inappropriate. The nerve of that disgusting.." Sakura shuddered. "Me? In a harem? I'd rather eat glass."

"I'll be there. He won't be able to do anything to you."

Sakura's eyes widened from the promise. He was inadvertently offering her protection. A protection is for life thus it is not something that is given lightly. Sakura looked everywhere but him. She was at lost on how to react; she had never been offered protection by someone other than family before.

A protection is almost like a proposal of some sort and Sakura was not willing to put too much thought on it, afraid that she was reading too much in nothing but a concerned gesture. It immediately made her uncomfortable.

"Touya wanted to return to Ice castle tonight but I haven't pack. If you'll excuse me."

Sakura passed by Syaoran to get to the staircase leading to her rooms but he somehow managed to catch her fingers, pulling on them gently so that she was facing him again. Sakura jolted in surprise when his skin met hers.

"Why are you doing this?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow at his question, not fully comprehending.

"This?"

"Why are you here instead of the castle, where you'll be safe from harm? Why do you insist on being involved in this war?"

Sakura tried to pull back from him but his hold was firm. He pulled gently; Sakura had to take a few steps towards him to keep her balance. Sakura glared at him, her teeth gritted in frustration. Syaoran was careful to keep his gaze soft, strong but without challenge.

"Answer me?" A request; not a demand. Sakura watched him, considering. She parted her lips only to have them closed again, trying to find the right words.

"Then what am I supposed to do? I can't." She whispered; she paused to collect her thoughts." Her voice eerily calm as she continued. "I can't just wave at the soldiers, wishing them a good battle when I know that there will be some who won't return to their families and loved ones."

She closed her eyes, as though trying to get rid of something unpleasant in her mind, a frown marring her face.

Sakura shook her head softly. "I can't bear thinking that one day, some day, my father and Touya won't be coming home; that I would be one of the grieving families. I'm not stupid. I know that they could be taken away from me at any time. One small mistake is all it takes. A hole in the barrier, a spy in the army, poison in their food."

She drew another deep breath and her hands forms trembling fists by her side. "I refused to just stand and watch when Touya was brought into his room covered in blood after being ambushed again. There was so much blood the last time that happened and he lost consciousness for the longest time. I just can't, knowing that I can do something, no matter how small or how insignificant. I wanted to make a difference. I want..." Sakura choked on a lump at her throat and her voice finally cracked.

Sakura kept her head bowed but her body was shaking too much from suppressed tears, destroying any illusion that she was fine. Being strong was hard work and she was exhausted. As tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks, she sighed.

It's no use trying to hide that she was crying so she might as well give up. Sakura pressed her lips with shaking fingers, hoping to trap the upcoming sobs and met his eyes; her expression displayed her embarrassment and hesitation.

"I'm really sorry but can I just cry for a while?"

Syaoran felt his heart clenched as he automatically pulled her close, his arm behind her shoulder, bringing her body in contact with his. She didn't, couldn't resist his comfort. He cursed his curiosity, regretting that he was the one who opened her wounds.

Sakura sobbed and hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around his waist. He was warm and solid against her. Sakura immediately tightened her embrace, stealing every comfort his body could give. Her strength left and it didn't take long for her to decide that she would lean on his for a while.

She couldn't deny that her emotion was all over the place especially when she lost the use of her power. She couldn't help but feel useless and she hated that feeling of hopelessness that would hit her at random times. Syaoran placed his other hand at the small of her back, pressing her body into his. Sakura buried her face in his shoulder, shuddering lightly against him.

Syaoran whispered to her softly, offering words of comfort. He was furious that someone could actually render Sakura to tears. She was young and absolutely lovely. He felt like a cad for noticing but it is unbelievably hard not to.

She shouldn't have such worries, he decided right there and then. He held her tenderly against him, hoping to calm the princess in his arms. When she was finished, she immediately drew back from his warmth, wiping messily at the remaining tears. "Tell anyone and I'll kill you."

Syaoran smiled at the tough exterior she was attempting to put up. "My lips are sealed."

"Good." Sakura turned and walked away. Syaoran eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He had decided. Damion is going to be on the very top of his to-die-list. He would protect her and God help anyone who stands in his way.

The group arrived at Ice Castle near dawn. Traces of magic could be tracked so they had decided to ride to avoid ambush. Sakura worked the kinks of her body and yawned sleepily. She whispered praises to her mare and pat its neck when it nuzzled her. A servant was already there to take care of her horse and she nodded to him, as a signal that he could take it away.

She turned only to find Theo behind her. She smiled warmly at her uncle.

"Go to bed. I'll have someone deliver the result of the council early tomorrow morning." Theo urged quietly, eyeing the black smudge beneath Sakura's eyes.

Too tired to argue, they had ride hard and only stopped once, she nodded. She knew her uncle wouldn't budge this time, the set of his jaw told her so. Bidding her good nights, she proceeded to her chambers to have a well deserved sleep.

A maid woke Sakura up the next morning. Her father had sent for her to come to breakfast. Knowing it would please her mother, Sakura wore one of the dresses that her mother had bought for her from a foreign country. It was simple in design but it followed the curves of her body without being too tight. That itself was a bonus to her. Some of the more princess-like dresses were impossible to breathe in.

She cheerfully greeted everyone at the table including Syaoran and was slightly surprised that Touya managed to join them just before breakfast was served. They ate breakfast in comfortable silence, sometimes interrupted by small talk. Sakura listened half-heartedly. Something else held her attention. She couldn't help but notice that there were hustling footsteps in the corridor, whispered instructions, as if the castle was preparing for something.

"Busy morning." Sakura noted absently. Touya stiffened and the table grew quiet. Her father wiped his mouth against the napkin and she looked at him expectantly. "We've decided to accept the temporary truce."

Sakura's eyes blazed blue but she showed no other sign of being irritated. She put her fork down slowly and sighed. "Is that so?" Sakura stated softly, pushing her breakfast away. Nadeshiko nodded approvingly, as if praising her for keeping her temper check. "We need to hear what he has to say, nothing more. No promises." Fujitaka soothed.

That makes sense, Sakura thought bitterly. She was allowing her emotions cloud her judgment and that was the first rule of 'What Not to Do to Become a Proper Royalty.' She couldn't help it; she hated the man. She despised him like she never had despised anything before.

King Damion was greedy and lazy. Envious over the Ice riches he declared war. In attempt to solve everything peacefully, her father had tried to talk with him. Damion was pompous, balding and utterly disgusting. He had also set his dirty eyes on her and decided that she would fit perfectly in his harem. She shuddered in disgust. She regretted ever persuading her father so that she could come along.

Syaoran watched Sakura's emotions churned behind her eyes. He knew she was displeased and he was impressed with her attempts to not show that particular emotion in front of her parents. She had remarkable self control despite her age, Syaoron admitted. Now, if only she could control her magic the same way. Facial expressions could be altered but magic nestled close to the heart. When the heart is affected so was the magic. It was as simple as that.

Sakura reached out and placed her palm against her father's, squeezing softly. "You are my father, and my king. I trust you like I trust my heart. You will make the best decision for the country and for me. I would not expect anything less from you."

Fujitaka smiled at her daughter's devotion and turned his larger hand, palm upwards so that he was clasping her hand. "I would never do anything to hurt you or our family." He vowed solemnly.

"I know." Sakura smiled cheekily. The table's atmosphere became more relaxed after that, as if the held breath could finally be released. Damion was arriving that night but he was aware that he would not be offered a place to sleep in the castle.

Sakura was glad for that; she might be tempted to kill the man in his sleep. Only the weak and the cowardly ambush people unaware, it was not the way their war was won and Sakura was not going to start now.

Sakura bit into her toast, one single thing in her mind. Damion is coming.

Sakura lifted the hem of her dress, exposing one slender, milky white leg and strapped a small dagger just above her ankle. She smoothed down her attire and stepped in front of her body length mirror, making sure the length of her dress covered the small weapon. Satisfied that it did, she stepped out of her chambers. Damion would be coming any time soon and she wanted to be ready.

Sakura walked in the direction of the throne room where her father had decided to hold the negotiation, testing to make that the dagger was bind securely against her leg. No good if the dagger clattered onto the floor while Damion was present now, would it?

As most castle, the hallways were only dimly lit and growing up in the palace, Sakura had gotten use to it. It didn't stop Sakura from nearly jumping in surprise when Syaoran seemed to appear out of nowhere though.

"Stop doing that." Sakura hissed, calming her already frayed nerves.

Syaoran smiled and Sakura huffed when she realized that he wasn't the least bit contrite. She eyed his attire and blinked bemusedly. He was wearing an all black outfit and while she couldn't deny that he looked dashing, it was hardly appropriate for a formal meeting.

She wasn't aware that Syaoran's eyes made a quick sweep from top of her head to her covered toe, taking in her form. His eyes lingered at the ends of her softly curled hair that rests against the swell of her breast and her slender waist.

In the dim light, Sakura missed the gleam of appreciation evident in Syaoran's eyes. He was brought out of his musing when her lips parted as if to say something. Not that he's looking at her lips..well.. maybe he was but who could blame him? It's not his fault that it looks so soft and inviting.

"You're not joining us?" Sakura questioned.

"As much as I love hearing the foolish demands of a deranged king, I'd rather gain information. It's interesting how much information you could get from lurking in the dark." Syaoran smirked.

Sakura let a small smile touch her lips. Syaoran had more or less just admitted that he likes to lurk around in the dark and an idea quickly formed in her mind.

"Let me join you."

Will you tell me what you think?