Worth Fighting For
Chapter 1: The Missing King

He abdicated the throne to escape the palace life for his freedom. And she had give up her freedom when she ascend the throne as her brother; the king's substitute. How is it that he found himself back into the palace life—the princess palace, as her warrior, hiding his identity while defending the princess against her enemy? What will happen when the princess learns of his true identity?

Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me.

Sakura took a pile of card—Sakura cards on her desk and began to mix the cards by cutting and shuffling them. She woke up earlier in the morning for a quick card reading. A routine she adapted when she learnt to use her Sakura cards.

Sakura then began to spread the cards out from left to right, forming a straight line. Then, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes to concentrate. Slowly, she opened her eyes and studied the line of card before she pulled one of them. Sakura turned the card over and gasped.

Bad omen.

"Touya," she muttered unconsciously. Her eyes were still gazing at her cards, trying to figure out the premonition when someone knocked on her door.

She startled.

Sakura stood up and watched her lady-in-waiting; Mihara Chiharu entered her room.

"Your highness," Chiharu said with a curtsey. "Advisor Tsukishiro seek for your audience."

Sakura nodded, signaling Chiharu to let Yukito in. She tightened her lips impatiently when she saw the young advisor walked in. Sakura signaled Chiharu to leave them alone and leaped towards Yukito into a hug.

"It has been five days. I'm worried," she said when they broke off. "The ministers—the people are worried, Yukito. Would you please tell me where my brother went to? He was involved in something dangerous, isn't he?"

Yukito had an uneasy look on his face.

"The cards show me that something happen to him. But, I couldn't really understand what it was trying to tell me. Yukito, you have to tell me where he went to. What is he planning? Perhaps I could find him. Perhaps I could help," she sighed with frustration when Yukito gave no hint to tell her where Touya had gone missing. "Aren't you worried at all?"

"Princess Sakura," Yukito called softly.

Sakura bit her lip at her accusation. She of all people should know how worried Yukito is that Touya had gone missing for days. After all, Yukito is the king's most trusted advisor. His confidant. His lover.

"I'm sorry," she swallowed. "I shouldn't have said that. Of course you are worried," Sakura paced towards her desk and buried her face under her palm for a brief second, trying to compose herself.

Yukito's gaze softened. He inched towards the princess and pulled her into a hug, patting her hair. She was like a sister to him.

"You're right," Yukito broke the silence, breaking away from his embrace. He looked straight into her emerald eyes and sighed. "You do deserve to know the truth."

"You will tell me where Touya went to?"

"I will," Yukito nodded. His lips curved into a small smile, watching Sakura's face brightened. "But I need you to see this first."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at the piece of paper in Yukito's hand. "What is it?"

"Touya wanted me to give this to you if he didn't return in the period that he promised you. I thought about keeping this longer because I believe that he will return us," he said, watching the princess to unfold the letter. "But I think this is very crucial right now."

xxx

Dearest Sakura,

If this letter has reached your hands, then know that I can't return to you as I have promised. I will return. But until I finish my task, I shall not return to Clow Country. I need you to look after Clow Country until I return. Yukito will be there to assist you. I trust that the future of Clow Country lies within your hand.

I'm sorry for breaking my promise, but know that I will always love you. Take care of yourself.

Your brother, Touya

xxx

Sakura looked up to Yukito with confusion. "Yukito? What is the meaning of this? What does Touya mean by—"

"Touya wanted you to have this," Yukito fished into his pocket and pulled out a strap with Touya's jade emblem and handed them to Sakura. "You're going to need this to ascend the throne as his substitute."

Sakura laughed nervously. Then, she stopped abruptly noticing the seriousness in Yukito's face. "What do you mean by that? Ascend the throne? Me?" Sakura gritted her teeth in frustration. "Tell me what is Touya up to? Why does he need me to look after Clow Country? What could possibly be more important than his people?"

"Touya—he didn't want you to know what he's been up to because he was up to because he was worried on your safety."

Sakura frowned. "What do you mean my safety?"

"He," Yukito paused, looking contemplated on what he was about to tell her. "He was investigating the late king's death."

"My father?" her eyes widened. "Why?"

Yukito took a deep breath. "Touya received an anonymous letter six months ago. The letter hinted that your father, the late King Fujitaka death was no illness. He was poisoned to death."

"No," Sakura shook her head. "That doesn't sounds like Touya at all. He wouldn't just leave the country because of certain uncertainty. The letter could be bogus."

"That's what Touya thought too. But suspicious things around your father's death arose when he began his investigation."

"Like what?" Sakura asked impatiently.

"He found out that your father's physical records were altered by the Royal Physician. There were medicine and tonic prescribed, but never drank by your father. Touya knew this because he was the one who looked after those medicine prescribed."

Sakura set her eyes firmly on Yukito's. "If that is true, why haven't Touya said anything to me? He could have come and discuss this matter with me."

"He can't. Because your life would be in danger," Yukito took a deep breath when he noticed Sakura was about to protest. "I will tell you everything you need to know. But please listen to me first."

Sakura pondered for a moment and gave him an uncertain nod.

"Sakura, there were a few attempts to kill your brother when he ascend the throne."

"What? Attempt murder? Touya?"

"The attacks frequent when he was investigating your father," Yukito continued. "Touya was afraid that that someone might be after your life if you learn anything about your father's death."

Sakura staggered. She held to the frame of her table to support herself. Then she looked up to Yukito with doubt in her eyes. "Wait, if Touya didn't want to tell me any of this because he was worried on my safety. Then, why are you telling this to me now?"

His eyes softened. "Because I want you to know what you're about to get into if you were to accept Touya's order to step in as his substitute. You need to know what you are dealing with in the future."

xxx

"I don't get it. Most men would rather stay in the palace, living in luxury," Yamazaki complained. He drew his sword and grazed the ground with the tip of his sword. Then he raised his sword and pointed it towards Syaoran. "And you. You decided to abdicate your throne and let go of your position as the future king for this."

"You're lucky I'm no longer a crown prince," Syaoran snickered. "You could be executed for pointing your sword to me."

Yamazaki put aside his sword and raised both hand in surrender. "I'm sorry."

Syaoran adjusted the saddle onto his horse and raised a brow to Yamazaki. "Would you like to return to Hong Kong then? I could always write a recommendation letter for you and let them assign you to some important department."

"And let you travel without companion? No," Yamazaki shook his head. "I don't think so. You may no longer be a crown prince, Li Syaoran. But you're still a prince. Your parents would murder me for leaving you unprotected."

"I could always ask them to send someone else to take your place."

"You wouldn't do that. You don't trust any other soldiers other than me. I'm your most trusted bodyguard slash comrade."

Syaoran chuckled. "You're quite full of yourself."

Yamazaki shrugged. "I thought that I could live in peace and luxury when I decided to follow you. But then, you decided to step down from your throne to see the world. I just don't get what were you thinking."

"I had enough of palace politic and those ministers who won't stop fawning over me for their own benefits," Syaoran told him. "I've been dealing with politics ever since I was five. I want to break away from it. And there were a lot more I can do to my people when I'm out here instead of staying in the palace."

"And you're okay with your cousin taking over the throne?" Yamazaki tested. "You're not jealous that he has a lot more power than you have?"

Syaoran snickered as he remembered his distance cousin, Hiiragizawa Eriol. The one he had forced to take over his place as the crown prince two months ago. The ministers had protested his decision. They found it inappropriate although Eriol is a royal bloodline. But Syaoran had made his mind on abdicating his crown and nothing the ministers had said would change his mind about it. Therefore, his parents decided to adopt Eriol as their own son. And the ministers' protest was silenced.

"I wouldn't trade my freedom for power." Syaoran said, grinning. "According to hierarchy, I could refer Eriol as my great-great uncle. But that would irritate him. Our parents decided to assume us as cousin—distance cousin as they call it because we're the same age."

Yamazaki frowned at the complication of the royal family tree.

"Besides, I think Eriol is more suitable as the king. I didn't know how he does it, but the minister seems to be terrified of him. And I know that he's going to be a great king someday," Syaoran mounted his horse and raised a brow towards Yamazaki. "Are you going to continue chit chatting or are you going to go with me?"

Yamazaki grunted. He mounted his horse and turned to Syaoran. "Where are we going this time?"

"Clow Country," Syaoran smiled. "We've never been there, but, Feimei mentioned that the king of Clow Country invented a new martial art technique for his army. I'm curious."

"We're making a trip to Clow Country so that you can learn about this new martial art?"

Syaoran raised a brow. "You got any problem with that?"

"No. Of course not," Yamazaki shook his head. He let Syaoran led the way and follow closely to him. "Here we go again," Yamazaki muttered under his breath. "Martial arts craze prince."

xxx

Sakura fidgeted as she stood behind the door. Her head poked into the hall to get a better view on what is going on inside and saw a few ministers were talking, discussing among themselves. She drew back and leaned towards the door.

"Everything will be alright," Yukito told her. "Just remember that I will be here to support you."

"Thank you," Sakura smiled weakly. She drew a deep breath and turned around, striding into the assembly hall with fake confidence. Yukito was following closely behind her.

"Your highness, Princess Sakura," the ministers bowed at her presence.

"Your highness," Akira, the minister of war spoke when Sakura was seated. "I had dispatched the soldiers to search for the king everywhere. But none of them are having luck. I'm afraid that continuing the search for the king would be a waste of our source."

"A waste?" Sakura snapped.

Akira bowed his head, cowering.

"You're sending your soldiers out to look for the king," Sakura continued. "Your king! How dare you say something like that?"

"But your highness," Sato, the minister of finance spoke. "It has been days that the king went missing. Who knows what happened to him and his bodyguard in the woods. Perhaps we could declare him as de—."

Sakura shot a menacing glare to the minister. "My brother is alive! I knew that he is alive somewhere!"

"How could he abandon his people if he is still alive?" Akira said. "Your highness, you may not notice how serious this situation is for you were not much involved with the country affair. But this country could not go on without a king. The people would panic and suffer as the consequences."

Sakura leaned back to her chair to compose herself. "What are you suggesting, minister?"

The ministers turn to look at each other before Akira spoke again, "Your highness, new leadership is required to calm the people. I'm suggesting that we should appoint a new king—an acting king to run the country."

Sakura swallowed, trying to muster her courage before she tells them what's on her mind.

"I think, Prime Minister Nakano is the perfect man for this job," Akira continued.

Sakura paused. She peered towards Nakano and watched him smiling in approval to the other ministers. Then she turned to look at Yukito beside her and saw him nodded. "No," she said cutting Akira from continuing his praise to the prime minister.

"No?" Akira blinked. "Your highness, what do you mean by that? Perhaps you have your own candidate to step up as an acting king?"

"I will step up as an acting king," Sakura announced. The minister gasped. They turned to each other and began to whispering, discussing, and protesting.

Sakura grasped the arm of her chair tightly as she was trying to control her nervousness. She closed her eyes in a brief second as she tried to remember what Yukito had taught her to say to the ministers.

"Your highness," Nakano said, chuckling a bit. His head shook in disapproval. "You cannot step up as an acting king. You are a princess. A woman ruling a country is unheard of. This is against our tradition!"

"I haven't read anything in our constitutional which says that a woman could not rule the country," Sakura retorted. She pulled out Touya's jade emblem from her sleeve and held it up to showcasing them to the ministers. "Touya—the king handed his emblem to me as a sign that I shall ascend as his substitute until he return. "I'm claiming the throne as per the king's order."

"But your highness," Sato said, "You must understand that this isn't appropriate."

"And I understand that my brother is still the king," Sakura said. Confidence flowed into her. "And his order remains as a king's order before a new king is appointed. Are you trying to defy his order to have me as his substitute, minister?"

-End of Chapter 1: The Missing King-