Author's note: Half-way through writing this chapter, I lost a friend to cancer. He was 19 years old. We weren't that close, but we were classmates in high school and he was one of the few persons who were nice to me on first meeting and throughout the school year.

And so, I dedicate this chapter to you, my friend. I know you're now in a place without suffering, I know you'd make the angels crack up with your jokes and I know you'd brighten up the heavens as you did on earth. Thank you, for the smiles and the kindness. Thank you for everything.

Once Sakura opened her eyes, the first thing she saw were drapes of different colored cloths hanging from the ceiling. She felt warm, incredibly so, and from a distance she can hear fire crackling in a hearth. She pushed herself up to sit.

Hearth…Ceiling…Ceiling!

Her eyes widened with a gasp as she took in more of her surroundings. She was on a soft bed–a bed!–with a nice, cozy blanket warming her body. Beside the bed was a small table littered with different herbs, a spoon and a small bowl containing what looked like water.

She looked at the window. It was devoid of any glass or metal bars and was instead covered with a soft looking curtain that fluttered as the wind entered the room. Like the window, the doorway was unblocked and has a cloth over it instead of a door.

After the initial shock of waking up in a strange place has waned, Sakura wondered who found them; if the person was a rescuer or an enemy. But then again, as she swept her gaze through the room once again–taking note of the few clutters of pencils, parchment and books, she thought a person who wished to hold her captive wouldn't place her in a room so…homely.

No. She shook her head as she peeled the blanket off her and planted her feet on the wooden floor. It felt nice and smooth on her aching feet. Grimacing, she realized that her tattered gown was gone and was replaced by a shapeless shift that ended around her calf. Cautiousness prickled the back of her mind.

Sakura mentally searched her body for any pain, found none, then she started walking towards the door. A cold gust of wind blew, making the curtains flutter wildly as it flew through the gaping window. She halted her steps as the wind travelled up her legs and…she discovered she wore nothing underneath the thin material of her shift.

With an indignant intake of her breath, Sakura retraced her steps back to the bed and pulled the covers off it. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and once again made her way out of the room.

A hallway greeted her.

The room she was in was at the very end of the hallway. To her left, another open door gaped at her, showing an interior very similar to the room she woke up in; except this one was free of any clutter and appeared to be unused.

To her right was yet another open door, this time, the scent of different herbs and spices wafted from it. Curious, Sakura peeked inside.

Her relief was palpable when she saw Syaoran on top of the bed, breathing. The blanket covered only his hips and legs, revealing bandages that wrapped around his torso, arms and temples.

Sakura's guilt weighed heavy in her chest as she stared at him.

Carefully, she made her way towards the bed and sat down beside him, her hip beside his. Sitting this close next to a man–despite his current lack on consciousness–went against every rule drilled to her mind. But this man had saved her life, looked after her even though she was a stranger; even though he had the choice to choose Rika instead of her, a princess she was certain he saw nothing more than a child.

He had told her that Rika had assigned her under his wing, but was that really all? Could their bond be that strong that he willingly gave up the remainder of his life to be tied down to someone he barely even knew? Those questions that plagued Sakura's mind. Questions that she knew she didn't have the courage to voice out. Not because she was ashamed of asking, but because she was terrified of his answer.

Sakura was a princess, someone whose needs are catered to by the thousands of people who served her. She had the best of everything and never lacked attention from anyone since birth. Yet despite the numerous people who faced and acknowledged her presence, only two has ever cared about her.

And now, because of her, one of those two was dead.

Sakura bit her lip until she tasted blood. Emotions of any sort wouldn't help her right now. Emotions made her a mess–made her an easy target, and so, as she always does, she bottled the heavy feelings in her chest and pushed it in the darkest corner of her heart. She refused to feel.

"You're awake."

Sakura turned her head at the direction of the voice. A woman stood in the entrance of the room, carrying a tray of food and wearing a soft smile.

She was clothed in a short-sleeved green dress over a long-sleeved white shift which cuffs ended around her wrists. On the skirt of her dress were strange markings stitched along the hem. Her hair, a deep shade of brown, was braided on either side of her head and held up by white ribbons.

A sense of familiarity washed over Sakura. She knew she had seen this woman, but couldn't remember where no matter how much she raked her brain.

"I am Chiharu, your highness," she said as she placed the tray on the table beside the bed. "I thought you'd wake up, so I brought you food, but then you were gone when I entered your room." She laughed sheepishly. "Then I figured you'd be here, and I'm right!"

"Where are we?" Sakura asked.

"Safe from harm," Chiharu answered with another smile.

She raised a hand towards Sakura and the action revealed a part of her arm that were once hidden by the long sleeve of her shift. Sakura gasped when she saw the same symbols on her dress tattooed around the soft skin of her wrist.

The tattoo, drawn onto her skin by black ink, were lovely lines of spirals and different symbols woven together to form an intricate pattern that circled her wrist and travelled the length of her forearm before disappearing underneath the cloth of her dress. It was a very beautiful work, but Sakura had never seen ink on a woman's body before.

Chiharu must have misinterpreted her gasp of surprise for something else. Her smile dimmed a bit.

"You must be hungry," she said.

Sakura's stomach rumbled in response.

"Well, there you go." Grinning, Chiharu handed her a warm bowl of soup and a spoon.

Sakura regarded it carefully, her eyes darting between the stranger and the tasty looking food before. But when Chiharu took the bowl from her hands, tipped it to her lips and drank a bit of the soup before handing the bowl back to her, Sakura's control snapped and she started digging in.

Sakura's hand shook, spilling warm liquid on her clothes as she brought the trembling spoon to her lips over and over, but she didn't care. She was too hungry and couldn't remember when she'd last eaten.

Chiharu watched her in silence until she spooned the last drop of soup into her mouth. Then, once done, the brown-haired girl took the bowl from her hand and replaced it with a cup of water. Sakura emptied the contents of the cup within seconds.

"Thank you," Sakura said meekly, now ashamed of her lack of grace.

"You are very welcome, your highness."

"Who are you? Your tattoos…I've never seen anything like it. And where are we? I noticed that it's very windy around here. Are we in a mountain?"

Chiharu seemed surprise by the bombard of questions, but she chuckled and looked over her with amusement.

"We are not in a mountain, your highness. In fact, we are not far from where you two fell. See, Takashi and I were looking for you both, so imagine our surprise when you two literally came rolling by our feet!" She laughed in good humor.

Sakura, however, found nothing funny about the near-death experience. She wasn't sure if she can handle being in high places for the reminder of her life.

"What do you want from us?"

"Well, that's not what you should be asking, your highness." A mischievous glint appeared in Chiharu's eyes as she stood and picked up the tray once more. "The question should be, what do you want from us. He should be waking up soon. Once he does, please come and see me."

With those words as goodbye, Chiharu walked out of the room and disappeared from Sakura's sight.

It was nearly sundown when Syaoran finally woke up. Sakura, who stayed by his side since Chiharu left, barely suppressed a sigh of relief as she stopped pacing.

"Princess?" he croaked, frowning, as he tried to sit up.

Sakura was beside him immediately, pushing at his shoulders to still him. He grunted and fell back to the bed with a soft thump.

"Where are we?" His gaze raked over the unfamiliar surroundings. Sakura noticed how his eyes lingered on the window and the open door longer than the rest of the room. He was in no doubt making a mental note of possible exits should the need for escape arise.

"I have no idea," Sakura admitted. "I looked out the window but all I can see are trees. But I noticed that we are in an elevated place. Maybe a hill."

He was silent, contemplating. Then, a gust of wind blew into the room, shifting the blanket around his waist and nearly taking out the lit candles in the room. He shivered.

"It's also awfully windy here," Sakura said as she pulled the covers up to his chin.

He looked down at himself as if only then was he noticing the huge amount of bandages wrapped around his skin. Much to Sakura's surprise, twin pink blots appeared on his cheeks.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "You shouldn't have seen such an ugly sight."

It took her a few seconds, but Sakura realized that he was speaking about his scars. His chest and arms were full of it; some small and faint, while some are big and puckered. She had to admit that she was taken aback when she first saw it, but as she sat near him as he slept silent and unaware, she found herself staring at them, wanting to know every story that accompanied every slash and blemish on his skin.

Not that she'd voice her thoughts aloud.

She didn't reply, instead, she took the cup of water–Chiharu had refilled it some hours ago–and brought it to his lips. He raised his head, his eyelids lowering as he drank thirstily.

"Thank you," he said as she replaced the on the small table. He blinked is tired lids, trying to focus his gaze.

"You should rest."

"It might be dangerous." Once again his eyes trained on the door, as if expecting a four headed monster to march right inside the room and swallow her whole.

As if on cue, a humongous man appeared by the doorway. Sakura barely contained herself from narrowing her eyes and glaring at the intruder. But in the back of her mind, she knew that it was no use to try and intimidate a man that intimidating.

Though he was wearing a smile and carrying a tray of lovely smelling food, his imposing height made it a near impossibility for him to look friendly. He had a mop of dark hair that was part slicked back. The other part fell over his forehead in soft wisps. But what was more remarkable than his build was his eyes.

They were closed.

Despite his supposed lack of vision, he managed to walk inside the cramped room and set the tray on the table with ease. With Sakura, Syaoran–who is not such a small man himself–and the huge stranger in the same room, the walls seemed to shrink.

"Hello," he greeted with a smile. His voice was deep and gentle, and very different from the rumble Sakura expected from someone his size.

What a very contrasting man, Sakura thought.

"Who are you?" Syaoran asked suspiciously as he tried to push himself up again, obviously not wanting a stranger to see him in such a weak state. Men, Sakura subtly rolled her eyes.

"I am Takashi. But you can call me Yamazaki." He grinned. "I am here to bring you food, as ordered, so there," he pointed to the tray that contained two bowls of stew, two utensils and two cups of water as if he was talking to small children.

"Takashi?" Sakura frowned. "Knightblood?"

His grin went even wider, nearly splitting his face in two. "Aye, your highness. I am from the country in the far, far east. However, that was a long time ago and I've no wish to go back."

"How long?" There was an edge of accusation lacing Syaoran's voice. It made Sakura turn to look at him, trying to discern his emotion, but his face was a blank mask.

"Hmm," Yamazaki appeared to be lost in thought for a moment before continuing, "a few years back. I'm not certain when because I don't have the best memory…but speaking of memories, do you know that if you brush your hair for exactly three hundred times in a night of a full moon, your memory will sharpen?"

Sakura was silent, unable to think of a reply. Surprisingly, so was Syaoran.

It was then that Chiharu flounced in the room, scowling.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she stopped right before the giant and crossed her arms in front of her.

Their disparity made Sakura eye them with interest. He was tall while she was short–nearly a foot shorter than him; his skin was sun-kissed while hers was alabaster; he was smiling while she looked like she was about to strangle him.

"Bringing food and being a good host," he said, seeming oblivious to the smaller girl's irritation.

Chiharu sighed and shook her head. "Don't listen to anything he says," she said to Sakura. "And don't mind him if he starts telling strange tales."

"Chiharu?" Syaoran, who had been strangely silent, exclaimed.

The brown-haired girl turned and smiled at him, her braided hair bouncing as she nodded. "Sir Syaoran!"

Sakura scowled in confusion.

X

Syaoran's mind was reeling. Why was Chiharu here? She was human last time he saw her, but now the traces of energy around her was strange. Unidentifiable. It was similar to the Princess's energy, yet different at the same time.

What was happening?

"What are you?" Syaoran scowled.

The giant–Yamazaki–smiled wider at his baffled question.

"I am Chiharu, just as you are Syaoran," the brown-haired girl answered as she clasped her hand in front of her. "I'm very glad we're all finally able to meet eye-to-eye," she added, clapping.

"What do you mean?" asked the princess, her eyes narrowing as she eyed Chiharu from head to toe.

"She was a maid in the palace," Syaoran explained.

"You're a spy?"

"Goodness, no!" Chiharu vehemently shook her head at the princess's sharp accusation. "I am Chiharu, and I have a very important role to play in what has already started happening."

"How are we to trust you?" Syaoran frowned. "Last time I saw you, you were…different."

"And our encounter here is too coincidental, don't you think?" the princess added, her lips pursing.

Chiharu pouted. "Are you two always this difficult?" She glanced at Yamazaki, as if asking for permission. At the slight nod of his head as approval, Chiharu clapped her hand once. "Very well, since we are on such a short schedule, I think it will be much better to show you."

She opened her mouth and took in a deep breath, then she released it gently, slowly. As her breath wafted to Syaoran's skin, he felt his very bones clatter and suddenly, he was flying.

He was soaring through the greenery of the east, catching leaves and twigs and his hair. He felt the warmth of the loving sun caressing his skin. As he looked around, he saw birds of different species dancing around him, flapping their colorful feathers as they sought him for protection.

He felt a shift in the current, and all of a sudden he was in the frigid temperatures of the south, riding the wind as hail relentlessly battered against him. There were no trees nor warm sun in his sight, only high piles of snow and large limbs of withered trees. Gray clouds loomed up above and he swatted them away, shaping them as he saw fit, carrying ice where he wanted.

He blinked then felt sand hitting his face. When he opened his eyes, he was in the deserts of the north, running through dunes and carrying the heat of the merciless sun. He kicked and sand went soaring, he pressed his hand on the ground and mounds of sand formed under his fingertips.

There was another shift, then he felt water kissing his fingers. He looked around and saw the rolling blue waters of the west, parting and crashing around him. He pushed them away, sending surf and sand to the shore as he explored the vast oceans. He looked at the water, trying to see how he looked, and was stunned when realized he has no reflection.

Syaoran jolted, blinking and breathing deeply. He found Chiharu and Yamazaki sitting on chairs by the bed and looking at them with grave expressions. The Princess was at the foot of the bed, clutching her head and looking very pale.

"Now do you understand?" Chiharu asked. There was something unusual in her voice, a hint of the sound of a soothing breeze, as if there was a second person speaking behind her. "I am who runs through the east, the west, the south and the north. I am what gives everyone their breath, their life. I am the wind, and she is my priestess."

"I–I understand," Syaoran croaked, finally feeling the surge of magic that poured from Chiharu. It was of a different energy this time. It was more potent, more dangerous, yet somehow more gentle and calm.

"I know not of how to assure your doubts, but I seek your help regardless. Our Mother has awakened, and it won't be long before she pollutes us. As you humans no longer worship us, we do not have the power to interfere. It is man who sought Mother's power, and therefore it should be man who must stop him," the deity replied in a gentle tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Hundreds of years ago, someone sealed us in relics in order to prevent our powers from falling into the wrong hands. The said relics were worshipped and respected for a generations, but humans grew tired and started to doubt our existence. As more turned their backs on us, our magic grew weaker, until we had to remain into deep sleep in order to keep our existence. We could no longer use our corporeal selves.

Years of deceit and manipulation led people to believe that our relics were not holy, but cursed objects that brought upon death. Different opinions created a rift between humans and it resulted into war and chaos. In midst of the turmoil, the holy relics that contained my siblings were lost, and I never saw them again."

"How did you survive?" the princess, now a bit composed, asked.

"My priestess gave up her life in order to protect me, who lie weak and defenseless inside my relic. As her life essence coated my seal, I gathered enough magic in order to bind my life to hers. Somehow we became two entities in one body, but should my magic be too much of a burden for her, she also has a special relic to transfer me into from time to time."

Syaoran studied Chiharu. Though she looked no older than twenty, if he were to base her age on the deity's words, she must be centuries old. Somehow the deity's power had made her immortal.

"You want us to find your siblings, then?"

"Yes, but not only that, I want you two to stop Mother, who will forever rampage until the poison which pollutes her is destroyed," the deity paused and frowned. "I must go. My priestess is weakening. She will give you the answers you seek."

There was a swift swirl of air that rounded the room twice. Chiharu breathed in deeply as her eyes shut close. Her head lolled back. Yamazaki, who sat beside her, placed a hand on her shoulder to prevent her from falling.

Syaoran saw him take a deep, silent breath. He saw the tendrils of the deity's magic drift inside him as it left Chiharu's small body. Yamazaki was the special relic the deity mentioned.

"I–I don't have time for this," the princess said, shaking her head as if in denial. "My home got taken, my throne is gone, my country…my friend–my friend is dead. I don't have time to meddle with silly things like magic!" She shouted, her voice cracking in the end.

Syaoran was stunned into silence. It was the only time she ever raised her voice since they escaped Yomu. Somehow, he finally felt that she might not be as unaffected as she depicted herself to be. Quietly, she might be battling the tears and the pain in her own way, the only way she knew how.

"Princess," he started, reaching towards her as the unexpected want to comfort her bloomed in his chest. She was still, her eyes wide as if she was surprised by her own outburst.

"I understand that, your highness," Chiharu intervened, sounding a bit drugged after hosting the powerful deity. Syaoran dropped his hand. "However, if you wish to extract revenge or take your throne back, you have to help us."

"Why?" Syaoran asked, though he dreaded the answer.

"The Mother was…since she was the most powerful of the deities, they couldn't seal her in one relic–or in anything. So they sealed her to the land, deep underground where she was protected by many wards and magic barriers. Magic from outside and from within were nulled. Now, Princess, why do you think magic was so vehemently prohibited by your ancestors? And Sir Syaoran, why do you think are there so little traces of magic in this country, particularly around in the capital?"

Syaoran closed his eyes as he let out a tired breath. No wonder he couldn't use much of his magic when he first set foot on the capital. At first he thought it was because of his distance from his homeland, but now that he thought about it, he was able to use more and more of his power as the years passed.

It wasn't his body nor his magic adapting to the unfamiliar lands, it was the wards around and underneath the capital being deactivated one by one.

And now that all the seals are undone, how would it affect the princess, who draws magic from her homeland? Was the seal on her magic undone too?

But before he could ask, Chiharu spoke, "Anyway, seeing that you two now have the introduction, I suppose I can now go to the main point." She smiled before adding, "You two are to collect the lost relics. There are a lot, but the wind deity only mentioned her siblings, who are Water, Fire, Wood, Light and Dark. They are scattered throughout the lands, except for two, whom the Mother assigned to oversee her children."

"You keep saying 'Mother', but who is she?" The Princess scowled.

"Well, she's the Mother of all the deities, of course. She is Gaia."

At that, Syaoran couldn't help himself from groaning. He had heard and read tales about her throughout his childhood. His family used to worship two deities, and one was said to originate from the most powerful deity of all. The one who governs over everything, Gaia.

She was described to be as ruthless as she was compassionate; as motherly as she was terrifying…and a whole lot more of contradicting words which made no sense to Syaoran.

"You expect us, two humans, to fight a deity who has unspeakable amounts of magic and has most likely lived longer than all of us in this room combined?" Syaoran asked incredulously.

It was a suicide mission. They escaped only to die a more painful death.

"And why couldn't you? You said you host the Wind, yet you can't go on this mission?" the princess supplied.

"Well," Chiharu said, appearing to be a bit lost in thought before continuing, "though I am the Wind's priestess, I can't hunt for the others. I am not...made for it, so to speak."

"Are we to be tools then?" The Princess quipped, "will you start spouting prophecies next?" Her ire was building. If there was one thing Syaoran discovered during his stay with her, it's that she won't take lightly to being used. She's too proud for that.

"There is no such thing," Chiharu replied, oblivious to the royal's mounting irritation. "There is to be an imbalance, however, and it seems to have tipped to the wrong side just now."

As if to accentuate her words, a sudden bout of chilling wind blew into the room, making Syaoran grit his teeth as dread slipped down his spine.

"Then explain to us our involvement, priestess."

Chiharu canted her head slightly, her gaze assessing the scowling princess.

"You are...special, your highness. Your powers are not like any other," she said, cryptically. Syaoran's curiosity was piqued, and he ached to listen for more. "You do not draw from the sun nor from the moon like the rest of us. You are...well, you use magic in a different way, per se. You transmit, you draw, not just from the sky, but from everywhere. Thus, you are not ruled by the sun nor the moon, and that makes you more dangerous."

"What?" Syaoran frowned. He absently scratched at his chest, where the center of his magic reserve gathered.

Chiharu continued her explanation, "Your mother worried about you, your highness. You were but a babe when you started drawing others' magic. Though it might have been less worrying if you grew up in a place of power, you were surrounded by normal humans. Unlike us, they have limited magic reserves, and once tapped dry, they don't have any way to refill; they die.

"The late queen sought help and sealed your magic. Since your powers continually grow with each day, she knew seals on only yourself won't work forever. So she cast stronger seals–not on just the whole capital, but also on the people she knew would stay loyal to you no matter what. She placed them on your family–including herself–and on your closest friends, Lady Tomoyo and Lady Rika. So long as you remain physically close to them, your magic will stay dormant.

"Though I know she only meant to have you sealed until you learned to control your own magic, in the end she never did find someone who could help you...and one by one the seals mystically encrypted on your body faded, unable to hold your power any longer."

Syaoran's gaze slowly darted to the princess, who looked to be processing the information carefully.

"Only one living seal had remained close to you, but as she passed on, so did her seal."

"What happened once all seals are gone?" the princess asked.

"You know better than anyone else," Chiharu shrugged then gestured to Syaoran. "You were with him when all your seals broke, and you took all of his power." Syaoran's suspicion was right. No wonder he felt empty.

"To put it in better words, you, dear princess, literally sucked him dr–" Yamazaki's words were cut off by a sharp jab of an elbow to his ribs. Though the blow visibly looked painful, the man merely smiled.

Syaoran choked back a surprised laugh, making the princess eye him in question. He merely shrugged as he coughed into his fist.

"Normally, I won't believe anything you said and I'd call you deranged," the princess said. "But I've been feeling strange. And I know I couldn't have carried him when he collapsed on me if I'd been normal at that time." She gestured to Syaoran.

"But I feel better now," Syaoran said, scowling at his bandages. "Well, relatively. But my magic is here again."

Chiharu nodded. "I used a spell to hasten your refill. You should be careful with your magic next time…" she scowled, as if remembering something. "Oh, and also I put a temporary seal on you, so her highness wouldn't be able to draw from anyone –including yourself–as long as you're near."

That's suspiciously generous…"How long will it last?"

"A few days." She gave them a strange smile. "Though I could redo the spell into a permanent one…" she trailed off, a meaningful look in her deep brown eyes.

"You know, in my book, that's called blackmail," the princess said, a hint of an amused smile on her lips.

"Well, in my book, it's called trading."

"Interesting." She glanced at Syaoran. "Are we to give you an answer now?"

"Tomorrow." Chiharu grinned, standing up. "Sir Syaoran will be well enough tomorrow." She motioned for Yamazaki to be on his feet and they hastily left the room, carrying the chairs with them to make the room less cramped.

x

"Princess…" Syaoran trailed off when silence suddenly reigned.

"Do we have to do this?" Sakura wasn't looking at him, but at her closed fist.

"If you wish to, then we will."

"Why?" she exhaled a sharp breath as she leveled a glare at him. She stood. "We both know why you stay. Rika said something to you. Let me ease your conscience and release you from her words. As soon as you are healed, you are free, and never show your face again!"

"No," he said plainly, an indistinguishable expression on his face.

"Why? Do you pity me? Do you feel sorry for the princess who lost everything?" The idea enraged her to such a degree that she wanted to hurl something.

When she'd been young and had recently lost her family, everyone looked down at her. They patted her head and looked at her with pity as they told her words of sympathy. They coddled her and gave her a visage that they actually cared about her. It was sick.

"No," he replied. His repeated words infuriated her even more and she gnashed her teeth to keep herself from shrieking.

"Why then?"

Instead of answering, he canted his head, as if to study her better. Sakura can feel herself shaking. Days of tampered emotion was finally catching up.

"Princess…you…it's all right to cry."

That halted her.

Her rage evaporated to nothing, and it left her standing there astonished, staring at him. Her mouth opened and closed, as if wanting words but failing the search for it.

"You've been through a lot and not once have you showed any sadness," he said, a hint of awe in his tone. "I get that you might not be comfortable with me, but I promise I won't tell anyone about it." He patted the side of his bed with a small, welcoming smile, asking her to sit down.

"I refuse to cry," she found herself saying.

"Why?"

"Crying is not something I was taught. Crying is only for the weak."

"Hmm…" He was in obvious disagreement with her words, but instead of arguing, he said, "But then, is being weak that bad? Even the strong aren't always…well, strong."

Sakura knew that very well. She'd been telling herself that for countless years; but somehow, hearing it from him made the backs of her eyes burn. Stubbornly, she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

"Very well," he said, dropping the topic. "And you were wrong."

"Wrong about what?" She frowned, unshed tears suddenly forgotten.

"Rika told me to take care of you and to take you far from the palace, but she didn't say for how long and where exactly. I could've dropped you off in a faraway village and I'd still fulfill her request." He shrugged, as if he wasn't indirectly disrespecting the dead by taking her wish a bit too literally.

"Then why are you still here? For gold? Boon? I've nothing to offer you."

He sighed. "Not everything is about owing something, Princess. Is it wrong for me to stay by your side simply because I want to?"

"That is highly suspicious! We barely know each other."

"That is true, but I'm…curious. For years I thought you were a snobby little royal who looks down at everyone from your ivory tower. I thought my assumption was true for the first days we were together, but now I know that you are so much more. You are someone who can take down men twice your size, you can be under heavy stress yet still walk with your head held high, you can handle so much pain with not a tear."

His words stunned her. She dug her fingers in her palm as they stared each other eye-to-eye. Here in this small and darkening room, she was held captive under his golden gaze.

"Your strength, Princess," he continued, "it is something I don't often see and I selfishly want to witness it first-hand. I want to assist you, I want to watch you grow into a great queen."

Extremely touched, it was enough to make her want to cry, but she steeled herself as she straightened her back. This man, whom she knew for barely two weeks, somehow made her feel like she could do anything.

"You are awfully honest," she managed to say, her voice filled with emotion. She smiled a little. "Thank you," she added, looking away.

He shrugged again. "I am often called blunt, but I guess that I am now 'honest' as well."

"The trip will be dangerous."

"That's why I'm here." Another shrug.

"We might die."

"Again, that's why I'm here, to minimize the possibility of death."

How arrogant, Sakura thought with a smile.

"What about your family?"

He stilled at that, then frowned, as if remembering something. "My sisters are never in one place and Ren is with someone who will lay down his life before a strand of hair his taken from his scalp. Besides, if I go with you, I'd be indirectly saving them."

"Well, if you're so adamant, then I guess I'll have to take you." Sakura said, faking defeat with a hefty sigh. They both know she'd be dead within the first hour of heading out alone.

He seemed amused by this and the corners of his lips turned up. Ah, how wholly unfair it is to have such a ruggedly attractive face.

Mentally shaking her head, Sakura turned to leave. "Rest. I'll talk to Chiharu first thing in the morning."

"I will. Thank you, Princess."

"Sleep well." She walked back to her room and flopped on the bed.

As she lay awake, memories assaulted her; painful, bitter ones that left her eyes burning. But still, she closed her eyes and rejected the tears.

"Last night, I wasn't quite convinced that she want to kill us, but now I need no confirmation!" Sakura grumbled to the sky as she followed Syaoran through the dense overgrowth.

This morning when the sun was barely up, Sakura woke and immediately searched for Chiharu. After agreeing to be part of the plan for world salvation, Chiharu had grinned and happily told her to get dressed.

After donning the simple clothing–a linen dress with a leather vest to go over it–and travel boots given to her by the priestess, Sakura went to Syaoran's room to deliver news. She'd found him dressed and standing, peering out the window.

Together, they talked to Chiharu once more. The woman had simply told about a man who lived a few miles south from the cottage. He was supposed to be Chiharu's supplier of meat, as he was a skilled hunter. But for the past few weeks, the hunter hadn't come to the cottage to sell a part of his hunt to Chiharu as per usual.

In order to receive the Wind's blessing, they'd been tasked to see how the said hunter was faring. Chiharu had said that it was to be a "test of strength to see if you two are worthy of Wind's power". Sakura had gazed at the skies for patience.

Before either of them can ask any further questions–like the hunter's appearance–Chiharu had grinned and clapped her hand twice. In a blink of an eye they were teleported in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by tall trees and itchy bushes.

Now they have nothing but Syaoran's sword, Chiharu's poor excuse of information and Sakura's mounting irritation.

"Now, now," Syaoran said as he parted bushes and low branches for her. He'd refused to hack them off as she initially told him, saying that all life is to be treasured. She argued that limbs do grow back but he retaliated with a firm shake of his head as he said, "We are strangers to this place. Best not anger the woods."

So Sakura dropped it.

With their light gear, they travelled faster than they initially did. Thankfully, Sakura has less layers in her clothing, so she can keep up with Syaoran's brisk pace better.

Her skirt felt different as it brushed over her naked legs each time she took a step, but she was getting used to it fast. And though it only ended around her calf, the boots she wore covered the rest of her legs; it also made walking easier and a lot less tiring.

"Do you think we'll find the hunter before sundown?" Syaoran mused, gazing at the noon sky.

"Hopefully. Lest we'll be food here." As she spoke, Sakura's eyes caught something to the left.

Scowling, she squinted her eyes to investigate. At first she thought it was a tall bush, but then it was moving. Then she thought it was a deer, but then she realized deers don't wear leather vests.

Marginally relieved to see another human soul in this sea of trees, she inched in closer. She heard Syaoran speaking to her, but his words were lost to her ears.

As she moved closer, she realized that it was a boy, picking up berries and mushrooms and putting it inside a basket he carried. He was small, maybe around the age of nine or ten, with a mop of dark brown hair. His back was turned towards Sakura.

A sense of familiarity struck her as she stared at the boy's back. She shook her head with a frown. Is it magic? This forest surrounds and protects Chiharu's cottage from trespassers, so perhaps these trees are somehow filled with power? Surely, it couldn't be who she thought it is…

She took a step and saw the thin fallen limb too late. It broke under her boot with a sharp snap.

The boy tensed and slowly faced her, an alarmed expression on his face.

At that moment Sakura stopped breathing. The world seemed to come to a grinding halt as she stared at the boy's familiar dark brown eyes.

"T-Touya?" she whispered in disbelief before the boy took off in a run.