I sat up in bed suddenly, the events of the day before running through my mind. It took me a few minutes to control my breathing once again as I looked around my room.

Over in the chair beside my bed sat my mother, she was watching me silently.

"Mother, how...how is she?" Other questions were burning to be spoken but I knew better then to ask them all, if I wanted an answer I would only get one.

"We do not know my son. She hasn't woken up yet. Her wounds have healed but the spells they used on her wounded her aura. It will take many days before she will even wake up." She got up and took a seat on the edge of my bed.

"Why did they do this to her mother, what did she do to anger them so? I just can't understand why anyone would want to do this to another person. It's unthinkable." I closed my eyes as I leaned back against my pillows.

"I do not know either my son. But we must wait until she is awake before we can ask her."

"I will find out why mother, if it's the last thing I do. And I will make sure that nothing like that ever happens to anyone again if I can help it."

A smile came to Yelan's face and she reached up to gently brush the hair off her son's forehead. "You will make a great ruler one day my son and you will find your soul mate. And together you will both help make our clan the strongest it will ever be. Your children will be powerful and when the time comes for them to rule after you, they will add to the greatness of our clan."

I looked up at my mother. Never before had I heard her say something like that to me before. "You really think I can do that mother?"

She leant over and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead before rising off my bed. "Yes I believe that my son. And I also believe that you will find the answers to your many questions. I have faith in you, you will succeed." She turned and walked out of my room, gently closing the door after her.

"Thank you mother"

The whisper was barely audible in the silence of the room as the young man with eyes of amber fire looked out his window into the setting of the sun.

In my minds eye I kept seeing her lying unmoving, and each time my mind called out saying I should have done something to help her, tried to use my magic to at least put a shield around her. And each time the image of her would haunt me, forcing me to relive those moments. I closed my eyes tightly to try to block out the image of her, but it just wouldn't go away. It kept flashing across my vision, even as I pressed my hands to my eyes to try to stop it. The last thing I remember thinking before darkness clouded my mind was 'Oh kami, what if she's dead, it's my fault...all...my...fault...'

SCENE CHANGE

I awoke to the sun shining harshly in my eyes. With a groan I turned my head to the right away from the light to find that my four sisters hovered nervously at my bedside.

"Little brother" With squeals of delight I was engulfed in four pairs of arms. For the first time I welcomed their crushing embraces. A small smile came to my face as I felt them gently squeezing me.

"I am not made of glass you know" I was greeted with four looks of disbelief as they just stared back at me. A smile made its way to my face as for the first time in a long time I felt safe, at peace.

"Are you sick little brother?" I just merely smiled up at Fanren as she placed her hand on my forehead.

"No actually, I couldn't feel better considering the circumstances. Now how about that hug….BUT don't expect it to be an everyday occurrence, you got that?" I quirked my eyebrow as they continued to stare at me as though I had grown another head. Finally all four of them lunged onto me, squeezing me as though if they didn't hold tight enough I would just vanish.

"You scared us little brother, you have been unconscious for many hours now."

"Yes little brother, please don't do anything like that ever again."

"Yes, for if you do you can expect us to go back on our word."

"Actually I think that wouldn't be such a bad idea ne sisters?"

The four grinned at him as though he were a life sized doll just ready to be played with.

"Now, now daughters, is this anyway to be treating your brother after his ordeal?"

Syaoran and his four sisters turned to see their mother standing in the doorway.

"It's not our fault mother, he let us. He even insisted on it."

Yelan looked incredulously at her son who was finding the ceiling very interesting.

"Is that right Xiao-Lang?"

Syaoran sheepishly bowed his head, that being answer enough.

"I am glad to hear that my son. Now come, do you want to see her now or not?"

I immediately jumped out of bed and pulled on a sleeveless shirt over my head. "Mother, have the other troops arrived yet?"

Yelan began leading her son out of his room and towards the quest rooms. "Yes actually. They all arrived about an hour ago. They are down in the barracks waiting."

"Mother have them all sent to the large training room. I will see to them after we have visited sensei-sama"

Yelan looked questionably at her son but chose not to say anything.

They finally came to the end of the hall

"She is in here..." She stopped whatever she was saying as the door opened.

They stared in horror and wonder at the person standing in the doorway.

Yelan was wide eyes, the only thing she could manage to mutter was "What…how…but…how?"