Hearts

Chapter 1:

'I found you a suitor.'

It was late September, the air was cool, and the tree's leaves began to change colors ever so slowly in the Kinomoto Kingdom. The young Princess Sakura Kinomoto sat on the balcony ledge looking out at the vast lands, the mountains that were ahead but they seemed unreal because of it natural beauty. Sakura's honey shoulder length hair blew in the wind. She was now eighteen and was to be wedded soon. She was looking forward to the romance of falling in love, it was everything she wanted and dreamed of.

Sakura sighed and squinted her emerald eyes to the sun that was beginning to set. She lived in a large ancient palace that had been in her family for four hundred years. She loved her life with her older brother Touya, her Father and Mother the King and Queen of this peaceful land and all of her friends. She sighed once more jumping off the balcony edge brushing off her pink kimono. She walked back into her room leaving to go to the dinning hall where she was to meet her Family for dinner. Touya would always be late.

Sparring either with his great friend Yukito or with his lover Kaho, romancing her, he would always be late. The King and Queen saw to this relationship with their son and Kaho a Princess of the of kingdom Ize. They were to be married soon which delighted the both of them. Sakura walked down the corridor hearing the distant sounds of Touya and Yukito's swords clanging together. She smiled to herself as she past the door walking down a small flight of stairs going another corridor turning left and opening the door to the dining hall.

Sakura bowed respectfully to her parents and took her seat some ways from them. "Sakura, my dear, we have some great news." Queen Nadishiko smiled. Sakura looked to her Mother concerned. "Am I to be sent away to that crude place for finishing my lessons on Dance?" Sakura asked. King Kinomoto smiled at his daughters' denseness. "I said great news, my dear." The Queen smiled again as the servants came in with their food.

"It seems like Touya will be late once again." King Kinomoto said looking to his wife sweetly. "I can't blame him, a man in love loses track of time and can't force on his training like he use to." Sakura teased as her brother came running in pulling on his shirt. "Forgive my lateness." Touya bowed panting as Yukito came in after him with Kaho. "You are forgiven." Sakura smiled proudly. Touya shot a look at his sister and turned to Kaho taking her hand guiding her to the table as Yukito sat next to Sakura.

King Kinomoto cleared his throat and looked around the table. "Now, as we were saying before, Sakura." He paused then looked to Touya. "Oh, yes." Touya said suddenly remembering what he had to do.

"Sakura, I bring the grave news of a letter from the Queen of the Li realm." Touya said putting the letter in the palm of his hand using his magic's to lift the letter to slowly float over to her. "How could you say such a thing, it is great news." Kaho said looking to Touya. "His just being protective." Yukito smiled before eating his rice. "You best learn to be silent, old friend." Touya growled as Sakura broke the seal to the letter.

Sakura opened the letter and read down the parchment. She looked from her letter then to her parents."Touya, but why?" Sakura asked shocked. Touya sighed after swallowing his passion fruit. "I found you a suitor, be happy. Because I'm not." He said. Sakura smiled and looked up to Yukito. "What wonderful news." Kaho smiled taking Touya hand. "I hope you find happiness." Yukito smiled. "Your things are being packed now and you'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon." King Kinomoto smiled. "But what is he like?" Sakura asked excited.

"From what I heard, his a warrior and has great magical power." Touya said. "Yes, I heard too that he composes music, and is very kind." Yukito joined in. "I hear he's very handsome." Kaho smiled to Sakura. Sakura's eyes lit up with excitement. She was to meet her match, but would he be the one?

The young Prince Syaoran Li lay in his four postured bed tossing and turn in pain as beads of sweat soaked his head. Queen Yelan walked into her only sons' room and pushed back the curtain's to the four poster bed looking down at her son who was ghostly pale with cold sweat and red circles that covered his eyes lids. The Prince moaned clutching his bed covers. The Queen sighed looking to her servant. "Miss Tomoyo, I want you to double the elixir it seems to be getting more painful." The Queen ordered.

"Yes Ma'am." The raven haired servant bowed. Queen Yelan sat on the pained Princes bed and touched his hot forehead. "My Son, why would you do such a thing?" She sighed with her hand running down his cheek. Syaoran grunted as if struggling to speak but didn't. The elegant dark-haired Queen stood and left the room hearing her son panting for breath. 'I can't send away Princess Sakura now. She must be on her way.' She thought sadly shutting the door leaving her servant to work.

The Queen walked down the dark corridor filled with family painting of her young prince and her husband. 'My love, please bring us luck, the lord only knows how much he needs it, our son will die if not.' She prayed to herself before hearing something break in the Princes' chambers and his pained screams echoed the palace. The Queen stood strong and continued walking down a flight of stairs heading to her own chambers.

The Princess Sakura was in a carriage heading to the Li realm. She was excited, she had her favorite servant Nakuru accompany her. "Oh Princess, I wish you'd stop slouching and clutching your pink shell necklace, is very unladylike." Nakuru said. Sakura sighed and sat up straight. "I'm just so excited, I'm sorry. I hear from my family that he is a great man and only a few months' older then I." Sakura smiled. Nakuru looked to Sakura in concern. "Is that what they told you?" She asked. Sakura's smile fell. "Explain yourself." Sakura said firmly.

"M'lady, everyone has their different takes on him but only a rare few have actually seen his face and lived." She began. Sakura now gripped her pink shell necklace listening to the grave news. "I hear that just recently his four older sisters died, but none know how, he also has an evil pet wolf that he keeps with him to feed the beast traitor and killers, they say he scares away the Princess that come to him in marriage, they fled with fear and two days later he would be covered in blood and howls at the full moon like a savage." Nakuru paused seeing Sakura's skin pale.

"Why is it that everyone sees him differently? He must be kind hearted for the Queen to have picked me out of all the girls in Asia." Sakura said trying to brighten the atmosphere. "M'lady, this boy is a demon, a monster, his great friends with the powerful Hiiragizawa family." Nakuru said raising her voice.

"Hiiragizawa, I have met one of them, I believe his name was . . . something with. . . .Arel, no . . . yes, Eriol. A very flattering, handsome, content young man, he has respectfully refused all his suitors and it seems his getting more from all the gossip of him being in love." Sakura said. "M'lady power and rage don't mix every well." Nakuru said pushing back in brown hair.

Sakura put her hands on her lap and looked to her servant. "Well, then I will see to this . . . demon and his friend for myself. It's a bad omen to speak ill of someone." Sakura said looking out the window. "Yes M'lady, but a word of caution is all I advise, please stay on your guard." She said. Sakura simply nodded.

I know the first chapter seems boring but I'll update soon and believe me it'll get more interesting. Thanks to everyone who reviews and I hope you'll stick with me.

Peace.

Sakura123