DISCLAIMER: I do not own CCS.

A/N: First chappy! Enjoy everyone! (I updated it a bit, due to it being too short…)

Chapter 1 – The Judgment

Sakura opened her eyes and tried to get up, but instantly fell on her back as the sharp pain pierced her head. She let out a weak "oww" and tried to look around without making a lot of movements.

Sakura was lying in a small cart full of hay; the stalks of dry grass were partly stuck in her short auburn hair and some particular straws tickled her nose and got under the thin white cotton shirt she was wearing. There also was a brown horse, which was harnessed to a cart, occasionally swaying its tail from side to side to wave off annoying insects.

The landscape around her seemed unfamiliar with a dark edge of the mixed forest, blackening the ground with its shadows, a rhythmical sound of the river flow beyond the hill-top and rutted clay-red country road which seemed to lead into the infinity behind the horizon.

Sakura tried to remember where she was or even how she ended up here, but couldn't and so she stopped trying and closed her expressive emerald eyes, hoping to sleep until she felt better and only then would she judge her situation.

"Look who's awakened!" she heard a sarcastic voice coming from beside her. She turned her head and saw a young man with chestnut hair and amber eyes glaring at her. His face was unfamiliar to her, but she had to admit that he was pretty handsome. He wore a black shirt with golden pattern on its neckline and cuffs and a pair of black pantaloons which were covered in dust and ripped on the left knee. Sakura also noticed blood oozing from a fresh big scratch near temple on the left side of his face which threatened to leave impressive scar once it had healed.

Sakura jumped down from the cart and examined the wound from the distance, then quietly said "You are bleeding." She sounded very concerned, but the young man just sneered at her "Oh, so you've noticed."

Sakura was a little surprised at his rudeness, but didn't show it. "Please let me treat your wound, it is not dangerous, but if-", she was about to touch the skin beside the wound to make sure it wasn't swelling, but a pair of hands pushed her back with force and she fell down on the ground.

"How dare you intent to touch me? You are just a lowly peasant unworthy of my company. I do not need your pity, or your help," he insolently grabbed her wrist, pulled her back on her feet and dragged her to a black saddled horse which stood at the side of the road.

"Where are you taking me?" Sakura whispered afraid to anger him even more.

"You are to come with me to my castle, where you will be judged for what you have done. You will not disobey me, for if you do, I will make sure you get ten whips in the back," the young man answered with a smirk on his face. Sakura's eyes widened, but somehow she was unable to answer back or ask what she has done and who this person in front of her was.

The young man, who seemed to be just a little older than her, easily pushed her up on the horse and sat behind her, holding the reins. Then his feet lightly pressed on horse's sides and the horse began to stroll down the hill and then switched on gallop.

Now they were moving really quickly and everything in Sakura's head merged into one huge grey spot; the sharp headache reminded about itself and Sakura began to fall into darkness.

::~::

She awoke, feeling something cold softly touching her forehead and temples. She opened her eyes and saw that she was lying on the bed and a beautiful girl with dark violet hair and kind amethyst eyes sat beside her on the chair looking at Sakura with concern and care.

"You must be really thirsty, poor girl," the young woman handed her a glass of water and watched her as Sakura drank it, greedily taking in every mouthful.

"Can you talk?" the girl asked. Sakura nodded, but stayed silent.

"You can call me Tomoyo," Tomoyo stood up from her seat and loudly called her maid, who instantly disappeared behind the door once Tomoyo gave her some instructions, and then she moved across the room, taking a plain brown dress in her hands. "I will help you to change into this for your judgment in the main hall. His Highness intended to wait until you are fully recovered, but it has already been two days since you've been brought here and he cannot wait any longer. Can you try standing up?"

Sakura's heartbeat accelerated as she stood up from the bed "I am going to be judged? But for what? I've have not done anything." Then she realized what Tomoyo had just said. Sakura was unconscious for two days. She touched her head and found a little bump that was still hurting.

"I do not know any details," Tomoyo said thoughtfully "but His Highness must be really angry with you – why else would he conduct a judgment for a little girl like yourself?.. Please forgive me my rudeness, sweetheart, but may I ask what is your name?"

Sakura wanted to answer, but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. It was Tomoyo's maid.

"The girl has been ordered to come to the main hall right now, no matter the condition she's in."

"Thank you, Ine. She will be there in a few minutes. You may go now," Tomoyo made a gesture and the maid immediately closed the door shut. Tomoyo helped Sakura to wash her face, comb her hair and to get into a dress.

"I guess that's it," she announced. "Let's go."

Sakura followed after Tomoyo. They were walking in a corridor; Sakura noticed that there was nothing fancy or luxurious – this wing of the castle must've been used by maids and servants only, although Sakura couldn't quite point out whether Tomoyo was another maid or not. She was wearing a plain dark blue dress – no unnecessary patterns or gems – but it was elegant and the fabric seemed to be softer and more delicate than on the dress Sakura was wearing. Tomoyo's beautiful violet hair was decorated by a small hair-pin with a silver lily and she was wearing fashionable black shoes on her feet.

Sakura looked around her once more. Through the small window curtained by the two separate sheets of a plain cream fabric she could see the large back-garden; it bloomed with a variation of roses and chrysanthemums – the colors were so bright, that they blinded Sakura for a moment and she gasped, amazed at their beauty and radiance.

There were two ladies in brocaded dresses – yellow and pastel pink – and with elegant material umbrellas to protect their frail- white faces from burning sun-rays. Sakura realized they could be guests in this old castle, who went out to enjoy the vivid colors of the garden and to chat quietly as they sat on the wooden bench with ornate black legs.

Sakura and Tomoyo finally made it into a big spacious hall; there were some people – few clerks, a tall man, who seemed to be an advisor to the king and the same young man, whom Sakura encountered not so long ago. The wound on his face had closed, leaving a noticeable scar.

When the door to the hall had opened, all of them looked in Sakura's direction.

An awkward silence filled the air.

Tomoyo bowed and walked out of the door back into a corridor, leaving Sakura stand all alone.

"Come here," the young man ordered. Sakura stepped closer. She was afraid to look up, because she knew she would meet the angry glare of those amber eyes, so she continued to stare at the refined floor tiles.

"What is your name?" the young man continued with no emotion in his voice. Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but at the same time the horror devoured her and she froze.

She couldn't remember her name!

And it was not just the name – she couldn't remember who she was, who her parents were, where she lived or anything else – everything seemed to be wiped out from her memory.

"Do not make me repeat myself twice, answer my question, unworthy wench."

After a few moments the quiet voice pierced the atmosphere.

"I do not know," Sakura whispered "I can't remember."

"What is the meaning of this?" the advisor questioned angrily. "I will not allow such impudence in front of His Highness!-"

"Silence," this simple word said by a young man made advisor quieter in an instant "You are charged with attacking Xiao Lang Li, the prince and an heir to the throne of the Li Kingdom," he explained to Sakura coldly. "And for leaving me that scar…" he paused, his hands dangerously clenching into fists. Then he suddenly crashed one of his fists into a wall beside him "…you will be punished in any way I please!"

His eyes were burning with hatred and Sakura's heart throbbed from fear that spread through her whole body. She was so lost, and her mind so confused, she felt as if she was in a deep dark forest, where no one could hear her cries for help and the hungry pack of wolves was about to rip her into shreds.

She whispered once again "I don't remember…anything."

"You think His Highness will trust a word you say? You have to be thankful that you were not locked in a cell for seven days without any food or drink!" the advisor sneered. "Or were thrown to rabid dogs as food! Or were beheaded in front of the whole country-"

"I have an idea of how to put you in your place," Syaoran leered at Sakura. "From now on your name will be Rin and you will live in this castle as one of my personal servants. You will do whatever I want and whenever I want it, no questions asked. Now get out from my sight. I no longer wish to look at a pathetic excuse for individual such as yourself." With that he turned away. The advisor turned to guards, which were standing beside on each side of the throne, and nodded, giving them the silent command. They hastily pushed her to the exit and shut the door right in front of her nose.

Sakura swallowed the ball of emotions coming up her throat. She was about to burst out crying, when she heard a quiet voice:

"So your name is Rin?"

Sakura turned around. It was Tomoyo.

"I was kind of walking around and happened to overhear the prince," she giggled and Sakura smiled. Tomoyo was really easy to talk to.

"Come with me, I will let you live in my room for a while," she continued. "Can you not remember anything at all?"

Sakura nodded.

"You are out of luck – being prince's personal servant means he will make your life absolutely miserable. And in your place I would watch out for Seiju-sama. He really gets violent when there are beautiful girls around."

Sakura touched her face.

Beautiful?

She sighed, truly wishing to remember what her face looked like. Tomoyo noticed Sakura's involuntary movement and swiftly took out a little mirror from a pocket sewed on her dress.

"Here you go."

Sakura studied her face with curiosity. She wouldn't say that it looked that beautiful, but it was quite pretty.

"Thank you," Sakura handed the mirror back and beamed at Tomoyo.

::~::

The rest of the day went well; Sakura wondered if prince forgot about her existence and sighed with relief. Though she frequently felt the guilt squeeze her throat as she remembered that long scar on his face, she feared to see those eyes, burning with fury and hatred.

She tried to concentrate on her appointed chores. From Tomoyo she knew that her work would be balanced somewhere in between sewing or knitting clothes, helping at the royal kitchen and taking care of any other prince's needs.

Tomoyo turned out to be the main seamstress and made Sakura try on a lot of dresses she sewn just recently. The other servants seemed to be avoiding Sakura – the rumors spread with incredible speed and most of them saw in her only a deceiving girl, who attacked the prince.

Sakura often heard hushed comments from passing maids "I heard she was riding in a cart and had crashed into His Highness when he was crossing the road!" "Did you see the scar on his face? It is horrible!" "You think they will execute her?"

Tomoyo encouraged her not to give these rumors a lot of attention, but Sakura still felt responsible and didn't dare to look up; she hid her face behind the short locks of her hair, feeling disgusted glares on her back.

The worst of all, she felt like she had deserved it too; like she had done something utterly horrible, something what could not be changed or forgotten and it made her wonder if she merited even bigger punishment.

A few times some more courageous women pushed her, called her names and laughed in her face, but Tomoyo quickly made it absolutely clear that this girl is under her protection and no one dared to bother her afterwards. Tomoyo was a good woman, Sakura realized. She did not consider at all that Sakura might have been not worth protecting or even her kind words of comfort. Tomoyo was a true friend.

But Sakura knew that Tomoyo wasn't almighty and couldn't protect her from everybody – and she was soon to find out that there were a lot more enemies than she thought.

A/N: Please review! This is my third story, so I might not update as fast as you would like me to, but I'll try!

Luv,

Nastia