The Heralds of the White God: 7

[mikkeneko]

Title: The Heralds of the White God chapter 7 - Oaths and Promises
Rating: M
Warnings: Violence, sexual content
Summary: In which everyone receives their new assignments, and Syaoran makes a promise.
Author's notes: Yet another monster chapter; yet another chopping it in half to try to get it to a reasonable length.
The Wizards Of Ceres
Chapter I - Chapter II - Chapter III - Chapter IV
Chapter V - Chapter VI - Chapter VII  - Chapter VIII
Chapter IX - Chapter X 



Sakura dodged through the crowd of brightly-dressed people, skipping a few steps across the clean tiles when she broke into an empty space. Behind her, Ferio and today's lady-and-waiting trailed her resignedly through the crowd; she felt a little bad for outpacing them, but not particularly worried. Ruval palace was her home, after all, and the people who lived here were her family.

The proclamation session was going to start soon, and Sakura tingled with excitement as she scampered towards the large double doors of the hall. She hadn't been invited, but that didn't matter; unlike the private council sessions and negotiations, today's audience would be open to anyone. All royal decisions of state had to be proclaimed to the public before they could be written into law, and in a country where most of the nobility still were not literate, it was vitally necessary for them to bear witness to the proclamations.

Ever since she'd been old enough to understand what went on at the palace, Sakura always attended proclamation sessions when she could; they were practically the only government functions she could get into. By law and tradition these sessions were open to as many members of the public cared to attend and could fit into the audience hall. And it was a very large hall. Learning about history and statecraft from her tutors was one thing, but seeing it in action was something else altogether.

The crowd buzzed with excitement as she threaded her way inside, hurrying up the narrow path through the crowd to the frontmost benches that were reserved for the royal party. Everyone was interested in today's Proclamations; it was well known that the king had been involved for weeks in heated negotiations with the ministers, the clan lords, and foreign ambassadors, and was finally going to announce his decision.

Sakura settled onto the bench, her feet swinging nervously and her sandals scuffing over the stone. Her father wasn't here yet; her eyes wandered around the perimeter of the room, looking for familiar faces. The clan lords and their retinues made a solid block to her right, filling up several rows of the prime first-row benches. To the left, along the wall, sat all of the wizards who'd been able to make it back to the palace within two days' travel. Yukito sat off to the side, looking rather forlorn to be separated from his fellow mages.

Fai was there, of course, standing close together with Kurogane. They made a striking pair, one in black and and one in white, and it made her happy to see the good friends talking quietly together. At the same time, however, the sight filled her with confusion and a bit of unhappiness; she knew Fai was busy nowadays, but it somehow seemed as though he were avoiding her. He hadn't sat next to her at dinner two nights ago, like he'd promised; and it seemed like every time they crossed paths, he made some excuse to hurry away soon after. She often caught Kurogane-san glaring at Fai when this happened, although she couldn't figure out who he was angry at -- Fai, or herself. It made her feel as lonely as Yukito.

At last the door behind the dais opened, and her father came out with several of his attendants. Sakura perked up, watching him; his gaze swept over the audience, pausing on her for only a moment before passing by without comment. He took up his stance on the center of the raised stage, and began the formal phrases that marked a Proclamation Ceremony.

His first few statements were nothing unusual; some changes to the disposition of troops, announcements about how the upcoming harvest was to be distributed. Sakura's interest peaked, however, when he turned his speech to the subject of wizards.

"For years they have proven their usefulness as tools and loyalty as servants to the kingdom of Ceres," Ashura was saying, letting his eyes briefly slide over the assembled rank of wizards. "So, from this day forth, they will continue to serve Ceres. Each one of the ancient Houses of Ceres shall have a wizard assigned to their court. They are to obey the commands of those of noble blood and serve them in governing the land as the lords see fit."

This was a major concession, and it put a powerful force into the hands of the noble faction. There was a murmur of satisfaction from the block of seated nobles, but Sakura looked anxiously at the row of wizards along the wall. They looked stony, and Sakura couldn't blame them. The clan lords were reputed to be harsh masters, even cruel. To be packed off like this, sent away from their homes and friends… Sakura shivered. But surely her father must have a good reason for what he was doing.

Her father was still speaking. "I have another announcement regarding the line of succession," Ashura announced, then paused to allow a rippling buzz of interest to die down.

Ashura glanced to the side, where Fai was watching him, his expression blank and closed; then away, as though the sight of him burned. "Although he remains, and always shall be, my son," Ashura continued in a more subdued voice, "Because of the demonic blood that has been inflicted upon his body, he is no longer fit to be a ruler of this kingdom. As of this day forth, Fai Flowright is no longer the heir to the royal throne; in the event of my death, the kingship shall not succeed to him, nor shall he command any of the powers or offices of an heir to the Kingdom. His only powers and responsibilities in the future shall be those of the office of a Wizard of Ceres."

The throne room erupted in a roar of sound and commentary, wavering wildly between glee and consternation. Sakura saw Fai close his eye, and turn away.

She was furious, almost angrier than she'd ever been; how dare her father publicly humiliate Fai this way? Many of the voices she heard talking excitedly around her were full of malicious delight; and although one some level she understood why, she had no choice but to sit there fuming and listen to them.

Many people had never been pleased with Fai as the heir presumptive. He was not born to Ceres, let alone to the royal bloodline; he was a magic-user; and now, he was not even human. Even those who did not dislike him as a person had not liked the idea of the throne passing into the hands of a demon wizard.

On the other hand, now that Fai had been explicitly disowned as heir, that left the country without a clear line of succession. If Ashura died now, nobody knew who would become king; it would devolve into an endless morass of petty squabbling among the noble clans as each tried to elevate their own candidate, and the country might very well collapse into civil war. Unless Ashura named another heir. The audience soon quieted, straining to hear Ashura's next words.

Sakura was so preoccupied with her own seething fury that it took her a minute to realize that her father's next words concerned her. "...the betrothal between the wizard Flowright and the princess," he was saying. "As his impure blood makes him unfit for the throne, so he is no longer a fit match for my daughter. The engagement between them is hereby dissolved."

An icy fist seemed to reach in and squeeze Sakura about the heart, as the meaning of those words slowly dawned upon her. She sat bolt upright and sent a terrified look of appeal towards the dais; at her father, who steadfastly avoided her gaze, and at Fai, who remained still and silent, eyes shut against the world. But the King was still talking.

"Instead, the throne of Ceres, along with all family lands of the Flowright clan and responsibilities thereof, will devolve upon my daughter's husband," Ashura was saying. "And this brings me to my final announcement.

"Many people from all quarters, high and low, have come to me over the last several weeks to appeal for peace with Nihon. Even the ambassador from Suwa himself brings word that Nihon, too, desires peace. Very well, we shall make peace; we will go forward hand in hand with Nihon as suitors, not as conqueror and conquered. And to mark this agreement and make it binding, the Princess Sakura of Ceres shall be married to the Crown Prince Touya of the Imperial House of Nihon, who has no wife --"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yukito stagger and sway, his usually pale skin drained to the color of chalk. But for herself, she could hardly believe what she was hearing, could hardly make sense of the words in her ears. Surely he couldn't mean --

Ashura was still talking, his voice increasing steadily in volume over the sounds of the audience " -- on the condition that all of the lands south of the Windhome mountain range, and north of the Mashin river, will be ceded to unconditional Ceres control, as a bride-gift worthy of the value of my daughter's hand."

"No!" The denial burst out of her in a wail, rising above the hubbub of voices filling the council chamber. She was on her feet and could not remember getting there. "Father, why? You can't -- "

"I will not hear any appeals!" the king said in a strong voice. "Your marriage will seal the peace between Nihon and Ceres. And your children, when you bear them to King Touya, will inherit both of the thrones. This marriage will bring peace and prosperity to our country, restore our ancestral lands and bind to us a powerful ally. My decision is final!"

Sakura was shaking all over, her teeth clenched against further protests or wails of grief. Tears filled her eyes, blurring the rich tapestries of the chamber walls together, blotting all of the people into faceless blobs of dark and light. She had never felt so betrayed.

All her life she'd wanted nothing more than to please her father, and help serve her country. Ashura had always been distant, cold; he had no time for children, and even less to spare for a useless girl-child such as herself. He had always been remote, an imposing figure not inclined to dispense affection or comfort. Fai had in many ways been more of a parent to her, teasing and teaching and nursing.

But she'd always thought that her father loved her, in his own cold and distant way. He'd always looked out for her, always kept her welfare in mind. She'd always known that, even if she felt stifled by his protective and autocratic control over her, that he only wanted what was best for his only child.

But this was… this was…

"This audience is finished," the King was saying, and he gestured for the guards to open the doors and begin escorting people out. "My fellow clan heads, great nobles, retire with me; in the privacy of the ancestral meeting hall, we will have a gathering of the guardians of the old blood of Ceres. There we will discuss further matters of state, including the distribution of our newly conquered lands… and the decision about what new laws must be drafted to curb the power of the wizards of Ceres. All others, you are dismissed."

She turned and ran out of the council chamber, half-blinded by her tears and barely avoiding caroming off the chamber archway as she fled.

She almost turned to the left at the next cross-corridor, which led to Fai's rooms; she wanted her brother to hold her and tell her everything would be all right. Fai had always been there for her before, comforting her, reassuring her.

But she remembered the cruel words her father had thrown down before the assembly; remembered his face, tense and wooden and turned aside so that he would not see people's gazes. Fai-niisan had his own sorrows and humiliations today. He didn’t need the complaints of a hysterical teenage girl dumped on top of his own problems. And she knew that he couldn't tell her that it would be all right, because it wasn't; nothing would ever be all right, not ever again, not for either of them.

With a sob, she turned right instead, and fled to the sanctuary of her own rooms.

Syaoran stood before the doorway to Princess Sakura's chamber, feeling awkward and out of place. He hadn't been allowed to attend the Proclamation, of course, but he hadn't let that stop him; remembering the route of the secret passage that Sakura had showed him, he snuck in and had observed the whole scene from the peephole near the ceiling.

When he'd seen Sakura dash out of the hallway in tears, he'd followed her at once, but he felt awkward and out of place in these rich and feminine chambers. But he heard the muffled sobs and hitched breaths coming from within, and her misery drew him in despite his discomfort. "Princess Sakura?" Syaoran called tentatively. "It's me, Syaoran. I… I heard what happened in the throne room. Is… is there anything I can do to help?"

There was a pause, then a sniffling noise, and Sakura's voice raised in a quaver. "Come in."

He pushed aside the partition -- barely more than a heavy curtain, it was more for privacy than for any real protection -- and took a tentative step inside. Princess Sakura was sitting on her bed, clutching a slightly tear-stained pillow to her chest; an older woman in the servant's garb was sitting beside her, patting her shoulder and murmuring soothingly.

Syaoran began to wonder if he wasn't needed after all, but Sakura got up from the counterpane and threw herself at him, dropping the pillow in favor of latching onto him instead. "Oh, Syaoran," she cried, and his heart bumped and fluttered as he awkwardly raised his hands to pat her shoulders. "How could he?"

"Princess…" he started, then trailed off. The maidservant rose from the bed and retired to a large wing chair in the corner of the room, pulling her shawl about her. She seemed content to leave the young people to each other, although she showed no intention of leaving, for which Syaoran was obscurely grateful. He knew young men such as himself were not supposed to be in a girl's chamber unguarded, let alone one as high-born and important as the princess. While he would rather have died than hurt Sakura, he was intensely conscious of appearances; especially as an untrusted outsider, he was just as glad to have a witness present to his good behavior.

"How could he treat me like a, a… a thing he can sell, to buy up some land that he wants?" Sakura cried passionately, her voice broken by sobs. "A bargaining piece that he can give away? How could he stand there and talk about gaining a high enough value in return for me, like a pig at a fair? How could he?"

"I… I'm sorry," Syaoran said awkwardly, not knowing what to say. "It's not fair to you, Sakura. He shouldn't just marry you off to anyone without asking, without your consent. It's just wrong."

Sakura sniffed and pulled away a little, although she still clutched tightly to his jerkin as she shook her head helplessly. "It's n-not just that," she said. "I always knew that as a p-princess, my father would decide who I'd marry, and I w-wouldn't get asked. I was engaged to Fai, too, and no one ever asked my consent for that, but… but…"

"You were engaged to that old wizard?" Syaoran asked, shocked. "That's terrible! How could he marry you off to an evil old pervert like that, without even --"

"No! Fai's not like that," Sakura interrupted him vehemently, pushing him away and glaring with fierce, glowing green eyes. "He's not evil, he's not bad! He's smart and kind and funny and sweet, and he's always been good to me, always!"

In the face of her feelings, Syaoran stifled his angry rant about the perverted evils of wizards. "You…" he said doubtfully. "You wanted to marry him?"

"No… oh… I don't know…" Sakura's sat down on the edge of the bed again, and her hands twisted nervously in the cloth of the duvet. "I… I loved Fai-niisan. I would have been okay with spending the rest of my life with him, taking care of him and making him happy. But… he was more like an older brother, even though we aren't related. He helped raise me, teach me… in some ways he was almost like a parent to me. I didn't want to be his w-wife… but…"

"You would have accepted that," Syaoran finished the thought for her, and she nodded miserably. He sat down next to her, perched on the edge of the mattress. "But you can't accept this?"

Sakura was silent for a moment, then drew a deep breath. "I've known Fai-niisan all my life," she said in a wavering voice. "He is the gentlest person I've ever met, and I know that he would always be… good to me…"

She raised her eyes to meet his, and he could see the fear shining in the green depths. "I don't know anything about this man, Prince Touya," she whispered, fear evident in her voice. "What kind of man is he? All the nobles in Nihon, they're supposed to be great warriors… What if he's a violent man, and he decides that he doesn't want to marry me, but he has to anyway? What if he… if he…"

"Prince Touya isn't like that!" Syaoran blurted out, anxious to assuage her fears. "I mean… I don't know him as well as you know the senior wizard, but… I've always heard that he's very calm and laid back, and he doesn't have a temper at all. And he's honorable! He would never hurt a woman, especially not his wife."

"Really?" Sakura trembled, a faint note of hope threading through her voice.

"Everyone says he's a good man," Syaoran reassured her. "You can ask Sensei; he's met the royal family many times. His sister the Empress, the divine Amaterasu, she has a temper and can be really difficult; but his other sister Tomoyo is really nice and sweet. She'd like you, and you'd like her. I'm sure of it."

"What if…" Sakura's face clouded, and she bit her lip uncertainly. "What if they don't like me? What if they hate me? Not just the Crown Prince, but -- but everyone? Because… because I'm from Ceres, and they hate Ceres, for… for what we did during the war…"

Syaoran squirmed uncomfortably. He didn't want to lie to Sakura, but he didn't want to tell her the truth, either; that until he came on this journey and met Sakura, he himself had borne such an irrational hatred for everyone and everything in Ceres. It was worse, much worse, in the capital at Edo, where anything associated with the white wizards of the North was despised; even anyone who spoke out in favor of them would be cursed and spat on, sometimes even attacked themselves. Only Kurogane's high rank and prestige -- and the legendary prowess of his sword -- had kept people respectful in his presence, and kept their house from being vandalized.

A Ceresian princess arriving alone at court in Edo would be the target of all that venom and hatred; and while the nobles at the court might not stoop to throwing stones or rotten fruit in the streets, the venom in their words would be unabated, and the potential for petty pranks and humiliations would be endless.

"I…" He didn't want to tell her all this, but he couldn't comfort her with lies, either. He tried another path. "I think they would learn to accept you, Princess," he said at last. "I think that once they met you, and had a chance to get to know you… then they would love you. They won't be able to help it. You're just such a good person, so kind and lovable, that a-anyone --" He stuttered and blushed, his face flooding red, and he tried hard not to look in the direction of the silent chaperone in the corner. "Anyone would love you…"

She didn't seem to notice his slip, though; her attention was all preoccupied by her fear of the future. "I'll have to leave my home," she said wretchedly. "I -- I won't know anyone there, and it will be a strange place… everything will be new, and I won't know what to say or how to act. I'll get everything wrong, people will think I'm stupid. How will I…?"

"Sakura, haven't you always wanted to go see other places, to leave Ceres and explore?" Syaoran urged her. "Think of it as an adventure! You won't just be reading about it in a book, you'll actually get to be there, see new places, meet new people! There are some wonderful things about Nihon, too, I promise."

She gave him a wobbly smile, but it soon slipped away. "I won't know anyone there," she said in a small voice. "I'll lose everyone I ever knew -- everyone will be a stranger…"

"You won't be alone," he promised her. "You'll have Kurogane-san, after all; he knows you, and you like him a lot, don't you? And besides…" He took a deep breath. "You'll have me there, too."

"Really?" She looked at him with wide, watery eyes. "You'll be there?"

"Princess Sakura…" He swallowed. "I promise that wherever you go, I'll follow after you. You'll never be alone, because I'll be with you. I give you my word -- that's an old samurai tradition, it's a promise that can't be broken. I'll be with you."

"No matter what?" Sakura whispered, her eyes shining.

He gave a jerky, definitive nod. "No matter what."

"I can't believe he just belted that out in front of everyone like that," Kurogane seethed, pacing back and forth like an agitated tiger. "That asshole! Every time I think there might be something worth redeeming in him, he goes and pulls something like this that gets him back on my shit list!"

"It was necessary, Kuro-tan," Fai said wearily, leaning against the wall in the niche of the window seat. "An affair as important as the succession of the throne isn't something that can be handled in private. Everyone has to know, it has to be absolutely public and as clear as possible."

"Don't you fucking defend him," Kurogane snapped, wheeling to face him. "Not after what he said. He insulted you, called you tainted and unfit in front of half the gawking lightweights in Ceres! Huh! As though a dirty bastard like him has got any right to call anyone else 'tainted'!"

"But it's true, isn't it?" Fai said, with a bitter, self-deprecating smile. "I'm not even fully human any more. Would you want a half-demon sitting on the throne to Nihon?"

"It's not up to me," Kurogane shot back, a little rattled by the question; on some level he knew Fai wasn't wrong, but he didn’t want to admit it. "And I told you not to defend him!"

"Then stop ranting about it so I don't have to," Fai snapped, a flash of anger flaring in his golden eye. "I told you before, I don't want to talk about it! If that's all you're going to do, then I'd rather be alone."

Kurogane was taken aback. It was obvious that Fai was shaken and upset, and in no condition to be left alone right now. Belatedly he flushed as he realized that his own behavior was just upsetting Fai further, rather than offering any kind of support or comfort. "I'll shut up now," he mumbled, and walked over to seat himself on the window seat beside Fai. He took Fai's hand in his; it was very cold.

Fai smiled at him, a wan smile with real gratitude behind it. "Thanks," he said in a hushed voice. He sighed. "You know, I'm okay with it, really. I never asked to be heir to the crown; it was just something Ashura wanted of me. It's not like I ever wanted to be King of Ceres…"

Kurogane gave an abrupt, involuntary laugh at the thought of Fai being king of anything. The wizard glared at him, and he smothered it. "Sorry," he said. "Sorry, I just can't see it."

Fai sighed, then nodded wry agreement. "You, me, and every noble head of clan in Ceres," he said wryly. "Honestly, I don’t think even Ashura seriously thought about the possibility of me taking the throne. It was just a way for him to bring the office of the heir under his control, without creating a possible rival who could challenge him for power. And he cemented his control by betrothing me to Sakura…" He trailed off, falling silent.

Kurogane cleared his throat. "Are you really okay with that, too?" he said gruffly. "The Princess, I mean."

Fai shook his head, bit his lip; his expression was haunted and guilty. "I love her, but I could never have been a husband to her," he said quietly. "I feel terrible saying it, but this… it's a relief."

Kurogane, on the other hand, didn't feel guilty at all. Fai was his, and he had no intention of sharing him, not even to a political marriage of convenience. "She'll get over it," he declared. "Prince Touya will be a good match for her. And it will seal the alliance between Ceres and Nihon like nothing else could."

"Yes, but it's hard on her," Fai sighed. "She's just a girl, you know, and she's never been out of her homeland before. I'm worried about what will happen if she has to go to Nihon, and leave all our protections behind. It's not safe, you know."

Kurogane bristled. "It's not like anyone at Edo would be so dishonorable as to --" he began.

"No, no," Fai interrupted, waving his hands hastily. "I don't mean danger from you or your countrymen -- although it's better to be safe than sorry. I mean danger from… other sources." He frowned, looking away towards the window, as though seeking some invisible presence.

"Other sources?" Kurogane said. "You mean that 'shadowy power' that that dreamseer said was looking for her?" He frowned. "She'll be well-protected at court, you know. Tomoyo is a very powerful guardian. What else is there to worry about?"

Fai shook his head, declining to explain, much to Kurogane's irritation. He rose from the window seat, squeezing Kurogane's hand once more before regretfully pulling away. "I'm going to go check on her," he said. "I'm sure she's upset, and needs some comfort right now. I'll find you again later."

Kurogane thought that Fai needed some comfort too, but if he wanted to seek it with his little sister instead of with him, then that was his right. "Fine," he said. "I'm going to find Syaoran and fill him in. God knows what kind of rumors he's picked up, wandering around the palace."

"I'd like to meet him at some point," Fai said with a smile. "You haven't told me much about him, but he must be something special, for Kuro-teacher to decide he's worthy to become your student."

"He's not bad," Kurogane allowed, a small smile tugging at his lips as he thought of his student's prowess. That smile soon faded, though. "I don't know if he's ready to meet you just yet, though. I wanted to give him some time to acclimate, get used to the country. He's… his father was killed by Ceres, you know. He blamed the whole country, but especially the wizards. I've been trying to get him to get over it, but it's a hard thing to let go, that kind of pain and hate."

"I'm sorry." Fai's smile faded, and a look of sadness came over his face. "I understand, it must be difficult. The war ended far too many promising lives."

Before he could correct Fai of his misapprehension as to when and how Syaoran's father had died, Fai rose from his seat. "I must see Sakura-chan now," he announced. "I'll find you later, Kuro-woof. Be a good doggy until I get back, okay?"

"I'm not a dog, don't call me that!" Kurogane snarled, instantly distracted from the discussion of his pupil. Fai only laughed, the sound floating behind him as he passed out of the room; and Kurogane shook his head, heartened that Fai was feeling enough better that his laugh at least sounded real.

Syaoran came slowly down the stairs, lost in thought. Sakura had said she wanted to be alone for a little while, so he respected her wishes, although it was hard for him; he yearned to be in her presence, see her face and listen to her laughter, like a sunflower reaches for the sun.

What was he going to do? He'd meant what he said to Sakura, about staying with her no matter what. No force on earth could make him break that promise, but how was he going to accomplish it? Sakura was engaged to be married to Prince Touya, a thought that made his chest and stomach hurt when he thought too hard about it. They could both go back to Nihon together, but then she'd go to Shirasagi Castle, and disappear into the royal quarters where commoners couldn't follow. How could he keep his promise to stay by her side then? He didn't think Prince Touya would be happy about Syaoran spending too much time with Sakura-chan.

Perhaps he could become a bodyguard at the palace, Sakura's bodyguard. She would need a faithful protector. He was still a little young, but he knew his teacher was the best. If he asked his master, maybe Kurogane could sponsor him into a position at the palace? Maybe… He descended the steps slowly, lost in daydreams.

A sharp noise from in front of him drew him out of his thoughts, and he blinked and glanced down to see another man at the foot of the stairs, staring up at him. He was pale, with light blond hair, and an elaborately decorated patch over his eye; his ceremonial robes, white trimmed with blue, were elegantly decorated with silver embroidery, jewelry, and marks of office. Syaoran's eyes widened as he took in the meaning of the rank insignia, and realized who the man was: this was the First Senior Wizard of Ceres!

All the thoughts and emotions that had been pushed aside in the last few days by thoughts of Sakura suddenly came rushing back. This was one of the evil Wizards, the men who had unjustly imprisoned and killed his father! He was assaulted with a complex mix of emotions: anger and hatred, fear and worry. But if this was the First Senior Wizard, then he must also be Fai Flowright; the man his teacher was so obsessed with, and the man that Sakura-chan had insisted was a good person, a kind and gentle person. How could he possibly be?

Before he had time to sort out his conflicting thoughts, the man quickly mounted the steps between them. His look of shocked recognition was almost a mirror of Syaoran's, and there was kind of a dawning horror in his face as he stared up at Syaoran. "Who let you in here?"  he demanded in a hoarse, terrible voice.

"I --" he started to say, a little stunned by the force of the stranger's reaction to him. "I was just seeing Sakura, I didn't do anything to her, I --"

The wizard ignored his stammered answer, vaulting up the final step and seizing Syaoran by the shoulders, his shocked gaze traveling quickly over Syaoran's clothes, his hands, and back to his face. "How did you get past the wards?"

Syaoran didn't even have time to answer, though, before the wizard suddenly reached up and grabbed his chin, forcing his face to the side, and impatiently brushing his bangs away from his eye. His left eye, the blind one, the one that had been silver and sightless for as long as Syaoran could remember. Syaoran felt a heat wash over his face that had nothing to do with anger or embarrassment, a tingling sensation that originated from his temple and washed rapidly outwards in waves.

"Who are you?" Fai croaked, and Syaoran realized that the wizard was not talking to him at all.

Too late.

They both heard the words, although neither of them had spoken.

A loud crack echoed from somewhere below their feet, a sound like an explosion, or shattering stone. They both felt a brief tremor run through the floor, the walls shivered; then there was a sudden sharp, wrenching sensation like a fast wind rushing past them in the narrow stone corridor. A moment later, the screams started.

"The King! The King" they heard shouting from somewhere below them. "We're under attack! Protect the King!"

"Under attack? By who?" Syaoran cried in bewilderment. The wizard shook his head, released him suddenly and sent him stumbling back. He gave him one brief, flensing look of fury, and then he was brushing past him in the corridor, sprinting back down the stairways to the audience chamber.

"Sakura!" Syaoran cried out suddenly. If there was an attack, she would be in danger too. And if all the guards were running to protect King Ashura, then who would protect her?

He turned and ran the other way, up the steep staircase to the Princess's chambers.

~to be continued...