Cardcaptor Sakura: The New Trials (Wish-luv)

Chapter 69: The Betrayal

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Hong Kong, 12 years ago...

The Li Main House garden in springtime was famous throughout Hong Kong for its beautiful lush peonies of every shade of pink, from deep coral to pale rose.

For the little girl with jet-black hair pulled back into two buns, tied with her special occasion red ribbons, with a matching silk scarlet cheongsam, it was a special treat to be allowed to come to a Main House function. Because she was deemed not "gifted" and was from a minor branch of the illustrious Li Clan, there was no way she would ever be the one standing in the procession going down the gardens.

Instead she was doomed to stay in the stay in the sidelines, at the bottom of the hill, watching the formidable row of men clad in the Clan's deep green walk along as a Li Clan Council meeting commenced. Li Meilin knew this even at the age of four.

Like most of her cousins, she was delegated to shoving each other to try to catch a glimpse of the boy who was called the "Chosen One."

Peony petals were blowing about one spring day in the fragrant gardens that Meilin first saw the infamous young Syaoran walk up the Li gardens, the winding path up to the Main House where the Great Elder awaited to greet him. Behind him was an older boy, around 11 years old, with coppery-brown hair and smiling aqua eyes.

"Look, it's Leiyun. He's so handsome. I want to marry him when I grow up!" squealed one female cousin, who thought herself high and mighty because she was in the fourth grade.

"Look, there's poor Syaoran," whispered some older women of the clan. "He's a spitting image of his father—they say that he has potential to become even greater than Li Ryuuren the Chosen One."

"Well, the Great Elder has taken him under his wings," said one of Meilin's uncles. "And they said he would not be taking on any more trainees after Leiyun and Jinyu."

"Who is that boy? Why is he so special? He doesn't look older than me," stated Meilin, nose in the air.

"That's Li Syaoran. Only son of Li Ryuuren, the Chosen One. Do you remember Uncle Ryuuren?" said her mother.

Meilin nodded. He was a vague memory now, but he had been a tall intimidating man with dark brown hair and eyes blue as the Hong Kong oceans. She had been scared of him because as the Chosen One, he was one of the innermost in command of the Clan, and he was always brisk and in a hurry.

But he had once picked up a ball she had dropped in the pond of the Main House gardens and patted her on the head. "How old are you, Meilin?" he had asked her.

"Three," she had replied shyly, for even then she knew that the Chosen One was special.

"Three. Then you're about the same age as my son, Syaoran. I hope you can grow up to be good friends."