Goodness gracious! I'm terribly terribly sorry! My computer died and I don't have internet access in my new apartment. Plus with the inevitability of life and unfortunately growing up, time seemed to slip by. Anyways, yes I am Vietnamese, however American born, so I'm just a wannabe desperately trying to grasp onto a culture being torn away by ESL and a tongue that refuses to curve into the language. Does anyone else have a similar problem with culture clash?

What you've all been waiting for, the last chapter of The Key and the Spindle. Thanks for all those that stuck by even through my horrible posting. I'll update on when I have a new story up, or you can give me ideas.

Chapter 9

The entire room froze wondering at the strange exclamation. A tall man with dark hair stood rooted at the main entrance looking with his utmost fury at Syaoran. The object of the man's wrath barely heard the sound coming from his fiance's mouth.

"Touya?"

With a squeal Sakura launched herself from Syaoran's arms and flung herself into her brother's.

"You're back! I can't believe it!"

"Oof squirt. You're still a monster with your inhuman strength." This of course was met with a very familiar stomp on his right foot. Wincing in pain Touya couldn't help but ruffle his beloved Sakura's hair. Quick to recover, however, he rushed over and held Syaoran off the ground by his shirt.

"Gaki! Why were you touching the kaijuu?!?"

Syaoran tried to protest and seeing no reasoning with the man was about the send a roundhouse kick when a stern but quiet voice echoed in the hall.

"Fujitaka, would you please tell Touya to put my son down?"

Sakura gave a cry of joy and, for the second time that night, launched herself into a family member's arms.

"How I've missed you, my blossom."

She smiled through her tears of happiness. Her father and brother back. Syaoran and her together. It was all too much.

Fujitaka cleared his throat. "Touya put him down… NOW."

Touya muttered and let Syaoran go in an unceremonious heap on the ground. Syaoran's thoughts spun as he landed on the ground. Who were these men? A spurned lover? The dark haired man certainly had a protective instinct towards Sakura. His heart flared in jealousy.

Yelan smiled and said, "Touya why don't you go with Li's sisters and prepare some tea. You and your father must be tired from your trip."

Touya grumbled and allowed himself to be led away, muttering the entire way on what he would do the gaki.

Sakura who had rushed over to help Syaoran up apologized for Touya's behavior.

Ignoring his turmoil for now, he turned to Fujitaka and bowed. "I wrote to you sir, of your daughter."

Fujitaka smiled kindly behind spectacles and acknowledged the man so enamored with Sakura.

"Yes, your letter was the reason why I rushed over. You wrote that my daughter had a slight accident taking horseback riding lessons but was fine. Sakura is an excellent rider though." Despite Syaoran's shocked gaze he continued. "And your concern for a servant's treatment was disconcerting but our household has never employed servants."

"Your description of the girl was familiar too, as if Sakura was…" He paused when realizing, "…the servant!" he exclaimed in realization.

"You mean she's not? Isn't your daughter Emiko?" Syaoran stammered in confusion.

Fujitaka frowned.

"Sakura is my daughter. Emiko and Hana are the two caretakers I hired to keep the household running while I was gone. They were paid double the wages of a servant and even given a house nearby to live in."

In shock, Sakura cried, "Do you mean that you didn't marry Hana?"

Reassuringly he replied, "Never my daughter. You know how much I loved and miss your mother. I would never dishonor her memory by marrying another."

A clatter of the tea cups meant that Touya was back in their midst.

"You worked as a servant, Sakura?" he asked incredulously.

Sakura explained the entire story, how in the tumult of their departure Hana and Emiko came bearing the official documents declaring Hana the mistress of the Kinimoto household and Sakura was to fall under their employment. She even had the papers legitimized by the local magistrate who claimed they were true.

Syaoran's eyes darkened at the thought of corruption of an official within his kingdom.

Wait a moment. A realization had come to him.

"Kinimoto Touya is actually your brother? Lord Fujitaka is your father?" he sputtered out. Half of himself was sighing with relief knowing that the two men weren't potential or former suitors while the other half was dealing with this newfound information.

The closest kingdom to the Li's was the Daidouji Kingdom ruled by Queen Tomoyo and King Eriol. The royal line was directed from Tomoyo's mother, Daidouji Sonomi nee' Amamiya. Their only living relative, Amamiya Nadeshiko, married Kinimoto Fujitaka and had two children. Fujitaka, if Tomoyo and her husband were to die without any heirs, was second in line to the throne with his children being third, which meant…

"Sakura's a princess?!?!"

Sakura blushed and stammered out a reluctant yes. She and Cousin Tomoyo were nearly as close to each other as sisters were. The thought of succession and ruling a kingdom never entered her mind, but she was given the honorary title as princess because of the love the Daidouji kingdom had for her and her mother.

She stared at the ground not wanting to look at Syaoran's betrayed gaze. Tactfully Yelan excused the entire group from the throne room to allow the two some privacy.

Still staring mutely at the ground, she wondered at what Syaoran was thinking.

"You have every right to call off the marriage, Syaoran," she choked out. "I lied to you about my status."

Two steps were all it took to bring him right in front of her. Two steps to decide her fate.

A heart rose.

"You fool."

A heart fell.

"Why would I reject you now? I don't care if you are a princess. I don't care if you ended up as a maid, a cobbler, or anyone else. I love you for you, Kinimoto Sakura," he murmured as he wrapped her in his strong embrace.

Sakura couldn't stop the tears from dripping down her cheeks. She trailed her arms up his chest and wrapped them around his neck. Knowing his acceptance of her, without any mistrust, she buried her face into his shoulder and sighed in gratitude. He wasn't going to give her up.

Syaoran tilted her chin up so that their eyes met.

"Do you not trust me, love?" His eyes showed the hurt inside of him, not for her deception but for her willingness to dissolve the engagement.

"I don't trust myself," she whispered. "After all of the nights not knowing where my family was and clinging on to desperate wishes, I… I lost hope."

She paused again, "Until you brought it back."

A sweet smile drifted across her face which was ecstatically met with a grin.

"Well, there's only one solution to this," Syaoran proposed. "Let's start over."

Releasing her he dropped into a courtly bow and introduced himself.

"King Li Syaoran."

Sakura giggled and dipped into a formal bow with a slight inclination of her head.

"Kinimoto Sakura."

She gasped as Syaoran swept her back into his arms and kissed her gently on the tip of her nose.

"Marry me."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "That was fast."

"Hey, can't I be spontaneous around you?"

"Cheeky," was the instant retort back.

They stayed in each other's arms for a moment when whispers drifted across the room.

Rolling his eyes Syaoran marched over to the doorway and yanked it towards himself. Swiftly 5 bodies tumbled out with a certain man leading the way followed by four giggling girls.

Growling, Touya exclaimed, "If he's done anything to hurt you, Sakura, just tell me and I'll kick his-"

"Touya!!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Language," Fujitaka murmured.

Touya stiffened with embarrassment not realizing that the Li sisters and the Empress Mother were listening. He stammered out an apology.

Yelan asked the question which was on everyone's minds, "So is everything settled between the two of you?"

"Yes," the two lovebirds replied simultaneously and blushed as they stared at one another. Formal introductions were made and a delightful supper commenced. Somewhere miles away, a ballroom was filled with colorful dresses and debonair suits… but no Cinderella (or Yeh-Shen or Tam, depending on your culture) was present. She had already been found.

The next day Yelan and Syaoran arranged all the pomp and circumstance a court could provide and sent a royal envoy to the Kinimoto household. Sakura of course along with Fujitaka and Touya had stayed overnight at the palace. Dressed in their finest Hana and Emiko strutted down the main walkway into the throne room like overstuffed peacocks and were presented before the King and Empress Mother.

Their eyes widened at the sight of Syaoran in his finery and even more so at his next words.

"I have chosen my bride from the Kinimoto household."

His stomach churned as he could picture them imagining the riches and titles they thought they would receive.

"I choose Kinimoto… Sakura."

He drawled out her name purposely and noted with satisfaction the pale hue their faces turned at the name. Just as quickly, their faces turned red with anger as they sputtered their indignation.

"She's only a servant girl! How dare you draw out our hopes and dreams during your visitation with false promises!"

Their retorts were met with an icy glare as he thundered back, "The same way you led Sakura on about her father?"

"You cannot prove anything! That house is legally ours."

"Oh yes, I spoke with the magistrate that drew up the contract. He will not be seeing daylight for a long time," he said darkly. "Which is where you two should be going due to your deception."

Hana took a chance, "Prove it, your highness." Those words were said scathingly but with a touch of fear.

He bowed condescendingly yet still regally towards her.

"My future wife." Sakura stepped out from behind the brocaded curtain in full light and stood beside Syaoran. Here eyes danced with nervousness but the Syaoran's strong aura calmed her greatly.

Hana and Emiko scoffed thinking no one would believe a servant girl's story.

"Her brother." Touya stepped out too and glared at the two imposters. These were the villains who hurt his beloved sister!

"Her father."

One by one as the figures stepped out of the shadows, Emiko felt her chances at a good marriage dwindling. She took her opening out.

"It was all Mother's idea. She forced me to do all of this. I had nothing to do with it!"

Sakura stepped forward.

"So it was her idea to take all of my things and turn them over to you? Her idea to defile my beloved Mother's belongings? Her idea to force me to cater to your every whim? No, all she did was to instigate this whole affair. She never paid me one moment's attention. You, however, made my time a living nightmare. Prattling away with your abuse, not only on me but even to the Empress Mother herself!"

Emiko gave a gasp of recognition. Oh crap…

Sakura's eyes met Syaoran's briefly, gathering strength for the finale.

"The punishment for you and your mother is banishment from this kingdom. There will be warning reporting what you have done to the ruler of whatever land you wish to reside in and we will keep a close eye on you. Other than that no one will have any knowledge of your doings in the Li Kingdom unless you prove otherwise."

Their protests were met with a graceful upraised hand by Yelan.

"Would you rather join the magistrate in prison?"

They immediately silenced their objections. They were sent away with guards as their escorts after changing into modest traveling clothes and given coins for their journey.

"You're too kind hearted, Sakura," Syaoran murmured into her ear. The two were walking in the palace garden, which Syaoran stated was dismal compared to the one Sakura had.

Sakura explained, "I couldn't help but think that cheating has always been a part of their lives. It must have been hard, always knowing that one day they'd be caught and just having to look over their shoulder until that day came. It's no wonder why they never made contact with the outside neighborhoods or made friends. They were too worried about someone exposing them. If they had a fresh start maybe things would change."

She felt her hand being tugged as Syaoran halted during the meandering walk. Quirking one eyebrow in confusion she smiled as he pulled her into his arms.

I'll just have to get used to this feeling. She snuggled into his arms and breathed in his unique scent. It was indescribable. Just Syaoran she supposed.

"I don't know what I have done to deserve you," he murmured.

"From all the stories your sisters and mother have told me, I don't think you do deserve me," she replied with audacity.

This set off an alternative round of cursing his family and begging Sakura as to what they told her. Her silence was met with tickle threats until she silenced him with a kiss. Of course this was a more preferable outcome for the two of them and they continued this for quite some time.

Turning away from viewing the happy couple Fujitaka and Yelan walked slowly back into the palace from the garden.

"Are you happy with her being your future daughter-in-law? As a future Queen?"

Yelan smiled, "She's the only person who could tame my son's heart and I was so impressed with her kindness in the market so she's perfect as a daughter-in-law. The same also goes for when she rules the kingdom along with Syaoran. Her past as one of the people will endure her to the hearts of the populace."

Fujitaka nodded his head in acknowledgment, "Yes, the children in the kingdom are also happy with her. They can not wait for her and Syaoran's visit to the school next week." He paused and glanced back at his future son-in-law. "Yes, he'll be good for her. Nadeshiko would be happy too."

The two of them walked in silence thinking of the future of the kingdom currently out in the garden.

Fujitaka chuckled quietly. "We shouldn't tell them that they've been betrothed since they were born, should we?"

Yelan laughed too. "No, we shouldn't. They found each other on their own. Let them have that in peace."

Sakura who had pulled away from a flustered Syaoran giggled and ran up the garden pathway back to the palace. With her eager fiancé chasing after her she couldn't help but think of her situation.

From her status as a princess to servant and back to a princess, it was all a fairy tale. However, she wasn't a distressed damsel whose prince found her. No, the two of them found each other… and their happily ever after.

Ta da! The end. Finito. Thank you (Cam on nhieu) to all those who read this. As always, reviews are much appreciated.

Grignard