It's chapter 3!! Yeah! This chapter isn't really the best of the best.
*Sigh* One day.

"..."~speech!
*...*~Character's wonderful thoughts!
**~~~**~~~ Scene change and Flashback
(A.N.)~my notes...that I purposely bother you with.

Disclaimers: I know all of you thought I owned Card Captor Sakura. Thank
you, but no. I don't.
Clamp owns it all. T-T

Chapter 3 of Royal Luv

In the Royal Lobby:

"This is the third time we're washing these floors!" Chiharu complained
as she swept the mop back and forth on the ground.

"The floor did get dirty a lot today." Sakura said, trying to make the
best of things.

"Only if the rain would stop..."Rika mumbled, and sighed. The maids
could hear the rain pounding on the windows and the thunder screaming into
the dark, cold morning.

The maids finished cleaning up the muddy floor. "I'll take the mops and
pails and put them away." Sakura offered.

"I'll go with you." Tomoyo said.

"Can't believe Takashi didn't help us. I'm going to kill him." Chiharu
growled as she went upstairs with Rika.

"I heard Princess Meiling made Takashi, Syaoran's private butler. She
said something about Prince Syaoran hanging around women maids or something."
Rika said.

Sakura stared up as Rika and Chiharu went upstairs. *I suppose Meiling
doesn't want Syaoran talking to me again.* Sakura sighed. "C'mon, Tomoyo.
Let's go."

They picked up the two pails and four mops, and headed of to the giant
closet full of cleaning supplies.

"Princess Meiling has been really protective of Prince Syaoran lately.
Don't you think?" Tomoyo asked as they stuffed the mops and pails into the
closet.

"She was always protective and will always be." Sakura said, not meeting
with Tomoyo's eyes.

"I know you have to do something with it." Tomoyo said casually.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked.

"I saw Prince Syaoran talking to you a few nights ago... I knew your
conversation would have been important, so I didn't bother. and yesterday,
you were walking with him in the garden. I was planting a few flowers and
hid when I saw you coming. I didn't want to inturrupt...but I know you have
something to do with Meiling.." Tomoyo cocked her head, and looked at Sakura.

Sakura blushed slightly. "Yeah..."

*And I know your chats aren't only affecting Meiling. You're heart's
also affected.* Tomoyo thought to herself. She and Sakura walked silently
back toward the main lobby up the stairs, when they heard a knock.

"Someone is at the door." Sakura said. She and Tomoyo glided down the
stairs and heaved open the heavy oak doors.

A woman their age was standing in a puddle of water. Her shoulder-length
hair was matted to her head, and her clothes were stuck to her body from the
rain. "Do you have room to spare?" She asked. Her voice clear and raspy at
the same time.

Her black eyes bore into Sakura's emerald green ones. She eyed Sakura's
necklace. She faced them both. "Just until the rain stops. Please."

"Come in." Sakura said, kindness overwhelming her. She rushed to a
nearby closet and grabbed a few large towels. She wrapped one around the
woman, and told her to dry her hair with the other.

Syaoran's mother, Yulen came into the lobby. "Goodness! Who might you
be? Maids, get this woman warmed up and put her into a guest room in the
east wing. The west wing is flooding a bit."

"Yes ma'am." Sakura and Tomoyo said in unison and bowed.

"Very good." Yulen went off into the study.

"Please follow us." Tomoyo said. She and Sakura lead the woman into a
large guestroom in the east wing.

"This is where you could wash off and dry off." Sakura said pointing to
the bathroom. "There are robes and extra clothing in the drawers. If you
need anything, you could just buzz us." There was a buzzer at the end of the
drawer.

"Arigatou." The woman bowed politely and slipped into the bathroom with
a black robe.

**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**
In the guestroom:

*Ahhh! That feels much better.* The woman dried off her hair and began
to brush it tenderly. *I might as well look around the castle.* The woman
tied back the top half of her hair, and changed into a loose black, t-shirt
and short pants.

She walked down the hall and turned a corner, and banged into someone.
"Oww!" She rubbed her head.

"I'm sorry." It was Syaroan. He looked carefully at the woman. "I
didn't see you around here before."

The woman stopped rubbing her head and looked up at Syaoran. *Wow, he's
more cuter than what I've heard!* "Oh, see, I was caught in the rain, and no
one would let me in. But the kind maids let me in the castle. Oh, I hope
I'm not a bother." The woman said.

"No, no..you're not. So, what's your name?" Syaoran asked.

"It's Miro."

"Miro. Okay." Syaoran turned and walked the opposite way.

"Prince Syaroan!" Miro called.

Syaoran turned slowly, with his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Uhm...if you don't mind, could you show me around?" Miro asked.

"Uhm...sure..." Syaoran said and walked with Miro around the enormous
castle. He pointed out the different rooms and people.

Syaoran and Miro passed by Sakura as she was walking with a towel.
"Sakura!" Syaoran said.

"Oh, hello." Sakura bowed. She flinched at the sight of Syaoran and
Miro walking together.

"Did you meet Miro?" Syaoran asked.

"Yes, I did." Sakura replied giving a weak smile.

"She was one of the kind maids that let me in." Miro said, butting into
the conversation.

"I'm not surprised." Syaoran said. "Sakura, are you all right? You
look really stressed-out."

Sakura snapped her head up. "No! I'm fine. You two go on. I have to
refill the swimming pool. Princess Meiling wants to have a swim." Sakura
turned and headed off to the ground level.

"You have a swimming pool?!" Miro nearly screamed. "I love to swim!
Could you show me?"

"Sure." Syaoran said softly as he watched Sakura walk solemnly down the
stairs. "Sure."

**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**
At the swimming pool:

"Is the water filled up yet?!" Meilng asked. She laid on a beach chair
and glared at Sakura.

"Almost." Sakura replied. When the water reached the top, Sakura turned
the wheel which closed up the access of water going in or out.

"Finally." Meiling grumbled. Meiling slid into the 4 feet section of
the pool. She slowly progressed to the other side.

*Left, right, breath, left, right, breath...* Meiling recited to herself
as she swam slowly back and forth.

*Meiling's really improving.* Sakura thought to herself. She stood at
the end of the pool with a towel and bottle of water. She watched Meiling
swimming back and forth.

All of a sudden, Syaoran came into the pool with a chatting Miro.
Meiling's attention was drawn to Syaoran and Miro. She stopped swimming and
glared at Miro. Her body began to drawl under water, and she opened her eyes
wide with surprise. She flapped her arms and only managed to get water down
her throat.

*Oh my gosh!!* Sakura dropped the towel and water and dived gracefully
head first into the pool in her clothes. She spotted Meiling's now limp body
sinking slowly to the floor.

Sakura swam quickly to her, every stroke full of determination and grace.
She caught Meilng's hip, and kicked up to the surface. She took a deep
breath as she met contact with air. She brought Meiling up from the water.
Her head bobbing lifelessly on her shoulders.

"Sakura! Meiling!" Syaoran yelled from the end of the pool. Sakura swam
to the edge, with Meiling's body dragging along. Syaoran helped Sakura lift
Meiling's body up to the ground. "We're going to have to do CPR." Syaoran
told Sakura.

Miro stayed behind Syaoran, her eyes full of worry and surprise.

Sakura lifted herself out of the pool and placed her hands on Meilngs
chest. "One, two three, four, five." Sakura pumped.

Syaoran breathed into Meiling's mouth, holding her nose. Sakura pumped.
Syaoran breathed. Meiling coughed.

"Meiling, are you okay?" Syaoran asked.

Meiling coughed up more water. "Easy, does it." Sakura soothed.

"I'm going to carry her up to her room. I'll be right back. Her room is
just around the corner." Syaoran said. He lifted Meiling up into his arms
and carried her out the door.

"That was scary." Miro said.

Sakura nodded.

"Are there any extra suits? I really want to swim." Miro said as if the
event didn't matter to her anymore.

"Yes, they're in the locker room over there. Once you go in, take a left
on the first door, and there should be a lot of different suits." Sakura
replied. *She has nerve.*

"Thanks. Hey, why don't you swim? I saw you were pretty good out
there." Miro said.

"It's okay. I have to change out of these." Sakura looked down at her
soaking clothes.

"Okay." Miro said and skipped into the locker room.

Sakura sighed and slumped into a chair. Her clothes making a squishy
sound as she sat. *My job couldn't be any more interesting.* She leaned her
head back and closed her eyes. *I'll take a nap...just for a few seconds...*

"Hey, sleepyhead!" Sakura heard a voice calling to her. "Sakura. Get
up." It was Syaoran.

"Oh!" Sakura rubbed her eyes, and sat up. "Sorry. How's Meilng?"

"She's doing fine. Just needs to rest. She's sleeping right now,"
Syaroan said. "Why don't you swim with us?" Sakura just realized Syaoran
was wearing swimming trunks and a robe. She blushed at the thought of
swimming with him.

"Uh..I don't think I could." Sakura said shyly.

"C'mon. It'll be fun. Everyone's in the study, and no one could blame
you for swimming. Besides its past seven. Remember, after seven, the maids
and butler could swim or have a bit of free time at their own will?" Syaroan
said.

"Please Sakura!" Sakura saw Miro standing behind Syaroan. She was
wearing a black bikini, which showed much of her skin. Sakura winced at the
sight of her. *Miro and Syaroan in a pool together. Why don't I like that
idea? Should I go?*

"Okay. Fine." Sakura gave in. *What am I thinking?*

"Great." Syaoran said. *Why am I so happy about this?*

Sakura went into the locker room, not wanting Miro and Syaoran together
alone for long.

"I'm going in first!" Miro told Syaroan. She slowly went into the pool,
keeping an eye on Syaoran. "Come in! It's warm!"

"Just a sec." Syaoran replied. *Being in a pool alone with
Miro...doesn't seem right.* Syaoran thought. Syaoran slowly took off his
robe.

*He couldn't go any slower!* Miro pouted. "C'mon Syaoran! What's
taking so long?"

"Uhm...I have to stretch." Syaoran began to stretch slowly.
*Left...right~*

**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**
In the locker room:

Sakura looked at the pile of unused swimming suits. *Why am I doing
this?* She picked out a soft pink, one-piece suit.

"Sakura!" Someone called out to her.

"Tomoyo?" Sakura called back and saw Tomoyo come into the room full of
bathing suits. "What are you doing here?"

"I was cleaning. Then I was going to bake a little cake for Kero."
Tomoyo replied. "How about you?"

"Oh,....I was..uhm going to take a swim." Sakura said.

"I saw Prince Syaoran and that woman in the pool." Tomoyo said.

"Uh..yeah, they uhm...asked me to join them..." Sakura laughed. "I must
be crazy."

"Go on, Sakura." Tomoyo insisted. "It'll be fun. I have to go now. See
you!" Tomoyo exited through the back door waving.

*Here goes nothing* Sakura thought and changed quickly into the suit.
She tied her hair back into a ponytail, and went into the pool with a towel.

"Sakura! You changed!" Syaoran said as he doing jumping jacks.

Sakura nodded. She put down her towel and began to stretch. She went to
the end of the pool. She dipped her toe. *Water's not cold.*

"What are you waiting for?" Syaoran said. He picked up Sakura by her
slim hip and jumped into the pool with Sakura.

"Ahh!" Sakura screamed in delight as her face met with the water.

"How was that?" Syaoran said.

"You finally come in!" Miro interupted. She hooked her arm around
Syaoran's. "Let's race."

"You want to race too?" Syaoran asked Sakura.

"It's okay. You two go. I'll judge." Sakura replied. She swam into
the middle of the pool, and sat at the edge, giving her a view of the whole
pool. "Ready, get set, go!!" Sakura shouted.

Syaoran and Miro took off at record breaking speed. In the deep side,
Miro banged into Syaoran, causing both of them to stop. She clung onto him,
pressing her body against his. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry. I wasn't
watching."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Syaoran took his arm away from Miro. *Is she coming
onto me?*

"Are you two okay?" Sakura asked as she paddled her way toward them.

"Yes, we're fine." Miro scowled. "Wanna do over?" She asked Syaoran
hopefully.

"No, it's okay." Syaoran swam to the other side of the pool and began to
swim laps. Miro rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Hey guys, I'm going to go to the bathroom." Miro climbed out
of the pool, and walked into the locker room.

Syaoran stopped swimming and sat on the ledge of the pool making circles
in the water with his foot. Sakura plopped down next to him. "I hope you
don't mind, but I'm planning to leave the pool now."

"C'mon, you weren't even here for ten minutes!" Syaoran said urgingly.
"Just one swim, then you could go."

"Fine." Sakura slide smoothly into the pool. "You wanna race?"

"Bring it on." Syaoran and Sakura swam to the end of the pool and went
into their racing positions. "One hundred meter, okay? Ready, set, GO!"
Syaoran shouted and they both glided under the water, swimming with all their
might.

Syaoran's strong arms pushed the water, pushing himself down the lane.
He saw Sakura's graceful movements making her swim like a dolphin, smooth and
slick. He caught Sakura's eye. She had a spark of joyous excitement
glinting within. With all the strenght he could muster, he kicked off the
wall on the other end of the pool and headed back down the other way. Sakura
was right beside him.

*He's really good.* Sakura thought to herself as she watched Syaoran
swim beside her. All of a sudden, something like the Watery caught Sakura's
foot. *What the,...?* Sakura stopped swimming. *Watery?!* Sakura took a
deep breath ignoring Syaoran's calls. She dove under water, and tried to get
the Watery off her foot. *There's no use in releasing my key. I don't have
my cards with me!* Sakura thought frantically. The more she struggled, the
harder Watery held onto her foot and took them deeper into the water.

Sakura's breath began to be cut short. She tried to swim up back to the
surface, but the Watery was too strong. Sakura felt strong arms holding on
to her and trying to pull her up. Sakura weakly looked up and saw a frantic
Syaoran trying to pull her up. Sakura's mind filled with water and
everything blanked out.

"Sakura. Sakura." Sakura heard a voice calling her name. *I'm here...*
Sakura thought weakly. *My mouth is so dry. My head hurts. Did I fall
down the stairs again?* Sakura tried to open her eyes. *My eyelids are too
heavy. I can't see.* Sakura strained herself to open her eyes. She managed
to see that she was in her room and Tomoyo was above her.

"Tomo..oyo?" Sakura squeaked out.

"You're alive!" Tomoyo squealed and hugged Sakura tightly.

"Did I die?" Sakura asked.

"No. No. Everything's all right. Go to sleep." Tomoyo soothed and
stroked Sakura's hair.

"Sleep. That's a good idea." Sakura began to sleep, with a joyous
Tomoyo over her.

**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**
About 5 hours later:

Sakura rubbed her eyes. Her face felt swollen, and she was well rested.
*What happened?* Sakura thought to herself. She looked out the window and
saw the rain still pounding against the window, trying desperately to get in.
The sky was dark and cloudy and uninviting.

Sakura got up and looked at her watch. "One o'clock." Sakura mumbled to
herself. "I might as well get myself a little something to eat." Sakura
walked downstairs and crept into the kitchen. She opened up the giant fridge
and took out an apple. Sakura bit into it and went back upstairs. Sakura
took the last bite out of the apple and laid on her bed.

*I woner what happened?* Sakura thought. She stared at the dark ceiling
trying to put together what happened. *I wonder if Syaoran's awake. I must
be joking. Who would be awake at one A.M.?* Sakura laughed at herself.
*Then again...* Sakura got up and tip-toed her way to Syaoran's room. She
gently pressed her ear against the door and heard the scribble of a pen.
*He's awake.*

Sakura mustered up all her strength and knocked on the door.

Syaoran sat in his chair writing in his diary. He felt so guilty of not
being able to help Sakura more. A sound made Syaoran jump out of his seat.
"What the?!" Syaoran cursed in surprise.

Syaoran opened the door with frustration to find a surprised Sakura.
"I'm sorry, did I bother you?" Sakura asked with her sweet voice.

Syaoran blushed crimson and shook his head violently. "Come in." Sakura
stepped in. "So...why are you here?" Syaoran asked. He motioned Sakura to
sit down. "You should be in bed."

"I know...I just really wanted to know what happened." Sakura pleaded.
"Please?"

Syaoran couldn't refuse the beautiful emerald green eyes. He sighed.
"Something caught your leg in the swimming pool and was drowning you. I saw
you go in, and tried to help you up, but the thing that caught your leg
wouldn't give. Miro came in and jumped into the pool to help too. Right
when she comes in, the thing just vanishes." Syaoran finished his story in a
dull voice. "I just can't help thinking that Miro is doing something."

The memory of the swimming pool began to flood back into Sakura's head.
"The Watery." Sakura whispered.

"Nani?" Syaoran asked in surprise.

"The Water card. The thing that caught my leg was the Watery." Sakura
looked up at Syaoran. "But that can't be! The Watery was changed into a
Sakura Card and I don't know how it could've escaped! Or did it?" Sakura
looked worried. "One minute." Sakura dashed out of the room and came back a
minute later with the Clow book.

"The Clow Book!" Syaoran exclaimed. He took the book from Sakura and
fingered it as if it was an antique.

Sakura gently took it back and opened it up. The cards magically all
lined themselves up before Sakrua. Sakura spotted the Watery. She took it
into her hands. "It didn't escape." Sakura said confused. "Then...what was
it?" The Sakura Cards flew back into the book.

"It could really only mean..." Syaoran was at a loss for words. "I
don't know."

"Maybe Kero know!" Sakura said.

"Kero?" Syaoran asked quizzicly.

"Yeah,..you might know him as Ceroberous." Sakura said smiling.

"Oh..." Syaoran said blushing at Sakura's smile.

Sakura left Syaoran's room and came back with a half-sleeping Kero.
Syaoran stifled a laugh.

"That's the legendary Ceroberous?" Syaoran asked. Sakura nodded.

"What the?" Kero woke up. "Where am I?"

"You're in Syaoran's room, Kero." Sakura told him. "We have a problem."

Syaoran was still stifling his laughter. "He looks like a stuffed
animal!" Syaoran began to double over in laughter.

"Who are you calling a stuffed animal!" Kero glared and bit hard on
Syaoran's finger.

"Ow!" Syaoran glared back at Kero. Sakura sweatdropped.

"Guys, uh...please...we've got a problem, here..." Sakura said trying to
break the two apart.

Kero looked away and crossed his arms. "Brat." He mumbled.

"You..." Syaoran was cut off by Sakura's hand resting against his arm.

"Please..." Sakura said. Syaoran blushed and nodded.

"So what's the problem?" Kero asked. Sakura explained, not trusting any
good words to come out of Syaoran's mouth. "I can't solve this on my own.
Hey brat, see if you could get Yue to come in here." Syaoran glared at Kero.

"Yue?" Sakura questioned.

"Yeah." Syaoran admitted. "He didn't want you to know he was here. He
has his reasons."

"Of course he does." Kero said in frustration. "Just get him in here."

**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**

End of Chapter 3.
So~~~ what do ya think? It wasn't the best, I know..but I try. hehe. I'll
expect flames and comments. Thanx!