Spellbound

Chapter One

Blind folded and dressed in nothing but rags, Sakura shivered against the cold wind. The metal around her wrists and ankles bit into her skin and the cart she sat in rattled. Pain rattled her back as they hit a bump in the road and she grit her teeth against it.
Thunder rumbled overhead.

Sakura had no idea where they were taking her, but she doubted it could be any worse than her former life. Magic ran through her veins and most people in her birthland didn't take too kindly to people with power. Once they had found out, she had been locked away in a dungeon when she had turned thirteen and subjected to various forms of torture to "keep her in line", as they did with anyone else like her. It had been seven years since then.

The cart came to a stop. Several moments later she felt the chains being tugged forcefully, dragging her forwards.
"Get out." A harsh voice sounded. "Hurry up!"
She scrambled to get out, stumbling over her restraints. She felt dirt and stones beneath her bare feet and pain stabbed into the soles as she was pulled forwards. A whimper escaped her lips as she felt the bottoms of her feet being shredded by the sharp stones, but her escort didn't seem to care.
She felt something wet fall on her face, followed by a few more drops.

It started raining.

She shivered violently in the cold, her hands numb and teeth chattering.
Footsteps sounded ahead, getting closer and stopping.
"Is this the girl?" a young man's voice sounded.
"Yes." Came the reply.
"What do her abilities include?"
A laugh sounded. "She's weak. But she can still use magic. Therefore, we don't want her."
"I asked what her abilities include." The young man sounded cold and almost cruel, as well as incredibly impatient.
Sakura was frightened, wondering who this new person was and what they could want with her. Was she to be put through more torture and misery? Or maybe she'd be used as a test subject, like before.
"Healing."
"That's all?"
"As I said, she's weak."
There was a brief moment of silence.
"Very well. We'll take her from here."
"Good riddance."

A hand collided with her back and Sakura fell forward, landing hard on the ground. She heard an annoyed huff and was pulled back to her feet by her arm.
"Shall we leave?" another, much kinder voice sounded.
"Yes. Guide the girl."
"Miss?"
She turned her head in the direction of the kind voice and felt a gentle hand on her arm.
"This way if you'd please."
With this unknown person guiding her, she moved forward. Her ankle and feet ached, and she realised she may have twisted it when she'd been pushed.
"Syaoran, hold on a moment."
"What is it?"
"I think her leg is injured."
Sakura froze as she heard a frustrated sigh. Her heart raced, and fear pulsed violently through her blood.
"Those people really are inconsiderate. The soles of her feet are completely shredded as well." The person she assumed to be Syaoran spoke.
She whimpered as she was lifted from the floor and slumped over a shoulder. She wriggled, and her chains rattled.
"Calm down." He snapped.
She froze, and he continued walking through the rain.

She wasn't sure how long they had been walking for, but she was relieved when she was finally out of the rain. She was led to a seat and sat down.
Sakura swallowed as the blindfold was removed, but she kept her eyes tightly shut.
"Look at me." The young man ordered her.
She didn't, and he lifted her chin.
"Do as I have ordered."
Sakura flinched and hesitantly cracked open her jade green eyes.

She was forced to meet a pair of amber eyes. His hair was a dark chocolate colour and his skin lightly tanned. He had a muscular build, though not bulky, while his presence seemed almost regal. Two earrings hang from his right ear. Sakura could only guess that they were about the same age.

She was sure he had seen her fear, but he hardly seemed bothered. Instead, he turned her head from side to side, examining her face with something similar to interest and what Sakura thought might be pity.