Funeral and Suprises

Anna wiped the sweat from her forehead as she spread out the white linen hanging from the clothesline. Her arms were already aching from the repetitive task of hanging heavy and wet table cloths and bed sheets. Her eyes were also drooping since the strict head of the palace servants had awaken her by a loud scream in the ear at around 5 AM in the morning and instructed her to help with the laundry. From what she had heard, the Prince of Kasai had just returned and his queen mother wanted that everything be spic and span for their long-delayed royal family dinner tonight.

Stupid Prince of Kasai! Why should I serve under your name?

She frowned even more when she noticed the other servants staring at her from the corner of her eye. They wore mixed expressions of curiosity, envy or even contempt especially the three young maids whose names were Kanna, Matilda and Marion. Apparently, she had bypassed the screening process of hiring royal servants just because the warrior, Amidamaru had backed her up with his recommendation. If they were in Kouku, she could have fired them on the spot for shooting death glares at her.

But I'm just a palace maid. Bleh!

She hated the idea but this is the only way to hide her true identity and survive in the enemy's land. She's only waiting for the right time to escape from the palace and hitch a ride towards the borders so she could finally go home. She would force the imbecile servant boy to assist her out of this wretched kingdom since he was the main reason why she was here in the first place.

Speaking of that moron. Where is he?

She hadn't seen the servant boy called Yoh the whole day. She tried to peek at the stables early this morning but he was nowhere to be found.

I'll definitely give that boy a good spanking. I thought I'll be able to see King Yuan and Ren yesterday.

Suddenly, Anna let out a silent gasp. Oh no, Ren is leaving for the academy today.

In the Koukou palace grounds...

The townspeople momentarily stopped their ongoing activities and bowed silently in prayer as the sorrowful clanging of bells resounded throughout the small kingdom of Kouku. In front of a funeral pyre at the back of the white palace, a number of servants, guards and relatives of the murdered royal family had gathered to bid their final farewell to their beloved rulers. King Yuan and his family led the mournful ceremony. Despite the tears of anguish and screams of agony from the grieving crowd, the Kaminari monarchs remained straight-faced. Prince Ren find this tradition of being expressionless insincere but it's what was expected of them royals. He stared forlornly at the three wooden caskets on top of the stone funeral pyre. He knew that the smallest one was empty and it pained him the most for how could he say goodbye to someone who was not there?

King Yuan approached the biggest casket and laid in front of it his friend's bloodstained sword. He forbade the maids from wiping the blood clean as it would be a solemn reminder of King Hideki's steadfast courage when he put up a fight in an attempt to save his family. Afterwards, Queen Ran laid down a maroon and gold tapestry she had woven herself in front of Queen Ayako's casket. It was one of the many interests they had shared as friends during their regular visits to each other's kingdoms. King Yuan patted his son's left shoulder after his wife had finished her prayer by the fallen queen's casket. The prince dragged himself towards his fiancée's empty wooden funeral box and took out the necklace with the rose pendant from his right pocket. He slowly lowered the piece of jewelry but quickly withdrew it before it could even touch the foot of the casket. He just couldn't give up the only tangible memory he had of the princess. He took out from his left pocket instead a bud of red rose that he picked from their garden. It was showing signs of wilting but he didn't care. He placed it gently on top of the casket and went back by his parent's side.

The pyre was lit up and the howling and crying became more intense. Prince Ren grasped the necklace firmly as he watched the flames consumed the three caskets.

I love you, Anna. I just can't let you go that easily.

In the Kasai palace kitchens...

Anna had barely rested from the laundry task when she had found herself being summoned to the busy kitchen by the head cook. They were in need of extra hands for the royal homecoming dinner. The fat cook threw at her a clean white apron and a hair cap and told her to hurriedly put them on. She irritably followed as she was told but cursed at the prince in whose honor the frantic preparations were being made.

It's just an exclusive family dinner and not a lavish ball anyway. Why is there so much fuss about it?

The cook then pushed her to a table where he ordered her to peel a basketful of potatoes. Anna gently grabbed the knife and a potato and watched as the other kitchen maids peeled carrots, ginger, garlic and onions with much ease and expertise before she tried it on her own.

I make a bad kitchen assistant. She told herself when it took almost 15 minutes before she could peel a whole potato completely. The royal cook slapped his forehead when he noticed the pace she was going. She had only peeled two potatoes and it wasn't even a well-done job. He pulled her away from the peeling table by the ear after a significant amount of scolding to which the other maids giggled and snorted.

The cook placed a bowl of hot soup and a ladle on a tray and placed it on Anna's delicate hands. He pointed at the door leading to the royal dining area. "Go out there and make yourself useful!"

Anna rolled her eyes. It would be more appetizing to splash the steaming soup over the mean cook. However, her vengeful thoughts dissipated as soon as she entered a large spacious hall with an elegant long dining table and a crystalline chandelier hanging on top of it. She saw the bird king seated at the far end of the table. On his right sat a beautiful black-haired woman who was without doubt, the queen of Kasai. At the middle part, on each side of the table, there settled two old royals who must be the former rulers of the kingdom. At the other end of the table, sat a boy with his short black hair tied up in a pony tail. The much-talked about prince seemed bored as he was resting his chin on the palm of his left hand and the fingers of his other hand were tapping the table. She could only see his back but there was a strong feeling that she had seen him somewhere before.

The old queen-mother gently lowered her cup of tea. She looked clearly displeased at the young prince's lack of proper manners. Anna could have thought of her as a gentle old woman had she not boomed an irate command at her grandson, "Will you stop that Yoh!"

Anna inadvertently dropped the tray of hot soup upon hearing the name. The loud breaking of pottery and dining ware instantly brought the attention of the Kasai royals towards her direction. It was then that she saw the prince's face.