The Other Kasai Prince

Kanna took her usual position between her friends, Marion and Matilda among the palace servants. She noticed the gap in the front row and her blood boiled with jealousy. The blond girl called Anna was missing from the line-up again. It was one of the privileges of being a personal maid to the new heir of Kasai. Her duty was to always accompany the prince so she was not prompted to leave him for other tasks. Besides the King of Kasai always went on foreign trips that he no longer required the presence of his family to welcome him back as he returned to the palace.

I wonder where everybody is… Anna went down to the usually busy kitchen to bring the breakfast tray she used to feed the prince only to find the place deserted. The soap on the dishes had already dried, the potatoes and carrots for today's lunch soup were half-peeled, and a bucket of dirty water was left lying on the floor. If the head palace maid could see the place now, someone would surely get some severe spanking and scolding. The blond girl decided to leave the premises immediately before the head servant arrives and blame her for the chaos in the kitchen.

As she was climbing up the stairs, she remembered that the king was to arrive that morning from his trip abroad. This could be the main reason why she did not see a single servant around the palace. That would also mean Prince's Yoh's lovestruck fiancée, Tamao would be back to spy on them as if she was stealing her future husband-to-be from her. Anna decided that she had better get the lazy Yoh off the bed in time for the arrival of his father and fiancée.

The palace servants bowed down as soon as King Mikihisa entered the grand wooden doors followed by his exhausted pink-haired niece. Tamao brightened up upon seeing her fiancé slowly approaching the group but her smile quickly faded when she spotted his blond personal maid promenading behind him. To the very observant eye, it was more like Prince Yoh reluctantly walking to join the welcoming crowd while Anna pushed him to go faster.

"Welcome back father," Yoh gave out a timid smile.

"Oof!" The prince tried to untangle himself from the pink-haired girl's tight embrace. "Hello Tamao…"

"I missed you Yoh! I hope you didn't do anything to make me feel bad while I was away," Tamao shot an irritated look at the blond girl. She finally let go of her grip on Yoh when she spotted the queen and the former rulers of Kasai drawing near.

"Welcome home Darling," Queen Keiko sashayed towards her husband to give him a warm kiss on the lips.

"It's good to see my family complete again," King Mikihisa seemed elated. He did not expect that he would be greeted by the whole Asakura family upon his return. After all, he was just away for a couple of days. He needed some form of positive energy especially after coming back from an emotionally draining activity such as a funeral. "It will be more complete once I show you who returned to the kingdom with me."

As if on cue, the carriage doors flew open and a smirking young man of seventeen years alighted from the vehicle. He had a pompous air about him and his long hair swayed with the breeze. Kanna couldn't hide her delight. Her prince had finally returned.

"Hao, my son!" Queen Keiko wept as she embraced her other child whom she had not seen for seven years. The young man stood still and did not return her embrace. The queen lovingly touched her son's face. "You look so much like -"

"Yes, I know. I looked like my twin brother but I'm smarter and a hundred of times more good-looking."

Anna rolled her eyes. She had never known anyone as conceited as the other Kasai prince. He was ten times more arrogant than Ren. Besides the length of the hair, Hao and Yoh were physically identical yet their personalities were totally on the opposite sides of the coin.

"Prince Hao will not be going back to the Dukedom of Mont St. Michel. He's staying here with us for good," King Mikihisa announced to the crowd.

"Welcome home brother!" Yoh grinned at him but his twin gave him no response. Hao's gaze was apparently fixed on the blond girl dressed in a palace servant's uniform behind him.

"And who might you be?" the other Kasai prince approached her with keen interest.

"She is Anna," Yoh introduced his personal maid. "She is -"

"…not from here," Hao eyed her from top to bottom.

"Er…" his twin brother began to panic but the quick-thinking Anna responded well, "Yes, I'm new here my dear prince. I'm one of those people you haven't seen before you left as a child. I would perfectly understand if you won't consider me as someone who belongs here."

"Of course, of course. I'm sorry for being rude. Shall we introduce ourselves? What's your name?"

"Anna."

"And your last name?"

"I have… no last name. Everybody just calls me Anna."

"Brother, Anna is Amidamaru's distant relative. Amidamaru doesn't have a last name, too. I think it's part of their family tradition not to use last names," Yoh laughed nervously.

"You know Yoh, I did not expect you to make a statement that makes any sense but that last one did. Anyway, hello Anna, I am Hao Asakura." The long-haired Asakura twin offered his hand.

Anna reluctantly shook it but Hao did not let go of it at once so she had to forcefully pull it from his grip.

"For a palace maid Anna, you got soft hands."

"She was never really a servant before," Prince Yoh came to her defense. "Her former job was that of a governess. She is tutoring me right now about what I need to know about our kingdom."

"Oh.." his long-haired twin's lips spread out into a smile. "Maybe you could also teach me. I have been away for seven years I don't know anything about Kasai."

Liar! Anna fumed with rage. She's beginning to hate Yoh's brother even more.

"What do you say King Miki?" Hao addressed his father casually.

"I think that's a good idea," the king of Kasai scratched his chin. "Anna, you can start tutoring Hao tomorrow after you're done with Yoh."

The blond girl wanted to melt away into nothingness that very minute.