CHAPTER THREE

   It's a brand new day and as usual, Madam Felicia had to be the morning alarm for the maids that overslept, including Anna. Madam Felicia always thought that the royals are handling these maids with light hands because how can a maid sleep in? It's just not right. Anastasia woke up with a very high spirit. As always, getting out of bed was the most stressful thing for her but she did get out eventually. She took her bathe and proceeded to the kitchen to do the dishes. 

   "Ugh! Do we really eat this much?" Anna asked herself as she stared at the used plates gathered on the floor. She looked round the kitchen and squeezed her face in disgust. The place was so messy. "I'm sure the Royal kitchen isn't like this." She said to herself. She picked up a nylon and packed the left over foods into it. These leftovers are always left by the guards. Madam Felicia doesn't take it lightly with the maids whenever they waste food but the guards are good at that but what can she do? 

   She gathered them all and went out to dispose them. She went back to the kitchen and cleaned the counters and scrapped off the black colourings on the stoves. She swept the floors and mopped it. She gathered all the used plates into a big bowl and with all her strength, she carried the bowl out to the stream to wash.

"I can't believe I'm the only one going to wash these." 

Anna sat on a rock and gave herself a moment of silence, staring at the dirty plates with displeasure. After about three minutes, she emptied the big bowl and started to wash the plates one after the other, humming the "Swan lake" tone as she did. 

   She was doing her chore peacefully before a bee landed on her arm, she swatted it fearfully but the bee didn't seem to want to leave her alone. This time, it landed on her nose and she slammed her palm on her nose, trying to kill it but the insect flew off. She got to feel the pain of her palm slap. And when Anna finally thought the bee flew off, it came back and perched on her eyelid. Anna screamed and accidentally dipped her soap filled fingers in her eye. This stung her eye so much that she closed her eyes immediately. She wanted to stand but she had her eyes closed so she couldn't see where she was stepping, she tripped and fell into the stream. 

"Why!" She screamed in anger. 

    Prince Kai, who was watching her from his window couldn't keep his laughter in. He clutched his stomach as he laughed. He has been here this whole time, watching Anna fight with the evil insect. When she fell into the stream, he got worried but he became calm when he remembered that the stream was not deep. 

"Curse you! Curse you, evil bee!" Anna kept screaming, kicking the water in anger. Kai leaned on the window frame and kept watching her take out all her anger on the innocent water. He stayed by the window until Anna finished washing the plates. He watched her stack them into the big bowl and walk away with it, breathing heavily. Kai could tell she was still angry. Kai left the window side and walked to his bed. He was taking off his boots when his sister came in, looking angry.

"Who made you mad?"

"My voice coach didn't show up yesterday and today, I got news that he relocated due to family reasons and now, I don't have anyone to coach me."

"Calm down, Courtney. I'm sure there are tons of music teachers in the kingdom."

"Yeah, if there were, I wouldn't be this mad!"

Kai shook his head and almost laughed at the sight of the angry expression on the face of his twelve years old sister. "I'll get you a coach, just calm down okay?"

"I just don't like being disappointed."

"Nobody does. Now go to your room or wherever and cool down. I'll find you a coach."

"I knew I could always count on you." 

Courtney gave her brother a kiss on the cheek and skipped outside. Kai finally got to take off his boots and wore new sets. He stepped out and the guards by his door bowed to him.

"Where's Liam?" 

Liam is Kai's personal maid. Queen Rosetta initially wanted to give him a female maid but Kai told her no. He said, "For my own sanity, please get me a male maid."

"He went to the kitchen just now, sire."

"Okay."

Prince Kai, alongside with two guards went to the Royal stables to go see how Philip, Kai's horse, is doing. He fell ill yesterday but the Royal physician has tended to him and he's already doing okay.

"Hey, friend." 

Philip got up from his kneeling position and rushed to Kai excitedly. Kai untied Philip's leg from the iron bar he was tied to. 

"He's doing so much better." 

He took a handful of horse feed and fed it to Philip. Philip gladly ate from Kai's hand and Kai patted his back as he ate.

"He's been wanting to see you all day." The stableman said to Kai. 

"Well, I'm here now, aren't I? Just make sure he...

Kai paused when he heard someone singing. He paid more attention to the voice and listened closely to it.

"Who is that?"

"Is the person disturbing his Highness? I'll go send the person away from here this instant."

"No, Mathew. Don't bother." 

Kai stopped the guard and he walked a little bit forward. "No need to come with me." 

Prince Kai followed the voice to the other side of the stable where the knights' horses were kept. He met a woman feeding fruits to the horses as she sang on. Before the person turned, Kai already knew who it was. 

Prince Kai cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the lady. "Your Highness."

"Anastasia, am I right?"

"Yes, your highness."

"What are you doing here?" That question has already left Kai's mouth before he realized how stupid it was. Of course, she's feeding the horses. Obviously!

"I'm feeding the horses."

"Hmm."

Anastasia took two apples and stretched it to a brown horse. The horse bent it's neck and ate from her hands.

"Good job, Lillian."

"You know her name?" Kai asked as he closed the gap between them.

"Yeah. I know all thier name. This is Bonnie and Bonita. They are twins."

Anastasia pointed at the two horses and Kai nodded. "And of course, this is Lillian, Kent, Jennie, Blake, Rebecca, Kiki...

"Okay okay, I think that's enough."

"I'm sorry, your highness. Just introducing my friends to you."

"Friends? The horses are your friends?"

"Yes. Just like how your horse is your friend. Or am I wrong, your highness?"

"I guess not."

Anastasia picked up the fruit basket and locked the door to Kent's pen.

"I'll be on my way now, my prince."

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"You were the one singing the other time right?"

"Um...yes."

"Good. My sister needs a music teacher. You'll start tomorrow."

"What? I mean...if I may, your highness, I don't know anything about teaching music. I only know how to sing and I'm not very good at it. Please, I don't think I'm fit for this task."

"You have a good singing voice and that's all that matters. You'll resume tomorrow like I said. Till then...

Kai folded his hands at his back and walked majestically away from the stables. When Anna was sure he was gone, she raised up her head and sighed in frustration. 

"Teach music? I know nothing about teaching!" 

    Anna went back to the kitchen and arranged the plates into the plate rack. She mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned the counters. When she was done, she left for the maids quarters. She picked a big book from the shelf in the room and opened a few pages. The book is the chore roster and Anna is trying to see if she's free for the afternoon and yes, she was free. That's such good news to Anna. She lied on her bed and sighed in satisfaction. Her smile couldn't be held back when she remembered her encounter last night with Prince Kai. "He's so cool." 

    She turned to lie on her side as she smiled to herself. Maybe she should go to the garden again, tonight? No, that might be a bad idea. But again, this isn't the first time she's going to the palace garden at night so it wouldn't seem weird if she goes tonight again. It's finally decided, she's going to the garden tonight and she really hopes Prince Kai comes too.

   Time flew so fast and before Anna knew it, it was night time. She had dinner with the rest of the maids and went to take her bathe. She wore her night dress and sat on her bed. The room was quite noisy because the other maids weren't asleep yet. They were all still chatting and goofing around. It's only a matter of time before Madam Felicia comes in and yell at all of them. 

"Hey, can't you sit beside someone without causing a fuss?" Anna scolded Ivory as she jumped on Anna's bed, making Anna to almost bounce off. Ivory wrapped her hands around Anna and pinned her to the bed.

"I don't have strength for rough play tonight, Ivory."

"Come on. You always have strength for rough play. What's wrong tonight? Had a rough day?" 

"A rough and tiring day," Anna escaped from Ivory's arm cage and balanced well on the bed,  

"I really need to sleep early because tomorrow won't be any different either."

"In that case, I'm sleeping with you tonight." 

"No Ivory, go back to your bed. Sleeping on the same bed with you is torture itself." 

Ivory gave Anna a playful knock and said, "You know I like sleeping with you. Come on."

"Girl, you have bad sleeping habits."

"Is it because of my snores? I told you I've changed." Ivory whined and Anna laughed at her cuteness.

"It's not about that, dumdum. It's about how you sleep and turn around in every direction. Your legs will be on my head and your arms will be at the other side of the room."

"Stop exergerating, Anna. It's not that bad."

"Exactly, it's worse." 

"Anna!"

"I'm sorry but I need a good night's sleep. If you sleep with me, I'll have to stay up all night pulling your legs out of my face."

Ivory stumped out of Anna's bed and went to hers. 

"Don't expect me to give you my chocolate rolls tomorrow." Ivory said, pointing her finger at Anna threateningly. Anna shook her head at Ivory's childishness and lied back on her bed.

"Goodnight, Ivory."

"Goodnight. Love you, even though you don't love me."

"Stop being such a baby, Ivory. You know I do."

"Whatever, goodnight. Don't have nightmares."

"I won't." 

Anna covered her body with her blanket and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. Madam Felicia came in to check whether the girls were asleep and she went back out when she was sure. Anna opened her right eye to scan the whole room. Everyone is asleep. She waited for about fifteen minutes more before she stood up quietly. She covered her mouth to stop her laughter from bursting out when she was Ivory's sleeping position. 

She picked up her sweater and tiptoed out of the room. She let out a deep breath when she was finally out through the back door. The backdoor leads straight to the garden. She looked around for Kai but he wasn't around. She sighed sadly and sat on the ground. 

"I guess I was the only one excited to see him again." She said to herself as she lied on the grass.

"You're here again, Anastasia." 

Anastasia sat up abruptly when she heard that voice. He's here! He's here! Anna kept squealing in her head.

"Um... your highness."

"I told you not to call me that when we're alone." Kai took a seat beside Anna and smiled when he realized she was thickly clothed. 

"I..I don't know what I can call you aside from that."

"Sure you do. Kai is better."

"No, I can't do that. The least I can call you is Prince Kai." 

"That is also okay, I guess." Kai said and Anna smiled. "You're wearing a sweater tonight." Kai stated the obvious.

"Yes, I didn't want to get scolded by you for not wearing one tonight."

"Scolded by me? Were you sure I was going to be here again tonight? Or you hoped I would be."

"Um...I..

"No need to be uncomfortable. Look," Kai raised up a robe. "I also brought this for you just in case."

"So, you hoped I would be here?" Anna asked and Kai chuckled.

"I don't know. I guess so."

Kai's eyes went to Anna's legs and he asked, 

"Aren't your feet cold?"

"Huh?"

"You feet, aren't they cold? Your slippers is worn out and...

Kai paused when he realized that what he said might have made Anna said because when she looked down at her slippers, she smiled sadly.

"...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Here," Kai took of his slippers and stretched them to Anna, "Take these."

"But..

Kai knew she was going to protest so he took her feet and slid the slippers into them. Anna took her lips in, trying to stop herself from blushing.

"You shouldn't let your feet be cold. It'll hurt you."

"Thank you." Anna said shyly in a low tone.

"Mhm. So, you're resuming your woke tomorrow, right?"

"What work?"

"I told you you're going to tutor my sister or have you forgotten?"

"No, no...I haven't. It's just...I don't think I can do a good job. I'm not even that good at singing."

"Who told you that? From what I heard this afternoon, you're a very good singer. Even though you were just humming, I could tell you have a very beautiful voice."

Anna smiled and cupped her cheeks with her palms. Kai is very good with his choice of words and Anna isn't complaining. In fact, she likes it.