26 The Coming of An Ally

The Kasai royal family's dinner that night started out intensely with Tamao announcing that she wanted her fiancé's personal maid out of the palace.

"What did she do?" Queen Keiko inquired.

"When we have returned from our short trip, Your Highness, I found that girl in Yoh's bed."

"You're overreacting Tamao," her fiance said between bites.

"Well, was she really in your bed, grandson?" old King Yohmei asked with an amused expression. He was reprimanded with a stern look from his wife.

The prince reddened with embarrassment. "Er… yes, I let her sleep in my bed Grandpa. She was sick with fever. In fact, she had lost consciousness earlier."

"Oh dear, is she okay now?" his mother asked worriedly.

"I think so. She's resting in her own sleeping quarters."

"Don't be fooled, Yoh. She's just feigning her sickness to seduce you," the pink-haired girl couldn't let this one go. "I know the likes of her. She would do everything to elevate herself from her impoverished state even to the point of using her body as -"

"Stop it Tamao," Yoh slammed his goblet down the table. Everyone's eyes were on him even those of his father who was not participating in the conversation.

The prince felt awkward. Now he was the one who seemed overreacting. Thankfully, the goblet was of high-quality glass so it did not break into pieces. Otherwise, the head servant would be extremely annoyed. It's just that he couldn't allow anyone to accuse his tutor with anything lewd. "Anna's not like that," he said calmly.

"Why are you defending her? Have you known her long enough for you to attest that she is a modest lady as you claim her to be?" Tamao asked with spite.

"No but-"

"I saw her touching you with my own two eyes," the girl's eyes blazed with fury.

"She was removing the dust from my hair."

"How did you know? You were asleep all the time!"

"I was almost awake." Maybe pretending to be asleep just so he could continue holding Anna's hand was a wrong idea.

"Silence! This conversation is going nowhere," it was the king who broke the tension between his son and his niece.

"Jealousy is a green-eyed monster," old Queen Kino recited the famous saying. She eyed the seething Tamao as she sipped her red wine.

"If you two cannot avoid bickering, at least pledge to me that you'll momentarily stop for the whole duration of the day tomorrow," the king looked at Yoh then at his fiancée who both nodded vigorously. "A very important guest will be coming over and I expect proper behavior from you. You are not little children anymore. Act as if you were the next rulers of Kasai."

The king then turned to his wife and softened his voice, "My dear queen, have you gotten the gifts for our visitor?"

"Yes, my king. I had asked help from Tamao in selecting the most elegant ones."

"Who is coming over Father?" Yoh asked curiously.

In the palace lobby the morning after...

Anna was beginning to lose her patience. She had just gotten well from her fever and they were already making her stand in line with the rest of the maids for over an hour. They were instructed by the head servant last night to wake up early, bathe themselves and put on their best uniforms for the king of Kouri was to visit the palace. Even the royal family had prepared themselves for the coming of such a high-profile person. Prince Yoh was dressed regally and his usual mess of black hair was tied up in a neat pony tail. The blond girl couldn't help but notice how fine-looking the goofy prince was when he acted prim and proper. Yoh must have sensed her staring at him for he had looked her way and threw her his characteristic smile. Anna ignored him and diverted her attention towards the palace's main door.

The blowing of trumpets by the court musicians had announced the arrival of an ornately-decorated brown carriage pulled by four white horses. A pageboy held the carriage door open while a brawny man alighted from it. All the palace servants bowed down as the man entered the palace throwing suspicious looks at every direction.

So is this the king? Why is he dressed so meagerly? Kouri must have been a very poor kingdom. Anna thought.

"It's alright, Tona. This is familiar territory. Don't scare them off," a young man's voice was heard from behind the muscular guy.

The king's body guard moved aside and let his master pass. A young man with a light blue hair dressed in white and blue robes appeared before them.

"Welcome to our humble abode, King Horokeu," the palace servants greeted in unison.

"Hello Kasai people." He flashed everyone a big grin.

As soon as friendly greetings had been exchanged, King Mikihisa lost no time in discussing business with the head of his ally kingdom. They entered the throne room to have some privacy but he remained standing as he conversed with his fellow king.

"Your visit must be of extreme importance as you have come here yourself."

"To tell you the truth, I really have no idea King Miki," the young ruler scratched his head.

The Kasai monarch noted to himself to tell his friend, the former leader of Kouri to advise his son not to call him that nickname.

"But Father asked me to personally give this to you," King Horokeu took out an envelope with the elaborate dry seal of a wolf.

"How is Lycan by the way?" King Mihikisa inquired after receiving the letter.

"Father said he is enjoying his free life as a commoner because he can look after my sister while she's studying at the academy. I think he's just spying on Pirika and her suitors."

The king of Kasai smiled, "That is a possibility. I'd be as strict as he is to my own daughter if I had one. Well, King Horokeu, thank you for this letter. I won't be keeping you long in this boring discussion. Please enjoy your short stay in Kasai."

"It was my pleasure King Miki," the Kouri monarch gave him a thumbs-up and left the room in haste.

King Mikihisa sighed, "What were you thinking Lycan? You could have let your son enjoy his youth first before pronouncing him king."

He tore the envelope open and read silently his friend's correspondence. It was a short one but it was enough to convince him. He folded the paper afterwards and called out to the guards stationed at the throne room's entrance. "Tell the head royal guard to look for Manta and Ryuu. I'll be sending them to another mission."