Chapter 4

Silence… pure unaltered (well if you ignore a loud snore emitting from Horohoro's room) silence had enveloped the old inn in its grasp. All residents were sleeping peacefully but none perhaps felt as peaceful as a certain brunet who at this moment was unaware of the soft sound of footsteps coming towards his room.

Soon the sound of footsteps ceased and that of a sliding door took its place. A figure entered the room lit only by moonlight cascading down from the windows. She walked inside, looking at the brunet blankly and kneeled down beside him.

"Wake up," she said strictly while shaking him, but the boy didn't seem to hear her. She repeated again in a louder voice and shook him violently, but Yoh just murmured something, still fast asleep.

Angry, Anna was just about to stand up and kick him when Yoh turned around, grabbed her arms and pulled her down beside him.

He felt something soft and warm pressed up against him, emitting a sweet smell he was too lazy to decipher. Yet, for some reason, something didn't felt right. With a small tired sigh he finally decided to open his eyes just to meet a pair of deep shocked out of their lives orbs he had grown too found of. Was it him or did they look a little different…

Anna was frozen in her position. She didn't know why but somehow she couldn't look away. Her mind screamed at her to snap the boy to senses. Or at least snap herself to senses! But it was like her body had suddenly formed a mind of its own. This was the third time their faces got closer but this was also the first time she really looked at his eyes. Those sleepy onyx eyes that…that were so innocent…as if they were telling her… to trust…

"Morning," Yoh said softly and his warm breath brushed up against her skin snapping Anna back to reality.

What the hell was I thinking? She thought and quickly escaped from his embrace. As she stood up Anna gave the brunet a powerful kick at his stomach.

Yoh winced from the pain and sat up, holding his aching abdomen. "What was that for?" he asked.

"Oh! Finally you're awake," the blonde said coolly, crossing her hands around her chest. "Don't you know I wasted five minutes of my life just trying to wake you up?"

Yoh scratched his head, still feeling drowsy even though he received a powerful kick from her. And so he didn't quite understand what she was saying. "Why?" was his only response.

Anna's brows twitched. The thing she hated most was when she was talking and someone was not listening to her. She grabbed his shirt and glared at him furiously.

"What do you mean 'why'?" she said in a very cold voice that made Yoh shiver, "As my servant it's your duty to wake up early and prepare everything I need before I wake up."

"B-but it's only five in the morning."

"It is NOW 5:10 in the morning," she corrected while pointing her index finger at the clock on the desk. Now he knew why she's always the one to come first in that solemn place. "Now move and prepare my breakfast. I want them after my bath." She released him and move towards the door. "And make sure it's edible… or I'll break your legs."

Yoh gulped, why was she so violent? "Are you like this to others?" Yoh asked while pouting.

Anna stopped and looked back at him. "No… only to you," she said and went outside his room. Yoh sighed. What had he done to deserve such treatment from her? "And make sure you brush your teeth." He heard her say.

Curious from what she said, he cupped his hands onto his mouth and exhaled to smell his breath. "Hey it's not that bad," he said pouting.

"Is there anything else you want me to do?"

"No. You can rest now."

Yoh thanked the Great Spirit. Allowing himself to fall back onto the cool grassy land he sighed as the refreshing breeze cooled down his burning face. Finally!

When he got up that morning and tried to prepare her breakfast, he remembered he didn't know how to cook. So he decided to make something that he thought was easy to cook. Scrambled eggs. But when the blonde showed up in the kitchen and ate the food he made she said it was too salty and commanded him to make her another one. So he did and he did and he did. But there was no satisfying the blonde.

He wanted to give up and ask someone to cook for her. But everyone was fast asleep. After his twentieth try she finally said it was edible enough and began to eat. After that she commanded him to eat the other food he prepared because it was not good to throw food for there were too many people who don't have enough. Even though he didn't want to, the look in her eyes made him comply. And so… he ate those 19 scrambled eggs that he cooked, some of them tasted too salty, some were tasteless and one of them was too sweet because he mistakenly put sugar instead of a salt (Well it was not his fault if he was still sleepy). Anna was watching him the whole time until he finished the last meal. She then left after that and he quickly went to the comfort room to… ahm… lets not talk about that, okay?

After he finished his business in the comfort room he began to prepare himself for following the ice princess to the Solemn Kingdom. Just thinking of following her there made him think twice. She liked practicing violence, on him. She preferred making him do things he didn't want to. Now what evil thing could she ask him to do to make him suffer again?

And when he finally approached the place he was again greeted with those deadly glares. He gulped… what did he do this time? Why she was looking at him like she was going to eat him?

His questions were soon answered when the blonde yelled at him for being late. Hey! It was not he's fault if he spent one hour in the comfort room! But he never said that to her for it was kind of embarrassing to tell a girl such things and… you know… Instead he lied and told her that he just did some important things.

The blonde didn't seem interested for whatever reason he has and just commanded him to do some things. That was when the suffering of the brunet began again.

First, she asked him if he could put back a fallen nest of a bird to the tree. Next, she told him to pick up leaves scattered around the place. Then, she asked him to remove the rocks (small & big) that were littered around and put them at one side. And finally she commanded him to remove some weeds that surrounded the flowers. In short she made him clean the whole place using only his bare hands and own strength for he don't have any tool. It was just good of her that she brought a saddle bag for those trashes he cleaned up. Maybe he should thank her for that, he thought sarcastically.

"You must not complain. It is a good exercise." He heard her say.

"I'm not complaining," Yoh said to her.

"Maybe you're not verbally complaining. But your mind did."

Oh great. What now? She can read minds?

"I can easily read from your facial expression," she explained. So she was looking at him the whole time he was thinking about the nightmares he experienced today. What a cheater. "Like I said it's good for your body. It's like training, where you gain something more than what you gain being lazy and lying around the whole morning doing nothing."

Training huh? Training in hell… he thought, and look who's doing something, just reading a book the whole day. But he thought better than to vocalize his thoughts, already knowing the outcome. Sighing he decided to change the topic.

"Hey do you want to come with me to the market?" he asked her.

"Market? Why?"

"N-nothing, just thought if you want to see our shop. I'm going there now to work"

"The blue haired guy was working there too right?"

"You mean Horohoro?" Anna only nodded. "Yes, he works there with his sister."

Anna thought for a second, and then decided to come with the brunet. "Fine."

Yoh was taken a back. She easily agreed to him? What happened? But that's not important anymore. The important thing was she was going with him. He didn't know why but he felt strangely happy whenever he was being around her, even though he always suffered because of her.

"Carry the saddle bag until you found a trash can," he heard her say as she mounted her horse. His smile faded. Was she serious? Why not just let her horse bring that bag? "What are you waiting for? Start walking! And don't forget about the trash." She then commanded her horse to run, leaving a crying Yoh.

Yoh began to walk, carrying a bag full of dry leaves and weeds. After 20 minutes he finally reaches the end of the woods and saw Anna waiting.

"You're too slow," she said as she jumped down from the horse. "Put that bag in that trash can and lead the way to your shop."

Yoh gladly followed her orders and began to walk. He didn't have enough strength to fight with her. And he was too scared to do so. On the other hand, Anna was following him while holding the rope that had been tied to her horse.

As they walked around the village and into the market there were so many people there that greeted Anna. The blonde would only nod to them as her way of greeting back. Some of them asked her how she was. And some asked her where was Lee. She will only give them short answers.

"You're quite popular here huh?" Anna heard the brunet and looked at him, snapping her out from her thoughts. "Do you always come here?"

"No... This is only my second time," she said and looked at her horse.

Yoh fell silent. He knew she was thinking again of Lee. He then looked ahead and decided to just shut up. He was afraid that he would do something that would make her sad.

"Look, here we are," he said while pointing to a small shop with a fruit stall in front of it. "Yo! Manta," he greeted as he saw a midget standing on the top of a barrel to reach the stall.

"Yoh, you're late again," Manta said while frowning.

"Sorry…" he said as he scratched his head. "Oh! Look I come with some one."

Manta looked behind Yoh and saw a blonde who was looking at him blankly. "H-hi Anna-san," he greeted, he didn't know why but the girl scared him. The blonde only nodded to him before she looked ahead.

Yoh noticed it and gazed where she was looking. "The palace, it seems near but actually it's too far from here. It was built on that hill at the end of this village. It's quite big so we can easily see it from here," he explained and only saw anger in her eyes when he finally looked at her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I hate the people living there," she answered, never leaving her gaze.

"W-what? But why?"

"They are all liars. Especially the Asakuras."

Yoh would say something, but a new voice interrupted him.

"You hate the people there?" Horohoro asked her, standing in front of the door. Besides him was his sister, Pirika. They would only greet them as they saw them from the window of the shop but they accidentally heard what they were talking about. "I hate the people there too."

Yoh and the others seems shocked from what they heard from Horohoro, only Pirika didn't show surprise from what her brother said.

"But the one I hated most was the last one who sat on the throne before the Asakuras. He thought he was too mighty and too precious. He was so selfish."

Anna felt her blood began to boil as she heard what he was said. There was no doubt the one he was talking about was AshLee, for he was the last one who own the throne before the Asakuras. But what she didn't like was he was telling some bad things about her fiancé and absolutely she knew it wasn't true. She tried to control herself. She needs to know more about him so they must be in a good terms. She needs to find a proof that will lead to him. A proof that he was the one she was looking this whole year.

"But I'm glad he was gone now. Serves him right," Horohoro continued.

Anna felt something in her snap. She badly wanted to slap him and her hands were itching now.

"That's not right," Yoh suddenly said as Horohoro finished his sentence, "It was not right that you're happy that someone is gone."

"Whatever Yoh. This is my opinion," Horohoro answered as he glared at Yoh. He then quickly went inside the shop.

Anna then turned her backs on them and began to walk away.

"Where are you going Anna?" Yoh asked the blonde.

"Going home. I don't want to stay here anymore," she said and left the others.

Yoh only looked at her until her figure was gone from his sight.

"Sorry about that Yoh. My brother gets like that whenever the topic is about the palace," Pirika said, looking down.

"Why is your brother seems to hate much the late prince?" Manta asked who was listening the whole time.

Pirika didn't speak for a couple of seconds, thinking if she would answer the question, but decided to do so. "Because he was the reason why our mother died," she said and entered the shop.

A warm bath after an intense training was really relaxing. That was what Ren thought as he went outside the bathroom. He tossed his towel on his shoulder and walked towards the backyard. He was wearing black baggy pants and didn't wear any shirt revealing his well built chest and abdomen. Some drops of water were still on his body and his hair was still wet.

As he approached the backyard he saw a blonde who was caressing her horse, thinking deeply.

Anna…

Even though the blonde was hiding her true identity, he knew she was the Lady of Aomori. He knew he wasn't mistaken, even though he only saw her once. Her shoulder length hair, her pale color, her rosy lips, nothing had changed. Except for one thing, her eyes… they didn't show anything anymore. Like the spark it held the night at the ball when the late prince proposed to her.

The prince… He knew the one who kept telling 'Lee' by the owner of the inn was Prince AshLee Kazan. He wasn't sure how the old man met the prince but maybe like him, he guessed, he went in the village while hiding his true identity. And it seemed that the news he heard about the Lady was true. She still believes that the prince was alive even though it was impossible. But he didn't care. He will make sure that Anna will fall in love with him, forget the late prince, and become his queen.

Kyoyama Anna… That was her name. If you marry her there's a big chance for you to become the King of this Kingdom. Asakuras are nothing but a fly on the top of a mammal. They can be easily disposed of in the palace. While the Kyoyama have a big chance on the throne, for they are the real royal blood. So make sure she falls for you.

That was what his father told him the first day they saw each other again after he came back from his long training in the mountain. He balled his hands tightly and clenched his teeth. Thinking of his father made him angry.

He looked again at the blonde who was still caressing her horse and decided to approach her.

"Horses love to have their hair brush," he said beside her. Anna looked at him for a second then gazed back to her horse.

"I know." She started to walk away but stop as the guy cornered her with his arm.

Ren slowly close the distance between their faces and he looked at her seriously. Anna was surprise. "You look angry," he said.

"I am," she said, now glaring at him, "So if I were you I won't come near me." She then pushed his arm, left the purple haired guy and went inside the inn.

Ren smirked, what a scary girl. He knew it won't be easy, but he will not give up. He will make sure she will fall for him. And he will do everything just to become king.

"Oi! Yoh, how's work?" Tamageroh asked as he seen the brunet entered the inn. The others was already inside and preparing themselves for dinner.

Yoh didn't know how to answer the question. The shop was full of tension earlier because of what happened. Horohoro didn't talk much which was very unlike him and they didn't even hear Pirika yell at her brother that she always do. Manta kept silent too because he didn't know what to say. And he also kept silent because he didn't know how to approach the siblings.

"Fine, Tamageroh-san, we sold a lot today," he said. At least it was not a lie for they really sold many today and earned a great profit.

"That's good."

"Ehrm… Tamageroh-san, where is Anna?" he asked as he had expected the blonde to be waiting for him ready with more work.

"In her room. She locked herself ever since she came back this noon and never came out. She also told us not to bother her," the old man explained. "She looks angry. Did something happen earlier?"

Yoh sighed. He really was clueless to why she got mad earlier. "I don't know. We were just talking about something and then she got mad."

"Hmm…mood swings," the old man mused, holding his chin. Yoh only nodded as he was not sure himself.

"Yoh, could you do something for me?" Tamageroh-san added seriously.

"Sure."

"Well you see Lee was like a son to me, like you. He always told me about him and about Anna. He said she was a kind of girl who likes to hide her emotions. She also has a unique way of showing her care for others. You know that don't you."

Yoh nodded wordlessly. This was the first time he saw the old man serious.

"And I know you can see this also. Her eyes are always full of pain and sadness even though she tries to hide it." Yoh looked down… Of course he knew that for he always saw those eyes. "I think it's because of Lee's absence. Maybe she misses him too much."

Yoh nodded as a way of understanding.

"So could you take care of her? And try to bring back her smile?"

"W-why me?" he asked curiously.

"I think you two would get along well with each other," the owner answered with a smile.

Yoh thought for a moment. There was nothing wrong with his request. So why not? After all he wanted to be friend with Anna. "Sure, Tamageroh-san."

"Can't sleep?"

Anna heard it and looked where the source of voice come from. She saw a brunet behind her standing there. She looked at him blankly and gazed back at the sky before nodding.

Yoh hadn't expected the blonde to answer. But because she did…it could only mean one thing…she was lonely again.

"Homesick?" he asked as he sat down besides her. The truth was he was going to his room to sleep but he accidentally saw the blonde sitting alone on the porch.

"No… I had a nightmare," she said softly.

"A nightmare?" he asked, surprised for he once again hadn't expected such an answer. THE Anna…? Afraid of a nightmare? But the blonde nodded again, confirming her answer.

Yoh saw again those sad eyes of her and wished he could do something. If only he had an ability to make her smile. If only there was a way… Wait, maybe there WAS a way.

Anna snapped out of her thoughts, surprised, when the guy next to her suddenly stood up.

"Then do you want to come with me?"

"And why would I come with you?" Anna asked him, giving him a curious look.

"So you could forget your problems," he answered but the girl gave him a glare. Wait what was wrong? He just asked the girl to come with him in the middle of the night to help her forget. There's nothing wrong with that right? "J-just trust me okay?"

"I don't trust anyone," she said as she looked down.

"Then try," the brunet said and she looked at him. She saw he was smiling at her, the smile she loves to see… But what took her attention most was his chocolate orbs, his eyes that showed her assurance. "Try to trust me," Yoh added as he offered his hand, waiting for the blonde to accept it.

The wind blew and played with their hair. But the two never took off their gaze from each other. The brunet was standing, waiting for the acceptance, while the blonde was sitting, unsure if she should accept the offer. At the end Anna slowly lifted her hands and reached for his.

Holding hands, they began their pace. They didn't mind the darkness of the place or the scary appearance of the trees surrounding them. Yoh was the one who was leading the way. Anna on the other hand was following him, looking at the guy ahead of her and on their entwined hands.

Just then she released her hands from his grasp making him stopped from his track and turned around to look at her.

"Where are we really going? Why are we in the forest?" Anna asked irritably.

"Just wait until we reach the place. I'm sure you're going to love it," he said and took her hand again. "And hold on to me tightly so we don't drift apart."

Anna allowed him to drag her. After all she really didn't know where they were. If they got parted she would really be lost since she didn't know the way back. Although it wasn't the first time she came into the forest but it had always been at day time and everything looked different at night. She didn't have any choice but to trust the guy.

Trust… Why did she trust this guy? It had only been a week since they met but she was already starting to trust him?

"Here we are," she snapped out of her thoughts as she heard him say that. They where now at the end of the woods and found herself in an open field. To be exact, they were on a small hill with a single tree at the middle and flowers beneath the hill. They were in the Solemn Kingdom. It was so peaceful…just like in the mornings. But what made it beautiful now was the sky full of stars.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Anna felt déjà vu as she heard those words. That was the exact words AshLee told her when she saw this place for the first time. She looked at him to make sure the one beside her was a brunet, and it disappointed her a bit when it was surely Yoh. She released her hand from his and looked up the sky.

"It is."

Yoh felt unexplainable feeling as he looked at the blonde. She was looking upward and her eyes were glittering, like the stars that sparkled brightly in the sky. It was the first time Yoh saw her eyes like that. And he felt something strange. He quickly looked away from her.

They decided to sit down under the tree while star gazing. Suddenly a shooting star appeared.

"Look a shooting star," Yoh happily said and closed his eyes. When he opened them again he saw the blonde looking at him. "Did you make a wish too?"

Anna gave him a bored look, "I don't believe in it."

"Well there's nothing wrong if you try. Who knows maybe it'll come true."

"And what if it doesn't?"

The brunet smiled and looked up at the sky. "Not all wishes are granted instantly. Sometimes it takes longer because it's waiting for a right time. Some wishes are not granted at all for we will receive much better than what we wished for." He then looked at the blonde. "We just need to be patient."

Anna was looking at the brunet the whole time he was explaining. She admitted he had a point. She looked up on the sky and saw another shooting star passing by. She closed her eyes and made a wish.

I wish I could see him again…

Yoh felt again the strange feeling as he was looking at the blonde while she was making a wish. He felt his face become warm and quickly looked away from her.

They were silent for a while, both afraid to disturb the majestic atmosphere and silence of the place.

Yoh was also too afraid to look at his companion… Afraid that he would do something strange. Suddenly he felt something heavy on his shoulder. He looked beside him and saw Anna dozing off. He smiled, maybe she was really tired. He wished he succeeded making her happy tonight.

He moved her hair that covered her face and tucked it behind her ear. In that position he saw her beautiful face. It was so peaceful, like an angel, very different when she was awake. And there was a small smile on her lips.

Her lips… Yoh felt again that strange feeling. His heart started beating faster as he continued to look at those rosy lips. Slowly he closed the distance between them. He didn't hear anything except the beat of his heart. He didn't see anything except her lips. The strange feeling took over him. Their faces get closer and closer… until their lips were centimeter apart…

A/N: A short story written for Christmas last 2009.

Say CheezY: YohAnna SideStory

One beautiful afternoon, Anna was reading a magazine in their living room. The atmosphere was solemn for her due to the absence of "the noise makers". But the silence was soon interrupted by a loud voice owned by a certain brunet she knew well.

"Anna! Anna look I have a camera," Yoh cried cheerfully as he approached her, waving the camera in his hand. "Can I take a picture of you?"

"No," Anna simply answered never leaving her gaze on the magazine. Yoh already expected.

"Pretty please…" She heard him say and was just going to scold him for acting childishly when she made the mistake…what mistake? Kyouyama Anna turned to unleash her famous temper only to meet her fiancé's oh-so-cute-puppy-eyes. The itako could only sigh, he knew she couldn't resist those eyes, and placed her magazine on the table. "Why? What is it for anyway?"

Yoh's face lightened up. He gave her a cute smile before he answered.

"I just wanted to show Santa what I want for Christmas."

He then clicked the button of the camera.

))cm21((

"Hey look Anna was blushing in this picture."

"I wonder why?"

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Original Chapter: Dec 2009

Revised: July 2020