FALSE IDENTITY – Prologue
"Wow! Look, Anne! Japan's developing skilled tennis players these days," my sister says, reading the newspaper. She adjusts her spectacles and reads on. "It seems like there's this one school that has the best tennis players. It's called Seishun Gakuen or Seigaku. But there are other schools, too: Fudomine, St. Rudolph, Hyotei."
I put down my cup of tea and stare outside the big windows of the castle. "That's just splendid, Shirley. The weather's perfect for a nice stroll." Secretly, I long for that one day I'd be able to leave the kingdom and travel alone. I might take Shirley with me. But that would be farfetched. How do you escape a huge island anyways?
Shirley puts the newspaper down and looks at me oddly. "And miss this wonderful opportunity? Are you out of your mind, Anne? No way!"
"What opportunity?" I look back at her with doe-like eyes. Suddenly, it hits me. "Oh," I finally say, "that opportunity. We're moving to Japan?"
"That's exactly the case," I see Father enter the tea room, hands tucked behind his back. "You see, Anne, Shirley has been bugging me to send you two to Japan? It's been.. How long has it been, Shirley?"
"About a year or so," Shirley answers.
"You gave in to her whim, Papa?" I ask. "Does this mean you're not coming with us? It would only be Shirley and I?"
He nods to both of my questions. Yes! I want to stand up and embrace him, saying how thankful I am for being given this opportunity to be outside the lonely castle walls but I can't help but worry.
Shirley stands up and gives him a bear hug. "Thank you so much, Papa!" she exclaims.
"But where would we stay? Papa," I say in frustration. "As much as I would like to travel, it worries me that you'll be leaving us unattended."
Father nods. "That would be taken care of. I still have a kingdom to run, Annalise. Your mother and I will manage. I'll be sure to send Ned to look after you as soon as he returns home from college."
"You mean we'll be staying there for a long time?" Shirley couldn't help but squeal and give Father another hug. "Do I get to choose schools? Oh, Papa, please?"
Mother enters the room to join the conversation. "That would be great if you'll choose schools, Shirley, assuming you already have one in mind. If I were to make a guess, it's Seigaku, isn't it?"
Shirley smiles. "You're right, Mama."