Ahahaha! Sorry about the confusion in the last chapter. That short story is part of Juunishi Academy, which is reminiscent of Goosebumps' 20 scary endings. You get to choose whatever subject you want, and well…that's basically it. You are given choices at every ending of each chapter. I'll post that in my site -just check out the url in my profile- as soon as I finish the story.

Now on with the story!

Wants and Needs

Yuki cleared his throat. "No one can stop me from marrying who I want, because there is no law specifically stating that I have no freedom to choose my wife."

"But a maid!" cried one old lady. "That's unthinkable!"

"Maybe it is," said the Ice Prince. "But I'm tired of people telling me to do this, to do that. Not to do this, not to say that. I'm suffocated!"

"But you a re a prince," reminded Akito. "You are bound by rules to live the way a prince should."

"And how is that, if I may ask?" said Yuki. "To spend my life signing meaningless decrees that are only self-serving? To humor princesses from our allied kingdoms? To live under the critical eyes of the people who think they made the rules of royalty?"

Kyo looked at his cousin in shock. I had no idea that he and I feel the same way! I thought he has accepted the fact that he is a wind-up doll in this place. Why, he sounds so sick of his life!

"May I inform everyone that the woman I'm intending to marry, Honda Tohru-san, is a very amazing woman. She has much more breeding than all the princesses I've ever met combined," he continued. "She is the epitome of what a princess should be…gentle, kind, understanding, and compassionate. Patient, caring, and unprejudiced."

The guests listened in shock while Tohru…

Her eyes were flowing with tears. Prince Yuki…

Yuki's voice is gaining stability. "She has taught me so much in life that no teacher in the kingdom ever did. She showed me the sides of life that people never did. That there is more to life than riding royal coaches and sitting pretty in my throne. She is the first person to treat me like a human…an equal."

"But you're not her equal. She's a maid and you're a prince," said another guest.

"Did she choose her rank in life when she was born? And did I choose to be a prince when I was born?" asked Yuki. "No! Because if I would have known how painfully unreal the life of a prince is, then I could have asked fate to not make me one. I would rather be a commoner than this- imprisoned in a fine cage of wealth and honor, but imprisoned still."

Akito clutched his chest, but he forced himself to remain still. "Do not marry her," he warned his prodigy. "You have a fine life here already. You are the next-in-line king. You are set to marry the wealthiest princess in seven kingdoms. You are the master of the people. You will lose all of these if you insist to marry her."

Yuki didn't even look fazed. He strode towards Tohru. "I have everything I can ever want in my life in this girl." He grabbed the maid by the waist, and in front of the stunned guests, kissed her hungrily.

Heavy silence filled the room, but then Hatori broke it by stepping forward, and applauding. Ayame followed, and so did Shigure and the rest of the Sohmas. The guests soon followed, clapping heartily for the courage of the young prince they thought was made of glacier.

All it took to melt it was the warmth of an innocent young lady who may not be born with a title, but within her carries the real aura of a true princess.

"Hey 'Tori," said Ayame. "Don't you just admire the boy for his guts?"

The doctor smiled. "Wish I had the same guts, then I would have been at least half as happy as he is right now." He threw an envious look on the prince who was still blissfully kissing Tohru.

Shigure joined them. "I make a lousy matchmaker. They didn't need my help."

"Are you kidding?" asked Hatori. "You were practically pushing Yuki towards her."

"Well, if Yuki didn't fall for her, I could have caught Tohru with open arms," kidded the writer. "Oh well, there's always Hana."

"Shigure, you truly are an A-class pervert," commented the clan doctor.

"Amen," agreed Aya.

The party was soon over. The guests were chatting with each other, mainly because they were so impressed with the prince to defy such old-age laws. They decided that he was going to make a great king someday.

Akito, on the other hand, was looking out at the window, like a defeated man. "Where did I go wrong? What made Yuki do this?"

He sighed. "You'll pay for this someday. You will realize that you cannot live without maids that are on your every summon, or the honor and respect people give you. You'll come back to me."

"You know that won't happen," said Kazuma, appearing from nowhere. "You know how happy Yuki looked. As if it was his first time to feel really free."

"Initial pleasure, but surely, he'll get bored of that maid soon."

"I doubt that."

"Mind your own business."

Tohru quickly went to her room and gathered the few clothes she has and placed them in her bag.

I better leave.

She remembered Akito's warning.

No, Prince Yuki must not be dethroned just because of me. He's not used to living without wealth. I'll go see Akito and tell him that it was all an act. That we just did that so Yuki wouldn't have to marry. Yuki just loved his freedom too much, and he used me just to prove that no one can manipulate him. I'll ask him to pardon the prince.

She left the maid's room in tears.

He said it himself. Everything that happened in the ballroom was just an act. I mean nothing to him.

He was just a good actor.

That's all.

Tsuzuku