I realized something while I was writing, Ikuto is starting to remind me of Sesshomaru from Inuyasha... It seems ok to me so far though, and he'll warm up to Amu as they get to know each other. But go ahead and tell me in the reviews if you think his personality needs to change some.

Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara.

I snatch my hand back, "What are you talking about? I love Tadase!"

"Tadase?" His eyes narrow, "Tadase Hotori?"

"Yes." I can't help but feel proud, "You've heard of him?"

Ikuto snorts, "I've seen him in court and balls. You are talking about the little blonde kid right? I thought he was gay." I gasp, "He is not! And you know, he spoke pretty good of you when I told him I had to marry you."

Ikuto raises an eyebrow, "Of, course, I'm perfect." He grins, "Besides, if he wasn't mad at the guy marrying his girlfriend then maybe his feelings aren't as deep as you thought."

I gape at him, "You- you arrogant..."

Ikuto shrugs.

I can feel anger rising, how dare he talk about my- well, ex- boyfriend now, technically- like that? I shake my head, "Let's go back."

"No," Ikuto keeps walking deeper into the garden, "I told them we're going on a walk, they'll expect us to go on a walk." I couldn't go back without Ikuto, so I follow him. One garden leads to another and each more beautiful than the last. "Wow," I mummer, "How many gardens do you have?" Ikuto shrugs without looking back, "I've never counted, maybe about 6?"

I look back at the vast pieces of land, "We must have passed more than six gardens by now."

"No, they're just big."

"Oh."

That was how our conversations continued the rest of the time, with our sentences getting continuingly shorter. Before I knew it, we were back at the door to the throne room. "These gardens go in a circle?"

"More or less."

"Hmm." We walk in and my parents immediately turn toward me and grin as if they had figured out a survival plan for the Apocalypse. That is a bad sign.

"Amu," they beam at me, "We have been talking to his highness and we agree that you and Ikuto- sama must get more familiar with each other." Must?

"Yes," Aruto is smiling too, "so we decided that Ikuto will live in your manor for a month; then, you will come live in the palace for another month, so you are comfortable with each other's settings." Oh, God. I glance at Ikuto, he looks as sick as I do, and immediately begins to protest, "But father, we have already agreed to marry each other, it won't be necessary to-"

"Nonsense," his father interrupts, "even if you consider this a marriage of convenience, you must still familiarize yourself with each other. The matter is settled." His unhappy, defeated sigh unnerves me. Could living with me for two months really be so bad in him mind?

"Amu, are you at ease with this arrangement?" My father asks. As if saying no would make a difference. I cast him a withering look, "Yes, father." Ikuto looks disgusted by my easy surrender.

I stand at the doorway and stare at the long stream of servants carrying suitcases into my house. Ikuto stands beside me, supervising them. "What did you bring?" I ask.

"I wasn't sure what I'd need."

"So you brought your whole house?"

He smirks at me, "Hardly."

I shake my head in disgust, "We don't live on the streets you know. We probably have at least half the stuff you brought." He glances at, "What will you bring when you come to the palace?"

"Well, I don't know... clothes, toiletries..." Thinking about it now, I would probably want to bring a lot of stuff too. "See?" Ikuto says, "When you think of living at another house, you'll want to bring stuff to make yourself more comfortable." The last butler walks through the door and my mother appears, "Hello Ikuto- sama." He just nods in her general direction.

Mother clears her throat self consciously, "I'm sorry my husband could not be here to welcome you, he is in an important meeting with his consultants."

"It's fine. Where will I sleep?"

Mother nods at me, "Amu, will you show Ikuto- sama?"

"Yes, mother."

Once we're out of earshot of my mother, Ikuto asks, "Do you ever rebel against anything your parents say?"

I narrow my eyes, "Rebel?"

"Perhaps that isn't the right word. Do you consent to everything they ask of you?"

I shrug, "What am I supposed to do? They won't listen to me."

"Refusing requests builds character. One day you'll need to be forceful, say no, but come that day, you won't know how." I snort, "I know how to say no."

"That won't be the only thing you'll need to say as queen, a weak order equals a weak queen. There will be people who take advantage of that."

I stare at him, there had been more real emotion in those words than I had ever heard him say. His eyes are hard and I realize the warning had some personal sentiment behind them. "I'll remember that." I say softly.

He nods as we stop in front of a room. "Um..." I suddenly feel embarrassed, "This is your room." I push open the door. This is one of our best guest rooms, almost all the furniture is a kind of variation of royal colors: blue, purple, and gold. Ikuto though, sweeps the room with a critical gaze, "It's so... dark." I blush, "You just need to open the curtains." I sweep them back and light floods the room. The gold reflects light and the atmosphere lightens along with the room. Ikuto looks around, "Better."

Then we notice the huge stack of boxes and suitcases stacked up in the corner. I blush, "I'll get some maids here to organize for you."

"Thanks." A pause, "Now would be nice."

"Oh, yeah." I walk to the wall, "When you need something just pull this rope." The rope connected to a bell in the maids' quarters and they would come when they heard it. I pull it and a maid walks through the door.

Before I know it, Ikuto has a whole room of maids and butlers organizing everything he brought. Watching him, I can definitely see him as a king ordering people around.

A few hours later, dinner rolls around.

"So, Ikuto- sama, how is your father?" My father asks.

Ikuto looks up and raises an eyebrow, "Good. What did you think happened to him?"

"Oh, ah," my father smiles hesitatingly, "yes, I suppose you're right."

The dining hall is suddenly silent, and I struggle to think of some topic of conversation. "Oh, well, what about your mother?"

Both my mother and my father's heads snap up in alarm. Ikuto slowly looks up from his plate and his sharp, feline eyes pierce mine, "My mother, is dead."