Another late update, sorry about that… but too much stress and my parents are trying to get away from my baby (my computer). They say that salt air is good for my skin. Like hell it is! I refuse to go to some beach where I'll be bored to death while my cousin makes fun of my non-existing swimming skills.

So I convinced them to let me stay here, beside my computer cause I've been procrastinating for too long.

Thanks for beta reading, Jea-chan!

Chapter 2- Wedding Plans

Harry gulped nervously as he entered the large foreboding castle. He passed different gargoyle statues that seemed to stare at him. And honestly, it creeped the hell out of him. Emerald hurried through the long hallway and entered the large hand carved door. Lance was sitting on an intricately designed throne, looking bored and intimidating at the same time. (Could you do that?) His eyes roamed across the large room, looking for something to do when they spotted Harry. The Hunter Lord smiled winningly when a got a good look at his Emerald. It was obvious that the Enchanter went for another round of hunting. And Harry looked quite fetching covered in scratches and bruises.

"Hello Harry," he said in his low baritone voice. "I believe Shadow sent you here. Am I correct?"

"Yes sire," Harry bowed, "he told me that you had something you wanted to tell me?" he inquired.

"Yes." Lance's smile seemed to grow bigger by the minute. "I wanted to how do humans say this…? Ah, yes… propose to you."

"Propose sire!" Emerald sputtered.

"Yes. I want us to be bounded." he said facing Harry. "You wouldn't mind would you? I believe that you are currently single."

"Well yes, I am single." Harry said slowly, "but I'm not sure about being bounded just yet."

"Ah yes. I believe it's your friends isn't it?" Lance tilted Harry's chin so that both of them saw eye to eye. "They don't like me very much do they?"

Emerald averted his eyes, not able to face the Hunter Lord. "No sire,"

"Lance."

"Huh?"

"Call me Lance."

"Ah." Harry blushed. "Okay… Lance."

"Good." he let go of Harry's chin. "I won't force you to be bound to me." he said, "I'll give time to think. But I say it now; I can give you anything you want if you agree." his smile was really creeping Harry out right about now. "Even your parents."

Harry's eyes widened by half their original size. "My parents?" he breathed. "You mean… you can find them?"

"Yes." Lance nodded his head. "Before today, I had no reason to find them but if you're engaged to me they will have to be there for the binding ceremony."

"You… you can really find my parents for me?" Emerald asked hesitantly.

"You have my word."

"I… I have to think about this…" the smaller boy murmured.

"I will give you ample time to think." Lance said kindly. "But I think it is better if you return now. I don't want to give your friends more reason to dislike me."

"Yes sire." Harry bowed one last time before he exited the throne room.

"Tom what're you doing?"

Tom looked up from the book he was reading only to face two bight blue eyes.

"What do you want Ron?"

"A nice shag would do."

"I don't do red-headed guys." Tom replied with a straight face.

Ron turned positively green at the very thought. "Ewww!" he shuddered. "That's disgusting!"

"Yes, I believe it is."

"Then why did you have to bring it up!"

"Because," Tom drawled. "It creeps you out and I am willing to say more than that to have the satisfaction of seeing you shiver."

"Bastard."

"Thank you."

"Now tell me what you're really doing."

"I'm reading as you can obviously see." he smirked. "Now really, what do you want?"

Ron sat in front of Tom peering at him from behind the book. "Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that all the preparations are complete. Your search for your spouse will soon be on the way." The red-head grabbed the book from Tom's slender fingers and placed it on the table, he looked at Tom worriedly. "Are you sure you want to do this? Can't you just look for someone the old fashion way, like travel to towns and visit damsels? You're mum doesn't really approve of the competition."

"Yes well." Tom leaned back and set his boot clad feet on the table. "Why go to them when they can come to me?"

"Yes well," Ron nodded. "Isn't it more… how I say, princely, to go to them?"

"Point taken, but I'm no ordinary prince. I am THE prince." Tom pointed at himself. "So therefore it is my right to be treated specially."

Ron snorted. "That big head of yours is certainly going to pop one day."

"Hey," the prince shrugged, "what can I say? I'm gorgeous, sexy, smart, tall and powerful, not to mention rich and of royal blood. I deserve a big head."

"I'll say it again. You are a BASTARD."

"And once again, THANK YOU."

"So you're really serious about this?"

"Yes Ron, I will find my spouse this way. And don't worry, nothing will go wrong."

"Famous last words my friend, famous last words."

"Harry!" Vega waved his hands excitedly, "Harry c'mere!"

Harry had just returned from Infinite Castle and both Vega and Akira were worried sick. Both of them never liked Lance in the first place and were relieved to see that their friend made it out alive. It wasn't really a well kept secret that Lance was infatuated with Emerald and being his friends, they both took on the responsibility to ensure that Harry was protected from unwanted suitors. The only reason that Harry has remained innocent was because both of them kept on scaring all of the possible suitors away, deeming them as not good enough for Harry.

So far the most persistent one is the Hunter Lord himself. None of Vega's tricks and Akira's Shadow Monsters had any effect on him. Which, of course, infuriated both of them to no end and thus making them less than fond of the Hunter Lord.

Harry himself was completely oblivious to their scheming. Both trouble-makers, as much as possible, try to hide their plans form Harry. They're not exactly too keen to die as of yet.

"So what did that jerk want from you?" Sonic asked.

"Nothing important." Harry lied. Sure, he felt bad lying but he just wasn't ready to tell them about the not so certain engagement.

Akira peered at him suspiciously but shrugged it off eventually. "Just make sure it's nothing serious." He said pulling Vega away from Harry. "We don't want you getting into the Hunter Lord's trickery. That man, as much as I hate to admit it, is very smart, I, we rather not lose you to him."

"Yeah!" Vega agreed, "It's no secret that Master Lance wants you to bind with him. It's like sooo obvious!" Just like the other useless bastards! "But that man isn't really a good match for our Harry." He swung him arm on the said man, "that guy's just too controlling, Harry needs someone that'll let him do whatever he wants…"

"…within reason." Akira added softly. "We don't want Harry running to his demise now, do we?"

"Of course not!" Vega concurred, "But Harry can handle himself!"

"And this coming from the person fussing over him just hours ago." The oldest male snorted. "You're more of a mother hen than I'll ever be."

"Hey!"

Harry smiled at his two best friends as they exchanged insults, Vega losing quite poorly to the more intelligent Akira.

"Well you're a stupid poophead!"

"Poophead, eh?" Akira smirked as he raised a brow at his younger friend, "How very eloquent of you."

"Blegh!" Vega stuck his tongue out at the smirking Shadow Wielder, "Not all of us could be geniuses!"

"That's just because your learning capacity, compared to mine, is inferior in every way possible."

"Did you just call me stupid?"

"You called it, not I." Akira sent a conspiring wink at Harry's direction. "And I can't believe that you fell for that again!"

Vega did the only possible and non-embarrassing thing that he can. He pouted.

"All set?" the prince asked his squires.

Hermione and Ron nodded in union. "Yes, the stadium has been built and you and the queen will have a private box reserved. It, so far has the best view of the upcoming matches."

"Good." Tom nodded. "I will want to see my soon to be wedded bride."

"But prince," Hermione began hesitantly, "can't you just marry Pansy Parkinson? It would be much easier and we probably won't have to go all these trouble. It seems like the most probable decision that you could have done."

"Yes," Tom nodded, "I've thought of that too but I really just can't imagine myself waking up next to her everyday."

Ron laughed, "Yeah, I pity the poor man who's forced to marry that ugly hag."

"Ronald!" Hermione swatted her fiancée's arm, albeit halfheartedly, "Don't be mean. I'm sure she not that bad. I mean there has to be some goodness bury deep within her."

"Deep, deep, deep within."

Hermione sighed exasperatedly, "Men!"

Ron grinned cheekily while Tom smirked.

Along the wind, one of the prince's parchments flew towards Chaosion, unintentionally landing in front of an unexpecting hunter.

Vega picked up the parchment and looked at it curiously. "Competition eh?" he smirked. "Bet Harry will win hands down."

He skipped towards their shared house, unintentionally helping Destiny's plans.

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