Chapter 4: The Engagement Party
The next morning, Corona walked down the hall looking bored. A big smile soon spread across her face as she began to walk downstairs.
Meanwhile, Hunter and Sparkle were in the training room, waiting for Lumen, Igneous and Magma to arrive, so that they could tell them their big news.
"I'm so looking forward to telling everyone, aren't you Hunter?" Sparkle asked.
"Of course I am. I just hope that Corona hasn't already told them..." Hunter replied.
"I'm sure she hasn't, she's not like that." Sparkle said.
Soon, the others arrived. "You two sure got here fast." Lumen said.
"Well, we've been waiting for you guys." Hunter told him.
"We have the most exciting news to tell you!" Sparkle announced, beaming proudly.
Lumen's mouth dropped open. "Oh please no...don't tell me you're pregnant again!?"
"No silly! We're not having another baby, we already have Serena!" Sparkle answered, sounding annoyed.
"Well as long as you two haven't...um...you know...again." Lumen spoke slowly.
"We're engaged!" Hunter said proudly.
Igneous and Magma stared in shock. "You're what?" They said together.
Lumen was stunned. "My gosh...when?"
"Hunter propsed to me yesterday!" Sparkle said cheefully.
"Oh Sparkle, that's wonderful!" Lumen said proudly, giving his sister a hug.
"Hey guys!" Corona came downstairs. "Did you tell them?"
"We just did!" Hunter told her.
Sparkle nodded in agreement and then turned to Lumen. "And we want you to make preparations right away!"
"I'll be glad to sis, but first you should celebrate by having an engagement party!" Lumen said.
"Oh yes of course!" Sparkle said.
"Oh definately!" Hunter said in agreement.
"Then it's settled! I'll make an announcement to the kingdom in a moment and they'll all be invited if they wish." Lumen explained.
"Hey, we should invite Aqune too!" Corona declared.
"Absolutely not." Lumen said in a serious tone.
"But Prince, she's my sister!" Corona pleaded.
"Don't you even remember what happened to Hunter 11 months ago!?" Lumen asked in fury.
"Hey come on Lumen, don't bring that up, please!" Hunter spoke. "It wasn't her fault!"
"That's right! I think Aqune should be allowed to come!" Magma declared.
"Even thought she chose to still live with the Invectids 10 years ago, she is not a bad person." Igneous calmly explained to the prince.
"Please can we invite Aqune?" Sparkle begged her brother.
"Oh alright, she can come..." Lumen sighed.
"Thanks, Lumen. It means a lot." Sparkle smiled.
"Your welcome. In that case, I shall do the annoucement!" Lumen declared as he left the room.
Hours later after the announcement, people from all over Arachna arrived at Arachna Castle for Hunter and Sparkle's engagement party, which was in the newly-added ballroom. It was quite large so there was room for dancing and tables with food.
In her room, Sparkle was busy getting Serena ready. The little two-month-old was wearing bright blue baby clothes and had a pink bow in her hair. "There, now you look pretty, don't you?" Sparkle cooed, picking her up. She then began heading to the ballroom.
In there, the party was in full swing. Guests were already dancing and enjoying themselves. Hunter was standing next to Lumen and Igneous, patiently waiting for Sparkle to arrive.
Igneous then turned to him. "Hunter, I was wondering..."
"What?" Hunter asked the Arachnian knight.
"Have you picked your best man yet?" Igneous asked curiously.
"I already have...it's you!" Hunter grinned at him.
"Really? Oh thank you Hunter, I am honoured! I will not let you down!" Igneous beamed.
"I thought you'd choose Magma." Lumen said to Hunter with a smirk.
"Well, I was thinking about it, but then I thought Igneous would be better." Hunter explained.
Magma soon came over to them. "Hey there Hunter, am I going to be your best man?"
Hunter rolled his eyes and then sighed. "Sorry Magma, but I've chosen Igneous as my best man."
Magma was in disbelief. "What!? Am I not worthy enough to be your best man!?"
"Well I thought Igneous would suit it better." Hunter tried to explain.
"Now that's just mean!" Magma said, looking disappointed.
"Aww come on, don't be like that, Magma." Igneous reassured him. "If I ever get married, I'd make you MY best man!"
"No you wouldn't! I'm obviously not good enough!" Magma complained, folding his arms.
"Don't get upset, Magma." Hunter put his arm around him. "I'll make it up to you..."
"How?" Magma asked hopefully.
"At my stag night, tomorrow I'll let you be my drinking buddy!" Hunter said cheerfully.
"Oh OK, that's sound's cool!" Magma soon cheered up.
Soon Sparkle arrived in the room with Serena. Everyone looked as she walked across the room over to Hunter. "Hey Hunter, your fiancee's here!" Lumen nudged Hunter's shoulder.
Hunter turned his head. "There you are, you took your time."
"Sorry, I had to get Serena ready." Sparkle smiled.
"You look lovely." Hunter complimented her.
Sparkle was wearing a dark blue dress with light blue shoes. "Thank you." She kissed him on the lips.
"And so do you, my little angel!" Hunter light poked Serena on the nose, making her gurgle happily.
Lumen soon noticed Sparkle's engagement ring. "How beautiful, sis."
Sparkle looked at the ring. "Oh yes it is, Hunter bought if from the castle town."
"Hunter, you certainly know how to pick the best things for my sister!" Lumen said.
"I sure do, Prince, I'll never let her down." Hunter said.
"Well you'd better not let her down...or else..." Lumen began, getting serious.
"Or else what?" Hunter asked nervously.
"...you'll have me to deal with!" Lumen replied.
"Oh Lumen, don't scare him like that! He won't let me down!" Sparkle told her brother.
"Well you never know, sis!" Lumen laughed.
"There's no way I'd let her down." Hunter said. "I'll be way too faithful to her!"
"Alright then, I believe you." Lumen spoke in a calm tone.
Hunter nodded to him and then looked at Sparkle. "Why do I get the feeling he's still be overprotective over you?"
"He's probably always gonna be like that, I'm afraid..." Sparkle replied.
"Hey I'm not as protective as I was years ago!" Lumen reassured her.
"I know you're not." Sparkle told him.
"You know what, I think it's time for a special annoucement..." Lumen said.
"Oh yeah!" Hunter spoke.
Lumen signalled the music to stop and walked across the ballroom. "Attention my people of Arachna, we have all been gathered here today to celebrate the engagement of my sister Princess Sparkle, and Hunter Steele. Now, will you all raise your glasses as we propose a toast, to wish them luck in their future, to Sparkle and Hunter!"
Everyone raised their glasses. "To Sparkle and Hunter!" Everyone soon clapped and cheered the couple.
"Thank you so much, everyone!" Sparkle said, smiling.
"Yeah, we really appreciate it!" Hunter said.
When the music resumed and everyone got back to dancing, Hunter, Sparkle and Lumen went back to the others. "Lumen, that was so kind, I couldn't have for anything better!" Sparkle said to Lumen, hugging him.
"You're welcome, Sparkle." Lumen smiled at her.
Corona soon walked over to them. "Hey guys, look who's here!"
It was Aqune. "Oh Aqune, you finally made it!" Hunter said.
"Sorry I'm late. I hope I haven't missed anything interesting." Aqune smiled.
"Well you just missed Lumen's wonderful announcement." Sparkle told her.
"Oh dear, that's too bad for me. Well, congratulations anyway! I'm so glad that you invited me!" Aqune said.
"Thanks. Will you be able to come to the wedding?" Hunter asked.
"Oh don't worry, I'm sure I'll be able to make it!" Aqune reassured.
"That's great!" Corona told her sister, hugging her.
"It's nice to see you once in a while." Magma told Aqune.
"I know, I was so happy that I was invited here, I really wanted to see you all." Aqune told them happily.
"We're happy too, Aqune." Sparkle grinned.
Aqune grinned back and then noticed Serena in her arms. "Hello there." She cooed at the little red-haired baby. Serena looked at the purple-haired Spider Rider and gurgled. "Aww, she's such a sweetie, how old is she?"
"Two months." Sparkle answered.
"Aww, you are just adorable!" Aqune cooed even more at Serena, lightly poking her nose.
"We're glad you like her." Hunter said.
"Oh yes, I do love children." Aqune confessed. "And you must be a very proud father."
"I've never been more proud." Hunter beamed.
Aqune took another look at Serena. "She looks a lot like you."
Hunter nodded. "Yep. Almost the spitting image of me, aren't you?" He cooed at Serena.
Soon, a slow dance song played. Hunter soon turned to Sparkle. "So then my love, shall we have a dance?"
"Oh certainly..." Sparkle answered. She then went over to Lumen and handed Serena to him. Hunter then took her where everyone else was dancing and they began dancing in sync with the music. The rest of the Spider Riders watched the couple in amazement.
"Those two know how to dance..." Igneous commented.
"Yeah, it's so lovely to watch..." Lumen nodded in agreement. He looked down at Serena who seemed to be watching her parents on the dancefloor.
Then they watched as Hunter twirled Sparkle around in time to the music. Some people dancing stopped to watch them. Sparkle soon nuzzed her head so that it fit into Hunter's neck. "Hunter, this night is all I've ever dreamed of..."
"Me too, Sparkle..." Hunter replied, kissing her forehead. "In just two days, we'll get married, have our honeymoon and then we can have a better future together with Serena..."
"Where should we go for our honeymoon?" Sparkle asked.
"I was thinking we should honeymoon at this awesome hotel Corona told me about. It's near the beach. There's this room will this big double bed I saw in the brochure." Hunter explained.
"That sounds so perfect, Hunter." Sparkle gazed at him.
"It will be perfect, my love." Hunter spoke.
"I can't wait for our big day..." Sparkle sighed dreamily.
"Neither can I, Sparkle...neither can I." Hunter hugged his fiancee tightly as they continued dancing.
R & R!