IX
"So, Dai, when are you going to propose to your one true love?" inquired Ken playfully one evening when they were sitting in Taichi's library.
"And I can counter that with a comment on your lack of movement in that area to your love."
"I do not think that this is an appropriate subject matter to talk about. Especially in this house." interjected Taichi before they could get any further. "However, my sister wishes me to pass on a message that she is holding a dinner party, a private one, on the 24th. You are all invited to attend."
"Why do you seem to always be the messanger for your sister?" questioned Jyou. "However, I shall talk to Sora, we should be able to come."
"It is because she believes that this is the fastest way to give you the message." replied Taichi. "It is most annoying."
"Are the Ishida sisters invited?" Daisuke asked eagerly, wishing for another chance to be in company of Miss Takeru.
"Yes, my sister now believes in parties of ten, excluding my mother." said Taichi, tiresomely. "She is so very happy that I have made aquaintances with Yamato, as if I could help it."
A knock on the door sounded.
"Come in."
"Lord Kamiya, Lady Kamiya wishes to inform you that you have failed to meet an appointment this evening that she has just been made aware of and she wishes to see you."
"Infernal appointments." Taichi said under his breath. "Thank you, Parkins. Tell her I will be with her shortly. I am sorry, but my mother calls."
With smiles of sympathy his friends filed out of the library. Ken remained behind.
"I realise this is a bad time, however, I wish to put this matter to you as soon as possible."
"Well, not to sound impatient, but then please make it quick. My mother is not the most patient woman in England."
"You have probably suspected this for some time, however, I shall tell you anyway. I have come to ask for Hikari's hand in marriage."
"Then you should ask Hikari."
"I have, Tai."
"But, I thought, just then - "
"I never said that I have not. I recall that you never gave me the chance to reply to Daisuke."
"So I did not. What does my sister have to say?"
"She has accepted. However, you know this must be with your consent."
"And what would be the likelihood of my not consenting?" asked Taichi, pulling the rope.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Please send for my sister, Parkins, and tell my mother that I have urgent business here and I will be with her afterwards."
"Yes, my lord."
Shortly afterwards, Hikari walked in the room.
"What is it you want, Tai? Oh, Ken!"
Smiling, Taichi said, "I believe you have an engagement which I have not been told about."
"Brother dear, if you did not know about it, you would not be asking about it."
"True, however you have not told me."
"Well, brother, what is it to be? Do you consent or not? Mind you, I have decided to go to Gretna Green with Ken if you do not."
"I do not believe it will go to that extreme. Hikari, Ken, how could I not consent to the union of my friend and my sister? You are both daft if you think so. Instead, I congratulate you most heartily. Now I better leave and deal with mother, though you have probably given me a way to avoid any reprimanding. Ken, I shall see you later to deal with the business end of this."
"Most certainly."
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"Are you going to the dinner party at Taichi's?" Daisuke asked Miss Takeru. He had managed to find out where Lady Takashi lived and had asked Miss Takeru out for a drive, to which she agreed.
"Oh, yes. I received the invitation yesterday and sent a reply just before we left. It is most kind of Miss Yagami to invite me, even if my sister is staying with them." She replied, nodding to someone in a passing barouche.
"Hikari normally gets her way in that family. Actually, she normally gets her way in most things." Daisuke said reminiscently.
"Oh, I have done it again, have I not?" she asked guiltily. "I am most sorry."
"As I have told you before, do not be, for I am not. In fact, I am most happy she has rejected me. If she has not, I would not have been able to spend time with you." Daisuke said, turning to her and bravely, continued. "I know this is not the most ideal time to say this, but I have quite fallen in love with you, Miss Takeru, and would be honoured indeed if you would accept my hand in marriage."
"Lord Motomiya, please do not jest so!" Takeru replied, quite shocked. "You have just gotten over Miss Yagami's refusal and you are not thinking straight."
"But I am! Granted, I had incentive from a conversation with my friends yesterday, however, I have never been more sure of my feelings for anybody. As for Hikari's refusal, I got over that ages ago, when I first met you in fact. I know, in my heart, that asking you to marry me is the most right decision I have ever made." Looking at Takeru sincerely, "Please marry me."
Takeru realised that he really was being sincere and smile. "If you are so certain, then yes, I will marry you." Daisuke's face lit up and he was about to jump for joy when she continued, "However, you must travel to York and talk with my father. No matter how far away he is and how much I did not wish it, he still has the last say in who I marry. I do not think it will matter, however, as you are a marquis after all and the man he was going to marry Yamato to was also one."
"I shall, I will go travel to York tomorrow and get consent to marry you." Daisuke immediately agreed.
"Daisuke, there is one more thing." Takeru cautioned. "When you reached father, he will most probably ask you about Yamato. Please, under no circumstances, none at all, reveal that you know where she is. Not even if he refuses to consent to our marriage. My sister's happiness is still very important to me and it would be the end if he finds out where she is. We are lucky so far that he has not found her, but we might not be lucky very soon. Daisuke, please promise me you will not reveal Yamato's whereabouts to my father, do not even reveal that you know where she is."
"I promise." agreed Daisuke and with great reluctance, added, "Not even if he refuse to allow me to marry you if I do not tell him."
"Thank you, Daisuke. You do not know how much this means to me."
++++++++++
"So, Dai, when are you going to propose to your one true love?" inquired Ken playfully one evening when they were sitting in Taichi's library.
"And I can counter that with a comment on your lack of movement in that area to your love."
"I do not think that this is an appropriate subject matter to talk about. Especially in this house." interjected Taichi before they could get any further. "However, my sister wishes me to pass on a message that she is holding a dinner party, a private one, on the 24th. You are all invited to attend."
"Why do you seem to always be the messanger for your sister?" questioned Jyou. "However, I shall talk to Sora, we should be able to come."
"It is because she believes that this is the fastest way to give you the message." replied Taichi. "It is most annoying."
"Are the Ishida sisters invited?" Daisuke asked eagerly, wishing for another chance to be in company of Miss Takeru.
"Yes, my sister now believes in parties of ten, excluding my mother." said Taichi, tiresomely. "She is so very happy that I have made aquaintances with Yamato, as if I could help it."
A knock on the door sounded.
"Come in."
"Lord Kamiya, Lady Kamiya wishes to inform you that you have failed to meet an appointment this evening that she has just been made aware of and she wishes to see you."
"Infernal appointments." Taichi said under his breath. "Thank you, Parkins. Tell her I will be with her shortly. I am sorry, but my mother calls."
With smiles of sympathy his friends filed out of the library. Ken remained behind.
"I realise this is a bad time, however, I wish to put this matter to you as soon as possible."
"Well, not to sound impatient, but then please make it quick. My mother is not the most patient woman in England."
"You have probably suspected this for some time, however, I shall tell you anyway. I have come to ask for Hikari's hand in marriage."
"Then you should ask Hikari."
"I have, Tai."
"But, I thought, just then - "
"I never said that I have not. I recall that you never gave me the chance to reply to Daisuke."
"So I did not. What does my sister have to say?"
"She has accepted. However, you know this must be with your consent."
"And what would be the likelihood of my not consenting?" asked Taichi, pulling the rope.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Please send for my sister, Parkins, and tell my mother that I have urgent business here and I will be with her afterwards."
"Yes, my lord."
Shortly afterwards, Hikari walked in the room.
"What is it you want, Tai? Oh, Ken!"
Smiling, Taichi said, "I believe you have an engagement which I have not been told about."
"Brother dear, if you did not know about it, you would not be asking about it."
"True, however you have not told me."
"Well, brother, what is it to be? Do you consent or not? Mind you, I have decided to go to Gretna Green with Ken if you do not."
"I do not believe it will go to that extreme. Hikari, Ken, how could I not consent to the union of my friend and my sister? You are both daft if you think so. Instead, I congratulate you most heartily. Now I better leave and deal with mother, though you have probably given me a way to avoid any reprimanding. Ken, I shall see you later to deal with the business end of this."
"Most certainly."
++++++++++
"Are you going to the dinner party at Taichi's?" Daisuke asked Miss Takeru. He had managed to find out where Lady Takashi lived and had asked Miss Takeru out for a drive, to which she agreed.
"Oh, yes. I received the invitation yesterday and sent a reply just before we left. It is most kind of Miss Yagami to invite me, even if my sister is staying with them." She replied, nodding to someone in a passing barouche.
"Hikari normally gets her way in that family. Actually, she normally gets her way in most things." Daisuke said reminiscently.
"Oh, I have done it again, have I not?" she asked guiltily. "I am most sorry."
"As I have told you before, do not be, for I am not. In fact, I am most happy she has rejected me. If she has not, I would not have been able to spend time with you." Daisuke said, turning to her and bravely, continued. "I know this is not the most ideal time to say this, but I have quite fallen in love with you, Miss Takeru, and would be honoured indeed if you would accept my hand in marriage."
"Lord Motomiya, please do not jest so!" Takeru replied, quite shocked. "You have just gotten over Miss Yagami's refusal and you are not thinking straight."
"But I am! Granted, I had incentive from a conversation with my friends yesterday, however, I have never been more sure of my feelings for anybody. As for Hikari's refusal, I got over that ages ago, when I first met you in fact. I know, in my heart, that asking you to marry me is the most right decision I have ever made." Looking at Takeru sincerely, "Please marry me."
Takeru realised that he really was being sincere and smile. "If you are so certain, then yes, I will marry you." Daisuke's face lit up and he was about to jump for joy when she continued, "However, you must travel to York and talk with my father. No matter how far away he is and how much I did not wish it, he still has the last say in who I marry. I do not think it will matter, however, as you are a marquis after all and the man he was going to marry Yamato to was also one."
"I shall, I will go travel to York tomorrow and get consent to marry you." Daisuke immediately agreed.
"Daisuke, there is one more thing." Takeru cautioned. "When you reached father, he will most probably ask you about Yamato. Please, under no circumstances, none at all, reveal that you know where she is. Not even if he refuses to consent to our marriage. My sister's happiness is still very important to me and it would be the end if he finds out where she is. We are lucky so far that he has not found her, but we might not be lucky very soon. Daisuke, please promise me you will not reveal Yamato's whereabouts to my father, do not even reveal that you know where she is."
"I promise." agreed Daisuke and with great reluctance, added, "Not even if he refuse to allow me to marry you if I do not tell him."
"Thank you, Daisuke. You do not know how much this means to me."
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