Hello all! I'm back again with chapter 4! Sorry it took so long to update! I'll be faster next time! I promise. So in return I'm going to try and make this a little bit longer chapter.

Thanks for all you reviewers, you've given me a lot of ideas and a lot to think about! And good news, my wrist is better, so hopefully these chapters will start getting longer 3

"THIS IS RETARDED!!" Max screamed at his parents. They were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table. "I refuse, I won't marry him!" Max said in resolution as he crossed his arms at his chest and looked away.

"You can't do that." Judy tried to tell Max, in a gentle motherly way. "You are the future, Crown 'Princess'." She said, using air quotes on the word princess.

"Are you serious?" Max cried, standing up from his seat. The chair made an unpleasant noise as it scratched against the floor. "Mom, Dad," their son addressed them, "how old am I?" Both parents looked away at the question. "I'm only a high school student!" He yelled at them. "And on top of that," the blond added, "I'm a boy." An awkward silence hung over the room for a moment. Max grinned in triumph, thinking he had one this little war until his father spoke up and said, "But aren't you gay?"

Pouting slightly out of habit, Max pointed his finger at his dad and replied, "That's besides the point! And its a ridiculous thought! The Crown Prince marrying someone like me." He thought back to the two encounters he experienced today, neither of them pleasant. The guy is an ass for someone whose suppose to be raised with manners, Max thought bitterly.

"Now, now," Judy chided, "don't say that! Didn't you hear the phone call we just got?" Her son glared at her, but did nothing to show agreement or denial. "The Prince accepted the marriage proposal!" She said in excitement.

"I can't believe you two!" Max accused as he stomped the floor in a childish manner. "Its like you're selling your own son out."

"Aw, Maxie, its not like that." His father replied warmly with a smile. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Like something from a fairytale." He said. "Like Cinderella! The Prince who fell in love with a commoner, you know?"

The blond rolled his eyes at that and replied, "Yeah, here's the difference though: the Prince fell in love with her."

"What do you mean?" Judy questioned as she, too, stood from her seat. "Yes, maybe you don't know each other that well, but you can still fall in love."

"Its not like that." Max sighed. His eyes held a dejected look. "He already has a gorgeous boyfriend." Max stated. An image of the redhead, Tala, flashed through his mind, his deep crimson hair and icy blue eyes. "I saw the Prince propose to him." The blond plopped down in his seat and looked away. Judy and her husband exchanged a worried glance, before directing their attention back to their son when he spoke again. "The Prince must have lost his mind when he got rejected by him." Max muttered to himself, still not looking up from the floor.

He sighed again. "Either way," the blond said, looking from parent to parent, "this engagement is not happening." He stood up and stomped away from his room.

An arrow whizzed throw the air, hitting one of the many targets placed around the field dead on.

"Your mother has agreed to lessen the amount of guards at school." Mr. Dickenson informed the Prince has he reached to grab another arrow. "However, she refuses to let you simply have the wait at the school gates." Another arrow was sent flying.

Mr. Dickenson's lips pursed at the Prince's silence. "You do not like the marriage proposal, do you?" He questioned the young royalty. Kai's response was to let loose another arrow. "If it is true," the old man continued, "after the marriage it will be hard on both you and the boy. Perhaps you should think twice about this." Kai pulled back on the bow string, taking aim at one of the targets before letting go. The arrow flew and hit it's mark dead on.

Kai lowered his bow and said, "You're wrong." Mr. Dickenson looked surprised for a minute. "What?" He asked politely. Kai didn't look up at him, turning to get another arrow, and placing it on his bow. "You're wrong, I want this marriage." He said. The blunette pulled back on the string. "Although he may not be up to standard, I think he will be refreshing to the palace." Another arrow flew through the air. Kai lowered his bow and looked towards Mr. Dickenson. "Isn't it funny." He said, "Its the 21st century, but I'm still forced into a custom as old as an arranged marriage."

That morning, early in the school day, Max once again found himself running for his life from Hiromi Tachibana. "Ah, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He yelled at the brunette, as he ran through the hallways of the school, dodging everyone as he tried to lose the ferocious girl.

"I WILL BE SORRY ONCE I'M THROUGH WITH YOU!!" Hiromi screeched as she chased after him. Max glanced back quickly and saw that Hiromi was being slightly overwhelmed by the horde of students in the hallway. He giggled and turned back to watch where he was going just as he ran into someone. The collision jolted them both, and the blond looked back to the person he ran into and began to fiercely apologize.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He cried, stopping when he saw who it was. Max held back a gasp. Tala stood in front of him, staring at him with a frown on his face. The younger couldn't help but shiver slightly in intimidation at those icy eyes. Max looked away from the older boy, a feeling of guilt washed over him and he began to play with the sleeves of his school uniform. Tala only stared at him for a split second longer, before brushing off the shoulder that Max had hit before turning away and continuing down the hallway.

Max watched him, the guilt still wouldn't leave. He couldn't help but notice how differently the redhead seemed to carry himself. It was almost more of a slouch, instead of his usual confident stride.

Tala quietly walked into the band room, where some of the students, especially soloists, were practicing for their show. The redhead, walked over to the lockers, opening his to pull at his violin. He was about to shut it when he overhead someone saying, "Did you hear? Everyone is so stressed in the palace because of the upcoming marriage." Tala turned his head slightly as he listened to the girl.

"How would you know?" Another said, probably the first girls friend. Tala looked at the two and recognized them instantly. The first was Ming Ming, she played the piano. Her friend next to her was Julia, who was the soloist for the viola section. "My dad works as a guard in the palace." Ming Ming said.

"Oh, my god." Julia gasped. "Then it is true?"

"Of course! Why would I lie?" Ming Ming beamed to her friend. "But there's something even better."

"What is it?"

"The Crown Princess is someone from our school!" Ming Ming said excitedly. Tala's eyes widened as he heard that.

"Who is it? Who is it?" Julia asked, unable to control her excitement.

"That," Ming Ming sighed, "I don't know." Tala let a small smile cross his face as he took in what the two girls just said. He turned around and headed to the exit. Only one person was on his mind as he opened the door to the music room and let it fall shut behind him. Leaving his violin laying in front of his locker.

In one of the private practice rooms, Kai played a few keys on the piano out of boredom. "What kind of rumor is that?" He looked up at the redhead across from him. "Are they talking about me?" Tala questioned from his seat. "They said that it's someone from our school." Kai refused to make eye contact with the redhead.

Tala sighed and took in Kai's features. "Didn't we say," he started, "that we would keep our relationship a secret until we got out of high school?"

Kai closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he was staring at Tala intently. "Don't worry." He replied. "It's not you." Tala looked shocked as he stared at the Prince. "What?" He asked.

Kai sighed and again diverted his gaze. "I just recently found out. But its not you." He repeated.

"Who then?" Tala asked, still stunned. (ALITERATION YAY! Though that's for poetry...Dx)

"It was a promise made by my grandfather and his friend." Kai answered, avoiding the question. He stood up from the piano bench he was seated on and throwing the redhead one last glance, left the practice room. Leaving Tala to stare at the spot where he had once been in disbelief.

After dinner was finished, Max ran to his room and plopped down onto his desk chair as he grabbed hold of his ancient sewing machine. He fought with it for a moment has he pulled the top off to get into the rusty old gears inside of it. He then began to mess around with it, trying different ways to get the old thing to work again. After about an hour of fiddling with it, he gave up and smacked the poor thing out of frustration. He leaned back into his chair in a huff and crossed his arms in annoyance.

There was a knock on his door just then, but he didn't bother to answer it, since Judy just walked in. She looked over at her son, then to his old sewing machine a smiled. "Can't get the old thing to work?" She asked.

"No." Max replied. He sighed and looked at his mom with a pout. "Can I get a new one?" He asked.

Judy sighed, "Max, you know we can't afford one right now. We have loan sharks practically breathing down our necks."

"I figured as much." Max mumbled dejectedly. "Now how am I suppose to make those clothes Hiromi wanted for her birthday." Max wondered out loud. An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment before Judy broke it. "Max, honey," she said slowly, as if cautious that her son might explode any second, "look, I know marriage is one of the last things on your mind at your age, but please Max think about our position here." She begged him. "We can't pay off our debts and I know you dream of becoming a famous designer or artist, but honey, think realistically."

Max bit his lip and looked away, not wanting to accept the truth of his mom's words. Judy sighed and walked towards he son, wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him into a hug, his head resting against her chest. "I know, that it seems like we're trying to sell you out, but its not true." She continued. "Yes, it would be convenient for us, but Maxie, it would also be good for you too. At least this way we could insure that you do have a well cared for life. Even if that life is of royalty."

Max closed his eyes in the warm embrace and nodded his head. Judy smiled down at her son before tugging him gently. "C'mon, lets get you into bed." She said. Max complied, moving away from his chair onto his bed. He sighed as his head rested on the fluffy pillows. Judy pulled the blankets over him and tucked him in. "Goodnight." She said and kissed his forehead. She walked back towards the door, looking back at her son again and smiled when she saw he was already asleep.

She shook her head affectionately, before turning off his lights and gently closing the door behind her. "You never know what your future will hold." She whispered to herself. Instead of heading off to her own room, she headed out the door, a 'wedding' gift already in her mind.

So how was it? Was it good? Bad? Mediocre? In need of help...? xD

And I have a dilemma again, I know, I'm bad! XD and it concerns Rei again! Because of mixed opinions should I do BryxTal and BrookxRei or just TalxRei? Help pwease? Thanks again!

R&R 3