Yuri sighed as the carriage approached the mansion of the von Radford family. Even from a distance he could see the beaming face of the girl he assumed he was being forced to go on a date with. Seeing the look on what Yuri assumed to be the girls father's face, he had a feeling this would be one of those cases where they felt Yuri would fall instantly in love with one of their daughters. Truth be told had he not overheard people saying that once at a party and their saying they wanted Yuri to chose their daughters as concubines and then having to embarrassingly ask Conrad to explain what that is he'd have never known what one was much less that a king or queen could have one. Although Wolfram flew into a rage screaming cheater when he showed up and overheard Conrad explaining concubines to him and his making sure Yuri knew he'd never allow him to have one.

'I can't believe after the hard time Gwendal gave me about being with Conrad that he'd agree to send me on a date with this girl. Yeah Conrad said it was to avoid a war or something but I bet this is more like a test. Gwendal probably thinks that with this being Waltorana's goddaughter that I won't say anything about being in a relationship with Conrad and probably told Conrad not to say anything. He probably also thinks that since I've never dated a girl before that if he sets me up with a pretty girl then I'll realize I'd rather be with a girl and dump Conrad. Giving Conrad time to get over it and alleviate all of Gwendals' fears of my someday dumping Conrad like I did Wolfram. Gwendal's forgetting that I didn't get involved with Wolfram by choice! Sure everyone yelled at me to take back my slapping Wolfram and of course I refused.'

Yuri sighed as they got even closer to meeting what he was sure to be a snobby family. 'You know maybe I would have been better off if I had just punched Wolfram and not worried about his pretty face.'

Seeing the girl primp her hair and straighten out her dress he growled to himself. "I cannot believe the Gwendal really thinks I'm so fickle as to drop Conrad for the first pretty girl I meet? I haven't even been with Conrad a month. Now it seems like Gwendal and everybody else think I've lost my mind in choosing him. Yeah I stayed with Wolfram as I didn't have a choice in the matter. Seriously if I had one yen for every time I begged Wolfram to cancel the engagement or every time I turned down his incessant let's go get married, I'd be one of the richest people in Japan right now."

The carriage stopped and Conrad got off his horse and opened the carriage door to help Yuri out. Yuri then walked over to the crowd and Tohma stepped forward and bowed and said, "Greetings, Heika welcome to my home. I am Tohma von Radford, it is an honor to have you here. I'd like for you to meet my wife Sakari and my children Kyohei and Aurora." He made sure to punctuate Aurora's name.

Now Yuri was positive they were thinking he'd take one look at Aurora and fall madly in love with her. 'Well despite what Gwendal and Waltorana obviously want I am not ready to give up Conrad for anyone.'

However Yuri put on his best pleasant royal smile and said, "Thank You. I'm honored you invited me to your home." Yuri then decided to just get straight to the point and make no bones about his relationship with Conrad or their connection to Waltorana. "However I am confused as to why I'm here?"

"You mean your advisor Lord von Voltaire did not tell you?" Tohma asked not believing Yuri would come all the way out here without knowing why.

"Yes," Yuri said, "Gwendal said I was here to escort your daughter to some sort of festival. I'm assuming it's meant as some sort of date as I'm also assuming that your personal relationship to Waltorana is how you came to learn that I am no longer engaged to Wolfram as I have yet to make that public knowledge for personal reasons. I am betting that he also has told you that I am now in relationship and that is why this date."

Tohma was shocked that Yuri knew so much but he couldn't deny it. "Yes, well since the public is not officially aware of your status change nor informed of your choosing to have a relationship with this half breed dog I can only assume your hiding it from the world."

Yuri growled, he hated it when people insulted Conrad right in front of him. But he did his best to keep his temper in check. He certainly didn't want to go into Maoh mode here and have this place torn apart like the dining room back at Blood Pledge castle which in turn could cause this man to get upset and start a war.

"I chose to hide it because I don't feel the world should have to know everything I do! When Wolfram and Murata return then I will be happy to officially tell the world about the switching ceremony and about the subsequent marriage of Wolfram and Murata."

'Well unless they chose to get out of it like I've heard then I'll leave their marriage out of the speech.'

"I will also happily announce to the world of my choosing to date Conrad to detract people like the ones from town and nobles, such as yourself, from trying to force their sons or daughters on to me. I also will not have you insulting my boyfriend right in front of me; or perhaps you think the same of me?"

"What? No of course not Heika never. We would never think of you like that!"

"Really? Why not? It seems that everyone who keeps insulting Conrad for being a half breed seems to have selective memory in that they forget that I too am a half breed and from another world." Yuri said deceptively calm.

Tohma was speechless, he couldn't deny it but he didn't know what to say. Sakari stepped forward. "My apologizes for my husband. Please you must be tired after your journey Macy will show you to your room where you can freshen up and we can discuss if you'd still escort our daughter to the festival of rides once you've rested."

Yuri bowed and said, "Yes, thank you." With that he and Conrad left leaving a fuming Tohma behind.

"I don't understand! I don't understand how he could look Aurora in the eyes and not fall for her instantly! What more does she need? She beautiful and friendly and loving and caring and…"

Sakari walked over and held her husband and said, "Kyohei and I both warned you this would happen."

"Father you are mad if you honestly thought he'd take one look at Aurora or any girl and drop the person he's doing it with. Well unless you think it better he start just doing it with Aurora?"

"Kyohei!" Sakari yelled.

"Well mother is it not true? Or do you really believe that they are simply dating?"

Sakari sighed, she too did find it hard to believe that they weren't sleeping together and certainly didn't want Aurora in the middle of it all. "Tohma let's just call this off."

"No he will take Aurora to that festival."

"But father he didn't even say hello to me or kiss my hand or anything!"

"I know you can convince him to see you and to forget that half breed!"

Aurora smiled brightly her hope renewed, "Yes, father I know I will!"

Sakari and Kyohei just sighed knowing that nothing would come of this.

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Once in the room Conrad sighed as he leaned against the door. "That was dangerous Heika."

"More dangerous than letting some girl think I've available." Then he turned challenging to Conrad. "Or would you rather I start seeing her?"

Conrad knew this was a challenge, that the boy wanted him to fight for him, "Of course not Heika, but you should have tried to play along we don't want to make him our enemy."

"Oh so says my bodyguard. I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked you. I was under the mistaken belief that my boyfriend had come with me."

"Heika, you know it's not appropriate to…"

"Not appropriate to what? Call me by my name when we're alone? So what if we not at home! Why should I be forced to listen to you being formal when we alone together?"

"Heika, what if a maid or someone else were to overhear?"

"So let them! I don't care! Let that Lord von Radford guy hear. I'm not ashamed of you. And if he barges in or overhears you calling me by my name or being informal in the bedroom he provided then so be it."

"Heika it's not right to incur someone's wrath like that."

At that Yuri turned around and walked towards the door.

Conrad blinked, "Heika where are you going?"

Yuri stopped with his hand on the door, "Well since it seems I no longer have a boyfriend, I thought I'd just go down stairs and agree to this date and then we can become a couple and she'll eventually want to marry me and because I don't want to cause a war I'll agree to it."

To say Conrad was shocked was an understatement. He ran over and turned Yuri towards him, "Yuri you're not serious are you?" Being upset by the boys statement he'd forgotten about being formal.

Without looking up Yuri said, "Is this what it takes to get you to call me by my name? If this is what it takes maybe I should consider marrying her."

Conrad hugged him, "You shouldn't joke about things like that. You know if you accept marriage from anyone you're stuck with them forever."

At that Yuri looked up and smiled and said, "Then why don't you do something about it?"

Conrad was confused, "What can I do?"

At that Yuri smiled brighter, "Agree to marry me!"

Conrad pulled away, "What? Heika I…"

At that Yuri's face fell, "You don't like the idea?"

Conrad had to calm his racing heart and pulled Yuri in for a stronger hold. "Yuri, I don't think either of us is ready to go that far yet. It's not that I dislike the idea…" 'Far from it, if I thought Gwendal would approve I'd strongly consider it.' "It's too soon yet. Besides imagine Gwendal's face if we told him we planned to get married on a whim like this."

At that Yuri giggled, "He'd blow a fuse for sure." Then he sighed and said, "He'd never approve, if anything he'd object. Then Shori would defiantly have a cow and kill us both. I don't suppose we could get away with lying and just tell everyone that we're married could we?"

Conrad sighed, "No that would just cause problems later." 'I'd love to pretend or even really marry him, but if we lie and say we are and Yuri changes his mind about me then it'd become a problem because we're already told people we were married or if I'm lucky enough and Yuri's really ready and serious then it would be strange for us to chose announce our plans to be married when we've already said we are.'

Conrad was unknowingly mirroring Yuri's thoughts, 'I guess Conrad's right. If we lie and say we are people would want to throw parities to celebrate and everyone would be super happy. Then when we really do decide to be married for real people might realize that we lied about being married the first time. That might cause people to start to mistrust me or the kingdom. But after all this is over and when Wolfram and Murata return I will have to have a serious talk with Conrad and Gwnedal about publicly announcing my involvement with Conrad. Gwendal would throw a fit if I did it without his approval.'

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4/4/14 A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Lots of not good things have happened and well I just now felt right about finishing this chapter. I've been doing more wallpapers. I haven't at the time of this posting finished or posted any KKM wallpapers but other wallpapers I have made are available and I do take request. animewalls4er .booru .org