I couldn't find anything that could distract me from my miserable thoughts. She will want to marry someday and I can't offer her that! Yes she has accepted what I am but she doesn't know what it entails... I don't want to tell her what it entails.

Would she be satisfied with a life with me? We couldn't stay in one place too long. I think they would notice that I don't age a day in my life... um death... And children! I can't give her that either! She would make such a good mother too...

Where is a good distraction when you need one? I'm not desperate enough yet though to actually help my mother with her party plans. I relish my sanity thank you very much. Which is why I am avoiding my house like the plague right now.

How is it possible to feel like this for someone in so short a time? Granted we had met long ago but this… This is different from anything I've ever known and I have no idea what to do or how to act…

Listen to me. I would wager I'm even worse than that fop Warren. Well maybe not quite that bad but still pretty awful… "Kael!" Is someone calling me? "Kael!"

I turned around and- Oh no. Apparently if you think horrible thoughts they come true. No. Stop coming closer damn you! Out of breath. Panting. Now looking up at me with a ridiculous smile. Control yourself Kael. Must be civil. A struggle, yes but a necessary evil. "Let me help you." I helped him up. "Why on earth were you running towards me like you were crazed in the first place?"

"Crazed?" You look it with that smile on your face. "I suppose I did look like that, didn't I?" Now he laughs at himself. "I wanted to catch you. Are you on your way somewhere? Are you occupied?"

"Well not at the moment."

"Oh good. Then you wouldn't mind helping me on this mission I have." Before I could come up with a reason to excuse myself the fool dragged me to the shops.

"Warren what on earth are we doing here?" Or perhaps the more pressing question is why am I here? "What is this errand of yours anyway?" Yes. I was irritated. The boy just dragged me with him to do god knows what.

He turned back to me with an extremely strange smile on his face. "My errand? Why 'tis an errand of love!" What the hell is he babbling about? "I suppose you know that I am wooing Diavar. Or trying to at least."

I stiffened. "I guessed…"

"Well ordinarily my father and her uncle would start making arrangements. My father has already tried but there was a problem." I love problems. "She had been raised quite differently. She was more of a free spirit. Her father made her a promise that she would choose her husband and when he died he made Aylmer make her that same promise."

"I see."

"So now instead of just showing her family that I am a good catch of reasonable means and good familial background I must somehow find a way to convince her she should spend the rest of her life with me." Over my dead- Well. Over my body, be it dead or alive.

"Hmm…" Just nod your head.

"I'm sure you don't have such troubles. The ladies must be chasing you around."

Ah. Flattery. Perhaps this boy is not as innocent as he appears. "Well yes. With all your attributes you shouldn't be at a loss for female admirers as well. What makes young Diavar so worthy of your attention? Let alone your intention to wed her?"

"Why sir! You spend so much time with her and all. Can't you see what a gem she is?" Well of course I can you silly twit, but I am asking what you see in my Diavar. Why is he smiling funny? "Maybe you have to be struck with Cupid's arrow to see what I see. In her I see a sparkling future. I look at her and imagine the joy I would have in waking by her side every morning for the rest of our lives. The thought if living a life without her… doesn't even bear thinking about. I mean I suppose I could live without her if I absolutely had to… but I very much doubt I would have the will to." Good god, the boy really is smitten with the lass.

"Uhuh." Again I show my eloquence and mastery of the English language.

"Anyway, as I mentioned you do spend so much time with the Cross family." Yes… "And you have known her and her family probably much longer than I." Longer than you think boy. "So I was wondering if you would be willing to lend me your time and expertise in choosing." Why are we stopping here? "An engagement ring for Diavar?"

The boy has gall. I'll give him that much. Then again he doesn't know about Diavar and me. "An engagement ring?" He nodded. "Um… Isn't it a tad premature?"

"When one is in love, one just wants everything to happen quickly. Then when one is with their love one wants time to just trickle by."

"So you're in the first phase of this process?"

"Yes."

"Wouldn't your father be better suited to this task? Or perhaps even one of your friends?" Why the hell did you bloody ask me?

"No. They don't know her like you or I do." You don't know just how apt that sentence is boy. Poor you though. You will probably never know her as well as I do. I might be sorely tempted to sever you limb from limb if you did. "But I can only do so much, as a suitor. Naturally I can't know everything. You, on the other hand, are in no way hindered by this and can guide me to what you believe she would like."

"Um…" Think man! Think! "Just get her the biggest diamond you can find. Isn't that what all women want anyway?"

He looks offended. I can't see why. "Do you really consider her like every other woman? If that were true I could have found another woman to love."

"Why don't you?" Oh no… I said that out loud… Jealousy does wonders for one's subtlety.

"What? Find another woman?" the little boy asked me. I nodded. He chuckled. "Why would one go back to paste jewels when one has diamonds?" Damn. This might be harder than I thought. "Speaking of which do you think she would prefer diamonds or emeralds?"

"I'm sorry." No I am not. "What was that?"

"The ring? Do you think she would prefer emeralds or diamonds? Diamonds are the staple of course but I heard that she likes the color green…"

"You heard?" Who told you that? I didn't even know that.

"Well her aunt told me she liked the color." Of course she did. They want you to marry her after all. "Then again perhaps going with traditional diamonds would be best..." He turned his trusting china blue eyes on me. "What do you think?"

"Um... Why don't you look at several then decide later on? It might mean more to the girl if you picked it out on your own and not with any help from me." Not that I would want to be of any help to you...

He smiled. "Yes. I suppose that's true. It is a tad sentimental." Oh drat. "Women like sentimental don't they?"

"Most of them do," I admitted.

"Hmm... And Diavar is wildly independent... Perhaps she might like to choose her own ring..." Yes! Anything that will prolong you asking her to marry you. "I'd like you to reserve these two for me," he told the clerk. I leaned over the counter to see his choices.

I must admit. He did have passable taste. The diamond ring he had chosen had three exquisitely cut diamonds in a gold band. The emerald one had a large example of the said stone in the middle surrounded by ten tiny little diamonds. "I shall try to ascertain which one she is more partial to. If I can't then I suppose I could just bring her here and let her choose one for herself."

"Quite..." I really don't like this boy... I pulled my pocket watch from my jacket pocket. "Oh will you look at the time?! I really must be off." I tipped my hat to him and hid the sneer that threatened to show on my face. "Good day Warren."

"Good day Kael!" Awfully chipper. He grates on my nerves... I left the jewelry store absolutely distraught... I needed a distraction and I needed one right away... I'm a desperate immortal... Damn it. I made my way back home. Finally I was desperate enough to help my family with the blasted party.