"Lillian, this is Elijah Aarden, your fiancée." Six year old Lily didn't exactly know what it meant to have a fiancée, all she knew was that she now had a boyfriend. A boyfriend whom she would marry. "Hello Elijah!" said Lily, "my name is Lillian, but since we'll be married you can call me Lily!"

"Lillian De Clare, I'm honored to meet you." said Elijah. Elijah was 9 at the time of the engagement. He had always thought that he could make the woman he loves his fiancée. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

Both the De Clares and the Aardens had made a mutual agreement to have both Elijah and Lillian married once they both came of age. For the future of the De Clare family depended on this marriage. Marquis De Clare had a terrible drought on land that was used for farming, leaving the commoners of the area in a state of famine. No one in the De Clare Family possesses any type of magic. On the other hand, not only did Duke Aarden and his family posses magic, they also happened to posses extremely powerful earth and water magic. This is just what Marquis De Clare needed. Duke Aarden is an extreme gem collector, Marquis De Clare happens to posses 5 gem stone mines. Two of those mines are ruby and sapphire mines, the Dukes favorite gemstones. With this, the Marquis came up with a proposal, Duke Aarden could posses the two gemstone mines as well as obtaining 27% of the earnings from the other three gemstone mines. In return, the Aarden Duchy would aid the De Clare territory that is in need of fresh soil and water for produce and crops to bloom again. The Duke agreed and the engagement was set in stone.

Elijah was repulsed at the idea that he had to forcefully marry a girl he didn't like. He ignored Lily when they were by themselves, would accept invitations to the De Clare mansion for tea with Lily but never showed, and would never respond to Lily's heartfelt letters.

"Dad, why doesn't Elijah like me? Am I annoying?" asked Lily

"Honey no, he's just a bit shy. Sooner or later he'll fall for our precious Lily." He reassured her.

~

"Lady Lily, its time to eat breakfast." said Yonna, Lily's personal maid.

"Good morning Yonna!" exclaimed Lily "are mommy and daddy waiting?"

"yes my Lady, as well as Little Duke Aarden."

"Elijah is here?!"

"Yes my Lady"

"Yonna, please make me look extra pretty."

Yonna dressed Lily in a beautiful purple dress with puffed sleeves made with tulle. The skirt of the dress was purple with satin material, tulle was used to create a a fringe across the dress. The top of the dress had sapphire gemstones embroidered into it creating an elegant yet juvenile look. Lily's hair was braided long the side to the bottom of her head where then Yonna scrunched her hair into a bun. To finish the hair, Lily chose a sapphire head band to wear. The blue sapphires stood out from her pitch black hair and complemented her beautiful deep blue eyes. Once again, Yonna made Lily look absolutely stunning.

Lily, now more ready than ever, rushed down the stairs to the dining hall where indeed Elijah was waiting.

"Greetings father, mother." Lily had been practicing her greetings in case a guest came over and they would be astonished with the beautiful and elegant manners of 6 year old Lily. "and greetings to Little Duke Aarden, I hope you have had a wonderful morning."

"Greetings" Elijah responded.

Lily went over and sat next to her mother. "My we have the pleasure of knowing the reason for your visit Little Duke?" asked Marquis De Clare.

"Yes, its regarding the engagement between Lady Lillian and I." Lily frowns, she hates it when Elijah calls her Lillian instead of Lily.

"Please continue." asked Marquis De Clare

"I would like to annul our engagement as soon as possible"