"Well, I suppose; I mean, they seem to like each other's company very much, but we should let zhem decide who zhey want to be with, at least for now." I heard Papa saying.

"But what if they don't want to marry them? What will you do then?" Mother argued.

"Then they would just have to learn to love each other. This will help your family and ours very much, I swear there will be nothing but benefits to this arrangement. So what if they're a bit unhappy? They're just children, they don't care," an unfamiliar voice spoke, who I assumed to be Mr. Bonnefoy. Suddenly, Mathieu grabbed my hand and pulled me up the staircase, Alfred and Maddy following close behind. We hid atop the stairs and saw our fathers shaking hands, and our mothers shaking their heads.

"Arthur, I do not zhink zhat we should do zhis... Zhey are just children, we should not force zhis upon zhem!" Mrs. Bonnefoy said, putting her hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Beatrix, it will be fine, I promise. They'll love the idea, I know it!" Mr. Bonnefoy said, kissing his wife's cheek as she walked away back into the parlor with my mother, who was looking strangely disappointed in Papa.

"Boys!"

"Girls!"

We slowly got up from our hiding spots and walked down the staircase cautiously.

"Oui Papa?" Maddy and I asked, looking at our father.

"Yes Father?" Mathieu and Alfred asked, looking at their father.

"We have decided that it would be a good idea to have an arranged marriage, it will help both our families greatly," said Mr. Bonnefoy. My father nodded in agreement.

"Oui, we zhink zhat you will make great couples and zhat you will be able to benefit both of our families by doing zhis, girls what do you zhink?" Papa asked, smiling at Maddy and me.

"But Papa, we just met, you must give us time to get to know each other," Maddy said as Alfred pulled her behind him.

"Father, you can't just tell us we're going to get married and then expect us to act all friendly like we don't know what's going to happen. I'm sorry but as much as I'd love to have Madeline as my wife I say no, this is too far," Alfred said, making Maddy blush furiously as Alfred took her hand and pulled her up the stairs behind him.

"I agree, it is not fair to us, and it is not fair to zhe girls either. We should at least get a say in our lives and who we want to spend zhem with, not just some random girl whom we've only met once or twice-no offense Amelia. You can't just force us to do something zhat we don't want to do!!" Mathieu said, taking my hand and pulling me up the stairs with him like Alfred had done with Maddy.