AN: In Wedding Bell Blues, Aleena calls Robotnik's bluff and agrees to marry him in exchange for peace for her people and her children.

Prologue

The Oracle watched as Robotnik announced the wedding for the next day. He could easily see that his pupils were torn of whether it was a trap or not. He chuckled and smiled over at the queen who hid in his caves often. He gladly offered her sanctuary. "So, Robotnik has told the entire kingdom that he is marrying you tomorrow."

Aleena nodded. "My children will be at that wedding. I just know it. I'll need to go and be ready to rescue them…" She said. "Thought… he did give me a perfect opening to come back to the kingdom… End the war entirely…"

The Oracle nodded. "He did… You could easily take advantage of this. He needs the aristocrats to think that he is their best choice. But… consider what it means…"

Aleena nodded as she took a deep breath. "I would have to marry him… however, it's not an uncommon solution to war. And if he refuses my conditions in front of the aristocracy, then he'll be humiliated. They won't believe a word he says anymore. They will help us instead, surely."

The Oracle smiled. "Sounds as though you're trying to convince yourself, Your Highness, not me. But… before you make this decision, I want you to consider your happiness. Would you be happier waiting until they're ready to form the Council of Four or would you be happier ending this now if it's possible."

Aleena nodded. "Really, the worst that can happen is he refuses and we have to escape, and the war goes. That would happen whether I tried this or not… Well, I suppose I need to get my white dress out of the moth balls." She said as she waved her hand, a long white a-line dress appearing and hanging itself on the wall of the cave by an invisible nail. "I haven't worn this I married Jules…" She said sadly. She still missed her late husband.

The Oracle pet his elder student's purple hair sympathetically. "Jules is looking down on you now. He doesn't want you to mourn him forever. Who knows… maybe you can find a soft spot in that heart of stone…" He kissed her forehead.

Aleena accepted her teacher's blessing. He had always treated her so kindly. "Thank you Oracle." She hoped this plan worked. If she went through with it, there would be no turning back. And she hoped her children would forgive her.

The next evening, Sonia struggled in Robotnik's chambers, her fiance standing with her and petting her hair gently. "No! No! I won't do it! I will not become the successor to the throne! It's my mother's throne!" She tried to ignore how soothing Bartleby's petting felt.

Bartleby murmured gently. "There there my love… Don't you see? Your mother has given up her right to rule. You must take her place…"

Sonia shook her head. "No! He stole her throne! And now she's gone because of him!"

Robotnik chuckled and stepped forward. The medals on his white ceremonial uniform glinted in the light of the room. "If it is my fault that you lack a mother, then I will adopt you as my daughter and remedy that lack."

Sonia screamed out with dismay in response to that suggestion.

However, as they made their way out of the chambers and to the stage, they were all surprised to see a very familiar face waiting at the altar. "I was wondering when you were going to join me. I was afraid you had changed your mind." Aleena said.

Robotnik's mouth fell open. He had not expected Aleena to show. This was not the plan. "Changed my mind?" He asked her tentatively. "Whatever do you mean?"

She smiled as she stood there in her ankle-length white gown with the off-shoulder sleeves and lace bodice. "About our wedding of course. What else?" She challenged him, enjoying the sight of his eyes widening. She whispered to him. "You came up with an ideal solution to the war, ironically… I'll make you king but the war ends." She told him seriously. "You get what you want, I get what I want."

Sonic and Manic both rushed the stage, but were blocked by SwatBots. "Mother! No, don't marry that old fart!" Sonic pleaded with his mother.

Sonia nodded as she jumped off the throne and ran to her mother. "Yeah, Mother. Don't marry him. We can win without this." She knew her mother couldn't possibly love this man. "Don't marry someone unless you love them with all your heart." For some reason, she felt compelled to look at Bartleby.

Aleena smiled at her daughter. "That's very good advice my dear, but if it ends the war and we can be a family, then we can be happy." She looked at Robotnik. "What say you…" She said softly, only loud enough for them to hear.

Robotnik realized he had inadvertently come up with the ideal solution to this messy war. "You will marry me. Live with me for the rest of your life and make me king… in exchange for?" He urged specificity.

"The Freedom Fighters are pardoned. They are to be given citizenship status again. My children can visit as they wish. You abolish your more foolish laws and you begin immediate work on a deroboticizer." She laid out her surrender conditions.

Robotnik considered her offer while Bartleby smiled. "Congratulations Uncle. She didn't jilt you after all. Isn't this wonderful my darling…" He pulled Sonia to him. "Your mother and my godfather…"

The man sighed while Sonia looked at Bartleby with alarm. "See! You can't marry him Mother! He's… your godfather?" She asked Bartleby. "See that's weird!" She hoped to win the argument by pointing that out.

Robotnik shrugged. "He's not my son. So there's no conflict there." He honestly could not think of an argument against this.

Sonic finally spin-dashed past the SwatBots blocking the stage, getting to his mother with Manic following behind. "Mother, we won't let you do this."

Aleena kissed each Sonic and Manic on the forehead. "I love you, boys. Someday, you'll understand what it means to make sacrifices for those you love. This way, we can be a family again." She looked at Robotnik. "If we don't do it now, they will grow restless."

Robotnik chuckled. "Done." He offered her his arm which she took with a straight face.

Sonia, Sonic and Manic could only watch with trepidation and dread as their mother and Robotnik stood before Sleet who was officiating the ceremony. "Dearly beloved, we gather here today to witness the union of our great lord, Dr. Robotnik, and the beautiful Queen Aleena. Queen Aleena, do you take Robotnik as your lawful, wedded husband? Do you promise to obey and honor him until death parts you?"

Aleena nodded. "I do…" Those words were a farce. The last time she said those words, they meant something. Now… they seemed like a cruel joke. It was just as well though. She was never going to find love again after Jules.

Sleet looked to Robotnik. "And do you, great Dr. Robotnik, take Queen Aleena to be your wife. Do you promise to cherish her and treasure her until death parts you?"

Robotnik grinned. "I do." He had done it. His greatest desires were coming true. He would be king. And he found he didn't mind the idea of Aleena being his wife. Though, she wasn't near as beautiful as his first wife. Maybe he had been alone for too long.

"Then by the power vested in me," Sleet said as he read the script. "By Lord Robotnik himself, I hereby name you, man and wife. You may kiss the bride…"

The citizens all applauded wildly as Robotnik leaned in to kiss the queen. She didn't even turn her head as she daringly puckered. The challenge issued, the man could only peck her tensely before pulling away. Her eyes looked up at him, the amethysts within sparkling with a defiant fire. This was going to be interesting.

AN: What will happen now that the war is over? Will Aleena be able to make the best of her new situation and get to know her children while navigating the minefield that is Robotnik?