Charlie flicked his eyes at his brother from where he was currently lounging on the windowsill, tilting his head ever so slightly as Lucas turned around and began to march down the hallway once more. He was pacing. It was both infuriating and amusing at the same time, and he was tempted to give him a small jolt, to snap him out of it. But the worry etched on Lucas's face was enough to give him pause. They'd never been to this point before. None of Rachel's other pregnancies had gone this far before, and they both knew the toll it took on Rachel's body. "I have made sacrifices to the gods that this time things will be different for you brother."

Lucas came to a complete stop in front of his brother and looked at him, "And for Rachel? This is the last attempt, after this I will not put her life in danger anymore. I will not lose my wife, just so I can have an heir." Lucas is quiet for a moment, "Isn't that why you chose Santana?"

Charlie laughs at this thought, "I married her cause she was just like me. I mean all things considered and even though she secretly hates me for dragging her here, this could have gone far worse for me. I wasn't even thinking about possible heirs, I'm a second son. These things aren't as important, and after today my fortunes will change. You'll have a strong son, who I will protect and pledge my loyalty too, because perish the thought I ever become emperor. I don't even know what I'd begin to do."

"Surely you have some ideas that will make our country stronger?" Lucas asks, his brother kept insisting that he did not want to be king and yet here they were. He sighs when Charlie just shrugs, "Father would take you far more seriously if you showed an interest in governing. He thinks you're far to permissive and close with the peasant's at least you haven't run off to hide yourself in a tavern."

Charlie rolled his eyes, and reaches forward to slap his brother on the back, making sure he'd get a good jolt upon contact. "Just try and be far kinder than father is," Charlie suggested.

"Mother said he cried when he finally got to hold us, had to get his retainers to leave, I think I'll cry. If I do—"

"I'll tease you relentlessly forever, after making sure the room is clear," Charlie informs him.

Lucas rolls his eyes, trust his brother to not take this moment as seriously as it deserved. "Don't worry, when it's your turn, I swear that I will make sure you are thoroughly embarrassed as your older brother it is my duty. Besides, from what the servant's have been saying it won't be long until you and Santana are in the same position."

"Hardly. Santana isn't quite ready for children, I certainly am not in a rush. Can you imagine a child like me running around? I do think I'll go grey," Charlie said as he runs his hand through his golden locks. "I'd look terrible."

"It could be worse, at least we'll still have a full head of hair," Lucas responds, inching towards the door. Perhaps if he put his ear against it he'd hear what was going on. His mother had forbidden from seeing how things were done, but he wanted to be there for his wife.

"When the grounds rumble or the temperature drops or the sky darkens with lightning, you'll know when your child is born," Russell said walking down the hallway his retainers tittering away.

"Father! I thought you were in court," Lucas said turning to him.

"It's been hours, are they still in there? You know they wouldn't let me into the room until after Charles was born, it took a day and half the night, the head midwife despite her position came out to yell at me to stop shaking the foundation of the palace. It was a very stressful time, but in the end—I had two sons." Russell looked at Charlie. "Well—"

"Don't ruin it," Lucas said before Charlie and his father could start their bickering. "My son is about to be born." He couldn't deal with Charlie throwing lightning, or his father causing the earth to quake. He just wanted his child to know peace. He wanted everything to go perfectly.

~O~

Santana twitched as she stood, holding the towels. She was never having children. It looked painful, and Rachel's screams of agony weren't convincing her to have a child anytime soon, the fact that it had lasted so long was yet another reason she wasn't going to have children. She had managed to take one look at what was going on down there before deciding that she wasn't going to do it. Now she understood why there was no man in the room, and why Lucas wasn't allowed. It would take away from the mystery and she knew that Rachel was already embarrassed that she had soiled herself, doing it in front of Lucas would have killed her.

Plus she was certain that none of them would know what they were doing, none of them at all. They'd probably all be afraid to fail, and she smiled at the thought of Charlie running around with no idea of what to do.

"I can finally see the crown," one of the midwives said loudly.

Judy gently leaned forward and kissed Rachel's forehead, she'd been gently giving her daughter-in-law gentle words of encouragement throughout the entire day, and she smiles. "It's nearly time Rachel, a few more pushes and we'll see him."

Santana moves taking the blanket she'd been given and heads to some of the bucket of water, that had cooled. With a bit of effort she focuses, now wasn't the time to lose control of her abilities, she just needed to heat the water so that they could bathe both the newborn and Rachel once the baby was born. She'd been kept on this duty for most of the day.

"The heads out, the hard part is done. One more push," the head midwife called out.

"You keep saying that!" Rachel screams at her, tears of frustration and quite possibly pain running down her cheeks.

Santana glances back at Rachel for a moment, she was most certainly not having children. She finishes warming up the water she'd made sure to boil it like they had asked but this time it wasn't that hot. She definitely wasn't getting involved in that craziness. She was planning to tell Charlie that she hoped that he didn't want any children, she wasn't going to go through that.

"She's beautiful your highness," the head midwife said before turning to look at Santana, "We need those towels," she snaps at Santana. "Get the blade, we must separate her from the mother. She needs to cry!"

Santana immediately handed them over. "She? I thought—"

"She?" Rachel repeats surprised. "I was told—"

There was a sputter from the newborn and after a moment the sound of wailing fills the room, causing the glass to rattle and immediately Santana covers her ears, surprised that the head midwife doesn't seem drop the baby in shock. Judy had mentioned that she had helped deliver the twins, and she certainly looked old enough.

"There we go, that's right let it all out," the midwife cooed as the baby was gently cleaned, causing the child to slowly calm down, and take big gulping breaths. "She is certainly a member of the Fabray line. I imagine you will have some long nights."

Judy moved to take the baby after she had been swaddled, and looks pleased at the brown hair and the bright hazel green eyes as the baby stared back at her, "She's beautiful Rachel, look at what you did," Judy said as she moved to Rachel who immediately reached out to take the child. It had been many years, and many different failures at this.

"Lucas—"

"Will love her," Judy insists immediately. She turns to look at Santana, "You can tell Lucas that he can come in, but he must be washed before he holds her."

Santana nods, glad to be given her leave, once things were calm she'd take a look at the baby, but she needed to break it to Charlie gently that he was still third in line for the throne unless the rules of succession were changed. She takes her leave pushing open the door only enough so she can slip out and she spots Lucas pacing, while Charlie is merely sitting on the window looking absolutely bored. Russell was off talking to his retainers, "Lucas, your mother has insisted that you can take a look at the baby but you must let the midwives wipe you down first."

Lucas stopped nearly tripping as his eyes widened, "My son—is he healthy? Is he—" He starts moving stiffly towards her, the nervousness etched on his face. He certainly didn't look like the Lord of Winter, he looked like a scared man about to hold his child for the first time.

"Didn't you hear that scream?" Santana pressed, watching as a large grin slowly appeared on Lucas's lips. "She's fine. She's healthy."

It didn't seem that Lucas had heard that bit as he practically pushed Santana aside so he could finally enter the room.

"She?" Charlie repeats, slowly his eyes widening. "Are you certain it's a—girl?" He asks Santana standing up.

"Yes," Santana replies flatly. "I'm certain that the midwives can tell the difference between a male baby and a female baby." She pokes him hard in the side. "You have a niece, you should be thrilled for your brother."

"Lucas said they only planned to have the one. This is a disaster!" Charlie hisses pulling Santana with him.

"I think you're exaggerating," Santana rolls her eyes, of course that's what he cared about. She should have suspected, but his reaction was amusing given everything she'd just witnessed. "At least pretend to be thrilled, for their sake."

"Right. Of course," Charlie nodded. "Then we convince them to try again so that the baby—what are they going to name her? No matter, we need to convince them to have another so the baby won't be lonely."

Santana smirked and she thought she'd have to break it to him that there was no way in hell she was having children. "Of course," she said in her most agreeable tone. She'd let him get worked over it.

"There's no need for that," Judy said as she left the room overhearing her youngest's plan. She smiles when Russell immediately moves to her side. "The child will be joined soon enough by another one."

Charlie blinked and then recoiled, "Brittany and Mike?"

"What?" Russell said looking at his wife in horror. "I will not allow it! I told you that it was a—"

Judy held up her hand to silence them. "Of course not, Santana's pregnant."

Santana freezes up immediately, she could feel all eyes on her. "What? Surely—you're mistaken."

Charlie took a step back from Santana, his own eye twitched. "How?"

Santana turned to glare at him, "What do you mean how?"

Russell snorts, watching as Charlie stutters out some lame excuse. Perhaps Judy had been right and this would be amusing to watch in their old age.

"I just mean—"

"You just mean what?" Santana says getting angry.

"Why are you getting angry at me? You're the one that said we should wait for an appropriate amount of time?" Charlie insists feeling the heat radiate off Santana like a wave. It sounded like a whine but he'd done everything right. He'd pulled out every single time they'd been together.

"You're the one that was supposed to—" Santana takes a deep breath suddenly remembering that they were in public. "We'll discuss this later."

Charlie nods and looks at his parents. This was probablytheir fault.