For weeks, all she had heard from Judy and to some extent Rachel was that weddings were for the brides, and that Charlie's only job was to show up. "What do you mean he took off with his brother last night? The wedding is at midday."
"He should be back, your majesty, he took off on his fastest horse."
"And no one thought to stop him and remind him that he was getting married again?" Judy snapped at the servant.
"Lucas is with him," Rachel reminded Judy frowning herself. "I believe that they assumed that if anyone would drag Charlie out of whatever mess he had gotten himself into it would be Lucas. I knew they were planning something—"
"Are you certain Lucas wasn't the one that ran off and Charles is merely attempting to bring him back?" Brittany asked scratching her cheek. She was met with looks from every other woman present. "When his baby cries it shatters every window in the nearby vicinity, you two haven't slept a full night in days. I mean he wouldn't be the first—"
"Lucas loves Beth as much as I do, he would never just abandon me, with the baby," Rachel huffed. "They both probably got drunk and wandered off and are in a mad dash to get here on time.
Santana kept her face neutral, "I have full faith in him," Santana lies.
"Really?" Brittany asks crinkling her nose.
She was going to find a way to murder him, perhaps when they took off to his palace, there would be a very large cliff she could push him off of. "When he found out about the baby he was rather insistent about this wedding after the shock wore off. I imagine this is the surprise he's been attempting to arrange behind my back for the past few weeks. I don't think he understands the meaning of being subtle."
"A grand romantic gesture?" Brittany asks and this is met by chuckles from Rachel and Judy.
Santana shook her head, "I don't quite think he understands what that means. We did marry in front of his military and he couldn't be bothered to shave or cut his hair, he looked like a barbarian when I first met him, and even if he denies it. I think he was quite inebriated at the time he took me to his tent."
"One would think that he would have learned from watching Lucas's courtship with Rachel on how to talk and treat women," Judy muttered. "I apologize for my youngest son, I fear Russell was right and I spoiled him."
Santana frowned feeling defensive, he wasn't that bad. Sure he wasn't some grand romantic, and his idea of romance was having sex nearly everywhere. "He loves me, and I imagine that his gift will be as thoughtful as his last gift was to me."
"You didn't know how to ride a horse until recently," Brittany reminded her and grinned when Santana glared at her. She bows, and decides it's at that moment she's going to take her leave. "I've not seen Mike in a while, he would be here right?"
"Brittany—" Judy said as she moved to follow her. "You know how your uncle gets about your fascination with Mike."
Rachel flicked her eyes towards Santana who was looking at the dress that was on the mannequin. "I'm certain that Lucas will bring him back on time."
"I know what everyone thinks of him, but he is thoughtful at times." Most of the time he was as dense as a rock, but she had to have faith that she would think that this gift was worth it if he was late. Though if this gift wasn't as amazing and as thoughtful to keep Rachel from talking, then she was going to have words with him.
~O~
Santana glanced at the door as she finished getting ready, she had been asked to informed the moment that Charlie and Lucas arrived but there hadn't been a word. She was getting nervous. Every major noble in the kingdom was here, the orphans that Charlie had insisted upon were here, this could be her greatest embarrassment.
Charlie didn't care about the nobles, not truly, they would find ways to make money and continue being noble, as far as he was concerned. But she did, one couldn't rule without the support of the nobles. She was already aware of what nobles like Al Motta thought, they believed she was illegitimate. That she was just some woman from the sticks. "Anything?"
Judy followed her eyes to the door and frowned. "We'll handle it. People have come to expect such things from Charlie, I'm certain his father will give him a dressing down in front of the nobles—"
There's a heavy knock at the door and Judy stands as the door is opened, and Lucas steps through, he looks positively frazzled, his perfect look is frazzled and he looks just as haggard. "He's currently getting scrubbed down by a few servants, if you can hold the wedding off for a few more moments mother he would be eternally grateful."
Judy blinks and moves to Lucas, pausing and taking a step back. He smelled like horse, "Lucas, I know I didn't raise you in the barn, you cannot appear like this. Get yourself ready, you are to be beside Charles when he says his vows."
"He said I didn't have to go—" Lucas's eye twitched as he realized that there was no arguing with his mother. "I'm going to kill him."
"After the wedding dear, now go. You're the crown prince you can't be seen like this." Judy said firmly. Lucas bows and turns around heading out.
"What exactly did he get me?"
Lucas stopped and looked at Santana, raising a brow for a moment. He seemed to be having an internal debate before he smirked. "Well it's—"
"Lucas Quinn Fabray."
Lucas flicked his eyes toward his mother and bowed once more before leaving the room.
Santana turned to look at Judy and narrowed her eyes, at the suspicious smile on her face. "You know why he's nearly late."
"Of course, I do, he's my son. You learn to have a third-eye about these things," Judy said with a smile. "He was quite worried that they wouldn't get here in time for the ceremony, I imagine that's why he pushed Lucas and himself to the limit to make sure that your parents made the last leg of the journey."
"My—my parents are here?" Santana whispered, she took it back. "And this was his idea?"
"It was, I imagine I was boring him with the seating arrangement, and I believe he realized that there was no one here for you. He insisted on doing this for you, rather last minute if I must say so." Judy huffed. "It was difficult to keep you in the dark. My son didn't like hiding it from you, though that's probably because he doesn't quite understand the meaning of subtle." Judy gently grabs Santana by the arm. "From what I understand your father will be heading back soon after the wedding but your mother will be staying for the birth."
Santana blinked back the tears, the last surprise before this she'd been sold into this marriage, but he was working on in it. He really did care about her. She was still going to smother him with a pillow later.
"No tears Santana, it's supposed to be a happy day."
Santana nods, "Of course," it would be a tiny fluffy pillow.
~O~
Charlie fidgeted, he knew he was a few moments late, and he didn't quite have time to dry off, so he was still dripping, but he hoped he could pass it off as sweat. Wearing his full army regalia in the great hall was a sweaty affair, but he just needed to cool down and smile and hope that Santana wasn't going to murder him for being late.
"I'm going to murder you," Lucas muttered as he took his spot beside his brother.
"You're the one that announced yourself to mother, she wouldn't have even noticed if you weren't there," Charlie muttered back. He forces a smile onto his features when his father turns to look at them. "Shut up Lucas you'll get us in trouble."
"Good," Lucas hisses back. He hadn't slept, they'd been forced to ride all night and well into the morning. He was promised a nap, a proper nap away from his screaming offspring. Charlie had lied. His brother was a liar and he was going to make him disappear after the wedding.
The doors to the great hall open and Charlie turns with the rest of the audience as Santana appears and a huge grin appears on his face as he straightens up. He's certain that some music is being played but she looks magnificent in the white dress, even if she looks annoyed with him. He'd probably have to sleep with one eye open. It doesn't take her long to close the gap and he takes a step towards her only to have her grip him by the front of his tunic and pull him in for a kiss. "Your parents—" he mumbles afterwards his cheeks turning pink.
"Thank you," Santana mumbles against his lips.
