If there was one thing she had hated and loved about being pregnant was how amazing the sex was, and there had been plenty of sex. It was the kind of sex that left her feeling all tingly and left her pleasantly sore for a few hours. But this dry spell plus her near constant worry that her children would be without a father, had made her irritable, and she was certain even her darling Isabel was avoiding her.
Sleeping in Charlie's room hadn't made her feel better it had just made him miss him more, and with Lucas being angry nearly all the time the tension in the palace was high. Rachel had even seemingly turned against her, like it was her fault that Lucas was the one that was missing. Russell and Judy were fighting all while Charlie was out at war for his family who she wasn't sure was grateful.
She sighs and turns over, restlessly yet again trying desperately to fall asleep when she hears a thud and a low groan come from the window, and she immediately turns, a fireball appearing in her hand. She's met with an amused smile from her husband as he gets up and rubs his lower back. "Have you ever heard of using doors?" She hisses at him.
"They'd announce to the entire palace that I'm back and then that will mean I can't see you or Isabel while everyone kisses my ass and tells me how wonderful I am," Charlie said as he began to strip out of his armour. "I rode ahead of the army, Tina isn't pleased."
"I'm not pleased! I thought you had been captured and tortured!" Santana snaps throwing a pillow at him, she scowls when he sidesteps it and then throws a fireball at him. This one hits him square in the chest and he rubs it and gives her a look. "I was worried you had gone and died and left me with two children to raise on my own. Why didn't you send word?"
"I was fighting nearly every day, when I slept I needed to have a contingent of my most trusted soldiers, around me at all times. I was being careful, which is partly why Lucas got captured in the first place. You think I didn't spend every day thinking about you, wondering about Isabel and our future child? I wanted to be there and truthfully it's a lot easier to hold Lucas than it is to hold me."
"They did things to him—it could have been you." Santana protests.
"But it wasn't." Charlie moved towards his wife slowly and slowly moved towards her. "It wasn't me, it was Lucas. I'm still here and quite frankly if my father demands that I go clean up this mess, I'm telling him to fuck off. I'm tired, and I want to be here with you and Isabel and the son that will be named after—"
"No."
"What do you mean no?" Charlie huffed at this and reached for Santana's growing belly, and immediately gets his hand swatted. "Santana!"
"It could have been you."
"But it wasn't."
"For now, you think Lucas's capture isn't some lightning rod? You think others won't try, they won't—" Santana shook her head. "No."
Charlie crossed his legs on the bed and looked at his wife. "No?" He repeats.
"No. Our children will not be warriors. They won't do this and if you don't love them equally—"
"Santana," Charlie said gently leaning forward so his head was against hers. "I'm fine. I'm here and I do this so our children won't have to. I will continue to do this so our children don't have to but if I'm going to do this then you have to make the world a place where I don't have to."
"I thought it was you and I didn't know what to tell Isabel, she asks about you and she asks me to tell her stories."
Charlie smiles, "And you tell her about how amazing I am?"
"Of course not, she needs to have a realistic view of the world Charlie, this way she won't be disappointed," Santana rolled her eyes and gently shoved him away. He was such a child at times and it was cute to see his nose wrinkle and watch him pout. "She likes hearing about how we met. I think she likes the part where I stab you."
"Santana."
"She knows to stick them with the pointy end." Santana smiles, "I don't want her going to war, that doesn't mean she shouldn't learn how to defend herself. Her abilities are unstable now but the good news is she doesn't use them often, I don't think she realizes what she can do yet."
"Can we go see her?" Charlie asked.
"She'll be unbearable tomorrow, she gets super grumpy if her sleep is interrupted," Santana said reaching for Charlie's hand. He smiles at her, and she sighs. "I was worried about you." She looks him over; new scars were on his body and she reaches to touch them gently. "I'm mad because you've left me here alone, and I think that Rachel wishes that it was you."
"My father will have what he wanted, and I'm staying here for the next few years, let Lucas try and regain his honor by battling the world." Charlie promised. "I'm tired of fighting, it just happens to be one of the few things I'm good at."
Santana frowned, Russell would never let Charlie rest not while Lucas was still struggling, but she smiles. "So, you put down the rebellion?"
Charlie used the moment to pull his wife towards him, "As far as we know, I imagine the next few months will be tense however, and if we're going to make some changes to show the populace that we're listening and making the changes that they want then now is the best time. Our entire economy can not be a war based one."
Santana smiled, "Look at you. Paying attention to the kingdom's needs."
"I listened like you suggested. I did as you asked me to do and talked to a few of the rebels that we captured, and I talked to them and offered them food. I talked about how I had a family and I wanted this to end. They told me what they're demands. They want some changes and I know you're right. I want my children—our children to never have to fight in a war, but I need Isabel and our future child to be warriors."
"And will you treat them as your father treats you?"
"Of course not, we'll start with hunting, and weapons training, and we'll work our way up." Charlie sighed closing his eyes. "We both need to work hard to make sure that our children are ready to take on this world."
Santana moved closer to him, the sex could wait until she was sure that this was real. "We do, but you need to live long enough to see them come into their own."
