"You know it's perfectly alright for you to spend the afternoon with your father, Isabel does it all the time. She even takes the mornings despite my protests." Santana said to Alexander who was sitting by the window pretending to read as he watched Charlie and Isabel sparring.
Alexander looked up at his mother and flushed, slinking into his seat. "My tutors have given me quite a bit of homework—" he says quickly watching as Santana raised a brow at him. "I'm not like him or like Uncle Lucas."
Santana took a quick look out the window, Isabel was gasping for air, her hair matted from the sweat of her exertions. Her husband had a pleased smile on his face as he wiped a trail of blood from his cheek. Yet another scar. "Painfully unaware of the damage that you're causing?"
Alexander laughed and shook his head, "Strong. And I get scared easily not like Isabel."
"So, from what your grandmother has told me exactly your father," Santana said as there is a loud bang and a yell of frustration as Isabel hits the ground. "Also, you should stop listening to your sister, even after all these years she still views you as an interloper."
"I don't want to be King," Alexander says immediately, his eyes wide.
"Exactly like your father," Santana said with a roll of her eyes. "Isabel is more like me in some regards, she's driven and ambitious, which is why your father enjoys teaching her everything he knows, when it comes to swordplay. You on the other hand are very much like your father, and I'm not sure he knows what to do with that. That doesn't mean he doesn't love you Alexander. He would like for you to join them."
"I don't want to fight," Alexander said with a frown.
"But it's a skill that you need to learn how to do. I know that you think that our Empire is a jewel and that there is peace, but we have enemies and you must learn to defend yourself. The nobles wouldn't dare rise up against your father. The last rebellion ended very poorly for them, but some are just biding their time until your father and I are no longer around to protect you."
Alexander frowned, "Isabel's strong, dad says it all the time. She's stronger and better than he was at her age, she'll be Queen."
"Your sister only cares about fighting and proving herself on the battlefield, you must be able to support her. Because if your father decides she's his heir, she'll need your support. And perhaps a bit of competition will get her to crack open the books and learn to govern. The last thing you want is your father to choose you as his heir isn't it? So, force Isabel to be better as your way to help her be the Queen you want her to be."
Alexander hesitated for a moment and watched as his father threw Isabel across the courtyard, he winced it looked painful, but Isabel slowly stood up and glared at their father angrily as she rushed him again. "Okay. So, Isabel can be Queen."
"I'll come with you, if only to remind your father that he promised not to destroy anything else this week," Santana said taking his hand, at ten he was still young enough to be babied by her, despite Isabel's annoyance at the fact. She walks with him through the palace and enters the courtyard wincing as Charlie twisted around Isabel using her momentum against her as Isabel hit the ground.
"Alexander! Have you come to join us?" Charlie said noticing them and smiling brightly. He dodges a blow from his daughter with her practice sword. He finally decides to end this practice session and quickly disarms his daughter and taps her hard on the forehead, knocking her on her ass. "You're frustrated and I get it, but winning a fight isn't just about who is the strongest, you should know that from the military lectures you're getting. It's about being smart, there will always be people who are smarter and faster than you. You need to be smarter." Charlie said coolly.
Santana cleared her throat and nodded towards Isabel who had frustrated tears in her eyes. She had realized that Charlie's sternness with her was similar to how his father had treated him, and there were times where he forgot to simply be her father.
Charlie blinked and knelt down beside her patting her on the head. "You've got one part of the equation already figured out, you don't give up. And you managed to get me, you're already far better than I was at your age and I promise by the time you're sixteen you'll be the best in the lands. You might even be able to beat me."
Isabel huffed at this and swatted his hand away, "I will be able to beat you."
"That's the spirit, now go get some water—"
"And you'll head back to your books," Santana said with a frown. "Your tutors have told me that you haven't completed any of your assignments, we agreed that you could spar with your father if you kept up with your studies. Governing is important."
"Your mother is right, you think our country would be so prosperous if your mother was good at governing?" Charlie asked as he picked up the practice sword and held it out for Alexander. "Don't worry Alexander I'm not going to hurt you, we'll start with the basics, which you will need to practice."
"You have no problem throwing me all over the courtyard," Isabel protests.
"I have faith you'll be fine, and you were ready for that. Alexander isn't," Charlie said as he uses his foot to adjust Alexander's feet and changes his grip slightly. "How does that feel?"
Alexander shrugged. "Good I guess?"
"Well you don't have to learn the sword, I personally prefer the glaive, but we can check through other weapons so we find one that suits you and suits your particular style. Now stand tall you are my son and we'll go through a few exercises. Don't be discouraged, I mean do you know how many times Isabel forgot her positioning and ran into the wall?"
"Dad!" Isabel barked.
Alexander laughed and immediately ducked behind his father when Isabel glared at him.
Santana chuckled she remembered the first time, Isabel had stormed into the palace with scratch marks all over her face. She puts her arms around Isabel, "I plan on helping you with your work, I have a meeting with the merchant's guild, trade has been going well and I was thinking of asking for an increase in taxes so I can invest it back into the trade routes."
"That sounds boring," Isabel gripes.
"Well, one of them is stealing coin," Santana informed her.
Isabel perked up at that, "Really?"
"Yes, see if you can spot him, it's an important skill to learn, and you're only going to learn it through practice, and reading the evidence." Santana said smiling she had convinced Isabel to pay some attention to what she did. She's about to take her daughter inside when she feels Charlie tug on her arm. She turns to look at him and blinks in surprise when he sneaks a deep kiss. She smiles into the kiss and gently pushes him back. "You need to teach Alexander."
"I know, but I do like watching you lay out judgements," he said wiggling his eyebrows at her.
Isabel looked at her parents for a moment, watching as her mother laughed easily and kissed his cheek. She crinkles her nose slightly, it just felt wrong. "Gross."
"Yeah," Alexander nods.
Santana ignores her children, "Well you're needed for a meeting with the council this evening."
Charlie made a face and sighed and nodded wrapping his arms around Santana and twisting their bodies out of the way as Isabel chose that moment to attack. He dances away from his wife and quickly smacks Isabel upside the head. "If you're going to choose to launch a sneak attack, do it in a less obvious way."
Isabel rubs the back of her head, "Ow!"
Santana laughs and gently swats Charlie, "That's how you do it Isabel. Now come on, you need to get clean. You can't meet the merchant's guild like this. Alexander if your father's mean just let me know alright," she says running a hand through his hair.
Alexander nods and hugs her before running to his father.
Santana looks at Isabel as they walk inside, "One day, you'll find someone who you love just as much as I love your father, and he'll be your support and your rock. Someone you can depend on. I suggest you find someone who falls in love with you after you stab them."
"Dad's super weird."
"I know," Santana says with an easy laugh as she turned to watch Charlie once again adjusted Alexander's stance.
