Santana turned to look at her mate who was attempting to keep up with her, but while she knew exactly where to go her mate was nowhere as graceful as she was, and it had led to rather amusing crashes and burns as branches snapped under her weight and sent her crashing to the ground on more than one occasion. If her mate was anyone else she would be horrified and worried about them, but Charlie seemed fine, which made it even more amusing.

"Santana!" Charlie called out from the bundle of branches that had helped slow down her fall. She looks up at where Santana is currently staring at her from a much higher branch, and she can swear she can see Santana smirk at her before taking off again. Penny had said to take it easy but she had a feeling if she just left things as they were she and Santana would never come to an understanding. And she would have lost out and yet another woman. "If I did something wrong, you really do need to tell me instead of hoping that I figure it out on my own. I won't. I'm really bad at figuring things out."

Santana raised a brow, that sounded like a very accurate statement, but instead of going to her mate she hops onto the windowsill to her room, and transforms back into her human form and sits there, and smiles down at her mate, "You told my parents my business."

Charlie blinked at that answer, "Was that the wrong thing to do? My parents know everything, even things that I think I'm hiding pretty well from them."

Santana rolled her eyes, it was humiliating. Her parents probably had no idea what was going on, and matebonds were usually done away from prying eyes for reasons. But her mate had given her parents the heads up before she had, she could already feel the headache coming on. If Sansa was judgemental then her parents would be infinitely worse. Charlie had judgmental parents. How could she make that mistake? "Do you at least try and keep things private from your parents? They certainly didn't know you just went to the Draconic Kingdom where you nearly died!"

"The Crystal Scorpions weren't going to kill me, though I do think that my aunt was a dragon who tried to murder me, before realizing she might get int trouble for that with my grandmother and mother. I left a note."

"With who?"

"I went to my office and left a note on my desk, Sebastian should have informed my parents. I'm the heir, I can't just go off without letting someone know where I am. Though I vaguely remember him complaining about a vacation. But I'm pretty sure I didn't give him any authorization for that." Charlie shrugged, Sebastian didn't take vacations.

"Are you going to give your parents detailed notes about our sex life as well?"

Charlie flushed and immediately looked around but there was no one nearby, "Of course not! Why would you think that?"

"I don't know what humans—or part dragons do!"

"I didn't even know I was part dragon until earlier! I don't really believe it—"

"You had a crystal scorpion stinger in your body for a few days! It would have killed anyone else." Santana leaned back, "I just don't understand why?"

"Why?"

"I don't understand why you gave me a crystal scorpion," Santana frowns.

"I heard that you like shiny things, and I also heard that in your culture, presenting your mate with the most impressive kill was something that was done. I don't think I could take down a dragon for you, but I did the next best thing."

"Who told you I like shiny things?"

"Kara—which now that I think about it was a stupid idea. Kara's got rock for brains. I should never trust her, but she married Lena and I assumed she knew how to curt women. Lena's far too good for her."

Santana inhaled and flashed Charlie a smile, she was going to claw Kara's eyes out. Her ears flick towards the sound coming from her room and she spots Sansa and Drogo entering it, "I have to go." She pauses for a moment, Charlie seemed content on trying to follow her which had been amusing for her, but she really should get some rest. "Go back to bed, when I want to see you again I'll find my way back to your room."

"With clothes?"

"I'll think about it," Santana responded before heading into her building and leaving her mate outside her window.

Charlie blinked and puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. She didn't know what that meant, or if Santana still wanted to mate, or if she even wanted to get married. Well now that she was up she needed to have a conversation with both her grandparents. That would be the first order of business and then she was going to inform her mother that she had chosen, even if Santana made her feel dizzy all the time and smacked her with her paw, and thought that all of her worldly possessions belonged to her, she still wanted to marry her. She wasn't quite sure why, it wasn't as if Santana was the only person who wanted to marry her, but she wanted Santana for whatever reason.

~ O ~

"Even though I find the situation between your parents and you to be quite amusing, Cassius isn't going to simply let us get away with it. Arrogant, brash and egotistical, but most importantly he's dangerous, and your existence which is a crime under the laws of the Holy Empire will be seen as Casus Belli. It's a weak reason, but it is a reason. I've summoned the generals, we must begin preparations for war. At least we can afford a war."

Judy scowled at her husband, she couldn't possibly find amusement in the secret of her birth getting out, "The Holy Empire has always been a problem, and while we have attempted to keep up appearances, we've already begun to cut economic and military ties with them at least. Our Kingdom no longer needs the Holy Empire to prop itself up, we shouldn't be subservient to Cassius even if he demands it. We have the weaponry. We have the skies, and we have allies. The Elves, the dwarves, the draconic kingdom in theory."

Russell pinched the bridge of his nose, "Charlie will marry the beastkin girl, we need to cement that alliance. The Beastkin loathe the empire, and having a puppet government installed is not in their best interest, we shall reconvene the summit in the morning and iron out the details to the wedding, and wait for an official response from the Holy Empire. The Elves also won't want the Holy Empire to gain a foothold on this side of the mountains. If we show enough teeth now, Cassius might rethink going to war."

"A war with the Holy Empire is far better than the alternative Russell. Charlie's original assessment of the situation was correct, either we have a war and win or Cassius attempts to destabilize our country. A death by a thousand papercuts, there is very little defense against that. If we announce Charlie's marriage, then he will call for war. He has always been a small man with an outsized ego, the very thought of the two of them together will disgust him even if Charlie is more human than dragon."

"For now. Your mother always did say that—"

There's a firm knock on the door, and Russell's chamberlain opens the door and immediately bows, "Thank goodness you're both here, there is an issue in the baths that needs your immediate attention."

Russell narrowed his eyes, "Then call the head maid, or the butler or perhaps take one of the castle guards—"

"Your youngest is confronting her grandmother."

Russell blinks and turns to Judy and smiles, "They are your parents." He lets out a chuckle as Judy shoots him a dark unamused look.