AN: Sorry this one took a little longer, last minute vacation got in the way. One, perhaps two more chapters to go then I'm thinking of wrapping this story up. There may be a part II but that would have to be after my finals (: Thanks to everyone who reads, especially those who review.
The next morning Santana awoke before dawn, her head considerably clearer from a good night's sleep with Brittany curled safely into her side. Though she still had many regrets about the past, and blamed herself for what happened, and suspected that to some extent she always would – she had decided to put it behind her for the moment, as today after all was going to be her wedding day.
She had burst into her parent's bed chamber, waking them with the triumphant announcement that today she was to be married, before she briefly explained the situation to them, then ran off again to hold an emergency parliamentary meeting.
By 10am she had passed the law that people of her Kingdom were free to marry whoever they chose, regardless of class or gender, commissioned her royal tailor to make her and Brittany two beautiful white dresses by the afternoon, set the servants to work spreading the word and organizing the wedding, and been to visit Snow, who was tired from the previous day but happy to see her all the same. When making the somewhat rushed wedding arrangements, the Queen had been very specific in her request that nobody of Tubbington Manor was to know of the arrangements for the day.
As she climbed the stairs back to her personal chambers to wake her sleeping beauty, Queen Santana Maria Lopez had a plan, and her heart was light with joy as she hummed to herself, reveling in the fact that the most important part of her plan was to make Brittany Susan Pierce, former serving girl to the despicable Marquis of Tubbington Manor, her bride.
Entering her room, Santana smiled at the sight before her. She twirled the single long-stemmed rose she had plucked from the palace gardens between her fingers, as she crept over to her bed, and settled herself beside her fiancée. De-thorning the flower had given her a few nicked fingers, but she knew it would be more than worth it.
Hiding the rose behind her back, she used brushed the hair from Brittany's eyes, marvelling at the way it looked like woven gold in the sunlight that streamed into the room. Gently, she kissed the other girl awake, whispering sweet nothings in her ear, until her eyes fluttered open and assaulted Santana with azure blue.
"It wasn't a dream" Brittany stated, her voice still scratchy with sleep, "I really am here, with you…" she breathed out, barely daring to believe her own eyes, until Santana laughed light-heartedly, and leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips, "It wasn't a dream" she confirmed.
Brittany smiled and reached up to tuck a stray lock of raven hair behind the Queen's ear, before letting her hand linger on a caramel cheek, tracing the faintest glow of pink there, momentarily fascinated.
"This is for you" Santana spoke softly, breaking the silence as she reached behind her, and handed Brittany the rose.
The blonde's face lit up into a dazzling smile, and her blue eyes grew wide as she beheld the gift, "It's beauti…" she paused mid-sentence, as her eyes fell on something they did not expect.
Slid onto the stem of the rose, standing stark against it's leathery green trunk, was a beautiful golden ring. Brittany gasped. The band was slender gold, and at it's centre sat a beautiful precious stone, which shone like a star and was as blue as the ocean.
"It's what they call a blue diamond" Santana explained to her, following her gaze, "The Monks brought it back from Europe, I thought it would match your eyes" she blushed, suddenly embarrassed and unsure of her choice, hoping Brittany did not think it too much.
"Santana, it's…it's perfect" Brittany breathed out, her voice full of awe, easily assuaging the Queen's fears, "But what is it for…you didn't have to do this?"
"Of course I did, I asked you to marry me, and this is your engagement ring" the Latina explained proudly, as she slid the trinket from the flower, and onto the ring finger of Brittany's left hand, beholding it there with wonder.
Brittany looked at her hand, the ring making it look suddenly so grown up, and a little alien, yet somehow it looked as if it should have been there all along. Snapping back to reality, Brittany raised a question that was suddenly plaguing her mind. "How are we to be married?" she asked, "The Kingdom looks upon such a union as an abomination, it is against the law…"
"And who writes the law?" Santana asked her gently, silencing her with a finger to her lips.
Understanding dawned on Brittany, and for the first time, she let herself believe that she was actually to be married to Santana…they were really engaged. "You changed the laws?" She cried out in disbelief, before throwing herself at the Queen, any regard for her injuries gone, the pain she felt unable to come close to even scratching the surface of her joy. Santana caught her with ease, and held her close, her face buried in blonde hair as the breathed in the moment.
"When I promised I'd do whatever it took for us to be together I meant it" Santana promised, pulling back to look her blonde in the eyes, she took a few seconds to drink Brittany in, to memorise every single detail and make a memory of then – the happiest moment of her life so far. "You are my fiancée" she stated proudly, "Soon to be my wife."
Brittany beamed so hard that her jaw hurt, but she did not care.
"Come" Santana told her, intertwining their fingers and staring deep into big blue eyes, "We have a wedding to prepare for!"
The day had felt like a dream to Brittany thus far. Like something that her Father had read to her long ago out of one of her many fairy tale books, but now suddenly she was living the story and she was the princess, or rather, soon to be Queen. The blonde had been sad that Emma, Molly and Mr Figgins couldn't be there to see her be married, but after Santana explained her plan, she understood.
A strange and unexpected pain arose in the blonde as one of the servants was twisting up her hair and weaving it with strands of silk, it occurred to Brittany that there was someone else who would also be missing from her wedding day, just like he had been missing from her life for the past ten years. She thought of her Father, shocked and hurt by how difficult it had become to remember what he looked like, or the way his voice sounded, even his smell. After his death, her life had moved along, time dimming her most precious memories. Now she was preparing to be married, to a woman, and to the Queen of the Kingdom no less, she wondered what Harold Pierce would think if he could be there, she supposed he'd be overjoyed, as he'd always told her all he ever wanted was her happiness, and happy couldn't even come close to describing how she felt about spending the rest of her life with Santana.
The absence of her Father also created a more practical problem. From what little she knew about weddings – she had read about them in numerous books though she had never been permitted to attend one, the bride was supposed to be walked down the aisle by her father. Trying to hold still while the servant smoothed and twisted her blonde locks into perfection, Brittany pondered the etiquette of a wedding with two brides, for she had no knowledge of such a thing as it was previously unheard of.
She could only assume that Santana would be walked down the aisle by her father…Perhaps she would just wait at the altar…She started a little as a new problem occurred to her… suppose Santana wanted her to wear a gentleman's suit? Perhaps she'd see it unfitting for both of them to wear a dress? Brittany was strongly inclined not to dress up as anyone but herself, after the recent debacle, but reminding herself that she was about to become Santana's…Amazing, beautiful, breath taking Santana's, wife, she decided she would do whatever the other woman wanted, so long as they got to be together nothing else mattered anyway.
When her hair was complete and she was lead into a dressing room, where a beautiful white dress was laid out waiting for her, Brittany breathed a silent sigh of relief. As the servants helped her put on the garment, Brittany gazed absently out of the window and across the palace courtyard, wondering where Santana was, and how she was feeling. After breakfast the Latina had kissed her goodbye, explaining that it was improper for them to see each other again before they were to be wed. Her thoughts slipped back to the wedding and Brittany began to worry again, about her lack of Father, as she was laced into her dress (Santana had had the tailor cut off the back low, so as to avoid her injuries, and for that Brittany was eternally grateful).
A knock at the door broke her from her thoughts, and Santana's guard, who she had come to know as Puck, entered the room, a hand shielding his eyes, "Are you decent M'Lady?" he called out, hovering halfway in and out of the room.
"I am" Brittany replied, a smile breaking her features. Santana had talked in length about Puck, and now she had met him, she was beginning to like the man already. He was a loyal and supportive friend to Santana, and Brittany found him to be rather amusing too.
"Good" Puck replied, removing his hand and giving a low whistle followed by a half playful bow, "You look radiant."
"Thank you" Brittany replied happily blushing a little at the complement, realising there appeared to be no mirror in the room, and she was yet to actually see herself in her dress, but she supposed that if Puck liked it that was a good start.
"I have a gift for you" Puck said, stepping into the room to clear the doorway, to be followed in by another figure.
Brittany's hands flew to her face, and she felt tears of happiness spring into her eyes as she saw Mike Chang. Her best friend was dressed in the suit of a gentleman, his usually unruly hair smoothed and his shoes polished. "I cannot believe you are here!" Brittany cried out, running to embrace her friend, who held her gently, sadly all too aware of her injuries, after his thorough briefing from Santana that he must be careful with her.
"I believe you need someone to walk you down the aisle?" he asked, tugging at his collar playfully.
"I would be honoured if you'd do so" Brittany told him sincerely, and he nodded in reply.
"Would you like to see yourself Miss?" one of the servants asked.
"Yes please, that would be lovely" Brittany replied politely, giving Mike an excited glance, and waving to Puck as he slipped out of the room, mumbling something about needing to make sure things were running smoothly.
The servants wheeled forward from a corner, what Brittany presumed to be, a large mirror covered by a drape. When the blonde was positioned in front of it, the head server gave her one last smile, and then pulled the drape away, letting it fall to the ground.
Brittany stared into the mirror and gasped. Staring back at her, a surprised and amazed expression on her face, was a tall lithe looking blonde. Her hair was elegantly twisted atop her head, woven with fine silk strands, in a design so intricate Brittany almost lost herself marvelling at it. The girl had a deep bruise down one side of her face, and her arms and chest were marked too, but despite that, Brittany had to admit she was beautiful.
The dress she wore was all white, made of shiny and soft materials Brittany had never seen before. It clung gently to the curve of her hips, and flowed out around her legs, small shiny stones across the neckline, made her feel like a princess. Brittany watched as one of the servants reached up and pinned a veil into the girl in the mirror's hair, completing her attire, and making her look truly like a bride.
A single tear rolled down Brittany's cheek, a tear of happiness, and disbelief, as she finally let herself believe that the girl in the mirror was her.
"You look like a girl" Mike told her, from his position at her shoulder, where he smiled at her softly.
"I am a girl" Brittany informed him, before the pair broke into laughter at the memory of the day they shared ten long years ago.
Santana paced anxiously around her chambers, muttering to herself in Spanish. All of the wedding arrangements had been made, the grand hall was set, the guests invited and her family informed, and no one had openly protested, yet. The Queen continued her pacing, running over the plans again and again in her head, determined to make sure that everything was perfect for Brittany's and her own big day. After everything the sweet blonde had been through, Santana had wanted to pull out all the stops and give her a wedding fit for a Queen, and one that she would never forget. Though Brittany had insisted they were both to blame for the events that had transpired, Santana also secretly hoped it would go some way to making up for her earlier lapse of faith in her fiancée.
Pausing at the window, ignoring the bustle of servants behind her as they hurried to make everything ready, she thought of Brittany. In her minds eye she saw the lash marks, and the bruises, she saw the image of a fragile and broken girl, lying on her bed, looking so small and so innocent. Then the imaged changed to Brittany as Santana had met her, in the Market, bartering for 'her servant's' freedom. With a fond smile the princess also remembered the brazen blonde serving girl, soon to become her wife, who had pelted her with apples as she had tried to borrow the horse she now knew to be Coal, property of Lord Harold James Pierce, Brittany's late father.
Her thoughts were interrupted when her chamber door creaked open, and Puck stepped inside, not bothering to call out to protect her modesty, in their years growing up together most boundaries between them had been broken, they were simply family, like brother and sister, and the mohawked man had seen the Queen in far worse states than one of undress.
"You haven't made a run for it then" he joked, meeting the Latina's eyes as he strode towards her.
"And lose my chance to marry the most beautiful girl in the Kingdom, in fact the world?" Santana boasted lightly, her chest swelling with pride, "I should think not."
"I would say I beg to differ, but I wish not to lose my head, before it see's you, Santana Lopez, the woman most un-obliged to marry I have ever met in my life, walk down the aisle" Puck came back.
"Yes, Puckerman, we all know there is someone else you think to be more beautiful than my Brittany, though I know it to be untrue, your head will be spared and I'll say each to his own, though Lauren holds not a candle to my fiancée" Santana declared proudly, causing Puck to laugh at his so uncharacteristically love-struck friend.
When the laughter subsided, Santana's expression grew more serious again, "How is she?" she questioned.
"Well" Puck informed her, "She was overjoyed to see Master Chang, I truly think you made her day complete with that idea."
Santana smiled briefly at this before the mask of concern was back, "And how is she physically, is she resting? If the events of the day are too exhausting…"
She was cut off as Puck jumped in to silence her, "She is well!" he exclaimed, adding, "Your majesty" when he received a few shocked glances from the other servants in the room for the tone with which he had addressed their Mistress. He winked at the queen and rolled his eyes at the necessity for formality, and Santana just chuckled to herself, her concerns somewhat alleviated.
"Come" Puck told her, offering his arm, which she punched lightly and affectionately then took, "Your Father awaits, as does the beautiful Miss Brittany Pierce, soon to be Miss Brittany Lopez."
"Lopez-Pierce" Santana corrected as they headed out of the door. "This is not about Brittany giving up her life and coming into mine, it is about us bringing our lives together, and so it shall be Lopez-Pierce, for us both."
"You have gone soft since that blonde angel fell from the heavens and into your lap" Puck teased, and their pair laughed their way down the stairs and towards the great hall.
Santana stood nervously at the doors to the great hall, her hand tucked into the crook of her Father's arm.
"Breathe child, or I shall have to carry you down" Raymond Lopez, former King, joked with his only daughter.
Santana released a breath she had not realised she was holding, she could barely believe that this was it…that she Santana Lopez was about to be married, to a woman no less, and she was to do so as the Queen of the Kingdom.
"Thank you Papi" she spoke quietly, turning to meet her father's eyes, as an uncharacteristic display of emotion passed between the two.
"I am so proud of you Santana" the older man told her, smiling back at her, "I always worried for you, for what would become of you, and I know I pushed you hard, and perhaps I made demands on you that were too heavy or unfair. The day you asked to take the crown I could barely believe it, but now, it all makes sense." He paused, taking a shaky breath as he found the words to express what he felt. "I have seen a change in you, you're no longer the little girl running scared from her responsibilities, but a woman, ready to accept them, and the catalyst for that change was Brittany" he smiled sadly, taking in his daughter in her white wedding dress. "I never imagined I'd give you away to a woman, but I can truly say there's no one I would rather offer your hand to, my daughter. You have proven yourself to have the makings of an excellent Queen, and along the way, you have taught all of us a lesson about life, and love, and fighting for what you believe in. You have changed the kingdom so much for the better already, as you have seen what I could not, and acted daringly with courage, where I simply let the old laws rest" he paused, blinking hard against the tears he was trying to pretend were not threatening to overwhelm him, "I'm just so proud of you" he finished up.
Santana reached up to wipe her own cheeks, which were wet with tears. Acceptance was the best wedding gift she could have hoped for from her Father, affirmation that she had done the right thing, and that she had finally achieved something to make him proud was the highest praise she could ever receive.
"Come" Raymond spoke again, his fingers brushing Santana's wet cheek lightly, before he carefully folded the veil down over her face, "It is time you were married." With that he gave a curt nod to one of the servants, and seconds later the music began, drifting out from the great hall to greet Santana, and make her stomach flip crazily with nerves, before the doors were flung wide open, and she was being gently guided down the aisle by her Father, her Mother looking on with wet proud eyes.
As Brittany waited behind the heavy oak doors, that had once again been closed, she buzzed with excitement and nerves, so much so that she was literally bouncing on the spot, as she clung to Mike's arm for dear life. The music flowed out from the great hall, the soft sounds of a string ensemble playing the most beautiful tune Brittany had ever heard in her life, and the blonde couldn't stop thinking to herself of how she was about to become Santana's wife.
"Relax" Mike advised her, "I may need that arm, especially now I'm to dance with Sir Schuester's performers" he added proudly, to which Brittany beamed in response and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek, resuming her bouncing and refusing to loosen her hold on his arm.
As the music changed to the wedding march, and the big doors were about to be flung open in front of her, Brittany realised that she had absolutely no idea what to expect. She did not know if Santana would be waiting for her, or if she was yet to come, she also had no idea how her fiancée would be dressed, nor who would be present at their wedding. Pushing all that uncertainty aside, the blonde took one final deep breath as the doors were fully opened before her, then she let Mike lead her forwards, stepping into the grand hall.
The blonde's breath caught in her throat as she stepped over the threshold and surveyed her surroundings. The grand hall was decked out in red and gold (the Royal colours) along with white. Crepe paper chains hung from every pillar, cross crossing over head in carefully woven patterns that seemed to last forever. Scores of white covered benches had been moved into the room to act as seating, and in almost every corner or free space there were beautiful flower displays.
The hall was packed with people, split into two congregations on either side of the aisle, some she recognised as faces from the Market, others she had never seen before. As she entered the room, every pair of eyes turned to stare at her, and her chest suddenly felt heavier under their scrutiny, as if she was being judged for her suitableness, or perhaps damned for tainting their Queen. All such feelings however immediately left her, as she saw the woman who was waiting for her at the foot of the aisle.
Santana was looking back towards her, her eyes full of tears, a single droplet rolling down her cheek, as she smiled the biggest and most beautiful smile Brittany had ever seen from her. Their eyes found each other, and seeing the way the Queen looked at her with such love, so many promises, and such unbridled happiness, she found a smile forming on her own face, and she continued her journey down the aisle, Mike by her side, she no longer felt as if people were judging her – she felt as if they were looking at her, wearing her beautiful dress, and being happy for her, as she walked towards the love of her life.
When they were only a few strides apart Santana broke eye contact with Brittany, and looked pointedly towards the front bench of the congregation, a little perplexed Brittany followed her gaze, and gasped, a light pressure on her arm from Mike reminding her to continue on and not be distracted, as there, sitting on a rather disgruntled looking Puck's knee, was Lord Tubbington, seemingly unphased by the happenings around him.
"You look so beautiful" Santana whispered, wiping her eyes as Mike placed Brittany's hand into hers. Brittany blushed, the same pretty pink that Santana loved, and looked down at their intertwined hands, a perfect blend of caramel and cream.
The service seemed to fly by, and both said their vows in voices that wavered with emotion. Brittany would never ever forget the day as long as she lived, of that much she was sure, but she also knew she would never forget the moment Santana had leaned in to kiss her, when her wife had leaned in to kiss her, and the whole of the hall had erupted in a great cheer, the townsfolk clapping and wooping, truly accepting Brittany as the wife of their Queen, and in the short coronation ceremony that followed, a Queen herself.
With the ceremony over, and their offering of thanks to all that had joined them in their ceremony (Santana took great pride in introducing her new wife to every one of her people that had attended their big day), the Latina whisked her wife off, still both wearing their gowns, for a quiet walk in the gardens, before the next stage of her plan was set to begin.
When they reached the little wooden podium, that sat atop a hill, with a wonderful view over the kingdom below, and of the castle behind them, Santana stopped abruptly, surprising Brittany, as she twirled round and pulled the blonde close, before she began to sway her to an inaudible beat.
"You love to dance" Santana whispered into her wife's ear.
"Especially with you" Brittany replied happily, resting her head on a strong tanned shoulder, and leaning into her wife's warm embrace as they swayed gently in the late afternoon breeze.
"I love you so much" Santana whispered, kissing Brittany's temple as they danced still, "I'm so glad I found you, and now I'm never letting you go, Queen Brittany Susan Lopez-Pierce" she finished, marvelling at the sound of the name on her tongue.
Brittany blanched a little, she was still unaccustomed to being addressed as 'Queen' anything, let along something as glorious as to state she was a Queen, and a Lopez-Pierce, thus married to the most perfect person in the word.
"I love you too Santana" she admitted, her blue eyes roaming the face of her love, "You saved me."
"We saved each other" Santana decided aloud, before she leaned in again, her full lips connecting with those of her wife, as they shared another of their first kisses as a married couple – something Santana decided she could definitely get used to. As they continued to kiss and sway, their actions began to become heated, Santana trailing gently butterfly kisses down Brittany's neck sucking lightly on her collarbone, before she forced herself to pull back.
"Soon" she promised a disappointed looking Brittany, "But first, there is just one more thing we need to attend to."
Pushing down the want that had arisen within her, Brittany nodded, knowing she would do anything Santana asked of her for the rest of her life. The Latina smiled, and softly kissed her wife one last time, before she turned, and lead to blonde back towards the palace, explaining her plan as they went.
Going to start publishing some of my stories on Tumblr soon too, inc shorter stuff that I wont necessarily put on here, my url is hemogasms if anyone wants to follow (: Send me an ask and say hi if you do.