Madness. Complete madness.

If Cale were to put a specific label on his last few months, that would certainly be the only way to describe it. If he were to reflect on the past year or so, he'd have stronger words to use.

From a crown prince to a king and from a nothing lout to the king's fiance and now–

"...are we seriously getting married?" Cale asked his reflection, feeling a touch out of sorts with the progression of events. Far from it, it was just so far beyond his wildest dreams that he didn't know quite how to process it.

It wasn't necessarily that everything happened at once. There was time. About a six month long engagement as well. He ought to have plenty of time to accept the new reality he was faced with. It was just a lot more than anyone would be prepared to cope with.

"So my fantasy lover of my dreams was actually real and loves me to distraction and because he's also extremely power and influential, he introduced same-sex marriage into the royal family just so that he could be with me" was quite a hefty sentiment for anyone to handle.

And then there was the matter of Cale's family.

"Are you ready?"

Cale looked away from his reflection into the face of his stepmother and felt... complicated.

The only wedding he'd attended in his life was the one between this woman and his father. To this day he carried bittersweet feelings about the affair.

He'd never really hated Violan, he respected her and he understood that she wasn't responsible for his mothers death or his father moving on. He knew that she was a wonderful mother to Basen and Lily and she had never once been cruel to him.

He had been cruel to her though.

Cale smiled weakly at her, it still took a lot of getting used to. Putting down the act and being sincere with his family. He had to suppress the impulse to sneer and cuss, chase her away so that he could maintain his persona.

Perhaps that was the best thing Cale had learned from Alberu's blunders. It was convenient that he could hold it over the king's head for the rest of all eternity but more so than that, Cale was forced to do some self reflection.

As his family forced that poor bastard to endure trial after trial to earn their approval, Cale couldn't look away from the situation any longer.

He loved his family and his family loved him. He was old enough and mature enough by now to know that there were actually better ways to protect them than to just become a lightning rod for criticism. One sidedly deciding that he knew what was best was a poor way to handle any situation.

Mostly it was the spiteful side of Cale who didn't want to be as big of a fool as Alberu was.

Violan looked him up and down and offered him one of her rare smiles of approval. It wasn't the sort of sunny smile one might see on anyone else, it was as tight and elegant as the woman herself. But Cale could recognize the affection in her eyes. "I have something for you, if you'll accept it." She said sternly and Cale relaxed a bit.

If Violan approved of his appearance, he didn't look like a fool. Cale wasn't normally remotely insecure about his appearance or fashion but the wedding brought him an unfamiliar stab of anxiety that he was unfamiliar with.

His thoughts kept straying to how unbelievable this all was. What would he do if he went out into the ceremony and Alberu changed his mind? Realized that trash like Cale actually wasn't worth his royal time?

Well, Cale knew exactly what would happen. Lily would probably behead him right there, treason or no. Once Alberu had finally managed to earn the approval of his family it became apparent that if he attempted to weasel his way out of this, the consequences would be grave.

Cale smiled at the memory as he nodded to Violan's question. "I'll accept anything... mother."

It was still strange to call her that.

She wasn't a replacement for his mother but he wanted to acknowledge her. Mending the bridges he'd burned over the course of a decade took many small steps and concessions.

It wasn't a lie though.

For as much as he'd rejected Violan, she had been his mother for the majority of his life. She was stern, respectful, and kind. She was always there when he'd sought her out and she'd loved him as her own even as he made some very spirited attempt to become hated.

Violan would never be Jour. She could never replace the mother Cale had lost but she wasn't attempting to do so.

Rather than being his mother instead of Jour, she was his second mother. Different but no less kind. As awkward as it would have been for his father, sometimes Cale wished his mother could have known Violan. He was sure the two would have liked one another.

Violan held out a small box for him and he recognized a hint of nervousness in the way she did so. She had the same hesitant look in her eyes when she was unsure as to whether or not she was overstepping boundaries as a step mother.

He accepted the box graciously and looked inside.

"...I wore it on my wedding." She explained and it was clear that she was fearful he wouldn't take the gift well. "I wanted to give it to you to bless your happiness."

Elegant. That was the best way to describe Violan. From her perfect posture to her style of dress. There was nothing she wore that dripped in extravagance despite the luxury she could easily afford as the Henituse countess.

The blue gem on the broach was much the same. It was a simple design with a simple gem on a simple broach but it radiated the elegance of the woman who had gifted it to him.

She'd probably originally planned to give it to either Basen or Lily on their wedding day, it was just effeminate enough that he could guess that it was probably intended for a daughter.

That didn't really matter though.

She'd gifted it to him to tell him that he was her son. And she was scared of the rejection she could face for daring to offer such a thing.

That was why she was a person he couldn't help but respect and love.

After a million rejections and every fear that her overtures would be once again rejected, she still offered her heart to him like this.

Who could truly hold onto hate for a woman such as this?

Cale held out the box for her and for just the mere second, her eyes dimmed. "Would you put it on me?" He asked and watched as Violan stood taller and more confident than ever, deftly attaching the broach to Cale's collar and smiling at her handiwork.

Cale returned her smile and felt just a touch more confident about the ceremony with the weight of the broach pressing against his chest.

Now it was just the matter of facing the music. Quite literally. He could hear the lyrical notes denoting the beginning of the ceremony begin just outside of the peace of this room.

Cale had dismissed all of the servants from the room when they'd finished getting him ready so that he could soak in his thoughts but he regretted it now. Servants were really good at informing him what the hell he was supposed to be doing when he was struck with sudden panic.

Sensing his distress, Violan offered an arm to escort him out and Cale relaxed.

Even if they did it wrong, if it was him and Violan they had enough class combined to make it look like they'd actually done the correct thing. Besides, Violan was hardly the sort of person to be caught unaware.

There had been a certain level of discussion as to how the ceremony would go. In most weddings there was a female and male 'role' for each person to fulfill. While Cale didn't really care even if they stuffed him in a goddamn dress, Alberu had felt that it was important to come up with an adjusted tradition for a same-sex marriage. He went on about setting an example but Cale really didn't give a fuck about whoever was to follow.

He just wanted to marry that stupid bastard.

And part of the reason he wanted to was that Alberu was exactly the sort of thoughtful bastard who wanted to make things easier for others by doing things properly.

It was decided that Violan would be the one to hand Cale off at the altar and that Alberu would wait for him there. Considering that Cale had no interest in seeing the old king hand off Alberu, it worked for them both.

And they both liked the idea of a mother being the one to hand off the groom.

Between them, the existence of mother was still a strong existence within their hearts that lived on in every love they felt.

There was always Deruth if they went with father but it hadn't felt right.

Regardless, the moment had come for him to walk up an excessively luxurious carpet to meet with the king and become his husband.

Cale shared a short look with Violan and to his shock, her eyes were misty with unshed tears.

"You're happy?" She asked, voice weaker than he'd ever heard from her.

"Yes." He said, wondering why his own eyes stung and swallowing thickly. "More than anything."

"Good." She collected herself, looking forward and walking with the full confidence of a countess. "That's all I've ever wanted for you."

Cale felt a bit like he'd been punched in the gut but he followed her lead, swallowing the tears and remorse that wanted to free themselves from his flesh.

She really had.

Year after year and no matter how he misbehaved, every day that he'd gone out of his way to cause trouble, stormed away from the breakfast table declaring that it was too disgusting to stomach, every brave attempt she'd made to mend a bridge that he was burning purposefully.

Cale knew that his intentions meant very little. He wanted to protect her and Basen and Lily by becoming the trash but he also hadn't been able to accept them as his family. He loved them but he never believed in them or relied on them.

He'd done things in his own way and it was undeniable that the way he'd chosen had hurt them.

But she continued to reach out to him because she wanted him to be happy.

When her arm was replaced with Alberu's as he was handed off to the king and some old man from the temple began speaking, Cale felt the warmth and weight of the broach she'd given him.

Saw the love in Alberu's eyes as he recited his vows.

Meant every word as he replied with his own.

Cale Henituse was happy. He had more in the world to love than ever and although it was madness, he wouldn't exchange it for sanity.

On that happy day he gave up his name as Henituse but he'd never felt more like a member of the family.

Alberu hadn't figured it out yet but rather than Cale marrying into the Crossman family, Alberu had just committed himself to becoming a Henituse.

When he kissed his husbands lips and heard the cheering beyond as the ceremony concluded, Cale smirked playfully. "Just remember, you asked for this." He warned.

Alberu stole one more kiss than the ceremony demanded. "I did. And I'll ask again. Will you be my husband? From this moment on?"

Cale took a third kiss, just to annoy the priest who clearly wanted them to stop flirting and make their exit. "Fuck yes." He coiled his arms around his neck and whispered into the king's ear. "You're stuck with me now, asshole."

Alberu chuckled and swept him up in his arms, causing Cale to let out a surprised gasp. "Good."

The wedding was just as maddening as the romance had been but Cale quite liked instantly like this.

He waved to his family as he was carried from the magnificent hall and away from the wedding guests.

"...I love you." He admitted softly when he was sure that only Alberu could hear him.

Alberu kissed his hand sweetly, with the reverence of a man who truly adored his love. "I love you too."