Chapter Text
"your majesty! News from the spy!"
Antoine looked up from his paperwork. He and Sally shared an office. She was currently out handling a meeting with the nobles. Some kind of odd request had been made and she had to confirm if what was given was indeed true. He didn't know it was but was promised to be informed afterwards. As for the other affairs. That was his current task to handle or at least manage until she had a free moment.
"Your majesty, forgive the intrusive manner. I just couldn't let this information be withheld for long." The knight bowed to Antoine.
"Speak, I have much to do." The fox waved a hand in the air. "This paperwork will not fill itself out. The royal ball is fast approaching and I only just recently received the guest list that needs approval."
"It is about King Shadow and Queen Amy. They plan to force a marriage contract onto Sonic!"
"What!" Antoine stood up, slamming his hands down onto the table. "When?!"
"They haven't set a time but so far, it seems they must marry someone called Sir Lancelot off. Seems this knight is smitten with the Speedster. The spy has seen them rendezvous with one another often."
"That..scoundrel. He knows very well how desperate we are to gain Sonic. Marriage would force him to protect them only. Tell our spy to get into contact with this Sir Lancelot. See how close they are. See what we can gain from them."
"Yes sire!"
"Before you leave, is there anything else?"
"Yes, it seems Sonic has ditched a knight left behind by Queen Blaze. His home has vanished. He was last seen fleeing the Hedgehog Kingdom."
"He has managed to move his home. This does not bode well for us...." He dismissed the knight. "If they entrap him in a marriage. Our plan will be useless."
Antoine looked out the window. They would be a target. Shadow could easily overthrow the other kingdoms. Eggman was already making attempts to take over their land. They needed help more than that place. Shadow could easily overpower Eggman. He didn't need a second powerhouse! If he wished to entrap Sonic in a marriage then they would do the same. They had a daughter of legal age. If she were to marry Sonic, then his allegiance would be to them. Their kingdom would be assured safety. He needed to discuss this with his wife.
"Antoine, what is going on? I heard a rush of steps," Sally walked into the office.
He told her everything the knight told him. Then told her if his plan. He didn't like arranged marriages. They were cruel but in this case. It was the only way to secure the kingdom. Even Sally seemed against it but clearly saw the logic. Antoine was right. They needed to ensure their people were safe. It would bring Eggman's eye into them. After all, he always asked for the same trade deal. Give him Sonic and he'd guarantee endless supplies. If Sonic were wedded, well...can't separate the husband from the wife. Even Eggman followed that law.
"As much as it pains me to say it...I agree. It seems marriage is truly the highest form of power. I'll arrange it. Antoine, have scouts tell me if they see Sonic anywhere near here. I wish to discuss the marriage details with him as well."
"Of course. Shall I also inform our daughter?"
"Let me do that. I have another task for you. I am not great with decor and such but you have that talent. Plan a budget and plan a wedding that can stay in that budget. I trust your sense of fashion and decoration more than anyone." Sally put her hands together and smiled. "You coordinate our outfits every day and I always get compliments."
Antoine smirked, "my dear, fashion shows who we are. It's an important detail. Leave the planning to me. I'll make our daughter the shining star of the century."
Sally left and headed down the hall. Marriage to the King and Queen of Hedgehog Kingdom. What a sly move Shadow was trying to pull. She knew he could be calculating but to this degree? She was lucky their spy managed to inform them. But that begged to question if the others knew. Sonic was sought out by all for a reason after all. One slip of the tongue and it could spread to every kingdom in the vicinity. They would start to make plans of their own. They had to move as fast as they could and tie the speedster down.
If her daughter refused then she remembered a detail that they mentioned long ago. Sonic had a fox kit. There was an unmarried fox in her kingdom. A perfect match. She could help the kit grow. Sonic could protect the kingdom. She reached her daughter's room and the door was slammed open.
"Why should I marry some stuffy prince!" She stormed down the hall. "I refuse to marry someone I don't know! Let alone some random animal! No one can force me! Not even my parents!"
Sally quietly nodded. That was not going to happen for sure. Her daughter was as high strung as she was. As proud as she was, it meant for later trouble down the line. Seems it was the fox after all but with how much power Sonic had already. Rank would mean nothing. He would desire the freedom to do whatever he wanted. She would have to promote the fox to a noble to give him that freedom. That would solve that issue and give Sonic the freedom and a place to stay. Perfect! It wasn't the original plan but it would still work! She would tell Antoine later. Even if they had to switch the bride to be.
She had a knight follow her into town. Her luck went from bad to worse. She spotted a bright blue hedgehog leaving a store. She tried to get over to him but a few subjects of hers clamored around. She did her best to follow while telling them to wait for her return. Even had some knights keep them busy as she ran after Sonic.
"Sonic! Please, I beg you! Give a moment of your time!" She called out.
The speedster stopped and looked down at her. She always questioned how Sonic could fly without magic. She even questioned how he ran as fast as he did. As the years went by though, she stopped. She accepted that he was just a weird hedgehog. Nothing more, nothing less.
"You have one moment," Sonic told her.
His tone made it clear. He was not having it. It was best to make it quick. So she did. She told hi of the female fox, the status that came with money to do whatever he wished and the safety that it would provide for his kit. It didn't fall on deaf ears. Sonic clearly heard her. But he did not accept it. Instead, he shooed her away. Stating that he wasn't going to let anyone force him into a life he didn't want to lead. Before she said anything else, he was gone. Leaving her to stare at an empty sky.
"Your majesty, shall we chase him?"
"Don't. Chasing him will do nothing." She turned and headed back to the castle with the knights helping the people.
Well that was a bust. Seems she would have to try and cozy up the idea of marriage. Perhaps even have the two meet. Yes, that would do the trick! Once they met up and talked a little, they could bond. Then that bond would lead to romance and the desire to marry one another! It was a bit of a long game but if it got her ahead of Shadow and Amy. Then it was perfect.
"He won't get Sonic. Not on my watch," She entered the castle and walked up to Antoine.
She told him all of it. He was hesitant And she understood why. Given the circumstances and how fast Shadow easily got what he wanted. This time though, what Shadow wanted had the ability to run. Meaning it wouldn't be as fast as he liked and that put them on equal footing. If they managed to befriend Sonic and convince him to marry. Granting him the status and wealth to stay free as the wind. Then they would gain his power. Making Shadow an enemy but unable to attack them. A bit underhanded for her taste. This was something Eggman would pull.
"I like it. It would mean Sonic would view us as friends. We would have his trust!"
"Exactly," She nodded. "He'd trust us. Trust our decisions. Then we in turn would have him. I don't like deceit but it must be done."
"Chaos will forgive us. They know better than anyone what little threat we pose with how small our military force is. If we must ensure our safety this way, then so be it."
"I just wish it wasn't so... underhanded. I feel as if this might backfire if he finds out." Sally looked out the window. "I fear the consequences of these actions we plan to take." Sally gripped her hands together.
This felt so cruel. When did things get to this? To rely on tricks instead of honesty. She wasn't a bad person now, was she? She clearly wished for her people to be safe. So, she wasn't evil...right? It was for her people. Not personal gain, so why did she feel so bad about this? Sally smacked herself. She had to get a grip! She was in charge now! These decisions were bound to happen. Best to accept and move on.
-- * --
A few days later...
"Your majesty! Word from the spy!" A knight ran into the room.
Sally hadn't seen Sonic since that day. Nor had her local people or guards. Seems he was avoiding this place but she had a hunch it would happen. It was going to be fine. Her eyes met the knight and she made a gesture to continue.
"Seems the knight, Sir Lancelot, was once second in line for the throne. He is King Shadow's twin. He is smitten with Sonic. The spy spotted the Speedster meet up with him secretly in the woods. They disappeared shortly after but the knight returned in a much better mood."
"What could he possibly have done to make a lowly knight so happy?" Antoine scoffed as he dismissed the information. "This sounds like a fairytale. Tell the spy that we need real information, not some romantic tragedy!"
"But this is what truly happened, Sire."
"Tell the spy to keep watching." He dismissed them again. "Useless intelligence."
Sally had remained quiet. While Antoine had a point that about the information, she felt that it was indeed useful. It explained the hesitation Sonic had. It also made it clear why he wasn't married at his age. Humans may have been gone but the rituals stuck around. Some evolved to including equality for anyone who swung either direction. Given that radiation or whatever happened was the direct cause for many strange occurrences. She had heard many males could often become pregnant even. So having kids was never an issue.
In this case, it wasn't that Sonic wasn't dismissing marriage or romance like she had originally thought. Rather he has someone already and this someone was in the Hedgehog Kingdom. Maybe she needed to use that instead. Offer a place where those two could be together. Have the knight work for her. Not only would she gain a second powerhouse through Sonic. She would gain insight on Shadow through this Lancelot. If they also chose to have children, then they would also be born in her kingdom. A family lineage of power. All for her kingdom.
"Darling, you don't actually..."
The knight had yet to leave. They seemed worried that they had done something wrong.
"I think we should use this but first. We must confirm if this is indeed true. Tell them to keep watching this knight. One time may have been just to scratch an itch. More though means we can use this to our advantage."
The knight bowed and left. Antoine looked at her as he stood.
"You can't seriously believe this. Why would someone as powerful as Sonic go for a commoner and a liar at that. Everyone knows Shadow has no brother. He even said this."
"Shadow lies. I know he has a brother because my parents knew King Doom. King Doom had twins. Shadow and Lancelot, but I thought Lancelot had died and that Shadow was keeping a knight who had the same name around out of grief. If this knight is indeed the twin of King Shadow. If this knight did indeed capture Sonic's heart. Then we can use this." Sally stood up. "Lancelot knows how the castle works. He knows how his brother works. He also clearly knows how Sonic works. If we get him, then we will get Sonic."
Antoine grinned, "oh, we not only get royalty. We get part of Shadow's family and if it is truly the dismissed heir to the throne..."
"Shadow will be more than willing to discuss proper peace talks to gain Sonic's protection as well. I hate being underhanded like this but this will work in our favor. Unless other kingdoms discover this." Sally crossed her arms and frowned.
This was indeed news that could easily be spread through other spies. Seeing as she wasn't the only one vying for the hedgehog. What to do? This presented itself on a silver platter but she still wasn't holding it. In truth, no one was holding it and if anyone was. Lancelot had this. This knight held a powerful wild card. Get the knight and that wild card could easily be swayed. Lose the knight and that wild card would be turned against you.
"We will have to play nice. If Lancelot does indeed have Sonic's heart then we can't mistreat him. He must willingly come to us." Sally nodded. "I know what must be done. We must find out what they wish for. Whatever that wish is must be granted."
"Grant the wish would put them in our debt." Antoine clapped his hands together. "Brilliant work as always, my lovely."
"We will wait to confirm the relationship. Then move on."
"Yes. I shall keep the marriage and the plans drawn up and ready until then."