Chapter 253: Old Tricks
"The ceremony?!" Rafael squawked loudly before collecting himself. He wrapped an arm around Soleia’s waist protectively and nearly plastered himself to her, as though he expected Elinora to rip them apart.
A hairline crack appeared in Elinora’s flawless, elegant facade as she watched both of them behave as though they were one whole being.
"Father, I was under the impression that―" Rafael began, intending to bargain for more time. Or at least, an explanation for why his father was so impatient. It wasn’t as though he had any other heirs to choose from. Whether or not Rafael married Elinora today, a month later, or a year later wasn’t going to make his brothers any less dead.
There was no need to rush a marriage when there was only one candidate for the groom.
"That you would have more time to waste while your wife’s belly grows bigger by day?" King Recaldo snorted coldly at his son’s behavior. He knew all too well that the longer he let Rafael delay this, the more likely he would find a way to wriggle out of the engagement.
"Unfortunately, I do not see the need to wait any longer for the inevitable. Elinora here has kindly agreed to do away with the pageantry of the wedding ceremony in a bid to hasten things along. Now stop dawdling and get this over with. We have been waiting since breakfast."
Elinora nodded in agreement and shot Rafael a loving smile that raised Soleia’s hackles. "Come here, Rafael. There’s no point in fighting this arrangement. My family will be here shortly."
"Then shouldn’t we wait for them to arrive first?" Rafael retorted flatly. "Father, I highly doubt the Wynslers would want to miss the wedding of their beloved daughter."
In fact, judging by the fuss they had kicked up the first time round when Rafael rejected their heiress, Rafael doubted they would be happy with anything less than a week-long celebration to hammer in their new status in the eyes of nobility and visiting royalty.