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It was early in the morning as England drove through the quiet Windsor streets. It felt distinctly like the calm before the storm. It was early enough that the traffic was somewhat quiet, but he could see the tents that people had set up in hopes of getting a glimpse of the new royal couple. It was the same thing as the last royal wedding, but that didn’t make it any less of a nightmare to organize. He knew that it would packed with people hours before guests even began to arrive.
But, England was feeling calmer now that it was the day of the wedding. He no longer had to be part of the planning, and the political manipulations about the guest list, and who would sit where. All the planning was done, with the exception of any last minute changes. He could just enjoy it now.
He turned into the driveway of the hotel and passed his keys off to the valet, then turning to take a garment bad out of the backseat as he did. He could have gotten dressed at his own house, but then he would have to be careful to not ruin anything on the way over. So, it was better to keep his suit in the best condition possible.
He already knew where he was going, since he had booked this room so that his partner would have a place to stay during the wedding. He had done it as soon as he knew the date, because he knew hotels would have been near impossible to book later, even for him. He had been through enough royal weddings to know that he had to do it before the date was released to the public.
He already had the room key in his pocket already, so he didn’t need to wait at the door. But, it was only polite to knock and to give Portugal the opportunity to make himself decent, just in case.
A voice came from the other side of the door, “Just a moment.” There was the sound of shuffling on the other side of the door, and then the door opened to reveal Portugal, who looked completely awake, though not yet composed. His shirt was only halfway buttoned, and his hair was still loose.
Portugal said, “You’re just in time.”
England stepped into the door and greeted his partner with a smile, “You look handsome already.”
Then he leaned in a pressed his lips against his partner’s. These light kisses had become so routine between them that it would have felt wrong to see each other and not at least exchange a peck on the cheek.
After they separated, Portugal closed the door behind him and said, “Don’t flatter me, Arthur. I am still a mess.” His tone could not have been more playful, and England knew that Portugal knew perfectly well that he was handsome. He was even handsome when he had done a hard day’s work and his hair was tangled with salt water, and his skin was even more tanned from the sun. Even unrefined, he was beautiful. That was a feat that England had never been able to achieve himself. He looked best when he had the time to groom himself as a gentleman should.
ngland walked the rest of the way into the room, and was hardly surprised that all of Portugal’s things were in meticulous order. He had always been the kind of person to keep things in the tidiest state possible.
England placed his own garment bag on the bed and opened it to reveal his own suit. He said, looking back at his partner, “You look better than I do.”
He got a warm smile in response, and a brief shake of the head. Portugal was running a brush through his hair, leaving the brown waves soft and beautiful. It looked so silky that England had the urge to run his fingers through it.
As he worked his way through his hair, Portugal said, “I appreciate you inviting me as your plus one.”
England started to unbutton his pants so that he could change into his slacks. He laughed, “Lilibet didn’t quite put it in those terms.”
One of Portugal’s eyebrows arched, “Oh?”
After that, Portugal swept his hair into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and secured it. England liked seeing Portugal’s hair down, but he wasn’t going to dictate what his partner did with his own hair. And it didn’t matter; Portugal was handsome either way. With his hair swept back, it did not distract from the handsome lines of his face. And it did look more formal for him to tie it back.
England had managed to strip off his pants before he said, “She asked if my husband was coming.”
Portugal laughed so loudly that the sound echoed off the walls until he put a hand over his own mouth in an attempt to silence himself. England couldn’t help but smile back and let out a little laugh of his own. He knew that it would not be quite so amusing if it didn’t ring so true.
Portugal took several deep breaths before he was finally able to say, “She clearly knows us too well.”
He was beaming proudly, and it made England’s own smile widen. England pulled on his slacks. He tucked his shirt in and buttoned the pants before finally saying, “She has been queen for a very long time, and we have never been subtle.”
England knew perfectly well that he had never hesitated to kiss his partner where the Queen probably saw it. Nor had he ever attempted to hide the fact that they held hands when they walked side by side.
Portugal replied, “And we’ve been together at more than one royal wedding.” He was right, and England remembered all of them well. He had always insisted on taking Portugal to every possible royal event that he could. It always gave him a chance to have someone to talk to through an event that might become boring otherwise, and it gave him an opportunity to get dressed up and spend a day with a partner.
It really shouldn’t have been a surprise to him that the Queen had figured out his relationship with Portugal. But the jest, which had barely sounded like a jest, made him realize how much she had seen and how it had appeared to her. It was an honest appraisal of their public image, and England felt no shame at it. England had needed to stifle his own laughter when she had said it, and had replied with a wide smile and glowing pride.
He took his tie out of the bag and began to form the knot. He said, “I told her that I was planning on inviting you.”
Portugal glanced at him and smiled and stepped towards him. He then said, “Your tie isn’t straight, Arthur.” England stood conspicuously still as his partner stepped towards him. He didn’t need to even glance down to trust that his tie wasn’t straight. Portugal took it firmly in hand and straightened it. He was so close that England could smell the subtle scent of the sea that seemed to cling to Portugal’s hair no matter what he did.
Portugal glanced back up at England and said, “I wouldn’t mind being your husband.” England felt himself blushing, though it wasn’t the first time they had discussed the subject. They had done it many times when they spoke of the luxuries humans had that they could not.
He said, “If we were mortal men, we could have been.” Portugal finished straightening England’s tie and turned to find his own tie.
He said, his voice muffled as he leaned into the closet to find his tie, “We can’t change that. But, I will gladly take the title of your husband if Elizabeth wants to give it to me.”
He eventually pulled it out of the closet and began to work on tying a knot. England let himself dwell on the thought for a moment. Even if countries could marry, he and Portugal could never have made it work on a political level. But, he had no doubt now, after hundreds of years of friendship, and centuries of being lovers, that there was no one else he would want to spend his life with.
He eventually remembered that he should be continuing to get dressed, not contemplating impossible notions of matrimony. The queen had allowed him the luxury of not being at the palace for the last minute preparations. But he would feel her wrath if he was not in the right place at the right time.
These events were always very carefully choreographed, and being the personification of the country did not excuse him from knowing the schedule. It had become even more meticulous since royal events had started to be televised. It made the monarchy more familiar to the populace, and England recognized the importance of that. But, television cameras were highlight any mistake, if it was made.
England reached for his vest and pulled it over his shirt, and began to button it. For this occasion, he had chosen a three piece suit in deep emerald green. In past years, he might have chosen a military uniform. But, it was a different time and now England preferred to be a civilian instead of decorating himself in pomp and all the medals of the empire. The empire was gone, and it felt better to just be a civilian.
He looked over to see that Portugal had finished with his own tie and was now pulling on his own vest. The dark blue that he had chosen made him look so handsome.
There was silence growing in the room, and England preferred not to leave it like that. He said, “Are you looking forward to this?” He suspected that even if Portugal found the pomp boring, he would have agreed to come anyway.
Portugal pulled on his jacket, effectively finishing getting dressed. The jacket fit snugly around his shoulders and reminded England of how muscular Portugal really was. Portugal replied, “I am looking forward to the reception more. The ceremony will be long and somber.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “I do love seeing true love though.”
England understood completely. Part of Portugal’s love of the ocean was the desire to be unfettered, and sitting through ceremony had never been easy for him. There would be little to do during the ceremony except watch, whereas the reception would have food and dancing. That was the kind of frivolity that Portugal had preferred the whole time that England had known him.
Portugal slipped a small black box from the pocket of his jacket and added, “Dear, would you help me with these?” England pulled on his own jacket and walked over.
He nodded and extended his hand for the jewelry case. He opened it to see a set of cufflinks in the shape of an armillary sphere, like the one on his flag. They were one of the few things that Portugal consistently wore to formal occasions, and they were meant as a tribute to the era of exploration.
England said, as he affixed the cufflinks, “The ceremony won’t be that long.” It was a white lie, qualified only in comparison to royal weddings of the past.
Portugal said, “You don’t have to lie to me. I remember how intricate it all is. That is one thing I do not miss about the monarchy.”
England finished with his the other’s cufflinks and looked up into Portugal’s green eyes. He smiled and tried to be look coy, “I promise the reception will be good.”
The other smiled and said, “I’m sure it will be. I hope you will save me a dance.”
England laughed. He brought one of the other’s hands to his lips and kissed it like a gentleman should. Then he said, “I will save you every dance.” Portugal laughed, and his cheeks even turned a little red. England counted that as a success.
If only he could dawdle here and make his partner blush again, he would be perfectly content. But, the schedule was sacred, so he said, “If you’re ready, we should go.”
Portugal nodded, “Let’s go watch a wedding.” He planted one more kiss on England’s forehead before joining their hands and turning to walk out of the door and into the excitement of the day.