Charles was aware that Gregoris understood the impact of his choices.
A duke who didn't host a public wedding wasn't being "private." It was a provocation all on its own. The nobility did not marry for romantic reasons; rather, they saw marriage as a political alliance and a public demonstration of power. A grand ceremony was not about vows; it was about accessibility. It was the one acceptable moment where other houses could crowd close, count allies, measure influence, and press their polished heirs into the same rooms, the same conversations, and the same headlines, even in a modern world running on ether and reputation.
Gregoris had denied them that.
And somehow Rafael looked… fine.
