The next part of the ceremony was something entirely new.
Io removed her ceremonial cloak.
Lexander did the same.
Alden stepped forward carrying the new Concordia cloak.
It was silver and white.
At its center was the bridge.
Beneath it were the three intertwined symbols of the allied kingdoms.
Alden handed it to them.
“Three kingdoms,” he said.
“Three peoples.”
“One future.”
Lexander and Io took the cloak together.
They placed it around themselves.
The crowd erupted again.
The new alliance banner was raised above the garden.
Two circles.
A bridge.
And the colors of three kingdoms.
For the first time, the symbol represented not an idea.
But a reality.
The reception lasted well into the afternoon.
And it was enormous.
Tables stretched across the palace grounds.
There were roasted meats, breads, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, soups, pastries, honey cakes, spiced dishes, and enough desserts to feed an army.
Thor looked at the tables.
Then looked at Lexander.
“You’ve done well.”
Lexander laughed.
“I had nothing to do with the menu.”
“Then whoever did it deserves a medal.”
Lisbeth walked past.
“I did.”
Thor immediately bowed.
“You are my favorite person.”
Lisbeth laughed.
The cake arrived shortly afterward.
It was enormous.
Three layers.
Chocolate.
Vanilla.
Fruit.
Covered in pale silver icing.
Thor stared at it.
“This is beautiful.”
Lysandra smiled.
“You finally approve?”
“Yes.”
She paused.
“That’s terrifying.”
Thor cut the first slice.
Lexander stared.
“That’s supposed to be ours.”
Thor looked at him.
“Oh.”
She handed it over.
“Congratulations.”
Lexander laughed.
“Thank you.”
As the afternoon continued, the guests relaxed.
The formal atmosphere disappeared.
Nobles talked with merchants.
Soldiers talked with craftsmen.
Valedorn diplomats talked with Io’s advisers.
Children chased one another through the gardens.
Musicians played faster songs.
People danced.
Alden found himself speaking with Atreyu and Mara.
“You two always this serious?” Alden asked.
Atreyu looked at Mara.
“No.”
Mara nodded.
“Usually worse.”
Alden laughed.
Loki appeared behind him.
“Don’t believe anything either of them says.”
Alden turned.
“I thought you were avoiding politics.”
“I am.”
“Then why are you here?”
Loki smiled.
“There’s free food.”
Alden laughed.
“You’re impossible.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
Eventually, someone handed Thor a drink.
Then another.
Then another.
At first, nobody noticed.
Thor was laughing.
She was dancing.
She was telling stories.
She was loudly explaining to anyone who would listen why lightning was vastly superior to every other form of weather.
Then Lysandra noticed.
She stared.
“Thor.”
Thor turned.
“Yes?”
“How many drinks have you had?”
Thor thought very seriously.
“Some.”
“How many is some?”
Thor looked at the empty cups nearby.
She counted.
“One.”
She counted again.
“Two.”
Again.
“Three.”
She paused.
“Possibly more.”
Lysandra looked at Io.
Io looked at Lexander.
Lexander looked at Loki.
Loki grinned.
“Oh, this is going to be wonderful.”
An hour later, Thor was thoroughly drunk.
She had become convinced that the palace fountain was speaking to her.
Lysandra stood beside her.
“Thor.”
“Yes?”
“That’s a fountain.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“It knows things.”
“It has water.”
“Exactly.”
Lysandra sighed.
Thor leaned closer to the fountain.
“What do you want to tell me?”
Water continued flowing.
Thor nodded seriously.
“I knew it.”
Lysandra covered her face.
Loki was laughing so hard he nearly fell off his chair.
“This is the best wedding I’ve ever attended.”
Thor suddenly turned.
“Loki!”
He stopped laughing.
“Yes?”
“You’re short.”
The entire table went silent.
Loki stared at her.
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“I am exactly the height I intend to be.”
Thor nodded.
“That sounds like something a short person would say.”
Atreyu burst out laughing.
Mara covered her mouth.
Alden looked away.
Lysandra was openly laughing now.
Loki pointed at Thor.
“You are drunk.”
Thor smiled.
“Very.”
“I’m going to remember this.”
“So will I.”
“You won’t.”
Thor thought about it.
“That’s true.”
Thor eventually began dancing.
There was no music appropriate for what she was doing.
That didn’t matter.
She danced anyway.
Lysandra joined her.
Not because she was drunk.
Because she was laughing too hard to resist.
The two friends danced together while Loki provided running commentary.
“Magnificent.”
Atreyu shook his head.
“They’re ridiculous.”
Mara smiled.
“Let them have fun.”
“They are.”
As evening fell, lanterns were lit throughout Concordia.
Hundreds.
Then thousands.
The city glowed.
The river reflected the lights.
Music filled the streets.
The palace gardens became a sea of silver and gold.
Fire dancers performed near the central square.
Musicians played from balconies.
Children watched fireworks explode above the palace.
The first burst was silver.
The second was gold.
The third formed the shape of a bridge.
The crowd erupted.
Lexander stood beside Io.
She leaned against him.
“Beautiful.”
“Yes.”
She looked around.
“Look at them.”
He did.
Their people.
Alden’s people.
The builders.
The soldiers.
The nobles.
The merchants.
Friends.
Family.
Everyone laughing together.
“It’s everything we hoped for.”
Lexander smiled.
“And more.”
Later, Io and Lexander walked through the quieter gardens.
The music was still audible in the distance.
They stopped beside the river.
Io looked at her ring.
“I still can’t believe we’re married.”
Lexander smiled.
“You’re stuck with me now.”
She laughed.
“I was stuck with you before.”
“True.”
She leaned against him.
“Are you happy?”
He looked at her.
“More than I’ve ever been.”
She kissed him.
“Good.”
They stood together in silence.
Then a distant crash echoed through the gardens.
Lexander closed his eyes.
“No.”
Io laughed.
“That sounded like Thor.”
Another crash.
Then Thor’s voice.
“I’M FINE!”
Lysandra shouted.
“YOU’RE NOT FINE!”
Loki shouted.
“THIS IS AMAZING!”
Lexander sighed.
Io laughed harder.
“Go save them.”
“No.”
“You’re the king.”
“I’m off duty.”
She smiled.
“Fair.”
At the reception, Thor had apparently attempted to climb a decorative statue.
Lysandra was trying to convince her to come down.
“Thor.”
“I can fly.”
“I know.”
“So why are you worried?”
“Because you’re drunk.”
“I am not.”
“You’re standing on a statue.”
“That’s unrelated.”
Loki sat nearby, delighted.
Alden watched from a safe distance.
Atreyu shook his head.
Mara smiled.
Lexander finally arrived.
“Thor.”
She looked down.
“Hello.”
“Get down.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I’m majestic.”
Lysandra whispered, “She’s been saying that for ten minutes.”
Lexander sighed.
“Thor.”
She looked at him.
“Fine.”
She jumped.
Lysandra screamed.
Thor landed perfectly.
She grinned.
“See?”
Lexander stared.
“You’re impossible.”
Thor smiled.
“Happy wedding.”
Lexander laughed.
“Thank you.”
She hugged him.
“You’re a good king.”
He smiled.
“And you’re a terrible drunk.”
Thor nodded.
“I accept this.”
The night continued.
There were speeches.
Alden gave one first.
“I came to Concordia expecting politics.”
The guests laughed.
“I found something else.”
He looked toward Lexander and Io.
“I found people who genuinely believe that kingdoms don’t have to remain enemies simply because they were once rivals.”
He raised his glass.
“To Lexander and Io.”
The crowd raised theirs.
“To Concordia.”
Then Atreyu stood.
“To the people who built it.”
The workers cheered.
Mara raised her glass.
“To those who defended it.”
The soldiers answered.
Lysandra stood.
“To the most stubborn brother in the world.”
Lexander stared at her.
“Really?”
She smiled.
“And the woman clever enough to marry him.”
Io laughed.
The crowd cheered.
Finally, Loki stood.
Everyone became suspicious.
He raised his glass.
“To the two people who somehow managed to survive politics, war, construction, gods, and wedding planning.”
He looked toward Lexander.
“May your marriage be considerably less chaotic than your courtship.”
Lexander smiled.
“That’s impossible.”
Loki laughed.
“Fair.”
Near midnight, the musicians began playing a slower song.
The guests gradually gathered around the dance floor.
Lexander offered his hand to Io.
“May I have this dance?”
She smiled.
“Always.”
They stepped onto the floor.
The music was soft.
The lanterns reflected in the river.
The mountains stood dark beneath the stars.
They danced slowly.
No speeches.
No politics.
No responsibilities.
Just them.
Around them, their friends watched.
Lysandra smiled.
Alden smiled.
Mara and Atreyu stood together.
Lisbeth wiped away another tear.
Loki watched quietly.
Even Thor had finally fallen asleep in a chair.
Lysandra looked over at her.
“She lasted longer than I expected.”
Loki nodded.
“She has the constitution of a god.”
“She is a god.”
“Exactly.”
When the song ended, Lexander rested his forehead against Io’s.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
They smiled.
Behind them, the music began again.
The celebration continued.
And far beyond the palace, Concordia glowed beneath the stars.
The city had begun as an idea.
Then a plan.
Then foundations.
Then roads.
Then bridges.
Then walls.
Then homes.
Now it had become something more.
A place where three kingdoms could stand together.
A place where old rivalries could become alliances.
A place where people could imagine a future different from the one their ancestors had inherited.
And at the center of it all stood two people who had decided to build that future together.
Lexander and Io.
Husband and wife.
King and queen.
Partners.
As the last fireworks illuminated the sky, the people of Concordia cheered.
The wedding was over.
The alliance was stronger than ever.
And for one perfect night, there were no enemies at the gates.
No armies on the horizon.
No political crisis.
No arguments about construction.
No wedding schedules.
No disasters.
Just laughter.
Music.
Firelight.
Friends.
Family.
And love.
Although, somewhere in the palace, Thor was beginning to wake up.
She opened one eye.
Looked around.
And whispered to herself:
“I want cake.”
Then she went back to sleep.
Loki, who happened to be passing by, heard her.
He smiled.
“Of course you do.”
And Concordia laughed into the night.
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