The morning of Friggsday, the date set for the wedding began with bells.
Not one bell.
Not two.
Every bell in Concordia.
The sound rolled across the valley just after sunrise, deep and bright and impossibly loud. It echoed from the mountains surrounding the city and traveled along the river, waking workers, merchants, soldiers, nobles, and anyone else who had been fortunate enough to sleep through the preparations.
Lexander woke immediately.
He sat upright.
“What is that?”
Lysandra’s voice came from the hallway.
“The wedding bells!”
Lexander stared at the ceiling.
“I know.”
“They’re supposed to be loud!”
“They’re supposed to wake the dead.”
“That too!”
She continued down the hallway.
“Get dressed!”
Lexander fell backward onto his pillow.
“I regret everything.”
Io’s voice came from the adjoining room.
“You’re marrying me.”
“Yes.”
“You still regret everything?”
“No.”
“Good.”
There was a pause.
“I regret your sister.”
Lysandra’s voice immediately came through the door.
“I HEARD THAT!”
Lexander smiled.
“Worth it.”
By midmorning, Concordia had transformed.
Only days earlier, the city had still looked like a construction site.
Today, it looked like the beginning of a new age.
The central avenue had been swept clean.
Fresh banners hung from every major building.
The symbols of Lexander’s kingdom and Io’s kingdom appeared side by side.
Between them was the new symbol of Concordia.
Two circles intertwined around a bridge.
Valedorn’s banner flew beside them.
Alden had insisted.
“If we’re part of this alliance,” he had said, “our people should be represented.”
Nobody had argued.
The streets were crowded.
Merchants had closed their shops for the day.
Workers had been given the day off.
Soldiers stood at ceremonial posts.
Children ran between adults, waving tiny versions of the alliance banners.
Musicians filled the streets with drums, flutes, horns, and strings.
The smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, spiced vegetables, fruit, honey, and pastries filled the air.
Concordia had never been this alive.
And it wasn’t even noon.
Guests began arriving from all three kingdoms.
The first were nobles from Lexander’s kingdom.
Their carriages entered through the southern gate, decorated with polished metal and ribbons.
They stepped out wearing their finest clothing.
One elderly lord looked across the avenue and shook his head.
“When I first heard they were building a city here, I thought they were mad.”
His wife smiled.
“You still think they’re mad.”
“Yes.”
She pointed toward the palace.
“Yet you came.”
“Of course.”
“Why?”
He looked at the bustling streets.
“Because I would like to be mad with them.”
The Valedorn delegation arrived shortly afterward.
Alden rode at the front.
He wore formal royal clothing for the first time since becoming king.
His crown was simple.
A narrow band of silver with a dark blue stone at its center.
He dismounted near the palace.
Lysandra walked toward him.
“You look important.”
Alden smiled.
“I am the king of Valedorn.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?”
“You look like someone who knows what he’s doing.”
Alden laughed.
“I assure you, I don’t.”
“Good.”
Lysandra nodded.
“Then you’ll fit in.”
Alden glanced toward the palace.
“Where’s Lexander?”
“Probably hiding.”
“From the wedding?”
“From me.”
“That seems reasonable.”
Io’s guests began arriving from the opposite side of the city.
Their procession was larger.
Nobles, ambassadors, relatives, military commanders, merchants, scholars, and representatives of the various cities and provinces of Io’s kingdom filled the avenue.
Many had never seen Concordia before.
Their reactions varied.
Some were speechless.
Some whispered.
Some smiled.
Some immediately began calculating how much money they could make here.
One merchant stood beside his wife and stared at the river.
“Three bridges.”
His wife smiled.
“Two.”
“The third is planned.”
“Ah.”
He nodded thoughtfully.
“Then I need to buy property now.”
His wife sighed.
“It’s your daughter’s wedding.”
“I can do two things.”
The palace gardens had been transformed.
White flowers covered the pathways.
Silver ribbons hung from the trees.
Hundreds of candles had been placed in glass lanterns.
At the center of the gardens stood a raised platform surrounded by flowers.
Behind it was the great river.
Beyond the river rose the mountains.
The entire valley seemed to frame the ceremony.
The seats had been arranged in long rows.
At the center were the representatives of the three kingdoms.
Behind them were nobles.
Merchants.
Military officers.
Builders.
Workers.
Families.
Friends.
Everyone who had played a part in creating the alliance had been given a place.
Even several of the workers who had been injured during Othmar’s attack were seated near the front.
Lexander had insisted.
Io had agreed.
Alden had agreed.
And nobody dared argue.
Then there was the groom.
Lexander stood in a private room inside the palace.
His ceremonial clothes were dark, with silver embroidery running along the sleeves and collar.
His cloak bore the symbol of his kingdom.
A silver clasp held it at his shoulder.
He stared at himself in the mirror.
He barely recognized the person looking back.
There was a knock.
“Come in.”
Atreyu entered.
He stopped.
“Well.”
Lexander looked at him.
“What?”
“You clean up surprisingly well.”
Lexander laughed.
“Thank you.”
Atreyu adjusted his own formal uniform.
“You nervous?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Why is that good?”
“Means you understand the importance.”
Lexander nodded.
Then Atreyu smiled.
“Besides, you already survived five thousand soldiers.”
Lexander sighed.
“Somehow the wedding feels more dangerous.”
Atreyu laughed.
“That’s because you’re marrying into politics.”
“I’m already in politics.”
“Not like this.”
The door opened again.
Mara entered.
She looked at Lexander.
“Ready?”
“No.”
“Excellent.”
She smiled.
“Neither am I.”
Lexander looked between them.
“Why are you both enjoying this?”
“Because,” Atreyu said, “we’re not the ones getting married.”
Loki appeared shortly afterward.
Nobody knew where he had come from.
One moment the room was empty.
The next, he was sitting in a chair.
Lexander stared.
“How long have you been there?”
Loki smiled.
“Long enough.”
“You’re impossible.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
Atreyu shook his head.
“Where were you?”
“Everywhere.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“It wasn’t supposed to.”
Loki stood.
He walked around Lexander.
“Not bad.”
“Thank you.”
“You look terrified.”
“I am.”
“Excellent.”
Lexander frowned.
“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
Loki smiled.
“Because weddings are more entertaining when the groom is terrified.”
Mara folded her arms.
“Try not to cause trouble.”
Loki placed a hand over his heart.
“I am deeply offended.”
Atreyu laughed.
“You’re going to cause trouble.”
“Probably.”
Then Loki looked at Lexander.
His expression softened.
“Seriously.”
Lexander looked at him.
“What?”
“You’re doing the right thing.”
Lexander smiled.
“Thanks.”
Loki nodded.
“You two are good together.”
For once, there was no joke.
Lexander smiled.
“I know.”
Loki looked away.
“Now don’t make me emotional.”
“You’re already emotional.”
“I am not.”
“You’re about to cry.”
“I’ll curse you.”
Lexander laughed.
“There’s the Loki I know.”
Outside, the musicians began playing.
The guests stood.
The ceremony was beginning.
First came the representatives of Lexander’s kingdom.
Then Io’s.
Then Valedorn.
Alden entered with the Valedorn delegation.
Several nobles whispered as he passed.
“That is the new king?”
“Yes.”
“He looks young.”
“He deposed his father.”
“Perhaps youth isn’t the problem.”
Another guest whispered.
“I heard he sent half his treasury to Concordia.”
“Not half.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
“Enough.”
They watched Alden take his place.
One older woman smiled.
“He may be the best thing that happened to Valedorn in a generation.”
The music changed.
The guests turned toward the palace.
Lexander stepped outside.
For a moment, the entire garden seemed to go silent.
He walked down the central path.
The sunlight reflected from the silver embroidery on his clothes.
The banners moved gently in the breeze.
He reached the platform.
Then he turned.
And waited.
The music changed again.
Io appeared.
Lexander forgot how to breathe.
She wore the gown they had kept hidden from him.
It was ivory, almost white, with delicate silver embroidery running from the shoulders down to the hem.
The embroidery depicted the river.
Tiny silver threads formed mountains.
The sleeves were elegant and simple.
Her ceremonial cloak flowed behind her, carrying the colors of her kingdom.
A silver crown rested in her hair.
For several seconds, Lexander could do nothing but stare.
Io smiled.
“You like it?”
He nodded.
“Very much.”
She walked toward him.
The guests watched.
And their reactions were immediate.
A noblewoman whispered, “Beautiful.”
A merchant’s wife said, “She looks like a queen.”
Her husband nodded.
“She is a queen.”
Another guest whispered, “Look at him.”
“He can’t even speak.”
Someone behind them laughed.
“He’s finished.”
Alden smiled.
“He really is.”
Lysandra, standing nearby, whispered to Lisbeth.
“Look at his face.”
Lisbeth smiled.
“He looks completely stunned.”
“Good.”
Io reached Lexander.
He offered his hand.
She took it.
For a moment, they simply stood there.
Then Lexander whispered.
“You look beautiful.”
Io smiled.
“You clean up well too.”
He laughed softly.
“Thank you.”
The officiant stepped forward.
The ceremony began.
The words were formal.
Promises of loyalty.
Promises of partnership.
Promises to protect one another.
Promises to stand together through peace and war.
But the most important part came when they spoke their own vows.
Lexander looked into Io’s eyes.
“When I first met you, I didn’t know what my future would be.”
Io smiled.
“I didn’t either.”
“I thought I knew what I wanted.”
He took her hand.
“Then I met you.”
The crowd grew quiet.
“And I realized that whatever future I wanted, I wanted you in it.”
Io’s eyes glistened.
“I promise to stand beside you.”
“I promise to listen to you.”
“I promise to challenge you when you’re wrong.”
Lysandra whispered, “Good.”
Several people laughed.
Lexander smiled.
“And I promise that no matter how difficult the road becomes, I will walk it with you.”
Io squeezed his hand.
Then it was her turn.
“I spent much of my life believing that being a ruler meant standing alone.”
She looked around the garden.
“I was wrong.”
Her eyes returned to Lexander.
“A kingdom can be strong because of its walls, its armies, and its wealth.”
She smiled.
“But a life is made strong by the people who stand beside you.”
She took his hands.
“You became the person I trust most in this world.”
Lexander smiled.
“I promise to stand beside you.”
“I promise to speak honestly.”
“I promise to fight beside you.”
“And I promise that whatever happens to our kingdoms, our home will always be wherever we are together.”
There were tears among the guests.
Lisbeth was crying.
Lysandra was crying.
Even Mara looked away for a moment.
Atreyu whispered.
“Don’t let anyone see you.”
Mara elbowed him.
“You’re crying too.”
“No.”
“You absolutely are.”
“Dust.”
“We’re in a garden.”
“Very aggressive dust.”
The rings were brought forward.
Lexander took Io’s ring.
A simple silver band.
He slid it onto her finger.
Io took his.
She did the same.
The officiant smiled.
“By the authority entrusted to me, I declare you husband and wife.”
The garden erupted.
Cheers thundered across Concordia.
Bells rang.
Trumpets sounded.
People applauded.
Workers shouted.
Soldiers raised their swords.
Alden smiled.
Loki whistled loudly.
Thor shouted, “FINALLY!”
Lexander laughed.
Io laughed.
They kissed.
And for a moment, nothing else mattered.
Not politics.
Not war.
Not borders.
Not construction.
Just the two of them.
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