Seven Times A Charm

Lexander knew something was wrong when he woke up to the sound of arguing outside his bedroom.

Not fighting.

Not an attack.

Not even the sort of shouting that usually meant Loki had done something irresponsible.

This was worse.

It was organized arguing.

He opened his eyes.

The voices were coming from the corridor.

“We need a guest list.”

“We need a preliminary guest list.”

“What is the difference?”

“The preliminary one has people we aren’t sure about.”

“Then why are they on the list?”

“Because they might be important.”

“That doesn’t answer the question.”

Lexander sat up.

He already had a terrible feeling about this.

He got dressed and stepped into the hallway.

The moment he opened the door, he found Lysandra, Io, and Lisbeth standing around a table covered in papers.

There were maps.

Lists.

Books.

Fabric samples.

Flower arrangements.

Architectural drawings.

Lexander stared.

“What is all this?”

Three heads turned toward him.

Io smiled.

“Good morning.”

“Why are there maps?”

Lysandra answered.

“Wedding planning.”

Lexander stared at her.

“I see.”

“No, you don’t.”

He looked at the table.

“I really don’t.”

Lisbeth picked up a parchment.

“We’re discussing the ceremony.”

Io picked up another.

“The reception.”

Lysandra pointed toward a stack of papers.

“The guest list.”

Lisbeth pointed toward an even larger stack.

“The diplomatic arrangements.”

Lexander looked at the mountain of paperwork.

“You’ve been engaged for one day.”

Io nodded.

“Yes.”

“One day.”

“Yes.”

“And you’ve already started diplomatic arrangements?”

Lysandra shrugged.

“We’re behind.”

Lexander slowly looked at Io.

She smiled innocently.

“We have a lot to organize.”

“You don’t need to organize everything immediately.”

“Yes, we do.”

“Why?”

“Because there are things to consider.”

“Such as?”

Io began counting on her fingers.

“The ceremony.”

“Fine.”

“The guest list.”

“Fine.”

“The location.”

“Fine.”

“The food.”

“Fine.”

“The music.”

“Fine.”

“The security.”

“Fine.”

“The diplomatic invitations.”

“Fine.”

“The seating arrangements.”

“Fine.”

“The wedding procession.”

“Fine.”

“The honeymoon.”

Lexander blinked.

“Already?”

Io smiled.

“We have to plan ahead.”

Lysandra leaned across the table.

“And then there’s the bigger issue.”

Lexander immediately became suspicious.

“What bigger issue?”

Lysandra exchanged a glance with Io.

Then with Lisbeth.

Finally, she looked at him.

“The kingdoms.”

Lexander stared.

“What about them?”

Io unfolded a map.

“We’ve been discussing the possibility of combining them.”

Silence.

Lexander looked at the map.

It showed his kingdom.

Beside it was Io’s.

They were neighboring territories separated by a mountain range and a wide river.

He looked back at the three women.

“You’re talking about merging our kingdoms?”

“Possibly,” Io said.

Lisbeth nodded.

“It makes strategic sense.”

Lysandra pointed toward the map.

“Your kingdom controls the western trade routes.”

“I know.”

“Io’s kingdom controls the eastern passes.”

“I know.”

“Together, we’d control almost everything between them.”

Lexander rubbed his forehead.

“I thought we were planning a wedding.”

“We are,” Io said.

“This sounds less like wedding planning and more like rewriting the political structure of an entire continent.”

Lisbeth smiled.

“That’s because it is.”

Lexander stared at her.

“Whose idea was this?”

All three women pointed at one another.

Nobody answered.

Lexander sighed.

“I should have known.”

Io stepped closer.

“Think about it.”

He did.

That was the problem.

It actually made sense.

The two kingdoms already depended heavily upon one another.

Trade crossed their borders every day.

Their militaries had begun coordinating.

Their roads connected.

Their merchants had established permanent settlements in both territories.

And with their marriage, the political relationship between the two kingdoms would inevitably change.

Lexander studied the map.

“Where would the capital be?”

Lysandra smiled.

“We’ve been thinking about that too.”

“Of course you have.”

Io pointed to the map.

“Here.”

Lexander leaned closer.

She indicated a broad valley between the two kingdoms.

He recognized it immediately.

“The old valley?”

“Yes.”

“That’s wilderness.”

“Mostly.”

“There’s a river.”

“A very large one.”

“Mountains on three sides.”

“Which makes it defensible.”

Lexander looked at Lisbeth.

“You’ve thought this through.”

Lisbeth nodded.

“Very carefully.”

Lysandra pulled another document from the pile.

“We could build an entirely new city.”

Lexander stared at her.

“You want to build a city.”

“A large city.”

“How large?”

Io smiled.

“Large enough to serve as the capital of both kingdoms.”

Lexander sat down.

“I’m going back to bed.”

“No.”

Lysandra physically pushed him back toward the table.

“Sit.”

“I’ve made my decision.”

“Rejected.”

“You can’t reject my decision.”

“We just did.”

Io laughed.

Lexander looked at Lisbeth.

“You’re supposed to be the reasonable one.”

Lisbeth gave him a sympathetic smile.

“I was.”

“And?”

“I’ve reconsidered.”

He groaned.

Lysandra spread the architectural drawings across the table.

“Look.”

Lexander did.

The plans were ambitious.

Far more ambitious than he had expected.

At the center of the proposed city was a massive palace.

Surrounding it were government buildings, military headquarters, marketplaces, temples, schools, libraries, residential districts, gardens, workshops, and enormous public squares.

Two main avenues crossed at the center.

One led east.

The other west.

At the point where they met stood the proposed palace.

Lexander stared at the drawing.

“You’ve already designed it.”

“Not completely.”

Lysandra pointed toward several blank sections.

“We’re still deciding where the university goes.”

Io pointed at another.

“And whether the western market should be larger than the eastern one.”

Lisbeth added, “We’re also discussing whether the city should have separate quarters for each kingdom’s cultural communities.”

Lexander stared at them.

“You’ve been planning this for how long?”

Io looked at the clock.

“Since breakfast.”

“It’s barely noon.”

“Yes.”

He looked at the papers.

“Do you realize how expensive this would be?”

“Yes.”

“How long would construction take?”

“Years.”

“Who would pay for it?”

“The kingdoms.”

“How would we govern it?”

“That depends on the constitution.”

Lexander froze.

“The constitution?”

Lisbeth nodded.

“We’ll need one.”

“You’ve been engaged for one day.”

“Yes.”

“And you’ve already invented a new government.”

Io smiled.

“Not yet.”

Lysandra lifted another document.

“Yet.”

Lexander dropped his head onto the table.

“I am surrounded by lunatics.”

A voice came from the doorway.

“I’ve been saying that for years.”

Lexander looked up.

Thor was leaning against the doorframe.

She had a cup in one hand and a piece of bread in the other.

Lexander pointed toward the table.

“Help me.”

Thor walked over.

She looked at the maps.

Then the plans.

Then the piles of wedding documents.

Her eyebrows rose.

“What happened?”

“I proposed marriage.”

Thor nodded.

“That explains the city.”

Lexander blinked.

“You understand?”

“No.”

Thor took another bite of bread.

“But I’ve learned not to question Lysandra when she gets that expression.”

Lysandra frowned.

“What expression?”

“The one that means someone is about to lose several months of their life.”

Io laughed.

Lysandra threw a piece of parchment at Thor.

Thor caught it.

“What is this?”

“A preliminary seating chart.”

Thor looked at it.

“Why am I sitting next to Loki?”

“Because you’re both gods.”

Thor frowned.

“He talks too much.”

Loki’s voice suddenly came from behind her.

“I heard that.”

Thor turned.

“You were supposed to.”

Loki entered the room.

He looked at the papers.

Then the architectural plans.

Then Lexander.

“Oh.”

Lexander pointed at him.

“Don’t.”

Loki smiled.

“You’re getting married.”

“Yes.”

“To Io.”

“Yes.”

“And they’re planning a city.”

“Yes.”

Loki nodded thoughtfully.

“I’m going to leave.”

Lexander looked relieved.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be back later.”

“Why?”

“I want to see how large they make the palace.”

He disappeared down the corridor.

Lexander sighed.

Io sat beside him.

“You don’t have to decide today.”

He looked at her.

“That helps.”

“We’re only discussing possibilities.”

He looked at the plans again.

“What would you call it?”

Io smiled.

“The city?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know.”

Lysandra immediately said, “I’ve got ideas.”

Lexander looked horrified.

“No.”

“I haven’t even said them.”

“That’s why I’m saying no.”

Lisbeth laughed.

Thor leaned over the plans.

“What about something that represents both kingdoms?”

Io nodded.

“That would be appropriate.”

“Two rivers meeting?”

“Perhaps.”

“A city at the crossroads?”

“Maybe.”

Lysandra tapped the center of the map.

“What about calling it Concordia?”

Lexander considered it.

Io did too.

Lisbeth smiled.

“I like it.”

Thor nodded.

“Sounds important.”

Lexander looked at the proposed city.

“Concordia.”

The name seemed to fit.

A city built between two kingdoms.

A place where their roads met.

Their people met.

Their cultures met.

Their future met.

He looked at Io.

“You really want this?”

Her expression softened.

“I want us to have something that belongs to both of us.”

Lexander looked back at the map.

The idea suddenly seemed less absurd.

Not easy.

Not cheap.

Not simple.

But meaningful.

“We wouldn’t move the capital immediately.”

“No,” Io agreed.

“We’d have to build the infrastructure first.”

“Yes.”

“Roads.”

“Obviously.”

“Bridges.”

“Several.”

“Defenses.”

“Absolutely.”

“Water systems.”

“Yes.”

“Food storage.”

“Yes.”

“Government buildings.”

“Yes.”

“Schools.”

“Yes.”

“Hospitals.”

“Yes.”

Lexander sighed.

“And a palace.”

Io smiled.

“If we’re going to build one, I’d like a nice one.”

Lysandra leaned over.

“I’ve already found three designs.”

Lexander stared at her.

“Of course you have.”

She smiled.

Thor looked at the drawings.

“That’s a lot of stairs.”

“We can add elevators.”

Thor looked confused.

“What is an elevator?”

Lysandra smiled.

“Something you will inevitably break.”

Thor looked offended.

“I don’t break things.”

Everyone in the room stared at her.

Thor slowly corrected herself.

“I don’t break things intentionally.”

Lexander laughed.

For the first time since the conversation began, he felt the weight of it lift.

Maybe the city wasn’t such a terrible idea.

Maybe the marriage wasn’t merely the joining of two people.

Maybe it could become the joining of two worlds.

Still, there was one problem.

He pointed at the table.

“What about the wedding?”

Io looked at him.

“What about it?”

“That’s supposed to be the important part.”

Lysandra laughed.

“It is.”

“Then why are we designing a capital city?”

“Because the wedding is complicated.”

“How?”

Lisbeth began counting.

“Guest list.”

Io added, “Diplomatic invitations.”

Lysandra continued, “Security.”

Lisbeth added, “Ceremony.”

Io said, “Reception.”

Lysandra said, “Clothing.”

Lisbeth said, “Food.”

Io said, “Music.”

Lysandra said, “Transportation.”

Lisbeth said, “Accommodations.”

Io added, “Political agreements.”

Lexander stared.

“Political agreements?”

Io smiled.

“We are getting married.”

“Yes.”

“Our kingdoms may merge.”

“Yes.”

“Foreign rulers will attend.”

“Yes.”

“So naturally, there will be political discussions.”

Lexander leaned back.

“I thought weddings were supposed to be romantic.”

Io took his hand.

“They can be both.”

He smiled.

“I suppose.”

She squeezed his hand.

“And besides.”

“Yes?”

“I want to marry you.”

Lexander’s expression softened.

“That’s the part I care about.”

“Good.”

Lysandra cleared her throat.

“That’s very sweet.”

Lexander looked at her.

“But?”

“But we still need to decide whether we’re having the ceremony in the old palace or the new city.”

Lexander stared.

“The new city doesn’t exist.”

“Not yet.”

“You can’t hold a wedding somewhere that doesn’t exist.”

“Why not?”

“Because there would be nowhere to stand.”

Lysandra thought about that.

“Fair.”

Thor raised her hand.

“I have a suggestion.”

Everyone looked at her.

“What if we build the city first?”

Lexander stared.

“That would take years.”

Thor shrugged.

“Then we have time to plan the wedding.”

Lexander looked at Io.

Io looked at Lysandra.

Lysandra looked at Lisbeth.

Lisbeth looked at Thor.

Then everyone started laughing.

The idea was ridiculous.

Completely ridiculous.

And yet, somehow, it was beginning to sound like exactly the kind of thing they would do.

By sunset, the wedding committee had produced three possible ceremony locations, two guest lists, four proposed menus, six architectural concepts for Concordia, a preliminary governmental structure, and an argument over whether the future palace should have one throne room or two.

Lexander had contributed almost nothing.

Except a headache.

He found Io outside later that evening.

She stood on the balcony overlooking the city.

He joined her.

“You survived.”

“Barely.”

She laughed.

“They’re excited.”

“They’re terrifying.”

“Yes.”

He leaned against the railing beside her.

“Do you really want to build this city?”

Io looked toward the horizon.

“I think so.”

“Why?”

“Because our kingdoms have spent generations protecting themselves from one another.”

She looked at him.

“Maybe our marriage can be more than a treaty.”

Lexander nodded.

“A beginning.”

“Yes.”

He took her hand.

“Then let’s build it.”

Io smiled.

“Concordia?”

“Concordia.”

They stood together beneath the evening sky.

Behind them, the palace was still filled with the sounds of arguments about flowers, seating arrangements, architecture, and diplomatic protocol.

Ahead of them lay two kingdoms.

And between them, an empty valley.

A blank piece of land waiting to become something extraordinary.

A new city.

A new capital.

A shared future.

Lexander smiled.

“I have one condition.”

Io looked at him.

“What?”

“No Rainbow Bridges.”

She laughed.

“Agreed.”

From inside the palace came a tremendous crash.

They both turned.

Thor’s voice echoed through the halls.

“I DIDN’T BREAK IT!”

Lysandra shouted back.

“YOU ABSOLUTELY DID!”

Lexander closed his eyes.

Io started laughing.

“Perhaps two conditions,” he said.

“What?”

“No elevators.”

Io laughed harder.

And somewhere in the palace, the wedding committee continued planning.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!