The war council table had been repurposed.

Instead of maps and battle plans, it was now covered with fabric samples, flower arrangements, and seating charts that seemed to multiply like rabbits. Lysa stood at one end, a clipboard in her hands, her expression that of a general preparing for battle. Lady Ashworth sat at the other end, representing the conservative nobles who insisted on traditional elements. Lord Pemberton hovered nearby, offering unsolicited advice.

The triplets surrounded the table. Kael looked like he would rather face another northern invasion. Theron was examining a flower arrangement with the expression of someone who had just discovered a new species of poison. Aeron sat rigidly, his fingers drumming on the arm of his chair.

Seren sat in the middle, trying not to laugh.

"The processional," Lysa said, tapping her clipboard. "Traditional wolf weddings have the groom waiting at the altar while the bride walks alone. We have three grooms."

"Then they all wait," Seren said.

"And who walks you?"

"No one. I walk myself."

Lady Ashworth frowned deeply. "That’s highly irregular. The bride’s father or a male relative traditionally..."

"I don’t have a father. I don’t have any male relatives. And even if I did, I wouldn’t let them walk me." Seren’s voice was calm but firm. "I walked through fire to get here. I can walk down an aisle by myself."

Lady Ashworth opened her mouth, then closed it. Even she could not argue with that.

***

The seating chart was next.

"Traditionally," Lysa said, "the groom’s family sits on the right, the bride’s on the left. But the groom’s family is also the bride’s family. And there are three grooms."

"Put them all on the right," Kael said.

"Then the left will be empty."

"Good. Fewer people to stare at me."

Theron snorted. "Everyone stares at you anyway. You’re a prince."

"I’m a prince who doesn’t like being stared at."

"Then don’t marry the queen in front of the entire kingdom."

Kael glared at him.

Aeron intervened. "We seat the families together. No sides. Just rows."

"And who sits in the front row?" Lysa asked.

"The people who matter most." Seren looked at Aeron. "Your sister. My mother. Lysa. Captain Voss, if he’s allowed."

Aeron nodded. "And the council members who supported the charter."

"This is going to be a very large front row," Theron observed.

"Then we’ll have a very large front row."

***

The vows were next.

"Traditional wolf vows include promises of protection, provision, and pack loyalty," Lady Ashworth said, reading from a thick book. "The bride promises obedience and household management."

"The bride promises nothing of the sort," Seren said.

Lady Ashworth looked up. "It’s tradition."

"Tradition also said humans couldn’t own property. We changed that." Seren leaned forward. "I will promise to stand beside them. To fight with them. To love them. But I will not promise obedience. I am not a possession."

Kael grinned. "I wouldn’t want you to obey me. You’d be boring."

"You’re already boring," Theron said.

"I’m not boring. I’m focused."

"You’re boring."

Aeron cut in. "We’ll write our own vows. Simple. Personal. Binding."

"And who writes them?" Lysa asked.

"We do. Each of us."

Lysa made a note. Lady Ashworth looked like she had swallowed something sour.

***

The arguments continued for hours.

Who would stand where? Who would speak first? Would there be three separate vows or one shared vow? Would the bond be mentioned? Would the ceremony be wolf tradition or human tradition or something entirely new? What about the colours? The flowers? The music?

Kael threw up his hands. "Why do we need music? We’re getting married, not putting on a play."

"Music sets the mood," Lysa said.

"The mood is ’we love each other.’ That mood doesn’t need a harp."

"The mood is ’the entire kingdom is watching.’ That mood needs a harp."

Theron laughed. "I’m with Kael. Skip the harp."

"You’re not skipping the harp," Lady Ashworth said. "The harp is traditional."

"So is human servitude. We skipped that too."

Lady Ashworth’s face flushed, but she said nothing.

***

Finally, Seren stood.

"Enough."

The room went silent.

"We’re not doing this." She swept her hand across the table, scattering fabric samples. "No processional. No seating arguments. No debates about who walks where or who speaks first or whether we need a harp."

She walked to the window and turned to face them.

"We’re going to simplify."

Kael perked up. "Simplify how?"

"A private bonding ceremony. Just the four of us. In the sacred grove where wolves traditionally mate. No nobles. No council. No spectators. Just the bond and the vows."

Lysa’s face fell. "But the kingdom expects..."

"The kingdom expects a celebration. They’ll get one." Seren held up her hand. "After the bonding ceremony, we have a public celebration. A feast. A dance. Music: with or without harps. The whole kingdom can attend. But the actual wedding? The promises we make to each other? That’s private. That’s ours."

Kael was already nodding. "That’s perfect."

Theron leaned back in his chair. "I approve. Less chance of someone trying to kill us during the vows."

Aeron was silent for a long moment. Then he nodded. "She’s right. The bond is between us. The kingdom can watch us celebrate, but they don’t need to watch us promise."

Lady Ashworth looked horrified. "Your Highnesses, this is unprecedented. A royal wedding without—"

"A royal wedding that reflects who we are." Seren met her eyes. "We are not traditional. We have never been traditional. Trying to force this wedding into traditional shapes will only break it. So we’re doing it our way."

Lady Ashworth opened her mouth, then closed it. She looked at the triplets. They were all nodding.

"Very well," she said stiffly. "I will inform the council."

She gathered her books and left.

*** 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Lysa remained. She was smiling now.

"A private bonding ceremony. I can work with that. Small. Intimate. Meaningful." She made a note on her clipboard. "And the public celebration?"

"A feast. A dance. No ceremony. Just joy."

"I can plan that." Lysa looked up. "When?"

"Three weeks. First day of spring."

Lysa nodded and walked out, already muttering about menus and guest lists.

The triplets and Seren were alone.

Kael pulled her close. "Thank you. I thought I was going to have to sit through another hour of flower discussions."

"I saved you."

"You saved all of us." Theron kissed her cheek. "Private ceremony. Public celebration. It’s perfect."

Aeron took her hand. "The sacred grove. At dawn. Just us."

"And the bond," Seren said.

"And the bond."

She looked at her three mates. Three rings on her finger; silver, white gold, black steel. Three promises waiting to be spoken.