The palace gates opened at noon.

Seren stood in the courtyard, flanked by Lysa and Captain Voss, though Voss kept his distance, still uncertain of his place. The snow had retreated to the shadows. Spring was finally winning. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

A cart rolled through the gates, laden with crates and bundles. On the driver’s seat sat Marina Ashwood, her grey hair wild from the wind, her hands steady on the reins. She looked older than Seren remembered. Or perhaps Seren had simply been away too long.

The cart stopped. Marina climbed down, brushed off her traveling cloak, and looked at her daughter.

"Well," she said. "You’re still alive."

"I’m still alive."

"And you’re getting married. To three wolves."

"Three wolves."

Marina shook her head. "Your father would have had a fit."

"He would have come around."

"Your father never came around to anything. Stubborn as stone." Marina stepped forward and pulled Seren into a fierce embrace. "I’m proud of you. Even if I don’t understand any of this."

Seren held on tighter. "That’s all I need."

***

The awkward conversation came later, in Seren’s chambers.

Marina sat on the edge of the bed, her hands wrapped around a cup of tea. The quilt: Lysa’s quilt, was folded at the foot of the bed. Marina had already admired it, though she had raised an eyebrow at the uneven stitching.

"So," Marina said. "Marriage."

"The bond already binds us. The marriage is... for the kingdom. For tradition. For something to celebrate."

"And for love?"

Seren sat beside her. "And for love."

Marina was quiet for a long moment. She stared into her tea as if it held answers.

"I never married," she said finally. "You know that. I had suitors, once. Wolves. Men. A few women who didn’t care about species. But I never said yes."

"Why not?"

"Because I saw what wolves did to human wives." Marina’s voice was flat. "When I was young, I worked in a village near the border. There was a human woman there; married to a wolf lord. He beat her. Starved her. Kept her locked in a tower when he was away. And no one did anything, because the law said she was his property."

She set down the tea.

"I watched her die. Not from the beatings, from the grief. She just... faded. Stopped eating. Stopped speaking. One day, she was gone. And her husband remarried within a month."

Seren took her mother’s hand. "That’s not us."

"I know." Marina looked at her. "I’ve watched you with them. Kael who would burn the world for you. Theron who sees through every lie. Aeron who kept you prisoner and then set you free." She shook her head. "They’re not like him. They’re not like any wolves I’ve ever known."

"Because they had to change. The kingdom forced them to change. I forced them to change."

"Maybe." Marina squeezed her hand. "Or maybe they were always different, and the kingdom just needed a reason to see it."

***

There was a knock at the door.

Lysa poked her head in. "Sorry to interrupt. Princess Elowen has arrived. She’s asking for you, Seren. Well, demanding. She’s not really the asking type."

Seren stood. "I’ll be right there."

Lysa withdrew.

Marina stood as well. "Elowen. She’s the one who wanted you whipped."

"She’s the one who saved Aeron’s life. People change, Mother."

"So you keep telling me." Marina smoothed her daughter’s collar. "Go. See your sister-in-law. I’ll be here. Unpacking my herbs."

"Your herbs?"

"For the wedding. I brought tinctures, salves, pain remedies. You’ll need them."

"For what?"

"For dancing. For champagne headaches. For the inevitable exhaustion of ruling a kingdom while pregnant."

Seren’s face went pink. "I’m not...

"Not yet." Marina smiled. "But you will. And when you do, you’ll want my rosehip tea. It’s in the green bundle."

Seren kissed her mother’s cheek and walked out.

Marina watched her go, then turned to the window.

The courtyard below was bustling with nobles and servants. Elowen had just dismounted, her traveling cloak swirling around her. Lady Sera stood apart, watching the arrivals with her usual inscrutable expression. Lord Pemberton was greeting everyone, his voice carrying across the stone.

*She’s safe,* Marina thought. *She’s happy. She’s loved.*

It was more than she had ever dared to hope for.

***

The great hall was chaos.

Nobles had been arriving all morning. Eastern lords in silk and fur. Southern merchants in practical wool. A delegation from the northern provinces, still wary, still watching, but present. And at the centre of it all, Princess Elowen.

She had changed since leaving for the east. Her face was tanned, her arms muscular, her eyes sharper. She wore riding leathers instead of court gowns, and a sword hung at her hip.

"Seren." Elowen nodded as the queen approached. "You look less dead than the last time I saw you."

"Thank you. You look... healthier."

"The east agrees with me. No scheming nobles. No Vesper clones. Just honest wolves trying to survive." Elowen’s lips twitched. "I almost missed the palace. Almost."

"Liar."

"Absolutely." Elowen glanced around the hall. "Where are my brothers?"

"Kael is in the armoury. Theron is interrogating the caterers. Aeron is in the council chamber, pretending to read reports."

"Pretending?"

"He’s nervous. He won’t admit it."

Elowen laughed; a genuine sound. "The great Aeron, nervous about a wedding. I never thought I’d see the day."

"None of us did."

***

Lady Sera approached, her eastern pack trailing behind her. She wore formal armor, polished and gleaming, and her white hair was braided with silver wire.

"Queen Seren." She bowed stiffly. "Princess Elowen."

"Lady Sera." Elowen’s voice was dry. "I see you’re still dressing for battle."

"I see you’re still dressing for the road."

"Old habits."

"Indeed."

They regarded each other like two wolves sizing up competition. Then, unexpectedly, Sera extended her hand.

Elowen stared at it. Then she shook it.

"The eastern provinces and the eastern pack should not be enemies," Sera said. "We share borders. We share trade routes. We share a queen."

"We share a queen," Elowen agreed. "That doesn’t make us friends."

"It makes us allies. That’s enough for now."

Elowen nodded slowly. "Agreed."

She walked away, toward the refreshment table. Sera turned to Seren.

"Your mother is here," Sera said. "The healer."

"She’s here. She brought herbs."

"Good. I have a rash on my arm that won’t heal." Sera paused. "And I wanted to thank her. For saving my eastern wolves at the border. She worked three days straight, they told me. She never slept."

"She’s like that."

"Then she raised you well." Sera nodded and walked away.

***

That night, Seren found her mother in the garden.

Marina was sitting on the same stone bench from Lysa’s quilt, staring up at the stars. Her traveling cloak was wrapped around her shoulders. In her hands, she held a small bundle of dried herbs.

"You should be inside," Seren said. "It’s cold."

"I’m old. I don’t feel cold anymore."

"You’re not old."

"I’m old enough to know better than to sit in a garden at midnight." Marina patted the bench beside her. "Sit. Tell me about this wedding."

Seren sat. "What do you want to know?"

"What do you want to tell me?"

They sat in silence for a moment.

"I’m scared," Seren admitted. "Not of the marriage. Of what comes after. The kingdom is stable now, but it’s fragile. One wrong move, and everything could collapse."

"That’s not fear. That’s responsibility." Marina handed her the bundle of herbs. "Burn this before the ceremony. It’s for courage."

"Mother, I don’t need—"

"Humor me." Marina smiled. "I’m your mother. I’m allowed to be superstitious."

Seren tucked the bundle into her pocket. "Thank you. For coming. For staying alive long enough to see this."

"I had to. Someone has to make sure you eat something other than hardtack."

"That’s Lysa’s job."

"Lysa is your friend. I’m your mother. We have different duties."

Seren leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder. "I’m glad you’re here."

Marina kissed her hair. "So am I."

The stars wheeled overhead.

The next day, Seren would marry three princes.

Tonight, she sat in the garden with her mother, and the world felt almost peaceful.