Chapter 99
The palace was alive in a way it had not been for a long time. Not tense, not cautious, not waiting for something to go wrong. It was open, bright, and filled with movement that carried warmth instead of pressure. The corridors were decorated with flowing fabrics and soft golden tones that caught the morning light and turned everything into something almost dreamlike. Flowers lined the walkways, music drifted through the air without hesitation, and the usual silence of authority had been replaced by laughter, footsteps, and voices that did not feel restrained.
Today was the wedding, but more than that, it felt like a celebration the palace itself had been holding back for too long.
In the ceremonial hall, the transformation was complete. The space no longer felt like a place of duty or structure, but something closer to joy. Guests filled the seats with smiles instead of scrutiny, their voices low but excited, their expressions open. The atmosphere was light, almost unreal, as if everyone had agreed to leave tension outside the doors for a few hours.
Hiccup stood near the side of the hall, unable to contain his excitement. He kept shifting his weight, looking around as if confirming again and again that this was actually happening.
Hiccup said, "This is real. It actually happened."
Lisa stood beside him, calm as always, but even her eyes reflected something softer than usual. She adjusted a small detail on her outfit before glancing around the hall.
Lisa said, "Yes. It did."
Hiccup let out a breath, half laugh, half disbelief.
Hiccup said, "And it looks… amazing."
Lisa said, "It does."
Hiccup turned toward her with a grin that refused to fade.
Hiccup said, "We pulled it off."
Lisa looked at him for a moment longer than usual, then allowed a small smile to form.
Lisa said, "We did."
That simple agreement was enough to make him visibly relax, like something inside him had finally settled.
Near the entrance corridor, Zack stood in ceremonial position, dressed with quiet precision. Everything about him still reflected discipline, but something had shifted. The weight he usually carried was still present, but it no longer felt like it was pressing down on him alone. It felt balanced now, as if something had eased its hold without removing his awareness.
His eyes moved slowly across the hall, taking in every detail. The guests, the decorations, the music, the movement of people who were no longer tense but genuinely present in the moment. And then his gaze found her.
Alvira.
And something in him softened without resistance.
Ray stood beside him, watching the final arrangements with his usual focus, but even he seemed less rigid today. The atmosphere had affected everyone in different ways.
Ray said, "Everything is stable."
Zack said, "It is more than stable."
Ray glanced at him briefly.
Ray said, "You are satisfied."
Zack paused for a moment, then gave a small, certain nod.
Zack said, "Yes."
That answer was not about strategy or security. It was about the feeling of everything finally aligning without resistance.
Ray understood that without needing further explanation, and for once, he did not challenge it.
On the other side of the hall, Alvira stepped in with Lisa walking beside her. The moment she entered, the atmosphere seemed to brighten even more. Not because it was forced, but because her presence added to what was already building.
She looked around slowly, taking in everything. The decorations, the guests, the warmth in the air, and the music that now carried a soft celebratory rhythm instead of anticipation. It felt different from everything the palace had been in the days before.
Lisa said softly, "It is beautiful."
Alvira nodded slightly.
Alvira said, "It is."
But her attention was not fully on the hall.
It was on him.
Her eyes found Zack across the space almost immediately, and when they did, she noticed the change in him again. Not the controlled distance he usually kept, but something calmer. Something more open. Less guarded. Like he was finally standing in the moment instead of standing against it.
And when he looked back at her, there was something in his expression she had not seen before.
Peace.
Alvira felt it settle in her chest without warning. Not confusion this time. Not uncertainty. Something closer to relief.
Because he had changed.
Not into someone else.
But into someone better.
Not for appearances.
Not for duty alone.
But for himself.
And for her.
The ceremony began soon after, and the hall quieted into a respectful stillness. Words were spoken, vows exchanged, and everything unfolded with a sense of meaning that went beyond formality. When it ended, there was no tension left behind. No uncertainty hanging in the air.
There was applause.
Real applause.
Warm, genuine, and unrestrained.
Hiccup looked like he might explode with excitement.
Hiccup said, "That was perfect."
Lisa looked at him and for once did not argue.
Lisa said, "Yes. It was."
And she meant it.
As Zack and Alvira stepped forward together, the atmosphere shifted again, this time fully into celebration. Music rose, guests stood, laughter spread, and the palace that had once felt like a place of control now felt like a place of life.
Ray stood among the crowd, watching without interference. Even his usual observation felt lighter now, less like assessment and more like acceptance.
The after party began naturally, flowing from ceremony into celebration without any forced transition. Tables filled with food and drink, music shifted into something more playful, and people who had once been reserved now moved freely, laughing, talking, and enjoying the moment without restraint.
Hiccup ended up dragging Lisa into a dance at one point, completely uncoordinated but completely happy. She tried to correct him, but she was laughing too much to be serious.
Lisa said, "You are terrible at this."
Hiccup said, "I am improving."
Lisa said, "You are not."
But she was smiling as she said it.
Alvira stood with Zack for a while at the edge of the celebration, watching everything unfold. The palace no longer felt like a place of structure alone. It felt alive in a way that reached everyone inside it.
Alvira said quietly, "It feels different now."
Zack said, "It is different."
Alvira said, "You changed it."
Zack looked at her, calm and certain.
Zack said, "We did."
That answer made her pause, then smile fully.
Not hesitant.
Not unsure.
Real.
Zack watched her smile, and for the first time in a long time, he did not feel like he had to guard anything from it. Something in him settled in a way that felt natural, like tension he had carried for too long had finally loosened without being forced.
The night continued with music, laughter, dancing, and warmth that spread through every corner of the palace. Hiccup and Lisa remained near the center of the celebration at times, sometimes dancing, sometimes arguing lightly, but always smiling. Ray stayed nearby for a while before slowly allowing himself to simply observe without scanning for threats.
Alvira laughed more than she had in a long time, and Zack stayed beside her without distance, without hesitation, as if it had always been natural for him to do so.
And as the palace lights glowed softly into the night and the celebration continued without restraint, one truth settled quietly over everything.
This was not just a wedding.
It was a beginning.
A day that did not feel like an ending of preparation, but the start of something none of them would ever forget.
A day where the palace finally stopped holding its breath… and learned how to smile.