Chapter 42 — Two Families, One Disaster
Alexander’s family arrived in Azania convinced that they were prepared for royalty.
They were not.
Their ship entered the harbor shortly before noon, carrying Alexander’s parents, his brother Thomas, his sister Catherine and her husband, two elderly aunts, several cousins, and far more luggage than Amara thought any family needed.
Alexander stood beside her at the dock.
“Why are you smiling?” he asked.
“Because you look nervous.”
“I am not nervous.”
“You fought pirates more calmly.”
“My mother is on that ship.”
Amara laughed.
The gangway came down.
Elizabeth Whitmore was the first to reach them. She embraced Alexander, inspected him from head to toe, and immediately announced that he looked too thin.
Amara covered her mouth.
Alexander pointed at her.
“Do not.”
“My grandmother said exactly the same thing.”
That was enough to make Elizabeth laugh.
Then she turned toward Amara.
Alexander began formally, “Mother, this is Princess Amara—”
Elizabeth ignored the introduction and hugged her.
Amara froze in surprise.
“You brought my son back alive,” Elizabeth said.
Amara glanced at Alexander. “I thought he brought me back alive.”
“I know my son. I stand by my statement.”
Amara laughed again.
Alexander sighed.
The two women had known each other for less than a minute and were already allies.
His father, William, was more formal. He bowed to Amara, then became uncertain when a royal official bowed to him. William bowed again. The official, believing additional respect was being shown, bowed lower.
William responded.
Within seconds, the two men appeared to be competing over who could bow farther.
Amara lost control.
Alexander leaned toward her. “Help them.”
“I cannot breathe.”
Queen Nalia finally intervened and explained the misunderstanding. Both men straightened, embarrassed, then began laughing themselves.
The first diplomatic crisis of the visit ended peacefully.
The second began almost immediately.
Alexander’s Aunt Margaret refused to enter the ceremonial carriage.
“Where is my horse?”
Alexander stared at her.
“You do not have a horse.”
“I crossed an ocean sitting down. I am not spending another hour in a carriage.”
Amara’s eyes brightened.
Alexander saw it.
“No.”
“I haven't said anything.”
“You are about to give her a horse.”
“Perhaps.”
“No.”
Aunt Margaret looked at Amara. “Do you ride?”
“Very well.”
“Excellent.”
Ten minutes later both women were mounted.
Alexander watched them ride beside the royal procession.
Thomas leaned from the carriage window.
“Did your future wife just steal Aunt Margaret?”
“She usually steals horses.”
The palace created another round of confusion.
Alexander’s family had known Amara was wealthy.
They had not understood what that meant until they saw the palace, the government buildings surrounding it, the royal guards, the diplomatic residences, and the enormous household gathered to receive them.
Thomas looked at Alexander.
“You neglected several details.”
Alexander pointed at Amara.
“She neglected them first.”
Amara smiled. “Nobody asked the correct questions.”
Inside the courtyard, the two families met.
Queen Nalia embraced Elizabeth warmly.
King Adisa welcomed William with formal courtesy.
Kellan shook Thomas’s hand and immediately began asking about the American military.
Catherine disappeared into a group of Amara’s sisters and cousins.
Then Amara’s grandmother approached.
Alexander immediately became concerned.
The older woman inspected Elizabeth, spoke rapidly to Amara, and pointed at Alexander.
“What did she say?” Elizabeth asked.
Amara tried not to smile.
“She says Alexander is too thin.”
Elizabeth nodded seriously.
“I completely agree.”
Alexander stared at both women.
His grandmother-to-be said something else.
Amara laughed.
“What now?”
“She says we must feed you properly before the wedding.”
“I have survived for thirty-four years.”
“Clearly by luck,” Elizabeth said.
The two older women exchanged approving smiles despite not speaking the same language.
Alexander quietly walked away.
Lunch brought more problems.
A traditional dish was served with considerably more spice than Aunt Margaret expected.
She took one bite and froze.
Alexander noticed.
“Aunt?”
She drank water.
Then another glass.
Amara looked alarmed.
“Is she all right?”
Margaret finally breathed.
“That is extremely hot.”
“I am sorry.”
Margaret stared at the plate.
Then took another bite.
Alexander blinked.
“What are you doing?”
“It is excellent.”
By the end of lunch, she was asking Amara’s grandmother for the recipe.
Amara whispered to Alexander, “I like your family.”
“That worries me.”
“You should be worried.”
The most serious misunderstanding happened when Minister Okoro explained that the wedding would include ceremonial gifts exchanged between the two families.
William Whitmore frowned.
“How much are we expected to pay?”
The table became silent.
Amara immediately understood.
“No payment.”
“But he said exchange.”
“Gifts,” Amara explained. “Symbolic gifts.”
William relaxed.
King Adisa added, “Something representing your family would be appropriate.”
William thought for a moment.
“We have land.”
Alexander immediately said, “No.”
His father looked at him.
“No?”
“We are not giving away property at my wedding.”
“I was attempting to be respectful.”
“You are being respected. Keep the land.”
King Adisa began laughing.
Amara joined him.
William looked around the table.
“I am clearly missing something.”
Alexander nodded. “Welcome to my life.”
By dinner, formality had almost disappeared.
That was when Elizabeth asked how Alexander and Amara first met.
Amara smiled.
“He gave me an order.”
Elizabeth looked at her son.
“How long had you known her?”
Alexander reached for his wine.
“Not long.”
“Approximately five minutes,” Amara said.
“And what happened?”
“I said no.”
Elizabeth laughed loudly.
Alexander looked at his mother.
“Your loyalty is impressive.”
“You were foolish.”
Amara leaned toward him. “I like her very much.”
“I noticed.”
Then Thomas asked whether the story about the stolen horse was true.
“Borrowed,” Amara said automatically.
Alexander pointed at her.
“Finally, witnesses.”
Kellan laughed.
Soon everyone was telling stories.
Alexander’s family heard about Amara escaping the palace as a child.
Amara’s family heard about Alexander falling from a horse when he was nine.
Alexander protested.
Amara demanded details.
Within half an hour, neither future bride nor groom had any dignity left.
The following morning was the wedding rehearsal.
That was when everything truly collapsed.
The royal master of ceremonies wanted a traditional procession.
Elizabeth wanted Alexander waiting at the front.
Queen Nalia wanted both families included.
Aunt Margaret wanted horses.
Alexander objected immediately.
“No horses inside the palace.”
Amara looked at him.
“It could be beautiful.”
“No.”
“You have become very negative.”
“I learned from you.”
Two children assigned to carry flowers disappeared. They were eventually found behind a curtain eating wedding sweets.
Thomas stood in the wrong place.
Kellan corrected him.
Thomas disagreed.
The musicians started too early.
A large flower arrangement tipped over.
Amara watched the growing disaster until she could no longer control herself.
She began laughing.
Alexander turned toward her.
“This is our wedding.”
“Not yet.”
“That is not comforting.”
King Adisa finally raised his voice.
“Enough!”
Everyone stopped.
The King looked around the room.
“We are trying to unite two families, not invade another country.”
Thomas whispered to Kellan, “Which would be easier?”
“Invading.”
Adisa heard him.
Both men immediately became silent.
Amara began laughing again.
Alexander finally stepped forward.
“Perhaps we are trying too hard.”
Everyone looked at him.
He continued, “The wedding does not need to be perfect. We need the traditions that matter to Amara, the traditions that matter to my family, and both families standing with us.”
Queen Nalia considered.
William nodded.
Adisa looked toward his daughter.
“What do you think?”
Amara smiled.
“I think Alexander has finally said something sensible.”
“I regret speaking.”
The room relaxed.
The master of ceremonies began again, this time with fewer rules.
The children were recovered.
The musicians were given clearer instructions.
Even Aunt Margaret agreed to keep the horses outside.
For now.
That evening, Alexander and Amara escaped into the gardens.
Behind them, their families were still talking loudly inside the palace.
“Two families,” Amara said.
“One disaster.”
“Several disasters.”
Alexander looked toward the windows.
His mother was laughing with Queen Nalia.
His father and Adisa were discussing trade.
Thomas and Kellan were already arguing like brothers.
Catherine had become inseparable from Amara’s sisters.
And two grandmothers who did not share a language had somehow united around the urgent goal of feeding Alexander.
He smiled.
Amara noticed.
“You're happy.”
“Yes.”
“Even with all of this?”
“Especially with all of this.”
She rested her head against his shoulder.
Alexander kissed her forehead.
The wedding was approaching.
Two families from different worlds had crossed an ocean to celebrate it.
They misunderstood one another.
They argued.
They laughed at the wrong moments.
They ignored protocol.
And somehow, in the middle of all the chaos, they had already begun becoming one family.