For notes, please see chapter 1.

Suggested music:

"Waiting for a Girl Like You" – Foreigner

"Glory of Love" – Peter Cetera

"I Melt with You" – Modern English

"Don't Stop Believin'" – Journey

Chapter 14: Twelve Years Later…

"I'm telling you, Diana, this armor shrank in the wash!" Eric yelled as he struggled to buckle his greaves.

"Right," she said, pushing a lock of hair from her eyes and tucking it gracefully behind the circlet of gold and rubies she wore on her head. "I'm sure that the three triple decker hamburgers you had at Bobby's bachelor party last night had absolutely nothing to do with it."

Eric sniffed disdainfully and checked his reflection in the mirror. He looked pretty darn good, if he said so himself.

"So what time does this thing start again?" he asked, but she just shook her head with a smile.

"You'll only run late if you know," she said. "Now move it, Cavalier!"

"I would not," Eric grumbled, walking down the staircase with her and into their sitting room. "Just because I nearly missed Sheila and Hank's wedding five years ago, which most definitely was not my fault. Nobody should be expected to factor an Orc attack into their driving time."

"Okay, fine, you get a pass on that one, but only because you're cute," she said, swatting the seat of his armor, then leaving the room.

"Damn straight," he said, looking smug as he took the time to enjoy the view from their home.

The Realm spread before them in a beautiful swirl of green and blue, and pink rosebuds (obviously Presto and Varla's work) were wafting softly through the breeze over the assembled humans and other beings who were there to see Dungeon Master lead Terry and Bobby through their vows. Eric seriously hoped the best man, Jimmy Whittaker of all people, had talked Bobby out of wearing the horned helmet during the ceremony… if anyone had even yet gotten him to believe he was really there. Eric was pretty sure Whittaker would eventually chalk the whole thing up to a post-stag party hangover.

"Hypatia and I want to know what you're thinking about," Diana said, re-entering the room while carrying their infant daughter.

"Just that I eventually found what I kept griping about for all those years," Eric said.

"And that would be?" she said, passing the baby to him.

"Home," he said, smiling at his wife before they rejoined their friends for the celebration.

Fin.