Thanks SO MUCH for my fantastic Beta Kenobigirlliz for all her amazing work on making this into a real story instead of just a half-baked outline! Thank you!

I do not own the world nor characters described here.

It was a mild, clear spring day on April 26th, 2012. The temperature was perfect for what will be a flawless day seeing as Dave and Becky are getting married. They were ready to be with one another for the rest of their lives, through sickness or health—or through sorcery related incidents. The wedding was held in a small church Becky attended every Sunday, and today it was adorned with flowers. White carnations, and lilies decorated the benches where the guests would sit, and different arrangements were set up at the altar. Green and white ribbons were strung around various places as well as hanging overhead in a circular fashion where all the ribbons met up in the center of the circle . The church was located in the middle of the city, and it was situated in a quieter area where there was very little traffic, or in other words, the perfect place to say 'I do'.

There were a modest number of cars parked along the street where the wedding would be held, including a black limo that was waiting to take the couple to the reception afterward.

"You look spectacular, Becky," Veronica assured the nervous bride-to-be, who kept looking at herself on how she looked or what her husband would think of her at this precise moment. All the same fears any bride would have on their special day. She ran her hands along her flowing white satin gown and the smooth silk sash that accompanied the garment. She straightened her sleeves for the hundredth time to make sure her medium-length train was in the right place. She wanted everything to be unspoiled ; this was after all the most important day in her life. She didn't want a single flaw to be seen at all, or Becky thought doubtfully Dave wouldn't want to marry her.

However, that was foolish thinking they had been through thick and thin. He wouldn't have proposed to her if he didn't love her, and he did. To him she was his whole world…well besides physics and sorcery that is.

She smiled a little, remembering the discussion she had had with her fiancé about her train and veil when she first got her wedding dress a few months ago. Dave had wanted nothing to do with any of the planning seeing as he told her he wasn't an expert on such matters. Besides Balthazar was holding on to him for training because despite one and half years after defeating Morgana Le Fae he wasn't a fully fledged sorcerer yet. So, Veronica and the bride-to-be did most of the wedding arrangements and shopping for the wedding. No easy task seeing as in any normal circumstance, this would have worked fine. But Veronica was still learning about the new world she lived in now, which made the process take a little longer seeing as Veronica asked question after question to the different clerks and shopkeepers. Becky should have seen this coming seeing as the sorcerers was still getting used to the ways of the twenty first century, and everything Veronica knew didn't always fit in with what was the norm.

Never-the- less, Becky was determined to have Dave involved at least a little bit of the planning. So she had cornered him with how long the train should be on her dress, and whether or not there should be a veil to accompany the outfit. Though, she did not allow him to see the dress, she forced him to look at the choices on different manikins wearing similar style gowns. The poor man had ended up choosing a medium train without a veil. Becky had thanked him and made sure it would work with her gown. It did, and the sentiment still stood today.

Becky nodded at Veronica with a flushed look on her face, truly a picture of a blushing bride. She turned to her mother, Jenny Barnes, who looked at her daughter with suppressed tears in her eyes looking at how much her little girl has grown up. "Mom, I think you had better go sit in the front row, like you're supposed to. And you too Veronica."

Both women smiled reassuringly at the bride as Becky's father, Henry Barnes, took his daughter's arm into his. "Come on, sweet heart. It's starting. It's your time to shine"

Harry looped his arm through Becky's arm looking at his not-so-little girl and how could she had possibly grown up so fast. At the same time he pretended he understood why Victoria? Or was it Monica? No it was Veronica. He was never good with names to begin with. Why this Veronica was helping alongside Becky's mother, and had been since the whole wedding process had begun. He assumed Veronica was a relative of his new-son-in-law, and had stepped in as any women in a wedding did, which was doing most of the planning. Seeing as a man, he didn't really know why women made such a big deal about the color palette, what cake flavor to have, or to have personal candies or cakes for the guests as a treat. Personally, he felt that weddings were best left to someone else, a wedding planner that is.

Becky had asked her two best friends, Kathy and Alexa, to be her bridesmaids. Of course their answers were a unanimous yes. Kathy was very tall with elongated legs and a figure that any woman would be proud to have. The sleeveless emerald satin dress with a lighter emerald color slash that Becky picked out for her bridesmaids suited Kathy quite well, seeing as it complimented her figure. Kathy's shoulder-length brown hair was up in a half ponytail, and she was glowing in happiness for Becky. She knew that her friend was having a catharsis, where so many emotions were going through her right now and Kathy thought that her friend was dealing with them extremely well. Seeing as she herself wouldn't know how to stand waiting to kiss her groom-to-be. It was truly an exciting day, and she knew Becky would be the star. Alexa was on the short side of medium with bright red hair (hence the emerald dresses to compliment her golden-red locks) that was up in a rare half-pony tail to match Kathy's. Her cute-as-a-button freckles stood out as she grinned at her life-long friend. "This is so great, Becks!" she said when Becky had told the two of them about her engagement.

Bennett and Andre (one of the guys from her radio station) were the groomsmen. Bennett looked to be slightly drunk from the bachelor's party the night before (the one that Dave didn't really want to have, but his roommate persuaded him to have it seeing as he was the groom and it was tradition), but he took it in stride. Andre looked fine, but then again, he had worked late shift at the radio station and hadn't shown up to the party.

The flower girl was Alexa's niece; Jill a cute kid who had acquired her family's striking red hair and bubbly personality. She was excited for her role in her Aunt's friend's wedding. Anybody else would have wondered why Jill was being the flower girl, but she knew Becky quite well from all her visits (Alexa lived with her sister, Jill's mother).

Dave shifted from foot to foot looking at his black polished shoes wondering if he was ready for his big day. Of course he was what was he thinking! His best man was, of course, Balthazar. "Stop acting like you've got to go to the bathroom," his master-turned-friend and now best man whispered. "If you can hold it in the Merlin's Circle, you can hold it through the wedding."

Dave glared at his master, who chuckled in response seeing as he really shouldn't be adding salt to the wound, the boy was a nervous wreck. Even more than usual, and that was saying something. As he should be seeing it was, after all, his wedding day. He hoped to alleviate Dave's anxiety, "Dave, this is Becky. The same Becky who acknowledges who you really are Dave. The same Becky who faced her fear of heights because you asked her to; granted the world was at stake, but she took your word for that. This is the same Becky that, when you got back from France, asked if she could meet your master and your master's newly-released girlfriend properly. Even though you and I both know the whole experience could have shown her what she was about to get involved in, but instead she was going to stay with you because as I said, I am not surprised that she likes you. So relax and enjoy your wedding Dave. Breathe this is supposed to be your day remember?"

Dave gave Balthazar another glare. "Did you just give me a pep talk before my wedding?" he asked, slightly miffed. Seeing as this was supposed to be his day and he should have everything under control. But seeing as this was Dave—things weren't always going to be that simple.

Balthazar merely smiled in his usual manner where the laughter could be seen in his eyes. "We're up next, Dave. Smile. And don't lie when you say 'I do', because everyone will know if you do. Not that you would want to anyways. Considering it would be bad form to lie on your wedding day,"

Dave didn't even grace Balthazar's comment with a reply as the opening notes of the wedding march began. Dave took a deep breath and tried not to look absurd, knowing full well that this was one of the most important days in his life, second of course to finding out that he defeated Morgana Le Fae with only a week's worth of instruction and two years of college physics on his side. Maybe third, after the day he met Balthazar eleven years ago. Or fourth, when he got into college, but enough with where his wedding ranked on his life's achievements he wanted to enjoy the moment. Seeing as it would end in the blink of an eye. To see Becky in the dress she picked out, to see her father walk her proudly down the aisle to the music that she loved so much (if even it was just the wedding march), to offer his arm to her, to hear the cleric murmur the vows, and to finally to kiss the bride.

Boy was he sappy as can be, but it didn't matter when he looked into Becky's clear blue eyes and gave her a deep kiss at the altar as everyone clapped when the newly wedded couple embraced and kissed once more, a bit more passionately.

Dave had hired a limo to take the two of them to the reception. It was held at the reformed Arcana Cabana. What had been a littered and dust filled old antiques store, and then a Nokia cell phone outlet, and was now a beautiful ball room fit for a small intimate wedding reception. Where the aquamarine glass roof reflected the natural light and the natural wood was restored to its original splendor, and the staircase was decorated with same flowers and ribbons that were at the church. Balthazar had bought the building back recently, and so he turned it into a fitting place for the reception.

Temporarily, anyways seeing as Veronica begged him to do it, and Becky wanted it, so Balthazar conceded in the end. After the reception, it would magically go back to being a cleaned-up antiques store minus a few things that Veronica had taken upon herself to throw out.

At the reception, there was some older music and some modern. That way everyone in the wedding party would be happy. Andrew had burned the CD's for it from Becky's favorites and with some help from the groom. There was, of course, dancing, and everyone joined in. The wedding had been a small one- Balthazar, Veronica, Alexa, Andrew, Bennett, Jill, Kathy, Jill, Jill's mother and father, and Dave's mother, Tammy.

Tammy had been living in Ohio, and stayed in touch through e-mails from her son, and so she was not at all surprised to see Balthazar and Veronica there. They had been introduced to her as Dave's tutor (which mildly shocked her. Since when had Dave needed tutoring? When she found out that as much as a genius he came to physics that he had a fairly hard time with languages). She had also been introduced to his tutor's wife. There was a white cake with white fondant and butter cream frosting that Becky's mother had made, and that everyone enjoyed. Dave and Becky were showered with many gifts, including one that surprised Dave. It was very simple in an unassuming black box. It wasn't even a gift, really.

It was a familiar dragon ring that he had not seen in two years, with a note attached-

I do believe this belongs to you, boy. Don't look for me nearby- I'm not around. But I don't want my life to come to the abrupt ending of a certain Morganian, so here is the ring that I took from you, and now it is yours…again.

MH

He almost laughed at the irony. Horvath had a conscience? Who'd have guessed? Or a survival instinct? Either way, Dave was happy to have it back. Even though technically he didn't need it anymore to perform magic, but he was glad to have it back if for anything to feel complete.

Many people begged to know what the intricate, silver dragon ring with a green stone and the inscription that wrote Take me up, cast me away was, and he simply held up his hand and winked at Balthazar before saying, "A guilty acquaintance thought it would be nice to return an heirloom he had of mine." His mother gave him an odd look. She'd never seen the ring before, due to the fact that Dave had been so embarrassed about the incident eleven years ago; he had not shown the ring to anyone.

Balthazar gave an amused look when he saw the look Dave gave him. He could see on Dave's finger the familiar contours of Merlin's dragon ring. He knew Maxim would at least see the point of making amends. It might be a bit before his former friend had made it into his good graces once more, but this was at least a step in the right direction.

Other presents included a porcelain dish set with green and blue designs around each plate, bowl, platter, and tea plate. Becky promised to be the one who did the dishes with them, so that they wouldn't get broken by Dave. Seeing as Dave didn't trust himself with china wear to begin with. A Boise surround sound system, two sets of towels (one set a green color and the other a tan), a bed spread in the quilted style, cards (probably from Dave's mother to write thank you notes for the gifts), and a rather thick envelope that was given exclusively to Dave. Inside was a large sum of cash, a planner with hotel reservations in it, tour books with sights to see, along with personal recommendations written in the margins, and restaurants to dine at. As a side note, Balthazar wrote:

Dave-

Everyone pitched in on this gift Dave, but I got it last, thus able to put the final touches on it. I volunteered to help with transportation. You can take the Eagle around New York. For the other trips, a few gargoyles will accompany you as well. They're not really gargoyles Dave; I only call them gargoyles to scare you. I couldn't have you running off without one more chance to give you a hard time, could I? They're really other animals. The hawk I made myself, seeing as the eagle would be missed, though I came upon the lion and the whale at a statue store before I put the animation spell on them. They'll work as transportation in different places. Have fun on your honeymoon, and write plenty about your experiences.

Yours truly,

Balthazar and Veronica

There was also a more useful-sized Incantus suitcase size as supposed to the unreadable pocket-sized, a few conveniences spells, and one or two bits of advice from Dave's beloved master and his girlfriend.

Finally, Dave and Becky left the wedding party in the rented limo. Balthazar promised to return it later. Then the happy newly-weds proceeded back to Dave's apartment, where a familiar, trusty steel eagle was waiting to take them to their first destination as husband and wife.

Who would have ever thought?

Then again anything was possible with magic.