is my wife!'
'Oh, no, she's not!' the mage thundered so definitively that a chill and cries of dismay ran through the crowd. 'I was at your wedding to Shaleen. In my clear recollection, your vows involved the words 'Until death do us part.''
'Yes,' Piergeiron confirmed slowly, realization dawning.
Khelben shook his beard like a lion shaking out its mane. 'Well, I don't know a couple around here who's been more dead than you two!'
'A wedding!' Noph shouted suddenly, and the cry carried through the crowd.
'Yes!' Khelben cried. 'This began with two attempts at wedding Eidola-may she rest in peace-and ended with three tries at burying Shaleen. We can't have the funerals outnumber the weddings! So to your seats, everyone! You two lovebirds: to me!'
The roar of the crowd redoubled as nobles and guildsmen clambered across benches, musicians tuned instruments like madmen, and the priest of Ao shredded his eulogy, hurled it into the air, and paced in a tight circle, trying to recall what he could of the wedding rite.
Through all this tumult, Piergeiron reached Khelben at the back of the chapel. 'Well, Lord Mage, you were such an observant witness the last time I married Shaleen, I must ask you to be best man this time!'
Khelben's gray-grizzled beard didn't quite hide his rare but rueful smile. 'Thanks, but nay. I want to keep my hands free. This is one ceremony I don't want interrupted.' He put a hand on the Open Lord's shoulder and pointed at a particular member of the crowd. 'Besides, there's a better candidate-'
'Better than the Lord Mage of Waterdeep?'
'Here's a young man who single-handedly foiled an assassination attempt at your last wedding, rounded up the conspirators, bravely fought bloodforge warriors and fiends and his own fears, revealed Eidola for what she was, rescued Miltiades and his fellows numerous times, and has in this month done nothing but tirelessly fight for the people of Waterdeep. He's even taught me a few things about heroism. In fact, I think so highly of Noph Nesher that I suggest he join us as a Lord of Waterdeep.'
Piergeiron smiled. 'Noph Nesher? That man there? That tanned, brawny scrapper-the one rising just now to give his seat to yon fat lady? Wasn't he just a boy locked away in my dungeon during the last wedding? He seems a completely new man.'
Khelben nodded. 'So do you, friend. So do you.'
Postlude
How has this happened?
In one evening, I've been transformed from that inward-shrinking worm back into Piergeiron Paladinson, Open Lord of Waterdeep. The will of dust has changed. All of me sings. All that was once sundered has come together.
Ah, well, I should've expected transformations. I chose to orbit a changeable star. Shaleen. It is so good to hear your breath, to feel your warmth beside me.
Awake again? Heigh ho, girl, but when you rise from the dead, you rise!
Oh, to sleep… But that's not the point of honeymoons, is it?
