Notes: Woot! Refreshed with the Spider-Man 2 score soundtrack supplied by swampmusic, I present the last chapter to thee!

The expansive veranda leading out into the gardens had been transformed into an informal reception hall, with dozens of small tables scattered around the main refectory table. Strings of fairy lights had been strung from the open ceiling, and stuck into the bushes and shrubs that surrounded the crowds of party guests.

Men and women in immaculate server uniforms weaved through the little groups of people, carrying trays of finger foods, flutes of wine and champagne. Every now and again, one would bend down low to offer the travel-weary munchkins of the four guilds something to eat. Minstrels sat on the periphery, serenading the guests with lilting songs that filtered throughout the veranda and into the outer edges of the gardens.

Guests seated at the tables were enjoying the fragrant scent of bulgar novi, delivered only the day before from the papay fields, a wedding gift to the newlyweds. Cain sat at a table with his son Jeb, drumming his fingers on the ornate cloth covering the surface. The Queen had told him that he was off duty so that he may attend the wedding and reception as a guest, but he wasn't adjusting to it well. It was rare for him to not be ghosting the movements of the princess and he was quite on edge.

When the double doors opened up, he breathed a sigh of relief as he joined everyone in a round of applause when DG and Ambrose appeared, followed by Azkadellia and Raw. Cain managed a smile as he saw how beautiful DG looked in her dress, how happy she looked, arms linked with her husband.

DG and Ambrose broke apart to move through the crowds, thanking them for coming and receiving the well wishes of the people of the O.Z. When DG made her way to Cain, she enveloped him in a crushing bear hug. Jeb laughed at the look on his father's face as the princess held him tight. He patted her back with one hand and she pulled away, a wry grin on her face.

"Even on my wedding day, you can't seem to loosen up."

Jeb hid a smile behind his hand, though Cain could still see the poorly hidden mirth in his eyes. "Sorry, kiddo. You are a vision, though. I'm real happy for you and the zipperhead."

DG punched him playfully on the arm. "Watch it now, that's my husband you are talking about. Don't make me kick your ass."

Cain threw his hands up in surrender, knowing he could never win in a fight with her, physically or verbally. DG giggled and shook her head at him, stepping up to kiss Cain before turning to plant one on Jeb's cheek.

DG then walked around the rest of the party, glad-handing people she had never even met. While making small talk with some munchkins from the southern guild, she caught Ambrose's eye as he spoke to Raw, Kalm, and the other viewers in attendance. She excused herself politely from the guild and sauntered over to her husband, making sure to swish her hips. The little movement caused him to Glitch out and all the viewers around him felt the change in persona. Raw was accustomed to it, but the others were not and he had to quietly explain to them about Glitch's glitch.

Glitch gave DG a lascivious smirk as she sidled up next to him. "Don't shake those hips at me unless you plan on using them, doll."

With that, he pulled DG into the middle of the veranda and signaled to the minstrels with a raised hand. A hush fell over the people gathered and they cleared away from the dance floor as the music started with a slow tempo. A hand on the small of DG's back and another clasped with hers, and Glitch began to guide her across the floor. Remembering the steps he had painstakingly showed her, they glided around the room effortlessly. The faces around them were a blur as the music picked up the pace and Glitch released her middle to twirl her with an arm before pulling her back.

When DG pressed back into the warm body, she peered up to see that her husband had switched again, though the lewd grin still rested firmly upon his face, albeit more subdued. As DG saw them joined on the floor by Azkadellia and Raw, she knew that the reason that he was grinning like a twelve year old boy was because she had firmly told him, a few weeks after he proposed, there was to be no hanky panky until after the wedding. The look on his face when she'd said that was priceless and he gaped like a fish for almost five minutes.

It had pained DG as well to cut him off, but she'd wanted some semblance of purity about her as she walked down the aisle. Unlike most of the girls she had graduated high school with, getting married with no illusions as to why, an obvious bump showing through their dresses.

Now that the wedding was over, she knew exactly why Ambrose was acting the way he was. Throwing her arms around his neck as they danced, she leaned closer to him. "Let's get through the toasts and the meal, and then we do some dancing that's a little more naughty."

With those words, Ambrose dipped her low, her hair falling back to graze the floor. She laughed as she was pulled back up, Ambrose's cheeks flaming red at her comment. The music changed, signaling everyone to pair up and they began to dance with them as well. Shortly thereafter, it became hard to negotiate the floor and DG squeezed Ambrose's hand, motioning with her head for them to sit down.

Their chairs were positioned in the middle of the refectory table and from where they were seated, they were able to see the whole of the reception. Raw and Azkadellia had split, and Raw now danced with the Queen while Ahamo guided Az in an odd little two step. Jeb had been swept up by Airofday while Cain watched them with leering eye. DG was content to watch the proceedings but the hand on her knee reminded her that Ambrose was sitting impatiently beside her. DG arched an exasperated eyebrow at her husband, but the months of holding back had taken its toll on her as well, and the insistent hand burned through the multiple layers of her skirts, making her skin tingle.

DG picked up a piece of cutlery and tapped it on the side of a champagne flute. The music slowed and then stopped, and the people dispersed, finding their seats quickly before turning their attentions to the couple.

"We want to give a sincere thank you to everyone here and as the meal is served, the best man and the maid of honor are going to make a toast."

The servers came out of the double doors, large trays of food on silver trays perched precariously in their hands as they began to set everything out. Ambrose realized how hungry he really was, the need for food replacing other, more ribald desires.

After they were served and the crowds munched away happily, a low murmur of conversation died away as Raw stood up. Ambrose swiftly shoved a piece of venison in his mouth and tilted his head to the viewer, still chewing.

"Raw always know about love that connect Ambrose and DG. Feel it here." He tapped his heart with a gloved hand.

"Know that they be happy even when happy times not seen. Will stay happy for many annuals to come. To future happiness!"

Hundreds of voiced chorused throughout the veranda as glasses were raised in the air, exalting his words. Raw beamed as he sat and Ahamo clapped him on the shoulder proudly. Azkadellia stood next, glancing down at her baby sister and her new husband.

"To find a long lost friendship during such trials as they went through together is a feat and to find love in that friendship is even more awe inspiring. Though, if you knew my sister when she was younger, it's not that surprising. She had poor Ambrose in quite a tizzy, she was so smitten him and it drove him crazy to no end. She had him wrapped around her little finger, as he was so head over heels for her and she knew it quite well."

Laughter rose from the gathered tables and DG could tell Ambrose wanted to slide out of his chair and die from embarrassment. She placed a hand over his to reassure him and prayed that Az would be done soon. Not because her toast wasn't any good, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Looking at them now, it's obvious how much they love each other and it gives me hope. Hope that if they can persevere through such tribulations, then so can we all. To the strength of love!"

Ambrose picked up his glass of wine and saluted, chugging the dark liquid quickly. Azkadellia chuckled as she sipped from her own glass, knowing eyes on them both. She had to knock him down a peg or two after she caught wind of all the evocative looks and movements he had been sending her sister. The old Ambrose would have never been so bold, so she thought it was a pleasant change of pace for the once stoic, stuffy adviser.

When the plates were eventually cleared away, everyone full and happy, DG made an announcement for all the unmarried women to gather around. At all their confused glances, she explained to them the tradition of the bouquet and garter toss. When she was finished, the scraping sound of chair legs filled their ears and DG smirked at their eagerness. Motioning for Azkadellia to join them, she went with her sister out onto the floor. Turning her back on the women, DG waited for everyone to shuffle for position before she threw the flowers over her shoulder.

There were shrieks of laughter as the bouquet bounced around, before landing in the hands of a small girl with dark red locks braided up on her head. Shock colored her freckled features as everyone applauded her achievement. Her mother had to scoop the girl into her arms, the surprise rendering her so immobile.

"Right, now I need all the unclaimed men to line up!"

Ambrose joined DG on the floor, pulling out a vacant chair for her to sit upon. As she sat, DG spied Jeb dragging Cain up with the rest of the unmarried men and she chuckled at them. Cheeks once again flaring up, Ambrose knelt down at DG's feet and flipped up her voluminous skirts, baring a creamy white leg. She placed her foot on his shoulder and there were some good natured wolf whistles as he slid the garter down her calf. Once off, he waved the item around over his head before tossing it back.

DG watched in absolute shock as Cain, standing as motionless as a statue in the far back, caught the garter. Or more like the garter landed on him, DG thought. Eyes wide, Cain took one look at the garter before throwing it at Jeb and walked away, a violent blush coloring his face. DG fell off the chair in a fit of laughter and Ambrose had to pull her onto her feet once the fit subsided. The music started up once more and DG, wiping a tear from her eye, nodded to Ambrose.

Hugging her mother and father closely, while Ambrose had a laugh at Cain, who was edging toward the doors, DG thanked her parents for going along with all the ridiculous requests for the wedding. Ahamo released her and tossed Ambrose a look.

"Worry not, dearheart. Now go. I'm sure your husband is anxious to make the marriage truly official."

It was DG's turn to blush as she nodded and turned to wave goodbye to everyone, giggling as she saw Jeb dancing with the little red headed girl. Tapping Ambrose on the shoulder, she crooked her finger and motioned for him to follow her. A smile spreading across his face, he complied, heading into the palace and up the stairs to change and collect their things. They were to take a wagon out to one of Ahamo's cabins, on the edge of one of the many lakes that made up Finaqua.

As they reached the crossroads between her room and his, DG placed a light kiss on Ambrose's lips. "Quickly now, I don't know how long I can keep my clothes on around you."

Without further encouragement, Ambrose turned and ran as fast as he could to his room, DG snickering behind him loudly, feeling like the luckiest woman in all the world.

After rewatching 'Tin Man' for the hundredth time because I'm reading rocketshoes' 'And So They Slept' arc and I'm going back over little things that pop up in her stories. Because I watch everything with closed captions, the name for the papay blossoms is bulgar novi, in case anyone was wondering about why I was calling them that. Apparently I zoned out during that part because that was totally new to me.