For the first time in centuries, fire giants stood on dwarven soil in peace.

 

We were wed under the open sky, for none of us would have fit well in the caverns, not any more. With Odin himself to witness and people not just from all Nine Realms but from beyond.

 

Coyote was a shadow in the back of the crowd, saying nothing, and whatever gift he brought was intangible.

 

Even Sarael was there, although the angel looked distinctly awkward and spent the reception as an awkward wallflower. Zaid, on the other hand, trying to dance with everyone they could, of both sexes and all genders. It ended, of course, with them leaving with Coyote.

 

I was not about to ask about that. Kanesha insisted on throwing a bouquet. It was, of course, caught by Clara, much to Sebastian’s chagrin.

 

Father Will, looking odd and never moving far from Sarael, gave his blessing. I did not mention to Kanesha that I understood from looking at him – that he had in fact died fighting demons, and Sarael had brought him here.

 

Yet, we were still able to accept his blessing. That meant more than I wanted to say. Mike refused to do any giving away, saying we both belonged to ourselves and each other and he could not claim either of us.

 

At which point Kanesha insisted that he was still going to dance with her. So we both danced with him, to dwarven music under a sky full of the normal kind of stars and hope.

 

I knew it was an interlude before the real work began. We stood, in the end, watching the dance.

 

“I always thought this would end with us being separated,” she said to me, softly.

 

“I thought that too, for a while. I thought I was going to die.” I turned to her.

 

“I…” She looked at me. “It had to be me. Because even Odin could not have brought you back.”

 

“I…” I tailed off. “Let’s not talk about it. Let’s talk about the future.”

 

“We’re not going to exactly get a honeymoon, are we.”
At which point Loki walked up. “Oh, I think I can manage that.”

 

“You can?”

 

“I found somebody good at time magic. And the perfect spot. Two weeks for you, five minutes for everyone else.”

 

I laughed. “We’ll take it.” And we did. But when it was over, we had a realm to manage.

 

And a life to build.