Casey was distraught.  The night before his wedding had been hellish.  He'd borne witness to his father's body wasting away before his very eyes.  Listened to every labored breath, as the clock ticked onward toward the man's demise.  At the stroke of midnight, the patriarch of house Murphy had rattled his last breath, with his three sons gathered 'round.<br/><br/>The eldest took it upon himself to see that his brothers were well, and that the body was cared for, before he fell into bed.  Even still, sleep evaded him.  The image of his father's face, skeletal and wan haunted the backs of his eyelids whenever he closed them, and the grey light of dawn was peeking through his window before sleep managed to claim him.<br/><br/>It wasn't until the buzzing of his phone on the nightstand woke him up that Casey so much as stirred.  Dredging himself up from his bleary sleep, the wizard shook the cobwebs from his mind.  A moment later, urgent panic cut through the shroud of grief.  It was his wedding day.  That was nearly enough to bring tears to his eyes, as he fumbled with his phone.  "Yeah, Dalton.  I know.  I'm-  I'm on my way.  Dad passed.  I'll be right there.  No, I'm fine.  I gave my oath.  Just tell them to hold on."<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>Dalton James, Casey's best man, and best friend, was a dark-haired, broad shouldered man, an inch or so shorter than his friend.  He had serious gray eyes, and a shadow of stubble that always seemed to cling to his face, even after a fresh shave.  He approached the room in which the bride was getting ready.  Strangely, the bridesmaids were idling outside.<br/><br/>He glanced between them, and the door.  "Pardon ladies.  Casey called, said he'd be here soon.  Just didn't want you lot worrying."  A bit on the rougher edge, the slightly standoffish man nodded tersely, before turning to leave.