This is a bit on the short side, I'm sorry. I must have rewrote this piece at least a dozen times! Agh!
Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me so far! (:
This is part 4 of what is marriage?

Sigrid stood before her bedroom window, looking out across the decorated sitting of Dale, with the early afternoon light of the sun shining upon her face. It may seem a bit over dramatic but Sigrid felt as if this was the last time she would be able to feel the sun on her skin. It made it seem that she was going to be held hostage underneath the mountain or something to that nature.

Won't I though? Sigrid thought. I am going to be the crown princess after all.

A knock at her bedroom door brought her out of her thoughts and she glanced behind her, smiling as her father walked in, turning all the way to face him.

"Well," Sigrid smiled, smoothing out the front part of her dress, "how do I look?"

Sigrid's wedding dress, that had v-shaped waistline, was made from such fine material, it reminded her of an Elvish maiden's dress; it was a shade of blue that matched Legolas's eyes, according to her sister. The bodice, had dark blue vines stitched into it with a gold trim around the off the shoulder neckline. The bell sleeves fell loose to her elbows and fanned out whenever she moved her arms; Tilda had a good giggle at them when she was helping Sigrid get ready. Her dress also had a chapel train that trailed behind her at least three feet. Dancing shall be an event, Sigrid had thought to herself.

She had washed her hair and decided that she would only pin up half while she let the rest of it hang loose just below her shoulders. Sigrid was pleased to find that her hair had a slight wave to it, when usually it fell straight.

"You look beautiful," Bard smiled, his eyes wrinkling at the corners, "absolutely beautiful!"

Sigrid smiled before she looked down and grabbed the front of her dress, lifting it slightly, before dropping it back down in a huff. "I wish I felt beautiful."

Bard chuckled, "Your mama was younger than you, when we married."

Sigrid looked up at him. While Sigrid was a blushing bride at nineteen, her mother was a blushing bride of sixteen. Her father had commented last night that he wouldn't have let her married so young and didn't know how her grandfather had let her mother go. It was a different time, I suppose, Bard sighed after a quiet moment.

"I gave this to her on our wedding day," he opened up his palm and lifted up and simple silver chained necklace with a single blue gem. "I know she would want you to have it."

"Da," Sigrid gasped, reaching out and holding the necklace, as if it would break at the slightest touch, and brushed her fingertips over the gleaming blue gem. "I couldn't..."

"It's yours," Bard said with finality, "your mother would have given it you herself if she were here."

Sigrid glanced up, "she is here, da."

Bard looked at her for a moment before he swept her up into a fierce hug. Sigrid, holding tight to the necklace, wrapped her arms tight around her father's neck.

"Oh, my girl," Bard whispered.

As her eyes filled with tears, Sigrid tilted her head to the side, and pressed her nose against her father's neck. She inhaled his calming, familiar scent as if it were the last time she would ever smell him. Despite her being nineteen, Sigrid had never felt more like a child than she did in that moment; being held in her father's arms, on her wedding day.

Before they left the bedroom, Sigrid had her father help her to put the necklace on; once again brushing her fingers against the gem. She vaguely remembered seeing her mother wearing the necklace.

"Ready?" Bard asked.

Sigrid nodded, "as I'll ever be."

As a gift to the bride, King Thranduil gave a beautiful carriage, for Sigrid and her family to ride in from Dale to the Lonely Mountain. The gift in question had brought about some drama, per usual, whenever it involved the Elf King. Thorin had scoffed and rolled his eyes at the idea, forcing Dis to elbow him and say it was a lovely idea. Fili had threatened Thranduil that if anything happened to Sigrid during the short carriage ride, he would be held responsible. All of this in turn made Bard roll his eyes at the audacity of dwarves, while Bilbo and Sigrid shared an amused smile.

Tilda thought the carriage was absolutely stunning.

Sigrid made her way out the door, her eyes taking in the ribbons and flowers that decorated the city of Dale, smiling at the site. She was more thankful for the carriage now that she had her dress on, as her brother pointed out; good thing you're not riding because you would definitely fall off the horse. She couldn't help but to think him correct on all accounts.

Sigrid sat, facing the mountain, while her da and Tilda sat across from her in the carriage with Bain sitting beside the Elvish driver. She jumped slightly as bells began to ring throughout the city and as she strained to listen, at the mountain as well.

During the whole ride, Sigrid never took her eyes off the mountain nor did she stop chanting: Don't trip. Remember to breathe. Don't trip. Breathe.

As she stood in front of the closed gate doors, Sigrid felt the size of a hobbit. Her hands were shaking, her heart beating fast, this bodice is tied too tight!

She barely felt the brush of her father's lips to her knuckles, as he grabbed her hand and tucked it into his elbow. Nor did she feel Bain and Tilda behind her, stretching out her train so that it was no longer bunched up.

The bells in Dale continued to ring in the distance behind her while the bells in the mountain came to a stop. To her, the gates took years to open, when really they didn't take that long at all.

"I've got you," Bard murmured as the gates fully opened.

Sigrid wouldn't recall the vast number of people, dwarves and Elves that filled the great hall on either side of the aisle. Nor would she recall walking down said aisle because the moment her eyes met Fili's the rest was lost. She thought she was going to collapse at the gathered crowd; all their focus on her, until she looked down to the end of the aisle. Kili, who was facing toward her; nudged his brother in the side, a beaming smile upon his face as he whispered something in his ear.

Then Fili turned around and looked at her. The familiar sensation of being given fresh air after having been suffocated came back to her and she couldn't help but to return the smile; his only growing the closer she walked to him.

Sigrid wouldn't remember Thorin's proud smile as he stood before them, his smile and eyes softening only when he looked at his nephew. She wouldn't remember her father kissing her forehead before he placed her hand into Fili's. She wouldn't remember the embarrassment that surged through her when she tripped as she knelt down or the way Fili tightened his hold on her hand, I've got you.

She wouldn't remember the happy tears that ran down Dis's cheeks as she stood between Balin and Dwalin; with the rest of the company members surrounding them. Sigrid wouldn't recall the fond smile Bilbo had as he stood beside a beaming Gandalf; or the happy look upon Elrond's face, who stood beside Gandalf, with King Thranduil to the right of Elrond; a look of painful longing on his face, as if he were remembering his own wedding day.

She would miss the look that was exchanged between Kili and Tauriel as Sigrid and Fili exchanged their vows; and the frown that Legolas wore as he saw the look.

She was deaf to the cheers that erupted through the great hall as Thorin pronounced them husband and wife.

However, Sigrid would remember for the rest of her days, the grounding feel of Fili's forehead against hers and the breath that they both exchanged before their lips met for the first time. She would remember the warm shock that jolted her body from head to toe and being completely overwhelmed with a happiness that she had never experienced before.

She would remember her laugh as Fili pulled her into another quick kiss before she stood up.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

-KT xo