Chapter 13

I know I have been doing my own blend of 18th century female fashion and the medieval fashion more canon to the movies. I wanted the fun of corsets, nightgowns, and possibly underthings with the less structured looks I imagine the ladies wearing in my head. For the wedding gown I was starting to write something more Eowyn inspired but I decided I wanted something more elvish. I scoured the internet for something that seemed 'Galadriel like' but more simple (the woman always has a cape on)... Then I saw it, a lovely basic gown with elegant accents... It was perfect. Low and behold it is a mock of the dress Bella wore in twilight (I didn't know before I picked it and I tweeked the description to be less Victorian). I debated revealing this information but I say it so you can do a google image search of the gown that inspired the one in the story.

Please feel free to explore these terms further in the LOTR wikia pages as they give much lengthier descriptions then I saw fit to use here, this is simply a fast reference-

Eru Ilúvatar: the one God over all other gods

Ainur: the holy ones; the gods under the Ilúvatar

Music of the Ainur: the great song of the Ainur, it is a song that the universe is designed, taught unity and harmony amount the gods (I like to interpret it as a song of peace that many in middle earth believe is a righteous way of life, such as being kind to others etc.)

Halls of Mandos: the afterlife

Tauriel POV

The afternoon was filled with laughter and bonding at the dressmakers shop. Dìs made it expressly clear, she was treating us to any of the items we decided to purchase. The shop keeper brought wine and pastries for us to enjoy as we took turns trying on the beautiful, as well as the horribly tasteless items the store had to offer. Tilda, was the most boisterous of all, trying on the silliest dresses and getting all of us to giggle heartily. I picked out a few more dresses, stockings, and shoes, and Dìs ordered matching travel cloaks in Durin blue that would be delivered later. My future mother had purchased quite a bit for herself as well as some items for her sons. She stopped at a smoke shop to pick up a new pipe for Kili, along with a rather large package of high quality pipe weed. Apparently, Kili's pipe had broken at some point during the quest and he was always borrowing Fili's. I felt guilty, I did not even know he smoked. I only smoked on special occasions and he'd never said a word to me about wanting to. All in all, the trip had been very successful, our rams were packed to the brim.

I gave Tilda and Sigrid tight hugs and made them promise to give our regards to Bard and Bain. We had stayed most the day and needed to travel soon or we would run out of light. As we mounted the beasts I got a tingling feeling at the back of my neck, the same sensation that centuries of training told me someone was watching. I searched the area for anything or anyone suspicious, but saw nothing. I shook off the feeling and gently tapped my ram forward.

As we exited the gates of Dale, Dìs began to speak about Kili, she told me how he always stood out among the other dwarves. He was a head taller then all his peers, the Durin men were tall but he was even a few inches taller than his uncle. Most dwarrows chose heavy arms such as long swords, axes, and battle hammers. Despite being able to expertly wield all these weapons, his favorite was the bow. He never cared to braid his hair like the others, preferring to leave his locks wild. Despite his age, his beard had not grown in fully, making him appear to be younger than he was. I'm pretty sure she was trying to tell me that Kili was unpopular.

While I'm sure a dwarrowdam would be with him based on his lineage alone, Dìs seemed to think it was unlikely the lady would have been Kili's first choice in a bride. I began to wonder again what the dwarven standard of beauty was. Kili was extremely attractive by both elven & human standards and Dìs was lovely lady, not hard to see when Thorin and her sons were also very good looking. Judging from the other dwarves I had met, it's hard to imagine their daughters would have the same delicate features Dìs had.

I knew from personal experience that at least some women had found themselves charmed in to compromising positions with Kili, so her words confused me. Out of pure curiosity, I made a mental note to ask Kili or Fili if the opportunity ever presented itself. I mean how do you bring up a subject like this? Regardless of what dwarven population thought about my love, I knew he was perfect. Anything that may have been in the past did not matter. Truly all the things she described only validated why Kili was perfect for me, he was tall but I was very very short, we could both wield many weapons but we both preferred a bow, his wild hair... Well I just love his hair and it's not like I styled mine often either. As for the beard, Kili could have no beard or short beard or long, it would not change how I felt about him. In fact, had he not been so charming and hilariously inappropriate when we first met, I probably wouldn't have been drawn back to his cell that night.

She has stopped talking during the time I was lost in thought, after a moment she finally spoke, "today was fun."

I smiled, "it was, thank you for everything. The dress is amazing and you have been so generous ."

"My daughters will have everything their heart's desire," she said matter of fact, "they'll deserve it, my boys are a handful and their offspring will probably be worse."

I turned to smile at my soon to be mother when I heard a twig snap, instinct had me moving my ram in a defensive stance beside her. I grabbed a small dagger I kept in my boot and cursed myself for not having more weapons on my person.

"Easy Lady elleth, it's me," Bofur said as he moved out of the bushes, showing both hands, "I might as well travel with you, since I can no longer shadow you."

Dìs giggled a bit, "I suppose not, I have to assume anyone wishing our lady harm is still at Erebor. Your efforts today may have been wasted."

"Why is it I got stuck with shopping again?" Bofur whined to Dìs.

"What... Have you been following us all day!?" I looked at Bofur in disbelief.

"Of course my dear," the princess said, "how else do you think we will catch the dwarves who wish you ill will? Did Kili not tell you Bofur & Dwalin were taking shifts to guard you?"

"Well yes, but I told him I did not need protection," I shyly admitted, "I had hoped..."

Bofur interjected, "Don't be silly, you are a strong warrior no doubt, but whoever assaulted you knows this. They would not try anything alone, it would be a group attack."

I was a little surprised by Bofur's fierce tone. I was touched at his willingness to protect me, the dwarf actually cared for my safety.

I sighed, "thank you. You're right, I most likely could not take on a group of trained dwarven fighters by myself."

"Certainly not with one dagger," Dìs added, "We'll have to get you properly outfitted, even I have multiple daggers on me at all times."

I gave Dìs a humored and appreciative look before thanking her.

As the sun set I started to shiver from the cold and was thankful the rest of the trip was short. As we reached the entrance I saw my favorite bodyguard waiting for me. He helped me slide off my ram and I embraced him in a tight hug. The warmth of his body helping to stave off the chill in mine.

"Cold are we?" Kili smiled at me.

"A little," I nuzzled my frozen nose into his neck, in an attempt to try and thaw it out.

"I see the trip was successful," Kili said approvingly as he looked over the full bags being taken off the beasts. He released me and started to peek in a bag when his mother came up and swiftly cuffed him on the ear. "Ow, what was that for?" Kili whined.

"No peeking, the dress is supposed to be a surprise," Dìs scolded him, "Bofur, if you can bring the bags up to the suites, we have to make an appearance at dinner."

"Good, I'm starving," Kili stated, "I was waiting for you both to get back and it's getting late."

"Will Fili be at the dining hall?" Dìs asked.

"He... Eh, took his meal up in his room," Kili told us smirking, "apparently a bit too much fun was had with the wheelbarrow this afternoon. The blonde prince is not being a very good sport about it, Dori and Ori have gone into temporary hiding."

Dìs snorted at the vague information her son was telling us and rolled her eyes.

I caught Kili's attention and raised my eyebrows, wanting more information but Kili just shook his head at me, "Guy stuff."

I gave him a suspicious look, "sure, guy stuff."

Dìs stifled her laughter at my response, "told you, my boys are a handful. Better think long and hard about being a Lady of Durin before it's too late."

She pushed ahead of us walking into the hall and I looked at Kili lovingly and smiled, "guess I'm stuck with you."

"Luckiest dwarf in the land," he replied as he kissed my hand.

Dinner was delicious and uneventful, I think both of us were too hungry to stop to talk to each other. As Kili guided me to our suite he asked how my day was.

"Lovely, Your mother is really an amazing women. I had fun." I told him, "Oh! I discovered today our wedding celebrations will be a week long."

"Ah yes, well," Kili looked down at his feet as he walked, "it's not the whole week really."

"Not really the whole week?" I asked him sarcastically, a little miffed he had failed to mention this information before.

"It's just dinners. The wedding is normally the people you are closest with. The subsequent meals are to allow others who did not attend the wedding to celebrate with the couple," Kili told me, "but this is a royal wedding and the kingdom is still small so it will essentially be everyone partying for a week."

I laughed at him as I pushed open the door to our room, "Ok, well we better go over all the dwarven wedding details. I am worried I will look like a fool if I get surprised."

Kili walked me through the whole ceremony as we washed and dressed for bed. It all starts with the completion of our courtship, the giving of the rings. His brother will then give our marriage seven blessings in Khuzdul. After the ceremony we will be ushered to our room to consummate the union, and everyone else gets to go to a great feast in our honor. Each feast one of the blessings is recited and celebrated. The next six dinners we would be required to attend but couples are supposed to spend as much time as possible with each other during that week.

"So let me make sure I have this right, we are required to be there to celebrate the seven blessings but the first night we are absent?" I asked Kili, snuggling up next to him in bed.

"The first blessing is about following the Music of the Ainur. It's an old dwarrowdam tale, if newlyweds are there to celebrate for the blessing the holy ones won't guide them," Kili said as he rolled his eyes, clearly not believing in the superstition.

"I see, so what are the other blessings?" I asked him.

"You know, I don't know the exact blessings. I have only attended two wedding in my lifetime and I was young. There are lots of prayers about the strength of love, a blessing for offspring, a blessing for us to be able to live together in the afterlife..." Kili paused the realization hitting him.

I kissed his forehead in an attempt to smooth out the worry that was showing there, "I am sure the mighty Eru Ilúvatar sees fit to ensure we walk together in Halls of Mandos."

"Do you think you will fade after my passing?" Kili asked quietly, unsure of my reaction.

"You are my Nauth Ona, I will not want to be in a world you are not a part of," I told him simply, "I may not have lived a long life for an elf but I do not fear passing early for my time, my only real fear is living a life without you."

"The halls of waiting will not be able to contain my rage if you are not going to be there with me," Kili whispered, sleep starting to overcome him.