Ch 14
Maggie had her eyes glued to the river. Liz was doing her best to attempt to distract her but it wasn't working.
"Margaret O'Neil?" A tall cloaked man asked.
"That's me." Maggie said not taking her eyes off the river. The man moved so he was standing next to Maggie looking out at the river. He was leaning on a staff.
"Are you a wizard?" Liz asked.
"I am and you must be Elizabeth. I should introduce myself, I am your great-grandfather my name is Pallando." Maggie finally looked away from the river and looked at the elderly man. He looked much older then Gandalf and Saruman.
"Yes, I do look older. My time in Middle Earth is nearly done but I had to see you before I go. Everyone in Middle Earth is talking about you and I have to say I'm impressed with your abilities. Your even stronger then I expected. Do not worry about the dwarves they will arrive shortly and I will see to it that Thorin accepts your relationship with Fili. I was hoping you'd remain untouched but it seems I was too late to intervene with that useless lout you were to marry back in Boston." Maggie's cheeks turned bright red. "Don't worry Fili has bedded a woman and you two will make fine leaders of Erebor."
The dwarves arrived a few moments later and the wizard used his powers to dry then as they climbed out of the barrels. Maggie rushed forward into Fili's arms as Thorin scowled. Pallando went right to work healing Kili's leg wound as Balin explain that they were attacked by orcs when trying to leave Mirkwood. Thorin was trying not to glare at his nephew and Maggie who were still wrapped in each others arms whispering to each other.
"Young love, I remember the days fondly. I wish to speak to Thorin, if that is agreeable to you master dwarf." "
And you are?"
"Pallando, I am Margaret's great-grandfather." Thorin nodded wanting to be away from the display of affection. The other dwarves fell silent as Thorin walked away with the wizard. Kili sat against a rock grinning as he watched his brother.
"So that's where your powers come from." Balin said as Liz stood to the side. Liz watched her sister with a smile and she nearly jumped when Kili stood next to her.
"They are good together." He said softly.
"Yes, I'm happy for Maggie. Fili seems like a good man."
"He is, Maggie has been good for him."
"Did Fili tell you yet?"
"That they are soul mates, yes." Liz smirked.
"So you and Tauriel?" Kili's cheeks flushed as Thorin and the wizard appeared.
"Maggie and Fili, come with us." Thorin said tiredly. Fili and Maggie followed Thorin into a building that looked like a meeting house. "Fili, come with me for a moment." Thorin said as Pallando turned to Maggie.
"I spoke to Thorin and he has agreed to...well maybe I should wait." Maggie watched as the wizard waved his staff and the hall was filled with seats and decorated with flowers. Maggie was about to open her mouth when Fili slowly walked over his face flushed.
"Maggie, will you walk outside with me?" He asked quickly. Offered her his arm and she took it as her great grand-father winked at her. They walked back towards the water and Fili stopped. "Maggie, I wanted to do this in a different way but with everything that is going on now...will you marry me?" He rushed the last part and Maggie took a few moments to process the information.
"Yes, of course. I love you, Fili." The dwarf pulled her into a tight hug and swung her around. "Your great-grandfather wants to see you married so I'm going to go inside and I'll see you soon." Fili was about to walk inside when Maggie grabbed his hand. She stepped closer to him and leaned forward to kiss him. It was very brief and Maggie moved away her cheeks bright red.
"Sorry, I didn't want to do that for the first time in front if everyone." FIli grinned.
"Good idea but let's try again just to be sure." Within moments the kiss became more passionate and they were interrupted by Kili fake coughing.
"We need to get you ready, brother. Congratulations." Kili said before dragging his brother off.
Liz rushed over and pulled her sister into a room off the meeting hall where she began to frantically working on her hair with Gloin standing nearby telling her to use lots of braids. Pollando appeared with Galadriel who had a beautiful dress over her arm.
"Margaret, you look lovely and I'm glad I made it here so quickly. Celeborn and I wouldn't miss this for the world." Liz finished with Maggie's hair and Gloin looked at Maggie and wiped at his cheeks.
"You look lovely, lassie. Fili is a lucky dwarf." He exited the room as Galadriel handed Liz a dress and she changed quickly then she and Galadriel helped Maggie into the fitted ivory dress.
"I wore a dress similar to this when I married Celeborn. You look so beautiful." Galadriel said breaking down in tears and Liz followed which caused Maggie to cry too.
"I'm going to be all splotchy." Maggie said wiping her cheeks. Pollando knocked on the door and looked at Maggie and smiled.
"It's fitting you were named after my wife because you look so much like my Margaret and from what Thorin told me you have her fighting spirit as well."
"Margaret, you look lovely." Galadriel said kissing her cheek and leaving the room.
Pollando went through what the ceremony would be like, mostly similar to a wedding from where Maggie was from and the dwarf wedding would come later when Erebor was retaken. Liz made her way into the hall grinning when she noticed Tauriel in attendance standing at the back hidden mostly under a cloak. Liz stood at the side and watched the small group who was witnessing the wedding. Bilbo got a bit teary eyed when Maggie and Pollando started walking down the isle. Thorin stood at the front with Kili standing next to his brother. Even Thorin had to smile when Maggie and Fili's eyes met and they were oblivious to everyone else in the room.
The ceremony was a blur with Thorin giving the couple his blessing as king and Pollando overseeing the rest of the service. When he announced you may now kiss the bride the dwarves cheered loudly and Bilbo was sobbing just as hard as Liz. With another wave of his staff the hall was change into a long dining table filled with food. Maggie quickly spoke to Tauriel who had to return to Mirkwood. Tauriel was on her way out of the hall when Kili walked over with a slight limp since his leg was still sore.
"I'm glad you were here." Tauriel nodded.
"I wanted to make sure everyone arrived safely and that Legolas did not follow you all here. If he knew about what happened tonight he would have surely objected to the ceremony. As you know he is very fond of Maggie."
"At least he is not chasing after you."
"Not anymore. I should return to Mirkwood, I will surely be punished for my absence."
"Tauriel, I want you to stay." Kili said softly as the she-elf's cheeks flushed.
"I would like nothing more but I am the head of the guard and I have a duty to Mirkwood." Kili's face fell and Tauriel was about to leave when she suddenly stopped. "Maggie said you would be here for a few days. If she sends word I will come see you off when you leave for Erebor."
Galadriel and Celeborn only remained for a short while to offer their congratulations. Celeborn who was just as fond of Maggie as his wife was happy to see the young witch look so happy.
"Prince, may I talk to you for a few moments?" He asked as Fili nodded. "You are a nobel dwarf, I can tell that much about you. Margaret is a good women and I can see you two being very happy together. As far as I know you and Margaret are the only other two soul mates in Middle Earth. Before Sauron took over these lands it was very common for soul mates to find each other but with the darkness coming back into the world I fear for what may happen. Help Margaret to find her inner strength since Pollando is leaving his staff to her." Fili looked at the light haired elf and nodded.
"You did not know." Celeborn said softly. "The blue wizard is dying, he placed a powerful spell on Margaret when she was born and as she grows stronger his powers are passing to her. Pollando knew he and Alatar would not succeed in their mission to help Middle Earth. Alatar has already returned to Valinor after transferring what was left of his powers to Pollando so he could see Margaret."
"So Maggie will become a wizard?"
"Not fully since she is not from Valinor but she will be almost as strong as the other three wizards and she will no longer continue to age. These new powers will also have some effect on you but I am unsure of how much." Galadriel led Maggie away as the two women talked about when Liz would be sent to Lorien.