First of all sorry for this delay. Basically my life has been a mess and I've been a lazy arse with the translation process. I'll try to get chapter 26 done more quickly.
This chapter's a tad shorter than chapter 24 and concentrates mainly on Thalia, Fíli, Thorin and Bilbo. (Oh look at that, my two main ships.) It's also my excuse to write about Dwarves in kilts (because Dwarves + kilts = Mahal have mercy I can't even asdfghjkl)
Chapter twenty-five
Where There's a Huge Assembly
~..~
The pillow fight ended so that the Stark siblings, Thalia and Gimli allied against Fíli and Kíli and beat them quite thoroughly. Kíli was screaming so loudly that Dís had to come check what the matter was. She had never been so amused in all her life.
"Shame on you all, five against two?" Dís shook her head but wasn't able to hold back a smirk. Fíli glared at his mother and Kíli ended up throwing a free pillow at her. It hit Dís in the face and she didn't appreciate it at all. In fact, she had her revenge by smacking her youngest a couple of times with the same pillow.
"Mamaaaa!" Kíli whined.
"You asked for this, little hawk!" Dís exclaimed and pressed a kiss to the unkempt hair of her reddened son.
"MUM!"
Robb had to turn his back so that he wouldn't have embarrassed Kíli any further with laughter. Arya and Gimli weren't as polite; they both burst into the greatest laugh of their lives, unashamed to show it. Jon and Thalia were grinning but managed to control themselves. Dís truly was as embarrassing as most mothers were. Fíli, in turn was praying that Mama wouldn't remember his old pet name. He'd never hear the end of it if she told it to everyone.
In the end Dís left Kíli in peace and bid the children good night, telling them to go to bed and quickly, or so help me. It was so late already. Robb did state that they had completely lost the sense of time during the hassle of the pillow fight. He and Jon settled on the mattresses on the floor. Gimli left the room quite reluctantly, but quite honestly there wasn't any more room for another mattress in Fíli and Kíli's bedroom when the floor space was already ruled by the mattresses of Robb, Jon and Thalia, plus the massive bodies of Nymeria, Grey Wind and Ghost.
Thalia let out a yawn, picked her pillow from the bed and went under covers. She didn't get any sleep as of yet, though. The hug Fíli had given him had been so warm – Thalia hadn't often felt herself so comfortable. And there opened that door again in her mind, the one she hadn't been meaning to open ever again. She knew now it was the door of doubt: was she now making the right decision, thinking she'd leave in a couple of weeks, as soon as Gandalf returned? She might just as well just stay…
But Thalia knew her place was by the side of Lady Artemis. She had taken an oath, and there was no breaking it, even though she felt the sting of temptation harsher than ever before.
Oh, sod it, this is stupid, Thalia thought. She had been a Hunter for less than a year, of course she had doubts of her choice. With time she'd forget she ever even toyed with the idea of breaking her vows.
With time she would forget all the sinful thoughts that had filled her mind that night. Fíli wasn't even interested in her like that. They were like brother and sister, and Thalia knew Fíli thought like that too.
Everything would get easier with time, surely.
Right?
Thalia wasn't as sure of herself anymore as she had once been. She had never faced choices this difficult before. Quite honestly she could've even sworn that the choice she made years ago, the choice to save Annabeth, Luke and Grover from certain death and die in process, had been a much easier one than this. And this was only about choosing whether or not to stay.
By the gods had it been so much easier to be a tree, Thalia grumbled in her mind. She hadn't had to think. She had just… been. Besides, when she had been a pine tree Thalia had protected the whole Camp Half-Blood, so it had been useful, too.
Thalia had been only twelve when her father, Zeus, had turned her into a pine tree. She had been within an inch from death, and father hadn't been able to save her any other way. The gods weren't allowed to meddle with demigod fates, so said the ancient laws. For six years Thalia had remained a tree, up until Annabeth and Percy – or actually Clarisse, to be precise – had brought the Golden Fleece from the Sea of Monsters. The Fleece had worked its healing magic too well and had revived Thalia. Not that she would've minded, really. Thalia had continued growing when she had been a tree, she had only aged much more slowly than an average human being (demigod, whatever). Chiron, the head counselor of the camp, had said that this was probably how she would age from now on, slowly. Though it was now something Thalia would never find out because as a Hunter of Artemis she didn't age at all anymore.
"Thalia, is something the matter?"
Thalia was almost startled to death when she suddenly heard Kíli's whisper in the quiet room.
"For gods' sake Kíli, you nearly made me jump!" Thalia hissed. "And no, nothing's the matter, I just can't sleep."
"Should I get Thorin or Mama to sing you to sleep?" Kíli grinned. Thalia snorted a laugh.
"No, it's alright. And I think that if you now went to Thorin and Bilbo's quarters, you'd just see again – well, you know what I mean."
Kíli seemed fairly nauseous and stated that there absolutely was no point to bother Uncle Thorin and Uncle Bilbo so late. Thalia laughed again and bid him good night before settling on her side, finally falling asleep.
The half-bloods often had premonitions within dreams, and Thalia wasn't an exception to the rule. Only this time her dreams were more restless than usual. At first she dreamed of a battle on a wide wall in a narrow valley – hang on, were those Gimli and Legolas? How in the name of Styx were they fighting together? Gimli hated Elves. There was a Man with them whom Thalia didn't know but who seemed like an important person. At some point the dream changed and Thalia realised she was in New York City, which was a battleground as well. By the gods of Olympus, couldn't her subconscious provide her any other dreams?
The dream changed again and Thalia was now in a meadow. Erebor was quite close so she was fairly sure this dream happened somewhere in near future. Then she saw Fíli (and couldn't help but wonder what the hell he was doing in her dream) and noted that this clearly was not near future at all. Fíli had a lot more beard than what Thalia was used to, and also appeared way more mature. The good-natured twinkle in his eyes hadn't changed, though, and Thalia couldn't stop herself from smiling. Suddenly something small dashed past her right into Fíli's arms. It was a tiny Dwarf girl, probably not much older than six (on human scale, that is, Thalia had no idea of the Dwarvish equivalents), with hair just as golden blond as Fíli's and who was holding a tiny wooden sword in her hand.
"Dad, dad, did you see!" the girl squealed. "I killed an Orc!"
Fíli looked at something behind Thalia, so she also turned to look. It was a statue made of straw, completely torn apart.
"I can see that", Fíli grinned and kissed the girl's forehead. "If you keep up like this you may just as well become the best swordfighter in history, Anar."
Thalia felt a sudden sting in her heart when Anar turned to look at her. The little girl bore a striking resemblance to Fíli, she'd even inherited his dimples, but her eyes, her bright sky blue eyes…
Those were Thalia's.
Thalia woke with a start and was incredibly relieved she hadn't screamed or anything. She started to breathe slowly into her hands and tried to make herself calm down. It was just a dream, it was just a dream, she repeated in her mind, though she knew better than well that more often than not the demigod dreams were something more. Most of the dreams came true either partially or entirely, which was their most worrying trait. Thalia's left hand sought its way to her belly nearly automatically, even though she knew there was no point – yet.
Thalia had just seen a dream of the daughter she'd have in the future. She didn't know what to think of it. There was no logic in it, she was a Hunter for Styx's sake! Thalia breathed into her palm a couple more times before looking at the bed near her mattress. Fíli would be the child's father. Out of all the men in the world it had to be Fíli. Thalia didn't have anything against the idea, not really, but she didn't understand how it would ever be possible. She'd leave in a couple of months at the latest, as soon as Gandalf arrived, and even if she'd stay… Fíli was like a brother to her! It could never be possible, it just couldn't.
The child's face came back to Thalia when she tried to fall asleep again. Though the whole idea was absurd, she had to admit that the girl was adorable.
Anar. My daughter, Anar.
Thalia looked at the bed again. Arya was making feeble noises in her sleep, but it seemed tonight she wasn't having nightmares. Arya's breathing was even and she wasn't squirming, on the contrary she was sleeping very peacefully in Kíli's armpit. Well that did raise the mood, Thalia thought before closing her eyes and drifting off again. She hadn't so far ever let weird dreams go premonitions disturb her sleeping, and she wasn't going to let this occasion be an exception to that rule.
Kíli slammed his fist on the breakfast table in the kitchen, when Thalia and Arya had got up and left for the training hall. The slam startled everyone who was still in the table, even Fíli, who at least knew what it was all about. Thorin cursed a bit the tea he had spilled, resulting to Bilbo scold him for the bad words.
"Tell her, tell her right now", Kíli snapped at his brother. "And if you won't do it you can be damn sure I will."
Fíli groaned. "Kee, there's no use in it."
"Tell whom what?" asked Bilbo who had just finished wiping the table dry. "Fíli, are you worried of something?"
"No, I'm not", Fíli answered and gave Kíli an I'll-neuter-you-if-you-tell. "Or at least it's not anything serious."
Bilbo raised an eyebrow. From what he had heard of the boys' conversation it did sound rather serious, but on the other hand he didn't want to intrude. Fíli and Kíli were adults – just about but they were – and if they chose to have secrets they had every right to do so.
"Alright then", said Bilbo. "But if it, whatever it is, starts to bother you, you can always come to talk to me. I promise I'll listen to you."
Fíli smiled a bit when Bilbo patted his shoulder. He knew that today Bilbo was about as worried as he was, so he was a bit surprised how positive the Hobbit was able to remain. Today was the day Thorin would introduce Bilbo to the whole Erebor as his future consort. People had got nervous from lesser things than that, Fíli thought. He'd remember forever the way butterflies had fluttered in his stomach when he had been proclaimed as the official heir to the throne of Erebor during Yule right after the Battle of Five Armies.
"I'll keep that in mind", Fíli replied and got up to hug Bilbo quickly. "I'll tell you later today", he added so quietly that Kíli didn't hear him. Bilbo nodded right before Dís stood up and announced it was time they started to get ready. Even though this wasn't the actual wedding ceremony just yet, the occasion demanded formal dressing nonetheless.
"Dís, I can take care of everything myself perfectly well", Bilbo tried to put up to his future sister-in-law's enthusiasm. Dís wouldn't even hear it.
Kíli shook his head. "Poor Uncle Bilbo. I wouldn't want to be in his trousers at the moment."
"Trust me, it's bound to get worse once the wedding day draws near", Thorin told him with a hint of panic in his voice. "I'll remember forever the way she acted when Glóin and Vár got married. I still have nightmares of it."
"So do I", Glóin echoed. "Your sister fussed more than everyone else together, including me and my darling Vár. She was pregnant at that point, though, so understandably she couldn't fuss that much, but still."
"That I don't even remember", Fíli said.
"Lucky you", Glóin grunted and concentrated on his breakfast again.
Thorin looked suddenly quite greenish, and wasn't able to eat another bite of bread or anything else there was in the table anymore. Fíli had never seen his uncle so nervous, not even that day a couple of months ago in Azanulbizar when he had told Bilbo about his feelings for him. Comparing it to how Thorin was now, he had been cool as a cucumber.
"It'll go just fine", Fíli assured. "Just make sure you don't throw up on Bilbo."
Thorin's glare reminded Fíli so much of Thalia's that he had to turn his gaze away. He quite didn't feel like seeing it because it only reminded him that Thalia was going to leave sometime soon. It was a whole other thing when it would actually be, but either way Thalia would leave, whether it would be tomorrow or next year.
That's why you must tell her, said a small strict voice in that back of Fíli's head, one that actually sounded quite a bit like his father's voice. How strange that Fíli actually remembered how his father's voice sounded. It was well past sixty years since his death. Fíli would, however, remember to the end of his days how his mother had reacted when Thorin and Dwalin had come home and told her that Da had died in a mining accident. Dís had cried for almost three days straight and left Thorin to look after her sons. Kíli had still been so young that he hadn't been able to understand what was going on, he had just continued asking, "When's Da coming home?" Fíli had already been in such an age that he had understood Da wasn't coming home anymore. The next time they would see each other would be in the halls of Mahal.
Seeing how his brother's face went grimmer Kíli grabbed his hand and dragged out of the kitchen, appealing to the fact that they had to go get ready too. Least of all Kíli wanted that some idiot started to ask stupid questions.
"Thanks", Fíli said. "And you didn't even lie. At least not much."
"You're welcome", Kíli grinned. "Go tell Thalia and we're even."
"You're asking for a kick in your crotch, nadadith."
"Fee, I'm serious here", Kíli huffed. "And I'm also serious that if you don't tell her I will. I'll go tell her right now if nothing else works."
"Oh no you won't!" Fíli exclaimed. "Are you mental? How badly did you hit your head in the Battle of Five Armies?"
"That has nothing to do with this", Kíli snapped. "Fíli, if you let Thalia go without even trying, you'll be the biggest prick Erebor has ever seen. What are you so afraid of?"
Fíli let out a groan. "Kíli, are you actually as stupid as your looks suggest? What if she rejects me?"
"Well what if she doesn't?" Kíli insisted.
"Shut up!"
"What's going on here?"
Arya and Thalia had just returned from the training hall. Dwalin had driven them out and told to go get ready. Thalia really didn't understand what the point in fancy dressing was if this wasn't an actual wedding ceremony. On the other had this gave her a perfectly valid excuse to wear her gown again, even if it took long to put it on. Arya on the other hand dreaded the dressing up already. She did not have any fancy outfits nor did she even want to put one on. What was so wrong about linen trousers and shirt? That was the beauty in them, they went perfectly well in every occasion!
"Nothing's going on here", Kíli said quickly. "My brother's a prick, that's all, so in other news water is wet."
"Better that way", Arya sighed. "Dwalin told us to go change clothes for Thorin and Bilbo's big announcement. I've no idea what to wear. I don't bloody have any fancy clothes!"
Thalia smiled a bit when meeting Fíli's glance. In a way Fíli had now saved her life and she couldn't be more thankful. At least now she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself in front of the whole Erebor. Soon they both blushed a bit and turned their gazes away. Kíli and Arya didn't miss that because they shared knowing grins. If only Fíli and Thalia realised the thing too, preferably quite soon. Kíli didn't have the least objection to the idea of Thalia as his sister-in-law.
Arya went to get Dís to the rescue when Thalia and her started to get ready. Thalia would never be able to get in her dress all by herself, and Arya was in trouble with her dressing anyway. Dís shooed her sons elsewhere to prepare before fully concentrating on the girls. She had a plan that just might work. Arya was about the same size she had been at the same age and she still had some of the dresses she had worn back then. Sure, they would need a bit repairing but nothing that would take a lot of time.
A bit later Bilbo arrived to help with the repairing of the dress. He said he had to get his mind off the idea of him being officially introduced to the whole Mountain soon. The whole thought made him feel sick. Besides, for years now Bilbo had fixed his own clothes, he would manage with one dress just fine. Arya still looked a bit doubtful, though.
"There", Dís said at last. "I think it will do well now."
She pulled Arya behind a screen to try it on – Arya had never put up a fight like that. Bilbo and Thalia were holding back a laugh the best they could but it didn't work out that well.
"So what does this introduction thing mean, really?" Thalia asked when putting the folds of her dress back to their places.
"According to Thorin it's quite simple", Bilbo answered. "The whole kingdom gathers to the great assembly hall at the west side of the mountain, Thorin introduces me and our intention to marry, and if someone objects the idea they have the right to say so. There won't be one in the actual wedding ceremony."
"You won't have to worry about any objections", Dís announced with a devilish grin. "Dwalin, Nori, Bofur and Glóin have already told me they're going to skin and roast on open fire everyone who so much as looks at you the wrong way. And I'm all for them doing so if some twat tries to claim you're not suitable for Thorin."
"I kind of understand that point of view", Bilbo said, his voice trembling a bit.
Dís shook her head. "Bilbo, I have known my brother for well over a century, and I swear I've never seen him as happy as he has been these couple of days, not even when I arrived here some time after you had reclaimed this mountain. You see, he always looked like something was missing. Quite frankly you two fit for each other as well as my fist fits in Dwalin's eye."
"What a lovely comparison", Bilbo mumbled. Dís just laughed and announced soon after, "And this little wolf is now ready."
Arya stepped from behind the screen, her hands nibbling the sleeves of the dress. It was the same dark blue as Dís' formal dress and it had several pearl strings in the hem and around the neckline. It came with a fur cloak of the same colour, and Arya stated quickly that at least there was one normal part in that outfit.
"Oh come on, Arya", Bilbo said. "You look very pretty."
Arya just grimaced. "I hate fancy clothes."
"So did I at your age", Dís consoled. "It'll only be for half an hour, if even that. And after that you can come here to change back to shirt and trousers."
"Sure?"
"Absolutely positive", Dís promised. "Same goes for you, Thalia. Well, I think we are now ready, each of us. Arya's hair has already been made, and there's nothing much we can do to Thalia's short locks. Let's go get boys, then."
Robb and Jon had been to put their fur cloaks over their new clothes. That was the most effort they had done – well, they didn't really have any fancier clothes than those, but a cloak over a coat, dark trousers and boots had been a perfectly acceptable combination in Winterfell when there had been feasts. They had left Grey Wind and Ghost in their quarters with Nymeria. Dís seemed approving and asked, "Are Fíli and Kíli ready?"
"They said they'd be here in a moment when we went to check", Jon answered. He had hardly even said the words when the two princes ran there in their full party attire. Bilbo wouldn't be amazed by anything again but the Stark siblings and Thalia were staring at Fíli and Kíli in confusion. Of course the way the Dwarves, especially those who were royal, differed from other races but this wasn't exactly anything any of them had expected
"Umm", said Thaleia. "I just gotta ask: what's the function of those kilts?"
"What?" Kili wondered. "This is just regular party attire. Uncle will have a kilt too."
"Do you have anything beneath those?" Thalia continued and felt a bit sick. It only got worse when Fíli looked at her and answered, "No, why?"
Thalia moaned. "Don't flash then, either of you."
"By Durin's hammer, Thalia, you've seen us both naked", Kíli sighed.
"Maybe, but it doesn't mean I've enjoyed what I've seen", Thalia snapped. "If I see even a glimpse of the members of either of you, you'll wake up hairless tomorrow."
Bilbo, Dís, Robb, Jon and Arya burst into laughter upon hearing the threat. Fíli and Kíli grew remarkably pale and both stared at Thalia as if she had gone completely crazy. Surely she couldn't be serious with her threat, right?
"As much as I'd love to see how this ends", Dís chuckled, "it's high time we went to the great assembly hall. The ceremony starts very soon and I know Thorin will throw a fit if we end up being late."
Apparently ceremonies like this one were new to Fíli and Kíli as well because neither of them was able to shut up when they wondered what would happen and in what order. This made Dís roll her eyes and mutter something about fools who had never bothered to do their homework. The group met Balin at the big doors that lead to the hall.
"You are just in time", Balin smiled. "Thorin went in not five minutes ago."
"My brother wasn't any trouble, was he?" Dís asked.
"Oh no, if anything he was more cooperative than usually", Balin chortled. "Although I think it helped when my brother threatened to kick him so that he would sing soprano the whole next week if he didn't stop being difficult."
Thalia noted that Balin was not wearing a kilt like the two princes. It was reassuring in a way. A quick glance inside the door told her that there was hardly anyone wearing one. Maybe it was an old tradition of the royal family's. Anyway, Thalia decided to keep fully to herself the fact that she thought those dark blue kilts were actually quite good-looking. She would never hear the end of it if she voiced her thoughts to others.
"All right then", said Dís. "Children, you can go in now. We three come right after you. This part is actually quite stupid but Balin and I have to escort Bilbo to Thorin. There's absolutely no point in it if I'm asked."
"May I remind that I escorted you too, lass", Balin noted.
"I thought it was stupid back then, too", Dís snapped. "Vanir and I could've done it only with the families present but nooooo. You just had to put up a big ceremony for it."
"Dís, please don't make me more nervous than I already am", Bilbo pleaded. "I feel sick enough as it is."
Dís apologised to him straightaway and assured him the worst part was walking through the hall. "The introduction ceremony itself will be over in about one minute. You'll be fine."
"What if someone says they object?"
"Bilbo, it won't come to that, I told you already", Dís answered patiently. "Most of the Dwarves of Erebor hold you in high regard for what you've done to this mountain. And those few pricks who don't like you hopefully know how to keep their mouths shut if they wish to walk from the hall all limbs intact."
"I have to admit that there is a point", Balin stated when Bilbo gave him a doubtful look. "Don't worry, laddie. It truly only takes a couple of minutes, and no one insists you and Thorin stay there for any longer than you want."
Bilbo still didn't feel himself quite reassured but at this point it was too late to turn around. He had known what he was setting out to when he had given Thorin an affirmative answer when the king had proposed to him two days after their first time. He just hadn't known how public everything was. But this wouldn't get any better by dawdling like this. Bilbo nodded to Balin who opened the door, and the three of them walked in.
Dís had shown Bilbo the great assembly hall when they had been on the introduction tour but back then the place had been empty. Now every seat of the oval hall was taken and the only empty space was the big sand arena in the middle. Bilbo saw Thorin standing in the other side of the hall, so he forced himself to look straight ahead and tried to forget that everyone was staring at him. The hall felt suddenly terribly big, though the journey from one side to the other was a hundred metres tops, most likely under that. There was a Dwarf standing next to Thorin whom Bilbo didn't recognise but there was something familiar about his bearing. Dís gave Bilbo's hand a supporting squeeze and they started to walk onwards. Thorin had turned to look at them and Bilbo swore he didn't feel anything but pride in his gaze.
They were about half-way in the hall when Bilbo finally recognised the Dwarf next to Thorin. It was Dáin, the Lord of the Iron Hills and Thorin's cousin. Bilbo couldn't say he knew him well, but he knew he was a lot more lenient than what his appearances suggested. He just couldn't understand how Dáin had made it. The distance between Erebor and the Iron Hills was quite respectable. Bilbo looked quickly at Dís who seemed just as astonished. Then Bilbo concentrated on only Thorin again. He remarked that Thorin had no braids in his hair, so he assumed the ceremony would include braiding. Balin confirmed this by putting a bead made of iron and sapphires in Bilbo's hand secretly.
"Thorin asked me to give it to you", Balin whispered quickly
"Thank you", Bilbo answered just as silently. Suddenly he was thankful that he hadn't cut his hair after all at Beorn's house when there had been a chance.
Balin smiled before he walked to the side of the hall, close to Dwalin. Dís in turn squeezed Bilbo's hand again and wished him luck before doing the same, although she went to her sons, the Stark siblings and Thalia. Bilbo looked at the children quickly. The smiles on Fíli and Kíli's faces couldn't have been wider than that, Thalia put her thumb up, smiling as well, and Arya, Jon and Robb nodded almost simultaneously. Arya seemed to be holding Kíli's hand, which Bilbo found rather endearing.
Bilbo shook his head and concentrated once again only on Thorin. He was here because of him in the first place, he deserved all his attention. Just like his nephews Thorin was also wearing a dark blue kilt, but unlike the boys his chest was completely bare and at some point Bilbo found himself wondering if Thorin had anything underneath the garment. The most likely answer was no, so Bilbo briefly thought what he might want to do in bed with Thorin so that he would be wearing nothing except that kilt.
Thorin held out his hand and Bilbo found his fears and tension disappearing altogether. He took Thorin's hand with a smile – and at that moment it felt like there had been no one else in the world but the two of them. The drop into reality came all too soon when Dáin cleared his throat a bit too loudly.
"How is Dáin here?" Bilbo asked.
"He arrived some time after the breakfast, had apparently taken off the same day we arrived here", Thorin whispered back. "Evidently one of my advisors decided to write to him and tell that the King under the Mountain has decided to marry the hero of Erebor."
Bilbo made a small snort-like noise. "How did he react?"
"Almost jumped to the ceiling when I confirmed it to be true", Thorin laughed shortly. "And after that he started to babble how I have finally decided to settle down."
"Um, listen", Dáin interrupted, "it is quite nice to watch you two whispering like tweens in their first love but it's high time we went to the business itself."
Thorin groaned. "I was under the impression I am allowed to answer when my future consort asks me something."
"Yeah, so you think", Dáin mumbled to himself. Bilbo knew Thorin found Dáin more tolerable than most of the Dwarf Lords but at that very moment it was clear he was absolutely done with his cousin. Thorin's expressions weren't very easy to read in general but there were times when his stoic appearances crumbled and revealed his mood.
"Thorin, before you decide to challenge your cousin to a duel, I must say there's a point in what he said", Bilbo said quickly. "And by the way I have thought of what we just might do in our chambers after this, so I'd prefer we hurry up."
Thorin didn't miss the implying emphasis on the words so he nodded and started the ceremony after giving Dáin one last glare. Dáin just chortled at him.
Thorin turned to face the hall and began with a loud voice, "People of Erebor – and our honourable guests", he added, nodding at the Stark siblings and Thalia. "I wish to present you my future consort, Bilbo Baggins. Are there any objections to this union?"
As if on a cue Dwalin, Glóin, Bofur and Nori (and also Fíli, Kíli and Gimli) began to glare their surroundings as if to say, "We dare you to say anything." Quite surprisingly Arya and Thalia joined the Olympics of glaring, which resulted to Dís almost choking from the laughter she tried to hold back. But it worked because there were no objections. Bilbo sighed with relief when he started to braid Thorin's hair. The worst was over.
Dáin took care of the rest of the ceremony while Thorin and Bilbo finished their braids, officially announced them as an engaged couple, and then gave them both satisfied pats on their shoulders.
"It was about time this dolt settled down", Dáin said with an infuriatingly smug grin on his face.
"Dáin, one more word and you have a death wish", Thorin snarled. Dáin was just about to answer something but was completely run over by Dís and her sons when they came to hug Thorin and Bilbo. They were closely followed by Robb, Jon, Arya and Thalia, and soon after them the whole Thorin's Company. It took a good while until Bilbo and Thorin managed to get away. From Bilbo it wasn't a trick or anything, since Hobbits were good at slipping away (in addition to which he had put his Ring in his pocket, just in case) but he didn't want to leave Thorin suffer alone. They both were relieved when they finally managed to get rid of the crowd and out of the hall.
"Well, that went well", Bilbo stated. "No declarations of war as I feared. Do remind me that I'll bake something for Bofur and the others as a thank you for keeping disturbers at bay."
"Won't I get anything?" Thorin asked with a mocked hurtful tone.
Bilbo snorted. "Isn't it enough that I have promised to put up with you for the rest of my life?"
Thorin continued his mocked pout for a while and began to look a lot like Kíli (though his pout was remarkably better). Bilbo couldn't help a laugh, until he suggested they moved to the bedroom now that they had some alone time. Thorin didn't oppose one bit.
I give a big thanks to my friend Naechii for Anar's name. It's just a bit funny, I was reading the appendices of Silmarillion when I wrote this and it turns out Anar means sun in Quenya, i.e. High Elvish. For a while I thought I'd change it but then I figured that if the child is 1/3 a Dwarf, 1/3 a human and 1/3 a goddess in the first place her name can just as well be Elvish. Besides it suits her.
In a majority of fics I've read Dáin is a bit of an arsehole so I wanted to break the tradition. Plus it was fun to put someone else than Dwalin make fun of Thorin for a change xD (sorry, Thorin!)
I found the name Vanir somewhere and decided to give it to Fíli and Kíli's father. (Tolkien could've seen the trouble of naming him himself, just saying.)
And traditionally there isn't anything under the kilts. I saw these pictures by the wonderful dwalinroxxx in Tumblr of Thorin, Fíli, Kíli, and Dwalin wearing kilts, and they're what I base my headcanons on. Ever since I saw those pictures I've yearned to write at least a small bit of Dwarves in kilts because kilts are cool and Dwarves are even cooler.
And Dís' pet name for Fíli is "little lion".