Thorin is not back in time for the wedding. Not that anyone involved is at all surprised. In spite of his words when he had announced he was going, everyone in the room had known that he had too far to go to reach his destination with any time to return. Even without knowing that Thorin will not be back until mid to late summer, Nori would have known that he would not be back from her own experiences on the road. The thief and guard spend a couple of months debating whether they should postpone things, but given that she wants Briar there and how far the hobbit will have to come to attend the wedding, Dwalin agrees to go ahead as planned. Nori is relieved, but that comes with the bitter twist of guilt which has become all too familiar over the years. She is happy that Dwalin has agreed to continue because, in some twisted way, it means that he has chosen her over Thorin. That is not her only reason to be pleased, of course, but it is the one that has whispered through her head in the night while everyone around her has been sleeping and that is not at all fair on him.
Briar and Kíli arrive on time, about two weeks before the wedding is scheduled to take place, tired and dirty from the road, but with an air of something about them which makes Nori's instincts start to twitch. Neither one says anything, though they are found gleefully whispering together on more than one occasion, but Nori has her suspicions and she knows that it is a waiting game until one or other of the pair decides to tell her what is going on. It is nice to have Kíli and Briar in the house with her, even though she is beginning to pack up her belongings so that she can move to the larger house that she and Dwalin have rented to move into on her wedding day. She is looking forward to it in an odd sort of way. Much as she likes her little house, a larger one with three bedrooms and an extra reception room is welcome. Not that she will need the third bedroom really, Kíli will still be living with them and he and Briar are not hiding the fact that they are sharing a bed every night. It is mainly for appearances on her part although she would like children one day. She and Dwalin are lucky to be able to afford somewhere bigger, some of that is down to Thorin who had given them a large bag of gold before departing as a wedding gift.
This Thorin is generous, but then so was the one in her other life before dragon cursed gold took his mind. Even with the danger involved in going into a dragon's den it still takes a generous king to hand over one fourteenth of a dragon's hoard.
Finally, a few days before the wedding, Briar finds Nori alone for the first time since her arrival; with the wedding imminent Nori and Dwalin have been spending most of their time together organising the day.
"Kíli asked me to marry him," she blurts out after a moment of nervous hand wringing.
"Had a feeling he might have," Nori nods. "Congratulations."
"I thought you might have figured it out," the hobbit admits ruefully. "We wanted to wait and tell you after the wedding, but…"
"Sharp eyes, lass," Nori shrugs, fingers finding the promise bead that Dwalin had given her on their return from that fateful caravan. "You've got them well hidden, learnt from example I think, but sharp eyes like mine know where to look for things like that. The lad knows it too. You put any thought into how you'll make it work? You living in the Shire and him having responsibilities here?"
"Not really," Briar hedges. "At the moment we're thinking that maybe I'll come to live here. My tenant farmers and personal lands can be easily run without my input for the most part, but if people are used to him coming and going a bit I can use it to go home and check up on things sometimes. We aren't thinking of finalising things too quickly, so we have time to work it all out."
"Don't rush into anything," Nori advises after a moment. "Especially not with so much to bring together. And if you need anything, just let me know and I'll see what I can work out. Or send the lad your way so that he can work it out instead."
"Much as I enjoy your company…" Briar smirks.
"My own sister," the thief says tragically after a moment, pressing her hand over her heart, "choosing some lad over me! The horror."
Briar laughs.
"Ah," she grins, "but there are things he can do for me that you can't."
"If I was anyone else," Nori chuckles, "you would have managed to embarrass me with that comment. Sadly," she shrugs. "He makes you happy?"
"There never seems to be enough time when he's with me and it always seems to be too long when he's away," Briar assures her.
"Pretty sure that's how it's meant to be," the thief says as she carelessly wraps a rough wooden tankard in a scrap of cloth, tucking it into a crate.
The house is full of crates, though Nori had not realised that she had managed to accumulate so many books, nick knacks and trinkets, as well as the usual furniture and clothing. Some of her belongings have even been legitimately acquired, though probably not as many of them as Dwalin would like. He accepts that about her, though, and merely raises an eyebrow at any new piece of shine she happens to have. He does not ask, she does not tell and they both walk around happy.
Besides, she only pinches things to keep in practice.
The wedding comes around with alarming rapidity, though Nori is glad for Briar's early arrival since the hobbit throws herself into helping pack everything up. All too soon she finds herself standing in a new coat, trousers and tunic, her traditional heavy boots cleaned and polished and her belt heavy with the traditional items to exchange with Dwalin. Her hair is still in it's tight little braids, something which has become her normal style over the years, but her beard is neatly combed and caught with only a heavy clasp near the base of her neck. Like Dwalin, she will wear her marriage braid in her beard today. Tomorrow she will replace one of the multitude of wooden beads with the marriage bead. As long as it is worn, no one really cares where or how it is displayed. In this case it is the bead that counts and not the braid itself, after all, no dwarf should be restricted in the way they wear their hair for the sake of a single braid.
She looks down at her finery in the polished copper mirror, a cheap alternative to the silvered glass that is more often used in the wealthier homes even if it leaves her reflection a little wavy and indistinct. She would rather something more lowkey than this. Dwarves have more than one option for a marriage ceremony, partly depending on the number of individuals committing to one another, but also depending on the location. Dwarves travel, it is necessary as part of being on the caravans and also comes with being called to arms. Often those who are travelling on the caravans will make their declaration of marriage to one another before witnesses there and get the contracts handled when they get home. The same is true before a battle. The presence of a bead, even if no contract has been signed, is usually enough to prove that the survivor, should the other be slain, is able to inherit whatever goods and property might have been theirs as spouse anyway. Sometimes that is the difference between surviving possible destitution while they are out of work as their injuries heal and losing everything.
Nori would almost rather have an on the road ceremony, where little more than the intent to marry is declared before witnesses and the gifts are exchanged. The gifts at least keep it from being an impulse decision that is later regretted. The only reason she has not pressed for such a thing is that she knows how important it is to their families and Dwalin that this be done with some amount of pomp and circumstance. Perhaps less important to Dwalin than it is to their families, but for once in her life Nori is focussing on other people rather than on herself.
It is not something that she particularly likes.
"You look marvellous," Dori says from the door. "I'm proud of you, I know this is probably the last thing that you really want to do."
"I want to get married," Nori says, deliberately misunderstanding him.
"But I very much doubt you want to step into the Hall of Law to do so," her brother smirks. "I all but raised you, don't try to lose me in my own mines."
"You've grown perceptive in your old age," the thief mutters.
"Less of the old, if you please," Dori sniffs. "Are you ready?" She nods. "Come, then, Kíli has gone ahead with Briar and his brother."
The Hall of Law is in the better part of the city, naturally, while the main guard house and temporary cells can be found nearer the merchant's quarter. It is a large building, one of the oldest in the city, and imposing in the way that only dwarf constructions can be. It looms over them, lamplight illuminating the multitude of windows showing that the various courtrooms, offices and meeting chambers are in use. One of those rooms is Glóin's office and that is where Nori will join her life with Dwalin's. This will be the second time that she has met the lawyer in this life and he is as close lipped about his work as he was in her last life, but his office is covered in sketches of his wife and son and they are still his favoured subject. Dwalin is waiting by the door for her, also dressed in a new coat, tunic and trousers, and he takes her hand in his as Dori slips into the office. Those intending to make their declaration are always given a moment alone beforehand to confirm with one another that this is what they want.
"Ready?" Dwalin asks her.
"More than," she smiles. "No second thoughts?"
"I'm not that stupid," he chuckles, "I'm not going to throw away the best thing I've ever had come into my life. None for you?"
"You have no idea how long I've wanted this," she assures him, conveniently ignoring the years she tried to convince herself that this was the opposite of what she wanted. "Shall we?"
He beams and pushes the door open, leading her into the warmly lit room where Dori, Ori, Balin, Fíli, Kíli and Briar have all gathered. There are not many there as witnesses, but the room is full all the same. Had Thorin been there, they would have had to move to one of the meeting chambers to have any hope of fitting into the room. Briar is looking around her with sharp eyed fascination and Nori knows that she is taking everything in. She would be disappointed if the hobbit were not.
The two dwarves come to a halt in front of Glóin's desk, the firebeard looks up at them for a moment.
"Speak your piece," he orders.
"I, Dwalin, son of Fundin, come here today before you and these witnesses made up of family and friends to declare my intent to join Nori, daughter of Aari, in legal and eternally binding marriage," the Guard is the first to speak the ritual words, addressing her in the way they had agreed.
"With this necklace I bestow unto her the right to an equal claim of my wealth," he holds up a long golden chain. A pendant hangs off it, a large amethyst mounted in gold with fourteen fine golden arms swirling around it. A precious stone is mounted at the end of each, small but all stones with value, and he reverently settles it around her neck, the chain long enough that the pendant can easily be hidden beneath her clothing without risk of it swinging into view.
"With this pair of knives," a pair of throwing blades in leather sheaths that Nori instantly identifies as Fíli and Hela's combined work are presented to her, "I bestow upon her the knowledge that I will always be at her defense, whether in person or through arms. With this key," one of the three keys to their new front door appears in his hand, "I bestow upon her permanent entry into my home, that we might build our family and future together. Finally, with this bead, I show my vow to the world so that all may know that our line and fortunes have been joined."
His fingers are shaking a little when he produces the bead, once again it is gold but this time it has their symbols intertwined with an axe and a pair of daggers beneath it. He carefully separates a section of her beard beneath the centre of the clip she is wearing, working with surprising deftness to form a braid thick enough for the bead to be anchored into.
Glóin turns his attention to her.
"I, Nori, daughter of Aari, come here today before you and these witnesses made up of family and friends to declare my intent to join Dwalin, son of Fundin, in legal and eternally binding marriage. With this ring I bestow unto him the right to an equal claim of my wealth. With this axe, I bestow upon him the knowledge that I will always be at his defense, whether in person or through arms. With this key, I bestow upon him permanent entry into my home, that we might build our family and future together. Finally, with this bead, I show my vow to the world so that all may know that our line and fortunes have been joined."
Nori does not shake, being a thief means occasionally living in a state of excited or nervous tension for hours or days and shaking does not go well with that. So, she knows that she appears enviably calm as she slides the ring onto Dwalin's middle finger and hands over the restored and enhanced axe and the key to their new home. They do not even shake when she begins to set the braid into his beard, although she hesitates for a moment to take a shaky breath before starting.
"You have spoken your intent before these gathered witnesses," Glóin says, "and have made your vows to one another. Is there any here who knows of a reason such vows cannot be upheld? Or whether their intent is with dark purpose?" Silence follows and the firebeard nods. "Then if the two of you will sign these documents, you may pass from this room and this Hall of Law into your new lives, spouse to one another under the eyes of Mahal and all of our laws."
A.N: Slightly different from the way that I've done it before, but with some ideas that I've used in other places. It's really, really, hard to come up with different marriage ceremonies across my various universes and I nearly used the same one as I came up with for Wild Magic since that's my favourite one. I still intend on writing the actual story I came up with for that one in complete form at some point fairly soon and there are elements that will fit better into the Wild Magic universe than into this one. Because you know me, I like to have a list of things to write in case I stall out on this one.