Spring Forth
Spring had finally come again to Erebor and Dale, and all groups came together to celebrate.
Outside the Mountain and before the town, the lush green pastures had grown back.
Green grass, trees and ripe farmland.
Perfection.
That is what Thorin thought as he walked out with his family, greeting everyone and holding onto Rana's arm as they talked and discussed what exactly to do next.
Well, it wasn't much of a discussion since Rana always chose for both of them.
"The blessing ritual is being set up down there," she pointed out a stall a little to the right of a small gathering, "and if you're good, I'll let you have one of the sweet apples before dinner."
"Rana," Thorin lowered his voice and whispered in her ear, "can't I have something else sweet before dinner?"
His voice was rich and soothing and had it been more private, she would have placed a tender kiss against his lips.
But since most of the Kingdom AND the people of Dale were watching, she had no choice but to force politeness out.
"If you don't behave, I'll have to take myself and my jar of honey somewhere else for the night."
Anymore bedroom talk was interrupted as Kili spoke up.
"Are the dancers ready yet? I want to grab something from one of the stalls!"
"Kili, calm yourself," Dis playfully scolded him and took his arm, "you can get a gift for Tauriel after, they'll be plenty of time."
"Good," Dru perked up from Fili's side and licked her lips, "because there is a pig roasting somewhere with my name on it!"
As they gathered around the edge of the painted circle, careful not to touch the chalk, they made an interesting procession to the onlookers.
The King and soon to be Queen, standing side by side, serene and polite smiles on their faces.
Kili and Dis together, since Tauriel had been called away (yet again) to business in Mirkwood.
Dru with her back against Fili's front, his arms wrapped around her as he rested his head on her shoulder and kept making her giggle.
But with the family today, was also their dearest friends.
Eilonwy, Balin, and Ori were standing nearest Dru and Fili and were talking about the day's events.
Eilonwy seemed fascinated and whilst it was not her first Spring in Erebor, the previous one had been called off due to bad weather (though most of the celebrations still took place inside).
"May I ask, what dance it is they are performing?" Eilonwy looked down at Balin and for a moment, Balin's almost excitable demeanor made him look one hundred years younger.
"Spring awakening. A blessing to those Dwarrowdams from the Goddess Yavanna," Balin sighed nostalgically as he recalled his younger days, "we used to have all the girls dancing around a large pole and they would spin and tie ribbons around it...unfortunately, that led to a few incidents so they changed it to something a bit safer. The flower crowns being passed around, the garlands around the neck and that small box in the middle has one rather eager rabbit inside."
Forgetting that Eilonwy did not know what the represented, Balin did not explain, but Dru gently nudged her friend and whispered.
"Fertility. It's all to do with Spring and fertility."
"And virility," Fili pointed out cheekily as he rubbed his beard against her cheek affectionately and Dru could only giggle.
"And the flower crown being passed around?" Eilonwy enquired again, wondering why some were different from others.
"A symbol. Each married woman will ask for something different for their child. I'm...afraid I'm not too good with the flower meanings," Thorin explained and turned to Rana for help and she took over easily, knowing everything like the back of her hand.
"The common peony wreath you can see," she pointed out a younger girl, barely in her twenties, "symbolises happy life, happy marriage, good health, and prosperity. The Irises that -funnily enough- Iris is wearing means hope. Cherished Friend and Admiration. Those little sprigs of Allium on the side are for patience and good fortune. And that young lass there, she just got married a week ago. Baby's breath. The purity of heart."
"And daisies are there to look pretty," Dis gently nudged Rana and smirked, "just like Daisy from-"
"From the merchant's shop!" Rana cackled with her friend, sharing in a private joke that no one else got, "Not much use, but stuck out like a sore thumb."
Eilonwy nodded and tried to count the dancers and flower bands, but there was a lot and she wasn't expecting Dis to name them all for her.
"Of course, you CAN mix and match the flowers or even combine them all, except," Dis trailed off and Eilonwy was a little curious.
"Except?"
"You don't really want to attract all the bees to one place," Rana offered and every one of the dwarves nodded solemnly.
"You also want to shake the flowers before you knot them with ribbon. Just encase of caterpillars...and ladybugs," Balin casually swatted away at a little bug that was flying around and pestering him, "and make sure your hair doesn't get caught encase you need to get it off quickly."
Eilonwy was beginning to understand the simple complications when it came to the Spring festival.
"I wore a wreath of only Gladioli for my two boys. Got the strongest men you could have asked for," Dis reached up and pinched Kili's cheek affectionately, which he batted away and looked embarrassed, "I danced in only two and each one resulted in me being blessed by my boys."
"Nothing to do with the Ale Bror gave you those same evenings?" Thorin piped up and would probably have laughed, had Dis' glare not quelled his humor and made him slightly shuffle behind his future wife.
Before she could begin to berate and beat up her big brother, a loud voice called from the edge of the dancers.
A female, taller than the rest and wearing a long, multi-colored robe, stepped forward with her arms open, beckoning those around her.
"The priestess. She's done this for donkey's years," Rana pointed out the woman's own large headdress, "she wears a crown of Sage and Hawthorn. Ultimate wisdom. I gave permission for them to use the finest flowers in the royal garden."
"All these flowers you've grown in the mountain?" Eilonwy asked, remembering her tours of the garden but not seeing the others as yet.
"Yes," Rana smiled proudly, having been one of the leading attendants in the gardens, "there are places where you can grow flowers all year round IF you find the perfect spot. And you get someone very good at building greenhouses."
A slight hush fell over all around as the woman spoke again, this time making her voice loud and clear.
"For anyone who wishes to join, you are welcome. Come now and get your crown and the dance will begin!" She held out her hands towards the sky and shouted joyously, "Yavanna, bring forth the mothers to be!"
All around the crowd, people looked left and right. A few of the newly married ladies stepped forward and one that had already been blessed twice came bounding down, intent on having one more.
But to everyone's surprise, there was a small gasp from the royal family.
"Dru?!" Kili cried out, a little louder than he intended to.
His beloved little sister had taken off her shoes and was currently hoisting up her skirts a bit higher, tucking the excess into her belt.
"If you don't mind me, I'll be back in a bit," she turned around, planted a quick kiss against her husband's cheek, before spinning out and almost skipping off towards the circle.
There was a small murmur of excitement from the crowd at the sight, but the family wasn't really that surprised (minus Kili). Dru and Fili had been married for over a year now and they had told those closest they were trying for a child.
When she got to the priestess, instead of picking it out for herself, she asked for it to be random.
A few wreaths were passed until the Priestess picked one and placed it on Dru's head.
A crown made of yellow and red roses.
As the dancers got into place, Eilonwy asked about the flowers on Dru's crown.
"Red and yellow roses?" Her mother smirked and winked at the elf, "She'll get a child full of joy, happiness, and excitement."
Eilonwy shared her amusement.
"I believe that is what Dru's mother would have worn had she danced at one of these."
"Or Lime Blossom," Fili piped up, but Dis turned her disapproval on him and told him to not be cheeky in present company.
Off to the side, a few musicians started up a cheery tune.
When the first dancers stepped forward, everyone began to clap.
And then the fun really began.
The joyous dance of Spring was meant to not only help with fertility but signal a new start in the year.
It wasn't too fast, but it was definitely fun and some of the dancers couldn't help but laugh as they swayed and moved together.
There was no specific choreography, but the priestess did stand by the rabbit and show them the moves that were important.
They twirled with their arms high to the sky, praising the Goddess.
They jumped and joined hands, to show they were together.
And they laughed and skipped around in a circle as the priestess chanted.
"Oh, Yavanna. Bless these women! Bless them so their children will be healthy. Bless them so their children will have good fortune. Bless them with all they ask for their children and more!"
The music continued, but the dancers slipped away from one another and danced by themselves.
Dru, with a gleeful smile, spun herself about wildly until she almost fell over.
"Now, go to your husbands and ask for Yavanna's blessing on his seed," the priestess clapped her hands and instructed them all.
Each woman darted away to their respective others, Dru included.
When she stood in front of Fili, they both shared wicked expressions, full of promise at what they had to do later.
A small group of maidens moved about, passing out the garlands to the wives.
Once Dru had hers, Fili bent down and allowed her to slip it around his neck, as was tradition.
"Blessings be upon you, for the great Yavanna! May your children be fair, brave, wise, healthy, happy, truthful, loyal, and strong! You may leave and conceive the child!"
Whilst it was not written in, Fili couldn't contain himself.
Standing straight, he scooped Dru up and off of the ground, pulling her close to him so only her toes were grazing the tips of the long blades of grass.
When their lips met, a loud cheer went up around them, and whilst they would have liked to continue, they felt maybe this wasn't the best place to fulfill the last of the ritual.
Fili lowered her back down but kept his arms around her as they nervously glanced about.
Most of the couples had in fact already left.
All eyes were on them, clapping and waiting.
"Blessings be upon you, your highnesses!" The priestess called out one last time before she turned away and walked back into the crowd.
Dru could not help but blush and laugh, hiding her face against Fili's coat.
'Oh, Gods...everyone knows exactly what we're about to do!' Her thoughts were screaming at her and she'd never wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it so much.
But whilst he was slightly embarrassed, Fili knew that it was part of the tradition. Plus, they were married and in love.
Turning about, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her along, away from the cheers and applause they were getting.
He also swore he heard Kili laughing and wolf-whistling, but he'd get revenge for that later.
They walked back towards the mountain in companionable silence, not stopping for anyone they met.
It could have been the small amount of embarrassment that kept them quiet, but there was also a buzzing excitement building up in both of them.
Their hands began to wander when they thought no one was looking.
Dru turned her face up and giggled as she pressed a kiss against Fili's beard.
And then another.
And one more before he whispered into her ear.
"Behave yourself, we'll never reach our rooms at this rate."
Turning a corner, Dru caught sight of a familiar hallway, where long tapestries draped over walls and alcoves.
"Who said we needed to reach our room?" She pulled back and tugged him towards one of the tapestries, "Come here."
Once they vanished behind the long piece of cloth, they found themselves up against a familiar wall.
And what happened against that wall?
Well...
One year later...
"You don't think it's still too cold for her right now?" Dru lifted her daughter up and pressed her against her shoulder, tucking the blanket around her a little tighter.
"She's got two layers on, so she should be warm," Fili fidgeted with the edge of Thora's little cap and then looked up at the clear blue sky, "if anything it might be a bit too sunny out for her."
"Oh, you two," Dis sighed and chuckled as they fussed over their daughter, "she's fine, she's got plenty of fresh air and the sun will add some more colour to her cheeks!"
"If they get any rosier, she's going to have beetroot cheeks!" Dru let her daughter pull back far enough so she could look into her face.
Thora LOVED to see everything going on around her, ever curious as to the world. Only a few months old and she had seen so much of the mountain and Dale and around, along with the people.
"My mother would say that the 'redder the cheeks, the happier the child'," Tauriel interjected, leaning down to gaze at Thora's happy little face, "I believe that Thora will be one of the happiest little girls in all of Erebor."
"I mean, if she's not, Dru wore a crown of roses for nothing," Kili chuckled, but a confused stare from his beloved reminded him that he hadn't actually told her about the crown, "it's part of the ritual. It's all to do with fertility and...well, Spring."
"Doesn't my son explain things wonderfully?" Dis rolled her eyes and pointed out to the gathering dancers, "each crown symbolises something important, such as a trait you would like your child to have."
As Dis began to explain to Tauriel the same way she had done for Eilonwy the year before, Dru couldn't help but get a sneaky idea. Since both Eilonwy and Tauriel were with their respective beaus (and neither were yet married), Dru had been teasing the boys slightly about starting a family. And since now would be the perfect excuse to bring it up, she gave her husband a playful wink and got him to take Thora from her.
"I'd go in again, but I don't want to dance alone like last year," she made sure she was loud enough so all the people in their small group could hear, "do any of the girls here want to dance with me?"
There was a small gaggle of restrained laughter, as well as the slight sputtering from Bofur and Kili at being caught by surprise.
Of course, Dru could only get herself down on the field that year. But it would only be another four before Tauriel joined her and then after that, so did Eilonwy.
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-Yavanna shares similarities with the classical goddesses: Demeter, associated with crop growth and fertility, and Gaia, also known as "Mother Earth".
HENCE why she would be the go to for certain celebrations like this.
And if you want to know why Dis told him to stop being cheeky, google 'Lime Blossom Meaning' and you'll see why.
-Funnily enough, I'd always planned for Tales of Erebor to be out of chronological order with some stories (time didn't always matter), but then time just seemed to happen so here are the chapters that can pretty much go anyway in the story.
-Unfortunately, my inspiration and creativity have a limit, so I cannot promise this will have the same length as Tales of Erebor, nor will it have an 'ending'. I can't say when I think the last chapter will be because I never know when something might pop into my head.