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A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed

Chapter 29

Wedding bells

Tigerlily opened her eyes and blinked. The day of her wedding had finally dawned. Legolas, at Meryn's insistence, had slept elsewhere the night before and Tigerlily had fallen asleep in the chair. In days past, Legolas would have lifted her up and put her in bed, but last night, she had been alone. Tigerlily stood up and the book she had been reading about elves fell to the floor with a clatter. She sighed and bent down to pick it up when the door burst open and almost a dozen women came walking in, each talking about something else. (A/N: Looks like something from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but it's My Big Fat Gondorian Wedding) They were all talking to her but they were talking so fast and Tigerlily was so sleepy she couldn't understand a word. "Silence!" called Rose and the other women hushed at the command of the Solaris family matriarch. "Bath!" she said. The women almost squealed as they grabbed hold of Tigerlily and pushed her out of the room into another where a hot bath lay ready and waiting. Tigerlily felt twenty hands pull at her nightdress. It fell to her ankles and she was half-pushed into the hot water. Her mother's hands pushed her down so she was sat. Tigerlily barely got to speak as her mother and the women of her family washed every inch of her. She noticed they were very gentle around where the baby was. After being dunked under the water a few times to clean her hair, Tigerlily was pulled out of the water and wrapped in a towel. She spluttered having accidentally swallowed some water and pushed her hair out her eyes. Three of her sister-in-laws grabbed her and roughly dried her off. They forced her into some rather fancy underwear. They didn't follow through on an Enedwaithian tradition of women wearing a corset on their wedding day. Once in the underwear, they put a robe on her and pulled her back into her room. A range of gifts had been brought in. A faint smile came to her face when she saw a crib at the foot of the bed. "That's from me and your father," said Rose, "Trust me, these next few months will go like that," she snapped her fingers, "and that baby of yours, did you say it was a boy, will be here so you have to be prepared." Tigerlily smiled.

"Rose," said Charlotte, "Where's the dress?" Rose left and re-emerged carrying a beautiful white dress. It took Tigerlily's breath away and it finally dawned on her, this was it, it was happening, tonight she and Legolas would be married. Rose brought it forward and Tigerlily touched it. It was soft and felt nice beneath her fingers. "Oh mama," she said, "It's really happening. I'm getting married!" Rose smiled and took her daughter in her arms.

"Everything is going to go perfectly," she whispered.

"I'm scared I'm going to mess it up somehow," said Tigerlily.

"You won't," said Rose, "I promise. Come, let me get you dressed." The other women left. Enedwaithian tradition declared only the mother helped dress the bride on her wedding day. Rose helped Tigerlily into her dress and laced up the back. She then tied back Tigerlily's hair using a silver ribbon. "It won't be long until I untie this ribbon and use it to tie your hand to your…husband's," said Rose. Tigerlily turned around and saw her mother was crying.

"Oh, mama," she said. She embraced her mother.

"I think I always told myself you would be my little girl forever," said Rose, "But here you stand before me, a grown woman, starting her own family…I don't think I can let go."

"You don't have to," said Tigerlily, "I know you and papa was planning to go live in Edoras and Legolas and I will only be a few days ride away. I'm not going away forever; it's not like last time."

"Last time was awful," said Rose, "I used to lie awake and wonder if you and Strider had made it. I used to think that perhaps you had been ambushed and killed. I was so worried. Then Elrond sent me news that you were alive and well and throwing his sons in the river. I thought 'that's my Tigerlily.'" Tigerlily smiled and so did Rose. The door creaked open and Pippin came round the door. "Hello Tigerlily," he said, "So today's your wedding."

"Please don't speak bitterly on this day, Pippin," said Tigerlily, looking at her hands, "I'm already nervous enough, I don't need your tone raising doubts."

"I came here to apologise for the way I have spoken about Legolas," said Pippin, "I couldn't see that he loved you as much as he needed you. I just needed some sense knocked into me by Gandalf."

"Gandalf?" said Tigerlily.

"I've got the bump to prove it," said Pippin, rubbing the back of his head. Tigerlily laughed. Pippin looked down the corridor before replying.

"I had better go," he said and disappeared before Tigerlily could say anything. Eliza appeared around the door holding a bag. She walked towards Tigerlily and smiled. "My mother gave me good luck charms like these on my wedding day," she said, "And I have only sons so I will give them to you," she reached into the bag and pulled out something, "An apple for serenity, a pendant for balance, beads of jade for beauty and a cricket for luck." She handed them over. Rose tucked the pendant and dead, dried cricket into the belt of Tigerlily's dress as Tigerlily ate the apple. Eliza placed the beads around Tigerlily's neck. "Thank you Eliza," said Tigerlily. Eliza nodded and then embraced her sister-in-law.

Legolas was sat on the table, staring at his feet. Aragorn had gone to see Tigerlily. In fact, everyone wanted to see Tigerlily, no one seemed to care how nervous he was. He barely heard the door open. He looked up when he heard someone clear their throat. It was Meryn. "Meryn!" he said, making to stand up.

"No, stay sitting lad," said Meryn. He limped over and sat down next to Legolas.

"Well, son, today you enter my family," he added, "Nervous?"

"I've seen your sons," said Legolas, "Of course I'm nervous."

"Legolas, you have nothing to worry about," said Meryn, "You don't even have to say anything. Just hold out your hand when Tigerlily does. Trust me, my ancestors made marriage easy for men." Legolas nodded.

"Thank you, Meryn," said Legolas, "I will keep my past promises about your daughter."

"No need to remind me," said Meryn, "I know you will keep them, I trust you." Legolas looked up at Meryn. "Yes, you heard me right lad," said Meryn, "I trust you."

It was an hour later when Legolas finally saw Tigerlily. He was in complete awe as she stepped into the throne room. They had decided not to have a big wedding; it was just their friends and Tigerlily's rather large family. Tigerlily's brothers followed as Meryn escorted her up towards Legolas. Tigerlily stood next to Legolas and smiled at him. Gandalf smiled at both of them. He was conducting the ceremony. "We here, are to witness the wedding of Tigerlily Solaris of Enedwaith, daughter of Meryn," he said, "And Legolas Greenleaf or Eryn Lasgalen, son of Thranduil." Meryn stood up.

"I, Meryn, give my daughter Tigerlily to you, Legolas," he said. Rose then removed the ribbon from Tigerlily's hair. She lifted up Tigerlily's hand and Legolas copied.

"I, Rose, bind my daughter to you Legolas," said Rose, tying the ribbon around Legolas and Tigerlily's joined hands. "You may kiss your bride now," said Gandalf. Legolas smiled. "I know this part," he said before leaning in and kissing Tigerlily. As he pulled away, Tigerlily whispered, "Together forever."

"Of course," he replied.