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I am sorry that there will be no guest reviews at the end of this chapter. I am sick tonight and after I hit post I am heading right back to bed. I promise to answer all the guest reviews in the next chapter, as well as any you send for THIS chapter. Again, sorry, but I don't have the strength to stay up any longer. But at least I sent this out on time.
Night.
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Chapter 81
Mae g'ovannen = Well met
Mellon = Friend
~X~
At long last the day of the wedding arrived, and all of Erebor was abuzz. Dis had been up long before dawn – assuming she had slept at all - getting things ready and making sure every last item was attended to. Thorin was also up early, for even though the wedding was not scheduled until later in the day, there were guests to greet, dignitaries to speak with, and a million other things that needed to be done…or at least that is what Dis told him.
After he had eaten, bathed, and dressed, Thorin stood in front of his mirror and stared at the image before him. He was not in his ceremonial attire, not yet, for he would be required to stand at the gates of Erebor and greet those who had been invited to his wedding. Marigold was of course sequestered somewhere inside the mountain, her mother and bridesmaids attending to her hair and dress, as they should be. He looked himself up and down, trying desperately to find something that assured him that he was ready for this. Would he be a good husband? Would he do right by his new wife? Or would he fail miserably, just as he almost did when overtaken by the gold sickness?
A knock at the door halted his disquieting thoughts.
"Enter," he barked, tugging at his tunic in a huff of frustration.
"Thorin?" came the voice of Bilbo, peeking around the door and then entering with a smile when he spied his friend. "Dis sent me to make sure you were up and ready to go. The guests will be entering the mountain soon and she said I was to have you there on time."
"Leave it to my sister to boss me around even on my wedding day," he chuckled, not truly upset. "I just pray that she will not insist on joining me on my honeymoon in order to give me directions there as well!"
This made the little hobbit snort, trying to hold back a laugh.
"Yes, I have learned over the past months that your sister is quite the dam," Bilbo nodded. "I will not hide the fact that I admire her greatly, and even once, during a very short moment of foolishness, dared to imagine that she might accept my pursuit." He held his breath, waiting for Thorin to react to this bit of news. He did not need to wait long.
"Bilbo…" the dwarf king said in a shocked tone, turning to look at him with wide eyes. "You must know that no matter how much my sister cares for you, or respects you, she had already given her heart to her one…to Flinn the First. And though I would love nothing more than to call you family, there can never be another for her, just as there can never be another for me other than Marigold."
"I realize that…now," he chuckled, feeling rather foolish. "But a hobbit can dream, can't he?"
"I just do not wish for you to pine after a dam that cannot return your feelings," Thorin said, reaching out to lay a sympathetic hand on his friend's shoulder. "There is someone out there for your, Bilbo Baggins, you simply have not found her yet. Look at me…I never thought to find my one after two-hundred years."
"Well, I hope I do not have to wait that long," Bilbo laughed. "We hobbits don't have the long lifespan of you dwarves."
"Then your one will simply have to make her presence known quicker," Thorin nodded, then adding with a sly tone. "Fear not, it if truly be your wish to find a mate, all too soon it will be you being kidnapped by the bride the day before your wedding."
"Liked that, did you?" Bilbo grinned, having seen Thorin being lured away from his bachelor party the night before. He knew what he was in for, and he hoped that his friend had not put up too much of a fuss.
"It was not completely unpleasant or without merit," he replied, putting on an air of indifference. "The blindfold and the shackles might have seemed a bit much, but the final results were rather pleasing."
"In other words…you loved it," Bilbo accused, seeing the slight twitch at the corner of Thorin's lips.
"Aye…that I did," Thorin nodded. "Where did such a custom originate anyway?"
"Oh, well that would go back several hundred years ago," Bilbo explained, sitting down as he adopted his best story telling voice. "Back when the current Thain of the Shire insisted that his daughter marry a hobbit she did not love. On the night before her wedding, her bridesmaids snuck out and found the lad she did have feelings for and tied him up and brought him to the bride so that she could have one last kiss before being wed. Of course, that tradition quickly changed into the groom being the one who was kidnapped, since all forms of arranged marriages have long since been done away with in the Shire."
"You mean, if I were not Marigold's chosen one, it would have been some other dwarrow or hobbit kidnapped and brought before her for a final kiss?" This did not sit well with Thorin at all!
"Well, it is not like that happened!" Bilbo stated firmly, amused over his friend's worry. "She loves you…she only wanted to kiss you! Who else would she have picked? Kili?" Yet when Thorin did not laugh it off like Bilbo had expected him to, he turned serious. "Marigold love you…you know that right? She never felt anything for Kili other than family affection. She is marrying you…no one else."
"Yes, I know," Thorin said with a sigh, shaking off the residual feelings of irrational jealousy. "I have no reason to doubt her love, just as she shall never have reason to distrust mine. I was just being foolish."
"Aye," Bilbo nodded, happy that the dwarf king could see that. "Now we best be going, we do not wish for Dis to come looking for us now, do we?"
"No, that would not be in our best interest," he nodded with a grin. Yet just as the hobbit turned to go, he was halted by a hand on his shoulder. "Bilbo…" Thorin began, his tone serious yet not angry. "Little did I realize when I set foot in your home those many years ago, just what an impact you would have on my life. You have been loyal, supportive, and often more blunt than anyone I have ever known…all to my ultimate benefit. I treasure our friendship above all else, Bilbo Baggins. It was a fine day…or night, indeed when our paths chose to cross, and till the day I die I will count myself blessed for having known you."
"Thorin…I…I…" Bilbo stammered, not quite sure what to say. "I…I feel the same way. You coming to Bag End and inviting me on your quest has changed me…and all for the better I would like to think. It pleases me to no end to be here on this day, to share in your joy and see you unite with your one. I would not have missed this, or any other adventure with you for all the food in the Shire."
This made the king laugh, realizing just what a hobbit values above all else…friendship and food.
"I am glad we have had this moment to speak, my dearest of friends," Thorin said, throwing his arm around Bilbo's shoulders as they made their way out the door. "Since from here on out, I fear you and I will not have a moments peace until this wedding is done and over."
"Not if your sister has a say in it, we won't!" Bilbo laughed.
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Balin, who apparently had no important tasks to see to as well, joined Thorin and Bilbo in greeting the guests. This pleased the king greatly to have their company, since there was at least one visitor he was not looking forward to seeing again.
"Thorin!" Bard called, breaking the dwarf from his unpleasant thoughts as he entered through the stone archway. "You couldn't have chosen a better day for a wedding," he laughed, gesturing to the blue sky and bright sunshine.
"We are being wed inside a mountain, Bard," Thorin chuckled. "It would not matter if it were raining or snowing."
"Ah, but it made my trip here much more enjoyable," the king of Dale informed him with a smile.
"My sister, Sigrid, sends her congratulations," Tilda broke in, bowing to Thorin respectfully. "She and her husband would have loved to come, but traveling with a baby is not something they felt would be wise in these troubled times. Still, they asked us to convey their pleasure at your union."
"That is very kind of them," Thorin nodded, knowing such a long journey would have been difficult even under the best of circumstances. "They have my understanding, and my gratitude."
"And we will do our best to make sure our father does not overindulge on your fine dwarf wine, this time," Bain laughed, elbowing Bard jokingly.
"In that case, you will also have my gratitude, Prince Bain," Thorin laughed, enjoying the look of embarrassment on Bard's face. Though, the king noted that he did not try and deny the fact that he had gotten a bit drunk last time he had been a guest in the mountain.
"I think we shall head in now," Bard said, giving Bain a playful shove forward. "Before my ungrateful children do any more damage to my reputation."
His entrance was accompanied by a fair amount of laughter, most of it coming from the King of Dale himself.
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The next one to arrive was Dain, and even though he had promised to bring his entire family with him this trip, the very recent arrival of his own new bairn had obviously caused his wife to remain at home to care for it.
"So…what did you have, you old warthog?" Thorin asked, embracing his cousin in a stout hug. "A lad or a lass? We have all been waiting anxiously to hear any word about the newest Durin."
"We had a lass!" Dain said, beaming with pride. "Roundest, plumpest little redhead you ever saw, and she already has me completely wrapped around her finger! We even named her Dis, just like I promised!"
"A lass is always a blessing," Balin nodded, greeting Dain with a hearty head butt as well.
Thorin couldn't help but silently agree, knowing just how much he was anticipating the arrival of his own little jewel one day.
"And I am sure that Dis will indeed be honored that you chose to bestow her name upon your daughter," Bilbo added, extending his hand in a greeting, yet was quite shocked when he was instead pulled into a vicelike embrace from the jovial dwarf.
"Just as I have always been flattered over the fact that you named your son after me," Thorin laughed, the longstanding joke between them causing Dain to roll his eyes in exasperation. The king then turned to address Dain's son, Thorin Stonehelm, who was standing behind his father. "Welcome to Erebor, cousin! I must say, you have certainly grown!" he said in greeting, not having seen the lad in over ten years. While only a few years younger than Kili, Stonehelm was already twice as big as Fili…at least around his midsection.
"It is good of you to have us," the near likeness of Dain said, bowing low to his royal second-cousin. "Finding your one is always a reason to celebrate."
"Aye, it is," Thorin nodded, deciding that he liked the lad's manners quite well. "Any chance of you finding yours?"
"If my mother has any say in the matter, it will only be a matter of time," young Thorin laughed. "She has been throwing every eligible dam in my direction ever since I came of age."
"Then you have my sympathies, lad," Thorin laughed, knowing just how adamant Dis had always been to see her own sons paired off. "Yet if it is Mahal's will, you will find her eventually."
"Or in your case, she will find you," Dain laughed. "I knew there was something between the two of you the last time I was here! I'm happy that you didn't muck things up and let the lass slip away."
"Well…" Bilbo began, ready to launch into a detailed description on just how close he had come to doing exactly that, when Thorin cut him off.
"Speaking of slipping away," he broke in, effectively changing the subject to avoid Bilbo's ribbing. "How are your two prisoners? Still locked away in your dungeons, I hope?"
"That sour faced cow, Bina, sure is," Dain said, turning and spitting on the ground, as if the taste of her name on his lips was something vile. "She has shown no sign of reform or remorse over her actions, making life miserable for all those around her."
"And Colm?" Balin questioned, not liking the way Dain had left out the father in his explanation.
"Well, perhaps I am growing soft in my old age, but I will admit to giving that poor bugger a bit more leeway," he admitted, doing his best not to appear apologetic. "He is still incarcerated, but from what I have witnessed over the past months, he is truly sorry for the part he played in Bina's evil plan, and I have since moved him to a less confined area of the prisons. He has more than earned a few small freedoms, and has been put in charge of several work details. Colm is paying for his crimes, but not as harshly as Bina, yet I think justice is still being served."
"I trust your judgment, Cousin," Thorin nodded, recalling that even he had felt a twinge of pity for the old dwarf when his own daughter had turned on him at their trial. "Just as long as they never set foot on Erebor soil again, I am content."
"I will see that they don't, just as I promised," Dain nodded resolutely.
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After Dain and his son had gone inside, the next to approach the mountain was a delegation from Esgaroth, followed by representatives from a few of the smaller towns farther south. All of which Thorin welcomed kindly and thanked them for attending.
However, the next guest to arrive caused both smiles and a look of shock.
"Beorn!" Bilbo cried out, excited to see the skin changer once again. On the hobbit's journey to Erebor, they had not found the giant of a man at home as they passed through his lands, causing Bilbo great disappointment. "It is so good to see you!"
"And you as well, little bunny," the tall man said with a warm smile. Beorn often called the hobbit such due to the way he habitually twitched his nose when thinking or worried about something. "I was sorry to have missed hosting your company on your journey out here. But you will be certain that my doors will be open to you on your return trip."
"And we will be most happy to partake of your warm hospitality…not to mention your delicious honey cakes and fresh milk!" the hobbit laughed, reaching out to shake Beorn's hand with both of his…still unable to fully encompass the skin changer's beefy palm.
"We are very happy you got our invitation and could come," Thorin greeted with a bow of respect. "You are always welcome here in Erebor."
"We have come a long way since we first met with distrust, have we not, Thorin Oakenshield?" Beorn said with a bit of a grin. "Yet you and your kin have proved to be honorable and worthy of my respect. It makes my heart glad indeed to hear that you have found yourself a mate in life."
Thorin, having heard how Beorn had claimed to be the last of his kind, did not quite know how to respond to that, other than giving him a nod of respect and gratitude. Apparently that was enough, for the large man smiled sadly and turned back to Bilbo.
"How about escorting me inside, little bunny?" he asked, his tone turning happy once more. "I would love to hear about your journey here and what you have been up to since then."
"Of course," Bilbo nodded enthusiastically. And with a quick farewell to Balin and Thorin, the two headed off.
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Several more guests arrived soon after, yet eventually, much to his regret, Thorin saw the shining white-blond hair of the king of Mirkwood approaching. Thranduil had arrived. The only consolation was that beside him rode Glorfindel and the twin sons of Elrond, and Thorin was grateful for the buffer they would serve.
"Greetings," Thorin said in a strong voice as they drew near.
"Hail, mae g'ovannen, Thorin Oakenshield," Glorfindel responded, leaping from the back of his horse and coming over to greet the dwarf king with a warm smile. Thorin was not quite sure what the elvish words meant, but when he saw Thranduil raise an eyebrow of surprise, he figured it must have been a friendly term.
"Hail to you as well, Lord Glorfindel," he then turned and inclined his head towards the other three, the twins still seated on their horses, and Thranduil on a very large elk. "You too are welcome, Prince Elladan, Prince Elrohir…and Lord Thranduil." That last bit did stick in Thorin's throat a bit, but he figured if he could not retain his composure on this, of all days, then when could he?
"Where might your nephews be, King Thorin?" Elledan inquired, his eyes darting around the entryway. Thorin couldn't help but wonder if it was out of curiosity, or fear of attack, that the dark haired elf had asked. It would be entertaining to learn how the sons of Elrond had responded to the prank that Fili and Kili had played on them.
"We had hoped they would be here to greet us," Elrohir stated, a wry smile spreading over his face. "My brother and I have long wished to share a few words with them."
"I am sure you have," Thorin nodded, unable to stop his own grin from forming on his lips. "Fili and Kili are currently attending to other duties, yet I am sure you will see them at the wedding and reception to follow. However, I do ask that you and my nephews refrain from any forms of retaliation against each other until after the ceremony has concluded. It would be greatly appreciated."
"As you wish, My Lord," Elladan nodded, his hand over his heart.
"We will not disrupt your wedding in any way," Elrohir also agreed.
The two quickly dismounted, handing their horses off to a couple of waiting dwarfs, who led them towards the stables. This left only Thranduil…who remained on his mount, looking unsure at how to proceed.
"Come now, mellon," Glorfindel coaxed, gesturing for the elf lord to join them. "We did not ride all this way to remain in the entryway, did we? The king deserves your congratulations, will you not offer it to him?"
This seemed to snap Thranduil out of his odd trance, and he did indeed slide from the back of his elk with all the grace and dignity befitting his race. When he at last stood before Thorin, the two meeting face to face for the first time in a good many years, there was a moment of doubt as to how things would go. Thankfully, Thorin did not need to call for a weapon, nor order his guards to throw the elf king out…for Thranduil placed his hand over his heart and bowed respectfully to the dwarf.
"May the Valar smile upon you this day, King Under the Mountain," he said, his voice low, yet without any detection of malice. "I was honored that you saw fit to invite me to such an occasion."
"Yes, well…" Thorin said, clearing his throat, "we are allies, are we not?"
"Indeed," Thranduil agreed, yet he continued to remain stiff and unsmiling. Thorin even found himself wondering if the elf could smile, at least without looking like he wanted to rip out an enemy's heart.
"Please, you are welcome do go inside and take your ease," Thorin offered, hoping they would comply, just to end this awkward moment.
"Allow me to escort you," Balin said, graciously stepping in. "There are refreshments in the main dining hall, and you will be informed when it is time to attend the ceremony."
"You have my thanks," Thranduil stated, turning without another word and following the white haired dwarf into the mountain, followed closely behind by the twins.
"You did well, Thorin," Glorfindel told him, keeping his voice low so that only the dwarf beside him could hear. "I know of your history with our kin from Mirkwood, and I grieve over the rift that has long stood between you two. Yet, now I see an opportunity for even stronger ties to be established. Do not throw away a chance such as this over a grudge that should now be put to rest. You are wise, Thorin, and I can see you understand the benefits of peace…as does Thranduil."
"One step at a time," Thorin said in a low growl, even that small confrontation with the tall elf king putting him on edge. "I am finding that I can tolerate you…is that not enough for now?"
"I suppose," Glorfindel laughed. "And I am honored to be considered…tolerable."
"You should be," Thorin said, a small grin tugging at his lips. "That is how I meant it to be taken."
"Indeed," the blond elf said with a smile of amusement. "Indeed."
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Several hours later, in a cheery little room, the bride stepped out of the changing area and presented herself for inspection.
"Oh, Marigold, you look beautiful," Gilda told her daughter, tears coming to her eyes. "That gown is perfect."
"I have to admit, that wearing this, I do feel like a queen," the hobbit bride said, spinning around and watching the dress flare out. It was a lovely, dark shade of Durin blue, with an intricate mithril overlay in a lacelike pattern on the bodice. The sleeves ended at her wrists in a point with more mithril stitched in place, as well as a pattern of the silverish metal at the hem. Marigold loved moving in it, for the tiny rings tinkled like bells, surrounding her with music.
"It pleases me to see this dress put to use once again," Dis said, wiping away a stray tear at seeing her mother's gown being worn by such a lovely bride.
"And I thank you for sharing it with me," Marigold told the dam, stepping forward and embracing her in a warm hug.
"Thorin will be speechless when he sees you walking towards him," Dis told her. "I am so grateful that you came to Erebor, and that you agreed to become my brother's wife."
"I could hardly have denied him," she confessed. "I mean…after all, I am his one." This was said with a little wink and a grin, reminding everyone just how blind she had once been to the importance of such a term.
"Yes," Dis nodded with a smile. "That you are."
"Are Bergie, Esme and Sier ready yet?" Marigold asked, turning to look over at Prim, who had just entered the room.
"Almost," Prim laughed. "We had to perform a last minute alteration on Bergie's dress. I swear, that lass has grown another inch or two in the past week!"
"That is to be expected, for dwarf babies tend to have a strong growth spurt in the final few months," Dis assured them. "With Kili, I just gave up trying to fit in anything and wore my house robe all the time, unless I was forced to go out in public. This means her time is getting close…or at least I think it does. Hard to say with a babe of mixed blood."
"Just as long as she does not choose to give birth today, I will be happy," Marigold laughed, secretly anticipating the day when she would be carrying a child of her own…Thorin's child.
"Here," Prim said, setting down a small box she had been carrying and taking out its contents. "I brought you this."
"Oh…it's beautiful!" Gilda gushed, taking the flower and ivy wreath from Prim's hands and bringing it over to her daughter. "May I?"
"Of course, Mother," Marigold nodded, her own eyes now filling with unshed tears. "It was one of the things I dreamed of for my wedding…to have you here to place it upon my head."
"As your grandmother placed a wreath upon my head, so I do for you, my daughter," she whispered, setting it in place and leaning in to kiss her cheek. "I would not have missed this for anything in the world. And the fact that I agreed to get on the back of a flying eagle should prove that."
"And for that, I thank you," Marigold laughed, hugging her mother tightly.
"Well, the time is growing near," Dis told them, gesturing towards the door. "Shall we go join your bridesmaids and their escorts?"
"Not me," Prim announced, scurrying towards the door. "I need to go make sure that Frodo and Flinn are ready. I just hope they have not been messing around and swallowed the bead or ring…or something equally disturbing."
"If they have, we will just turn them upside down and give them a good shake," Dis laughed, knowing that the two little lads would not dare to do anything of the sort…mostly since their fathers had already spoken to them about how they needed to be on their best behavior. "We will see you at the doorway, Prim."
With a nod, off the hobbit went, allowing Marigold, Menegilda, and Dis to head in the opposite direction in search of the rest of the wedding party.
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Meanwhile, Thorin was getting nervous. He had changed his attire once more, this time donning not only his best Durin blue tunic, with his golden emblem on it, but also the fine fur lined coat that Sier had crafted for him. He wore the raven wing crown upon his head, looking every inch a king as he stood at the front of the room and waited. At first he had thought he would be expected to wear a wreath of flowers, like Marigold, but even Rory agreed that it was not necessary. His own dwarf crown would serve just as well, and to be perfectly honest, no one could imagine Thorin wearing such a thing anyway…at least not without laughing.
As he looked out over the audience, the room being packed and every seat taken, he took a steadying breath. Even the balconies were filled with spectators, all eager to see their king wed at last. He had faced down wargs, goblins, orcs and even a dragon, yet suddenly, Thorin knew the true meaning of fear. What if he froze? What if he said the wrong words? What if he…?
"Thorin," came the calming sound of Gandalf's voice beside him. "Relax. You will do just fine." He had obviously been reading the dwarf's mind.
"Easy for you to say," he mumbled, doing his best to calm his nerves. "You are not the one getting married today."
"No, I am not," Gandalf grinned. "You are the one blessed to have found a lass willing to put up with all your bluster and cantankerous ways. And if you have half the brains I always expected you possessed, you will never let her go."
This, as it was obviously intended, caused Thorin to focus his attention on the wily wizard, and no longer on his own worries.
"Are you trying to rile me on my wedding day, Wizard?" he repeated, his eyes narrowing a bit.
"Not at all," Gandalf assured him with a wink. "Just trying to get you to see how fortunate you are…and to stop worrying." Yet before he could say more, something at the far end of the hall caught his eye, and a warm smile spread across his weathered face. "For it would appear that we are about to get started."
Thorin's head whipped around and he did indeed see his sister, Dis, walking up the aisle, giving him a nod of her head and a wide grin. When she took her seat, next to Balin, Gloin and Oin, he knew it was time.
The sound of horns blowing all over the mountain signaled the beginning of the ceremony, and everyone in attendance hushed, turning their heads to focus on the golden doors at the end of the long hallway. When they opened, there was a collective aww, for at the head of the procession were Frodo and Flinn. Both lads looked as if they would burst with pride, each holding up a small pillow with the wedding bead and ring nestled on top – securely tied in place by a small ribbon.
Without much prompting from the couple behind them, the little hobbit and dwarfling marched up the aisle, heads held high and huge grins on their faces, literally eating up the attention they were receiving. When they reached the steps that led to where Thorin was standing, the two lads veered to the left, taking their places at the bottom, patiently waiting for when they were called upon to present the tokens they bore.
Next came Dwalin and Bergie, the two of them also beaming from ear to ear. Dwalin had Bergie's arm securely tucked in the crook of his arm, only too happy to escort his pregnant wife. When they reached the end of the aisle, they split up, each one ascending the stairs on either side. Dwalin coming to stand by Thorin, and Bergie on the side where the bride would soon be.
Everyone had turned back to watch the final two couples enter, Kili and Esmerelda, followed by Fili and Sier. They all looked amazing, and no one questioned the hobbit tradition of having friends and family stand up for the bride and groom. And while the lasses had just worn their nicest clothes, both Fili and Kili were sporting the handmade coats created by Sier, at Thorin's request. For while all three garments had distinctively different qualities, they all shared the same cut, which tied everything together.
When all three were at last in their places, all eyes turned to the door once more, yet this time with a gasp of amazement. For there, on the arm of her teary eyed father…was his bride.
"Oh, blessed Mahal," Thorin whispered.
Sorry to cut this short...but the whole wedding wouldn't fit in one chapter.
Hope you liked everything so far.
If you are wondering where the guest reviews are...see the note at the start of the chapter. Thanks