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I told you there was some good reasons for me to send Kili on his quest for the flowers. Not only did it solve the bride price issue, but it got him out of the mountain long enough for Dis to get Tauriel to a tea party and let her bond a bit more with Sier. I also needed the things in THIS chapter to take place. ha ha. So, waiting the three days worked out well all around.
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When last we left our heroes, they were heading up for bed after dumping a drunk Dunner on Tilda (not that she minded). But first, let's see what is going on in Erebor.
Now, back to the show.
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Chapter 141
~X~
In Erebor, the mountain was growing quiet, as most of the inhabitants made their way to their own homes, eager for sleep. Yet one dam was awake and on a mission. After leaving her sleepy young ones in the competent hands of Bergie, she headed for Thorin's quarters, knocking firmly on his door. When it opened, she was met with a look of confusion.
"Sier…what brings you here so late?" he asked, concern quickly taking over his expression. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes…and no," she stated. "If Marigold can spare you for a little bit, I need you to come with me."
"What…why?" Thorin was now very uneasy about all this, he hated not knowing what was going on. "What's this all about?"
"Tauriel," Sier stated, stepping back as he exited his room, pulling the door shut behind him.
"The elf?" he asked. "What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing, and that's the point," she told him, heading towards the stairs as Thorin fell into step beside her. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with her or the fact that Kili loves her, and yet, you have done very little to assure her of this fact."
"I have given them my blessing to marry," he argued. "What else is required of me?"
"A little kindness? Perhaps taking an interest in her?" Sier suggested. "She will be your niece very soon, don't you think it would behoove you to get to know a little about her?"
"I was present the other evening when Dis grilled the lass on her history," he reminded her.
"Just sitting there listening does not qualify as being an active part in the conversation, nor would I call that interaction," Sier scolded him gently. "If she is to be family, she needs to know you are on her side, that you welcome her…not just tolerate her presence within the mountain. She fears that you do not like her."
"I have given her no reason to think that," he huffed.
"You have also given her no reason not to think that," Sier countered.
This caused Thorin to frown, turning silent for a while as they walked.
"This…this has not been easy for me," he confessed at last, his voice full of uncertainty. "I have spent most of my life secure in the knowledge that elves were my enemy. That they were faithless and worthy of only my mistrust and hatred. But now…now I am forced to reexamine my thinking, and draw new conclusions. It is…difficult."
"I know," Sier smiled, linking her arm around his and giving it an encouraging squeeze. "Dwarves are a stubborn race…we fight against change. But we are also smart enough to know that sometimes change brings about great benefit, and you have been our brave leader in such ideas. So I encourage you now to spare a bit of that wisdom and compassion for Tauriel, and show her that you do not look upon her as an outsider. Talk to her…make her feel welcome."
Thorin stopped walking, turning to stare down at Sier with a loving smile on his face.
"When did you become so wise, my dear?" he chuckled. "Where is that frightened little lass who ran from Erebor, and who is this strong and confident princess who stands before me? You will make a fine queen one day."
"If that is true, it is you and your family that made me so," she smiled. "If it had not been for your acceptance and support, I could never have felt at home here in the mountain. But you made that effort, for Fili's sake…and now I would ask you do the same for Kili's one."
"And I shall," he nodded. "I thank you for bringing this to my attention."
"That's what family is for," Sier nodded.
"You know…you will always be my favorite niece," he assured her.
"Oh, I wouldn't speak too soon, if I were you," she laughed. "Once you get to know Tauriel better, you might change your thinking on that."
"I doubt it," he said, laughing a bit as well. "But even if I do…you will always be my first niece, and that makes you special."
"I love you too, Uncle," she assured him, leaning up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Now, Tauriel is on the rampart overlooking Dale…go speak to her."
"I will." He gave her hands a quick squeeze and turned to go, heading for the entrance of the mountain with a look of determination.
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Tauriel had found herself on the battlement sometime after dinner, keeping an eye out for any approaching travelers. She had not expected Kili to make it back this soon, but she could still hope, couldn't she? Besides it was nice to be in the fresh air, the cool winds coming from the south doing much to soothe her uneasiness. It was one thing to imagine living in Erebor when Kili was near, for his presence made everything make sense. But without him, she felt her worries creep in, making her wonder if she was indeed doing the right thing. Would he truly be open to the idea of living in Mirkwood if she asked it of him? In her heart she knew the answer, he would do so, yet only to please her, and that was not what she wanted. He was a prince, his family was here, as well as his responsibilities. And while she too had her own duties, as captain of the guard, she had no family to leave behind, only friends…and not very many of those.
No, it made more sense for them to live in Erebor, yet still she felt like a fish out of water. Would she ever truly be accepted? Would she ever feel at home among the dwarves?
"Tauriel?" came the deep voice she recognized immediately, causing her to straighten up as she turned towards the king.
"My Lord," she greeted, bowing her head to him in respect.
"Am I?" he asked, his question taking her off guard.
"Pardon?" She was not sure what he had meant by that. "I don't understand."
"Am I your king now?" he clarified, walking over to where she stood, taking his place beside her as he looked out over the valley and the distant city of Dale. "It has been brought to my attention that I have given you no reason thus far to bestow upon me such a title." When she remained silent, he pressed on. "I would ask your forgiveness, Lady Tauriel, for my thoughtless actions and for not properly welcoming you into our mountain…and our family."
"I…I did not expect…" she stammered, not sure how to respond.
"But you should have," he corrected her. "And I was at fault for not doing so before now." Thorin continued to stare out into the night, not looking directly at her, for fear he might lose his nerve.
Emotions were hard for him to express…Marigold would attest to that. But he knew this was important, for Kili's sake if nothing else. He knew his nephew was tenderhearted, and if he felt that his new bride had in any way been slighted…especially by him…it would cut him to the core. Sier had been right in pressing the issue, and he was grateful to her for her keen observation skills. Sier was an asset to the kingdom, to be sure, and if given the chance, he was certain this elf captain could be so as well. He just needed to offer her the opportunity to prove it. So clearing his throat, he continued.
"Flinn has told me what you did for him, for Fili and Kili, as well as the lads," he informed her. "How you saved them all many times over, despite being outnumbered and wounded. You also chose to accompany them in the first place, even though you were under no compulsion to do so. That alone speaks volumes about your character. Yet…even if none of that had taken place, the fact that my nephew loves you, and considers you his one, should be more than enough reason for me to accept you into our family. And that I do."
"Really?" This was almost too much for Tauriel to process. She had hoped that in time they would come to tolerate her, perhaps eventually accept her, but never this…and certainly not so quickly. "I am moved by your words, King Thorin…truly I am. And while I do not know much about your people, or your ways, I do very much wish to become a useful member of your society. To prove my worth, and bring honor to my husband and his family. Kili means the world to me, and I would do anything to please him."
"That is more than evident," Thorin smiled, looking up at her for the first time. "And I can assure you that he is of the same mind. You simply need to ask it and he will see that it is given to you on a silver platter. You will never find a more devoted and true dwarf than Kili."
"I know…and I love him for it," Tauriel stated firmly.
"And because of that, you are welcome in Erebor," he told her. "Never think otherwise or feel as if you are an outsider. It might take time for everyone to come to this conclusion, but I will do all I can to ease your adjustment into your new mountain home." Here he stopped for a moment, as if he were working up the nerve to say more. At last he did, and his words surprised them both. "Starting with asking you to aid Dwalin in selecting a new royal guard to protect my family."
"You…you would trust me with such an assignment?" she gasped, stunned by the request, yet no less thrilled.
"Kili is part of my family, and if you love him as you say you do, I can trust that you will choose wisely." Thorin grinned. "And after you are married, they will be protecting you as well…so think on that when you are making your selection."
"I need no protection," she stated proudly. "I can take care of myself, as well as Kili."
"I have no doubt you can," Thorin nodded. "Still, an extra pair of eyes is always good when there is treachery about, don't you think?"
"You expect more trouble from the Blacklocks?" she questioned.
"The Blacklocks, orcs, goblins, Mordor…you name it, they could pose a threat," Thorin said with a heavy sigh and a shrug of his shoulders. "A good ruler does not discount any as potential enemies." He then gave her a little smile. "Nor should he discount any as potential allies."
"A wise king indeed," Tauriel agreed, heartened by Thorin's words. "I will do everything in my power to never give you cause to think otherwise."
"Now…I don't want you to think that for one moment this means Thranduil and I will become bosom friends," he warned, only partially teasing. "We still have very different views and ideas, him and me. Though, once again, it is a wise king who keeps those around who are willing to challenge him from time to time."
"I think Lord Thranduil enjoys your verbal sparring as well," Tauriel admitted, trying to hide her amusement.
"I'm certain he will admit to no such thing…nor shall I," he informed her, doing his best to sound gruff. "Besides, my sister is quite apt at keeping my wits razor sharp, fending off that barbed tongue of hers!"
"I am certain she would find such an admission entertaining," Tauriel assured him.
"That she would," he nodded, his brows furrowing. "So, let's keep that a secret between each other, all right?"
"As you wish…My King," Tauriel agreed, a wide smile gracing her lovely face. "Yet, speaking of secrets…there is one that has been plaguing my mind for some time."
"Oh…and what might that be?" Thorin looked up at her questioningly.
"On the journey home, Flinn mentioned some incident between you, and Captain Dwalin, involving a barmaid, a chicken and a goat," Tauriel revealed. "Might you be able to tell me the circumstances surrounding this tale? If I am to work alongside Master Dwalin, I would like to know a little more about his character."
Thorin's face morphed from a frown into a wide smile in seconds, a soft laugh escaping his lips as he recalled the incident clearly. He had not thought about it in a very long time, since most of his memories that involved his brother-in-law, Flinn, were painful to remember. But not anymore.
"I am surprised that Flinn still lives after bringing that up in front of Dwalin," he chuckled. "And while I doubt such a tale will instill confidence in you as to his character, I promise it is not in his nature to act this way on a normal basis. Still, as a sign of goodwill between the two of us…I will tell you. I am his king, after all, what can he do to me?"
This caused Tauriel to become rather excited, for the truth behind the story had plagued her ever since it was brought up. So leaning forward and resting her forearms on the ledge, she looked at Thorin expectantly.
"It happened when we first settled in Ered Luin, and trips to the settlements of men were a must if we wished to find work, trade for supplies, and survive," Thorin began, his tone light and full of humor. "Dwalin, Flinn, and I had journeyed to a small town not too far away, arriving near evening and wishing only for a warm meal and a place to rest for the night. The three of us ended up at a tavern, one that served cheap ale and had a less than savory clientele, but it was the best we could afford. Being a prince held little weight if you did not have the coin to back it up," he explained. "Dwalin unfortunately spent more of his money on drink that night, than he did food, and soon he was so lit you could have read by him. Thankfully, Flinn and I showed a bit more restraint, and did our best to keep him under control…but Dwalin is not very easy to manage when sober, you can only imagine what he's like when slambasted."
"I believe I can," Tauriel laughed, suddenly seeing the bald captain in a whole new light.
"Well, sometime during the meal, Dwalin passed out, slumped over in his chair and dead to the world…or so we thought," Thorin continued. "However, when Flinn and I got up and headed to the bar to buy ourselves another round, our sleeping friend woke up. Unfortunately he was not thinking very clearly, and when one of the serving wenches came around, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into his lap, professing that she was the most beautiful lass he had ever laid eyes on."
"He didn't!" Tauriel gasped, covering her mouth with her fingers.
"Oh, I'm afraid he did," Thorin said with a roll of his eyes. "And while it was meant as a compliment, the woman, Hilda, did not take it as such. She screamed so loud that one would have thought an orc had grabbed her, and while Dwalin is not what you would call an overly handsome fellow, he is hardly an orc."
"What happened next?" Tauriel asked, eager to hear more of the story.
"Flinn and I made it back to the table just in time to see Hilda take the roast chicken she had been about to serve someone, and start beating him over the head with it." And while at the time Thorin and Flinn had been quite shocked, looking back now it was downright funny, causing the dwarf king to laugh. "Watching that woman holding the chicken with both hands by the drumsticks, and raising it over her head before bringing it down on Dwalin until the entire thing crumbled to pieces all over him was quite the sight, I must say. When he was at last able to escape her wrath, he ran out of the tavern, completely covered in chicken meat and grease."
"What did you and Flinn do?" the elleth questioned, unsure what she might have done in their situation.
"What could we do?" Thorin chuckled. "We apologized for our friend, paid for the roast chicken, adding in a few more coins to soothe Hilda's ruffled feathers, and high-tailed it out of there! It then took us nearly an hour to find Dwalin, locating him at last in the stables, passed out in the hay with the mangiest looking billy goat you ever saw licking his bald head clean of the chicken grease. To this day, Dwalin can't look at a goat without it making his skin crawl."
"And I am certain that from then on, you and Flinn couldn't look at one without bursting into laughter," Tauriel guessed.
"Couldn't keep a straight face if we tried!" Thorin assured her, truly having enjoyed sharing this little tale with her. "However, once again, I will have to ask you to keep this little piece of knowledge to yourself. While I do not fear retribution from Dwalin…Bergie is a whole nother story. I'm not ashamed to admit that hobbit lass scares me!"
"I have not known Bergie long…but from what I have seen of her, you are wise to be wary," Tauriel nodded. "And you can rely on my full discretion."
"Good, I would hate to be killed by an angry hobbit just before I have a chance to see Kili properly wed," Thorin agreed, giving a visible shudder at the thought of what Bergie was capable of. "Now, how about we go inside, you have a very big day ahead…assuming Kili gets back with those flowers."
"He will," she told him, complete confidence resonating in her voice. "I know my Kili will not fail."
"With as much as he appears to want this wedding to go through…I do not doubt him either." And giving Tauriel a wide smile, Thorin held out his arm, offering it to her as they headed down the stairs. And suddenly, just like that, Erebor felt a little bit more like home to the elleth.
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In Dale, Fili and Kili made their way to the rooms in Bard's home that they knew were set aside for visiting dwarves, the beds and furniture proportionate to their size and stature. And though there were more than enough so that they could each have a room of their own, they chose the one with the two beds, always more comfortable sharing than not. As they sat down, stripping off their boots and travel clothes, Kili suddenly stopped and looked at his brother with concern in his eyes.
"I'm getting married tomorrow," he said quietly, as if it were something that just occurred to him.
"Yes…did you manage to forget this in the past two minutes?" Fili laughed, reaching for his second boot and giving it a tug.
"No…it's just that…well," he began, his face turning a bit red as he looked down at his hands. "I…I don't know what to do."
"You stand there, say yes, and then kiss the bride," Fili stated, sounding a bit confused by his brother's words.
"No…I know that part!" Kili said with a roll of his eyes. "But what about what comes after? As in later on…in our chambers."
"Oh...you mean your wedding night," Fili said, his movements stilling with understanding. He recalled the strange look his brother had given him at the celebration a few days ago, and was not surprised that he brought this up now. However, Fili was a bit worried about how he was going to explain things to him without dying of embarrassment. He now wished he had drank a bit more of that Dorwinion wine. "I thought you were the one who never wanted to know about that stuff."
"I didn't! At least not then," he insisted, looking a bit mortified by all this. "But, now…well, I don't want to do anything wrong."
"I don't think you could," Fili laughed, fondly recalling his own first night with his wife…well, the first night they could both remember. "If you and Tauriel love each other, then as long as you are considerate to her feelings, you two will find your own way. I mean, you do know the basics…right?"
"Of course I do, I'm not a dwarfling!" Kili scowled. "But, I don't want to simply muddle through, I want to, oh, I don't know…impress her. I want to make things wonderful."
"It will be, trust me. All you have to do is be yourself," Fili insisted. "She chose you for a reason, she likes you, Kili, not someone you think you must become. Just go slow, talk about things, ask questions, and above all else, be gentle."
"All right," Kili nodded. "What about kissing?"
"What about it?" Fili asked, pulling back a bit in concern. He hoped he was not asking for pointers…or worse a demonstration!
"Have I been doing it right?" Kili questioned.
"HOW WOULD I KNOW?" Fili cried, jumping to his feet. "It's not like I've been spying on you two!"
"Oh…well, Tauriel hasn't complained, so I guess I'm doing that much all right," Kili muttered, turning thoughtful. "However, I get the impression that she's not done much kissing either, so how would she know? I mean if she has no frame of reference, and neither do I, how would we know if we were doing it wrong?"
"Are your lips touching hers when you kiss?" Fili asked, sounding quite exasperated.
"Yes," Kili answered.
"Then you're doing it right," he stated firmly. "Now, stop overthinking things and just…well…let it happen. Mahal's beard, Kili, she's your one, and you are hers. Your bodies will figure out the rest, trust me. I mean, mine did and I wasn't even fully conscious at the time!"
"Oh…right," Kili's face brightened. "So what you're saying is, that's its so simple you can do it in your sleep?"
"Something like that," Fili laughed, enjoying his brother's humor. "I mean, do at least try and put some effort into it, a bit of romance if you will, but really, you two will do just fine. I'm sure of it."
"Thanks, I appreciate you saying so," Kili nodded his thanks.
"However, if we don't get some sleep, you will be too exhausted to do anything on your wedding night," Fili warned.
"Oh, I seriously doubt that, Nadad," Kili replied, his face breaking out into a very lascivious grin. "For that, I intended to be wide awake!"
Fili didn't miss the way his brother emphasized that last word, nor the way he waggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively, causing the blond to roll his eyes in amusement.
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Morning came, and with it Kili's nerves. It appeared to have finally hit him that by the end of the day, he would be officially wed. He was not having any second thoughts…just nervous about the whole process.
"What if Uncle Thorin and Thranduil get into an argument?" he asked as he and Fili made their way down to breakfast. "Or, what if Amad changes her mind and objects to the wedding? Or worse yet…what if Tauriel does?"
"Brother," Fili said firmly, grasping his shoulders and giving him a slight shake. "Calm down! None of those things are going to happen…well, that first one might, but you have no control over that. Just stop worrying or you will get grey hairs like Thorin!"
"Mahal forbid!" Kili gasped, his hands covering his hair in mock horror. Yet Fili's words seemed to ease his mind somewhat, and the two were laughing by the time they stepped into the dining room where they were greeted by their hosts, hostess and honored guests.
"Fili, Kili," Bard said, rising from his seat and gesturing for the two to join them. "I was told that you two came calling rather late last night." He gave Tilda, who was sitting between him and Thranduil, a warm smile. "I trust you slept well?"
"Aye, our beds were very comfortable," Fili assured him, sitting down to the right of Bain, with Kili next to him. "Your hospitality is always appreciated."
"Just as the breakfast I smell will be as well," Kili added, tucking his napkin into the front of his collar as he anxiously awaited the meal.
"And did you acquire the flowers you sought, young prince?" Thranduil asked, eyeing Kili's napkin with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, we did," Kili answered with pride. "Thanks, in part, to Dunner's keen eye for spotting the elusive star-flower."
"Where is our helpful floral guide, anyway?" Fili inquired, reaching over and pulling the white cloth out from under Kili's chin and placing it in his lap with a stern glare. Amad had never been able to drill table manners into his brother's thick head…perhaps Tauriel will have better luck.
As if on cue, Dunner came stumbling into the room, his eyes looking rather red and bloodshot from his previous night of drinking. When he saw everyone, he did his best to straighten, tugging at his tunic in an attempt to appear presentable.
"Kind of you to join us, Dunner," Bard chuckled, apparently also having heard what condition his captain had arrived in as well. "Would you care for a cup of coffee…very strong coffee?"
"Yes, please, Your Majesty," Dunner nodded, the action causing him to wince, as he slowly took a seat next to Kili. "That would be most kind."
"Dorwinion wine has been the downfall of many a good man," Bard laughed, perhaps even speaking from experience. "It tastes wonderful going down, but it has the kick of a mule come morning."
"I swear I will never drink again!" Dunner moaned, rubbing his temples in hopes of stopping his head from pounding.
"That's what we all say…until we forget and do once again," Bain laughed, leaning around the two dwarves to grin at his friend.
"I hope you will be better by this evening," Tilda spoke up, pouring herself a glass of water as she dared to give him a quick glance. "It would be a shame to have you miss the wedding that you helped make possible, all on account of a silly hangover."
"Oh, there is nothing silly about the way I am feeling, I assure you, Princess," Dunner moaned, wishing he could just lay his head down on the table and sleep some more. "And if this is the price one pays for heavy drinking…I will be a teetotaler from here on out! I don't even remember arriving in Dale last night…when did we get here?"
"You don't remember?" Fili asked, eyeing the man with a smirk. "None of our trip back?"
"I remember stopping to help the merchant with his broken wheel…after that, everything is a blur," he confessed.
"Everything?" Tilda questioned, hiding her secretive smile behind her napkin. "How…inconvenient."
"Oh, you didn't miss much," Kili informed him, reaching for the plate of bacon the servants had just brought to the table, along with several other platters of delicious smelling food. "Just some off key singing, and a lot of miles beneath our ponies' hooves. Nothing of consequence."
"So, will you be riding with us this morning?" Bard asked the two princes. "We had planned to dress and journey to the mountain right after breakfast."
"I need to make a quick stop at the flower shop first," Kili insisted. When Thranduil looked at him questioningly, he quickly explained. "To get some ivy…I have the flowers, I swear, picked by my own hand and no one else's. I promise."
"Very good, young prince," Thranduil nodded, turning to spread jam over a piece of toast. "I am pleased to see that you are taking the bride price seriously."
"Oh, I am, believe me," Kili assured him.
"And did you have any trouble obtaining the flowers?" was the elf king's next question.
"Not much," he confessed with a shrug. "We left a trail of string to follow back out, so we didn't get lost or confused within the woods this time. And while we did see a few spiders, they were thankfully already dead…killed by your own people it would seem."
"You saw the spiders?" Tilda asked, looking at Dunner with a worried expression – yet the poor man didn't notice, as he was leaning forward with his head resting in his hands.
"Dead ones," Fili reminded her, knowing just where her worries lay. "We were never in any true danger."
"So, if Dunner will take me down to his father's shop to get the ivy, we would be happy to join you on the ride to Erebor," Kili told Bard with a grateful smile.
"Feeling up to that, Dunner?" Fili asked, passing the plate of eggs over to his brother.
Unfortunately, that got them a bit too close to the hung-over man, and the moment the smell hit him, he was up and running for the door - his hand covering his mouth in an attempt not to embarrass himself any more than he already had.
"How about I take you down to the flower shop, Kili," Tilda offered, a twinkle of delight in her eyes as she glanced at the door the man had just departed through. "I think Dunner will be otherwise occupied." And if anyone found her humor over the soldier's discomfort odd…no one said a word.
And so it was, within the hour, Bard, Tilda, Bain, Thranduil, Fili, and Kili all mounted up and headed for Erebor. Dunner promised he would be along later, coming with the others who had also been invited from the town, giving him more time to recover. Kili led the company, setting a rather fast pace, though no one complained, shooting each other knowing looks at the prince's apparent rush. It was clear to all that the dwarf was anxious to see Tauriel once again, and that he would be a very willing and happy groom come night fall. An evening wedding was quite unusual, but everyone was looking forward to it with great anticipation…especially Kili.
Well...it is Kili's wedding day! Er...night. Hope he is ready! I think Fili told him just enough to calm his fears...and not add any new ones. ha ha.
Awwww, Thorin is getting to like Tauriel better - thanks to Sier.
Well...now you all know what happened with Dwalin, the barmaid named Hilda, a roast chicken and a goat. Hope the story made you laugh.
So, Dunner remembers nothing. Too bad...but Tilda seemed happy about it.
I am going to be swamped at work this week...so IF I fall behind on posting, please don't hate me or think I fell off the world. I am here, just busy. I will keep posting, promise. Thanks
Guest Reviews:
Yippeee, you're back!
Emrfangirl: No, families are not a nuisance...they are great. Just ask Flinn...or Fili and Kili. Ha ha, yes, I made the star-flowers up...but I imagine they are like baby's breath. One time a reader told me she laughed so hard in bed while her husband was sleeping that she woke him up and he thought it was an earthquake. ha ha. Dunner remembered nothing...and Tilda seems fine with it. ha ha. Fili gave Kili his 'talk' and I am sure once the wedding is over, the dams will be grilling Tauriel like crazy...except Dis...she does not want to hear THAT about her baby. ha ha. Wedding is coming. Thanks
JayJay: Hmmm, I didn't think of that. Renewing their vows would have been nice, but I can only handle one wedding at a time. ha ha. As for your other suggestion...um...wait for it. As far as I know, Fili and Sier are done with the baby making...now they are just practicing. ha ha.
RJ: I am glad to hear it. I hope I can keep up the pace...we will see. Ha ha, would have been an even better first kiss if he remembered and didn't pass about right after it. ha ha. Thanks
abc: Kili was not taking any chances of getting lost, and brought the string to speed things along. And I just HAD to get Tauriel into one of Dis' tea parties. ha ha. Hey it WAS a bit of a bachelor party, wasn't it? Too bad they didn't do it hobbit style and have Kili get kidnapped and brought to Tauriel in a closet for his final kiss as a single dwarf. ha ha. Sier and the kids are always fun to be around. Nope Dunner don't remember a thing...so sad. Thanks for the RSVP for the wedding. Will you be sitting on the dwarf side or the elf side?
gginsc: Sweet enough to give you cavities? ha ha. Thanks
Feu d'Argent: I just threw a Baby Shower for a friend tonight. It was fun. Sier can indeed give Tauriel a lot of pointers, seeing as how she went through much of the same thing as she will. Yah, Tilda is a wild child. ha ha. Reassurance? Nope, can't give you any. ha ha. Hmmm, I wonder if Sier has tried that 'dunking them in butter' thing? ha ha. we make something similar with pie-dough. We call them Pie-crackers. And Yes, I will go see Rogue one...soon.