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Well, as of yesterday, I have been posting this story for one full year! Seems like just yesterday when this strange little story plot came to me, simply begging to be told. Thanks to those who noticed the date and sent me their congratulations. I appreciate it very much.

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Also, thanks for being patient with me this week.

Onward!

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Chapter 142

~X~

Tauriel had been watching the road since daybreak, and when she saw the company approach, with Kili in the lead, she raced from the rampart and all but ran down to where they had just finished hanging the new gates. They were magnificent, which spoke highly of the craftsmanship of the dwarves, seeing that they were built and put in place in such a short amount of time. Yet Thorin had insisted that Erebor be back in order before the wedding, not wishing to put on a poor showing for any of the guests arriving for the evening festivities. Granted it would be an outdoor affair, but still…good impressions were key.

Also having been alerted to the approach of his nephews, as well as other visitors, Thorin was also called to the entryway, flanked by Sier and her children, Dis and Flinn, as well as Balin and Dwalin. Tauriel did her best to appear calm and collected, yet when she saw Kili leap from his pony and race towards her, she broke ranks and ran to meet him. They came together amidst laugher, smiles and a few quick kisses, their faces beaming with happiness and love.

"I missed you, Amrâlimê," he whispered, as she bent to touch her forehead to his.

"Not as much as I missed you," she assured him. "And after tonight, may we never be parted again."

"No, never," he agreed.

"And did you miss me just as much, my darling wife?" Fili asked in a joking tone, as he dismounted and approached Sier and his children.

"More," she laughed, though in her mind she was deadly serious. Even after five years of marriage, she still felt as if Fili was a part of her, and without him, she was incomplete. And taking him into her arms, Sier kissed him soundly, aiming to prove her point. When they parted at last, Fili took turns scooping up each of his children and kissing them as well, quickly being bombarded by their little voices trying to tell him every little thing that transpired in his absence.

"It's good to have you back, my sons," Flinn spoke up, he and Dis approaching them both to extend their greetings.

"And it's good to have you here to come back to," Fili grinned, slapping his father on the back affectionately.

"Mahal's thanks for that," Dis nodded, leaning against her husband in a possessive manner, as she had been doing quite often since his return.

"And did you find what you sought, in order that the wedding may continue on schedule?" Thorin asked, looking over at Kili and then Thranduil.

"That I did," the younger prince announced, stepping towards his pony and removing a sizable box that had been strapped to his saddle. "I just need to put it together, and everything will be set."

"Not everything," Dis said with a shake of her head. "You are filthy and in desperate need of your hair washed and braided. I will have no son of mine showing up at his own wedding looking like a scruffy wanderer."

Kili opened his mouth to protest, but before he could utter a word, Thorin gave a slight gasp of shock, drawing everyone's attention to him. They all watched as his look of surprise shifted to one of pure joy.

"Speaking of scruffy wanderers," he chuckled to himself, pointing towards a cart and pony, slowly approaching from the western direction. Everyone turned to see that it was driven by none other than Gandalf the Grey, heading towards them with a big smile on his old weathered face.

"Hail and well met," the wizard called, holding up his staff in greeting.

"Gandalf!" Thorin beamed. "Once again your coming has not been looked for…but you are always welcome, old friend."

Once he had made it to where the others stood, he climbed off his cart, greeting his friends with handshakes and bows of respect.

"And what brings you to Erebor?" Thorin asked, though in his mind the wizard never needed a reason.

"A little bird told me that something very exciting was to be happening here today, and I didn't wish to miss it," Gandalf grinned, giving Kili a little wink of his eye, causing the dwarf prince to blush slightly.

"Well, your timing is impeccable," Bard laughed, always happy to see the wily wizard.

"Of course it is," Gandalf stated, looking almost affronted by his words. "I am known for my punctuality…or at least arriving just in the nick of time."

This made all there laugh at his jest, and soon everyone headed inside, for there was a wedding to prepare for!

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The group all gathered for lunch, wishing to have something in their stomachs to get them through the ceremony and onto the late night feast. It was a joyous occasion, with much laughter, talk and heated looks exchanged by the soon to be bride and groom. Yet when everyone was finished, Dis and the other dams whisked Tauriel away, saying it was time to start dressing, even if it was still hours till dark. Kili and Fili too headed to their rooms, intent on bathing and getting dressed in their royal best.

After helping her husband prepare, Sier dressed the children and passed them over to Ilin, who offered to mind them until the ceremony. Then she too headed off, eager to help Tauriel in any way possible. Meanwhile Fili marched across the hall and knocked on Kili's door.

"Kili…I've come to help you get ready," he told his brother through the wooden barrier.

"Come in," the younger dwarf called, sounding somewhat frustrated as he did.

Fili entered and found Kili sitting on the floor, unwashed and wearing only his britches and a frown on his face, his chest and feet bare. The older brother could only assume that the younger had been in the process of stripping down to take a bath when he got sidetracked, and it wasn't hard to figure out by what. In his hands was a twisted mess of ivy and a nearly every star-flower he had collected was scattered across the floor.

"What's going on here?" Fili asked, stepping carefully so as not to crush any flowers as he came to sit beside Kili. "Why aren't you even bathed yet?"

"I can't do it!" he growled, dropping the ivy into his lap and throwing his hands up in disgust. "Why on earth did I ever believe I could make this wreath for Tauriel to wear? Why?"

"A dwarf in love thinks he can do anything," Fili laughed, patting his brother on the shoulder before picking up the strand of ivy and looking at it carefully. "This doesn't look so bad."

"Are you blind?" Kili all but cried. "It looks horrible!"

"Not if you just give it a twist," he replied, turning the greenery here and there. "And if you stick this through there…and then pull it around to meet at the other end like this." And suddenly as if like magic, there before Kili was a perfectly round ring of ivy…ready for the star-flowers.

"How…how did you do that?" Kili gasped, taking it gently into his hands and inspecting it with great interest.

"I have a little lass who loves it when I make her daisy crowns," Fili revealed, happy that this talent of his was being put to good use.

"Thank you, Fili," he said, almost looking as if he were going to cry from sheer gratitude.

"What are brothers for?" the blond dwarf laughed. "Now, hurry up and put those little white flowers in there so we can get it delivered to Tauriel. Then you need to get dressed!"

"Right…flowers first, then clothes," Kili nodded, picking up the star-flowers as he began to stick them in amongst the ivy leaves, creating a rather stunning looking flower crown…if he did say so himself – which he did.

He had just finished, with Fili offering suggestions, but never touching the flowers himself, when there came a knock at his door.

"Come in," Kili called once more, yet this time with far less frustration than before.

The door opened to reveal their father, Flinn, as well as Thorin and Dwalin. Each of them were already dressed and ready to go. Yet after taking one look at the two brothers sitting on the floor – one still half naked – they all three gave a sigh of defeat.

"I thought Dis was simply being overly fussy when she suggested we all go and make sure you were getting ready," Thorin stated, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at Kili. "Yet now I see she was right on target. What's wrong with you, lad? You have less than two hours to go!"

"That's plenty of time," Kili groused, turning the wreath around in his hands to see if he had missed a spot where he still needed flowers. Yet it looked perfect, and he was more than satisfied with his handiwork. "I can get ready in no time at all."

"For something like a council meeting, perhaps," Dwalin nodded. "But this is your wedding lad, and your bride might expect more than just a spit and polish."

"And we're here to help with that," Flinn grinned, apparently overjoyed to be a part of this momentous occasion – having missed so many already in the past.

"All right," Kili nodded, hardly listening to everything they were saying, still focused on the masterpiece in his hands. "But first, I need to get this to Tauriel…otherwise, according to Thranduil, the wedding won't happen."

"Fine," Dwalin huffed, taking a step or two closer, yet avoiding the flower strewn area around Kili. "Give it here, lad, and I will see that she gets it."

"Be careful," Kili insisted, handing it over as if it were made of glass. "Don't crush it or drop it…and don't you dare sneeze on it!"

Dwalin just rolled his eyes and turned to leave, giving Flinn and Thorin a look that said 'good luck' as he passed.

Once the bald warrior was gone, Kili scooped up the flower remnants and put them back in the little box, hating to see what he worked so hard to collect just go into the trash. But as soon as they had a clear path, his father and his uncle moved forward and took hold of him under his arms and pulled him to his feet.

"Now…to the washroom with you!" Thorin commanded.

"I'm a grown dwarrow, I can bathe myself!" Kili grumbled as they all but dragged him into the next room.

"Stop fussing," Fili ordered, shaking a finger in his face. "Any more whining from you and I'll go get little Flinn's barrel and dunk you in that."

"I'm not a dwarfling!" Kili huffed.

"Then stop acting like one and strip down, lad!" Flinn laughed, pulling the lever that allowed the hot water to come spilling out the flume, filling the stone tub.

"And here I thought only amas were supposed to see a dwarrow naked," Kili muttered to himself as he undid his britches and tugged them off.

"Well, after today, you can add your wife to that list," Fili laughed, watching as his brother's face turned red. "Now…get in!"

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And so he did…with a fair amount of direction from the others, whether it was desired or not. After he was squeaky clean and dried off, Flinn took charge of combing and braiding Kili's unruly hair, while Fili and Thorin worked on his outfit. The trousers were easy, as were the boots, for Kili had several nice pairs of those to choose from. Yet when he looked at his brother and uncle, expecting them to hand him a tunic from his closet…Fili instead held out a wrapped package.

"What's this?" Kili asked, eying his brother suspiciously.

"Just open it and see," Fili urged, thrusting the item into his hands with a wide grin.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he did just that, ripping into it with great anticipation. What he saw took his breath away. It was a magnificent blue and gold tunic fit for a king…or at least a prince. It even had the Durin emblem embroidered on the front, announcing to all his royal lineage.

"Sier made it," Fili informed him, when Kili seemed unable to speak. "She said that the accents are made from the same gold ribbon the seamstresses used on Tauriel's dress, so you two will match."

"This is…is…amazing," Kili whispered, running his hand over the garment in awe. "I had no idea she was doing this."

"Me either, but then again, I've been kind of busy for the past several days traipsing around in search of flowers," Fili laughed, enjoying the look on his brother's face. "Now, put it on, let's see if it fits!"

Kili eagerly slipped into it, and after wrapping a wide leather belt around his waist, he donned his prince's crown, nearly identical to the one that Fili also wore. He then held out his hands, offering himself for inspection.

"Well? How do I look?" he asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Like a prince of Erebor," Thorin stated, impressed by Sier's fine stitching of the Durin emblem; seven stars above a crown and anvil.

"Like a fancy version of my grungy brother," Fili laughed.

"Like my precious son, Kili…all grown up," Flinn finished, a catch in his throat as he said the words.

"Now, don't start, Adad," Fili chuckled, throwing his arm over his father's shoulder and giving him a squeeze. "Amad is going to cry a mess of tears herself when she sees him…we need you to stay strong and take care of her."

"I…I will try," Flinn agreed, sniffing a bit as he wiped at his eyes, attempting to be strong. Yet when Kili walked up and threw his arms around him, there was no going back after that. The two dwarves just stood there, holding on to each other and sobbing loudly. Fili and Thorin stood back, letting them have their moment…yet even their eyes were far from dry.

When father and son finally parted, they were laughing, each one slightly embarrassed by their emotional display. Yet it was a moment the two would treasure forever, with no regrets.

"Now all we have to do is get Kili from here to the orchard without any of his braids coming lose or him getting dirty," Thorin huffed, trying to comport himself after getting rather choked up.

"Well, we better get going then…just in case he falls into a mud puddle, runs off chasing butterflies, or something else that would cause us to come back and start all over again," Fili laughed, earning a scowl from his brother.

"First of all, it's night so there would be no butterflies to chase," Kili pointed out. "And second…I'm a grown dwarrow, not a dwarfling, and I think I can make it through the mountain and into the orchards without too much issue, thank you very much."

"We'll see," Thorin said with a measure of doubt.

In the end, they made it to the ceremony location with only having to go back to Kili's chambers once, to change his trousers…don't ask.

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Meanwhile, Tauriel was also being primped and fussed over as if she were a queen. When she joked about this, they reminded her that by nightfall, she would be a princess, and that quickly wiped the smile off the elleth's face.

"It's just a title, my dear," Dis said reassuringly. "It does not define you."

"And if I can get used to it, so can you," Sier laughed.

There was a knock at the door, and Bergie went to answer it, leaving the others to continue getting Tauriel ready. When she opened it and saw her husband standing there, she grinned.

"Oh, and what might you be doing skulking around here?" she asked, raising a teasing eyebrow. "Trying to get a peek of the bride and report back to Kili?"

"No," he huffed, holding the ivy and flower wreath out to her, glad to be rid of the frilly thing. He had received quite a few odd looks as he packed it through the halls, darkening his mood with each step. "I was asked to deliver this fool thing for the lad. Now take it so I can go find myself a stiff drink."

"Oh, no you don't," she corrected. "You need to go find Balin, for he is minding the twins. Take them down to the orchards and find a nice spot for us to watch the wedding. I'm still a lot shorter than most, and I don't want any tall humans or elves blocking my view!"

"Yes, my dumpling," he grinned, leaning in to give her a kiss on the tip of her nose. "If I must, I'll hoist you on my shoulders just so you won't miss a thing."

"Over my dead body you will!" Bergie protested, though a grin spread over her lips. "Now get going, my big brute." She gave him a final wink before shutting the door.

"Look, Tauriel, your crown has arrived!" Bergie announced, walking back to where the dams were hovering around the elleth, who was having her hair braided by Dis. "I think Kili did a very nice job of it too."

Tauriel turned and gazed upon the wreath of ivy and star-flowers, her eyes welling up with tears as she held out her hands.

"He…he did a splendid job," she confirmed, wiping at her cheeks as she tried to smile.

"Are you sure?" Dis questioned, not at all certain what the wreath was supposed to look like. Had Kili completely messed it up somehow? "You don't look very pleased."

"No…I am!" she insisted, though the tears were still running down her cheeks. "It's just that…it's so beautiful, and he made it just for me."

"Oh, so those are happy tears?" Dena deduced, all the dams letting out a sigh of relief.

"Yes…mostly," Tauriel nodded, at last able to form a genuine smile. "I do feel sad that my parents are not here to see this day. Yet, nothing can be done about that, and I will not allow anything to diminish my happiness."

"You might not have your true mother and father here, Tauriel," Dis told her, stepping around to stand in front of her as she took her hands in both of hers. "But from this day forth, Flinn and I will serve as your parents…if you will have us."

This started the elleth crying all over again, and it was a few minutes before she was able to compose herself once more.

"Your kind words have touched me deeply, Lady Dis," Tauriel said, accepting a handkerchief from Bergie as she dabbed at her eyes. "Yet, I fear if I do not stop crying, Kili will notice and think I'm an unhappy bride."

"We just won't tell him that you cried," Dena stated firmly. "And by the time you are ready to go, we will have you all cleaned up and no one will be the wiser."

"And that moment is closer than you think," Sier said, having been the one keeping track of the time. "Now, wipe your eyes with this," she said, handing her a cool damp cloth, "Then we need to hurry things along."

Once the tear stains and puffiness was gone, the dams did a few touch-ups on her sparse make up – for Tauriel was a natural beauty, and needed very little enhancement. Her hair had been done in a mixture of dwarf and elf style, the majority of it hanging loosely down her back, with a few intricately decorated braids woven from her temples back into a high crest at the back of her head that billowed down with the rest. There were two smaller braids on either side that fell in front of her ears and dangled down to her chest. The left one was where Kili would be placing her marriage bead, the courting bead and the engagement bead having already been removed, to be tucked away and saved as mementos.

Tauriel's dress was next, and she stepped behind a changing screen to slip it on. It had turned out exactly how she had envisioned it…beautiful. The gown was made of the finest white silk that hugged her body and hung straight to the ground, pooling around her feet. It had a plunging low scoop in the back, and a slightly more modest one in the front. The sleeves were tight fitting until they reached her elbows, where they hung loose and formed a point at the end of the billowing fabric. However, what set the whole dress off, was the shiny golden ribbon that wound around her sleeves, bodice and waist, accenting her delicate figure perfectly. A pair of dainty white slippers and emerald hoop earrings were added, but the crowning beauty was the ivy and star-flower head piece made by Kili.

"Oh, Tauriel," Dis gasped as the elleth stepped out from behind the screen. "You…you look so lovely!"

"Not that you didn't look pretty before," Dena laughed, covering her lips with her fingers as she gazed at the bride. "But now…I think Kili is going to faint dead away when he sees you."

"He better not," Tauriel laughed, blushing at the compliments and appraising looks she was receiving. "I plan on getting married tonight, not having to nurse Kili back to consciousness."

"I promise to be standing by with a bucket of water to revive him if he even looks like he's going down," Sier assured her, almost in tears herself by how lovely Tauriel looked.

"I thank you for your support," the red haired lass said with a nod. "So…how much longer before we leave?"

"Not long," Dena called back, heading for the door. "I will inform everyone that you are ready, and see you when you come down the aisle." She stopped suddenly and turned around, hurrying back as she grasped Tauriel's hands in hers. "I'm so happy for the two of you. Truly I am." And before the elleth could express her gratitude, the dam was out the door and gone.

"Well, there's no turning back now," Sier told Tauriel with a bit of a laugh.

"And I wouldn't want to, either," the elleth assured them all with a grin. "Let's get this wedding started!"

Oh boy, both Kili and Tauriel are dressed to impress and ready to go.

And good for Kili, he got that wreath made and to his bride just in time.

Look...Gandalf is here! Too bad they didn't have enough time to invite Bilbo. But the Shire is a LONG distance and the Eagles were busy. ha ha.

More tomorrow.

Guest Reviews:

Feu d'Argent: Yep, a full year...I just can't believe it. Yah, Bina hates everyone...she is just built that way. Oh, I think Bard is wiser than most give him credit for...unless he is drunk, then he is clueless. Right, Kili needs to find his own way, and not have images of Sier and Fili in his mind...EVER! ha ha. I went to see Rogue One today...I enjoyed it a lot. Can't say more because I never know who might be reading this and don't want to give out any spoilers. I liked your little nod to Star Trek too...it was cute!

abc: Good, I will have Bofur save you a seat on the Dwarf side. ha ha. I am glad the chicken and goat story made you laugh. Dwalin is such a funny duck. Fili did pretty well with 'the talk' he gave Kili...much better than Thorin would have done, I am sure. ha ha. Thanks.

Emrfangir: Glad you liked the Dwalin story! I spent many a night wracking my brain trying to come up with how those three things could have been related. ha ha. Sier does indeed rule...and she will one day too, beside Fili. ha ha. Yep, Thorin is no dummy, he knows quality when he sees it...and he plans on putting her skills to work too. No, there is no bouquet to toss, sorry. But who knows what will come out at a wedding, ha ha. Love IS in the air you know. Thanks

Jay Jay: Yep, the wedding is coming...SOON! And with Sier's help, Thorin is making great progress towards dwarf/elf relations. Kili is looking forward to that as well...but in a different way. ha ha. I agree that it would be nice if they wanted to renew their vows...but I just don't have time to write it. Just imagine it happened though, OK? I like your idea of who you picture as Dis and Flinn. I knew who Lucy Lawless was, but I had to look up Aaron Echart. Yes, he DOES look like a good Flinn character. I even found a picture of him with longer hair, a beard and a mustache. Perfect! I will definitely hire him to play the part when someone buys my story and wants to make a movie out of it! ha ha. Thanks.