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Now, let's see what happens as the reception comes to a close!
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Chapter 145
agnât'nâtha = daughter-in-law
~X~
Meanwhile, Thorin had excused himself from the table and went to stand beside Gandalf, who had been watching the goings on with a great amount of pleasure.
"I do hope you won't ruin the surprise and tell Bilbo about all this before we have the chance to journey to the Shire and inform him ourselves," he told the wizard, lacing his hands behind his back, his eyes on the dancing couples.
"What do you take me for, Thorin?" Gandalf asked dubiously. "Some gossip-monger? I am a wizard, who has been charged with a great many secrets, and I know how to keep them."
"Perhaps, but this…" Thorin stated, nodding towards where Kili and Tauriel still danced. "This might be difficult for even you to keep to yourself."
"True, true," Gandalf laughed, as he and Thorin shared a wide grin. "And it is rather unprecedented, to say the least. Then again…so was a dwarf marrying a hobbit."
"Aye," Thorin chuckled, his eyes straying to his wife, who was sitting beside Bergie, holding their new daughter in her arms. "And if Kili finds half the happiness that I have, then he is indeed a fortunate dwarrow."
"I commend you on your acceptance of all this, Thorin," Gandalf stated. "You have changed a great deal from the care-worn, grudge driven dwarf I met in Bree all those years ago. And I couldn't be more pleased over the transformation."
"I still don't care overly much for Thranduil…and neither does he for me," Thorin was quick to point out, not wishing to overly perpetuate the rumor that they were now friends. "But I suppose that Tauriel isn't all that bad…even if she was the one who tossed us in the dungeons back in Mirkwood."
"Then you should be all the more pleased that she is now on your side, Thorin," Gandalf informed him.
"That is true," the king nodded with a wide smile and a wicked gleam in his eye. "And Thranduil has to deal with that. Oh, Mahal…it has to be killing him!"
"Perhaps I was wrong," the wizard said with an exasperated sigh and a roll of his eyes. "You haven't changed all that much, Thorin Oakenshield." He then gave him a happy wink. "Yet a better friend I couldn't ask for." The two exchanged knowing looks before Gandalf cleared his throat. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have something that needs tending to."
"Oh…and what might that be?" Thorin asked.
"You'll see," was all the wizard would say, before he wandered off humming quietly to himself, leaving Thorin to wonder…and worry.
Yet before he could spend too much time dwelling on the oddities of Gandalf, Fili approached him, followed by another dwarf who appeared to be a few years younger than his nephews.
"King Thorin," Fili began, telling him that this was to be a conversation dealing with official business. "May I present to you Jorun, son of Jorus, and if it pleases you, a future Raven Keeper."
"Oh?" Thorin questioned, eyeing the rather nervous looking lad. "Usually those inducted into the raven speaking program are done so at a much younger age. Might I inquire why you think this dwarrow is suited for the duty of learning to speak to the ravens?"
"Because he already can," Fili told his uncle with a look of pride. "It was Jorun here who took on the duty of speaking to the ravens after Kili and I were captured at the mines. He is of the Longbeard clan, and apparently his great-grandmother had Durin blood in her veins."
"Did she now?" Thorin stated, intrigued by this bit of news.
"Just a drop, I'm sure, Your Majesty," Jorun answered, his head still bowed, unwilling to look the king in the eye. "She never claimed to be royalty, just that in her lineage, one of her ancestors came from that line."
"Well, it appears to have been enough that you can speak to, and understand, the ravens without any formal training," Fili pointed out. "Thus, you deserve a position among the Raven Keepers."
"I agree with my nephew," Thorin nodded, finding he liked this dwarrow's temperament very much. "First thing tomorrow, I will notify Yarvin, Chief of the Raven Keepers, that you will be joining the ranks. Don't be late."
"Oh, no, Your Majesty!" The dwarf gasped, aghast at the idea. "I would never dream of being late!"
"Good to know," Thorin chuckled, pleased by the lad's eagerness. He was young, but apparently of age, and looked to be a stout enough dwarf. Jorun would be perfect for a position with the ravens. "I commend you for your resourcefulness and willing spirit, Soldier. You are dismissed."
"Thank you my king…" he said, bowing low. He then turned to Fili, "My lord prince," offering him the same courtesy. And with a smile that would have lit up the night sky, he turned and headed off, unable to believe his good fortune.
Jorun was so wrapped up in his own thoughts in fact, that he didn't notice the young ginger-haired lass who was heading right for him. Apparently, she didn't either…at least not until they bumped right into each other.
"Oh!" Tam cried, the two drinks she had been carrying sloshing out of the cups and landing all over the dwarrow she had just run into. "I'm so terribly sorry!"
Jorun was a little startled, but his smile never faltered, even as he looked down at his now soaking wet vest.
"No real harm done, lassie," he told her, brushing off the majority of the liquid. "I should have been watching where I was going."
"No, it was all my fault," she insisted, setting the cups down on a nearby table and reaching into her pocket for her handkerchief. She quickly began to dab at the dwarf's chest, doing her best to sop up some of the mess. "My mother often says I have a one track mind, and all I was thinking about was getting the drinks back to our table without spilling them…and now look what happened!"
"Well, I won't tell anyone if you won't," he suggested, leaning in rather conspiratorial. "I wouldn't want a sweet little thing like you to get in trouble on my account."
"I'm not so very little," Tam stated, her dander rising at his assumption. "I'm already in my thirties, I'll have you know!"
"Well now, a right grown up lass, are ya?" Jorun teased, finding her spunk quite adorable. "I beg your pardon, Lady…" Here he stopped and waited, giving her the opportunity to introduce herself.
"Tam, daughter of Bombur, at your service," she said, bowing politely.
"Jorun, son of Jorus, at yours and your families," he replied, returning the bow. He then looked up, interest in his eyes. "Not the Bombur of King Thorin's original company?"
"The very same," Tam stated proudly.
"Well, it is indeed a pleasure, Lady Tam," Jorun told her. "And don't worry, we will keep this our little secret. All right?"
"Yes, please," she nodded, blushing slightly.
"Well, it has been nice meeting you, Tam, and I hope to see you again sometime," he said, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it courteously. He then headed off, whistling to himself as he went, his mind still on his new and exciting position as a raven keeper.
Tam stood there, looking down at her hand and then up at the retreating dwarf, her mouth open in shock.
"Jorun," she whispered to herself, lightly touching the spot where he had kissed her hand.
"Tam…what's the matter with you?" Bram asked as he walked up to her, staring at the odd expression on her face.
"I…I don't know," she answered, still not taking her eyes off the retreating dwarrow. "My…my hand is tingling."
"Well shake it off and stop gawking like some lunatic," her brother huffed. "And where's the drink you said you were getting for me?"
Tam turned and glared at her brother, placing her hands on her hips.
"I am not your servant, Bram!" she informed him in no uncertain terms. "As for your drink…you can bloody well get it yourself." And turning on her heel, she stormed off, leaving her brother staring at her in surprise.
"What's gotten into her?" he asked himself, scratching his head in wonder. "Dams…you just can't figure them!"
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Bard had just put a fresh mug of ale to his lips when he heard a voice from behind speak his name. Choking a bit, he swallowed hard and turned around, surprised to see that it was Dunner standing there.
"My King," he began, bowing deeply. "I…I would like to speak to you if I might."
"Where is Tilda?" Bard questioned, looking around in hopes of seeing his daughter. Granted, he had told her to go dance with the lad, but he had certainly not expected Dunner to approach him this soon. He was not quite sure he was ready for that talk.
"She has gone to speak with the bride and groom," Dunner explained, gesturing to where Kili and Tauriel stood at the edge of the dance floor.
"Very well," Bard nodded, clearing his throat and doing his best to appear intimidating – which for him was not hard, his height alone giving him dominance. "What might you wish to talk to me about, Soldier?"
"I…I would like to ask your permission to court your daughter, My Lord," Dunner stated, squaring his shoulders and looking Bard directly in the eye. "I know I am not worthy, and could never truly hope be, but I promise if you grant me permission, I will do all I can to prove that I am the best man for Tilda."
"I see," Bard replied, setting his mug down and crossing his arms over his chest. "And what do you feel you can offer my daughter? Wealth? Prestige? Power?"
"Nay, My King, for I have none of these things," he admitted, looking somewhat crestfallen at the thought. "Yet I have a heart full of love and two strong hands to offer her protection, comfort, and assistance. I can also promise that I will treat her like the queen she is meant to be, even if it be on a pauper's wages. She will always come first in my life…if you will allow it." When Bard remained silent, his expression giving nothing away, Dunner got nervous and quickly added. "Unless you require wealth and power, I…I could get it. I will do anything it takes to secure Tilda's hand. Perhaps I could…" Here Bard cut him off.
"No, lad," he said with a bit of a chuckle. "I do not require those things, and neither does Tilda. Many forget that I raised my family on a bargeman's salary, so power and fame were never something we desired…rather, it was thrust upon us. And if you meant even half the words you told my daughter the other night in the parlor…then I see no reason why I should stand in your way."
"My words to Tilda…in the parlor?" Dunner questioned, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. "We did not speak last night. I passed out right after arriving."
"Ahhh, then you truly do not recall regaining consciousness just long enough to win a kiss from my daughter with your words of devotion," Bard questioned in amusement, watching as the soldier's eyes grew wide in horror.
"You mean…that wasn't all just a dream?" he gasped, his hands flying to his head in shock. "Oh, My King…I am so sorry…I had no idea! I never would have….Oh, please, forgive me!"
"There's nothing to forgive," Bard laughed, laying his hand on the man's shoulder. "There is a saying…the truth is in the wine. Meaning a man's real character and feelings are laid bare when he is under the influence of strong drink. If that was your true nature, as well as your honest feelings for my daughter, then I think she is in fine hands. After all, you asked for one kiss, and once she had given it, you did not demand or attempt to steal another. That shows honor, not to mention a great deal of self-restraint."
"I would never disrespect Tilda, Your Majesty…never!" Dunner swore.
"I believe you," Bard nodded. "Thus, you have my permission to court my daughter. But do not think I will so easily hand her over to you, Soldier. You must continue to prove yourself worthy, to me and to her. In the end, I leave the choice in Tilda's hands. It is her you will need to convince."
"And I shall do so with my love and devotion," Dunner said with a smile of happiness. "Thank you, My King. I hardly know what to say…or how to repay you!"
"Your smile…and the one you place on my daughter's face, is all the payment I require." Bard then turned back towards the keg of ale. "Might I interest you in a mug of Thorin's best?"
"Nay, my lord," Dunner said, his face turning into a sickly frown. "I think it will be a few more days before I can think about drinking anything stronger than water."
"Ahhhh, I understand," Bard laughed. "Then go find my daughter and tell her the good news…assuming you have already asked to court her, that is."
"I have…but she said I needed your answer before she would give me hers," Dunner revealed.
"Well, now you have it," the king nodded. "Go, enjoy the evening."
"I will…thank you…thank you so much!" And after a bow, he was off running, looking through the crowd for Tilda.
"Ahh…young love," Bard whispered.
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Fili and Thorin had continued talking after Jorun had departed, but it wasn't long before another soldier approached, bowing to his king, and handing him a scroll.
"The ravens delivered this earlier today, but I was told to wait and give it to you after the ceremony," he informed Thorin, bowing again as he took his leave.
Thorin tore open the seal and read the message, his face darkening as he did.
"What is it, Uncle?" Fili asked, instantly concerned.
"It is a response from Lord Haken…leader of the Blacklocks," Thorin said, his teeth clenched as he hissed out the words. "He says he is coming to claim his son's body, as well as the prisoners. He should arrive next week."
"Did he say if he will accept your conditions…or does he want war?" Fili was not at all sure what the clan leader would do, but it would be in his best interest to sue for peace.
"He says he will sign the treaty papers," Thorin huffed, rolling up the scroll.
"That's good…right?" Fili questioned, unsure why his uncle looked so upset.
"Yes…it is," he agreed. "But I can't deny a part of me would have preferred to see them banished from the seven clans." When Fili continued to stare at Thorin, he elaborated. "They killed my personal guards…they threatened my family and my friends, not to mention wanted to take control of Erebor by means of the Arkenstone! It boils my blood just to think about it, and yet I am robbed of satisfaction and forced to bite my tongue in the name of peace!"
Fili let his lips turn into a small grin, causing his uncle to stew even more.
"You are a great king," the blond prince stated firmly. "A worthless king would indeed allow his own desires for vengeance rule his thinking…much like Hagen, if your description of him was accurate."
"Oh…it was," Thorin nodded, his fist balling around the letter as he spoke.
"Yet you choose to act in a way that is best for your people…for all of Erebor," Fili pointed out. "Undoubtedly, we will fight wars in the future, with enemies we've yet to discover. Thus, it would be wise to do so as a united front, and not be battling against our own kind. I'm just as angry as you, for my family and friends were threatened as well, but like you, I can see the bigger picture. That revenge only begets revenge. And if Haken is willing to comply with your wishes, and put an end to all this…then I say, so be it."
Thorin was silent for a while, staring at Fili as if he were in deep thought. At last he spoke, giving a heavy sigh of resignation.
"You will be an excellent king one day, Fili…much better than me," he admitted, placing his hand on his nephew's shoulder, giving it a loving squeeze. "For you look through the eyes of one who can see the future…and how to make it better. Erebor will thrive under your ruler ship, and I am honored that you are my heir."
"I was taught by the best, you know," Fili grinned, his cheeks growing slightly pink by his uncle's flattering words.
"Of that, I am in doubt," Thorin chuckled. "Yet you turned out all right regardless." He then looked over towards the refreshment table and raised an eyebrow. "How about you and I go get a tankard of ale before Bard drinks us dry? I swear, that man must be half dwarf with how much he can put away in one sitting…and still remain upright."
"Well, he is the dragon slayer," Fili laughed. "He has quite a reputation to live up to."
"Yet must he do it using my ale?" Thorin demanded, trying to sound gruff, but it didn't quite come across.
And so the two headed over to where the king of Dale was filling his mug again, laughing quietly to themselves, pleased with how the whole evening was going.
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"Kili, I need to sit down," Tauriel begged, her feet tired from dancing and her throat dry from talking to so many well-wishers. "I am beat."
"Oh, no…we can't have that," he insisted, giving her a sly wink, as he took her hand and led her back to their table. Once she was seated, Kili motioned for a nearby lass serving wine to come refill their glasses. She did so with a wide smile, her eyes drifting from her prince to the elleth whom he had just wed, enjoying the way the two looked at each other with such affection. Kili and Tauriel were oblivious to all this, of course, for they were far too wrapped up in their love.
Once Tauriel had caught her breath, she began to look around, enjoying the sight of everyone having a good time.
"This went smoother than I thought," she admitted, reaching out and taking Kili's hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. "And I was so happy my friends came, it was kind of King Thranduil to notify them."
"Yes, it was," Kili agreed. "Perhaps more will be accepting of our union than we thought. Yet, I don't care one lick what others might think or say. I would go anywhere, and do anything, if it meant having you by my side."
"I feel the same way," Tauriel assured him. She then leaned in a bit, her voice low to keep from being overheard. "Kili…how much longer do we need to stay?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, reaching for his drink.
"I mean…when can we leave, and go back to your chambers?" she questioned.
Her unexpected words caused Kili to violently choke on his wine, requiring his wife to pound on his back a few times to help him breathe properly.
"You…you want to go back to…our room…now?" he sputtered, trying his best to catch his breath.
"Yes…don't you?" she queried.
"More than anything!" he assured her with a wide grin. "I just didn't want to deprive you of your wedding party. I thought you might be upset if I took you away too soon."
"Oh, I think I have had enough merry-making," Tauriel grinned. "At least the kind that can be done in public. How about you?"
"I would like nothing better than to sneak away this very moment," Kili assured her, the hungry look in his eyes telling her all she needed to know. He then leaned in to capture her lips, giving her a promise of things soon to come.
"Again with the kissing?" Fili's disgusted voice was heard from in front of them, causing the two to part and look at the blond prince in irritation.
"We can kiss all we want now, Fili," his brother stated firmly. "We're married!"
"True, true," Fili mused, taking a swig of his ale. "But must you do it in front of me? You're my baby brother, for crying out loud, and to see you acting all grown up and kissing a lass…well, it's just…wrong!" He punctuated his words by screwing up his face and sticking his tongue out.
"Oh, Fili, stop teasing your brother!" Dis huffed, giving her eldest son a playful slap upside the head. Flinn was right beside her and couldn't help but chuckle at the expression on Fili's face.
"Thank you, Amad," Kili grinned, enjoying his brother's reprimand.
"Hey, that hurt!" the blond prince complained, shooting his mother an offended look. "And I thought you were watching Flinn and Frerin? Did you lose them?"
"Bite your tongue!" Dis scolded. "I have never lost track of my grandchildren in all my years…not once! They are right over there, eating cake," she stated, pointing to a nearby table where Flinn, Frerin, Rose, Tor and Tal were shoveling large pieces of Bombur's sugary confection into their mouths like there was no tomorrow.
"Oh, wonderful…I'm never going to get them to sleep now," Fili moaned, imagining them up all night full of energy.
"Serves you right for teasing me," Kili laughed.
Flinn turned and smiled at Tauriel, reaching out to take her hand in his from across the table.
"My dear, you looked beautiful tonight," he told her. "It is a pleasure to officially welcome you into our family."
"Thank you, Master Flinn," Tauriel said with a slight blush. "I am happy to be a part of it."
"And soon you will need to start referring to us as just Flinn and Dis," the princess told her. "After all, you are now our agnât'nâtha, and we take family very seriously."
"Aye, that we do, lass," Flinn agreed, looking down at his own bride, his eyes full of love.
"Oh, I can't believe that all of this is happening," Dis stated, her eyes misting up. "First you are returned to me, my love, and now my baby is married with a wife of his own. I don't know how I could be happier."
"I know how I could be," Kili said under his breath. Tauriel did her best to not laugh at his obvious frustration, giving him a sly wink that spoke volumes.
"Oh, I bet you do, little brother," Fili laughed. Granted he and Sier had not done anything of the sort on their wedding night, but their wedding had been under rather unusual circumstances. Still, since they had realized their love for each other, they were always looking for an opportunity to sneak off together and be alone. And Fili would do everything he could to see that his brother got his heart's desire tonight. "Give me a few minutes…and I will fix it so you can slip away unnoticed."
"Oh?" Kili asked, suddenly loving his brother all the more. "How will we know when?"
"Trust me…you'll know," Fili assured him, giving the two a quick wink before disappearing into the crowd.
Dis and Flinn looked at each other, a flash of concern coming to their faces.
"Should we be worried?" the older dwarrow asked his wife.
"With these two…always!" Dis chuckled, nodding towards Kili and where Fili had just been standing. She then glanced over to Tauriel, giving her a little wink. "You do not know what you are in for, my dear," Dis told her. "But I can promise you…you will never be bored."
"I have to say I agree with you, Lady Dis," Tauriel nodded. When she saw her new mother-in-law raise an eyebrow, she quickly added, "I mean…Dis."
"That's better," the dam smiled. "We dispense with titles when it's just family. No one cares about that when we are alone."
Just then, from out of nowhere there came a loud crack in the sky, and the night was lit up with a thousand bright sparks of light in all different colors. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared open-mouthed at the display above them.
"Fireworks!" little Flinn cried, remembering the one time he had seen them before…at Frodo's parting. He quickly forgot his cake, and grabbed Frerin's hand, dragging his little brother out into the clearing so that they could get a better view of the show. Rose, Tor and Tal were right behind them, each one with wide eyes and smiles on their faces.
As more exploded in the sky, dwarves, men and elves alike, left their tables and moved to a location where the trees did not obstruct their view. There were a myriad of ooos and ahhhs as colorful burst went off high above, mesmerizing all who saw them.
When a strange whizzing one dropped from the sky and sputtered through the crowd, only to burst into what looked to be a million butterflies that flew this way and that, the little children screamed in delight and ran around, trying to catch them.
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"Do you remember the last time we watched fireworks in the sky, my sugarplum?" Dwalin asked, placing his arm around Bergie's shoulders as he pulled her closer to him where they sat.
"Yes, I do," she let her gaze drift over to where Tor and Tal were jumping up and down, clapping their hands with glee. "Our twins had not even been born yet."
"Aye…since then, we have truly been blessed," the bald warrior acknowledged, leaning over to kiss his wife's rosy cheek. "Are you sad we never had a chance to have more?"
"Not on your life!" Bergie insisted, turning to stare up at her dwarf husband. "I am perfectly content with the two we have, which is more than I ever thought I would be gifted with in the first place! It took me a long time to find you, my strong warrior, and longer still to get you to figure out we were meant to be together. Two suits me just fine."
"I was a bit thick headed about that, wasn't I?" he chuckled.
"Only a bit?" Bergie laughed. "But you were well worth the wait. And just because we can't have any more babes, that doesn't mean we can't keep doing the act that begets them."
"Oh?" Dwalin asked, raising his eyebrows in an excited gesture. "Might that be an invitation, my dumpling?"
"Why do you constantly call me by food names when you use endearments?" she questioned, having noticed him doing so more and more lately.
"Because you are so scrumptious, I could just eat you up," Dwalin told her in a deep and rumbling voice, leaning in and nibbling her ear for emphasis. "I could prove that point very effectively if you would care to join me in our chambers."
"Dwalin! This is Kili's wedding!" she scolded, yet even she could not hide the excitement that his offer brought to her eyes. "We should stay until they leave, at least."
"Well, then what is that young pup waiting for?" Dwalin huffed, his eyes drifting over to where the newlyweds were standing. Yet as he watched them, a sly smile spread over his lips. It appeared that the two were slowly walking backwards, away from the mesmerized crowd, completely unnoticed by all but him. "You best get ready, my wife, because the moment they are out of sight…so are we!"
"We will have to wait for the light show to be over, or Tor and Tal will never forgive us," Bergie insisted. She then leaned up and kissed him fiercely, loving how his mustache and beard tickled her cheeks. "But when I do get you back to our room, my big brute, I promise to show you a whole new set of fireworks, if you take my meaning."
Dwalin's only response was a deep growl, her words igniting a fire within his blood, one he could not wait to quench.
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Thorin, who had easily figured out why Gandalf disappeared a while ago, found the grey wizard nearby, with Fili standing at his side, handing him tube after tube of the brightly colored explosives.
"Got your taste of these a while back, and now you can't get enough, is that it?" he asked his nephew, being rewarded with a wide grin from Fili.
"They are pretty amazing, you know," the crown prince told him, picking up a big red one with a long tail for a fuse.
"Ummm, perhaps not that one," Thorin warned, reaching out to stop Fili from passing it to Gandalf.
"What? Why not?" Fili asked, looking confused. He then took a moment to examine it more carefully, his eyes growing wide as he realized what shape was depicted on the cylinder. "Oh…a dragon!"
"The last time a fire drake was seen in the sky over Erebor…things did not end well," Thorin reminded him. "Perhaps we should not tempt fate on the night of Kili's wedding."
"Good idea," the blond dwarrow agreed, setting it down and picking up another one that appeared indescript and relatively harmless. "Kili wanted to get away with Tauriel, not have to lead an evacuation after a dragon scare." He quickly handed the next one to Gandalf, who was setting them off left and right.
"Here…do this one next," Thorin suggested, with a sly grin on his face as he joined his nephew in choosing which ones to set off.
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All in all, it was a very spectacular wedding and reception, with everyone having a wonderful time. The children had been thoroughly amazed by the fireworks, their little tongues wagging a mile a minute as their mothers escorted them back to the mountain, any hopes of them falling asleep from exhaustion long gone.
Bard and his family were among the last to leave, the king of Dale smiling from ear to ear as he watched both his children laughing and talking with their prospective mates. He decided he would need to speak to Dis about helping him plan a couple weddings, and by the looks of things, rather soon! Of course Sigrid would come from Rohan to attend, bringing his grandson with her. Bard had not seen little Théoden in over a year, and he could only imagine how much the child had grown in that amount of time. Yes, weddings were indeed a blessing, bringing with them the hope of more grandchildren…and Bard couldn't wait!
And when Gandalf, Fili and Thorin emerged from where they had been launching the light show – the three a bit sooty and smelling of sulphur – they all grinned at the sight before them.
Kili and Tauriel were nowhere to be seen.
Wow...that was a long one. And I hope that left you feeling fulfilled as far as the wedding goes. Now...next will be the wedding night!
Look everyone...Bard left the party under his own power for once! ha ha.
And hmmm, wonder what just happened between Jorun and Tam there? *wink wink* Well, for Tam anyway, I don't think Jorun quite caught on...she is still rather young in his eyes. (for now)
And yes, Fili...let's not set off any fireworks that look like dragons, Ok? Not even sure why Gandalf considered bringing one!
More on Wednesday.
Guest Reviews:
abc: Glad you enjoyed the wedding. Flinn and Frerin did good, didn't they? Of course the box was Kili's idea. ha ha. Yep, Thranduil and Thorin are buddies...WAY down deep. Bombur outdid himself, and the cake was delicious too. Bard is indeed a wise father, and a kind one too. Poor Dunner, all this time he thought that was just a very lovely dream...and now he finds it was real! ha ha. Thanks
JayJay: It is always a compliment when one says they can hear the actors saying my words...means I am doing my job right. Yes, Kili was cute with the box idea...he has a good sense of humor and no shame whatsoever. I am glad you like my original thumbnail picture for the story, I had to do a bit of photoshop work to put Fili's bracer on the arm to make it look like him. ha ha. I only put that other picture up temporarily so others could see the wedding outfits. Bard was pretty cool. And yes, fiction is nice to escape in from time to time. As for what you are waiting for...hang on...it's coming. ha ha. Thank you very much for the confetti! I was pretty stoked about the whole thing myself. When I started this story I NEVER thought it would go on this long OR that I would get that many reviews. I am very grateful to you all. Also, that link you sent didn't come through in full, I couldn't see the picture you were meaning. The FF site won't let links be put in reviews or PMs.
Qwikshot16: I kind of figured that is what you meant, but had never seen that word before. ha ha. And I like the idea of everyone being kept on their toes. ha ha.