Chapter 9 - Road to redemption

I insisted Tauriel to come with us. After all, she gave up everything to be with Kili and I would not allow her to feel lesser. Once ready, Balin escorted us to the hall of Kings, where I got the tail end of a talk between dwarfsmen ...
"Will you follow me, one last time?" Said Thorin to them all. There was an air of emptiness in his humble plea. All of them had blank faces, as they nodded looking down. They all composed immediately with smiles when they saw me. It was quite suspicious to me, but Balin picked up fast and gave his best smile while marching with me to the priest, where he gave me away to Thorin. Because of Balin's smile, I discarded all odd thoughts to concentrate in the present events. Or at least try, for the blue gaze of my soon to be husband was quite the distraction. He smiled widely at me, one of those rare moments of his that made me feel everything was alright.

As the priest pronounced his words, I took a moment to look at my companions, who have been with me through good and bad times. All of them were there except for Bilbo, which made me sad because he has been my unconditional friend during the whole journey. He even got in trouble just to save me from Thorin's gold fever symptoms. But I knew Thorin doesn't forgive that easily. Also, it would take him long to entirely abandon that deeply engraved grudge against elves, even when he gave a step to improvement earlier today. And it was all because of me. Love transforms the most stubborn of hearts when it is true. Basically, the priest's predicament was about that. I knew there was a lot of love between these dwarves, to the point of supporting one another through thick and thin. And I have seen it in many levels through the entire journey. It made me sentimental, for I knew Thorin's reason to be bitter was the fact that he loved too much and got betrayed many times in return. His walls were only expected. At that moment I prayed to never become the last nail on that coffin, but a light on his path instead.

The ceremony was very meaningful. The priest gave his dwarf blessing to us in the Khuzdul language, "Dayamu Khuzan-ai menu". His words were very moving, but what got deeply engraved in my heart was that moment when Thorin put his ring on my finger with the emblem of Durin, while saying the words "I do" with conviction. He sang his vows to me in Khuzdul, as a surprise, which Fili translated for me while the rest of them hummed to his stanzas. The echo distributed the sound all over the chamber, in an entrancing melody that resembled monks. I was in awe to his deep voice, which was the most beautiful sound in the world to me. It meant that he was doing more than just making an honest woman over; he was laying his heart in my very hands, even when it wasn't fully healed. I earned his trust because he loved me. Finally the moment where we were pronounced Husband and Wife came. He took my face between his hands, giving me the sweetest of kisses ever, sealing with it the sacred deal. I surprised Dwalin wiping off a tear when Thorin broke from the kiss. Immediately, all of them surrounded us both in a group hug.

It was time to march out along the isle. On our way out, I heard Kili bargaining with the priest to bless him and Tauriel as well. It made me smile.

Thorin looked back and saw them, "What does he think he is doing?" he asked with authority.
"Oh please, don't be so hard on him. They are in love!" I responded gently.

Thorin made a great effort to be nice, which made me chuckle, as he escorted me to the bedroom... At the entrance, as it is tradition, Thorin carried me to what would become now the nuptial bed and laid me there.

"Just a moment, I will be right with you" He said, walking to the door. I could hear him giving straight orders of not being disturbed at all unless it was a life threatening matter. He gave authority to Dain to act in his stead if needed. Then he returned to me, locking the door behind him.

"I am all yours now. No one will dare interrupt us." He removed his footwear to join me on the bed.
I smiled, "My heart has greatly longed for this moment!" My eyes were misty.
"No longer your lover. Tonight I make love to you as a husband." His fingers traced my jawline delicately, until they were placed under my chin where he lifted my face to his and kissed me, parting my lips with his tongue to swirl it around mine. He dropped his coat, his silver belt, then his crown which he removed and placed on a bedside table. Next was to undress me, which he did skillfully. My fingers undid his clothes hastily, and once done, they roamed his hairy torso.

Something unexpected happened, he took both my hands and placed them on his braids. I widened my eyes with disbelief but he smiled in response, making me feel it was right. Without words, I understood his intentions, which were to add my essence to them so he could carry me wherever he goes as part of his loved ones. His fingers roamed my spine all the way down until they reached the small of my back. He pulled me to him suddenly, his eyes fixed on mine and one of his hands lifted to the back of my head, cradling it as he devoured my lips with desire. Slowly he laid me on my back, pinning me with his weight. His warmth against my skin gave me goosebumps.

He began to trace a path with his lips down my torso, stopping at my belly where he lingered; He kissed it, nuzzled it, and leaned his face against it, staying there for a long time. I could feel his warm breathing against my navel as well as a sudden moisture. I knew it to be a tear that ran down the side of my waist. My fingertips roamed through his hair, caressing his scalp soothingly. He placed one more kiss to my belly and then buried his face against my neck, devouring it recklessly. His beard tickled. I felt his arousal trace my inner thigh, and I knew he would claim me anytime. Once more he conquered me, triumphant, seeing his sense of belonging reflected in my eyes. His pace fastened with each stroke, muffling his groans against my neck. My hands were pinned with his to each side of my head.

I wailed his name a little louder than desired, becoming the queen of his covers, as he became the king of my heart. With that reaffirmation, he erupted into me with a muffled loud groan. Both of us were glistened with beads of sweat. He rolled me atop of him, embracing my head against his chest so I could hear his uneasy heartbeats. He panted exhaustively, until his beats slowed down in a relaxing pace.

"And I hope that you remember me..." He exhaled.
"What do you mean?" I narrowed my eyes, wondering why he said that.
"Amrâlimê..." He responded in khuzdul to deviate from what he said.
"I love you too." I equally replied, curling my fingertips around his hair.