Torsten fiddled with the clasp to his cape. It was crooked. Again.
"Dearest, just leave it alone," Tauriel said, straightening the cape once more. They were all dressed in their finest. She went to each of her sons and her husband, making sure they were neat and presentable.
"What if it goes wrong?" What if the council rejects us?" Torsten asked.
"They won't," Kili said. "They wouldn't dare reject the son of the crown prince of Erebor."
Torsten chuckled. "Amad said you didn't even know about your courting ceremony until it had begun. Is that true?"
"Aye, it's true," Kili answered, thinking back. "I thought it was just Fili's ceremony. I was about knocked over when I saw your mother walk in."
"Knocked over?" Tauriel grinned. "You looked like you were hyperventilating."
"I probably was," Kili smiled.
"I almost think I'd rather not know about this ahead of time. I feel like I'm going crazy," Torsten wheeled his chair in a few circles. "What if she says no?" Torsten looked ready to bolt out the door. "Can't we just run away and get married, without all the ceremony?"
"What kind of example would you be setting for your brothers?" Tauriel asked. "No, you are a prince. You can't run away."
"A prince who will never have a kingdom. So just let Agli and I run off to Bree together," Torsten said with an unusual darkness behind his voice.
"Torsten!" Kili reprimanded. "That is an extremely inappropriate thing to say."
"What? That I'm a prince without a kingdom?" Torsten turned to face his father. "How can I expect Agli or her family to truly take me seriously? I have a title that is nothing more than a word."
"Being a prince is more than just a word," Kili said, his eyes dark. "I know exactly what it is like. I am a prince who will never have a kingdom. Sometimes that hurts, but I look at my brother. I see the weight he carries and I thank Mahal it is not my burden to bear. Instead, I give myself to my brother, to my king, to make his load lighter. That is what I do and I am proud to do so."
Torsten bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Father. Forgive me."
Kili went to his son and knelt before him. He put his hands to his son's face. "Torsten, I know your frustrations. I really do. As my eldest son, you're right, there should have been something for you rather than fourth in line to be a steward. Instead, all I can offer you is your blood line. You are a Son of Durin and for that, you will always be looked up to and respected, no matter where you are, no matter what position in life you hold. It is a big responsibility, but you have always proven your worth. I am very proud of you. The dwarves of the Glittering Caves are lucky to have you among them. Gimli is also in the line of Durin, but behind you in that line. So, even though he is Lord of the Glittering Caves, you have a higher place in the blood line of Durin. Think of what that means. Never forget, that even if you never rule, you will always be watched by our people. Show them what it means to be a Son of Durin."
"Adad?" Torsten spoke quietly. "If this courting goes well, can we get married in Erebor?"
"I think that would be great, if your intended agrees to that," Kili winked.
A knock on the door and a word from a page told the family of Kili that the ceremony was about to begin. Tauriel kissed Torsten's cheek before they left.
As the highest ranking dwarf in the Glittering Caves, Kili would preside over the ceremony, but Gimli would conduct the ceremony as he was the Lord of the Glittering Caves.
Tauriel and Kili walked on either side of Torsten.
"My Lord," Kili spoke to Gimli, "I am Kili, Crown Prince of Erebor. I present my son, Prince Torsten, to the family of Lord Fuldan to become the intended of Agli, daughter of Fuldan."
Fuldan and his wife stood before Torsten, Kili and Tauriel. "He is acceptable to me and my family." Fuldan said. He brought his daughter to his side. Agli was dressed in a simple rose colored gown that accentuated her copper colored hair. Her green eyes sparkled in the light and her smile was bright. "I present to you, Kili, Prince of Erebor, my daughter, Agli and agree to the courtship of Prince Torsten to Lady Agli."
Kili and Tauriel bowed. "She is acceptable to us," Kili said.
"Now the intended couple will present each other with courting gifts," Gimli said.
Agli stood before Torsten. "Prince Torsten, I present you with this, as a courting gift."
She held out a simple box. Torsten opened the box and found one of Agli's beautiful jewelry creations. He admired the fine, intricately detailed work of silver. His family's emblem was inlaid into the center of the work and a single red ruby, to symbolize her devotion and happiness with him.
"Your gift is acceptable to me," Torsten answered.
Agli smiled. She took her creation from the box, removed the simple clasp that held Torsten's cape and replaced it with her gift.
Torsten smiled. "Lady Agli, I present you with this, my courting gift." He pulled out from a pouch on the back of his chair, a silver tray he had crafted. It's handles were neatly twisted and curved and inlaid into the tray was the symbol of her family's rank in the Blue Mountains. In the very center of the tray, he had inlaid several deep red garnet stones, symbolizing his love for her.
"This is lovely," she breathed. "Your gift is acceptable to me." She gave him a great smile and Torsten felt he could melt from the beauty of her smile.
"Now the intended couple will place the courtship braid into each other's hair," Gimli said. A chair was brought to Agli and she sat down, facing Torsten, their knees touching. With nervous fingers, Torsten reached up to Agli's soft red hair and took a thick lock from behind her left ear. He carefully wove the courtship braid into her hair and secured the end with the very clasp his father had given his mother at their courtship. Then, Agli did the same braid in his hair.
Now, it was official. Torsten was courting Agli. He hoped they would be married very soon. He leaned forward and kissed her - their first real kiss, mouth to mouth, lip to lip. All was right with the world.
"That was a nice ceremony," Tauriel said as she removed the top layer of her fine clothing. She hung her gown up in the wardrobe of their room.
Kili grunted as he tossed his own tunic onto the floor.
Tauriel looked over to see Kili sitting on the bed, his head resting in his hands. He looked so much like Thorin in moments like these. Tauriel glided over to him, stooped down and picked up his tunic. "What is it?" she asked.
Kili didn't speak, but sighed heavily. Tauriel folded the tunic neatly, and sat on the bed next to her husband. In the next room over, she could hear her two youngest sons talking loudly. She stood up and walked to the door that separated the two rooms. She opened it and poked her head in. The twins were in their under tunics and trousers and bouncing barefoot on their beds.
"That's enough boys," Tauriel said. They both stopped jumping and quickly laid down on the beds instead. "I don't want to hear any more noise from you, understand?"
"Yes, Amad," they spoke together.
She shut the door and went back to Kili. She placed her hand on his knee and gave it a light squeeze. "Are you troubled by Torsten's choice in lass?"
"No, not at all. She is a lovely girl. It's not her, it's Torsten that troubles me," Kili sighed. "What happened to my son? I hardly know the lad anymore."
"He's grown up, dear. He's not your little boy anymore. He's an adult, a warrior, and he's learning to make his way in the world. We've kept him protected in Erebor his entire life. He always had his place and his family. Now, he's off, on his own and learning there is life outside of his birthplace."
"He was so rude tonight."
"Yes, but he was nervous," Tauriel said. "I'm not excusing his rudeness, but I believe the stress of the evening was weighing on him and he spoke without thinking."
"No, that's the thing, isn't it? He didn't speak without thinking. He knew exactly what he was saying. Obviously, those things he said have been on his mind for a long time. I wish I had known he felt that way. I could have helped him better. Then maybe, he wouldn't be so angry."
"I know," she leaned against Kili, feeling his strong body flushed against hers. "He might not have realized it himself until he met Agli. I doubt it was her who gave him those thoughts. I think, that as soon as he met her, and recognized his love for her, he realized what he had and didn't have to offer her as a husband. He is a prince without a kingdom and without full function of his own body. I'm sure he is insecure about that, even if Agli has never given him a reason to be insecure. It's obvious she loves him just as he is, but I think he is concerned about what he can offer his wife."
"You're deep, my lovely elf," Kili pushed against Tauriel's body, playfully, before he sighed. "I suppose you're right. I'm glad he told me what he was thinking, but I wish he hadn't done it right then, and especially not in front of his brothers, who are offered even less as princes than Torsten."
"I know, but I think staying here in the Glittering Caves will be good for him," Tauriel said. "Here, he is the highest ranked dwarf. Even if he is not Lord of the Glittering Caves, he is more direct in the line of Durin than Gimli is or anyone else here. Gimli won't live forever and he has no heir, so it is possible that Torsten could become Lord of the Glittering Caves one day."
"I suppose so," Kili leaned his head against Tauriel's arm. "Thank you, for helping me see and understand."
"You handled it very well." She kissed him on the cheek and stood to put his folded tunic away. "I am happy for them," Tauriel said. "If Torsten is half as wonderful to Agli as you are to me, she will be a very luck lass indeed."
A big thank you to my readers and those who leave me comments. I just had to say how much I enjoyed writing the moment with Tauriel, Klin and Keil. When I was a young kid, my parents took my siblings and I on a vacation and we stayed in a hotel. Us kids jumped on the beds and had a lot of fun, until Mom came in and made us quiet down. All it took was a look. I imagine Tauriel has the same motherly power over her rambunctious boys. The twins would be about 8 years old in human years, so jumping on the bed would be pretty typical behavior for those two. LOL Have a lovely day, readers!