Chapter 6
When Kili finally went to bed Primrose was still asleep. She stirred as Kili slipped into his bedroll which was as usual next to hers.
"How are you feeling my love," Kili asked
"Very sore and very weak," Primrose said.
Oin had checked her dressings just before Kili had gotten into his bedroll.
"I've got something I want to show you in the morning," Kili said.
"I look forward to seeing it," Primrose said.
She drifted back off to sleep then, her hand in Kili's their fingers entwined. When Kili woke the next morning Primrose was still asleep. She didn't stir when Kili got up so he summoned Oin. He checked Primrose and found she had lost more blood during the night. She was still alive but only barely.
"I need kingsfoil. Did you see any growing nearby?" Oin said.
"I will find some," Kili said.
He quickly dressed and went in search of the weed. Thorin instructed the other dwarves to help him look. Finally Fili found some of the weed and bought it back to Oin. He made a healing salve with it and applied it to Primrose's wounds then re dressed them. She still didn't stir and Oin told Kili that Primrose had fallen into a coma.
"Hopefully she will heal and come out of the coma," Oin said.
The dwarves breakfasted and discussed the situation. There was no way Primrose would be able to travel any further until she came out of the coma.
"We will all remain in camp here until Primrose heals," Thorin declared.
3 days later Primrose finally came out of the coma as she was beginning to heal. Kili was at her side and he smiled at her.
"Mahal Primrose I thought we were going to lose you. We were all worried about you. But the worst is past now," Kili said.
"Am.. Am I going to live?" Primrose asked.
"Yes. Yes you are. Thank Mahal for that," Kili said.
The other dwarves all expressed their relief that Primrose was ok.
A week later Primrose was well on the way to healing and was well enough to be able to ride. So the dwarves began travelling towards Rivendell again. A few days before that she and Kili had gone for a walk as Kili wanted to talk to her on her own. They didn't go far from the camp as the dwarves were very much aware that Azog and Bolg were still out there some where.
"Do you remember I told you had something to show you?" Kili asked Primrose.
"Yes you told me the night I slipped into the coma. I haven't forgotten," Primrose said.
Kili reached into a pocket of his travelling jacket and withdrew a small smooth green stone.
"This is a dwarven runestone. Mama gave it to me to remind me of my promise," Kili said.
"What does it say?" Primrose said, seeing the runes carved into it.
"It means come back. And I promised Mama I'd come back," Kili said.
"Where is your Mama," Primrose asked.
"In the Blue Mountains with the rest of our folk. You'll be able to meet her when they join us in Erebor," Kili promised.
"She'll be my mother in law then so I guess I'll call her Mama too," Primrose said.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Kili asked.
"I'm saying that yes I will marry you if that's what you want. I heard you talking to that night you rescued me from Azog and Bolg about us getting married,"
"Oh Prim you've just made me the happiest dwarf in Middle Earth," Kili said.
He picked Primrose up and twirled her round and round then put her down and drawing her close found her lips with his. The two kissed deeply.
"I suppose you want to put the betrothal braid in my hair now," Primrose said.
"I would LOVE to be able to do that but I can't. Uncle would see it and know at once what it means," Kili said.
"I know. I guess we could put braids in our hair just before we get married," Primrose said.
"Yes we will," Kili said, "The courting braids, the betrothal braid in your hair and the marriage braids," he said.
"Do we add braids when we have children?" Primrose asked.
"Yes as a matter of fact we do," Kili said.
"So what do Fili's braids represent.I notice he's got four, two on each side," Primrose said.
"One represents that he's Uncle's heir, another represents that he's Mama's first born. She put that braid in his hair and Uncle put the heir braid in his hair. The other two are a courting braid as he has a she dwarf back in the Blue Mountains and one is a coming of age braid. I have one too," Kili said.
He showed her his coming of age braid. It was the only braid he had.
"Right I see. I bet he misses his girlfriend terribly," Primrose said.
They were heading back to camp then and continued to chat about Fili until they were back at camp. Thorin and Gandalf had gone for a walk to discuss things and weren't back so Kili quickly broke the news that he and Primrose were betrothed to the other dwarves.
"Mahal Kili you are playing with fire. Congratulations," Dwalin said.
"Very nicely done," Balin said.
"We're going to be brother and sister," Fili said to Primrose.
He hugged her and smiled then clasped hands with Kili and butted heads with him in a gesture of affection. The other dwarves promised not to say anything to Thorin. When Thorin and Gandalf got back the dwarves were smoking pipe weed and singing. Primrose was sitting between Kili and Fili and joining in the singing. She'd declined the pipeweed as she didn't smoke.
It took the dwarves another 6 weeks to reach Rivendell. By the time they got there everyone was ready for a rest. They'd be staying in Rivendell for two weeks and they were looking forward to the rest. When they arrived in Rivendell Lindir greeted them and told them that Elrond was not there. But Elrond arrived a short time later leading a column of mounted elves. The dwarves being naturally suspicious of the elves closed up ranks and pulled their wepons out. Fortunately Elrond assured them that they meant no harm and the dwarves relaxed. He then invited the dwarves to share a meal with the elves.
"When are you going to talk to Elrond?" Primrose asked Kili.
"As soon as I can," Kili replied.
Each of the dwarves was shown to separate lodgings and Primrose had her own room as well. As luck would have it Elrond came to see each of the dwarves and when he went to see Kili that was when Kili spoke up.
"Lord Elrond, I was wondering if you would be able to do me a favor," Kili began.
"How can I help you?" Elrond asked.
"I am betrothed and I was wondering if you could perform the wedding. It's a little complicated and needs to be done quickly and quietly," Kili said.
"A most unusual request. How is it complicated?" Elrond asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I am betrothed to a Hobbit and my uncle does not know of the planned union. He would not approve. Nor would my intended's uncle," Kili said.
"I see. I can marry you this evening if you like. I think the bridge in the garden would be an appropriate place," Elrond said.
Kili nodded.
"Thank you Lord Elrond," he said.
After Elrond was gone Kili freshened up and joined the other dwarves to have dinner. Primrose also joined them.
"Elrond is going to marry us this very evening. Have you a gown you can wear?" Kili asked.
"No I don't," Primrose said.
But after they had eaten Primrose returned to her quarters and spoke to one of the she elves who was assigned to look after her and the she elf, Bienniel was able to find her a suitable gown. While Primrose bathed and dressed in the gown she could hear shouts and splashes. Looking out the window in her quarters Primrose could see the dwarves swimming in the fountain and spotted Kili splashing Fili. She smiled enjoying watching Kili enjoy himself then turned her attention back to what she was doing. Once she was dressed and ready she headed down to the garden where the bridge was. Kili was there waiting and she smiled. He was wearing his usual clothes but not his travelling jacket or his weapons. Fili was also there with Kili also minus his travelling jacket and weapons. Kili looked very handsome and he smiled at Primrose.
"Elrond will be along shortly. Shall we braid our hair?" Kili said.
"Lets," Primrose said.
She and Kili sat down and Primrose sat so her back was to Kili. He was going to braid her hair first. He created three braids in her hair. Two he put clasps in and the other he left without a clasp. Then Primrose put two braids in his hair and one one she put a clasp on the other she left claspless. Kili had withheld three of the clasps he'd found in the troll hoard to use in Primrose's hair at the appropriate time and he'd helped her choose two clasps that would go in his hair.
Finally Elrond arrived and Kili, Fili and Primrose joined him on the bridge. The ceremony was short but beautiful.
"Do you Primrose Baggins take Kili of Erebor to be your husband?" Elrond asked.
"I do," Primrose said.
"And do you Kili of Erebor take Primrose Baggins to be your wife?" Elrond asked.
"Yes I do," Kili said.
Do you have vows you wish to exchange?" Elrond asked.
They nodded and Primrose began.
"I Primrose Baggins take you Kili of Erebor to be my husband. I promise to love you and cherish you and be there for you in the good times and the bad. I promise to be faithful and true to you until we are parted in death," Primrose said.
"I Kili of Erebor take you Primrose Baggins to be my wife. I promise to love you and cherish you and be there for you in the good times and the bad. I promise to be faithful and true to you until we are parted in death," Kili said.
"Do you have clasps to exchange?" Elrond asked.
Kili had explained to him the tradition of exchanging braid clasps.
Fili passed Primrose the clasp for Kili's braid.
"I give this clasp to you as a symbol of my love and devotion. I love you Kili of Erebor," Primrose said, sliding the clasp onto the bottom of his marriage braid.
"I give this clasp to you as a symbol of my love and devotion. I love you Primrose Baggins," Kili said sliding the clasp onto the bottom of her marriage braid.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kili you may kiss your wife," Elrond said.
Kili lent forward and finding Primrose's lips kissed her. Fili cheered and then he and Elrond clapped.
Kili led Primrose off the bridge and into the garden followed by Elrond and Fili.
"I will have you moved into shared quarters," Elrond said.
He turned and left.
"Hey sis," Fili said.
He smiled at Primrose.
"You're Princess Primrose of Erebor now," Kili said.
He smiled and kissed Primrose. When they came up for air they decided to go to bed so they and Fili headed to their quarters.
Kili and Primrose had been given a room with a double bed in it.
"Now you are my wife it's time to make you mine," Kili said.
He moved forward and kissed Primrose. One kiss followed another as Kili unlaced the back of Primrose's gown and slid it off her shoulders. She was unlacing his jerkin and undershirt at the same time. It wasn't long before they had shed their clothes and gotten into their bed. The feeling of skin against skin was exquisite.
20 minutes later Thorin was walking down the hallway looking for Kili as he'd gone to the room Kili had been assigned to only to find he wasn't there.
"Please I know where your nephew is. He's been given a new room," one of the elves said.
"What?" Thorin asked.
"His new room is down that hallway there," the elf said.
"Thank you," Thorin said.
He headed in the direction the elf pointed and it wasn't long before he had located the room Kili and Primrose were in. Knocking Thorin entered then stopped short the color draining from his face. There was Kili in bed with Primrose and it was pretty obvious what they were doing.
"What in Mahal's name is going on here?" Thorin thundered.
Kili jerked then quickly rolled off Primrose. As he sat up Thorin got another shock. He had two braids in his hair. Primrose sat up and to Thorin's disbelief he saw three braids in her hair. At once he knew what the braids were.
"How DARE you. This is OUTRAGEOUS," Thorin roared.
"Hello Uncle," Primrose said.
"We have behaved very properly. Elrond married us not an hour ago. I have not lain with her before that," Kili said.
"Propriety be damned. You a prince marrying a… a HALFLING. Have you taken leave of your senses?" Thorin shouted.
"Uncle I love Primrose. I've been in love with her since I met her at Bag End. We are married now and there isn't anything you can do about it. We didn't tell you as I knew you'd react like this," Kili said.
"I won't accept this. I CAN'T. You have bought shame on the line of Durin," Thorin growled.
"Primrose is my beautiful princess," Kili said.
"She will NEVER be a princess of Erebor and you will never be King. NEVER," Thorin said.
He turned on his heel and left slamming the door behind him.
"Whoops," Primrose said.
"He would have found out as soon as he saw us at breakfast anyway. Our braids remember," Kili said.
He began to say something else but a tapping at the door stopped him.
"Come in," he called out.
Their door opened and the other dwarves poked their heads in.
"We could hear Thorin blowing his stack. I take it he knows now," Dori said.
"He knows," Kili said.
"Congratulations you two," Oin said.
The other dwarves congratulated them too.
"We'll talk to your uncle, " Dwalin said.
"Make him see reason. I think he will come to accept it. He's just had a big shock is all," Balin said.
They went and found Thorin. He was fuming.
"I am furious," he said, " I went to talk to Kili and I found him in bed with Primrose. They were well you can guess," Thorin said.
"We know they are married. We saw their braids. And um we knew they were courting as we ah found out one night when gathering wood," Dwalin said.
"You KNEW and you didn't tell me. Why didn't you tell me. I'd have put a stop to it then and there," Thorin said.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"We saw no reason why they couldn't court. They LOVE each other and they are a good match. So what if Primrose is a Hobbit," Balin said.
"Dwarves DON'T marry non Dwarves," Thorin said through clenched teeth.
"There is always a first time," Dwalin said.
"I don't believe you two," Thorin said.
"You have a beautiful daughter in law. Kili is very lucky to have her. And anyway he's not the heir to the throne so it's not like Primrose would ever become Queen under the Mountain. Let Kili be happy and live his life with Primrose. What harm would it do?" Balin said.
Thorin was still too angry to even consider that. He went to bed wondering what on earth he was going to do. There was no way he could undo what Kili and Primrose had done. The other dwarves would hate him if he kicked Kili and Primrose out of the company and besides he needed Primrose as their burglar. Suddenly he had an idea and he smiled in the darkness. If Primrose could prove she was as tough as any dwarf he would accept her as a daughter in law. He would ask no, make Kili punish her with the armath taur and see how many strokes she could take. He would watch proceedings and see what happened. On that thought he fell asleep and slept until morning. When he woke he dressed and proceeded down to breakfast. There he saw Kili and Primrose sitting together and once all the dwarves were seated at the table he stood.
"I have an announcement to make. It has come to my attention that my nephew Kili was married last night. Congratulations Kili and Primrose. However for me to accept this Union, you Primrose will have to prove you are as tough as any of my dwarves. You got married to Kili behind my back so you need to be disciplined for that. Kili you will be doing the discipline as per our custom. If you Primrose can take as many strokes of the armath taur without asking Kili to stop as he took from me after losing two of the ponies I will accept your union," Thorin said.
He noticed Primrose go pale as he continued.
"Kili you will also be receiving discipline and I will be doing it. You should have come to me about what you were going to do," Thorin ended.