On Butterfly Wings Chapter 4: Wedding Flowers, a hobbit fanfic

Oh! Look! I finally updated! I'm sure those of you that are enjoying this fic are wondering why the long wait. Well I have something planned for the second to last chapter of the entire fic. Sure, it's a long way away, but it's work on it now when I have a whole fic to perfect it or have you all wait about a year before the final updates. I will tell you, lovely readers, what the second to final chapter is intended to be, but I will tell you now that I have no true guarantees in how well it will come out nor if the plan will be executed. It all really delves down to my own patience with Photoshop...
And so, the super awesome second to final chapter of the fic will be...!

Directions to a video freaturing a frame-by-frame drawn out animation of the final battle to the song Counting Stars by One Republic

Hell yes...anyhoot, story time! Also be sure to vote my lovelies!

I fixed the hem on my own dress as Elise got dressed in her underdressings, including a corset which she was worried about wearing.

"Worry not, Elise, corsets are very comfortable. It's those that wear them improperly that go without breath," Dina comforted the nervous bride as she carefully laced the corset enough to cinch Elise down by only two inches, which was more than enough to give her tiny figure the curves needed for her wedding.

I watched the commotion as Dis braided Elise's hair into a traditional dwarven braid and Dina made sure the dress was flawless.

"What flowers would you like in your hair, dear? We have daisies and roses," Dis asked.

"No, I'd much prefer a lily. Um, here, I'll grow you some!" Elise said, focusing her powers to make a lily grow outside the door.

I nabbed it before anyone could see it and handed it to Dis who obviously still wasn't used to witches around. I grabbed the bouquet of white roses and handed it to Elise.

"The sun is setting. Elise, are you ready?" Aster asked, slipping in.

Aster and I wore matching dresses in a pale blue that while beautiful, paled in comparison to Elise. Since her hair was so short Dis took to braiding it more into a crown style while still using the traditional braiding style, the lily placed delicately in the back. Her feet were bare but covered by the floor length cream gown.

"I…yes. I am," Elise smiled, blushing at the thought of being married so soon in her life.

Aster nodded to me and we opened the double doors at the same time, revealing the bride to the world. Elise walked out, a bright smile spreading across her face as she locked eyes with Fili. Flowers bloomed with her every step and animals that normally shied away from others came out and watched her. Aster and I followed behind her, careful not to step on the flowers.

Was this beautiful magic what happened when witches only had good emotions? I couldn't help but wander as Aster and I stood by Elise's side, Kili and Thorin beside Fili, and a Durin holy man between the bride and groom. He began to speak in dwarven, a language I never learned myself. Fili and Elise would say things in the same language and before I could figure out what was going on, Fili and Elise shared a kiss and all the dwarves cheered and clapped. Aster and I looked at each other, shrugged, and clapped as well. We went to the tables set out with food and drink and so the celebration began.

"Did you ever get the bride and groom a wedding gift?" a voice spoke from behind me as I watched the happy couple.

I turned and saw Thorin.

"Hm? Of course I did. I just haven't had time to give it to Elise," I frowned.

Thorin made a scoff which irked me wrong. I whistled loudly and a small hawk flew down, landing in a nearby tree.

"See that? That's a carrier hawk. It is so Elise can commune with Fili during any journeys, such as the one to Erebor," I sneered at him.

Thorin made a "hmph" noise and left me to join the merriment.

"Ass," my face contorted.

"Aw, he ain't that bad, right? A little hard around the edged perhaps?" Aster smiled, watching Thorin as he walked away.

"You have got to be kidding me," I groaned and walked away from the confused Aster who simple asked me what she did.

The bards began to play and Elise and Fili danced their first dance, the rest of the guests joining in on the second song. I watched my dear friend fondly as she never left Fili's side as he proudly talked to others, accepting their congratulations and kudos. I approached the two and hugged Elise.
"One foot in front of the other foot, right?" I smiled at her, tears in my eyes.

"Always."

Fili looked at us in slight confusion.

"It's the moral of a great song Dina sang to each of us during our hardships," Elise explained, leaning against him.

"Perhaps we should have her sing it one more time, in times of great good?" I asked.

Elise nodded and looked around for the elder, only to spy her near the band.
"Excuse me, but it would appear that the bride would like me to sing her a song I sang that always reminded her to keep going, no matter what," Dina spoke, gesturing for the band to follow her lead.

How did I get myself into all of this mess?

How did I end up with this deadly home address?

How did I come to this, where every song I sing

Is nothing but a list of pain and suffering?

We never will forget, and no, we will not forgive

We fought hard not to die, yet we don't know how to live

How do we change our world to what we want it to be?

How do we move beyond all of this misery?

One foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one…

I've been in chains since I was nothing but a kid

We don't know freedom, not quite sure that we ever did

Now that we have it, how will we make use of it?

We've been committed — now to what do we all commit?

I used to have a home, now I don't even have a name

I'm nothing but a number, here we are all the same

We've lost so much, so many of those we love are dead

How do I get these memories out of my fucking head?

One foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one…

How do we bear this burden, far too much to carry?

How do we change our prison to a sanctuary?

We've been kept from the light, no one ever gave a damn

If I've no one to fight, how do I know who I am?

One foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one…

We waged a war with Hell, and look, we still survive

But just because we live does not mean that we're alive

We've won the final round, but how to enjoy the win

When we've been broken down and we'll never know what could have been

Heaven help us, where do we begin?

One foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one foot in front of the other foot

In front of the one!

One!

Aster, Elise, and I all clapped, smiling happily at the song. Most seemed put off by the darkness of the song but clapped politely. Dina walked up to Elise and hugged her.

"This is your day, enjoy it to the fullest, Dear Elise."

Elise nodded and thanked Dina before joining Fili once again in mingling. It made my heart almost ache, a sense of jealous sadness creeping up on me as I wondered if I will ever find love.

Sure, this wasn't how it normally worked, but Elise seemed so happy and Fili was a nice guy so it seemed to work out anyway! I turned and walked back towards the cliff I had once spent a whole day on. I needed some time to think and some time being as close to the clouds as I could get here. Once a ways away from the group I summoned my wings and flew to the cliff as it was quicker than walking the whole way. I sat in the soft grass and looked out at the stars as the sun finished setting.

"I leave tonight," I spoke to myself.