Disclaimer: The usual applies, I only own Gwyn.
Author's note: Sorry this chapter took so long. I had a very hard time finding the inspiration to write, but when I did, the chapter went in a very different direction than I had originally planned. So this is a bit of a filler chapter, but it's a long filler chapter. Enjoy!
Author's note part 2: I have two more stories outlined right now, and there is a poll on my profile page for which one I should write next. Make sure you vote!
When Gwyn woke up the next morning, it was to bright sunlight shining into the room and the fiddly, not-quite-ticklish sensation of two someones playing with her hair. When she shifted to stretch though, one of the two people whose fingers were entwined with strands of her hair gently stopped her.
"Just a few more moments, mizimel, we're almost done," Fili whispered in her ear. It took Gwyn's sleepy mind a few moments, but she realized that Fili was on the wrong side of her. He always stood by her left and Kili stood by her right, however Fili had just whispered into her right ear. Brow furrowing in confusion, Gwyn almost missed the quiet click of beads being clasped around braids.
When she felt the two bodies on either side of her move away ever so slightly, she took that as a sign that she was free to move. She stretched languorously, like a cat laying in a sunbeam, and turned to face her princes. She gave them each a satisfied smile, before her brow arched in question at the anxious look on Kili's face and the slight furrow between Fili's brows.
"What were you two doing with my hair just now? And why do you both look like you're waiting for something?" she asked.
"Perhaps you should check a mirror first, then we shall explain," Fili said, handing her the linen shift she had worn the night before. That was when she realized that she was still quite naked, and her two dwarves were very much not.
"What time is it?" Gwyn's question was slightly muffled as she pulled the shift over her head, but the brothers heard her well enough.
"It is late morning. We've been awake for several hours, but things have been so mad for the past few weeks, with the whipping you were subjected to in the Woodland Realm, the barrel ride and subsequent fight with the orcs, saving my life, getting kidnapped by the Master, that we decided you have earned yourself a 'bit of a lie in,' as Bilbo put it. The others all agreed with us that you deserved some rest. Now, go look in the mirror!" Kili said hurriedly.
As Gwyn stood to begin making her way over to the vanity table in the corner of the room she felt Kili's clever fingers deftly retying the laces of her shift. Throwing a grateful smile over her shoulder at him, she crossed the room to sit in front of the mirror. Looking at her reflection in the glass, she noticed two new intricate braids, about an inch above her courting braids. Gwyn saw that each of the new braids was decorated with the beads of her dwarves like her courting braids, but they were on the opposite sides of the courting braids. Fili's bead adorned the lower braid above her left ear and the upper right braid, while Kili's was the reverse.
Catching Fili's eye in the mirror, Gwyn cocked an eyebrow. "What do these new braids mean?"
"They are marriage braids, mizimel. We woke early and spoke with our uncle. After the Master's kidnapping of you, he agreed with us that those braids would grant you a level of protection that simple courting braids would not. We will have a proper wedding ceremony once Erebor is reclaimed, but for now, we would feel much better about your safety if you wore these new braids," Fili explained.
Gwyn was silent for several long moments, mulling over Fili's words, while Kili grew increasingly anxious next to her.
"Please do not take the braids out, pundurîth! We think the Master may still bear you ill will after your humiliation of him yesterday, but with those braids he would not dare do anything to harm you," Kili begged.
Gwyn turned on the small stool to face her dwarves. "Will you two be wearing matching braids?"
"If our rose wishes it, we shall, although Uncle might have something to say about that, since we won't be officially married until we hold a proper ceremony," Kili answered, beginning to look relieved.
"I would be more comfortable wearing these new braids, if you two also wore them, because that would send an even clearer message to the Master that we are not to be trifled with. As for the ceremony bit, I might have an idea about that. Give me time to figure out the little details first, and to discuss my idea with your uncle, then I shall tell you my plan," Gwyn said thoughtfully. When she finished speaking, both brothers relaxed, knowing that Gwyn was not rejecting their desires to protect her.
Before Gwyn could ask them to show her how to put matching braids in the dwarves' hair, her stomach growled, loudly. The brothers began laughing heartily at Gwyn's embarrassed flush. Flouncing over to the wardrobe, Gwyn withdrew a gown of deep blue, which she slipped on over her linen shift. As she was struggling to lace the back up, she felt Fili's mustache braids tickling her neck as he kissed her sensitive skin.
"We are sorry for laughing, mizimel. We are just surprised that someone so small could have such a loud belly!" While he was apologizing, he finished lacing her into the blue gown. Seeing her corset hanging in the wardrobe, she put that on over the dress.
"I would be happy to help you with those laces, pundurîth," Kili flirted. The corset laced in the front, which would have given him access to Gwyn's mouth, should he follow his brother's example in placating their girl. From the look in his eyes, Gwyn knew that he most likely would do exactly that. Gwyn smirked at him.
"I'm sure you would be, Kili, but if I were to let you help me with my corset, we would never leave this room, and I am quite hungry!" While Gwyn teased the brothers, her fingers nimbly laced up the corset, and if she tightened it a bit more than usual, emphasizing her breasts, that was her business. As she tied the laces off she laughed at the dumbstruck expression on Fili's and Kili's faces as they stared at her cleavage.
As Gwyn walked to the door, she called over her shoulder, "Will you be joining me, or do I have to face the others alone?" She then heard Fili practically hauling Kili in his rush to escort Gwyn to the dining area. While the trio made their way down the stairs, Gwyn turned to Kili, a vaguely worried look in her eyes.
"How is your leg today, my love? Last night did not aggravate it, did it?"
"My leg is much better, you needn't worry. It barely hurts today, and Oin said that it should be completely well within a few more days." Hearing this news, Gwyn smiled brightly at her dark haired prince, leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. Fili smiled at the display, before he demanded a kiss from Gwyn as well, which she happily granted. Before they could go further though, the smells of lunch from the kitchen began wafting up the stairs, triggering Gwyn's stomach to grumble again. The brothers began laughing once more, and each brother wrapped an arm around Gwyn's waist, stopping her from flouncing off. They could not stop her from pouting at their teasing though.
As they rounded the final corner into the dining area of the house, Gwyn's nose was met with the delicious smells of Bombur's cooking. She smiled brightly at all the dwarves gathered for lunch, and was surprised when each of them, except Thorin, began bowing low to her. Bofur quickly jumped up from his seat at the table and offered it to Gwyn.
"Please, milady, take my seat," he urged earnestly. Gwyn was quite confused by everyone's behavior, and made that fact known, quickly.
"What are you all on about? I can easily find my own seat Bofur, you needn't give yours up for me," she said. Before she could protest much more though, her princes steered her towards an empty chair and sat her down.
"Would milady like a cup of tea?" Dori asked.
"Thank you Dori, but I can get myself just fine."
"Oh, 'tis no trouble milady. I'll fetch it for you," the fussy dwarf answered before bustling over to a teapot and filling a delicate cup with the dark brew.
"Here you are milady. Will you be needing any milk or sugar?"
"Oh, yes, but I can get it…myself." Gwyn's voice dwindled off at the end of her assurance when a small creamer and sugar bowl appeared in front of her, courtesy of Ori.
"Here you go, milady," the shy dwarf said quietly.
"Thank you, Ori. Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Gwyn demanded. Behind her she could hear Fili and Kili snickering at her discomfort, but before she could round on them, Balin stepped in.
"It's your new braids, my lady. They are marriage braids, and since both Fili and Kili are princes, you are now a princess," the grandfatherly dwarf explained. It took Gwyn several moments to process Balin's statement. When she had finally made sense of everything, her breath left her with a whoosh. A PRINCESS?! she thought. The room spun a bit sickeningly for a moment as that realization hit Gwyn like a sledgehammer. She coped by taking a deep breath and sipping at her tea. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, waiting for her reaction. Emerging from her thoughts, Gwyn smiled a bit wanly at the dwarves surrounding her.
"Where I come from, little girls dream of being whisked away by a handsome prince to live happily ever after as a princess. I am aware that without a proper marriage ceremony I am not yet a princess, and we still have a dragon to face before we get our happily ever after, so I would appreciate it if you would treat me as you always have, in private at least. In front of the townsfolk, and the Master especially, feel free to treat me like a princess. But, I refuse to be a damsel in distress!" Gwyn's last statement earned her a chuckle from the assembled dwarves, and a general consensus of "as milady commands." Just as the dwarves were standing up from their bows to Gwyn, Bilbo appeared, looking much healthier (even if his nose was still a bit red). The hobbit looked around in confusion at the dwarves bowing to Gwyn and decided that he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what had happened.
After lunch Gwyn found Thorin staring intently at his grandfather's map, trying to figure out the best plan of approach to the Mountain and the location of the hidden door.
"Excuse me, my lord, do you have a moment to speak with me?" Gwyn asked, before she huffed when Thorin smirked at her address of him, "If the others insist on treating me with such ridiculous formality, then I shall return the honor. But that is not what I wish to speak with you about."
"I see you agreed to wear my nephews' marriage braids," Thorin stated.
"Yes, but that is what I wish to speak to you about. I would feel more comfortable with their plan to emphasize my position if they also wore marriage braids," Gwyn said, before continuing quickly as Thorin began opening his mouth to voice his objections, "but they said that you might not agree. So I come to you with a proposal," Gwyn paused, waiting for Thorin to prompt her to continue. "Where I come from, in certain extenuating circumstances, like men going off to war, a man and his sweetheart may decide to have a small first wedding, sometimes attended only by very close friends and family, other times attended only by the couple being married and the person marrying them, so that the man has a wife to return to, and that his wife would be afforded the care she deserved as a military widow, should her husband fall in battle. Then, if the man survives, the couple sometimes elects to hold a second, larger wedding, with a much larger celebration. So this is what I propose: that Fili, Kili, and myself wed in this manner. I would like to have a small ceremony in accordance with my customs, as facing a dragon should be considered an 'extenuating circumstance', and once Erebor is reclaimed and the dwarves from the Blue Mountains began returning, we would have a second, grander, ceremony in accordance with dwarvish customs. I do not expect an answer right away, but I would ask that you consider what I have asked."
Thorin was quiet for a very long time, before he turned to Gwyn. "I will consider your plan and discuss it with Balin. I shall give you my answer by tomorrow evening. Do Fili and Kili know that you spoke to me about this?"
"Thank you my lord. I told them that I would speak to you about them wearing marriage braids, but I did not tell them that I wanted to suggest having what amounts to two weddings, just in case you refused. I did not wish to get their hopes up," Gwyn said calmly. Inside however, she was a bundle of nerves, wishing she had demanded an immediate answer from Thorin.
"That was probably wise. If you had told them and I refused, Fili would have been disappointed, but Kili would have been furious. We do not need distractions like that so close to our goal," the king said, before returning to ponder the riddles of the map. Gwyn knew that she had been dismissed, but before she could leave, Thorin made one last remark, "And you need not refer to me as your lord. You are to wed my nephews, in one manner or another, so you may call me 'Uncle'. Please tell Balin that I would speak with him" Gwyn smiled gently to herself as she left to find Balin. Once she had relayed Thorin's message to the old dwarf, Gwyn set off to find her princes.
"You wished to see me, Thorin?" Balin said, approaching the younger dwarf.
"Yes, I would have your advice on a delicate matter," Thorin said. "Gwyn has told me that while she will wear my nephews' marriage braids, she would be more comfortable if Fili and Kili wore her matching braids."
"You know as well as I do that they can only wear the braids if they are truly married. We are making a large exception just letting the lassie wear the braids."
"I know that, Balin. However, Gwyn said that sometimes young couples in her world sometimes hold one small wedding before the young man goes off to war, and a second, larger wedding after he returns. She has asked that I allow her to wed my sister-sons in accordance with her customs, with one ceremony for the Company now before we face the dragon, and a second Dwarvish wedding once Erebor is reclaimed and the dwarves from the Blue Mountains have joined us there. What say you?"
Balin was quiet for several long moments before a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "I say you should let the lass marry according to her customs. She has adapted well to our world, taking our customs for her own. This is the first time she has asked you for anything to remind her of home. If it would ease her mind, why should we not allow her to have this one thing?"
"That is what my heart told me as well, but I wanted to know that my heart was correct. Thank you my old friend, for easing my conscience," Thorin said. "I told her I would give her my answer by tomorrow evening. Should I tell her now, or should I tell her tomorrow?"
"I would tell her after supper tonight. If I know her as well as I think I do, she was probably quite nervous making her request of you, and she most likely will not rest well until you have given her your answer. Has she told your nephews of her plan?"
"No, she said that she did not wish to get their hopes up, in the event that I declined her request," the king responded.
"Ah, the lass was wise to do that, though it probably grieves her to keep secrets from her intendeds. She is an honest sort, and among friends she is very open, so to keep something so important to herself, it is probably waiting to burst from her mouth at an inopportune moment. So, the sooner you give her your answer, the happier everyone will be, and the sooner we can plan the wedding. What do you think that entails?" Balin asked.
"I do not know. Gwyn told me no details, only that the first wedding was usually small and simple, attended by the couple's closest friends and family, and the second wedding is much grander. I'm sure we will learn about her customs soon enough though. Now, where do you think the hidden door is?"
When Gwyn found Fili and Kili, they were lying on the trio's bed, napping. She smiled fondly that they had kept her place for her. She would have expected the brothers to twine around each other in her absence the way they twined around her in her presence. However, they two sleeping dwarves had studiously kept to their respective sides of the bed, leaving the middle open for Gwyn. Deciding that after the tiring events of the night before she deserved a bit of a rest herself, she crawled up the bed to join her princes in slumber. As she was lying down, Fili and Kili both drew closer to her, intent on wrapping around her as usual. Letting her eyes slip closed, Gwyn smiled faintly when she heard two sleepy murmurs of men lananubukhs menu, âzyungâl.
The trio had only slept for about an hour when they woke up.
"We saw you speaking with Uncle earlier. What were you talking about?" Kili asked.
"I asked him about letting me put marriage braids in your hair," Gwyn answered. She felt a twinge of guilt that she was keeping secrets from her loves, even if they were better not knowing. If Thorin answered in the affirmative to her proposal, then she would explain, if he answered negatively, Gwyn would not tell her princes of her idea.
"What did he say, mizimel?"
"He said he would think about it, and give me his answer by tomorrow evening," Gwyn answered.
"At least it wasn't an outright no," Kili said hopefully.
"That is true. So, did you tell your uncle that you made him proud last night?" Gwyn asked, smirking.
"We did not need to. The others were already complaining of your noise. Poor Ori couldn't look at either of us without flushing, just like when he won that purse of coins at Beorn's house," Fili said, returning Gwyn's smirk in kind.
"I noticed that there was a distinct lack of teasing a lunch. Did the others get it out of their systems at breakfast?"
"That's because you now wear our marriage braids, pundurîth. They would not dare to tease a princess in such a manner." Gwyn raised an eyebrow at Kili's declaration.
"Oh really? Even though I am not even technically a princess yet? I will not be considered a princess until after our wedding my loves."
"But you wear our braids. That is close enough, and it will have to suffice until after the Mountain is won and our kin from the Blue Mountains arrive. Especially our mother, Dis," Fili explained. Gwyn felt a small spark of nervousness at the mention of her future mother-in-law.
"What is your mother like? I have heard precious little about her, and I'm afraid that my imaginings of her are incorrect."
"Our mother is of the Line of Durin, which means she is powerful. Indeed, I rather think that she is the only person who can make Uncle see sense at times, mostly because she is not afraid to hit him to make her point. She is wickedly smart, growing up she could trick Kili or myself into admitting guilt for some infraction or another simply by making a casual statement about the misdeed. Actually, you remind me very much of her, mizimel. You are both very strong, and completely unafraid of voicing your opinion, even if it is not necessarily popular. In all, I think she will like you quite a lot, especially when she hears how you stood up to Thorin to save Kili's life," Fili said.
"I certainly hope she likes me," Gwyn said.
"She will, pundurîth, because we like you," Kili said cheekily.
"You only like me? I am wounded, my love, that I have given you my heart, and you see fit only to 'like me'! I had hoped that the man, or in this case dwarves, that I was to marry would love me at least as much as I love him!" Gwyn teased back.
"Men lananubukhs menu! Be still, mizimel, you have our hearts as certainly as the sun rises each morn in the east and sets each evening in the west!"
"Ah, my silver tongued prince! Such poetic words. What does 'men lananubukhs menu' mean? I heard you both say it earlier, but I do not speak Khuzdul," Gwyn asked.
"It means 'I love you'. So you see, mother will love you, because we love you. I am sorry my foolish words hurt you, pundurîth, it was not my intention," Kili said, answering for his brother.
"I was only teasing, my loves. I know that you love me, your actions speak plainly even when you tease me. Now, unless I am deceived, it is almost supper, and I believe we should start the journey to the dining room. Would you care to escort me, my princes?"
Supper that night was a relatively quiet affair for the Company, although the expectant looks all the dwarves excepting Fili, Kili, Balin, and Thorin kept sending her were making Gwyn more than a little uneasy. Several times she tried to get the excited dwarves to confess why they kept looking at her, but they all deflected her questions in one way or another. This amused both Balin and Thorin greatly, and Fili and Kili were as confused as Gwyn as to their companions' behavior. Bilbo, as anxious as the other members of the Company, retained his manners and sense of subtlety, so his expectant looks were cleverly hidden, cast when Gwyn was engaged in conversation with another member of the Company.
After supper was over, Gwyn began clearing away the dirty dishes. However, she was soon interrupted by Bilbo and Ori, who told her that Thorin wished to speak with her. As she walked over to the dwarf king she saw many of the dwarves flash each other bright, excited smiles. When Fili and Kili made to follow Gwyn, Balin stopped them, giving them a wink before walking away. The two brothers looked at each other in confusion, before shrugging and walking over to join Bofur and Nori in smoking their pipes. They knew that Gwyn would tell them what she and Thorin discussed.
Gwyn looked for Thorin in all the common areas of the house, finally finding him in a small study. Knowing that this would be a private conversation, Gwyn shut the door behind her and announced her presence.
"You wished to speak with me?"
"Yes. I have my answer to your earlier request," the dwarf said. His face was solemn, as usual, but there was a spark of mirth in his eyes. Gwyn's breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to tell her whether she would be planning a wedding sooner or later. "After speaking with Balin about it, I have decided to grant your request. You and my sister-sons will be married here in accordance with your customs, and again in the Mountain in accordance with dwarvish customs. I have already told the others that they are to assist you in any way they can to plan and prepare, but I will leave it to you to tell Fili and Kili."
Gwyn was rather stunned that Thorin had agreed to let her marry her princes before they faced the dragon. She recovered quickly though, and swept a deep, graceful curtsy to the king.
"Thank you my lord! There is one more request I would make of you," Gwyn said.
"Yes?"
"In my world, you would be the only person with enough power to marry your nephews and myself, so I would ask that you perform our ceremony. Please?"
"Would you write for me what to say?"
"Absolutely! I could have your script to you by the morning after next. Is that acceptable?"
"Very well, as King, I will marry you now, and in Erebor."
"Thank you…Uncle." Gwyn cast a bright smile at the dwarf, before rushing out to speak with her lovers.
"You did a good thing, giving her this. I'm sure this whole journey has been quite strange, and Gwyn is probably more grateful for this reminder of her home than even she realizes," Balin said, taking Gwyn's place in the study with Thorin.
"I know, my old friend, I know."
Gwyn saw Fili and Kili sitting with Bilbo, Bofur, and Nori, all five of them enjoying their pipes. She rushed over to them, face split by a wide smile. Since Thorin had already announced that the trio was to marry before the Company departed for the Lonely Mountain, everyone, with the exception of Fili and Kili, knew exactly what had made Gwyn so happy. Ori was practically bouncing in his excitement, only Dori's hand on his arm prevented the shy dwarf from leaping up to hug the girl he had come to consider his friend. Bilbo, Bofur, and Nori all hid their smiles around the stems of their pipes.
"Excuse me, could I borrow these two for a few moments?" Gwyn asked her friends. They all nodded their assent, and Gwyn took her princes' hands and led them away. She was too excited to lead them back to their room though, so they wound up in one of the empty rooms on the first floor of the house.
While the trio was gone, Thorin and Balin emerged from the study. They were taking in the scene in the common room, noticing that Gwyn, Fili, and Kili were conspicuously absent.
"So, was she excited?" Balin asked the other dwarves.
"Aye, she practically dragged them away. Still don't think they had any clue what made her so happy. You said she didn't tell them what she was asking you?" Dwalin said.
"Aye. She said she didn't want to get their hopes up, in case I…" Thorin was interrupted as twin whoops of joy echoed through the house, followed by Gwyn's ringing laughter.
"Well, I'd say they know now," Bofur said, "I'd wager the Master heard that racket!"
"Oh, this is all so romantic! I wonder what weddings look like where Gwyn is from?" Ori sighed.
"I don't know, but this wedding will still probably be very different from any wedding any of us, including Gwyn, have ever seen," Dori replied.
"And you will all help her plan this wedding? As Dori said, this will be different, especially for Gwyn, and we should all do our best to make sure this hasty wedding exceeds her expectations of such an event. And their wedding in Erebor will be one of the grandest events to ever be recorded in our histories!" Thorin exclaimed. The other dwarves all agreed to do all they could to make this first wedding of their princes and soon-to-be-princess a success.
Soon, Gwyn and her two dwarves emerged from the room they had hidden in. At the broad smiles on the faces of the three lovers the other members of the Company sent up a shout of congratulations. Gwyn blushed, and it looked to everyone as though she had tears in her eyes, but if there were none fell. Ori and Bilbo were the first out of their seats, rushing over to Gwyn, grabbing her in tight hugs. Bofur followed soon after, and the rest of the dwarves after him. While Gwyn was being passed around amongst the dwarves, Thorin took his nephews aside, offering them his congratulations.
"You'll let us know, won't you, if you need us to do anything? We want to help you, any way we can. Just tell us what to do, and we'll do it," Bilbo said.
"Of course I'll tell you if I need your help, which I'm sure I will. Ori, could I please have some paper, a quill, and some ink? I would like to make a list of everything I'll need to do for this to work," the small dwarf rushed off to fetch Gwyn the requested items.
When Ori returned with the paper, quill, and ink, Gwyn thanked him. "Now, I'll have a better idea of what kind of help I will need after I've made this list. But right now, I believe I have two other dwarves who need my attention. If you'll all excuse me," Gwyn said, before walking over to Fili and Kili. The three of them had yet to stop smiling, which made the others smile. Thorin thought that maybe, after the events in Mirkwood and what they still had to face, this wedding would be exactly what the Company needed to lift their spirits and keep them high. Unbeknownst to him, everyone else was thinking the exact same thing, especially when they saw just how in love Gwyn, Fili, and Kili were.
Thorin had decided that the Company would set out on the last leg of their journey on October ninth. Gwyn, Fili, and Kili decided together to hold their wedding on October sixth, so that they could have a few days to themselves, and to give their companions time to recover from the celebration that would follow the wedding. In the two weeks leading up to the wedding, Gwyn frequently rose before the sun and went to bed long after everyone else. The others knew that she was working as hard as she could to prepare for her wedding and for the journey to Erebor. Her list of things to prepare was always at hand, and Gwyn consulted it frequently.
Gwyn's nerves increased tenfold each time she saw the unchecked items on her list. She had neither time nor money to buy or make a white gown, there was no money to buy wedding rings, and no one to walk her to meet her princes and the king. These thoughts saddened her, but Gwyn did not betray her sadness on her face. When the others looked to her, all they saw was her excitement and happiness, for she was exceedingly happy and excited. The dwarves all helped in whichever way she asked. Ori helped Fili and Kili compose their vows, Bofur assured Gwyn that he and several of the others would provide the most beautiful music any of the Company had ever heard. Bilbo promised to find the most beautiful flowers he could to weave into a wreath for her hair. Dori and Bombur worked hard preparing the wedding meal, even bargaining to get the ingredients needed for a beautiful, if simple, cake.
The days ticked down to October sixth. Gwyn had arranged for Sigrid and Tilda to come to the dwarves' house early that morning to help Gwyn prepare, as the actual ceremony would not be until evening. Gwyn had insisted that she and her princes sleep separately the night before the wedding, telling the laughing dwarves and chuckling hobbit that it was considered bad luck for the groom, or grooms in Gwyn's case, to see the bride before the wedding. Grumbling, Fili and Kili decided that they would share Balin and Dwalin's room for the night.
October sixth dawned bright and clear, promising a beautiful night. Gwyn was awakened by several quick knocks on her door, which opened to reveal Dori and Bilbo, bearing trays with a breakfast of warm, flaky pastries and tea on it.
"Well, today is the big day! How did you sleep, my dear?" Dori asked, setting his tray down and pouring warm water into the washbasin.
"Surprisingly well. Usually when I am nervous about something, I sleep horribly. And I missed Fili and Kili," she replied, tying a robe over her night shift.
"Well, I suppose that's to be expected. I think the longest any of you have been apart were those few hours in the spiders' clutches and in Thranduil's dungeons, although you quickly solved that last account," Bilbo chuckled. Neither Bilbo nor Dori mentioned that the reason Gwyn slept so well was that Oin had slipped a very tiny dose of one of his sleeping potions into the chamomile tea she had drunk the night before. The old dwarf had done the same for Fili and Kili.
"Indeed. When Sigrid and Tilda arrive would you please send them up? Thank you," Gwyn said.
"Certainly. We'll be back later with something for you three girls to eat for lunch," Bilbo said as he and Dori left Gwyn alone.
Sitting in front of the vanity, Gwyn spent several long moments gathering her thoughts. I'm actually getting married today. And in a few days from now, I'll be on my way with my husbands to face a dragon. Well, my life has certainly taken a turn for the interesting ever since I came to Middle Earth. And I still don't know how that came to pass! Gwyn was startled from her thoughts when Sigrid and Tilda entered her room.
Gwyn quickly washed her face while Sigrid pulled several hairpins out of her apron pocket. After Gwyn had bathed the night before, she had tied her long dark hair up into a knot on the top of her head, and secured that with a few rags that she had found. Retaking her seat in front of the vanity, she slowly unwound the rags and the knot, leaving her hair to cascade down her back. Her hair had dried mostly straight, but with a pleasing curl to the ends.
"You have such pretty hair, Miss Gwyn. I'm not even sure we should braid and bind it, other than any customary braids you might want," Sigrid said, taking up a soft brush and running it lightly through Gwyn's hair. Little Tilda could only watch in amazement as the two older girls decided how to style Gwyn's hair.
"I rather think you are right. I shall wear my courtship braids, and tonight after the ceremony, Fili and Kili will replace the marriage braids that I have worn," Gwyn said. She quickly braided her courtship braids back into her hair, fingers flying through her long hair. She stood and walked over to the wardrobe, intending to draw out a fine green dress she had decided on. However, when she opened the wardrobe doors, her breath caught in her throat. Inside was the kind of gown meant to be worn to a wedding. The kirtle was of dark blue velvet, Durin blue, Gwyn had heard it called. The surcoat was made of heavy ivory satin, with elegant bell sleeves. There was silver embroidery around the neckline, the bottom of the sleeves, and the hem of both the kirtle and the surcoat. Additionally, there was a pair of delicate blue slippers, and a jeweled belt to be worn at the pointed dropped waist of the surcoat. The sight of this unexpected gift brought tears to Gwyn's eyes.
"Oh, that's the loveliest dress I've ever seen! I think it'll look quite well on Miss Gwyn, don't you Tilda? Wherever did you get that dress?" Sigrid gushed.
"I don't know. I had planned to wear the nicest dress I had, which was green. It's tradition where I come from for brides to wear white, but I had no white dress. Now, somehow, I do," Gwyn murmured, carefully taking the dress from the wardrobe and laying it on the bed.
From downstairs, the three girls heard a shout of surprise, and the thump of feet running up the stairs. After a hurried knock, Bilbo burst into the room, holding a wreath of some sort.
"Gwyn, I made the flower wreath for your hair last night and set it in the cellar to stay fresh. When I went to retrieve it, the flowers had turned to stone!" Indeed, in Bilbo's hands was a delicate wreath that looked as though it had been wrought from silver and diamonds, even though Gwyn knew that Bilbo had woven together quince blossoms that he had found somewhere. Looking at the wreath, which could only really be called a tiara now, Gwyn saw that it matched the embroidery on her dress, and the jeweled belt. Just then, Tilda pointed out that very fact.
"Look Sig! It matches Gwyn's dress!" the little girl exclaimed. Bilbo turned to look where Tilda was pointing and his gaze fell on the gown laid out on the bed.
"Oh my stars, where in the world did you get that?"
"I don't know where it came from. I was planning on wearing that green dress I showed you a few days ago, but when I went to take it out of the wardrobe, this was there instead. It's tradition where I come from for brides to wear white, but I didn't have anything suitable, so I was going to wear the green," Gwyn answered.
"Well, I don't know what wedding dresses look like where you're from, but I'd say this one is fit for a princess!" the hobbit said. He gently set the tiara on a shelf before bowing to Gwyn with a smile and excusing himself, promising to be back soon with lunch. The later the day grew though, the more nervous and excited Gwyn got. She wasn't sure how much lunch she would actually be able to eat, her stomach was so knotted up.
Luckily, Bilbo had recognized her nerves and he brought sandwiches for Sigrid and Tilda, but he gave Gwyn a bowl of soup.
"You look a bit jumpy, so I reckon you'll not have much of an appetite. You need to eat though, so I thought you might like some soup. It was my mother's recipe!"
"Thank you Bilbo, it smells wonderful!" The girls tucked into their lunches as Bilbo excused himself, claiming he was needed downstairs. As soon as he reached the common room, which had been decorated simply for the event to be held that night, he told everyone gathered in the room of the changes to Gwyn's wedding clothes and her wreath of flowers becoming a tiara. Several of the dwarves gasped, hearing of the transformations.
"Tis the Valar blessing this union. They wish for Gwyn to be arrayed as the princess she will become after the ceremony. Quickly, Fili and Kili, run to see about your wedding clothes!" Oin said. The two princes bolted to their temporary room, and the assembled dwarves heard two exclamations of surprise. Soon, Fili and Kili reemerged, looking stunned.
"Our clothes have changed as well. They are much finer than anything we have ever owned, made of velvets and fine furs. Do you truly think it is the Valar?" Kili said, awe in his voice.
"There is no other explanation," the apothecary and soothsayer said.
Back upstairs, the girls had finished their lunches, and Sigrid and Tilda were helping Gwyn dress in her wedding clothes. First, they laced Gwyn into a proper corset, whittling her waist to an even more pronounced hourglass shape. Next, the two younger girls helped Gwyn into the deep blue kirtle, adjusting the fit and fall so that it flowed elegantly around her. The next step was the white surcoat, which laced up the back and flowed out into a short train. The final step was to help Gwyn put her slippers on. Because she had so many layers of heavy fabric on, and because all of those layers were laced tightly to showcase Gwyn's figure, she could not bend over well enough to put the slippers on.
Gwyn paced the room a couple of times to get used to the feel and movement of the gown around her. After her second pass, Gwyn carefully sat in front of the vanity, trying to see how the dress fit when she was sitting versus how it fit when she was standing. Satisfied with her conclusions, Gwyn withdrew a small jar from one of the vanity's drawers. As she removed the lid, Tilda and Sigrid looked over her shoulder to see the contents of the jar. Gwyn dipped a finger into the colored paste inside the jar and gently dabbed it on her lips, staining them a soft rosy red.
"What's that stuff, Miss Gwyn? We ain't ever seen anything like it!" Tilda asked.
"You should have said we've neverseen anything like it, silly!" Sigrid scolded.
"It's a sort of cosmetic I made. It can be used to darken the lips, as I have done, or it can be spread across the cheeks making you look flushed. Women where I come from frequently use such things, especially on important days like today," Gwyn explained, giving the two other girls a closer look at the contents of the jar. Both girls were impressed that Gwyn had been able to make the colored paste, and they thought the color suited her quite well.
Sigrid picked up a soft brush from the vanity and began running it through Gwyn's hair, smoothing it into place from where it had become mussed during dressing. When she was finished, Gwyn's chestnut hair gleamed in the candle light. Catching her sister's eye, Sigrid motioned for Tilda to carefully bring the tiara over, so that Sigrid could pin it into Gwyn's hair. Just as Sigrid was putting the last pin into place there was a knock at the door, and Bilbo's voice called out that it was almost time for the ceremony.
"Thank you for your help today. You are more than welcome to stay for the ceremony if you would like," Gwyn said, turning to Sigrid and Tilda. Tilda looked excited at the prospect, but Sigrid declined.
"Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid Da and Bain wouldn't like it much if we stayed much longer. We're needed at home. But we wish you all the luck and happiness in the world," Sigrid said, before taking her sister's hand and leading her home.
Gwyn took several moments to compose herself before she began making her way downstairs. She could faintly hear the male members of the Company laughing and teasing Fili and Kili. When she reached the bottom of the last set of stairs, Gwyn's heart was racing. She gently touched the rose pendant that Fili and Kili had given her, which served to calm her somewhat. As she waited in the hall, she heard Thorin announce that it was time for the ceremony to begin. Gwyn took a deep breath and rounded the corner into the common area where the ceremony was to be conducted. She heard several gasps from the dwarves and the hobbit, but her attention was solely on Fili and Kili.
Both of her princes looked so handsome that Gwyn's breath caught in her throat. They were dressed similarly, in tunics of rich velvet with coats lined with very fine quality furs. Both Fili and Kili wore her courtship braids, as well as braids denoting their rank as Thorin's heirs. Gwyn dimly noticed that indeed, all of the men were wearing very nice clothes, but Fili, Kili, and Thorin were dressed in the finest fabrics with the nicest furs. Gwyn startled a bit when she felt someone take each of her arms. Looking to her left, she saw that Balin had a fond smile on his face, and on her right, Bilbo seemed to already be fighting tears.
"Thorin told us that it is customary in your land for someone close to the bride to give her away to her husband-to-be and that you planned to give yourself away. Bilbo and I would be honored if you would allow us to present you," Balin said. The thoughtfulness of the gesture brought tears to Gwyn's eyes, and she nodded, too overcome to actually voice her assent. Balin gently bumped his forehead against hers affectionately, before Bofur began playing a gentle tune on his flute, which Dwalin joined with his viol. As Balin and Bilbo began escorting Gwyn towards Fili and Kili, Balin whispered that the song the others were playing was a traditional dwarvish love song commonly played at weddings. Gwyn looked at the two musicians and gave them a soft smile. Dwalin gruffly nodded his head, while Bofur sent a cheerful wink her way.
After only a few moments (that felt like ages to Gwyn) she and her escorts stood in front of Fili, Kili, and Thorin.
"Who gives this woman away in marriage?" Thorin recited.
"We, Balin son of Fundin and Bilbo Baggins of the Shire, on behalf of ourselves and our companions, do so," Balin answered, passing her left hand to Fili, who gently kissed her knuckles. Bilbo gave her a kiss on the cheek whispering "You look absolutely beautiful, my dear" and passed her right hand to Kili, whose smile was so broad it very nearly split his face.
"Friends, we are gathered here to witness the joining of these dwarves and this woman in marriage. They have opted to say vows of their own writing. Fili will begin," Thorin said.
"Mizimel, you truly are the jewel of all jewels. On this journey you have shown that you are stronger than diamond, but softer than a rose. You have defended yourself, and others so many times, and I promise that I will do my utmost to protect you and help you. When you saved Kili's life, you saved my life, for I do not think I could live without my brother. Even when the night is darkest you do not fear it, and your light shines all the brighter. You truly are my One," Fili said. His voice was rough with emotion, but he wore a bright smile. Gwyn felt her eyes fill with tears once more at his words.
"Kili, you are next," Thorin said.
"Pundurîth, as I said in Rivendell, you are the girl that my brother and I have dreamed of for as long as we can remember. We dreamt of your smile, your laugh, and the fierce look of battle in your eyes. You have shown yourself to be playful like a kitten, but dangerous as a wildcat. You saved my life and the lives of our companions many times, using your wits as frequently as your blades. I promise that I will always be there to protect you and help you. Even when the night is darkest you do not fear it, and your light shines all the brighter. You truly are my One," Kili said. His voice and his face held fervent sincerity, and Gwyn smiled at her two dwarves.
"Gwyn, it is your turn," Thorin said.
"My loves, when I came to Middle Earth, I was unsure of so many things. When I did not know my purpose, you both helped me find my place. When I discovered skills I did not know I possessed, you cheered me on and encouraged me. You both have protected me and comforted me. Fili, you make sure I do not lose myself in taking care of others. Kili, you lift my spirits when things go wrong. I am so thankful that I was allowed to find you, and I am even more thankful that I have been allowed to love you. I promise to always love you both, and I will always do my best to make sure I am worthy of your love in return. You are both the loves of my life, you are my Ones," Gwyn said, tears gently falling, but a smile lighting her face. Fili and Kili each wiped the tears away, returning her smile. They could hear several of the dwarves in the audience sniffling, and poor Bilbo seemed to be outright sobbing.
The three turned then to face Thorin.
"Do you Fili and Kili, sons of Vili, take this woman to be your wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
"We do," the two princes answered.
"And do you Gwyndolyn, daughter of Evangeline, take these dwarves to be your wedded husbands? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
"I do," Gwyn answered.
"Gwyn has told me that at this point in the ceremony there is traditionally an exchange of rings, but circumstances being what they are, we have been forced to forgo this tradition," the king said.
"Wait, I found three rings in my room this morning! I wasn't sure where they came from, but I figured they might be important," Gloin said, stepping forward with the rings. He handed the two thick mithril rings etched with the brothers' personal symbols and inlaid with jewels to Gwyn, and the more delicate mithril ring that looked like woven vines and also inlaid with jewels to Fili.
"Well, then let us proceed with this unanticipated part of the ceremony. Fili, Kili, repeat after me. With this ring I thee wed," Thorin said.
"With this ring I thee wed," the two brothers intoned, slipping the mithril and diamond ring onto the third finger of Gwyn's left hand.
"This ring is a symbol of my unending love for you, just as the circle has no end, so too does my love for you," the king said.
"This ring is a symbol of my unending love for you, just as the circle has no end, so too does my love for you," the brothers answered.
"Gwyn, please repeat after me. With this ring I thee wed,"
"With this ring I thee wed." Gwyn said, slipping the ring etched with each brother's symbol onto their respective fingers.
"This ring is a symbol of my unending love for you, just as the circle has no end, so too does my love for you," Thorin said.
"This ring is a symbol of my unending love for you, just as the circle has no end, so too does my love for you," Gwyn repeated.
"Now, with the power granted to me by the Valar as rightful King Under the Mountain, I declare you dwarves and wife. Seal your vows with a kiss!" And the newlyweds proceeded to do exactly that, inciting shouts from the assembled members of the Company.
"Bombur and Dori have been working all day in the kitchen preparing the wedding meal. They have truly outdone themselves, let us go enjoy their labors!" Bofur called, leading the way to the dining hall. Gwyn, Fili, and Kili followed just after him, and the rest of the Company trailed behind.
When the three newlyweds entered the dining hall, they saw the table piled high with all kinds of food. In the corner, on a small side table, sat a cake, that had been carefully decorated with symbols of Fili, Kili, and Gwyn. Gwyn turned to thank Bombur and Dori, who told her that Ori and Bilbo had been the ones to decorate the cake. Ori was tucked in a corner for the moment, quill busily sketching away in his journal.
"Dori told me that you helped to decorate the cake. I wanted to thank you, it's lovely," Gwyn said, startling the dwarf.
"I-i-it was n-nothing, milady. I j-just wanted t-to do more to h-h-help make today spe-special for you and Fili and Kili," the shy dwarf stuttered.
"Gwyn, come on! Thorin says that the feast can't begin until you have taken your seat!" Kili called.
"It seems my presence is needed elsewhere. Thank you again Ori, the cake is lovely," Gwyn said, turning to join Fili and Kili at the table.
The dwarves greatly enjoyed the wedding feast that had been prepared. They laughed and drank, and when they had eaten their fills, Bofur and Dwalin and several others took up their instruments and began playing music. Standing on either side of her, Fili and Kili each bowed to her, asking her for a dance. Rising gracefully, she took their offered hands, letting them lead her onto the improvised dance floor. As Bofur and the other musicians struck up a slow, romantic tune the three lovers began to sway gently together.
As the night wore on, and most of the Company got steadily more drunk on the Master's gift of mead, ale, and Elvish wine, Gwyn was passed around for multiple dances with each member of the Company, save Thorin. Fili, Kili, Gwyn, Thorin, and Bilbo had managed to stay mostly sober, and they laughed at their companions' drunken antics. Bofur had passed his flute off to Ori, Dwalin had given up his viol altogether, and the two of them were engaged in a drinking contest along with Gloin and Nori. It seemed to be to Gwyn that the winner of the contest was the last dwarf standing. She knew that the four dwarves would regret their consumption the next day when they had the mother of all hangovers, but she did not begrudge them their frivolity. Indeed, she, Fili, and Kili each picked a "champion" and cheered loudly for that dwarf. Gwyn had chosen Bofur, Fili cheered for Dwalin, and Kili supported Nori. Nori was the first dwarf to falter, having to run for the washroom, hands clapped over his mouth. Next to go was Gloin, who followed after Nori. Dwalin was the third to fall, and fall he did. The large warrior simply fell asleep at the table, his snores deafening. Gwyn declared Bofur the winner, and bestowed a kiss upon the drunken dwarf's cheek for his prize. Fili and Kili both laughed when Bofur turned a deep red at the honor.
As the celebration began winding down, Fili and Kili had each managed to procure a violin. They began playing in harmony, the song that they had written for Gwyn's second courtship gift. Hearing the song as it was meant to be played, Gwyn could hear how each brother's part showcased his personality. Fili's part was low and strong, providing the backbone, while Kili's part was tripping and trilling through the higher notes, providing the spirit, and occasionally the two blended together in the middle, providing the heart. Gwyn realized that if Fili was the strength of the trio, and Kili was the spirit, then she was the heart, and her eyes filled with tears, just as they had the first time she had heard the song.
The courtship song finished, the princes continued to serenade Gwyn with their music. At the start of their third song, the same love song that Bofur and Dwalin had played as Gwyn was escorted to meet Fili and Kili, she felt a large hand gently tap her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Thorin, hand extended in offer. "I believe it is customary where you come from for the father of the bride to share a dance with his daughter. Will you settle for an uncle by marriage?" the king asked.
"I would be glad to," Gwyn answered as she rose from her seat and curtsied to the king, before he began leading her around the dance floor.
"I do not know that I have seen my nephews as happy as they were when I pronounced you married. They truly love you, and I am grateful that you have come into our lives," Thorin said quietly.
"I love them both as well. They gave me something I didn't realize was missing from my life, and I too am grateful that I came here. I am grateful for so many things," Gwyn responded, just as quietly.
"When we reclaim Erebor you shall be presented as my nephews' chosen wife, and once my sister arrives we will plan your second ceremony."
"Agreed. And I have been thinking. Surely some of the older dwarves at least will balk at the fact that I am not a dwarf? We could counter their protests by announcing that Fili, Kili, and I were married in accordance with my customs and that divorce is as frowned upon in my culture as it is in yours. The dissenters would have no option but to accept us, lest they want to smear their princes' names and reputations with a divorce," Gwyn said so quietly that only Thorin could hear.
"I shall speak with Balin about the matter, but you provide a good solution, should it be necessary." The music stopped then, and Fili and Kili interrupted Gwyn's conversation with their uncle.
"Excuse us, but we would like to take our bride to bed. We have been in awe of her beauty all night, and we are sure that our rose is tired. Good night, Uncle," Fili said, taking Gwyn's left hand. Kili took her right, and the three made their excuses to the members of the Company still conscious, before heading up the stairs to their chambers.
When the three entered their room, Gwyn immediately began removing the pins securing her tiara. Sigrid had done an excellent job of it, as the tiara never once became dislodged during the rigorous dancing Gwyn had enjoyed. Gwyn saw Fili and Kili both removing their fine clothes, leaving them laying all over the floor. She smiled at them in the mirror, and they both returned the gesture. Fili approached her and pulled her to him, kissing her soundly.
"We never did get a chance to tell you how beautiful you looked tonight, mizimel. Durin blue suits you," he said when they broke apart. Gwyn's cheeks were flushed, but she looked as though she wanted to ask a question.
"Where did these clothes come from? I had planned to wear the green gown I had, but this was in its place. Bilbo wove me a garland made of quince blossoms, and it turned into a tiara over night. We had no rings, but Gloin found some this morning that just happened to fit our fingers. In fact, I noticed that everyone had very nice clothes tonight. Where did it all come from?" she asked.
"Oin said that all of these transformations were signs from the Valar, blessing our union. He said that the Valar wished for you to be arrayed as the princess you now are, pundurîth," Kili answered, before he too pulled Gwyn to him and kissed her passionately in an attempt to silence her questions.
Together the two princes were able to unlace Gwyn's surcoat, revealing the whole of the kirtle, which they admired. The deep blue velvet made Gwyn's pale skin seem even paler, and her dark hair even darker by comparison. The brothers thought that in that moment Gwyn was more fair than any elf-maid, even Lord Elrond's legendary daughter Arwen. They then gently began unlacing Gwyn's kirtle, leaving it to pool around her feet. As the two dwarves looked at Gwyn in her corset and shift their eyes darkened at the way the device molded Gwyn's body. They looked at their princess with predatory expressions before they began herding her towards the bed.
Gwyn saw the looks on her princes' faces, and she decided to play along, allowing herself to be backed up until her knees hit the bed and she fell backwards. She shifted so that she knelt on the bed, grabbing Fili around the back of the neck and drawing him to her. Gwyn nipped at his bottom lip with her teeth, causing the blond dwarf to let out a rumbling groan. Gwyn smirked at him, scooting further back onto the bed, just out of reach of either dwarf. When the brothers clambered onto the bed, Gwyn found herself sandwiched between them faster than she thought possible. Teeth and tongues nipped and soothed her skin, distracting her to the point where she could not tell which brother was doing what. While Gwyn was reeling with sensation, Fili and Kili were both trying to unlace Gwyn's corset. However, Sigrid, being the daughter of a bargeman, had tied the laces into the sturdiest knots she could manage. Frustrated, Fili reached for the small knife he always kept within reach and passed the blade to Kili, who easily sliced through the laces. Feeling the sudden release of the pressure around her torso, Gwyn raised her eyebrows at Fili and Kili, who simply grinned in response as the latter tossed the now ruined article of clothing away. Gwyn took advantage of the respite from her princes' teasing kisses and stretched luxuriously, enjoying the freedom of movement.
Gwyn was quickly pinned back to the bed, though, when Fili and Kili began working her free of her shift. Both dwarves were clad only in their trousers, which Gwyn began untying. When the three lovers were naked, they came together in a tangle of teeth and limbs, gasps and groans of pleasure punctuating their activities. Sweat slicked bodies moved against each other in pursuit of a common goal. The brothers, though, would bring Gwyn to the brink of climax time and time again, until she was sobbing with need. Finally, Fili and Kili took pity on her and doubled their efforts on Gwyn and she shattered, her release so powerful she could not even give voice to her pleasure, her face contorted in a silent scream. The princes followed her off the cliff, and together the three newlyweds fell into a deep and sated sleep in each others arms.
Gwyn awoke the following morning to the sensations of fingers in her hair. She slowly opened her eyes, and was greeted, once again, with the sight of Fili and Kili braiding marriage braids into her hair. Once they were finished with the marriage braids, though, Fili added one more braid, an intricate little plait.
"I recognize the marriage braids, of course, my love, but what is this new braid you have added?" Gwyn asked, voice still rough with sleep.
"It a sign of royalty, mizimel. Now that we are properly married, at least according to your customs, you are a princess, although we do not yet have our kingdom," Fili answered.
"We might not have it now, but we will reclaim it very soon," she replied, snuggling back into her dwarves' warmth. There was a knock on the door, and a muffled thump as something was set down on the other side of it. Rising slowly, Kili made his way to the door, putting on a pair of loose trousers as he went. Checking to make sure Gwyn's still nude body was covered, he opened the door, spying no one, but seeing there was a tray laden with food left for the newlyweds.
Grabbing the tray, Kili returned to the bed, grabbing Gwyn's shift on the way. As much as the brothers did not like it, they knew that Gwyn would object to eating unclothed. The brothers worked to situate the tray on the bed so that all three of them had access to the treats on it, and Gwyn shimmied herself back into her shift. She had arranged with the other members of the Company that the newlyweds would be left alone for the first day after the wedding, to spend their last bit of privacy before setting off again however they wanted. Obviously, the others had teased her for her reasons, but she just gave them one of her Looks, and they had agreed.
The trio spent their day lazing about in bed, making the most of the large bed. At one point, the two dwarves had fallen asleep, and Gwyn snuck off to bathe. While she was soaking in the warm water, Gwyn heard the door open and shut behind her, and she saw Fili and Kili stripping off their loose trousers to join her in the tub, which was large by the standards of Men, easily accommodating the three bodies. By the time the three lovers were done in the bath the water had gone quite cold. They took turns drying each other off, before returning to their room. Gwyn had tied her long hair up before her bath, so when Gwyn and her two lovers returned to their room, she sat in front of the mirror to let her hair down, hearing gasps as the dark locks cascaded down her back. Turning to face Fili and Kili, she was met with unabashed staring. She walked over to join Fili and Kili on the bed, their eyes on her the entire way.
"What has you two so entranced? You look as though you have never seen me let my hair down before," she teased.
"We are marveling at our luck, pundurîth, to be wedded to a woman as beautiful as you. Last night even the moon was jealous of your beauty, and you are ours. We are the luckiest dwarves in Middle Earth," Kili responded, kissing her gently.
"I am the lucky one, my loves, to have such two wonderful dwarves to call my husbands," Gwyn answered, kissing them both, before asking them to teach her how to plait the marriage braids into their hair.
Two days later saw the members of the Company arrayed in elaborate armor and fine cloaks that the Master of Lake-Town had given them, as well as assorted weapons. Gwyn, however, was once again dressed in her tunic and leggings, her corset and bracers serving as her only armor. Somehow though, Gwyn's lack of armor made her seem all the more dangerous, as though she did not need it to protect her. Gwyn had been surprised to find her weapons that she had lost in Mirkwood including her bow, a fresh quiver of arrows, and a few throwing knives that she had lost during the Company's escape from the Elvenking's dungeons tucked away at the back of the wardrobe in her room. She did not question her luck though, instead offering up a thankful prayer to the Valar.
Thorin had already made a speech promising to help restore Lake-Town to its former glory. The Master was droning on now, wishing the Company luck facing the dragon. When he at last was finished speaking, the Company moved to board the boats that would bear them across the Long Lake. Just before Gwyn boarded the crafts, she turned back to the Master and his henchman.
"On behalf of myself and my companions, my lord, we thank you for the generous hospitality we have been treated with during our stay in your town," Gwyn said in a ringing voice. To the casual listener, she sounded sincere, but her friends heard the cold sarcasm in her voice, and saw her smirk when the Master swelled angrily. She bobbed a quick, graceful curtsy, and nimbly boarded the boat, joining Fili and Kili in looking toward their destination. At Thorin's signal, the Men piloting the boats began steering them away from the dock, taking the dwarves, hobbit, and girl to face a dragon.