Hello! I'm sorry for the cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter ;) I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and spent a few days with your loved ones.

When Gandalf stopped speaking Fili realised that something was terribly wrong. His shoulders slumped and he lowered his head to hide his tears. He didn't know what to do, he didn't want to live without Poppy. He wondered if she might go away with him to live somewhere else but he had no idea where to go and he knew that she loved her home. He thought that the hobbits had accepted him but now it seemed like all of them had come today to tell him that they wouldn't allow him to marry her and that he should leave.

Fili heard Gandalf and two hobbits talking but he didn't listen to what they were saying because he was too deep in his thoughts until he heard Poppy speak "No Mister Gandalf! I know that it doesn't matter as long as she's not of age but I want to know why she does not want me to marry Fili." He heard the wizard chuckle and finally looked up to him and then to Poppy.

Fili took Poppy's hand and turned around to face to crowd. The he saw little Primula, who lived across the road from Poppy and whose little bird he had repaired at the beginning of his stay in Hobbiton, standing on one of the benches with her arms folded across her chest and glaring at Poppy. Then she started to shout in her childish voice "I liked Mister Fili earlier than you did and I like him much more than you do! I want to marry him when I'm big enough!" Her words turned into sobs and huge tears rolled down her cheeks.

The young dwarf squeezed Poppy's hand. He walked over to Primula and took her into his arms "Shh, don't cry, Primula! I will still be your best friend even if I marry Miss Poppy. It makes me very sad that you don't like her. You know, if you don't allow me to marry her, I'd have to leave the Shire and you'd never see me again."

The little girl looked at him with her big brown eyes and hiccuped "I don't want that, Mister Fili! Please stay! I allow you to marry her!" Everyone started to laugh about that. But Primula only frowned, she didn't understand what was funy, for her this was a very serious situation. "Will you still dance with me?"

Fili smiled her "Of course I will do that. And I will always try to help you and your little friends if you are in danger. Nothing will change between us. I promise!" He kissed her small nose and placed her into the arms of her father, who still looked quite embarrassed about his daughter's behaviour.

Fili went back to Poppy, who smiled at him and whispered "You're wonderful!"

Gandalf cleared his throat and continued the ceremony. "Fili and Poppy, we know that you come from two different peoples Middle Earth. However, your marriage doesn't need to be a melting pot in which differences cease to exist. As you become a married couple you bring together, in a mysterious yet happy way, two pasts, differing in traditions. With the support and encouragement each can give to the other, you will be able to develop new personal dimensions, adding new memories and new hopes to all those who are touched by your love.

The decision to marry, made between two different peoples, requires tremendous faith; faith in yourselves as individuals and in the strength of your relationship; faith that you will be able in your marriage, with the Valar's help, to deal with whatever the future holds."

First Gandalf addresses the bride "Poppy Overhill, are you willing to step forth in faith and affirm that you will accept Fili, son of Vili and Dis in sickness and in health, poverty and good fortune, difference and agreement, in times of comfort and times of struggle, as long as you both shall live?"

Poppy looked at Fili and answered with a big smile on her face "Yes, I am willing."

Then Gandalf turned towards the groom and asked the same question. Fili answered enthusiastically "Yes, I am willing."

Gandalf smiled at them and then turned to Bilbo to ask him to present the wedding beads. The hobbit stepped forward and gave the box to Gandalf, who opened it. Poppy gasped. These beads were beautiful and very different from what they had until now.

Poppy swallowed. She still wasn't completely sure if she'd manage to braid Fili's hair in the way it should be. She took one of the beads and turned towards Fili, who smiled at her reassuringly.

Fili had told her, that dwarves always vowed their eternal love to each other while braiding. Poppy knew that she had to concentrate not to knot her fingers. So she decided to say something first. "Fili, I join my life with yours; to laugh with you in joy; to grieve with you in sorrow; to grow with you in love; living in the world in peace and hope; as long as we both shall live."

Spontaneously Poppy decided to add something from a story she had read years ago. It came to her mind when she saw how lost and heartbroken Fili had looked earlier. "Fili, don't entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people. I will most cheerfully abandon my home, and determine to end my days in yours."

Poppy saw tears glistening in Fili's eyes and smiled at him before she started braiding his hair with shaking hands.

The young dwarf watched her closely. The braid wasn't perfect but the best she had done so far. He was proud and wanted kiss her but it was still too soon.

When Poppy was finished, he took the second bead, opened the betrothal braid and started to put the wedding braid into her curls. Of course Fili was able to speak at the same time "Poppy, I promise to love and to honour you, to treasure you and to respect you, to walk with you side by side in joy and sorrow as long as you live and also afterwards. Where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried."

Gandalf smiled at them "May these braids symbolise your love for each other. Just as your hair grows longer every day, your love shell grow stronger. Fili, son of Vili and Dis you may now kiss your bride."

Fili caressed Poppy's cheek and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

A part of Fili's and Poppy's vows is taken from the Book of Ruth, but slightly changed to fit into Middle Earth. I thinks it's a very beautiful vow and it will be important later in the story. First I wanted to use it only for Poppy. But that wouldn't have made much sense because we all now that she will most likely die much earlier than Fili. So I split it up :)