Fili looked at his brother with wide eyes. "Kili, tell me what has happened?"
Kili swallowed again. "He played on the floor with his soft ball and crawled around. Then I went to check on Peony and seconds later he had disappeared."
Fili patted Kili's arm and started to smirk slightly. "Kili, which room have you been playing in?"
"In the living room. But why is this important?" Kili asked with a frown.
"Come with me! I think I know where he might be." Fili replied and went into the living room. There he kneeled down front of the table.
Kili looked at his brother with wide eyes and didn't understand what he was doing. But he kneeled down next to his brother on the floor in front of the living room table nonetheless. Fili slowly lifted the long tablecloth, that almost reached the floor, and both dwarves looked at little Thorin, who had just woken up from a nap and looked at them with his big blue eyes. The little boy clapped his hand and shrieked in delight.
Kili looked at his brother again. "How did you know that he would be there?"
"He's been doing this for days in our kitchen. He loves to play hide and seek with Poppy and me. And apparently under a table is his favourite hiding spot." Fili explained with a smile.
Kili sighed in relief and started to laugh as well. He was glad that nothing bad had happened to his little nephew and finally wanted to catch him. But Thorin was faster and crawled into Kili's lap. He threw his arms up in the air and yelled. "Kewe!"
Kili looked at the boy in his lap with wide eyes and stroked his hair. "Did you just say my name, Thorin?"
Thorin looked at his uncle and blinked. The he said "Kewe!" again.
Fili smiled at his brother and son. "I guess this was a yes. Congratulations Kili, your name was his first word."
Kili smiled back at his brother. Then he pulled his nephew close against his chest with tears in his eyes.
A few hours later Dis, Fjola, Daisy, Runa and Poppy returned from Dale. They found Fili, Kili and all the children in Fili's rooms. The blond dwarf immediately went towards his wife and asked her if she was feeling well. Poppy kissed him and told him that she was a bit tired. So they quickly ate the dinner Bombur had prepared to give Poppy a chance to rest. During the dinner Kili told everyone about his day with Thorin and Peony. The family laughed when he told them how much the little boy had scared him and smiled happily when he told them about his nephews first word.
After dinner Poppy immediately went to bed while Dis, Runa and Fjola helped Fili to bring the children to bed. Then they all left and Fili went towards the bedroom. He pulled Poppy into his arms and stroked her belly, which was already a lot bigger than during her last three pregnancies. Poppy put her head on her husband's chest and buried her hands in his chest hair. She sighed contently and fell asleep again. Fili put another kiss on her head and fell asleep as well.
Kili and Daisy walked back towards their rooms with Peony in her arms. On their way there they met Ori and so Daisy finally asked him if he could draw a picture of her, Kili and Peony and one just of Peony because she wanted to send it to her family in Hobbiton. Ori said that this was a wonderful idea and so they agreed that Ori would come to their rooms the next day to start drawing the little family.
A few days later the pictures of Peony alone and together with her family were ready. Daisy put them in an envelope together with a letter in which she explained everything that had happened since her wedding to Kili. She hoped that her family were happy for her. Then she brought the envelope to the keeper of the ravens together with a nite from Fili who had allowed her to use one of the best raven because he wanted the letter and especially the pictures to arrive in Hobbiton quickly and safely.
The following weeks passed quickly and Thorin's and Fjola's wedding came closer every day. The couple had decided that they wanted a small ceremony with just friends and family. So they decided to marry and celebrate in the small hall Kili and Daisy had married as well.
The females and Bilbo decorated the room with candles and coloured cloths but also some flowers and gems while Bombur and his fellow cooks prepared a wonderful meal for everyone in Erebor to enjoy. Although the wedding was no public event, the couple had decided that they wanted everyone to celebrate their previous king's wedding with a delicious dinner that evening.
One the morning of the wedding Dwalin joined Thorin in his rooms. He chuckled because he had never seen his best friend like that. Thorin was nervous and barely able to put his clothes on in the correct order. Soon Fili, Kili and the children picked them up and they went to the hall where the ceremony would take place. Balin, who would perform the ceremony again, was already there as well. He smiled at Thorin and patted his shoulder. He waited next to Balin and Dwalin while Fili, Kili, the little ones as well as their friends sat down on the benches on both sides of the aisle. Soon Dis, Runa, Daisy and Poppy entered the room as well. They sat down next to their family members.
Then Fjola finally entered the room. Since her family had stayed in Ered Luin no family member could walk her down the aisle but she didn't care about that and had only eyes for Thorin.
The latter gasped when he saw her because she had never looked that beautiful to him. She wore a green wedding dress with golden embroidery and simply but elegant emerald jewellery that emphasised her green eyes and ginger hair. Thorin also noticed that there were tears of happiness in her eyes and that her hands were shaking just like his.
They both smiled at their friends and family. Then they turned towards Balin who started the ceremony. He said some words about Thorin's and Fjola's lives and how they had finally met and fallen in love. He asked them if they wanted to marry each other and of course they said yes. Then he asked them to exchange the traditional wedding braids.
Thorin turned towards Fjola and took a streak of hair in front of her left ear. He started to braid it and spoke:
"From the first moment I saw you,
I wanted to meet you,
from the moment I met you,
I wanted to know you,
from the moment I knew you,
I was in love with you,
I wanted to share my life with you...
... and from that moment
to this moment,
and for all moments yet to come,
I will love you with all my heart,
and you will have my utter devotion."
He finished the braid and attached the golden bead he had crafted just for his bride. He kissed the bead and smiled at Fjola, who had finally started to cry since Thorin's words touched her a lot. She wiped her tears away and took a steak of Thorin's hair. She started to braid it and spoke:
"I take you as my partner.
To have and to hold from this day
forward.
I give to you my unending love and
devotion.
I promise to be true to you, to cherish
you,
and share my thoughts,hopes and
dreams with you.
I look forward to spending the rest of
my life
with you."
She took the second bead from Dwalin and attached it to the wedding braid. She smiled at Thorin and chuckled when she saw him cry as well. Then they turned to Balin again. The old dwarf smiled at them happily and declared them as husband and wife. He smiled at Thorin. "You may kiss your bride!"
Thorin turned towards Fjola again and caressed her cheek. Then he finally put a soft kiss on her lips. In the audience the children cheered and Dis, Runa, Daisy and Poppy were crying just like Fjola.