I Choose You

[nrgburst]

Title: I choose you
Fandom: The Hobbit
Characters: Kili/Tauriel, Dis, Oin
Rating/Warnings: K/G, TCAFS AU
Word Count: 683
Summary: The wedding of a dwarf king is an undisputed cause for celebration. The wedding of a dwarf king to an Elf, however...

The impending wedding has the entire countryside in a furor. Not only are guests and gifts pouring into Erebor from every direction, but decorations, libations and foodstuffs as well. Inns in Dale are chock-a-block, and Erebor’s halls stuffed to the gills with Dwarves from every clan.

It was a matter of pride that the party should go on for at least a week. Many had come a long way to attend, and must be shown the best hospitality.

It was a bit of posturing too- a gilded statement about their strength and wealth. They had a reputation to maintain after winning back Erebor from both a dragon and then competing armies and the other clans would not forget so easily that Longbeards had lost the Mountain in the first place.

Therefore everything from wall hangings to armor had to reflect their power and position.

Kíli and Tauriel deemed it wise to give Dís a free hand in making the wedding hall and banquet as excessive and extravagant as she wished. Not only did she know the other players better, it also gave them the freedom to concentrate on their duties.

And between playing host to their important guests, creating the finery he would wear for both wedding and coronation and finishing their new home, Kíli had barely the time to even see his bride.

He insisted upon it anyway—she was happier back among her human friends, but he would not have a repetition of what had happened in the Luin.

In that vein, he had sent invitations forth to King Thranduil and the Mirkwood Elves, Gandalf and Lord Elrond. Bard has vowed that all of Dale will be happy to stand witness for Tauriel, but surely some of her kin, or an Elf friend like Gandalf should attend her this day. Her expression was one of quiet joy and expectation as she described Elvish wedding customs to him, but he saw the wistfulness in her eyes: she has no parents to witness their vows, and her friend Legolas has disappeared into the wild.

Among dwarves, her outcast status among Elves is somewhat helpful- she’s not an emissary for her people, tasked with representing their interests; she’d shown loyalty to their king over her own kind. And even his mother has had to concede that it’s best that Tauriel prefers leaving the running of Erebor to them: one thing for their king to take a pointy eared consort, quite another to expect them to take orders from her. The other Dwarf kings would have much more to say about the matter if she were in a position of power.

And Kíli has already approached Dain about inviting his son Thorin Stonehelm to stay and quietly become familiar with Erebor’s ruling after the wedding. Dain Ironfoot will return to his stronghold in the Iron Mountains once the festivities die down, his ample reward in tow, but they all know his heir is next in line for Erebor’s throne. Óin had gravely spoken to both him and his mother about the unlikeliness of heirs with Tauriel as wife.

Dís had been miffed, to say the least. “Are you questioning Kili’s virility? An heir from the firstborn Line of Durin and your king?”

“Milady Dis, I mean no disrespect! ‘Tis simply my healer’s opinion. Few enough bairns are born to dwarrowdams. And even the lowest farmhand will tell you…that as horses and cattle do not mix, so neither should elves and dwarves.”

His mother was hardly mollified- she’d skewered them both with a baleful look before lifting her eyes. “It just had to be an Elf.”

“We’ve already spoken about this, mother. And the line of Durin is not so easily broken. Dain’s heirs can serve me as well as Fíli and I did for our Uncle.”

They both sigh and incline their heads reluctantly.

The crows bring a bit of good news anyway: Gandalf, at least, has sent word that he will attend.

And even better: he says he shall bring his famous fireworks.
 

All in all, it certainly promises to be a wedding to remember.