More Than Meets the Eye

Chapter Thirty-One

Over the next week, Arielle settled in easily in Thorin's apartments, and they began the arduous task of planning their wedding. For Thorin, he made it clear he didn't care when or where, but that she should only tell him and he'd be there.

She looked across the table at him. "You did not just suggest that your only part in the planning of this is to simply show up, did you?"

He looked about the Great Hall, which was mostly empty at mid-morning, and shrugged. "What else do you need me to do? I know nothing about weddings, Arielle. I've never been married before."

"Well, neither have I, and you expect me to know everything about them and to plan the entire thing on my own."

"Why wouldn't I? It's your day, isn't it? I just have to show up, agree to the vows, and pay for all of it."

He realized his mistake a second too late and regretted those words as her eyes narrowed. "What was that?" she growled, tapping her quill against the table.

He bit back a sigh. They'd been discussing guests, and which leaders from which realms would be invited, and only bickered over that a for a moment or two, as if it was his fault he had a duty to invite Elrond of Rivendell and Thranduíl of Mirkwood, among a few others while her side of the list consisted of only a handful of people.

He sat back. "This is madness, Arielle. You know your traditions. I don't. I know nothing about the wedding customs of Man. So, I'm letting you take the lead on this and plan the wedding you have always seen yourself having."

"You could ask, you know," she told him shortly. "Just like you asked Elen about our proposal customs."

"That was different."

"That was the same." She tossed down the quill. "What are dwarven wedding customs?"

"They are long and involved and you are not a dwarf, so..."

"So, I can simply ignore them?"

The heat in her voice surprised him. "I'd have thought you'd be happy to, since—"

"Since what?"

"You are not a dwarf."

"Thorin."

"What? You aren't. And since our custom involves things such as my making a home for us—" he gestured around the Great Hall—"which I've already done, and my father is no longer here to give his approval, and you already live here so there is no need for you to travel here, it's silly to include them."

"There has to be more to it than that."

"There is. We've already had sex and I told you how that binds us, how we were considered betrothed from that moment on, regardless of whether or not I actually asked you to marry me,  although how anyone else would know is beyond me, but still...You have no father—at least, none that you know of, which eliminates the need for his approval. And to be honest, you and I should not even be allowed to be married, for you are not a dwarf."

"So you've said."

"I mean no offense by it, Arielle," he replied, reaching up to rub his eyes. They'd been sitting there since breakfast, well over three hours ago. His back felt stiff, he had the beginnings of a headache, and an argument with her was the last thing he wanted or needed.

"Thorin, this is your wedding as well and we should include some of your traditions. Never mind that it is also a royal wedding, and there has to be some sort of protocol to follow."

"I care not about it, mesmel. I only wish you to be happy."

"That would make me happy."