Where she is right - The story of Dís, daughter of kings.

19

Outside the church the waiting crowd cheered. A grand open carriage stood ready. Bard, Dís and the children entered and slowly drove toward the city hall surrounded by guards in festive uniforms. The guests followed on foot or on horseback. Thus the wedding party moved through the streets accompanied by good wishes and blessings from all sides. Flowers and petals were thrown and when Bard finally pulled Dís close and kissed her, the crowd cheered and applauded even louder.

Arriving at the hall the couple waited together at the entrance for the guests to arrive so that Dís could welcome everybody personally too. Gifts were presented now also and so it took quite a while for everybody to move on into the decorated garden.

Thorin had pulled back behind the main crowd and came pretty much last together with Dwalin, Dwin, Balin and Ori. He had not spoken a single word and had never in his whole life felt less like celebrating.

He stood in the background watching Dís and got a lesson in first class diplomacy. As always Dís was prepared excellently, knew name and rank of each guest, the personal circumstances and asked wise targeted questions.

Particularly warm, or so it seemed to Thorin, she welcomed Thranduil and his son. The three greeted each other like old acquaintances. Legolas finally went on with Bain and Sigrid while Thranduil kept on chatting with his sister a little longer, smiling and laughing. Bard stood next to his wife, glanced down at her, proud and happy, now and then pressing a kiss on her hair. And each of these kisses was like a stab in the heart of her brother.

Inevitably the queue of the waiting became shorter and at last Thorin stood in front of the newly wed couple.

He heard himself congratulate Bard with an oddly strange voice and presented him with a well-preserved map of the old Dale, that had been discovered in the archives. Bard took it and thanked him courteously.

Then Thorin looked at his sister who was now no longer his little princess but would from now on determine the destinies of Dale at her husband's side.

Dís noted that words failed him and she spoke first:

"Thank you, Thorin. It means a lot to me that you fulfilled my wish and led me to the altar", she said brightly and so full of youthful fire that Thorin almost had to smile. But so he just nodded and pulled out another little gift from his coat. It was an old children's book in Khûzdul. Dís recognized it immediately. Her mother had read this to her brothers and herself. It was the story of Durin, written for children and illustrated beautifully. Thorin had found it in their mother's room and Ori had carefully restored it.

"As it should not be any jewellery... ", Thorin said softly.

"Oh, Thorin! That is wonderful!", she breathed enthusiastically, flipping through the pages, "I still remember mother reading that to us. Every emphasis! I'll show that to Tilda tomorrow. Thank you very much!"

Thorin stepped back and waited for Balin, Ori, Dwalin and Dwin to hand over their gifts. Dwin embraced Dís and Dwalin bit back his snappy remark because he did not want to talk about Dís's hard-heartedness in Thorin's presence.

The celebration took its course and the guests stood together in groups, chatting, a glass in their hands while waiting for the call for the formal banquet inside. It was noon and the sun up high by now. The dwarves who were discomfited by the bright light and the midday heat sought out the shadow of the pavilions. Thorin stood apart from the hustle and bustle around Dáin and Veri who were as so often firing up the atmosphere. He had not seen his sister for so long and kept watching her inconspicuously from a distance.

He noticed that her skin no longer had the usual pallor of the dwarrowdams who spent most of their lives underground. In contrast to her bright dress she actually had a light tan, as if she had spent much time in the sun.