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

21

Dís had watched him with a heavily beating heart. He had not even looked at her once. Had not spoken more than a few formalities. And now this peculiar dwarrowdam would become his queen. Barefoot, uncombed and without any style. That was not what she had wanted. She was not even sure she still wanted him to tie the knot at all. Thorin disappeared on the stairs and she turned around, sighing painfully and noticed Bard's gaze resting on her. She wanted to smile at him, but did not succeed. Bard looked down on her sadly.

"Let us go, love of my life", he said earnestly.

Dís nodded and reached for his outstretched hand gratefully.

The invited guests slowly filled the temple and outside gathered the dwarves of Erebor to see their king and his new queen leaving through the Southern portal. Word had spread of course who the king had chosen. There had been quite a bit mockery but mainly the public was curious about the granddaughter of the great seeress. Even if she did and said strange things as word has gotten around from the Iron Mountains.

Thorin waited at the West entrance and looked all across the width of the temple to the East entrance where Alwa stood next to her brothers. She stood there quietly, looking up to the giant, dome-like ceiling losing itself in semi-darkness. Dan talked to his sister insistingly and Thorin could clearly sense the tension of his future brother-in-law. Kan patted his brother on the shoulder and fooled around for Alwa.

Like Frerin, Dís and me, it suddenly occurred to Thorin.

Kan raised his hand to greet them. And the king, Dwalin and Balin waved back, grinning.

Slowly Thorin's nervousness rose and he was glad when the second gong sounded and the priest took his place at the altar. The choir set in and the traditional tunes were sung, alternately with the priest. It was a deep, guttural bass chant in ancient Khûzdul and the dwarves present joined in until the air and even the stone around them seemed to vibrate.

A cold shiver ran down Bilbo's spine.

"Close your eyes. Feel it", Dwin, who was sitting next to him, whispered to him.

And when Bilbo did so, the ancient song led him down into the bosom of the mountain, even though he did not understand the words.

Deep and secure, firm and solid. To rock, coal and ore, to velvety darkness, to gold and gem. Down to caves with glittering, dripping stones in a thousand shapes, to lakes as clear as diamonds. Glowing lava, eternal ice. The mighty strength of Mother Earth.

At Dwin and Dwalin's bond ceremony Dís had not been able to hold back her tears of emotion, although the chorus consisted just of seven singers, the temple was only a fraction of the size and splendour and the audience was manageable. Today her tears flowed also, but the reason was another.

When the last tone had faded, the priest summoned Thorin and Alwa and called out aloud the names of the witnesses also.

Followed by Fundin's sons, Thorin strode forwards while from the opposite side Alwa advanced between her brothers, hand in hand.

In front of the priest Alwa and Thorin stood facing each other and the king stretched out both hands. Kan laid Alwa's one hand in Thorin's right with a nod and Dan her other hand with a threatening glare into his left. Then they stepped back.

Into the reverent silence that followed, Alwa suddenly asked aloud:

"Will we find the heart?"

Muted laughter and whispers rose throughout the temple. Kan and Dwalin snorted with amusement, while Dan and Thorin exchanged a glance. Dan looking just as abashed as Thorin felt.