Chapter Text
The long feared day finally arrived, and Thorin couldn't have felt more miserable.
On his palm rested the ring he had been crafting for his future fiancé... Thorin shivered in disgust. Not that he didn't like Dáin, he loved his cousin but in a pure brotherly way, for Mahal's sake!
Thorin observed the ring in silence, it was beautifully carved, shapes of leaves entwined rounded the silver circlet. The ring was without doubt elvish style, something a dwarf wouldn't ever wear, but he hadn't been able to help himself. The dwarf king swallowed hard, if only he could tell everybody that the one person he was thinking of, all the time during the creation of the ring, was Thranduil...
He was going to see his elven lover again today. Usually, the mere thought of seeing him brought joy to his heart, but not today. Thorin shook his head. If Thranduil had asked him, he would had given up everything for him, even his right to rule over Erebor, Fíli was more than ready to govern the Mountain, but Thranduil hadn't said a word, so... That was the only way, he repeated himself. And with those thoughts he went downstairs to the feast.
Thorin stopped in his tracks on the threshold, the chamber was already filled up with guests. It didn't take long until his gaze reached the tall figure of Thranduil. If Thorin looked bad, Thranduil looked even worse... despite of him still being beautiful, his face was even more pale than usual and his eyes had lost the sparkle they usually shone with completely.
In his last letter, Thorin had begged him not to come to the engagement party, but the elf had said he wanted to be with him as a support, and that at the end of the day, everything was just a political arrangement and that their love was stronger than that. Thorin had believed him then, but now that he had seen him, he changed his mind.
"Oh! Here he comes! My future husband! Can't wait for this to be official and surely neither can you, right dearest cousin?" Dáin patted his back strongly.
"Yeah..."
"Oh, what is it with this face? You seem like you are about to attend a funeral! Come on, it will be a lot of fun!" Thorin couldn't imagine what part of this nightmare could be fun in any way. "Here, take this, I've written this down for you to read it before the official announcement is done." Dáin handed him a short scroll. "Here are written few words for you to say about me and about us."
Thorin looked at it, quirking a brow. "You do know this is a political engagement, don't you?"
"Oh, yes, but your nephews reminded me how important is to keep up with tradition." And again the damned tradition, Thorin internally coursed. The dwarven lore states that before the official announcement is done, the couple to be had to recite out loud a few words about the other and their love. "Even though we aren't in love, we should say something to our guests, otherwise, what's the point of celebrating this feast in front of them then?" Dáin had a point, Thorin could give him that. "Just don't read it until it's the time for the speech."
"Why not?" Thorin questioned intrigued.
"Err, just don't do it. It took me long hours to write it down and I want it to be a surprise." Okay, that was weird, Thorin thought, however he was emotionally too tired to start an arguement so he quietly agreed and left.
"So? Did he agree to read it?!" Fíli and Kíli came out of nowhere, faces lit up in excitement.
"Yes, he did," Dáin replied smirking.
"YAY!"
"You two lads are even worse than me," Dáin hit their heads with his fists strong enough, "I'll be the one who takes all the blame for what's inside that scroll, even though it was you two who wrote it down. Can't wait to see everyone's faces when he reads it, specially the one of a certain elf king...".
***
Thorin and Dáin were waiting for the event to start in their positions on a slightly raised platform, when low whispers caught Thorin's attention.
"I said I'm alright seated here...!"
"But my Lord Thranduil, there's one seat reserved for you in the first row, as a king of Mirkwood, you have to be seated in a place of honour," a guard elf retorted.
Thranduil had intended to watch the engagement party from as far away as possible, not wanting for Thorin to see his broken-hearted face. But his plan failed when some of his servants spotted him and wanted to make him sit right in front of Thorin. Those dammit elves of his wouldn't leave him alone until he would take his assigned seat, Thranduil cursed internally.
"Fine!" The elven king finally moved to the first row trying to be as dignified as possible with his moves. For a brief moment, the gazes of both kings met, and Thranduil lowered his head the next second. Thorin bit his lower lip, Thranduil was very upset, it was crystal clear.
The party at last began with Balin's speech.
"Thanks to all of you who have came from all around Middle Earth to witness this very important day in the history of the House of Dúrin. We're here to celebrate the announcement of the engagement of our King, Thorin Oakenshield with Dáin Ironfoot." From the corner of his eye, Thorin observed how Thranduil was visibly restless in his seat. "But before we continue and formalize the engagement, we'd like to listen few words from the couple to be...". Balin did a gesture to Thorin with his hand to indicate it was the moment to read his scroll.
The dwarven king coughed, trying to retrieve his voice. Without further delay, he proceed to read the scroll. "I, Thorin Oakenshield, want to thank each one of you who has come on this joyful day to celebrate my engagement with my better half, Dáin Ironfoot." Man, that was creepy, Thorin thought, nevertheless he kept reading. "The reasons why I want to get married with him are countless. He is the most extraordinary dwarf I've ever known. His kindness impressed me from the first day, he is also gentle like no other," Thorin quirked a brow, well, that was pretentious. "And I felt mesmerized with his beauty from the first instant, that moment I knew my heart belonged-. Wait, what the hell!?" Fíli and Kíli did a great effort for not burst out laughing. "What on earth is this?!"
"Isn't it true what it's written here, Thorin?" Dáin asked all fake-innocence.
"No!!! Of course not!!" The silence filled the room. "This engagement is only a political matter!"
"Alright, lads, can we proceed with the ceremony?" Balin cut them off. Dáin nodded, but Thorin... he's eyes travelled once more upon the figure of his elven lover, and he observed his lover for a while, quietly. There was something surrounding him, it felt like Thranduil was broken inside.
Thorin shook his head, and clenched his fists, no, he won't be the cause of Thranduil's wretchedness, not anymore.
"Enough..." the dwarf king mumbled.
"Did you say something?"
"I said enough!!! Enough with this madness!!" Full of renewed courage, he leapt down the stairs and stood beside Thranduil. The elf was as surprised as everybody else. "I can't continue with this, I can't... I'm sorry Dáin but I can't get married to you… not when my heart belongs to someone else, someone that… I love, more than anything, more than life itself…" As an unconscious gesture, he caressed Thranduil's cheek softly, ignoring the one voice gasp in the background. "Thranduil, you don't have to worry anymore, my love… I won’t get married to Dáin, I promise.” Resolution could be clearly seen in Thorin’s eyes. To hell with that stupid law. To hell with everything.
All of a sudden Thranduil stood up of his chair. “Have you gone mad?!” That wasn't the reaction Thorin had expected. “We agreed on not saying a word to anyone! And now you just burst it out loud in front of everybody!!”
“What?!" Thorin's eyes widened. "Why are you getting angry now?! If I've said this it is for you and only you!” The dwarf retorted.
“Lads, calm down…” Balin tried.
“Shut up!!” both kings cried at the same time.
Balin and the rest of the company swallowed, maybe they had gone too far with their revenge? Both kings seemed to be truly fighting this time... everybody was looking at the scene in silence and worry.
“You said you did it for me but when did I ask you to do that, huh?! When did I hmph-” Thranduil got cut off by Thorin's kiss, which sort of the wanted effect because the elven king shut up, finally.
"Now, are you going to listen and stop yelling at me?" Thranduil nodded slowly, still in shock of the unexpected show of affection. "I don't care anymore if you don't want me to admit in front of everybody that I love you. There's no way I can get married to Dain, not when I have you in front of me looking at me like this."
"Then-then, I'll take my leave... and let you continue with the ceremony..." And Thranduil was already turning around to leave when Thorin grabbed his wrist just in time.
Now Thorin could finally see clearly how Thranduil had been pretending all along with him being okay with this marriage, the elf's eyes reflected how hurt and in pain he was.
"Did I say that, you foolish elf?" Thorin asked, looking him straight in the eye while a loving smiled was formed upon his lips. "You just don't get it, do you? I don't want to be the one who brings pain to your heart but happiness, and when I looked at you during the speech could felt how hurt you were..." Thorin gently tugged Thranduil and hugged him tightly.
Still within Thorin's warm embrace, Thranduil found the strength to speak. "But your mountain... the law... you'll lose everything you had fought for..."
Thorin gentle hand never stop caressing his golden locks. "I don't care, you are the only thing that matters to me," And for the first time, Thorin addressed everybody who was in the room. "If by not following this law I shall lose my right to be the king of Erebor, let be it, I'll accept whatever decision the Council shall make." Thorin bowed his head, ready to receive his punishment for breaking the law of his people.
Unexpectedly, Thranduil broke the embrace and positioned before the dwarf king extending his arms protectively. "Same goes for my kin, if you don't accept my love for king Thorin I will abdicate and leave the Woodland realm forever. But don't ask me to put an end to my love for him because I'd rather die than do that".
The silence was soon broken by a unanimous "Awww". Some of the elves even had happiness tears in their eyes.
"That was so..." Ori put a hand on his heart, still trying to find the words to express how moving that whole scene had been.
"Beautiful is the word you're looking for, lad," Balin stated and everyone in the room agreed with him, everyone except Thorin and Thranduil who didn't understand a thing.
"What-what's going on here...?" Thorin inquired, brain working twice the speed as normal, trying to find a reasonable explanation.
Thranduil was the first one who thought to understand what was happening. "I believe they have known all along..."
"Have known what...?"
Thranduil rolled his eyes, that dwarf of his was too slow sometimes. "About you and I, silly".
It took a moment for Thorin to realize finally what his lover was referring to. "Oh no..."
"Oh yes," Dwalin retorted smirking.
"You knew?! All of you?!" The room affirmed in one voice.
"You two had totally fooled us for a long time, but that was until Balin and I found you in a compromising position in the dungeons in Mirkwood weeks ago." The faces of Thorin and Thranduil were priceless, you couldn't tell who was more red.
The elven king covered his face with both hands in embarrassment. "Oh Valar..." Thorin was rubbing his back tenderly trying to comfort him, until Thranduil realized something. "Hold on... if you had known it by then, this could mean..." His suspicions were confirmed by the panicked gazes his words sorted in his kin and the smirks from the dwarves of Erebor. "Why did you do that!? And how dare you do this to Thorin!? He was about to get engaged to him!" Thranduil pointed at Dáin with an accusatory finger. "I'm going to kill you, all of you!!"
And when he was about to take his sword to inflict their well deserved punishment, Bofur spoke; "We did it because you had the guts to be together for years and not say a word to any of us, we gave you plenty of occasions to admit it but you liked your hide and seek game too much, so we decided to tease you until you'd say it out loud yourselves."
"But-but, we didn't say a word because we thought you might want us apart..." the elven king said hesitantly feeling ashamed all of the sudden.
"And why would we want that? You two are our kings and we love you, that's why we want you to be happy." Bofur explained as if it was the most normal think to do in the world. At that, Thranduil couldn't argue, they had a good point, that was undeniable.
"If this means something, I wouldn't have ever agreed on get in a real engagement to him," Dáin pointed at his cousin, "Don't take it the wrong way lad, but I love you just in a brotherly way."
"Ha! You say so now! But how could you resist his charms? He's by far the finest being I had ever known." Thranduil crossed his arms and pouted, people usually recalled how stubborn Thorin was but didn't fall short.
"Were you jealous of me, elven king?" Dáin teased.
"You wish, I know for certain Thorin only loves me." That childish statement made everybody laugh, it was crystal clear the elven king was utterly in love with Thorin.
Balin suddenly realized his king had been quiet for a while. "Aren't you mad with us, Thorin?" Balin tried, feeling unsure of why his king was silent and... thoughtful? All of a sudden, Thorin raised up, resolution in his eyes.
"Thranduil," Thorin called him with his strong baritone voice and all the chamber went silent. The elven king turned around to face his lover, who grabbed his hand firmly, "You know I believe everything happens for a reason, and don't think this time is different. This situation... we've been put through made me realize a lot of things, but the most important one is that I want to be with you day and night, for the rest of my life... I don't care if it's wrong or right for us to be together, I only know my heart beats just for you." A couple of elves sighed loudly to those words full of meaning. Then Thorin looked for something in his pocket, "It is a dwarven custom to craft a ring for your future fiancé. The design and everything had to be inspired by your feelings for your chosen one. While I was crafting this ring, the only person I could think of was you, and only you... I'd like to give this ring to you since it was meant to be yours from the start. Also I..." Thorin filled his lungs to give himself courage, "I'd like you to consider... making this dwarf the happiest being on Middle Earth by marrying me?" Thorin was looking into those crystal-blue orbs as if his life was depending on it, and in a certain way it was true. All his hopes and dreams were depending on the answer of his beloved elf.
So he waited, and waited, but Thanduil reminded silent...
"You say nothing...?" Thorin's voice was trembling, fear seized him. Thranduil shook his head. "You... don't want to marry me...?"
"No!! That's not what I wanted to say! I-" But it became impossible to understand him after that because the elf had started to cry and sob non-stop.
"Amral, I can't understand a word you're saying..." Thorin was rubbing his back trying to calm him down -for the second time tonight-, and to understand anything between those loud sobs.
"I-I said yes...! You... fool...!"
It took a moment to Thorin's brain to process those words. "Oh Mahal, did you say yes?"
"Yes!!" Everybody in the room retorted in one voice.
Thorin couldn't believe his luck and now, with tears of joy in his own eyes, pulled Thranduil in a tight embrace while kissing him passionately. Whistles and claps along with congratulations cries, filled the chamber.
That day would be reminded as one of the happiest in the history of Erebor.
***
"It's shiny."
"Yes, it is."
Thranduil observed how the silver ring rested on his finger with a dreamy expression upon his face.
"How did you get it so right? I mean, not just the design, which is beautiful by the way, but the size as well, it fits me perfectly."
"That, my love, it's because I know all your body measurements."
Thranduil blinked in disbelief. "You're bluffing."
"We dwarfs have a very good sense of proportions and measures." Thranduil snorted mockingly. "You need a demonstration, don't you?" Then Thorin positioned himself back on top of his now husband, already pretty much naked due to their previous activities, and started to recite numbers sensually on Thranduil's ear licking at the shell from time to time.
"Okay, okay I believe you...!" Thranduil said between giggles -he was particularly ticklish on his pointed ear.
Eventually Thorin stopped but reminded there, lost in those beautiful crystal-blue eyes. "It's so silent up here, doesn't seem like we are in Erebor." Thranduil pointed at the ceiling of their bedroom with his head, "Not that I'm complaining but, where have all of your noisy dwarven friends gone?"
Thorin picked his lips before answering, "I sent them to the treasure room, deep down into the mountain," Thranduil raised his eyebrows in surprise. "They're polishing every single coin of the Erebor treasure, nobody makes my elf cry and leave without being punished." Thorin smirked imagining his friends down there between piles of gold cursing him. Well, they deserved this, a couple of days doing this hideous task would do them some good.
Thranduil laughed, "You know, Meleth nin, we are certainly meant for each other because, guess what? In Mirkwood my people are polishing my jewels, and believe me; I have lots."
"But not as beautiful as the ring I gave you."
"No, nothing can compare to this beauty." And to its meaning, the elf internally added. Thorin leaned in and captured those inviting rosy lips, already waiting for him.
What should have been a chaste kiss became a full make out session, after all, they were still on their honeymoon. Thorin enjoyed the moans coming from his elf mouth, he couldn't ever get tired of that delicious mouth of his...
And all of the sudden Thorin had an idea.
"What do you say if we try to produce an heir?"
Thranduil blinked twice, "What?!?!"
End :)