So Comes Snow After Fire

11.iv

The fuel was ready, and the kindling set. In half an hour's time, flames would glow in the heart of the great forge, and Erebor's true heart would be kindled, too.

This ceremony that commemorated the beginning of the new year would also symbolize the rebirth of home and kingdom, and Thorin was glad. Their arrival to the mountain last fall had been hurried and unceremonious, marked more by ruin and greed and blood shed than by hope or joy.

Today's festival, a year later, would repair that. Today, with Mahal's blessing, would be a second beginning for his people, his kingdom, for himself. His mistakes—the madness, greed, and betrayals which he hated to remember but still forced himself to name—would become last year's ashes, replaced by the flames of life and hope renewed.

At the sound of footsteps in the vast hall, Thorin turned from the dark, empty furnace to find that the dwarves who were to witness the ceremony had begun to arrive. Here came Balin, and Lord Ironsides from Ered Luin, as well as Daín and another man from the Iron Hills.

"Are you ready?" Balin asked with a kind and knowing smile.

"More than you know," Thorin returned, smiling now, as well.

"I understand Tauriel will be accompanying Kíli tonight," Balin went on, presumably for the others' benefit. Neither Thorin nor his nephew had advertised the fact that she would be there, but it would not do for the others to be shocked when she arrived on Kíli's arm soon enough.

"Your nephew is bringing the elf here?" Lord Ironsides demanded reflexively. Behind him, Daín seemed neither pleased nor surprised, though he held his tongue for once.

"I gave him permission to do so," Thorin said evenly. Why did everyone seem to think he was unaware of just how outrageous his concessions were regarding Kíli's elf-maid? Of course he knew how truly unprecedented this was.

"No outsider has ever witnessed our ceremonies," Ironsides protested, clearly astonished.

"Tauriel is no outsider; she is my sister's guest. If you have an objection to that, I suggest you take it up with Princess Dís herself." For once, Thorin was glad to lay the responsibility elsewhere. No-one, he suspected, would be eager to take up the issue with his sister: she could be quite formidable when challenged regarding family and household. He knew this better than anyone.

"Understood, You Highness. I beg your pardon."

Thorin nodded, though he caught Daín eyeing him as if to say I warned you this would happen. Thorin glanced away; he did not want to be goaded into that old argument today, of all days. If he could have had his wish, he would not have complicated this celebration with the presence of an elf. Yet he had felt he could not refuse this to Kíli, who had clearly wanted it so much. And seeing how Tauriel could behave among their people was as much a part of his first offer to Kíli as anything else was. Besides, if he did approve of their union—and he was honorable enough to concede he could not refuse them yet—she would become part of their community soon enough. Delaying the test would accomplish nothing.

In a few more minutes, the hall began filling with the dwarves of Erebor, Thorin's subjects. It was sobering to think of them that way. Their wellbeing depended on him, and he knew he must always strive to deserve their trust. He had already failed them once for dragon's gold and the Arkenstone, and yet they had trusted him with a second chance. He would not let himself betray them again.

His family arrived soon enough, though of course Tauriel was the first that he saw, standing head and shoulders above her companions with her bright auburn hair. No-one would miss her with his sister and nephews, and after today, Kíli's formal courtship would be common knowledge. That was just as well, of course; Kíli's continued interest in her was well-known enough. At least now worse rumors would be forestalled.

Despite how odd it was to see Tauriel with them, Thorin felt deeply happy to see his family gathered before him today. Even through the hardest times of their exile, his sister and her sons had seemed to find some happiness to share amongst themselves, but today, theirs was a free and open pleasure he had not seen since before he had begun planning the quest, and that was many years since.

Dís wore an expression of quiet but genuine happiness as Fíli, looking very much the crown prince in his velvet and gold, led her attentively by the arm, and Kíli— Well, the lad couldn't have looked more pleased with himself if he had been escorting the queen of all Elvendom herself. Tauriel seemed, perhaps, a little nervous, if Thorin could suppose he were reading her carefully controlled features aright. Though when she turned to attend to something Kíli said, her expression relaxed and it was clear that she returned his happiness.

Thorin felt unexpectedly guilty for having been wishing (not for the first time) that she could have been any one of the dwarf lasses Kíli had known in Ered Luin. No, she was not what he wanted for his nephew, but perhaps it was not fair to judge her unworthy solely for that fact. And yet, shouldn't she know enough to let Kíli go if she could not give him what he needed?

Thorin put aside such questions; now was not the time to answer them. The hall was nearly full, and soon enough the ceremony would deserve his full attention.