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Although it wasn't that far into November, there was still a couple of inches of snow covering the land outside of Erebor. It wasn't the snow that Sigrid was bothered with, having grown up in Laketown; rather it was the cold. No matter how many layers she had on, it was not enough. The only ones who didn't seem to be affected by the cold were the dwarves. Then again dwarves were built differently.
“Tilda,” Sigrid called to her younger sister, “you will catch a cold if you stay out any longer!”
Tilda frowned, “but I'm not done playing yet.” She picked up another handful of snow, shaped it into a ball and flung it at Bain. Bain was quick to move, however, and the snowball in return hit Ori, just below the chin.
“Sorry, Ori,” Tilda said.
“It's quite alright, my lady,” Ori replied.
Sigrid bit back a laugh, but couldn't hide her smile. It made her happy to see her siblings being carefree and having fun. Not to mention it was a relief to see Ori enjoying himself too.
“Afternoon, my lady,” Dori smiled up at Sigrid, as he came to stand beside her.
“Afternoon, Dori,” Sigrid returned the smile, “is today the day you finally call me by my name?”
“It wouldn't be proper,” he replied. He turned his attention to the others busy still having a snowball fight. “Oh, they've been out there for hours!”
“I already tried to call my sister in,” Sigrid sighed, “but it won't do.”
“What won't do?”
Sigrid smiled to her husband and Kili, along with Bifur, Bofur, Bombur and Nori who joined them just outside the gates of Erebor.
“They're going to have frostbite,” Dori frowned, “we need to get them in.”
“Tilda said she wasn't done playing yet,” Sigrid added.
Fili nodded, “right,” he clapped his hands together, “there's only one thing to be done then.”
“You mean…?” Kili smirked.
“Afraid so,” Fili nodded.
Bofur nodded too, “there's no way around it, really.”
“Nori?” Dori asked confused.
“For their own good,” Nori answered.
All in one go, the dwarves took off toward the others. They gathered up as much snow as they could and soon an all out snowball war broke out. Sigrid couldn't help but to laugh as she watched. Kili used Tilda as a human shield as Fili and Bain protected Ori as Nori and the other three pelted them with snowballs.
Everyone was outside for another half hour.
Dinner later was the same as it usually was. Thorin was at the head of the table, Fili was to his right with Sigrid beside him. To his left was his sister, then Kili, with Balin next to him and then Dwalin. Beside Sigrid was Bofur, then Bifur and then Bombur. Nori sat next to Dwalin, with Ori beside him and Dori on Ori's other side. `Oin and Gloin joined them for dinner or ate with their own family. Tonight, they had joined their own family for dinner.
“Have your hands thawed yet, my love?” Fili teased.
Sigrid shook her head, “yes, thank you. I can finally feel my fingers again.”
“Yes, I did hear something about there being a great snowball battle,” Thorin said, sending an amused look between his two nephews.
“The little ones better not have gotten ill because of you boys,” Dis scolded.
“Not so much Bain. Tilda may have,” Fili smiled, “being used as a human shield and all by Kili.”
“WHAT?!” Dis turned to her youngest, “Kili!”
Kili, despite being teased, hardly reacted. He continued to move his food around on his plate, a pensive look upon his face. Sigrid had been watching him throughout dinner and could tell that something was troubling the young prince.
“Kili?” Fili asked.
Kili looked up, “what?”
“Are you well?” Thorin asked.
“Yes, Uncle,” Kili replied.
Dis reached over and touched his cheek, “you're feeling warm.”
“I wish to marry Tauriel.”
The dinning hall that was once filled with talking dwarves was now silent. Sigrid knew that Tauriel and Kili and were in love and she had wondered when Kili was going to ask Thorin for his permission to marry.
“Uncle, with your permission, I would like to marry Tauriel,” Kili looked at his Uncle.
Sigrid knew that although Thorin had changed, he still had reservations about Elves. Even if that elf was Tauriel. She looked over at Thorin, worried about what his reaction would be.
“No.”
“Brother,” Dis said.
“No?” Kili asked, his voice becoming harsher and louder. “Tauriel has proven her loyalty more than once.”
“I respect Tauriel but my answer is no,” Thorin said and looked down at his plate of food, adding another piece of meat into his mouth. “Leave it.”
“Uncle,” Fili tried.
“Leave it.” Thorin snapped.
Sigrid looked over the table to Balin, who gave her the same despairing look.
“Uncle, I love her,” Kili said. “She is apart of me and I will marry her, with or without your blessing.”
“Kili,” Dis placed her hand on his arm.
“You will not,” Thorin narrowed his eyes at his youngest nephew.
“I will not be married to someone I do not choose,” Kili snapped. “I will not.”
Sigrid felt Fili slip his fingers between hers and give her hand a squeeze. This was one of the reasons as to why Fili and Sigrid did marry; it left their siblings free to choose who they married.
“It's because she's an elf,” Kili stood up, pushing his chair back with such force that it fell over.
“Enough,” Thorin warned.
“What would you have me do then?” Kili snapped, angry tears in his eyes. “Marry a human only to end up alone in the end? At least with an elf I would have more time with her!”
“KILI!” Fili stood up too.
Dis gasped as Sigrid shrunk in on herself, feeling the weight of the punch that Kili just threw. She was aware of Bofur reaching over and giving her knee a comforting squeeze. Sigrid didn't dare look up from her nearly empty plate of food.
She couldn't.
“ENOUGH!” Thorin bellowed as he slammed his fist down on the table, knocking over a few cups; including his own.
All was once again silent in the dining hall.
Sigrid still refused to look up, trying to command the tears from her eyes; Thorin's knuckle was turning a new shade of white the tighter he clenched his fingers, Fili's whole body was tense while Kili's breathing was harsh and his body shook.
“Perhaps, laddie,” Balin's voice broke the tension as he looked at Kili, “you should get some air.”
Silence.
“Leave,” Thorin commanded.
Sigrid only looked up once Kili's back was turned and he was making his way from the dining hall. The air was still thick with tension and it was suffocating her. She turned to stare up at her husband, still standing tense.
“Love,” Sigrid slipped brushed her hand against his.
Fili turned and leaned his forehead against hers, she breathed in his scent, her whole body calming at once. She opened her eyes to find his blue ones staring back. “I love you,” he said.
“I love you, too,” she replied.
“You alright, lass?” Balin asked.
Sigrid looked over at him and nodded, “yes, thank you.”
“Sigrid.”
She looked over at Thorin and could feel the tears welling back up in her eyes. Thorin stared at her for a moment before he spoke, “Fili, perhaps it's best that you take your wife back to your chambers to rest.”
As soon as she and Fili were back in their chambers, she fell to the floor and wept. Fili wrapped his arms around her as he rocked her gently from side to side.
Sigrid slowly closed her eyes, a moan escaping from between her lips as she tilted her head backwards. Fili gently ran his fingers through her hair, getting rid of any tangles that might be there while relaxing her at the same time. Every night before bed, especially if Sigrid had a stressful day, Fili would brush her hair and then braid it.
“How easily pleased you are, my love,” Fili teased.
“Is that bad?”
“Oh,” Fili pulled Sigrid back against his bare chest, his lips brushing against her earlobe, “not at all.”
Sigrid laughed gently as she leaned back against him.
A knock to their chamber door broke them apart. Sigrid and Fili shared a look, it was late for visitors. She hoped that nothing horrible had happened. She waited upon the bed while Fili went to go answer the door.
Sigrid heard some harsh whispers before Fili appeared back in the doorway of their bedchamber.
“Who is it?”
“My brother, he wishes to speak to you,” Fili said. “If you want me to tell him to leave-”
“No,” she shook her head. “It's alright.”
Before she left the bedchamber, she wrapped a blanket around herself. She was prepared to see Kili in the state that he was in. He looked as though he had been deathly ill.
“You smell of ale,” Sigrid said.
Kili nodded, “I had a couple of drinks.”
“Couple?”
“I'm not drunk,” Kili stated.
Sigrid sighed.
“Sigrid, you are dear to me,” Kili said, “you're my sister. I never meant what I said.”
“I know, Kili,” Sigrid said, “I understand.”
Kili nodded.
“It doesn't change the fact that you've hurt me, though,” Sigrid said.
“I know,” Kili looked at her, “I'm sorry.”
Sigrid knew that he meant it.
“Did she say yes?” Sigrid asked. “When you proposed?”
Kili nodded, “yes.”
“Congratulations,” Sigrid smiled.
“It matters for nothing,” Kili said. “Uncle will never accept.”
“I will talk to him,” Sigrid said, “see if I can't change his mind.”
Kili looked as though he had seen a ghost with how shocked he was.
“Really?”
Sigrid nodded, “of course.”
“Thank you, Sigrid,” Kili smiled. He took a step closer to her, his head bowed a little, “and us?”
Sigrid sighed. As much as she understood that Kili was upset when he said what he said but it still hurt none the less.
“It will take some time, Kili,” Sigrid said, “but I do not hate you.”
Kili nodded, “I will make it up to you.”
Sigrid nodded and offered him a smile as he left their chambers. When Sigrid walked back into the bedchamber, Fili had already pulled the blankets down and was laying in the bed, waiting for her. She was quick to join him and lay her head on his chest, wrapped in his arms.
“My brother is my brother,” Fili said, “us Durin's folk have tempers.”
“Wounds take time to heal,” Sigrid answered.
Fili kissed the top of her head, “take all the time, my love.”