I can't believe the end is here! It has taken me five years to reach this point, but we have finally made it. Thank you so, so much to all of the wonderful reviews/favs/follows. I could not have made it to the end without you all! Many of you will recognize the various versions of P&P in this chapter. Let me know what you think :)

"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun." - Jane Austen. Pride & Prejudice

A week after Fili and Lifa's engagement, the royals returned to Erebor. Lifa was sad to see her betrothed go, but she knew that they would not be separated for long. The family of Mikel Wordsmith would be traveling to Erebor once more so the engagement of their eldest daughter could be officially announced. It had been Thorin's idea for the whole family to return to the mountain so soon. Though the marriage ceremony would be months away, there was a great deal of planning that needed to happen. And Signi suspected that Fili refused to be parted from his lover for longer than absolutely necessary.

Their final days in the Iron Hills had been sickeningly sweet for the whole family to endure, and if Signi hadn't have been so pleased with the engagement, she might have let her derision be known. Instead she tolerated the saccharine looks shared between her sister and the prince with a strength greater than Durin himself.

Thorin had been surprisingly civil during the remainder of their stay. He did not join them for dinner every night like Fili did, but he did dine with them twice. Both times he was locked in conversation with Mikel. Although she desperately wanted to talk to him, Signi did not dare approach him. Let him come to me, she thought as she watched his profile in the firelight. If he truly loves me, he will come to me. But he never did, and on the morning that she and Lifa watched them ride away, she knew that she could no longer hold out hope for a second offer.

Little of Signi's third trip to Erebor brought her amusement. She was eager to see the friends she left behind, but knowing that he would be present wherever she went, be it in person or in memory, doused the small bit of happiness she carried. Signi was not as practiced at hiding her emotions as Lifa, and it showed. Her mood became waspish to the point that no one could speak to her without getting a stinging response. But by the grace of Mahal, the excitement of Lifa's engagement was distraction she needed, and no one in her family questioned this change of demeanor.

Lifa noticed of course, and though she was polite enough to ignore it, she made every attempt possible to alleviate some of Signi's pain. She could understand it, after all, having spent months mourning a love lost. "He will come around," she said one night as they crawled into bed. "If he loved you as ardently as he claims, he won't be able to avoid you forever." Signi did not have a response to her sister's encouragement, for she didn't believe a word of it, but she appreciated it nonetheless.

Although no official announcement had been made, rumors spread like dragon fire through the mountain. And when the King and his family waited at the front gates to great Mikel's family, the secret was out. Lifa ran across the bridge when she saw him and leapt into Fili's waiting arms. Their simple kiss went far too long, and when Kili let out a low whistle, she pulled away with flushed cheeks. Fili did not seem to mind at all. His grin was smug and he kept his arm wrapped tightly around his bride-to-be.

A feast was held to honor the crown prince and his betrothed wife. The whole mountain celebrated the occasion, everyone from the king to the merchants to the smiths to the miners. A royal wedding was a joyous occasion, and Erebor had not seen one since Thrain had married more than two centuries before. Of course there was also the excitement that the line of Durin would endure. Lifa blushed every time it was mentioned, but Signi could see that embarrassment had little to do with the color in her sister's cheeks.

The kingdom of Dale met the announcement with easily the same level of excitement. Much had changed in the city since the fall. The distrust that followed dwarves wherever they went within the city gates was long gone. The people were flourishing more than they ever did in Esgaroth, and the markets had grown to spread over several streets. Signi and Lifa made a trip to see these markets, and they were met with swarms of residents anxious to see the prince's choice in wife. It was unlikely that they would have recognized her alone, but the royal guards following them as they walked through the market stalls announced Lifa's presence wherever she went. Lifa played the part well, greeting each and every well-wisher with the poise of a true born princess. The people adored her, and Signi heard it remarked many times that Prince Fili had made a good choice in wife.

Dale's royal family was equally as enthusiastic as the rest of Dale, perhaps more so since they would be attending the wedding in a few months times. Tilda talked non-stop about the wedding as they took lunch together, and Lifa gladly entertained her by retelling the story of Fili's proposal. Bain looked like he might be sick, but wisely did not comment. When Bard joked that perhaps they should make it a double wedding, Signi choked on her water. Sigrid's grin was wicked as whacked Signi on the back, no doubt knowing exactly what had startled her friend.

"I have my own royal suitor," she explained. "Prince Adrahil is travelling here from Dol Amroth. It seems he is seeking a bride."

Bard's grumbling was unintelligible, but Signi could see the pride in his eyes. He thought highly of this prince, and although she herself was not familiar with him, she suspected that he must be a good man to win the affections of Sigrid and her father.

But despite all of the feasting and nightly dinners with the royal family, Signi saw little of Thorin. The few times he did appear before her, he carried an expression of contentment and nothing more. He did speak to her on occasion, but it was always when they were conversing in a group, and it was always with a respectable regard. Signi could not say the same for herself. Though she made several attempts to catch him alone, he always slipped away. And when he spoke to her, she could hardly respond with the same level of familiarity as she had before.

She grew surer of his indifference with each passing day, which made to newest rumors circulating Erebor absolutely absurd. Two weeks after their arrival to the mountain, Signi learned of these rumors from the most unlikely source: her father.

It was late in the evening, after dinner, when Signi and Mikel sat by the fire enjoying the momentary peace. Signi was flipping through the pages of a book she had bought in Dale when Mikel spoke.

"I had the strangest conversation today," he said, his tone unaffected. Signi watched him as he cleaned and packed his pipe. He was in no hurry to deliver the contents of this conversation it seemed.

"Oh?" she prompted after a few moments passed.

"Aye. Our friend, Vifil, sought me out to congratulate me on Lifa's most advantageous engagement," he said. His lips twitched with humor as he spoke. His amusement didn't surprise Signi in the slightest – Mikel had always found him to be a ridiculous dwarf.

"Advantageous engagement?" she huffed. "Surely he didn't use those words."

"I assure you, he did. But that is not all he said. I won't bore you with all of the useless things he said – "

"I am sure they were many," Signi snorted. The few interactions she had with the dwarf had confirmed her theory that his presence could be bearable if he reduced by half his proclivity for speaking about things he knew little about.

Mikel chuckled in agreement. "Yes, yes. His conversation was as long-winded as usual. But he said the strangest thing. He said that expects that he will be soon offering his congratulations on the second of my daughters and her engagement to the most 'illustrious of all dwarves of Arda.' Can you imagine who he might be speaking of? And then, he warned me that Lady Katlin does not look favorably on the engagement of her nephew to anyone but her daughter. The king! I have just married off one of my daughters to the crown prince, and now Vifil thinks that my second will marry the bachelor King of Erebor! The king who has never looked twice at a dwarrowdam in his life. Isn't it amusing?"

Signi tried to find the same entertainment in Vifil's gossiping as her father did, but her reaction fell flat. And she did not doubt for a moment that Mikel noticed.

As she suspected, Mikel narrowed his gaze and studied her attempts at an amused expression. "You don't seem like you found it very funny. Surely you are not insulted by his prattle."

"Oh no! I am definitely amused," she said, a little too quickly. "I just find it such an odd claim for him to make. That is all."

Mikel did not seem convinced, but didn't argue that point. "It is strange. That's why it is funny. Had they matched you with any other dwarf – Prince Kili, or that Dwalin fellow – it would be almost believable. But the king? His clear indifference, and your clear dislike. It is such an absurd suggestion to make."

With her father's opinion on the possibility of Thorin ever seeking her hand so plainly stated, Signi hardly knew what to do. She was expected to be amused by the rumor, but in that moment she wanted nothing more than to cry. Signi did not linger to visit with her father much longer. Insisting that she was suddenly very tired, she kissed Mikel goodnight and went to bed. In the darkness of her room she allowed the self-pity to swallow her whole.

It was late morning when Lady Katlin arrived. Without waiting to be announced or invited, she pushed her way into the sitting room where Signi, her two sisters, and mother were occupied. She gave the room an unimpressed glance and then seated herself on the sofa as though it was her own home.

"Lady Katlin!" Signi said when she finally came to her senses. She rose quickly from her chair and curtsied. The others were too shocked by this intrusion to do the same. "We were not expecting you."

Lady Katlin did not respond to Signi's comment, choosing instead to fix her gaze on Bara. "I suppose this is your mother?"

A look of irritation flashed across Bara's face, but she quickly smoothed it away with a practiced smile. "Yes, I am Lady Bara."

"And these are your daughters?"

Signi thought that answer was obvious enough, but held her tongue as her mother answered. "Yes, you have met Signi, of course. And Lifa, my eldest, is recently engaged to Prince Fili. This is Baila. My youngest, Elin, is recently married to Thorin Stonehelm, though he is stationed up north for the time being."

Lady Katlin sniffed, and Signi was reminded greatly of Ana. "You have a small home," she said. Again, Bara's irritation was plainly written on her face.

"Considering these are temporary lodgings," Bara huffed, "I could hardly complain about them being not a tenth of the size of our actual home."

Signi suspected that if the conversation continued in this manner, her mother would gladly scratch out Lady Katlin's eyes. Taking matters in her own hands, she said, "We are most surprised by your visit. Forgive me, but I can't help but to wonder the purpose of it." She knew it was impertinent, but the dwarrowdam was testing her already limited patience.

"I came to speak to you," she answered simply. "If we could have the room, I will gladly outline the purpose of this visit."

No one wanted to leave, but after a prolonged pleading stare from Signi, Lifa sighed and led the others out of the room. They would be listening on the other side of the door, which Signi was sure to regret later.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Lady Katlin spoke. "Now that we are alone, you cannot sit there and claim ignorance of the purpose of my visit."

Signi was truly baffled by this. Although her father had told her about Vifil's conversation the day before, she could not imagine that this was anything besides his own imagination. Nor could she believe that Lady Katlin was foolish enough to believe Vifil's gossip. "You are mistaken," she said quietly. "I do not know why you are here."

"Do not lie to me!" the dwarrowdam hissed. "There are others who may be fooled by your silver tongue, but I am not one of them. I heard it on good authority just yesterday that not only is your sister to be advantageously married, but that you too would soon be engaged to my nephew. I know that this must be a lie, though I would not insult him by asking him to confirm it. I came here to stop this despicable rumor right at the source!"

Signi's face was flushed with anger, but by some miracle, she was able to keep her tone respectable. "If it is a lie, then it is a wonder that you would come here at all."

"I will know the truth! Do you contradict it?"

"You seem to have confirmed it by coming here. If such a report even existed at all."

"If? Do you pretend to be ignorant of this report? Did you not circulate it yourself?"

Signi's anger grew at the insinuation of it. Her family might not be wealthy, but they would not stoop so low as to spread false rumors of engagements to the king. "I have never said or heard this claim."

"And you can promise that there is no foundation for it?"

"I will not answer questions such as these," Signi said between clenched teeth.

This seemed to spur Lady Katlin further. "You will answer me!" she shouted. "Has my nephew made you an offer of marriage?"

"Your Ladyship has declared it impossible."

"Yes, it should be impossible," Lady Katlin ranted. "But you could have lured him in, made him forget that a king has certain duties to his family and to his kingdom."

"If I had such power, I would certainly be the last person to confess it."

"I am his aunt! I have a right to know his dearest concerns!"

"But you have no right to know mine. And this manner of address is the least likely way to get me share them with you."

Lady Katlin's anger seemed to be reaching a boiling point, and Signi was not sure how much longer she could continue with this ridiculous argument. "Let me just say, that this match that you wish to be a part of can never exist! The king is engaged to my daughter. What do you have to say to that?"

"Only this; if he is engaged to Lady Ana, then you have no reason to suspect that he would make an offer to me."

This seemed to renew the doubt in the Lady Katlin. Though she paused in her shouting, she still seemed to think that the possibility of his making an offer remained. "Their engagement is unique. It was planned many years ago by his father and I. To have Thrain's wishes thwarted by a dwarrowdam of inferior birth is an insult to the line of Durin! Do you have no decency? Do you dishonor this agreement that was made more than a century before your birth?"

"Why should your agreements matter to me?" Signi asked. "If there is no other objection to me marrying Thorin, a wish made a so long ago would not keep me from it. If the king has made no such promise to Lady Ana, then why is it unexpected that he might make another choice? And if that choice was me, what reason would I have for rejecting him?"

"Obstinate, headstrong girl! Their marriage would not only preserve the most noble line of Durin, but would also unite the two wealthiest families in all of the dwarf kingdoms! And to think, it would be all lost by putting a girl with no wealth or no connections on the throne! You would do well to remain in the sphere you are most familiar."

"This sphere you speak of is not so far from mine," Signi growled. "My family is nobility, I too am a daughter of Durin. So far we are equals. But if my connections are lacking, as you claim they are, then what does it matter if the king does not object? He certainly did not object when Prince Fili and Lady Lifa became engaged."

Lady Katlin fell silent. After a long moment and few deep breaths, she spoke with a calmer tone of voice. "Tell me once and for all; are you engaged to him?"

"I am not."

"And will you promise not to enter into such an engagement?"

Signi was shaking with anger. "I will not.

"I had not thought you to be so difficult!" Lady Katlin snapped. "I will not leave until I have heard you make the express promise to never enter an engagement with my nephew."

"And I will never make such a promise! I have nothing further to say on the subject. You have insulted me and my family in every possible way, and I want you to leave immediately."

Signi did not wait for Lady Katlin to leave, nor did she listen as she continued to shout after her, claiming that Signi's ambitions of being queen would never see fruition. Instead, she stomped out of the sitting room herself, past her mother and sisters who were certainly listening in shock at the door, and stormed out into the main hall. Fleeing was not the appropriate thing to do this situation, but she was beyond reproach.

Signi paid little mind to where she was going or who saw her as she stormed through Erebor's corridors. She just knew that she had to get out of the mountain. When at last she found herself on top of the watchtower, she recognized the irony of the location she chose for her solitude.

Lady Katlin had crossed a line when she accused Signi of using disgusting schemes to climb the ladder of society and wealth. And yet she had not been far from the truth. Whatever the true origin of this rumor was, Thorin had sought Signi and he had made her an offer of marriage. But since she so foolishly rejected him, she did not see how the situation was anyone's business but her own.

Leaning her head against the stone as she sat on the floor of the watchtower, Signi wondered what Thorin would think when he heard about this argument. It was certain that Lady Katlin would use this disagreement to dissuade her nephew from pursuing Signi further, most likely highlighting the way Signi was clearly using his affection to place herself in a position of higher power and greater wealth. In their previous interactions with Lady Katlin, Thorin had not given Signi any impression of his deference of judgement to his aunt. While she could safely assume that Thorin formed his own opinions on most matters, she did not know how the sentimentality of his own father's express wish shared with Lady Katlin compared.

Signi supposed as the morning slipped into afternoon, and the midday sun slipped lower into the western sky, that if Thorin was so easily swayed by these very arguments that Signi had refuted with ease, then perhaps it was good that his affections had passed. She did not believe for a moment that if he shared Lady Katlin's opinions on her ambitions and inferiority that she would regret the refusal she had given him a few months before.

The sun was nearly set and horizon blazed with the orange light when she heard his footsteps approaching. She stood at the edge wall with her back to the stairs, watching the light fade into night. It had been hours since she fought with Lady Katlin. Her tears were long gone, and her emotions were the calmest they had been since returning to the mountain. She did not know what to expect from him, but she was determined to take the first opportunity to thank him for his service to her family. If he did not wish to renew his affections, then she could at least rest easy knowing that he had received her gratitude.

He paused at the top of the stairs, but she did not turn around. Slowly he walked across the tower, coming to stand next to her at the wall. There was silence, and though Signi had longed to have this moment to explain to Thorin how much she and her family owed to him, it was not an uncomfortable silence.

Her courage finally took over and she spoke. Although he turned to look at her the moment she opened her mouth, she could not bring herself to look at him lest her resolve disappeared. "You must forgive me, but I can be most selfish. I know you did not wish for me to learn of your involvement in rectifying my sister's foolishness, but I simply cannot let it go much longer. I have been most anxious since I first learned of it to express the gratitude felt by me, by my family if they knew about it –"

"Don't," he said, though not harshly. "Don't thank me for your family. I am the selfish one here. I only did it with you in mind."

Signi could not think of a response to that. Hesitantly, she looked at him, expecting to see his profile cast in the fading light. Instead she was met with his face turned toward her, his expression unreadable. As expected, her courage was slipping away the longer she looked at him. He looked well. And, though she was loathe to admit it, he had grown handsomer in her absence. The worries that had been clearly etched in his face for so long were gone, and the air of authority he carried at all times had grown. And perhaps it was because her traitorous mind had been inundated with constant images of her sister's physical affections with Fili, Signi found herself remembering with clarity the meeting she had with Thorin at the edge of the lake.

She had stared too long. And when Thorin took a step closer, she did not step away. "My aunt came to me today. Can you guess what we talked about?"

"I can only imagine," Signi said, the annoyance creeping into her voice.

Thorin's brow furrowed, and for a moment Signi wondered if she had offended him. "You are too sensible a lady to torment me unnecessarily," he said finally. Though his voice was low, Signi caught every word. "If your feelings are the same as they were when we were last here, tell me. My love for you has not changed, but one word from you would silence me forever."

Signi's breath caught and she did not dare to speak. Her words to him always seemed to have the opposite effect of what she wanted in this moment. Reaching out, she found his hand at his side and gripped it tightly.

For just a second, Thorin closed his eyes, and Signi wondered if she had somehow caused him pain, even in her silence. But then he pulled her hand closer and he pressed a kiss to it.

"My feelings have changed greatly since we last met here," she finally said. "How I wish I could take back those wretched things I said!"

"You said nothing that wasn't deserved," Thorin said. "And what few things that were not deserved, were simply misinformed due to my own pride."

Signi wanted very much to disagree with him, but it wasn't worth the argument. She was where she wanted to be with the dwarf she loved. "I wished to have another chance. But I did not believe I deserved it."

Thorin pulled her closer, and his free hand reached up to push her wind-blown hair from her face, his palm resting on her cheek. The sensation felt like memory to Signi and she leaned into his touch. "I desperately wanted to try again, but I did not know how you felt. No matter what I did, it was never enough. But what you said to my aunt, I wasn't sure, but I did not believe for a moment that you would argue so fiercely on my behalf if the affection was not there. It gave me hope as I could not allow myself to hope before."

Signi blushed at the insinuation that she had revealed her true feelings in her anger. "You know my wicked tongue well enough. If I could abuse you so abominably to your face, then I would have no problem abusing you to your relatives."

"You are not the only who should be ashamed of what they said. My own conduct was abysmal. I cannot bear to think on it without shame. Even my letter, it spoke of such bitterness," Thorin said gravely.

"And yet it improved my opinion of you immeasurably," Signi said.

Thorin looked as though he wished to say something further, but refrained from doing so. Signi could not read the look in his eye, but just as her heart wished, Thorin leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers. Signi returned the kiss, perhaps far too eagerly, but it did not appear to bother Thorin in the slightest as his arm wrapped around her waist and his other hand sank into her hair.

He was reluctant to pull away, but Signi allowed it for just a moment. "Marry me," he breathed, his forehead pressed to hers. "Be my wife, for I cannot bear another day without you by my side."

Signi grinned as his lips teased the corners of hers again. "I will," she answered simply, allowing Thorin to kiss her deeply once more.

The royal wedding took place midsummer, and the mountain was filled with the good fortune of Mahal and Durin both when two brides were escorted before the throne, not one. When news of Thorin's engagement to Signi first broke, Erebor was in an uproar – not in anger, as Thorin had once predicted, but in excitement. King Thror's wife was dead before he took up residence in Erebor, so the mountain had never had a queen. Signi would be the first to reign, and her sister would follow. What an honor to befall one family, and all who lived in the kingdom were eager to see them crowned.

Signi's family had been baffled when Signi returned home that evening with Thorin on her arm. Mikel had no objection to the match, but he insisted on speaking to Signi to verify if it was truly her wish to marry him.

"Of course I have given him my consent. How could I refuse?" Mikel explained. "But I wish to know if this is truly what you want. I know your disposition, and his. You would never be truly happy if could not respect your husband, even if he is a king. I do not wish to see you unable to show him the respect equal to his regard for you. It would not be a happy marriage if that were the case."

"Oh, Papa. There is so much that you do not see of him that I have seen! If you knew what he has done for all of us, you would understand how he has truly earned my regard." Signi proceeded to explain the changes that he had made over the months of their acquaintance, and favor he did for their family with no desire of retribution. How he used his own strength to become the king that the seven dwarf kingdoms needed, and how he won the fight against the madness that threatened to overtake him. So vehemently she spoke of his goodness that her father could hardly believe that the inequality between them he perceived ever existed at all.

Signi's mother could hardly believe their family's luck. Three of her daughters married so well that she did not mind for a minute that Gimli would inherit their estate, or that Baila maintained her express desire to remain unattached.

Although there was talk of having two separate weddings, particularly by Signi who did not wish to have a large wedding, it was Lady Dis who appealed to Signi's practical side and suggested a double ceremony. This suggestion pleased both the brides and the grooms, and it saved the treasury the cost of two feasts.

They were married according to dwarvish custom in the Temple of the Everlasting Forge. It was a tight fit, but all of Erebor was present, as well as dignitaries from surrounding kingdoms. Signi was too wrapped up in the moment to pay close attention to all present. But if she had, she would have noticed Kili escorting a beautiful, red-haired elf, and Princess Sigrid on the arm of her own handsome prince. Her friend, Kara, was there and most enthusiastic about the marriages, though Vifil appear conflicted throughout the evening. Signi later learned that her father had recommended that the dwarf side with the king on the matter of his marriage, rather than Lady Katlin (who chose not to attend). Princesses Vara and Dis were overjoyed with all of the changes, and neither could claim a dry eye throughout the ceremony.

Lifa and Fili grinned like buffoons throughout the day and night, and when at last it was time for them to retire, their red cheeks and eager step spoke volumes about their affection for each other. Signi could hardly claim better behavior on her part, nor Thorin's. She could not think of a moment she did not smile, and when she looked at her husband, he too grinned like he had not a care in the world. They left soon after Fili and Lifa, but their guests continued feasting until dawn broke over the eastern hills. Although Signi enjoyed the festivities as much as any new bride, she had spent the day longing for a moment alone with Thorin.

The smiles did not stop as they walked hand in hand to their rooms. From this night forward, she would live with Thorin in his royal suite. She had been inside the rooms before, moving her belongings and making the small changes that would make the home as much hers and it was his. But this time she would enter as his wife, and somehow, just stepping over the threshold into their home was the moment their marriage became real.

She hesitated as they reached the door. One step, and it would be official. Thorin squeezed her hand and looked down at her with an easy smile. An infectious smile. Signi could not help but to return it. Tightening her grip on his hand, she reached for the door. "I love you," she said quietly as she pushed the door open.

"And I love you," he said, the reverence clear in the timbre of his voice. Taking a deep breath, they both took that first step into a lifetime together.

Signi awoke in her marriage bed warm and well contented in the arms of her husband, the king. Curled against his bare chest, legs entwined beneath the tangled blankets, she nestled her face into the hollow beneath his jaw. A rumble of approval moved through Thorin and he pulled her tighter against him, his fingers lightly trailing the length of her arm.

"And how are you this morning, my Dear?" he asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Very well," she answered. Rising slightly to rest on her elbow and hover above him, she reached across to caress his cheek with her hand. "Only I wish you wouldn't call me 'My Dear'."

Thorin pressed a kiss to her palm. "Why?"

"Because it is what my father calls my mother when he is cross about something."

Chuckling at this perfectly logical response, Thorin gentle rolled them over, sinking her into the pillows. "And what endearments are allowed."

Signi's breath caught as her husband dragged his nose teasingly along her jaw, his beard tickling the sensitive place just under her ear. "Well let me think…" Thorin's teeth grazed her neck, sending shivers down her spine. "Signi for every day, 'My Jewel' for state dinners, and… 'Goddess Divine', but only on very special occasions."

Thorin chuckled against her throat sending a fresh wave of tremors through her. "And what shall I call you when I am cross? My Queen?"

"No! No," said Signi, drawing back to give him a coy smile. "You may only call me My Queen when you are completely, perfectly, incandescently happy."

Thorin's eyes darkened hungrily, but it was the wide smile beneath his beard stole Signi's breath once more. "And how are you this morning…" Gently, he placed a feather light kiss on her forehead, "My Queen." Another kiss followed on her cheek, "My Queen". And her nose, "My Queen" until each of her features had been acknowledged in such a fashion.

Signi could not hold back her smile and soon she and her husband were sharing silly grins of utter and complete happiness.

"I am doing very well," she said softly as his lips hovered above hers, "My King."

The End