AN: And here we've come past the final chapter in this little fic. Just a quick note: in the previous chapter when Tauriel says "melleth nín," that means "my love," basically the Sindarin version of "amrålimé."

In any case, I hope you enjoy this little dénouement! Thank you all for your kind reviews; they mean a lot to me! I'll do my best to write more fics in the future for everyone's enjoyment :)

Epilogue

The sun was high in the sky before anyone in Erebor stirred the next morning. It had been a late night for everyone, postponing the next morning's breakfast. Still, somehow, the King and the heir managed to stumble down to the royal dining-room as the exhausted cooks prepared the morning meal.

"When do you think the newlyweds'll be down?" Fili murmured sleepily.

"Never," said Thorin. "We won't bother waiting for them." He began to munch halfheartedly on a piece of toast.

"Thorin?"

"Yes, Fili?"

"Any chance I'd be able to switch rooms?"

Thorin stopped mid-chew. "Whatever for, Fili? Your room's got the best view, aside from mine, of course. I thought you liked it!"

Fili shook his head. "Don't worry, Uncle, it's a great room. It's just, I don't think the walls are thick enough."

Thorin looked confused.

"My room is next door to Kili's," he explained slowly, "and you can better believe I was up all night, just like they were."

Thorin winced. "Mahal, Fili, I didn't need to know that."

"Well neither did I, Uncle," said Fili.

"You should be getting married at some point soon, though, Fili. You need an heir." He took another bite of toast. "I've been meaning to ask Dain if he knows of any suitable young dwarf-maids. Have you got anyone in mind?"

Fili paled. He bit his lip and looked down at his plate. "Well…" he said slowly. "There is someone..."

"What's her name then?"

"...S-Sigrid."

Thorin sat quite still and stared at Fili, frowning slightly. "Who's that?"

Fili looked altogether uncomfortable.

Suddenly a flash of recognition passed across the king's face. "Wait a moment," he said, stroking his beard. "Wait just a minute here! Is she Bard's daughter?"

Fili nodded stiffly, avoiding eye contact.

Thorin opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but instead he just sighed very deeply and rested his head in his hands. He wondered what he had done to deserve not one, but two nephews who insisted on making such scandalous matches.

"You and Kili," he said finally, "are the most incorrigible children I have ever had the misfortune of being involved with."

Fili's face fell, but then Thorin added, "However, I care a great deal for you both, and I am sorry for all the danger I put you in during the quest and the battle. They have both been won, in part thanks to you. You have won your own freedom, and you may choose to marry whomever you wish."

Thorin saw the joy on his young nephew's face, and thought of Kili's bright innocent smile, and he realized, This is what we came to save. Not the gold, not the jewels, nor the stone halls of his forefathers. Not even their home. Family, joy, love. Peace with all the peoples in Middle Earth. We had forgotten. He smiled back at Fili and thought, This is worth more than all the gold in Erebor.