The King and The Baker

Chapter 25

It was one week until Dis' birthday dinner, and it was not the etiquette lessons Ora was having issues with.

"What should I get your sister for her birthday?" Ora asked loudly, barging into Thorin's private office without knocking or even fully knowing if he was there or not. He was, of course, because he wasn't anywhere else.

Thorin looked up from his papers upon hearing the door swing open, and he raised his eyebrows a little at the blonde Dwarrowdam as she stood, a little red faced, and looking utterly unimpressed with her hands on her hips and a deep scowl on her round face.

"Good afternoon to you too." He said coolly, putting down the parchment he was reading and leaning back in his chair.

Ora didn't find him amusing. Not one bit.

"Very funny, but I'm not in the mood. I've literally been running up and down this Mountain looking for you." Her scowl deepened.

"And yet I am always here on a Thursday afternoon."

Immediately, Ora's sour face vanished. "It's Thursday? Oh, Mahal, I thought it was Wednesday." She muttered. "Anyway, it doesn't matter," She continued, her tone back to its usual, breezy tune, "What do I get a princess, who has everything already, for her birthday?" Ora moved towards Thorin and came around his desk, perching on it in front of him.

Thorin took in a deep breath as he thought, absently letting his hand take position on her knee. Immediately that he did so, a jolt of warmth shot through Ora. It was little things like that that she loved, little signs of affection that he didn't even know he was doing.

"She loves your baking." He finally said. "That is something she does not have."

Ora blinked at him, and then frowned in confusion, "I do not follow..."

"You cannot get her anything material, obviously, so what about something more... sentimental?"

Ora thought for a moment, watching Thorin's face for any signs of anymore clues. Obviously, by the look on his face, he knew actually what Ora should do, but he also didn't look like he was going to tell her.

"Baking lessons?" Ora tried, looking sceptically at Thorin as he slowly shook his head, egging her to guess again. "A cookery book?"

Thorin's lip twitched, and Ora knew that was his way of smiling, and she grinned. "You think I should get her a cookery book?"

Thorin shook his head again, "No, I think you should make a collection of all your best recipes, ones you have tried and tested and ones you want her to try and test herself."

Ora immediately thought that was actually a rather sweet thing to do, and she knew right then that she'd put as much though into it as she possibly could. For the princess who over the past few weeks had become quite a good friend of hers.

"So, you are coming then?"

Thorin's deep rumble snapped Ora from her thoughts as she mentally flicked through her internal memory log of her recipes.

"Pardon?"

"Are you coming? To the dinner?"

"Yes, well... Yes, I am. But you can't leave me on my own." Ora replied, jabbing her finger at him.

Thorin's lips twitch again, "So you are prepared to become public on our courting?"

Ora hesitated, "Public?" She bit her lip, and Thorin's gaze flickered there for a moment.

Even now as Thorin's Consort most of the Mountain didn't know that was who she was. Ora wouldn't trail around after Thorin like those haughty Noble Dwarrowdams, no, Ora would usually meet him places, or see him in his study or the King's Hall, which wouldn't raise suspicion to what exactly was going on. Well, not that much, anyway. A few rumours were seeded, but the way Thorin had spoken to her those weeks ago in the Dining Hall was pulled from its grave and remembered, quickly stomping the sprouting rumours out.