Erebor, Lonely Mountain

38. Thorin | Boots and Stones

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You are nearly a third of the way through reading all the books in Erebor's Library. Your fingers slid across the shelf you were on, crossing off the books you had read and stopping on your next book, basically a Dwarf Courting for Dummies. You read through the book rather quickly and your mind triggered to several things along the Journey.

-To initiate courting, sit flexing while you drink from a mug with a stone placed firmly under your boot.

Also several tips on arranging stones around your intended around the campfire and as they sleep, along with mentions of comments on your knuckles and axes paired with stern glances and a five foot distance nearly at all times, along with small absurd gifts that no non Dwarf could ever manage to figure out.

You let out a loud groan as you finished the book, closing it and heading for the meeting room where you knew Thorin would be.

As you walked to the door you could hear Thorin and Dain screaming at each other. You shoved the door open, walking over to the stunned Dwarf Kings who were watching you, as you glared at Dain shouting, "Out!"

He whispered, "Later" to Thorin as he and his men hurried out of the room and shut the door behind them.

You looked back to Thorin who swallowed and fought to keep his face straight, set the book down on the table and slid it to him, he smiled as he quickly read the title as he placed his hand on the book to stop it from falling off. "Flexing while drinking with a stone under your boot. Really Thorin??"

"It's the traditional way."

"Thorin, Im NOT A DWARF! How was I supposed to know that?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I meant to discuss it with you sometime. Bilbo was very unhelpful, spent a fair bit of time talking about flowers. What use is a Dwarf with flowers?"

"It doesn't have to be flowers Thorin, just something that shows you care. And the major difference, communication, we don't go around using tricks on each other."

"I would never have tricked you into courting me. It's a difficult subject to discuss."

"I care for you."

His mouth dropped open a bit as he gazed back down to the book, taking a deep breath and back up to you letting it out, "I..Care, for you..."

"Was that so hard?" He let out a small grumble and you looked back to the door behind you and back to him, "I'm sorry I interrupted your meeting."

He chuckled, "Not much of a meeting." He stepped closer to you and gently placed his hands on your arms, "May I braid your hair?"

"Is that your way of asking to court me? Or do you just not like my hairstyle?" giving him a smirk.

His smile grows, "Its my way of asking to court you."

You raise a finger and tap him in the chest, "One condition, No more secrets, I know your language not your rituals, so please be patient while I learn them, and hopefully you try to learn mine."

He nods his head his eyes staring into yours lovingly, "No more secrets. I will be patient and try to learn your ways as well."

You smile again and grab his beard whispering, "Good." as you step up on your toes and kiss him. He let out a small moan, quickly wrapped one arm around your back and another hand over your cheek and through your hair. He broke the kiss and quickly pulled the beads from his pocket and braided them into your bangs and braided the rest of your hair and used the ribbon they were tied with to tie the end of your braid, then kissing you again before Balin rushed in and called Thorin away. He leaned down and whispered, "I'll see you later." gripping your elbow before turning as you mumbled, "I've heard that before." To which he turned and replied, "I give you my word. I will see you later." bowing his head to you and leaving you to roll your eyes, grab your book and head back to the library.

You stayed there for a few hours until you felt that your stomach was going to grumble. You returned your new book and headed up for your Apartment Thorin had assigned you, finding the door open and all of your belongings and food gone. You let out a squeak as you spun around staring at the empty rooms and made your way to Thorin's door. You knocked lightly and heard a loud shout, "NOT NOW!" you quietly whispered, "Okay." and turned to leave catching Balin's eye who quickly nudged you back to the door and whispered, "He doesn't mean you, go right in." tapping your back again before turning and going into his apartment down the hall. You took in a deep breath, quietly turning the knob and slipping inside and shutting the door behind you. Turning and walking farther into the main hallway, seeing Thorin, in just a simple shirt and pants, his crown and coat thrown over a small couch, in the sitting room moving your reading chair side to side next to his in front of the fireplace, noticing more of your things in the room around him. Thorin turned to inspect the room as he spotted you, smiled and walked out into the hallway grabbing your hands as he reached you.

"Is that spot good?"

You nod, "It looks good from here."

Making his smile grow larger, "Good. Oh dinner should be ready soon. Roasted chicken, vegetables, and boiled potatoes. There's cake as well."

You let out a chuckle and glance back at the sitting room then back to him, "I thought someone had stolen my things."

He ran his hand over your cheek, "No one in the mountain would dare touch your things." a thought running over his face then he continued, "No one but me it seems. It's a Dwarf tradition I'm sorry I didn't clear it with you first. When Royals court they share apartments, to learn each other. I can always move it back if you like."

You wrap your arms around his neck, "I'll stay." His smile grew as he wrapped his arms around your back pressing his forehead to yours, you both laughed as your stomach growled and he kissed your cheek before he pulled back, "Let's eat."

You shared an amazing meal then he led you to your room across the hall from his, "I have a present for you." He led you to the bed, which was the same size as his with your blankets on top with a large box tied with a ribbon waiting for you. You gave him quick smirk as he gave you a gentle push towards the bed, which you hopped on and sat next to the box, untying the ribbon and lifting the lid. You gasped slightly as you saw the giant fur inside, reaching inside and lifting it out as Thorin pulled the box, lid and ribbon away setting it on the bench at the foot of the bed as you spread it out over the bed. It was a large Black bear fur blanket with short brown fur on the other side, you sat and ran your hands over it before pulling back and glancing at it curiously, "It's missing something." Thorin stepped closer and glanced over the blanket as you lunged out pulling him on top of you then grabbing the blanket and flipping you on top of him pulling it over you and kissing him again briefly before whispering, "Now it's perfect." making him chuckle before kissing you again.

You kissed for a short time before he rolled you back over, flipping the blanket off of you and lifting you back to the grounding saying, "We should try out our new sitting room." kissing your cheek as he led you to the other room and reading for a short time until another knock sounded on his door and he turned and shouted, "Next Dwarf to knock on my door gets shaved!" smiling at you before you stand and pull his coat and crown out of the couch and toss it on your chair and pulled him to the couch, curling up next to him and continuing to read with his arm around you until you started yawning and he put your books up and led you to your room kissing your cheek, "Goodnight, Love." before heading into his room. You curled up under your blankets and slipped of to sleep as you hugged your pillow. After a few hours you woke to see a shirtless Thorin throwing another log in your fireplace, you quietly grabbed your rolled up sock and tossed it at his shoulder, making him turn, "Your supposed to be sleeping. I didn't wake you did I?"

You wag your finger telling him to come over, when he does you grab his arm and pull him into your bed, "We aren't supposed to share a bed." You drag him under the covers and wrap yourself around his chest, "Tough cookies, Thorin." He fixes the blankets around you and wrapped his arms tighter around you and you both quickly fell back to sleep.