The Fifteenth Member (Thorin Oakenshield/OFC)

Chapter 53

"So much for us having a perfect wedding." Thorin lamented as we walked towards the entrance.

"You already made it perfect, love."

"Did you let the man in?" Thorin asked the guard.

"No your majesty. He's outside the gate but I sent someone out to watch him."

"Good man."

Thorin and I went up onto the ramparts, which had been repaired long ago. Down below, I could see the guard standing next to a middle-aged man. He had a brown beard and was wearing heavy dark trousers and a light-blue tunic of the same material. He had come in a horse-drawn caravan that was weather-worn and the cloth was torn in some places. It was clear that this man had been on the road for a long time.

"O great King Under the Mountain, I wish to discuss possible trading rights to your kingdom!" Trading rights? I looked at the man more closely. His accent was strangely familiar to me and I wasn't able to place it.

"Who are you?"

"A man from the south west, looking for trade with the great kingdom of Erebor!"

"Thorin, I know him!"

"How?"

"He used to travel through my village but my question is what's he doing all the way out here?" "You say you are from the south west. What are you doing all the way up here in the north east?"

"I go where the rich pickings are!"

"Will he pose a threat to us?"

"He's a fair bargainer and is very understanding of those who are poor, he'll give them special deals."

"So he can be trusted?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Escort him inside and show him to a room. I wish to return to my marriage celebration to my lovely wife and queen Mereniver."

"Thorin!" I hissed at him.

"What?" He stole a kiss.

"Nothing. Let's go." I took off at a fast pace, trader Johannes loved to tell long winded stories about his adventures and after hearing like two, they all began to sound the same.

"What's the hurry love?"

"He knows me and if he catches us, he'll want to tell us stories."

"What's so bad about that?"

"It takes him hours."

"In that case....." He picked up the pace and we jogged back to the Great Hall as fast as my long dress would allow. When we got back, I was slightly winded.

"You alright love?"

"I'm fine. Dance with me?"

"I don't think so. You and I are going to sit down and we are going to wait for you to get your breath back." I tried to argue and tell him I'm fine but he wouldn't have it.

"I'm not taking any more risks with you and I don't want you to either."

"Thorin, I'm only three months along–"

"And in those three months you've had more close calls than I care to recall. No Mereniver, i won't gamble with your life." The table was almost empty when we got there. Tauriel and Kili were gone, as were Wani and Fili. Arwen was talking to Legolas and Thranduil was speaking with Lord Elrond and the twins. To my surprise, my parents were still there, deep in conversation. They stopped as soon as they spotted us.