Born from Stone (A Thorin Oakenshield story)

Will you marry me?

"How the hell did you get your hand messed up so bad?" Dis looked at his bandaged hand. The purple colour of the bruising in his palm had extended past his wrist to the middle of his forearm.

"Training", he looked away.

"Dwalin told us what happened this morning," Frerin crossed his arms.

"So you know, what's the point of an interrogation?" He looked up annoyed.

"Your ferocity is the point. Dwalin said that you were unstoppable. You grabbed the mace with your bare hand and pushed him and it several feet in the air. His weapon and his forearm broke," Frerin frowned and Dis looked at him worriedly.

"That is our fighting style," he dismissed his little brother.

"No, it's not," Frerin leaned close, "you maybe harder on him than on me, but you are never so violent. You can both control yourselves so that neither gets hurt."

"We do," Thorin's stern look did little to discourage his brother.

"You didn't this time and that worries me," Frerin looked back at Dis, "not only me, but Dis and Dwalin also."

Thorin cupped his forehead, "it was a small loss of control on my behalf. I will figure things out with Dwalin, stay out of this."

Frerin crossed his arms patiently, "We are not here to interfere in your friendship with the grim reaper of Erebor," Dis snorted under her palm and Thorin's eyes fell on her crossly, "don't look at her like that. We are here because we are worried Thorin. This isn't just about today. This is about you the last three months"

He felt the blood draining from his face, "During which, I've been training like an animal...."

Frerin raised his finger to intercept him, "....burying yourself in the library when you are not smashing war hammers with your bare palm, forging the life out of every sword in the kingdom and prefer to study calligraphy alone instead of spending time with us. What is going on brother?"

Thorin inhaled deeply, "I don't know. What do you want me to say..."

"The truth. What is it that ails you so bad?" Dis frowned and embraced him gently from the back.

He felt his heart mellowing and he released a sigh, "Just me and Thrain clashing our horns", he tried to brush off their genial concern with any shallow excuse he could find. He found it impossible to unravel how his two year love story with Siv ended. He had kept his relationship a secret from everyone apart from Dwalin and eventually his father, mostly in need to protect Siv's privacy and honour, until he could wed her and make it official. He wasn't going to undo that now and stain her memory.

Frerin twisted his head testily, but his face softened a little, "Dad is freaking you out again?"

Dis pressed her lips, "he always does that to him. Remember how he never allowed him to join when grandfather used to play with us?"

Frerin looked down and nodded.

"What did he used to tell you Thorin?" She pinched his cheek.

He pushed her hand away bothered, "stern majesty Thorin, always stern majesty!" He mimicked their father's voice.

Dis giggled and Frerin smiled, "keep your back straight," he pulled Thorin's shoulders,"eyes looking past everyone else at the back wall, cold and derisive," Frerin's hands steadied his head up, "lips thin and lofty. Haughtiness Thorin runs in your blood!" Frerin's fingers pulled the sides of his mouth to fix the lofty lips, but his brother pushed him away, "stand back you idiot."