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Durin's Folk

Dwarven lands were always a challenge for elves. Even if Mäeth faced it like something entertaining, walking through the streets with dwarves glaring and giving her strange looks was not something she enjoyed. Some would even spat after she walked by them. Thorin, who was leading the way in his pony, was either unware or did not care, but it didn't matter, for Mäetharanel ignored the offences. For now.

Following after the dwarf, she noticed they were getting closer and closer to the large building that stood in the centre of the busy square. After dismounting her horse and tying her reigns to a post, she looked up towards the end of the tall stone walls and chuckled while giving her mare some pats. Someone had a complex with heights.

"My King, welcome back", the guards in front of the doors were short and wide. While they bowed down to Thorin, who simply nodded and walked forth, to Mäetharanel, they crossed their spears in front of the entrance so she would not go inside, "My lord, this... elvish woman is allowed to enter?", spat out the dwarf.

"She is", he allowed her entrance without even turning around. When walking through the entrance, now free, the elf stopped right where the spears had been and almost killed the dwarves with her stare.

The halls she went through where not as magnificent as the doors she had seen. Mostly made of stone, it was cold inside, but the princess was not aware if it had been from the stone, or from the anger in the eyes of the dwarves they had gone by. 

She understood their hatred, Mäetharanel could almost say she would do much worse than glare at someone that belonged to a race that had not helped her and her kin, but when Erebor fell she had not been there. If only they knew that as soon as the elven army returned and she found the opportunity to speak with Thranduil, she had condemned the attitude of the king... elves are precious, but so are other creatures.

"Wait here", alone with her thoughts, the elf forgot about the dwarf in front of her, and when he spoke her eyes widened and her shoulders tensed, "I understand that being is here has not been nice to you, but to get scared when I speak?", if Oakenshield wanted to play, they could both do it. He thought he was good at provoking?

"Do not flatter yourself, it was your face that made me fear for my eyes", answered Mäetharanel.

"Oh?", Thorin raised an eyebrow, "if we're being honest, might I say how your height is surprising?", how dare he!?

"I suggest you go inside before your race loses their first heir", said she, speaking through her teeth. With a smug smirk on his face, Thorin walked inside the room and closed the doors.

The window nearby the room gave the perfect view of the great forest that had taken it's home around Ered Luin. Looking further ahead, she could almost see the outlines of Doriath, and her father's smile entered her mind.

"Ada, I miss you", mumbled the elvish lady, "forgive me, please", and the doors opened once again, but no one was there to welcome her.

"Come in", Thorin ordered, and in she went, "this is the one I mentioned, she calls herself Mäetharanel", and she bowed down with respect.

"I did not think I'd live to see the day an elf would bow before me", came the voice of one of the dwarves that sat around the round table.

"You certainly did not expect me to disrespect you in your own home, my lord?", after the trip there, Mäeth felt rather impatient. 

"I'd expect anything from someone whose kin let innocents perish", spat out the man. The glare she gave him made his body rigid, and the guards that had opened the door stood ready to kill.

"I assure I was not present when such events occurred", answered the woman, with anger concealed in her voice.

"Easy, Dranur. Mäetharanel is a member of the company that will regain us Erebor, and as such you will treat her with respect," when Mäeth faced Thorin, surprise had taken her eyes, "gentlemen, shall we discuss the matters that have developed while I was away?", the all answered affirmatively.