Chapter 1

An Unexpected Meeting.

The heat of fire rose in the air, the sound of iron and steel being molded into weapons was echoing loudly upon the streets of the small city. There were many fine craftsmen, but most of them designed fabrics or molded pottery. Having known nothing of war, the small city did not feel the need for many blacksmiths, well, none that specialized in weapons. The breeze was warm and dry that hot summer day but the people who dwell there were no less chipper. The people walking around were wearing as little clothes as possible while still being descent in public. The men wore thin tunics, tied loosely, with short sleeves. The women wore light colored dresses, laced enough to be proper, but not an inch more than that, not if they did not have to. Very few women were dressed in elegant dresses of the finest, lightest silks in the brightest of colors. They all had their long hair tied up and braided, cascading down over their shoulder or down their backs. These few elegantly dressed women were the daughters of the cities ruler, Lord Elovere. The city was full of life and wealth because of his rule. The people prospered, each living in a lovely, white-stone tower of a home. Each house seemed to look like a castle, all built together in large clumps. There were three young women specifically; each dressed in the brightest of colors, even on the hottest of days. They always felt that as the royal children, they had to represent their father's good reputation when out and about. All three of them could not stand to sit still for very long. Most days, they wandered around the streets of the city, occasionally purchasing small trinkets or bites to eat. Always over paying and refusing change, part of the reason why money was not a problem for a single person living in this place.

Vera was the eldest of the women in appearance, nearly one hundred in the years of men. The look of age was starting to show on her cheeks and at the corners of her eyes. She and her family were Dúnedain, blessed with long life and great wisdom. Her appearance was that of a mortal woman about thirty. She was lovely despite the lines of age, with a smile that could make even the most bitter of men smile along with her. She was tall and shapely, not twig-like or malnourished. She was also not excessively plump. Her breasts were full beneath her thin gown, but appearing soft within her fabrics. She wore a ruby gown with golden embellishments on the sleeves and around the collar, in flowing shapes of flowers and vines. The raven braid which was her hair had been tossed over her right shoulder, hanging down just passed her breasts. She led her two younger sisters by about a yard. She always walked ahead of her sisters. As the eldest daughter, she felt that it was her responsibility to set a good example and make sure that her father's name remained untainted.

Tranora was blood sister to Vera, about five years younger. She looked nothing like her elegantly poised older sister. She was shorter and slightly rounder. She did not stand up straight. Her slouching made her look even shorter than she already was. She was wearing a lovely yellow dress which was embellished with emeralds and small pearls from the northern shores, looking like waves. She had cheeks similar to that of a chipmunk who had just found a lovely stash of buried acorns, but was still rosy and full of life. She had long, dark, chocolate hair that looked like a melted waterfall down her back. She was far too stubborn to tie her hair back as she very well knew she should. Even when it was not hot out, she would not tie her hair up. She cared nothing about how her appearance would effect her fathers reputation. She was very chipper and polite; the townsfolk loved her for being nothing but herself. With each breeze that was strong enough to move her hair, the large sweat mark on the back of her dress was very plainly visible.

The eldest of the lovely daughters was not blood, taken in by Lord Elovere when she resembled but a young girl. That was almost twenty years ago now and she was now just barely developing into a lovely young woman. She was an elf, but only her father and sisters were aware of that. People never saw her face, hidden behind a veil which her father requested she always wear when she is outside. She was slightly taller than her sister Vera and her skin was much paler. She was almost ten years older than Vera, but looked fifteen or more years younger than her dear sister. She wore a plain, white gown, like the rest of the women who lived in her fair city. Unlike her kin, she did not like to show her status or act it. Frequently, her father had to scold and punish her for stealing family gold or jewels to distribute around to the less fortunate of people within the city. No one was really impoverished or poor, but she liked to help out in any way that she could. She could not help but to try and share the wealth that she felt her father figure hoarded. Her face was the only one covered by a silver veil, to hide her true beauty. Her hair was braided down her back looking like shimmering silver rope. Her pointed ears were well hidden behind hair at all times. She was told that a long time ago, elves had betrayed the ruler of this land and left the people to starve and suffer during one of the coldest winters anyone could remember. Being an elf in such a land was a disgrace, or at least, that was what she was raised to believe. She was the only elf who lived in this land and not a single person knew of her heritage, or at least, as far as the royal family was aware. As they walked through the streets, she could not help but to spend a coin here and there to buy small toys and treats for children who she saw playing in the streets. They all loved her and made sure to thank her politely and give her hugs of appreciation. She frequently got them mugs that they could fill with water this time of year. She did not want to see a child get the heat sickness, not if she could prevent it.

That's when they passed the black smith. Oh, how miserable that job that must be. When the air tastes of heat and you spend all day next to a fire despite the air around you. She was never one who enjoyed heat. She would rather the spring or fall, where the light was plentiful and the weather was bearable. She looked over and could not help but to stare, her green eyes seeming to glow through her silver veil. Never before had she seen a dwarf within their city walls. The dwarves lived in the far north and far south of this city, they very rarely traveled. She wondered how old he was and laughed quietly to herself. What a silly question to ask. Dwarves were so unknown and unfamiliar to her and she could not help but to be curious about him. He had long, dark brown hair that was just beginning to have a strand or two of gray in it. His hair was dripping with sweat and sticking to the sides of his face where his glossy skin showed through his hair. Dwarves aged so much differently than the humans that she surrounded herself with. She thought he must be between sixty or seventy years old but she could not really know without asking him. How do you ask a dwarf's age without seeming offensive or insulting? He was so focused on his work, swinging his hammer repeatedly against the hot, metal sword he was so skillfully creating. He must have been hired by the blacksmith after his last helper was injured. She knew that his last hand was injured in a rather bad incident with their kiln. She herself had helped in healing his wounds. She hardly knew what to do. The ceramic furnace had exploded and covered the boy with deep wounds and lacerations. She was the only one powerful enough with any form of magic for miles around, not that anyone knew why she could heal. She felt she did not do as well as she could have, but she did her best to help the young lad none the less. She thought frequently of traveling to either Mirkwood or Rivendell to get medical training from the elves. After all, he was only a child, and no child deserved to suffer such a painful and agonizing fate. All of this time, lost in thought, she had been staring at the dwarf man.

"Anira, are you coming?" Vera called back. Anira took a sharp breath as she turned to face her siblings, thankful that the veil hid her shame from them. She felt so silly that she was staring at someone in such a rude manner, even if it was not on purpose.

"I will catch up with you two." She called with a tender smile, though they could not see it. Her voice was sweet and each word was lyrical. She always got looks from all of those around her when she spoke. She usually chose not to speak just because of this reaction. She noticed that all of the men within ear shot were staring at her, including the dwarf that she had been staring at. She always felt so out of place when anyone placed their attention on her. Her sisters each had several suitors, because they liked to speak to the men and accept their affections. Anira was not that way, not in the very least. She did not want any suitors. She knew that she would long out live all of them and did not want to give up her immortality for some petty, hundred year romance.

"Father will be furious if you are home late again, Anira!" Tranora laughed gently as she grabbed her older sister's arm and pulled her back towards the tall castle. Tranora, quiet as she was, was not stupid in the least. She knew that their father had a soft spot for Anira. There was one time, she distinctly remembered, when her sister was a young girl. She had decided to travel a few miles with gypsies in a caravan. Father had yelled at her for almost a day straight, until his voice had run from him and he could no longer speak.

"I will deal with father when I arrive home." Anira called back with a cheerful tone. She knew she was louder now because even more men were staring. She looked down at the ground for a moment before looking back towards the shop. The dwarf man had completely stopped what he was doing now. He stared at her, as if knowing that she was here for him. He made her nervous and she loved it. She had never felt so uncomfortably excited for any man before. She smiled nervously behind her veil as she quickly walked off of the street and into the small shop. It was shaded, but at least twenty degrees warmer due to the fire and kiln. She loved the smell of heated metal, though she did not know how to craft anything with it.

"I apologize. I did not mean to make such a scene in the street. I also did not mean to stare at you. I just have not seen many dwarf men around our humble city-"

"You were staring at me? It's impossible to tell anything you're doing behind that veil of yours." The dwarf interrupted her with a rather bitter tone. He then lifted a large hand as if to lift her veil, but he could not reach her face. She smiled behind her veil as she knelt down, not minding that she was going to dirty her silken gown with the soot and ash that lay upon the once white stones. He looked surprised that she would kneel before him so willingly. She was surprised too, seeing as she did not like to be touched or be close to men. She could not help it; she was completely infatuated with the small dwarf man. He gently lifted her veil, leaving large, black finger prints on the thin fabric that once covered her face.

"An elf?" He whispered quietly, growing instantly distasteful as he took a step back from her, turning away with a grim look upon his face. He turned away and grabbed the handle of the sword that he was making.

"I am sorry that my race displeases you." She said hurriedly as she stared at him. He made her so nervous and she did not know why it bothered her so much. It also bothered her that she apologized for her race when she knew that she did not need to. She quickly stood and tried to clean her dress with her hands, which resulted in her smearing the stains and rubbing them deeper into the fabric.

"My kind was allowed to suffer while the elves did nothing." He said angrily as he looked back at her. "Why should I think you are any different than they?!" He screamed at her. He was trembling in anger as he stared at her, as if to demand an answer from her.

"I am... I am sorry that my kind as wronged you." She whined nervously, unaware of what a proper response would be to his harsh statements. She had never seen such instant hate and distaste just because of someone's race, it broke her heart.

"I was going to bring in a request that I would have paid handsomely for, but I can take my business somewhere-"

"Now now, m'dear lass!" A large, round, thick bearded man said as he came from behind the shop. "Do not mind this lad here; he has gone through a lot. He does not know how to show respect to our royal clan. Please, I will give you a discount on your job-"

"No, no, Markus, no." Anira said quietly as she smiled. "I do not mind his temper or even his dislike of me. I've seen how you work and how those beneath you work. Never before have I seen anyone with the skill that this dwarf so surely possesses." She said quickly, trembling nervously and swallowing as she thought about what she said. She kept her eyes focused on Markus, not noticing that the dwarf was staring at her as she stayed in the warm shot, a bead of sweat running down the side of her face.

"Thorin." The dwarf said sternly, still not looking at her, seeming even more displeased now that his master of employment was defending the she-elf. "My name is Thorin, not dwarf."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Thorin. I apologize that I offended you." Anira said quietly as she walked closer to him. She pushed Markus away and gave him a hard look that clearly told him to get away. "What I am about to show Thorin, you may not see as well. It is very precious to me and my family. It is meant for only the most secretive of eyes." She said sternly. Markus did not wait to be told twice. He turned and went back inside of his home without another word or a protest.

"Your people here seem to love you." Thorin said with a bitter laugh as he turned to look up at her, smiling, as if he had won some sort of game.

"What makes you think that, Thorin?" She asked with a small smile.

"The fact that there are about five children waiting outside of this shop for you to leave." Thorin said, nodding towards the doorway. Anira turned around and laughed, lifting a hand to wave at the children. They all seemed so surprised, turning and quickly running out of sight.

"Most of them do... Men flock to wed my sisters because they know that I may not wed until they do first, it is tradition. I am going to be a well sought after woman once they both decide to take husbands." Anira said quietly. "May I have you as a friend, Thorin?" She said with a tender smile. He looked at her inquisitively, obviously confused as to her sudden, strange request.

"Why would you want me as a friend?" Thorin asked bitterly, laughing to himself and not bothering to be quiet in the least. He was still holding the handle of the sword he was forging, and he was twisting it every so often. It was as if the motion of the sword was the only thing keeping his attention from her as she spoke.

"It would be nice to have at least one man I could talk to without the fear of him getting on one knee and asking for my hand, or constantly trying to get his hands up my dress and cause me to corrupt my purity before my wedding night." Anira said with a tender smile. She could see the amusement on his face, though she knew he would never admit it.

"I may not like you, elf, but I cannot promise I will not attempt that second statement." Thorin said, but his mood seemed lighter now. He was still hard looking and frightening, covered in ashes and stains of smoke in his sweat. He was trying to tease her, she could tell. He was doing a poor job, but she appreciated his efforts none the less. He raised his eyes to look at her finally. He could not help but be completely engulfed in her beauty. If she were a dwarven woman, he would have his hands up her skirts already, and likely, much more than that.

"Thank you, I will be sure to keep that in mind." She said softly before she reached down the front of her shirt and pulled out a small, pearlescent silk bag. He swallowed hard as she stuck her hand down the fabric, wishing that it was his own hand instead. She opened it, untying the knot in the silver string before pulling out a long, silver necklace that held a silver pendant.

"This belonged to my mother..." She whispered quietly. "At least, that's what I was told..." She finished nervously. "A... A silver strand broke, right here, on the left side." She said, pointing to the small break in the weaving band around the glowing white stone. "No one but yourself and now Markus knows that I am an elf other than my kin, and obviously that is of very recent." She explained quietly. "I'm sure there would be a riot if they found out. Every man would be trying to win my affections ten times over if they knew what I was..." She said with a sad look entering her emerald eyes.

"Why does it bother you so badly to be wanted by men?" Thorin asked sternly.

"It does not bother me to be wanted; it bothers me why they want me. They see me as an object. I'm a beautiful face that they've never seen and always desired. They could care less about me. All they know is that I have the hips to birth strong children and survive the pregnancies." She explained sadly, wiping a tear from her eyes, her hands trembling. "I do not want to be a bride just so that I may become a slave to the will of the man who becomes my husband. I want to be loved and I want to be able to love him for as long as we both shall remain together." She finished before freezing as she stared at him. She had never told so many of her fears to a stranger, let alone secrets that effected her emotions so deeply. She shook her head and stood upright. "I must go now, Thorin." She said bitterly as she stood and turned away from him.

"You do not speak of your fears, I assume." Thorin said as he grabbed her arm. His touch was gentle, yet firm, enough to stop her, but not enough to hurt her. "I will not tell anyone. I will do my best to repair your necklace, but you must do me one simple favor." He said quietly, releasing her arm.

"What favor would that be, Thorin?" Anira asked with a small, sad laugh. She felt his rough fingers leave her skin. She closed her eyes and tried not to let it bother her.

"You need to stop crying, for me." He said quietly as he lowered her veil back upon her face. "You are too lovely to stain your face with such sadness."

"Are you sure you aren't going to try to seek my hand in marriage just like the rest of the men in this fair city, Thorin?" She said with a tender smile as she leaned closer to him.

"I am no longer sure of what I can and cannot promise you other that I will fix your necklace." He said, standing her up with strong hands before starting to heat his fire. It was like she had never stepped into his shop the way he seemed to completely forget she was there. She loved it, that he was able to just forget her existence the way he did. Not many men in this city were capable of such control.

She took that as a sign to leave before she caused any more trouble for him. She quickly adjusted her veil and her hair to make sure that her face and ears were completely hidden. She knew it was only a matter of time now until everyone knew that she was an elf. They were going to treat her differently and she was determined to make sure they all remembered who she really was and the kindness she had always shown them. She did not want some new found, unrealistic level of respect just because she was proclaimed to be wise. She was not raised by elves or anywhere near the elves. She felt that had she had no wisdom, not compared to other elves.

She quickly turned down the street, walking swiftly, her heels clicking against the stones. The sun was setting, the white stones glowing orange as the sun lowered over the horizon. She picked up her skirt slightly so that she could run, her flat shoes slapping against the stones as she ran up the steps towards her father's castle that she called home. She pushed open the large oak doors and quickly shut them behind herself, though she did not mean to make them slam as they did. She smiled and took a deep breath. It was cooler inside of her home, but she had hardly noticed the heat after standing in the blacksmiths shop for so long.

"Anira, you are late." A man's voice called, echoing down the long, stone hall. She could hear his footsteps as he walked towards her. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment before sighing as she turned around, lifting her veil and smiling brightly at her father.

Krystoff Elovere was a slightly older man. He wore plain, maroon robes with golden trim along the sleeves. He did not leave his home unless he had to, but he always dressed formally. He was nearing one hundred and fifty years of age, but do to the Dúnedain blood, he looked only as if were nearing his late forties. He once had dark red hair which was now mostly gray and white, along with his well trimmed beard. He was just slightly taller than Anira and built like an ox. He had broad shoulders and a strong chest. He looked like he had been a strong warrior back in the prime of his life. Now, he was more than perfectly content to be the father of his girls and the ruler of this land. He only made sure laws were enforced, but he otherwise remained a distant ruler.

"What on earth has my child home so late and...?" He stopped, laughing for a moment. "Covered in ashes and sweat stains?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He already knew where she had been and was hoping that perhaps she finally found a suitor that fit her standards, even if he did not approve of those standards. Both Vera and Tranora had already found gentlemen that they would gladly wed, should he only give the word. He was a smart man, knowing that the only reason the other men courted his other daughters was to get closer to his Anira. Once Anira had chosen a man, he would give his blessings only to see who truly cared for his daughters and who did not. He did not want to give up Anira, not for anything. He wished so deeply that he could be immortal, so that he could marry her and be with her for the rest of time.

"I had to ask a favor of Markus. He's got a new hand helping him, one with skill that I've never seen before. I gave him my mother's necklace to fix." She said with a tender smile. "You know how my heart has wept ever since that object was broken all those years ago."

"I remember the day it happened. I had to hold you while you cried for three days straight. I thought you may never stop." He said with a tender smile as he cupped her cheek in a cool hand. She could feel the cool metal of his rings against her soft skin.

"It looks as though he decided to wipe a tear away from your face. He must hate seeing you cry just as much as I do." Krystoff laughed gently before taking his handkerchief out of his shirt pocket, licking it and then wiping the dirt off of her pale face. "There's my lovely girl. Are you going to see him again?"

"I need to pay him and get my necklace back from him, don't I?" She said with a tender smile, brushing a lock of hair back from her face nervously. She removed her veil and untied her hair, running her fingers through it slowly. Her hair was long and lovely, though her father made her hide it most of the time.

"That you do. Vera and Tranora are having their suitors over for dinner tomorrow evening; I think that you should invite your new male friend, if for no other reason than for you to not be alone when you speak together." Krystoff said with a smile before turning away from her. "Supper is waiting for you in the dining room, if you are hungry. I'm going to turn in for the night. Try not to make too much noise if you sneak out again tonight. I heard you break the branch of our old pine tree when you snuck out last week."

Anira stared at him nervously as he walked away from her. He was so confident in the way that he moved. She listened to his heels clicking against the marble floors until he turned down the farthest hallway and she could hear him no longer. She relaxed finally and leaned back against the door. He was never so agreeable, did he see her talking to her strange friend earlier, or did Vera or Tranora tell him something about the dwarf? Either way, it was of no matter now. She stood up straight and turned to the left, walking up the spiral staircase to her tower bedroom. Their house was more like a fortress than anything else. The walls were made of thick layers of stones, covered in large paintings and tapestries that were elegantly embroidered and decorated. Her stairs were made of black marble, which she requested. Her door was just a hatch in the ceiling that she pushed open. She crawled into her room, closing the hatch and locking it. She laid back against her cool, wooden floor and closed her eyes. Her room looked so unlike the rest of the castle. She had everything as plain as humanly possible. She did not want to be royalty. She longed for a simpler life, perhaps that's why she was so drawn to that dwarf, working in the heat.

She sat up nervously and rubbed her eyes. She slowly forced herself to stand up, untying her dress quickly. She removed it, standing only in a thin, white shirt and tight white bloomers. She sighed and pushed open her glass door, a strong burst of cool wind blowing in and going through her long hair. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the cool breeze against her skin, giving her goose bumps. She removed her shoes with a small wince, rubbing her feet. She wasn't used to standing outside so much, especially not with shoes on. She would have to get out more often to prevent her feet from hurting, should she choose to travel in her future. She was waiting for the sun to disappear past the horizon and the moon to rise, it was taking much longer than it normally would, or at least, that was how it felt.

She sighed and decided not to watch the hypothetical water boil, turning back into her room and sitting down at her vanity mirror. The mirror was cracked and stuck together with tree sap. She hated being so much prettier than the other girls, she knew it made her stick out in a bad way. She had broken her mirror in a fit of rage one day, still having the scars on her hand from the day she did it. She grabbed her silver handled brush and began to run it through her hair slowly, humming songs softly to herself. Songs of love and romance always made her feel better; perhaps it was because she had never felt love for another person other than her kin. No man was ever able to win her heart, no matter what sweet words he said or what wonderful gifts he gave.

She sighed softly before she heard something hit her balcony with a small 'clunk' noise. She turned around and saw nothing but her pale curtains, glowing by the light of the moon, wafting in the breeze. She shook her head and decided that it was nothing. As she turned back to her mirror, she heard the sound again. It was if rocks were being thrown up from the ground at her bedroom. She stood up and walked to the balcony. She found two, small rocks at her feet. She knelt down and picked them up. They were wet and slightly mossy as if taken from the bed of a river.

"What on earth is going on?" She whispered to herself quickly, rubbing the rocks with her thumb. That's when she felt a sharp pain on the top of her head for a brief second before she heard the clink of the rock hitting the balcony. She whined loudly and placed her hand atop her head. She pulled her hand away to look if there was blood, there was not, but it still hurt. She stood up and walked over to the edge of the balcony, throwing the rocks back down at the ground.

"Stop throwing things at me! That hit me in the head!" She cried loudly, trembling with anger as she looked through the trees, hoping that the moon would light things up enough for her to see the culprit behind these rocks. She searched the edge of the forest frantically, looking for any shadow of a figure to move, but saw none. The wind blowing through the trees mixed with her own anxiety made it harder for her to hear anything going on below.

"I am sorry." She heard a voice right next to her ear, low and deep. She cried out loudly in fright as she looked over to where she heard the voice. There was Thorin, smiling at her, his silver hairs shimmering in the moon light. "I had just stopped by to-"

"Are you mad?" She cried out loudly as she grabbed him by the collar of his blue shirt and pulled him over her balcony railing and into her room. He stumbled behind her slightly but knew better than to protest against her. She shut the door behind herself and pulling the curtains to block out the moonlight and any other person who may be watching. She knew that there were almost always men in the woods around her bedroom, wishing to serenade her if she went out onto her balcony. She hardly used the balcony anymore for that very reason. She liked to keep to herself as much as possible. All of this extra attention was going to do absolute wonders for her reputation on top of being found out as an elf.

"I didn't mean to-" Thorin started. She turned and covered his mouth quickly with her hand, giving him a sharp glare.

"Do not speak, Thorin." She hissed angrily as she pushed him to sit on her bed. She hurried across the room and grabbed a robe, which she wrapped around herself tightly. She couldn't believe that she had let him see her so completely exposed for so long. Her face grew hot with shame as she realized that if other suitors had been out, lurking in the woods... They would have seen her in her undergarments too. She was just listening, waiting for her father to come up her stairs and knock at her hidden door, she knew that he would. He had the ears of a fox, especially when it came to her well being. He did not let any man get near her without his knowing about it.

"Anira, sweet heart, I heard you scream, are you alright?" Krystoff called from below her stairs, only taking a step or two up, waiting for her response.

"I'm alright, papa!" She called nervously. "A bird hit my window and I thought it may be dead, it's alright. I was just startled, that's all." She said, trembling, in a complete panic as she stared at Thorin who sat on her bed, smiling smugly as he watched her lie to the lord of the city. She knew that her father would know she was lying. The real question is if he was going to investigate what she was lying about, or just let her have this one. Her heart felt as though it might pound right through her chest at any moment. Looking at Thorin, she wondered how he could remain so calm in such a situation.

"Alright, my little dove. Try to get some sleep and don't forget to ask your black smith suitor to dinner tomorrow night! I would absolutely love to meet a man who's captured your interest so quickly." He called before stepping back down the stairs and down the hall. He knew that she was lying and he knew who was in her bedroom with her. Anira knew he was aware of everything and that's why he extended his invitation so bluntly. He wanted Thorin to hear that she was interested. Damn him.

Anira winced as he spoke, turning away from Thorin as she sat down at her mirror again, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and did her best to relax, when she heard Thorin start speaking again. She wondered how hard it would be to shut him up. Would a normal gag work, just a small piece of cloth tied around the mouth? She found her mind wandering to what his lips may feel like, but was quickly brought back to reality when she heard his voice.

"Your black smith suitor, huh? I did not realize our conversation today meant so much to you." He said with a hearty laugh, but trying to stay quiet for the sake of not alerting her father a second time. He was amused by her discomfort. It was almost a sense of pride for him. Every elf he had ever known had always thought they were the most noble of creatures, but now, there was this lovely girl who had no idea what to do. She was no more than a mortal woman to him and he liked that about her.

"Our conversation did not mean that much to me, Thorin." Anira said tenderly, her eyes still closed. "He saw the ashes on my face and dress when I came home today. He assumed I was talking to Markus, but I told him it was you. He threw the rest of it out of proportion himself." She said calmly before lowering her head. How much of it was really thrown out of proportion, she wondered. She did harbor feelings for this dwarf man and she had only just met him today. She could tell that he was strong and stubborn, but could show gentle nature and kindness when need be. Oh, how foolish she felt for thinking these thoughts about a near stranger!

"Do not judge your feelings for me so quickly, Anira..." He said quietly, right against her ear again. His breath was hot against her skin and it made her tremble, though she tried to keep it hidden from him. She had not even heard him leave her bed or walk over to her. It took special care for dwarves to be unheard, especially by elves.

When she opened her eyes, his hand was open, palm up below her gaze. In his palm was the small pouch, glowing from inside. Her eyes went wide as she sat up straight again, unable to take her eyes off of the faint glow for what seemed like forever before she turned and looked at him. His face was so close to hers, she could feel his warmth and smell the smoke in his hair and beard. It was obvious that he had taken some care before coming to see her this evening. His hair was brushed, beard was trimmed and his face was clean. She smiled and raised a gentle hand to cup his cheek beneath his beard. She loved to look at him, completely mesmerized by his Sapphire eyes.

"My my, is this what you look like when you are clean?" Anira said tenderly, stroking his soft skin with her slender fingers. "I think I like you better covered in ashes." She teased tenderly, a smile crossing her lips. He smiled too, looking at her flawless face. She smelled like a flower, but he could not place which type. Working in the smoke and mines for so long, he had all but forgotten what the smell of flowers was like.

"You noticed that, huh?" He said with a small laugh again. "Please... Open it. I want to know if it meets your standards. I did the best I could; I do hope it is good enough." He whispered quietly. He was anxious to know what she thought, tapping a large finger against her vanity as he waited. He had never tried to fix something so small and intricate before. It was absolutely nothing like forging a weapon and he felt as though it was completely out of his crafting ability.

Anira nodded and took the small pouch from his hand and untied the string. She drew the necklace out by the thin cord and smiled. It looked as though it had never been broken. She laid it in the palm of her other hand and it began to glow even brighter, but she knew not why.

"Thorin." She said, hardly able to speak as she continued to stare at the lovely pendant in her hand. "I don't know what to say. It is absolutely beautiful! I knew I made a good decision in trusting you to fix it. Dwarves are the most skilled craftsmen that I have ever heard of. How much do I owe you for payment?" She asked with a tender smile as she set the necklace down on her dresser and grabbed her satchel of coins. He placed a large hand on hers to stop her. Hard and large, his hands made hers look like she was no more than a child beside him. She looked at him nervously. A dwarf that did not want gold? What black magic was involved here?

"I did not come here because I wished payment from you, Anira." Thorin said quietly as he looked at her. His face was glowing a pale blue because of her necklace, which continued to glow brightly between them. It grew brighter and brighter the closer they got, but neither of them seemed to notice.

"Why did you come here, Thorin, if not for payment?" She asked very tenderly as she pulled her hand back from her gold. She grabbed her necklace from the dresser and quickly put it over her head and around her neck, tucking it down into her shirt. It continued to glow, but at least now it was not blinding to look at.

"I wanted to see the look on your face when you saw it in one piece again." He said, raising a hand to gently cup her cheek. "And ask if maybe I could have... Just...One..." He whispered slowly as he leaned closer to her and closed his eyes. Anira trembled as he leaned towards her. She knew what he wanted from her and she wanted it too. How could she ever forgive herself if she let her defenses fall so quickly for a man she just met?

Anira gasped and turned away from him, closing her eyes as she felt his lips against her skin, along with the gentle prickle of his beard. It pained her not to turn and kiss him back, but she knew that she could not. Where would it end if she started down that road now? She did not expect a man she just met to marry her after one day of knowing her. She did not want to be used and thrown away like a cheap floozy. He pulled back and let out a small sigh, turning away from her slightly.

"Thorin..." She whispered sadly as she turned to look up at him. She shook her head and cupped his face tenderly before he could turn away from her further. "Why are you doing this to me?" She asked gently.

"Why am I doing what to you?" Thorin asked quietly. He did not want to look at her, not after she proved how elf she really was. He could have sworn she liked him, but for her to shoot him down so coldly when all he wanted was a harmless kiss…she was just like the rest.

"I don't trust that you feel so strongly for me after just one meeting, Thorin." She said tenderly, trying as well as she could to comfort him. "You hated me upon first seeing me, simply because I am an elf. What did I do that changed your mind so quickly? I did not undo the damage done to you. I did not apologize for my race, only claimed that I am not they who have hurt you. You started being nice to me..." She said with a sad laugh. "When you saw my face..." She said before she stood up and looked down at him, releasing his face.

Thorin did not say a word to her, but averted his gaze from her. He knew that the words she spoke were true, but he could not help the way she had affected him. He hated elves, he would always hate elves, but she was not like the rest of them. She did not talk down to him or try to question him about his arrival in this city.

"What can I do to prove myself to you, Anira?" He asked quietly as he looked up at her, gripping her hands in his, squeezing gently as he looked into her eyes. "I will do anything you ask of me to prove that I want you for who you are, not what you look like. You spoke of your fears earlier today. I will not make you an object; I do not want to turn you into anything less than what you are."

"Answer me one question, Thorin, and if you answer correctly. I will be yours without a single argument. I will love and cherish you for all time..." She said tenderly.

"What is your question, Anira?" He asked quietly, turning to look at her.

"What am I to you, other than beautiful, Thorin?" Anira asked with a sad smile.

There was silence then, for a long time. There was not a stir in the entire castle it seemed. He took a deep breath before he finally turned away from her and stepped towards her door to her balcony. He opened the doors and closed his eyes when the breeze hit him. She loved how he looked in the moon light, his hair blowing in the breeze.

"I am sorry that I did not have an answer for you." He said quietly as he lifted himself over her balcony railing and gripped the vines that climbed the stone walls of her home.

"Thorin, wait for just a moment." She said quickly as she hurried to follow him, leaning over the balcony to speak to him. "Just because you did not have an answer to my question today, does not mean that you will always have silence. When you can think of what I am to you, I will let you kiss me as much as you want." She said, biting her lower lip tenderly. "Anywhere you want." She added nervously, biting her lower lip.

Thorin stared at her and went to grab a vine that was not there and nearly fell down the side of her wall. She reached down and caught him by his shirt, smiling as he regained his grip on the vines.

"Are you coming?" Anira called down after him, leaning as far over the balcony as she could without falling.

"Am I... What?" Thorin called back up to her, while still trying to keep his voice down.

"To dinner tomorrow night. Didn't you hear my father's invite?"

"I didn't figure you would want me there."

"I will not deny that you are a suitor, Thorin, but I'm nowhere near giving you my heart. Not yet. My father's approval would be a good way to start." She said sweetly.

"Then yes... I will come tomorrow." He laughed as he finally reached the ground and disappeared into the trees, looking over his shoulder at her two separate times before she was out of his view.

"So... That's the man who's caught my daughters long sought after affections. I did not expect a dwarf. Not in the least. Especially not Thorin Oakenshield." Krystoff said quietly to himself as he watched out the window as the dwarf walked off. He knew his daughter well enough to know that she was lying to him when he questioned her earlier. Why on earth would the dwarf risk his wrath to visit her in the dead of night, especially with no ring in sight?

"Dinner tomorrow night shall be interesting, to say the very least." He laughed to himself quietly as he turned away from the window and took a sip of brandy from his glass, swallowing hard before setting his glass down on his wooden table.

"Father, would you really allow Anira to wed a commoner. He's less than just a commoner, he's a dwarf!" Vera cried quietly. She had been denied several times to wed a commoner. Krystoff always said they were not good enough for her and that he would not have his daughters marrying low-life, scum.

"Vera. You are my daughter by blood. I can tell you what I want, when I want. I want you to marry well. No matter what happens to Anira, she will be well. No matter who she marries, she will leave this city and I have known that since the day I took her into this home. Who better to help her travel, than a dwarf who has no home?" He said with a small smile, though it was a sad smile.

"That is a cruel thing to say, Father." Vera hissed angrily.

"Enough, Vera!" Krystoff snapped back angrily as he glared at his eldest daughter. "Go to bed now, tomorrow is going to be a long day for us all." He said sternly. Vera continued to glare at him but turned and walked towards her bedroom without another word. She was so furious with the way her father handled himself. She knew what truly lurked in his heart. He had taken Anira in as a child because he wished her to one day be his bride. Both of his real daughters knew this. He wanted the queen to be the loveliest in all of the land by no comparison. He wanted to make her see how foolish her affections for the dwarf were so that he could show what a prize husband he would make.

"I'm not going to let father hurt her..." Vera decided to herself as she entered her room and slammed the door behind her. She walked to her large, heavy, wooden dresser and opened her top drawer. She pushed through her clothes frantically for a few moments before she found a small, leather bound book. She held it tightly in her hands and took a deep breath.

"Father may disown me for this..." She whispered quietly to herself before she grabbed a thick, black cloak and wrapped it around herself. She covered her hair and her face, making sure that no one would recognize her in the darkness as she opened her window and crawled out, walking down the street quickly, towards Markus' shop.