'So this is Erebor' she murmured to herself as she took in the daunting view of the mountain, its stone kings standing guard over a still broken door. 'I can see why she doesn't want to come back' She continued to push her cart up to the door only to be stopped and pulled to the side by guards that insisted on checking it. Used to this sort of behavior and treatment from the other cities she had visited she pulled out her book and leant against the cart to wait. Had it not been such a good book she may have noticed him standing there before he loudly asked 'is it any good?'

She jumped at the sudden noise and dropped the book, they both stooped down to pick it up and collided half way. As she stood back up to recover her balance, he went further down and stomped on the book tearing its paged in the process.

He froze, realizing what he had done, and simply stared at the book, he could feel her anger as he slowly raised his head to face her. Even angry she was one of the most beautiful dwarrowdams he had ever seen. She simply glared at him, fighting off any thought of how handsome his face was to focus only on the fact that within the space of 10 seconds he had managed to make her jump, hurt her and destroyed her book. His cheeks burnt with humiliation as the continued to stand in silence, his mouth occasionally opening to explain himself with no words escaping.

'Yes' she said finally ending the torturous silence.

'Yes what?' he stuttered still recovering his ability to function.

'It is a brilliant book, well at least it was.'

He continued to kneel on the floor gazing up at her his humiliation hastily turning to guilt and then to annoyance as He could hear his brother's failing attempts to suppress his laughter from behind a column.

'I'm so sorry' he finally said.

'Oh well it's all alright then!'

'Really?' He asked feeling hopeful

'No.' She turned away trying to stop herself from becoming more upset by tidying her cart.

'Please let me help!' he said rushing to her side.

'I'd rather you didn't. Oh mahal! Please put that down!' she insisted as he lifted up a dangerous looking gauntlet that had fallen out of its wrappings.

'It's beautiful' he said with a tone of awe as he admired the intricate carving and mechanisms whilst she set about folding the coats that were piled on the cart. She was so distracted she didn't notice him out it on until it was too late, he had locked it into place and was holding his and up and staring at it with admiration.

'Take it off, now!' she said alarm shaking her voice 'its not safe to wear it inside'

'It's just a gauntlet' he scoffed. He flexed his fingers and heard a ticking and whirring within the glove.

'No it really isn't' she said ducking down behind her cart. All of a sudden a shiny object projected out of the gauntlet and traveled through the air and lodged itself into the stone column no less that 5 inches from Kili's head. His eyes were wide with shock and fear momentarily until their usual mischief returned. He rushed toward his brother to admire the glove, but she got there first and removed it from his hand. She went to place it back on the cart but it was intercepted by an old war torn dwarf she hadn't noticed approach.

'Oh come on Dwalin let me have a look' said Kili clamoring to get closer to it. His protest went ignored as Dwalin looked from the gauntlet to the girl, his eyes narrowing with anger.

'You bring this to our kingdom? You endanger the life of our prince? You come bringing trouble to our door!' He shouted stepping further towards her with each question. She did not cower or falter as he expected, in fact she stood taller and replied.

'I bring coats to my friends and will give them to them and be gone once you give that back to me'

'You will face your king!'

'No I wont, i'm to make this delivery and return to Dale.

The two glowered at each other neither one backing down.

'Dwalin you're being unreasonable, it was all my fault' said Fili trying to ease the situation.

'Please don't try to help me' she grated ' it doesn't end well for me when you do'.

Fili blushed and stepped back slightly, he could only watch as Dwalin took her by the arm and marched her into the great hall. She fought him for a while but soon realized the old dwarf wouldn't let go.

The king sat on his throne talking to his sister who sat beside him, he sighed when he saw Dwalin entered, his old friend had been on high alert ever since his Dis has arrived, he suspected this to be just one of many excuses he had recently found to be in her company.

'Dwalin! What is the matter now? Did this girl stand in a way you found suspicious? Did she not rise and salute upon hearing my name? What supposed crime is this one guilty of?'

'She endangered the life of Prince Kili!'

Thorin chuckled ' Did she swoon at his feet and he nearly fell over her like the others?'

The girl snorted with derision before mumbling 'not likely'

'I did not endanger his life! His brother did!'

'It is true Uncle! I was at fault!' called Fili as he hurried into the room. 'I should never have touched it! And it was miles away from him, well inches, but he's alive'

'What exactly did you touch that endangered your brothers life?' asked Thorin.

'This' called Dwalin, his chest inflating as he thrust forward the gauntlet.

'You nearly killed your brother with a glove?' Asked Lady Dis, in a tone of tired disbelief.

'Not a glove sister, a gauntlet, and a clever one at that, what does this mechanism do' asked Thorin as he turned it over in his hands.

'It fires a small circular blade from the outer part, but only when all fingers are flexed at the same time.'

'And if just one finger is flexed?' Thorin enquired as he continued to admire it.

'That depends on the finger, some nothing, others it causes a blade to rise up and stick out from the knuckle above it'

Thorin smiled, impressed by what he held. 'Where ever did you get it?'

'My brother and I made it, I designed it, he crafted it and we both decorated it.' said the girl as she ripped her arm from Dwalin's weakening grasp.

'What is your name?'

'Aria, your Majesty' she said curtsying slightly.

'Have you any more of these?' he questioned with a glint in his eye.

'Thorin she endangered the prince!'

'Oh Dwalin no she didn't that was Fili, and he has been doing that every day since his birth!' sighed Dis.

Dwalin bowed his head slightly in reverence to her words.

'But my lady we must ask why she is so heavily armed, this is not the only weapon she carries. She is just a young lady surely that raises some questions.'

'Questions I can answer! I am a tradeswoman, I travel this earth. This earth that is also inhabited by orcs and other foul creatures. They are not as quick to discriminate as you are!' the girl said raising her chin in defiance, daring him to doubt her further.

'You may need to elaborate a little my dear' said Dis kindly, she was beginning to take a liking to this girl, there was a fire in her she found familiar, not to mention eyes that she knew she had seen before.

'My family and I travel this world, from market to market, from city to city and the roads are long and dangerous! On them I have found that an orc doesn't care what gender I am, a dwarf is a dwarf, we're all food and sport to them! I have no intention of being an easy meal!'

Dis grinned at the girl 'See Dwalin we have your answer!'

'We do indeed!' echoed Thorin who was now intrigued by this girl, there was something about her. Much like Dis he knew her eyes, however it was the way the girl held herself and braided her hair that bothered him more!

'Now you were saying about your other weapons' he encouraged.

'I checked her cart and just found a shield' said Kili with an ease that disappeared quickly after a questioning look from his mother. 'i was curious' he shrugged.

'I somehow doubt it is just a normal shield' chuckled Thorin 'Dwalin bring it in!'

'Be careful with its edges' the girl warned. Dwalin heard her but only smirked in response. When he returned he held one hand behind his back which told her he had not followed her advice.

'I warned you' she whispered as she took it from him.

She held up the shield to display it to the king. He got up from his seat to get a closer look.

'The edges are sharp' he said curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

'For a reason my lord I assure you'

She un-clipped the leather straps she had used to hold the shield in place and span them in opposite directions, by doing so the shield itself split into two curved blades.

'Scythes?' he questioned.

'An underestimated tool i have always found. Useful on many levels and deadly if needed.

'Ingenious' muttered an awestruck Kili.

'This is just a small sample of what we've created. You should see what my brother carries!'

'Is he here?' asked Thorin.

'I'm afraid not sir, he's in Dale. I just came to deliver coats to our friends, its just a one woman job! Speaking of that your majesty I don't wish to be rude but I really must be going my friends are expecting me. And I have to get back to Dale, before nightfall, my mother doesn't like me to travel alone at night no matter how well armed I am.'

'I believe your friends have come to you.' Smiled Thorin.

Aria turned to see Bofur peaking through the door of the hall and grinning when he saw her.

She turned to curtsy to the king and began to walk away when he called after her.

'Who is your father? I meant to ask.'

'Your guess is as good a mine your majesty.'

'Your mother never told you?'

'He was never there and we never asked. Then who is your mother?'

'My favorite woman on earth your majesty.' Aria grinned before turning to walk to Bofur's out stretched arms.

'Will you return tomorrow with your brother?' asked Fili before he could stop himself.

'I shall see if we are allowed, the market is this week and we have much still to do. I'll do my best.' She blushed.

'Please do' implored Thorin, who smiled at his nephews reaction to the girl. 'I may wish to commission something.'

Aria grinned and bowed slightly 'Thank you my lord that will help my case considerably.'

She then turned and ran to Bofur who embraced her like a father would a daughter. The two were leaving the room when Thorin stated ' Fascinating girl!'

'Oh she is more than fascinating! She's enchanting' mumbled Fili.

A short loud laugh from Kili alerted him to the fact that he said it out loud.

'You were a mess! You couldn't function!' His brother laughed 'You nearly killed me! It was hilarious!'

'Women have that power.' murmured Thorin 'They can destroy you with a single look'

Kili wanted to ask more but a look from his mother stopped him.

'I should really go and say goodbye to her' said Fili who's eyes hadn't left the door she had recently walked through. 'I didn't get to say it properly' and with that he marched through the door and toward Bofur's home.

'I'm going to watch!' laughed Kili as he ran behind. ' Mahal knows what he'll do this time!'

As they watched the two young dwarves run from the room Dis laid a hand on Thorin's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.

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Hello all!

This is my first attempt at a story so any and all advise is greatly appreciated!

Also I promise more Thorin in the upcoming chapters! I'm hoping to update once a day but can't promise it.

Thanks for reading and I hope you like it :)