Hello and welcome back to all you readers who have been following my past works etc. I thought that as the new Hobbit is coming out very very soon I'd start a new story for Thorin based on the idea that Thorin had someone that he loved years before the fall of Erebor and the quest; I hope you enjoy it and stay tuned! I'd really love feed if anyone would be so kind as to throw some my way. :)

Third Age of Middle Earth – the twenty eighth day of "âfhumryanj" in the year 2780

The icy, tendriled fingers of the winter morning wrapped themselves around Niyala's exposed arms, raising the skin into harshly pebbled goosebumps as a shiver passed through her body; Her hands tugged at the heavy pelt she used as a blanket, nuzzling her face into the soft fur, inhaling the scent of wood smoke from the hearth that had died out some hours before. The stone walls of the room beckoned in the cold, a light layer of frost settling a sheen across each floor slab.

"Niyala! Hurry out of bed." Her mother called frantically through the closed wood of the door.

"But Ma, its too early! The moon is still out." It was true, being one of the luckier trading families in the great dwarf kingdom of Erebor, the Thadur's were lucky enough to have a window; a sliver of a gap no larger than a broadsword blade, cut into the thick stone walling of their fortress home. It was through this tiny window that Niyala could see the silver of the moon casting its milky light across the outlines of her belongings and her brothers' empty beds.

"The king and his family are to pass through the market this morn. They are looking for gifts for Durin's day." Niyala's entire body tensed, the king and his family, this meant that the market place would be a hive of activity already, with dwarves of every caste displaying the best of their wares hoping for a sign of royal approval.

Niyala stretched out her body reluctantly, relishing the pop of her toe bones as she flexed the tiny joints. Finally she opened one eye, a snort leaving the depths of her throat when she spied the glittering frost. "Really need a rug." she murmured to herself, swinging her legs over the edge of her rickety cot and covering her feet with her blanket, protecting them from the harsh chill of the stone. Another shiver racked her body as she shuffled her way towards her chest of clothing, her thin night dress doing nothing to keep the frigid temperature from her already pinking skin.

After a few frantic moments, she had struggled into the billowing linen and lace of her best dress, and pulled on her stockings and boots.

"Niyala!" Her mother called once again, an impatient note lacing her tone as it lilted through the door.

"I'm just coming mother." She grabbed her finest wool shawl out of the trunk, taking a few moments to admire the silver threading that coupled with the black yarn before she threw it around her shoulders, securing it to her dress with one of her own intricately engraved broaches.

The small kitchen-living area was a simmering volcano of activity – the calm before the storm. Niyala's father Vorn paced back and forth restlessly between three large, wooden chests murmuring to himself as he counted through their wares in search of the pieces they deemed worthy enough to display to the eyes of the royals. He offered a grunt of acknowledgement to his daughter as she passed by him, his attention staying firmly glued to the engraved blades, arrow heads and armour. Ignoring the virtual trench her husband was creating in the floor mere metres away from her, Belra Thadur busied herself with stirring a large pot of porridge, the creamed oats gleamed with a golden tint thanks to the fragrant Shire honey that she had added to the mixture. Grabbing a small cracked bowl from the lopsided shelf above her head the older woman ladled a portion of the bubbling breakfast, handing it to her Niyala who had taken a seat at the small kitchen table.

"We had a letter from the boys this morning. They're accompanying the royal entourage through the market today." Belra glowed with pride as she handed a crisply folded letter to her daughter. Niyala grinned widely, showing off her straight, white teeth as she eagerly took the paper, her fingers running almost lovingly over the broken seal of the royal guard which had held the message together. Her cheeks began to prick with a strange heat and her eyes itched with the unshed tears that came with the months she had spent missing her brothers.

Dear Pa, Mama and Niyala,

We are sure you've heard by now that the king and the royal family are going to be attending the market this morning, and guess who has been chosen to accompany the eldest prince as his body guards? That's right! Us! We hope you're proud of us, this is an opportunity we have been working hard for since we were recruited. If this goes well there will be no more stable duty, no more cleaning of the elder guards' swords.

We have spent a large amount of our training time with his Prince Thorin, and we would be honoured to serve under him. We will try to stop by and say hello, but we will need to attend to the prince as a priority.

We miss you and Ma's porridge … the cooking in the barracks is terrible.

Bracken and Hale

Niyala sniffed quietly as she folded the letter back up, a proud but watery smile having settled itself on her lips. Belra, seeing her youngest child's distress cupped her jaw lightly, tilting it upwards to meet her gaze.

"I miss them mama." she whispered. The siblings had been close, all three learning the silver and jewel smithing trade that had kept their family afloat until the twins started to take part in more and more combat classes, until they eventually broke it their father that they wanted to join the royal guard. They had practised and practised winning round after round of each proving they entered – showing their skills as a deadly duo until the head of the royal guard took an interest I their efforts.

"I know, so do I. But they're doing well. Now, eat up and then gather any pieces you would like to show at the market, we leave in half an hour."

Flags of deep blue and gold fluttered in the light wind that coursed its way through the inner market square. The blackened, jagged rock walls glittered with undug gems that glowed and sparkled in the orange light from the flames that bathed the room from their holders high above the stalls. A raucous of garbled conversations buzzed through the air, some in Westron and some in the native tongue of Khuzdul, as dwarves and humans alike milled their way through the area, stopping and examining vendors goods, some haggling over the sake of a few pennies and some asking for orders.

The stall of the Thadur family had been busy, many a gold coin had changed hands between patron and Vorn, a few even with Niyala herself, who had felt her belly squirm with pride as many a woman had cooed over her intricately gemmed jewellery and meticulously engraved buckles and blades. She had worked hard over each piece, staying up late into the night, until her eyes watered and the tips of her fingers bled. But no matter how many customers passed them, none bore the royal seal. She, live every other dwarf in the vicinity was waiting with baited breath for the morning's special guests.

She didn't have to wait long, as soon a path had been cleared through the room's centre and a loud, obnoxious call of trumpets had vibrated through the air, stilling every seller and every customer in their tracks, eyes glued to the heavy stone doors of the market place as they were hauled open.

I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter, you do of course get to meet the young, dashing Thorin in the next chapter. I will be updating fairly soon and hopefully regularly, as I seem to be mastering the art of procrastination - Seriously I'm somehow under the impression that if i leave it alone my novel will write itself, as will my 3 fiction assignments. For those of you that are curious - "âfhumryanj" is the twelfth month in the Dwarrow calendar - its basically our December - which makes Durin's day the 1st of
"'âfdohyar" which is basically January. Also in this story Thorin is 34. Our lovely Protagonist Niyala is the same age as princess Dis making her 20. - other than that i hope you all enjoyed it, any questions give me a shout!-