Chapter 1

There was a huge noise inside the kitchen of Bilbo Baggins. The sound was so loud it might have been heard at the neighbors, the Gamgees.

It was another one of those huge ravens, with messages to Uncle Bilbo, and Verbena was getting used to them flying all over Bag End. After they delivered their massages, she gave them treats and water. From what her uncle said, those poor birds flew half a world away.

"There you go, Mr. Raven." Bena put down a small bowl of water to let the bird drink. "I hope you enjoy it. You can rest by the mailbox afterwards, if you want."

"Thank you, tiny hobbit," he croaked.

"My uncle says your race is very smart, and I can see that now." Bena smiled.

"I need to await for you uncle's reply," said the bird. "Might as well rest. Will he be gone for long?"

Bena said, "I'm not sure. He's with Fortinbras Took, the new Thain. Your king is having words."

"King Thorin is not my king," retorted the raven, ruffling his feathers. "He is the Dwarf king of Erebor."

The hobbit girl said excitedly, "Oh, I know all about him! My uncle Bilbo helped him get back his mountain, and they are friends. He told me many stories about the king."

The raven said, "My kind has served the Royal Family of Erebor for many centuries."

The door opened and Verbena's uncle came in, greeting, "Oh, Mr. Raven, I'm glad you are here."

Verbena piped up, "We were relaxing a bit."

The raven sounded bitter as he said, "I was resting."

Bilbo said, "Well, you are in luck. I have a reply you can take back to Erebor."

"Very well." The bird puffed up his chest. "Tell me the answer, then."

The hobbit said, "You tell King Thorin we leave in three weeks with a caravan of miners from the Blue Mountains."

"Understood." The raven tipped his head down as a bow. "Thank you for the hospitality and treats, hobbits. Farewell."

"Have a safe journey back to the mountain," wished Verbena.

The raven took off, and the girl sighed, "Oh, he will see so many things!... I wish I could see them, too."

She turned and saw her uncle frown so she asked, "Uncle, is there something wrong?"

He smiled sadly and invited, "Let's start dinner, my child. Then we'll talk."

Verbena did as she was told, but her chest was constricted. She didn't like seeing Uncle Bilbo so concerned.

"Verbena, when I took you in when your aunt died, I promised to raise you like my own daughter. I love you deeply, and you have to know that I only have your best interests at heart. You know that, don't you? I want nothing but the best for you."

The girl said, "Uncle, you are scaring me..."

"There's nothing to be scared of," he guaranteed. "You noticed there have been lots of ravens from the Lonely Mountain, lately. It seems my old friend, King Thorin, wants to reassure a new trade route with the Shire, now that the roads are safe from unsavory characters. He wants to trade food, grain and meat, for gold, jewels and what other goods Erebor has to offer. He is a mighty king, and the Thain thinks the Shire might benefit greatly from this alliance."

"That is great!" exclaimed Bena. "Will there be dwarves passing here, then?"

Bilbo answered, "Most assuredly, yes. But first, Thorin wants to cement the agreement with a strong alliance. So the Thain asked my help to... form this alliance with Erebor." He averted the eyes and faltered. "Thorin wants to forge this alliance with a marriage, and the Thain asked me to help him find a perfect bride."

Verbena's eyes went wide, and she felt her blood flee her face.

"Uncle... What does it mean?"

"Thorin wants a bride from the Shire, and I suggested your cousin Lobelia for the position. I want to apologize for making the decision without ever asking you if you wanted to be the one."

Verbena had mixed feelings. Not being consulted hurt, but she knew her uncle only meant the best for her. Also, Lobelia was the best choice: she was much more ladylike and probably knew all about politics and royalty, anyway. Verbena still liked to grab a book and climb up a tree, reading with her legs dangling in the air, away from pesky cousins.

"Are you angry at me, Bena?" Bilbo looked embarrassed. "Forgive me, but I didn't think you'd want to marry for any other reason than love."

She laughed, "Oh, uncle, you're such a romantic. Of course I am not angry at you. I bet Lobelia is over the top."

"Oh, yes, she is. Her parents were a bit concerned, but you know how Lobelia is. Besides, she is of age, and they can't stop her. She is preparing for the journey as we speak."

"She's leaving soon?"

"We leave in three weeks."

"You're going, too?"

"We are going. Bena, you do want to come to Erebor, don't you? You always said you wanted to go into an adventure."

The girl was flabbergasted. "Me...? Going to Erebor? Of course I want!" She hugged Bilbo fiercely. "Thank you, thank you, Uncle Bilbo!"

For the first time, the hobbit smiled, and said, "A caravan of dwarves from Ered Luin is coming to Erebor in three weeks, and they will take us with them. We should arrive at the beginning of winter, if everything goes fine. We should pack warm. I remember it was quite cold up there."

Verbena's brown eyes were sparkling in pure delight. "Could you show it to me in your map, Uncle, please?"

"All right, sweetie. After dinner we will look up the maps and everything."

The following weeks rushed by with travel preparations. Lobelia made Verbena buy new clothes, so the future queen would not be seen in "shaggy company". Bilbo also recommended new coats, because winters were cold in the North.

The caravan from Ered Luin took off with the trio of hobbits by the end of summer. As offerings of good will from the Shire, they also took ponies heavy with cheese, honey, the best flour and all sorts of food. This time Bilbo took precautions before going on an adventure: he asked his good friend Hamfast Gamgee to look after Bag End and to not let any of his relatives inside.

Although the ladies were assigned a covered wagon in the caravan, Verbena was often seen out in the open, talking to the dwarves, eager eyes watching the scenery. Lobelia often chided her, "Come inside, Bena. Why do you mingle with the riffraff?"

"But cousin, they are so nice to travel with us. Imagine how would it be if we had to travel all by ourselves. Imagine the danger."

"I know, but..." Lobelia lowered her voice. "They are miners. They don't look respectable."

Verbena reminded her, "You are going to be this people's queen. You should get to know them better. Besides, Uncle told me mining is a well-regarded craft amongst dwarves. They extract all the riches from the rock, remember? They are the ones who dig the gold and jewels you like so much."

Lobelia promised haughtily, "When I'm queen, I'll let the king my husband deal with them."

"They will be your people, Lobelia," said Verbena. "You should at least try to talk to them."

She humphed quietly, before reluctantly admitting, "Maybe later."

And later never came.

During most of the trip, Lobelia tried to talk to Verbena about life in court and how to behave near royalty. If Bena ever had doubts that Lobelia was suited for the job, they were completely dissolved. But there were still questions about dwarvish costumes, and they had no way of knowing what the answers were, since the dwarves in their caravan were so secretive. Maybe they would know once they arrived in Erebor.

Other races were not as secretive, though, and Verbena was delighted (though a bit frightened) by the race of men. They were so tall! The presence of hobbits in a caravan of dwarves raised some questions, and Bilbo just said they gave them a lift to the north, where they had friends.

If the dwarves were not as friendly or forthcoming as Verbena would have liked, they proved themselves really protective. This became clear once they've entered the forest of Greenwood, dominion of the elves, and Bilbo made sure they negotiated their way through the Woodland Realm of King Thranduil. The dwarves firmly recommended that the ladies should not leave the wagon or let the elves see them. "You can't trust an elf!" they said.

Despite the recommendations, Verbena peeked from the folds of the caravan, and in that single glance she was awed. For elves were graceful, lithe, and beautiful and so, so very unlike any other race she met so far. One of the elves, a blond tall male with silver eyes who was talking to Bilbo, looked straight at her, intrigued. She smiled at him, for the young man was handsome and fascinating to her eyes. Catching the interaction, Bilbo waved at her, and Lobelia closed the canvas, berating, "What do you think you are doing?!"

Verbena said, "I just took a peek, it was nothing serious. I had never seen an elf before! They are so pretty."

"Our hosts said they are not to be trusted. What's to say they are not capable of capturing damsels and enslaving them?"

"Uncle Bilbo had dealings with them before and said they were on the side of what's good and decent."

Lobelia insisted, "Still, you should be ashamed."

Verbena decided it was not worth it to argue with her cousin. So she let it slide, but never gave up on watching the wonders of the journey, even for Lobelia's sake.

The truth was, after the elves they passed two more cities of men, but there was nothing remarkable on any of them — and that was even after the King of Dale himself, called Bard, received them in special audience, for he was friends with Uncle Bilbo. Ten years seemed so long to Verbena, for that was the time she had been with Uncle Bilbo, since Aunt Ruth died. But it seemed less time to older people, she decided, impressed with the warm welcome her Uncle received from the King of Dale.

And then they finally arrived in Erebor.

0o0 o0o 0o0 o0o

The mountain was huge. That was the first word that came to Bena's mind when she became face to face with the Lonely Mountain. It was already cold, for night was coming in the wintertime and she wished she had put warmer trousers when they got off the cart.

They were already inside the mountain, and everything was alive with people greeting their relatives in the caravan, and some of them were banging their foreheads in a very emphatic fashion. Bena cringed behind her uncle, but he said it was a traditional dwarven greeting for relatives and loved ones.

Bena looked around Erebor and it was more beautiful than Bena ever imagined. Not a dark hole in the mountain, but filled with light and life, with stairs that crisscrossed rooms of pure green granite. It was a strange mix of opulence yet discretion. Lobelia was awed to realize that many lampions were made of clear, pure crystal, sparkling in the whole chamber.

Then a voice rose.

"Bilbo!"

Uncle called back, "Balin, here!"

Bilbo went to a dwarf with a white forked beard below his waist, whose smile was big and warm. The dwarf opened his arms, greeting, "Master Baggins, welcome to Erebor. I trust your journey went well."

"Very fine, my friend. Balin, let me introduce you to my cousins Lobelia," she curtsied, "and Verbena."

The old dwarf bowed to both girls.

"I am at your service, my ladies. King Thorin would have been here to bid you welcome in person, but he was unavoidably detained in an emergency. He sends his most deeply regrets."

Bilbo said, "Well, I look forward in seeing my friend again."

Balin smiled, "It's a pity you missed Durin"s Day a fortnight ago- it was a huge festivity! That's when we celebrate the return of our kin to the mountain. Now I suppose you'd want to rest from such a long travel. Let me show you to your rooms." He motioned two guards who came with them. "Fratir, Vatir, please help our guests with their luggage."

The two dwarves picked up their belongings (more than half of which actually belonged to Lobelia) and they went up the stairs to their rooms. Actually, it was a set of three rooms, all connected. It looked quite comfortable, cozy due to the fires roaring, and not a bit lavish, although there were some fine silks in the bed. Balin smiled diplomatically, "I hope everything is to your satisfaction."

Lobelia reassured, "It is quite nice, thank you, Lord Balin."

He said, "I'll leave you all to freshen up and have meals sent to you. Tomorrow someone will take you to break fast with the Lady Dís and the princes. The king plans to hold tomorrow a formal welcome to his intended."

Bilbo said, "I look forward to see our friends, Balin."

"Oh, we will gather the 13 of Erebor especially for you, Master Baggins. Now rest well. If you need anything, just ask."

"Thank you."

Balin left, and when the door shut, Verbena noticed her uncle frowning. "Uncle, is there anything wrong?"

"That's what I wonder", he said. "I can't help but imagine what would be so important to keep Thorin away when his future wife arrives."

Verbena opened her mouth to dismiss Bilbo's worries but Lobelia jumped in, clearly upset, "I was wondering that myself! He was supposed to be waiting to greet us!"

"Uncle always said the king was a good man, and puts the needs of his people before his own," reminded Verbena. "Maybe he is just busy with important, kingly things."

Bilbo said, 'We'll sort it out tomorrow when we probably meet him. Now grab you things and let's unpack."

Lobelia called, "Bena, come help me."

The girls went to Lobelia's room, and Verbena proceeded to help her cousin. The younger girl asked, "So, what do you think of your new home?"

Lobelia repeated, "New home?"

"If you are to be queen, here is where you will live, right? It will be your home."

Lobelia shrugged, "I don't know. A bit dark?"

"Well, it's a mountain, what did you expect?" asked Bena. "But I think it's brilliant. The lamps fill the rooms with golden light; it's like softness in all that hard stone."

"You like poetry a bit too much," joked Lobelia. "Dwarves are no poets." She watched as Bena handled a richly embroidered garment. "Careful with that dress. Aunt Mirabella embroidered the sleeves herself."

"I am careful. I am sure dwarves have at least one poet."

Lobelia changed the subject, asking quietly, "Bena? Did you see how old this Lord Balin is?"

"Yes, hard to miss all that white hair."

"Do you think King Thorin is as old as Balin? The kind of old that is wrinkled and toothless and deaf and walks with a cane old? He is 200 years old! I don't want to marry an old geezer!"

Verbena shrugged and recalled, "Uncle said dwarves age differently, and that at 200 the king is not really old. Although I believe it would be hard not to expect at least some grey hair, cousin. But that doesn't mean he's toothless or deaf."

"Oh, well," Lobelia sighed. "What does it matter? It's a political marriage, anyway."

Bena tried to cheer her up, "Uncle said he is a good man. Perhaps, in time, you may grow fond of him."

"You think?"

"Sure!" Bena tried to sound excited. "And perhaps you may even love him someday."

"You are such a romantic, Bena."

"I just want you to be happy, cousin. If the king really is a good man, I'm sure you two will be good friends. I'd want my husband to be my friend, my companion."

Lobelia chuckled. "You would never be able to marry but for love, I think."

"And you think right, cousin of mine. Life's too short for anything less."

"Except if I get to be queen." Lobelia's blue eyes sparkled with glee. "That'd be worth it!"

"I hope so. Well, I'm tired. Goodnight, Lobelia."

"Goodnight, Bena."