Chapter 2 – Several years later

"What is that?"

Dili craned her neck to her bedroom door as a handsome almost adult dwarf walked in and looked at her disgustedly.

"Oh, just you," she turned back to her work. "You don't know how it feels like to look and be mistaken as a man in those smelly thick black coats. Not to mention heavy and atrociously ugly," Dili said as she put on her new green thick coat over her white long dress that she commissioned and paid for handsomely from a dwarf who was reluctant at first. Her long black hair that dropped to her waist was braided on each side, revealing her unusually small ears and dark but sharp eyes.

"You always smell ugly. Besides, where did you get such wardrobe?" Her brother asked as he looked at her from head to toe. "It looks rather ghastly on you."

"Frenli, how can green and white look ghastly?" She turned to him and crossed her arms. "You know, for such a young handsome dwarf, you have very poor eyesight."

"True, but I am just being honest. One doesn't need to have good eyesight to see how a sore in the eye you look."

Dili rolled her eyes in exasperation. Frenli only chuckled, his braided white beard moved with him. It was true though, he's the handsomest dwarf in Erebor. But despite his good looks, people respect and fear him almost as much as how they respect and fear their father. Only she can get to see his humorous side, and more often at her expense.

She took one last look at herself in the mirror and walked to the door. "Just because this is your birthday doesn't mean you get away with the insults."

"Oh really?" Frenli asked as he followed her. Dili's response was a slow, meaningful grin.

The celebration was outrageous. There she was, sitting beside her father, looking miserable at best. The little thing she had planned for his brother was hijacked. By Frenli himself. Apparently, he had managed to bribe Ori to spill him the details with a new set of drawing kit.

And as if he knew he was thinking about her, Ori glanced on her way and she stared at him hard. He just winked and raised a cup of ale.

"Dwarves," she muttered disgustedly.

"What is it, Dili?" Thorin said.

Dili just sighed and kept drumming her fingers on the table as she watched the loud and obnoxious feast in front of her. "Nothing father. Just talking to me self."

Thorin chuckled and drank from his cup. "Anyhow, where did you get that dress?"

At her father's words, she sat up straight and hid her embarrassment. "Don't worry. I'll never wear this again."

"Oh no," Thorin said. Dili turned to her in surprise. "It looks good on you, lass," he added.

She smiled. "Thank you father."

"It makes her look shorter, is what it is," said Frenli.

"Shut up!" Dili exclaimed. "Just because you didn't get to taste my wrath doesn't mean this is the end of it."

"Oi, ye two!" Frenli and Dili both turned to Dwalin as he ate a big bite off a chicken leg. "Ye never really grow up, do ye?"

"Nor they ever would," said Gloin as he poured another ale onto his cup.

"Well, we're dwarves. We never grow up," Dili said.

"No, that's just you dear sister," Frenli retorted.

All the thirteen dwarves, and the other guests, along with the King Thorin, laughed in delight at Frenli's words.

Against her wishes, Dili's face went beet red and she crossed her arms and sat still with a smug look on her face. After their mirth had died down, which didn't last long because they were soon got busy when more food and drink came, Dili turned to her father and said, "I'll retire for the evening. Just tell Ori to get me if you want to talk."

"You're so easy to tease, Dili," teased Frenli.

"Shut up!"

Thorin chuckled. "You go now, lassie. I'll go teach this bastard a lesson."

Frenli looked horrified as Dili gave her a triumphant smile.

For the last hour, Dili spent her time re-sharpening and cleaning her bow and arrow, her most prized possession, inside her room. She wasn't really tired at all. In fact she wanted to go back out and eat and be merry, spend her time with the thirteen dwarves. But whereas her body was ready to drink all night, her mind wasn't. For there wasn't a single eligible dwarf in attendance and her effort for the night had gone to waste. How was she going to marry one day if she can't even find a nice enough dwarf of her age?

A knock on the door came which was followed by Ori. "Dili, your father wants to see you."

"Why? Has the feast stopped?"

Ori hesitated before saying, "Sort of. Come on."

Dili stood up and put down her work. Whatever her father is going to tell her could only be a serious matter. Because if not he would have waited until tomorrow.

"I think you should bring your weapon," Ori said.

She frowned and asked why but Ori just said it would be more convenient and then left. Despite not knowing the real situation, Dili followed Ori's advice. But as he lead the way to her father, she couldn't help but ask. "Ori, just tell what is the matter. Why do I need a weapon just to talk to my father? Is the castle under attack? What?"

But the dwarf didn't stop nor turned around when he said, "Just know that it would be wiser."

As Ori opened the door to the Throne room, Dili was confused at the scenario that greeted her. Food were supposed to fill the table, but now there were weapons. A lot of them. And what was once a loud throne room was now turned into dwarves getting ready for battle.

Dili ran worriedly towards her father and brother standing near the throne chair, both were in some kind of a deep talk.

"Father!" she called. "What has happened?"

Frenlin and Thorin both turned to her. "Our people from the Iron Hills have come and asked for help." He then motioned to another dwarf, an elder one that Dili didn't notice at first.

"I am Gwain of the Iron Hills," the old dwarf introduced himself. He had a long brown beard that fell on to his bulging belly and his hair was gathered into a tight knot on the back of his head.

"And I am Dili, my lord," she said.

"My youngest," Thorin said to the dwarf.

"She is a tad taller than normal dwarves, Thorin. And pretty, too."

Dili was caught off guard by the compliment that she didn't really react at all. Her brother Frenli, though, was trying to fight the urge to roll his eyes. He then spoke. "Father, I must come with you," he said.

"Yes, you shall," Thorin agreed.

"Come?" asked Dili. "You are going to the Iron Hills?"

Thorin nodded. "They have encountered Orc attacks almost every night and they could no longer hold them off on their own. As the King, I have to be there."

"Well then I am coming with you, too," Dili said without second thoughts.

"No." It was an order, but for Dili, she only heard her father and not the King. A father who wants his daughter left but protected and safe instead of fighting off Orcs with him. And Dili knew enough to not disobey her father. At least not in the presence of a dwarf she doesn't know.

And so she kept quiet and said an obedient yes, which took both Thorin and Frenli by surprise. Frenli, especially, as he regarded her with a suspicious stare. But whatever it was he was suspecting about, he did not say.