Hi,

Thanks for the reviews and the story alerts.
There where some mistakes in the last chapter, which I corrected. So I'd like to thank the ones who indictated those mistakes to me.

Enjoy reading.

' You did what?!' Thorin roared. ' What where you thinking!?'

He wasn't really mad at the halfling, astonished was a better way to describe what he was feeling.

They had left Erebor that morning, chased by an outraged Ori who hadn't been quite happy with the way his hair was braided and the fact he wasn't wearing the coat he made him.

His hair was braided fine though, only not the way Ori would have liked it.

As they arrived in Dale they had been welcomed warmly by the dwarves and men who lived there.

The crowd that had been waiting at the side of the road had followed them to the city hall, where they had dismounted their ponies.

Once inside Thorin had settled himself in front of a window that looked out over the square, what made it able for him to observe the dwarves who passed by.

It was only when a group of dwarrows and dwarrowdams appeared at the door he realized he hadn't seen Bilbo since they had arrived at the city hall.

He had found the halfling standing in the room's doorway, a smile on his face that didn't promise anything good.

When he had asked the hobbit if he knew why the group of dwarves stood at the door, Bilbo had simply nodded.

It was only then, when it was to late to cancel the entire thing, Bilbo had revealed his genial plan.

' Speed dating.' Bilbo said again, the smile still on his face. ' It's perfect, like I said quick and easy.'

Bilbo did have no idea how the king would react, but he had figured his reaction would contain yelling at him.

He didn't care though, he had kept his plan a secret to avoid Thorin canceling it and at this point it was simply to late to blow off the entire thing.

And since he was practically forcing the dwarf into this, he could endure the scolding.

' Perfect!? You call this perfect!? Thorin snapped at the halfling. ' It's humiliating, that's what it is! Humiliating!'

He was trying hard not to get really mad at Bilbo, but the position the halfling had put him in made it almost impossible to control his temper.

' Then what are you going to do?' Bilbo asked. ' Sit in front of that window and wait until your one passes by? Then you can wait forever.'

' If that's what it takes.' Thorin replied, his voice still harsh. ' I will wait forever!'

' Fine then, you stubborn dwarf.' Bilbo said, his voice cold as he spoke. ' If you are not willing to try this, so be it. But you, not me, can tell those dwarves outside the speed dating has been canceled.'

Thorin got startled by the tone of Bilbo's voice, the coldness in it was undeniable and when he looked at the halflings face he could see Bilbo was disappointed.

He felt how his anger disappeared, making place for guilt.

Once again he had overreacted, he had asked the hobbit for help and that was exactly what Bilbo tried to do, helping him to find his one.

He knew sitting in front of a window wasn't going to work and he never would have thought about a plan like this.

Bilbo was right, he had to do something.

And although he would never admit it, he hated to disappoint the halfling.

He sighed. ' Let them in.'

' I thought you didn't want to do this.' Bilbo replied, trying his best to sound uninterested.

' Open the damn door, Bilbo.' Thorin said. ' Before I change my mind .'

A smile appeared on the halfling's face again and without another word he took off to open the door.

Giving in to the hobbits wishes certainly cleared his conscience, nevertheless Thorin couldn't help but wonder what he had gotten himself into.

' Tell me, master Oakenshield.' Bilbo said as the dwarven king sat down next to him. ' Did you meet someone whom your heart desires?'

Bilbo had been observing the king while he was speed dating, carefully eying his facial expression and his body language.

Thorin didn't seem stressed out or annoyed by any of the ladies he had talked to that far, even better, he looked like he was enjoying the attention he was getting.

He had been relaxed and calm the entire time, a actual smile lighting up his face every now and then.

Bilbo loved it to see him like this, untroubled, having fun instead of being serious all the time.

Thorin smiled with his question. ' No, my heart does not desire one of them.'

' Then why are you sitting here with me and not with the next desirable bachelorette?' Bilbo asked, trying to give the dwarf a stern look and failing in it.

' I need a little break.' Thorin replied, trying not to laugh with the halfling's miserable attempt to look strict. ' And I can fill you in while I'm taking that break.'

' Enlighten me.' Bilbo said, after all he was pretty curious about the way things where going. ' You have five minutes, then I want you back with your bachelorettes.'

' You see the older lady?' Thorin asked as he gave a little nod to a dwarrowdam with gray hair. ' She loves knitting and when I told her she might be a little to old, she tried to hook me up with her daughters who are already married.'

' She what?' Bilbo asked stunned. ' Why would she do that?'

' She said one of her daughters being married into the royal line of Durin would pleasure her better then the botchers she has to call sons in law.' Thorin replied, shaking his head. ' She's unbelievable.'

Bilbo chuckled, then pointed at a brunette. ' What about her?'

' She's pretty, friendly, but when I asked what kind of things she loves to do she told me about her cats.' Thorin answered. ' She wouldn't stop talking about them, told me all of their names and where they like to be scratched.'

' No crazy cat lady for you, I can live with that.' Bilbo agreed.

' Then the blond one over there.' Thorin continued as he pointed towards the far left corner. 'She's nice, she's pretty and she does want kids.'

' What's wrong with her?' Bilbo asked, wondering what could possibly be a problem. ' You need someone who wants children, you do want an heir, right?' '

' She wants dozens of children. Dozens Bilbo!' Thorin replied, only the thought made him shiver. ' Can you imagine twelve little Thorin's crawling around Erebor? Twelve little Thorin's to run after and take care of.'

' Rather not.' Bilbo said, only imagining twelve baby Thorin's made him want to scream.

' Then the last one, she loves to talk about herself, but she is interesting.' Thorin continued. 'The only problem is, she's more interested in you.'

Bilbo looked at the dwarf in wonder. 'Well, we're not here for me.'

' Maybe you should talk to her.' Thorin proposed. ' She wasn't that bad.'

' I didn't think so.' Bilbo replied, he wasn't the one who needed a mate. ' Break's over. Time for you to meet the other bachlorettes.'

' And the first one would be me.' They heard someone say behind them.'

Goosebumps spread over Thorin's body, he knew that voice, it belonged to someone he hoped never to see again.

Bilbo turned around, giving Thorin no other choice then following his example.

Standing there was beautiful lady with raven black hair, her eyes green as emeralds, holding a glass of whine in her hand.

The moment Thorin laid eyes on her his heart sunk into his chest, his lungs refusing to take in air.

His eyes widened out of surprise and he wished he never had turned around to the voice he already found familiar.

Looking at her was like seeing a ghost, the rush of memories she brought with her made his stomach tighten.

' Thorin?' He heard Bilbo ask, but his voice sounded distant in Thorin's ears, like the halfling was on another frequency then he was.

Thorin narrowed his eyes, hoping the woman in front of him would disappear, that it was only his imagination playing tricks on him.

When it became clear she was real he pulled himself together, clearing his troth before he spoke, his voice calm but filled with disgust.

' Dalia.'

Tum... Tum... Tum...
Now who is this mistery woman? You'll find out in the next chapter.
She just popped into my head while writing this and well... got to take things as they come.
I don't know if speed dating excisted in that time, neither do I know if they had pets ( cats), but I needed them for the story, so if they didn't excist back then, please forgive me. :P
Well, I hope you liked the chapter and don't forget to leave a review. ;)

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