Chapter 7

Party Time.

Astrid let the tears slide silently down her cheeks all the way back to her room, running into no one the whole way for which she was immensely thankful.

Arriving at her room she could see her door was slightly ajar so she cautiously approached and slowly pushed it open the rest of the way till she was standing in the doorway looking around at her pitiful room.

Although she didn't own very many possessions, what few she did have were now strewn all over the floor and her blankets on her bed had been pulled up and tossed aside. Astrid stared dumbly around as her vision blurred with more tears before she slammed the door closed and threw herself onto the bed and gave in to her emotions and sobbed into her pillow long into the early hours of the morning.

Dawn was only just starting to come up when she finally exhausted herself and fell into a restless sleep.

Astrid found herself being rudely awoken a few hours later by someone knocking loudly at her door.

"Go away" she cried out hoarsely. "I'm not here!" I wish I wasn't here, she mumbled into her pillow.

The knocking turned into pounding but Astrid just pulled her pillow over her head and ignored it until finally it stopped and all was silent again.

She dozed on and off for the next few hours until she was once again wakened by someone knocking at her door.

"Geeze, you supposedly commit treason and suddenly you're the most popular person going." she said to herself, sitting up.

"I'm still not here!" she called out.

"Oh for the love of all things under the mountain, stop being a baby and open up" came Kaia's voice from the other side of Astrid's door.

Sighing, Astrid pulled herself up and opened the door a few inches, just enough to peek out. As soon as she had opened it Kaia pushed it inwards, hitting Astrid in the head who stumbled backwards.

"Oww, what the heck." She cried out, rubbing her head.

"Well if you weren't sulking then I wouldn't have to push my way in here, would I?"

"I'm not sulking" Astrid retorted sulkily.

Kaia raised one eyebrow and gave her a look that clearly said otherwise.

"Fine, I'm sulking. But you know I think I have every right to considering I've just been thrown into a dungeon and accused of treason." Astrid said flopping back onto the bed.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Was is rough? Did they throw you in chains? What was the king like?"

"Firstly, it was horrible, secondly yes, and thirdly he was horrible."

"Oh come on, details please. Was he as handsome as everyone says? Is he going to be keeping an eye on you? I heard he rescued you oh so heroically." Kaia asked wiggling her eyebrows at her.

"Excuse me? What on earth are you talking about?" Astrid said avoiding Kaia's eye and fighting back the blush that was creeping into her cheeks. "He threatened me and accused me of being a traitor; he didn't drag me in there because he just wanted to chat."

"Alright, alright." Kaia said holding her hands up in mock defence. "Forget I said anything. Change of subject then, are you coming to the ball next week? Its going to be great, lots of food and singing and dancing annnd the king and princes are going to be there".

"How is that a change of subject and no I'm not going to this ball thing that I've never heard of and I didn't get an invite to." Astrid said while picking stuff up off of the floor and hoping Kaia would drop it.

"You don't need an invite, everyone's invited and allowed to go, that's what's so great about it."

"Well, no one will want me there since I've been accused of treason and wot not. Everyone hates me" She tried again.

"No one believes your in league with the orcs and no one hates you, come on you have to come"

"I have nothing to wear"

"You have the new dress you just bought."

"I have a headache."

"You have a week to get over it. Stop trying to get out of it, your coming."

"Argh, alright, fine I'll come." she said, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

"Great, well you might have something to wear but I have nothing so im going shopping. Want to come?"

"Ah, no I think im just going to stay here and tidy up. I still can't believe they trashed my room and you have lots of stuff to wear. You bought like 5 new dresses only the other day."

"Yeah but they're not ball worthy, I need something special" Kaia sighed, already thinking of all the shops she was going to visit.

Astrid laughed and shooed her friend out the door and agreed she would be ready and waiting in the great hall the following week.

Astrid spent the rest of the day fixing up her room and contemplating her current situation. Maybe she should be making more of an effort to be getting home?

Her thoughts were interrupted by someone once more knocking at her door but knowing it wasn't going to be Kaia, she ignored it and waited for them to leave, promising herself she would stop sulking and feeling sorry for herself tomorrow.

Astrid spent the rest of the week wandering the lower levels of the mountains, visiting the markets and stopping to chat with Greta who happily told her that Astrid had inspired her to design a whole new range of dresses, and generally keeping as far from the King and, she was ashamed to admit, the princes as she could get. She was feeling a bit guilty about assuming they hadn't stood up for her when she knew that they couldn't publicly dispute the King even if he is their uncle.

All to soon the day of the accursed ball had arrived, it was all everyone was talking about and she had found out it was only the first in a series of royal balls that led up to the summer solstice.

That evening Astrid found herself standing in her room wearing her new deep purple dress, its long skirts swishing around her feet. She started to feel a bit self conscious with how snug the fit was that she considered putting the coat on but then dismissed the idea knowing she would most likely have to take it off once she was there. Sighing she turned back to her table and picked up some hair pins, gathering her hair up and pining it in place but leaving a few wavy strands to hang free.

Not having any make up to do, Astrid realised she couldn't procrastinate any more and taking a deep breath, headed out the door. Making her way downstairs was an effort as there were people everywhere, the closer she got to the main entrance hall the busier it became and the more she was jostled about. Finally she arrived and looking around wondered how on earth she was going to find Kaia amongst the crowds milling all around her.

She started to feel a silly fear grip her as she stood looking around for her friend, people were no longer jostling her but were walking around her either giving her odd looks or eyeing her up and down. The fear of being inappropriately dressed was so intense she was about to turn and flee when a hand grabbed her arm, and spinning around she found Kaia grinning at her, dressed in a tightly corseted green and red dress trimmed with fur.

Sighing in relief, Astrid looked about, "Where's your mum? I thought she was coming as a chaperone?"

"Oh, I managed to talk her out of it. Her backs sore and she wasn't really interested in coming anyway, I convinced her I would have more luck looking for a husband without my mother trailing on my hem."

"But you don't want a husband" Astrid pointed out.

"Yeah, but she currently thinks otherwise."

"Right, so no guys then. Just a girls night out kind of thing."

"I never said no guys, just no husbands. How can you bag yourself a prince, or a King if theirs no guys involved".

"I don't want to bag myself a prince, and I certainly don't want to bag myself a King." she said, pulling a face at her friend. "Are you sure this dress is acceptable? Everyone's staring at me."

"Your fine, you look great. How do you like my new dress?" Kaia asked, twirling around.

"You look stunning, as always" Astrid said, smiling at her obviously excited friend.

A few moments later they could hear someone calling out to the crowds that the doors were open and then everyone started to move forwards. The two girls followed along with everyone else, through some large double doors, down a long, large hallway and finally through some immensely grand doors into a massive hall.

There were large stone pillars standing alone each side and more doors led through to smaller (but still large) rooms. At one end of the hall there was two curved stone stairways leading up to a second level that ran around the edge of the hall and led to a balcony outside. At the other end of the hall was a stone platform upon which stood the King and at either side of him, Fili and Kili. Behind them were large stone thrones for them to sit upon. The hall was lavishly decorated and had tables heaped with food, men and women circulating with trays of drinks and musicians playing upbeat songs that everyone could dance to.

There were too many people in attendance for it to be a sit down affair so everyone moved about, talking, grabbing drinks as they came past and filling up plates of food.

As Astrid didn't really know anyone still, she just followed Kaia as she circulated the room, talking to this person and that. Astrid found everyone to be quite nice though she still felt people staring at her everywhere she went.

It was nearing midnight and the ball was still in full swing when she inevitably found herself alone. Thinking maybe now would be a good time to leave she turned around and found herself facing Fili and Kili.

"Oh, um, hi. How is everything?" she asked.

"Where have you been?" Kili asked.

"We've come to your room everyday since the trial" Fili said.

"We wanted to explain, we had nothing to do with what happened." Kili said.

"But when uncle gets something into his head, there's no talking him out of it." Fili said sadly.

"We didn't mean or want to hurt you" Kili added.

"Can you forgive us?" Fili asked.

Astrid laughed despite herself. "Oh, how could I stay mad at you too. I'm sorry I've been avoiding you. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. I was just afraid you might have believed it too. I promise I'm not in league with those things." she finished seriously.

"We know that, our uncle just gets really angry when it comes to anything to do with orcs. Long story, we'll save it for another day. Nice dress by the way" Fili told her.

"Yeah, your creating quite a stir with the noble ladies. I hear they think your hoping to catch yourself a prince!" Kili said, winking at her.

"Oh for heavens sake, I am not doing any such thing. This was all my friend Kaia's idea" she exclaimed in frustration.

"Oh, well, never mind then" Kili said looking quite disappointed.

"Have you had some of those delicious cakes, you really have to try one." Fili said, changing the subject. He linked his arm through hers and started leading her towards the tables despite her protests.

"Hey! There you are, I thought you'd left or something" Kaia suddenly said from behind them.

Turning around Astrid found her friend looking between her and Fili and she found herself thinking that Kaia looked a little nervous. Before she could introduce her friends to each other Fili beat her to it.

Thrusting his hand out and with a cheeky grin on his face he made his introduction.

"Hi, I'm Fili. You must be Astrid's good friend Kaia. I've heard next to nothing about you."

Kaia giggled and blushed but took his hand in a friendly shake, their hands still joined, Fili proceeded to ask her question after question, Astrid left standing forgotten.

Astrid smiled to herself as she watched her friends slowly move away then she grabbed a drink off a tray being carried by a tired looking man and made her way up to the balcony feeling in need of some fresh air.

Thorin moved away from the wall when he saw Astrid start up the stairs to the balcony, moving through the crowd he brushed of the hands of the many admirers desperate to grab his attention and followed her up at a discrete distance.