Thorin had only slept for a short period of time before he woke to the sound of voices drifting into the room from the kitchen. He quickly recognized the voices of Dwalin and Lady Vienna. He sat and listened to their conversation, noting that they seemed to be getting along quite well, which surprised Thorin. He had expected Dwalin to be more apprehensive of the Ranger, but then again, Thorin hadn't heard the beginning of the conversation. For all he knew they had decided to put their differences aside. He sat and listened to the talking continue from one topic to another. Knowing that he should be angry at Dwalin for slacking on his turn to guard the company, he considered going into the kitchen to break up the little chat but chose not to. He didn't know why, but he knew he would regret it if he interrupted. So instead, he continued to listen in. It wasn't very Kingly to eavesdrop, but he didn't care at the moment. He wanted to know more about this Ranger that Gandalf had decided was necessary to bring along. He couldn't figure out exactly what they were talking about until he heard his own name.

"I know your King doesn't trust me." She said in a frustrated tone.

"Thorin will come around eventually. He'll come to think more of you soon enough." Dwalin said and Thorin could hear the sincerity in his voice. She was right. Thorin didn't trust her and he didn't know her, but that didn't mean he didn't like her. Well, like was a choice word. He didn't hate her though.

"I couldn't care what Mr. Holier-Than-Thou thinks of me. His lack of trust makes it hard to do my job." Her words were sharp as they came out. It shocked Thorin to hear her speak so openly about her opinion, but it didn't surprise him. He knew no matter how infatuated or interested in her he was, she wouldn't reciprocate those notions. She just wanted to do her job and then leave the company.

"Sure, you don't." Dwalin chimed in sarcastically. Thorin couldn't tell where the Dwarf was going with this.

"I don't. I've spent to many eons trying to convince egotistical Kings to accept me and I don't plan on wasting anymore of my time on them." She said with a laugh.

"Is that right lass? What Kings have you met?" Dwalin teased. He didn't know why, but the turn in the conversation had peaked his interest. What did she mean by eons? Sure, Thorin figured she was older, but she couldn't be that old, could she? And what of the Kings she had met? He knew she had some repour with the Goblin King, but now he was dead. Was she referring to the Elven King? Or perhaps the King of Men?

"If I spent the rest of my day telling you about the Kings of my past, we wouldn't even scratch the surface. Let's just say that being my age has equal disadvantages to advantages." She quipped, not letting any details slip through.

"And how old are you, lass?" Thorin scolded himself for Dwalin's lack of manners, but Vienna didn't seem to mind.

"Ha, I guess Master Oakenshield hogged the etiquette training while you were growing up? Being prince and all?"

"You are quite skilled at avoiding questions. Maybe Thorin is right to not trust you?" Dwalin's tone was more questioning than accusatory.

Vienna laughed loudly and Thorin found himself again lost at her natural beauty. She seemed so effortless and yet she was incredibly flawed. It fascinated him. "Well being upwards of a thousand gives me time to practice. You aren't the first to ask of my age, and you won't be the last. I'm very old, Master Dwalin, I hope that doesn't frighten you." She said in a melancholy tone. Thorin frowned and got up from his spot. He quickly and quietly walked over to the kitchen. Knowing he'd have to act as if he hadn't been listening to their conversation for a while, he brushed off his coat and stepped into the kitchen with a sentence already on his lips.

"Hope what doesn't frighten him?" He said as he took in the view of the kitchen. Dwalin was sitting on a bench with his back to the Dwarf King and Vienna was sitting perpendicular to him with wet, braided hair and her mask off. She had the same sickly-looking skin and hallow eyes that she had at the Carrock.

Noticing he had entered the room, she reached for her mask and replaced it. Thorin frowned before taking a seat at the table next to Dwalin, "There is no need for that, M'lady."

"No matter, I'd rather have it on than laying around, taking up space." She commented and looked down. She started to fidget with her hands as she spoke again, "As for your question, I was just telling Dwalin that I hope being beaten by a girl doesn't frighten him." She diverted the conversation with easy and Thorin wondered if it was a skill she had learned from the previous Kings she had the pleasure to converse with.

"Oh really? You've decided to take him up in battle? What changed your mind?" Thorin asked looking to Dwalin, who looked thoroughly confused as he looked to Vienna. She looked at the confused Dwarf before answering.

"Yes," she said with raised eyebrows, obviously trying to get Dwalin to agree with her, "I did. I think it'll be good for him to be knocked down a few pegs."

"Oh will it now?" Thorin asked with a smirk and a twinkle in his eye.

Damn him and his beautiful blue eyes, Vienna thought as she looked into the Dwarf King's eyes. She had quickly diverted the conversation to something less intense when Thorin had entered the room, but it was clear that Dwalin was caught between the two topics, so she had to take charge.

"Yes, I believe it builds character." She replied, still looking into his eyes. They were a pure shade of blue, like the clearest water Vienna had ever seen. They were mesmerizing, and Vienna had to quickly remind herself of who she was talking too. This was a king for crying out loud, she couldn't get caught up with him and his pretty blue eyes.

"And what, in your eyes, calls for the building of character?" Thorin asked. She wondered briefly why he was questioning her so but decided that Kings will be Kings.

"I'd say the most overly confident should always be reminded that there is always a bigger fish."

"And you're the bigger fish?"

"In a sense."