The updates will come every two weeks now, folks...sorry about that, but life is just crazy...Enjoy!

'You should take Gimli with you.' Dwalin told Thorin with a grin. 'Not that you grab some other Immortal`s butt and give him a sweet kiss goodbye instead the woman.'

Thorin froze in midmotion and turned around to his friend, half dressed into his royal garment.

'I beg your pardon?' Thorin remembered that they had stumbled into Dwalin´s room last night, but he had hoped that his friend would show more tact.

'After last night, I thought that you would want to show your love for the woman openly. Ya know, since the whole mountain heard anyway…..' Dwalin grinned as he saw Thorin blush furiously.

'Oh, shut up, will ya…..we were not that loud! You and Ori are worse!' it was Thorin`s turn to grin now, since Dwalin blushed over his whole skull. 'It´s a wonder that Dori learned about you guys so late.'

While Dwalin grumbled into his beard, Thorin got dressed and thought about his friend´s suggestion. Loaren had left this morning, for she had to pack for her mission and he had stayed in bed with a stupid grin. But Dwalin was right, he wanted to say goodbye at the gate. He would not be able to kiss her goodbye though, for to his kingdom, he was still engaged to Frigg. He would change that immediately after this morning´s council and set Frigg free to be with Fili.

Fili and Frigg made a beautiful couple, Thorin had to admit it. The next descendants on Durin´s throne would be golden and outshine the gold in his banned treasury. Thorin shook his head as he remembered that he supposed to treasure his gold too much, he would not ruin everything again by repeating that action. He diverted his troubled mind by thinking of Loaren and immediately felt more at ease. Thorin smiled when he thought about last night and how they both had enjoyed it. He knew that females sometimes could not enjoy the act for the first time because it hurt and felt relief. Loaren had not felt any pain, at least she had not shown it and her cries had been of a different nature.

While Thorin dreamily made his way to the gate, Loaren packed for her journey and already knew that she would forget half of what she needed. Last night had almost blown all her troubles away and she felt at peace for the first time ever. Of course, she still had a few doubts, but they seemed so small now. Even the fact that she would be away from Thorin for the next weeks did not trouble her, for she knew that he would wait for her when she came back. And she would do everything in her power to come back, even if the route she had chosen to travel faster was a dangerous one.

Temuera stood behind her and packed all the things she would have forgotten if she would have been alone. Her dreamy state could only mean one thing and it made the older Immortal smile. Finally he could see her like that, he had worried that he would die of old age before he would see his leader in love like this. With a raised eyebrow, he gave her the things he had packed and together they made for the gate.

Two Immortals were already waiting there. Loaren would ride to the Shire, the second Immortal would ride to Lothlorien and the third would pay a visit to the people of Rohan in the name of the king of Erebor. Thorin had not dared to send an Immortal messenger to Gondor, for he knew that the Immortals and the people from Gondor had had quite a few problems in the past.

Loaren gave last instructions, but they were only few, Temuera knew more than well what to do in her absence and she trusted him blindly. When she saw Temuera grin over her shoulder, she knew that Gimli was approaching. Her second in command loved the little dwarf as if he was his own son, in fact all the Immortals loved little Gimli.

'Master Gimli!' Temuera kneeled down in front of the little one.

'Lady Loaren, Master Temuera!' Gimli smiled at them and then grinned at the others. 'Good morning Sanor and Loki!'

Loaren looked at the other Immortals and wondered once again how Gimli could know who they were, for they wore their masks.

'How do you do that?' Loaren wondered loudly.

'I only told Master Temuera my secret.' Gimli told her proudly. 'But maybe you will find out one day.'

Loaren looked to Temuera and back to Gimli and both pressed their lips into one thin line to demonstrate that they were sealed. Shaking her head in amusement, Loaren went to her horse and started to prepare for the journey. Thorin was nowhere to be seen, but then again they would not be able to show their affection for one another in public anyway.

'Loaren!' Frigg´s voice made her jump and as she turned around, she saw her friend and future queen run up towards her. 'Did you plan to sneek away without saying goodbye?'

'Well…..yes.' Loaren chuckled. 'I will be back soon!'

'You will be gone for weeks!' Frigg hugged her tightly and Loaren could feel her ribs protest. 'Take care, do you hear me?'

'I will.' Loaren smiled as she hugged Frigg back and saw Dwalin, Ori, Fili and Balin standing behind her.

'I hope that you realise how many friends you will leave behind.' Frigg told her and smiled sadly. 'The one you want to see the most stands up there with his dragon sister.'

Loaren looked up to where Frigg was standing and saw Thorin look down at her together with Dis. While Thorin´s gaze was full of love, Dis´ frown was thunderous and Loaren wondered wether she knew about her and Thorin. She was grateful that she had kissed Thorin goodbye this morning, in the privacy of his chambers. The kiss had been long and passionate and had made them both wander the mountain like sleepwalkers afterwards.

Loaren nodded her goodbyes at everyone and then mounted her horse. Together with the other two, she rode down the road towards dale and then looked back. She could see Thorin talk to Dis and then she saw Dis turn towards her with her eyes practically glowing. She was even sure to see smoke coming out of her nostrils and could see that Thorin quietly retreated from the balcony. So he had told her, Loaren thought with a grin and rode away to fulfill her mission as quickly as possible.

0

'I cannot believe that you did this.' Dis was fuming.

'What did I do, sister mine?' Thorin looked at her with a neutral expression. 'I followed my heart.'

'You followed your dick.' Dis remarked dryly and turned away. 'Like all males do, apparently.'

'You found out about Kili as well?' Thorin welcomed the different topic.

'Yes.' Dis frowned. 'The butcher´s daughter….and I thought it could not get worse after that mercenary and the elf. But you do know that there will be no future for you or Kili with these women?'

When Thorin only frowned at her, Dis continued.

'You will not be able to father a child, men and dwarves are not compatible that way.' Dis muttered, but Thorin felt his patience snap. He had known something terrible for a very long time now and he had never planned to tell Dis that he knew, but her lying about a possible future for him and Loaren made him see red.

'Oh really?' Thorin´s gaze went cold. 'What about Kili, then?'

Dis froze on the spot and paled. 'What about Kili?'

'I may be dense sometimes, but I can count and I can get the right conclusion at times.' Thorin frowned down at his sister, who looked as if she would collaps any minute. 'Kili was born nine months after you were freed from these men. Nine months are a normal pregnancy period for men, not dwarves. He does not look anything like you, his supposed father or even me. He does not have a proper beard yet. He does not hold his liquor. He is half man and you kept that from all of us.'

Dis felt as if she had to throw up and her knees gave away. Through a fog, she felt Thorin´s arms wrap around her and felt him guide her to a chair. She felt dead inside and she could not even cry. Thorin had known all this time – had her husband known?

'Did he know?' Dis asked, but her voice was merely a whisper.

'No, he did not know. He loved you both so much.' Thorin knew that Dis was speaking of her late husband. 'I am the only one who knew.'

'And Dain.' Dis managed to say.

'Dain?!' Thorin looked at her with wide eyes. 'Dain? Why Dain?'

'I had to talk to somebody. Somebody who I would not have to look in the eye every day. Dain was there for me when I thought I had lost everything. We talked before you set off on your quest to reclaim Erebor.' Dis told her brother, then she felt a cold fist around her heart. 'Does Kili know?'

Thorin felt a sudden sadness wash over him, a sadness he had not felt since Loaren had appeared in his life. 'No, I do not think he does. He always felt different, but I do not think that he knows why.'

'I cannot tell him the truth, it will break his heart.' Dis sighed.

'Instead, you want to break his and my heart by keeping us from the women we love?' Thorin remarked bitterly.

'You love her?' Dis was even more pale when she turned towards him this time.

'I thought it was obvious!' Thorin grew angry.

'It was obvious that you wanted inside her pants!' Dis answered furiously. 'I never thought that there was more than simple attraction!'

'Do you think simple attraction would have made her stick around while you tormented her?' Thorin was sick and tired of excusing everything Dis had done in the past.

'She sticks around because she and her mercenaries get payed.' Dis tried to hide her hurt behind a cold and heartless façade.

'Even if you have forgotten what love is, Dis, I have not.' Thorin knew that it was a cheap blow, but he also knew that the brutal truth would be the only thing his sister would accept. 'I have found love in that woman you hate so much. Accept it, because I will stay true to her, no matter what happens.'

Dis could feel her eyes water. She felt so many emotions at the moment, self pity, hatred, sadness, frustration, but also happiness. Deep down, she was happy for her brother, he and her sons were the only family she had left. She could not accept that this woman would sneak her way into her family. A woman from the race which ruined her whole life and probably also her sons life, because she knew that she would have to tell Kili the truth.

'I am so sorry, Dis.' Thorin sighed and sat down beside her.

'No…do not apologise…I needed this.' Dis knew that it was the truth as the words left her mouth. 'Everyone tried to protect me by shielding me from further pain and not being honest about me being a bitch – no, I know how I behaved, Thorin. I am the bitch under the mountain.'

'Actually, your nickname is the "dragon under the mountain".' Thorin remarked and let out a relieved sigh when Dis chuckled into his shoulder.

0

The following weeks passed by more swiftly than Loaren had expected. She got to the Shire faster than she had planned and managed to drop of the letters to the Thain, who welcomed her with a warm smile.

'The queen under the mountain honors us with her presence. I have to admit, after all that Bilbo told me about dwarves, I would not have expected the proud king to let you out of his grasp.' the Thain smiled and winked at Loaren, who had to smile back.

'We told you that we are not married and are not…' Loaren stopped talking when she realized that she did not know how to end that sentence. She had wanted to say that they were not in love, but she realized then that she would lie.

'Of course not…' the Thain chuckled. 'I am four times your age, my dear, I know love when I see it. And that king was head over heals for you.'

Loaren could not help but smile and remember their last night together in Erebor. She must have blushed, because the Thain chuckled even more.

'I take it that you will return to Erebor as soon as you can? I will set up the contracts, but it will take two or three days until I have everything ready.' the Thain grinned as Loaren nodded politely.

'You will find me at Bag End, master Thain.' Loaren said her goodbyes. 'And thank you – for everything.'

When the door closed behind her, the Thain´s smile grew even wider and he started to chuckle. He would make sure that the stubborn king under the mountain had his love back soon enough…..but maybe he would make him – and her – suffer a bit. It would take some time for them to realise how much they would miss each other.

0

Loaren walked back to Bag End, this time without losing her way. She walked past the big party tree and slowed down to look at it. If she closed her eyes, she could see the fireflies, smell the grass and feel Thorin´s hands on her, as well as his lips on hers. With a dreamy smile she thought about her last night with Thorin. It had been wonderful and all she wanted was to repeat it whenever and as often as she could. Originally, she had taken the messenger duty to try to clear her head far away from Thorin, but now all she wanted was to be back in his strong arms. With a sigh, Loaren sat down below the tree and stared up into the darkening sky. When she closed her eyes, she thought about the second time they had made love that night.

Loaren had hallway drifted to sleep, but Thorin had not let her fall asleep. His callous hands had moved over her back, her waist and her behind, for she was facing away from him. When he pressed himself against her from behind, she had felt his hardness against her back and moaned. His lips had pressed against her neck, while his hand had moved between her legs. Loaren leaned against the trunk of the tree, her mind captured by the memory of her love´s touch. They had made love three times that night and she was sure that they would have done more if she would not have had to leave the next morning. She could feel her gut clench at the thought of doing things when she returned. Little did she know, that Thorin turned and tossed in his bed thinking about getting his hands on her again when she returned to Erebor.