Okay, I redid the ending of this chapter because a few of the comments I got (: But can I just explain something…

To Dwarves, saving yourself before marriage is supposed to be one of the backbones of their culture. They have very strict courting rules, and if someone is to brake them, technically they become 'damaged goods' and uncourtable. It's unacceptable to them to have sex before marriage as it takes away the purity.

Ora isn't being a whiny little girl, she's confused between sticking to her morals and following her heart. Thorin's broken a big rule, and Ora doesn't know if she can live with that. It's like breaking the law to them in a way haha

Just thought I'd say before anymore of those relating comments pop up, but I should have made this all clearer. (: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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By the time they all sat down for the meal, Ora had already necked two, maybe three, glasses of wine. Of course, she was being careful, but she was now relaxed, not tipsy, nowhere near drunk, but veryrelaxed.

She gravitated towards Dis who was taking a seat in-between her sons, but Thorin took her arm and pulled her back.

"You're sitting with me." He mumbled when she shot him an alarmed look, which didn't falter when he'd elaborated on his intention.

Ora's gaze shifted to the head of the table, where the large, fancy chair was sat waiting for its King.

"But you sit at the head of the table." Ora observed quietly.

"Well done."

"And you want me to sit next to you." Her eyes flickered to the empty seat on the right to the head chair.

"Aye, it is only proper as my consort." He told her, pushing her forward gently and stepped around her to his chair.

Ora opened her mouth to protest, but just as she did Dain appeared behind the chair on the opposite side of the table, grinning broadly at her and already looking a little bit drunk.

"Ora!" He boomed, startling her a little despite being aware of his presence, "How good to see you, my friend." He then leant over the table a little, resting on the chair in front of him and making it creak under his weight. He put his hand up to shield the right side of his mouth from the rest of the table, "I wanted to say hello," He 'whispered' but was still loud enough for the rest of the room to hear, "But Lord Oldy over here," He jabbed his finger to point at Lord Arvid who was glaring at him from the next seat. Ora tried to keep a straight face when Dain continued, "Was taking up all the time."

He then leant back, winked at Ora and smirked at Thorin, who was glaring at his cousin.

"Please, everyone," Thorin more or less growled to the table, but his eyes were still glaring at Dain, "Take a seat."

And so they all did, all the while Ora tried to remember what she was supposed to be doing. It was funny, she could remember everything she needed to know about staying alive in The Wild, but she couldn't remember how to stay alive in a room of wealthy, mostly haughty blue-bloods.

And haughty they were.

Spare a few (Dis, Fili, Kili and Dain mainly - even Thorin was haughty sometimes, but whenever he said something Ora didn't approve of she showed him her discontent by stamping on his foot under the table) but the rest of the table had Ora biting her cheek and staring into the steadily shallowing bottom of her wine glass.

All the while, the servers went about their business, ignoring any rude comments or simply nodding politely. Ora did notice Fili's eyes watch the red head adamantly, but thus far he hadn't done anything toobad to her, other than call upon her solely whenever he wanted something. The poor lass looked a little exasperated, like she was one silly request away from biting his head off. Ora liked her.

"Ora?"

Thorin's low voice popped her mental bubble like a pin, and she turned back to her King with slightly raised brows.

"Aye?"

Thorin's expression was blank, like it usually was in front of company, "Is everything all right?"

She blinked at him a few times, suddenly dawning on her that she had been staring off with a blank expression on her face. Realising this, she grinned at Thorin, "Of course, sorry, I was away with the faeries a bit."

"I've seen a faerie before, you know." Dain commented loudly from around a leg of lamb. Ora raised her brows at him and Thorin groaned quietly.

"Really?" Ora asked, half humouring him, half genuinely interested.

Dain snickered like a little boy for a few moments, "No, but for a moment there you looked more interested in what I had to say in one sentence than you have all evening with my cousin here!" He boomed the last part, hooting with laugher and clapping Thorin so hard on the back Ora winced, but Thorin barely jolted. He was too busy growling and turning his knuckles white around his cutlery from gripping it so hard.

Ora had to physically restrain herself from laughing at the scowl plastered across Thorin's already naturally grumpy face. He looked like he was about to explode as he glared down at his plate.

Ora took pity on him, and a hint of a smile twitched on her lips as she leant forward and placed her hand over Thorin's closest to her.

"I happen to enjoy your company, my King." She gave his hand an affectionate squeeze and immediately Thorin relaxed. His knuckled returned to a natural weathered, peachy tan colour and his attention moved from his plate to her.

"Ah! So the rumours speak truth!"

Ora jumped a little and promptly removed her hand from Thorin's, snapping her gaze down the table to find the owner of the voice who'd suddenly cried out.

Her eyes landed on a Dwarrowdam who she didn't know, but had been in the company of long enough to know that she didn't like her. She was extremely rude; while Ora would politely thank the servers whenever they came to her, this female would simply sneer as if the severs should be privileged to be in the same vicinity as her.

She was round and older than Ora by probably close to a century, but she looked as though she was holding onto her youth by the skin of her teeth. Literally.

"I'm sorry?" Ora asked, trying to hide her disgust at the woman's rude behaviour.

The female grinned wickedly at her, her fading black hair shining with what Ora assumed was supposed to be some sort of gel to hold the tight, intricate knots in place against her skull.

"The King Under the Mountain is courting!" She cackled, instantly catching the rest of the table's attention. Her bulbous eyes stuck into Ora like an unwanted tic.

Ora simply stared for a moments, fighting the urge to shrink away under the table. What was she supposed to say to that?

Luckily, Thorin knew.

"Aye, what of it, Audhild?" Thorin replied coolly.

This Audhild characters thick eyebrows rose a few notches, "I am just surprised, is all," Her beady eyes then snapped to Ora again, eyeing her up and down, "For one I didn't think you had it in you- not after last time, anyway, my King, and second I didn't think she'd be your type."

"Last time?" Ora asked, and at the same time Thorin demanded, "And what is my type."

The woman cackled again, but didn't get the chance to reply before Dis interjected, "Not here, Audhild."

Audhild ignored Dis though, waving her away like a fly, "Nonsense, we are all friends here, sharing stories and what not." Her eyes moved back to Ora and twinkled devilishly again.

"The story you are about to tell has no place here. Ora does not need to know." Thorin responded, his voice a turning into more of a growl with every word.

"Doesn't she?" Ora asked flatly, "It sounds like Ora does need to know."

"See?" Audhild said, sounding far too happy. "She does want to know."

"Then I will tell her, not you, and not now." Thorin replied gruffly, and Audhild pouted.

"Oh, why not?" She cooed in a sickly voice that made Ora's skin crawl.

"Because now is not the place." Dis snapped. "Ora is a wonderful consort and suitress for our King, and you may say nothing more of it."

"Already a consort?" Another Dwarf chimed, sounding surprised, "This is all so new to me. I haven't heard about this!" He then turned to Audhild, "But I agree," He said in a low voice, but it was still loud enough for Ora to hear, "I wouldn't have thought she was his type either."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ora asked him, feeling a little peeved and picked on. She felt Thorin rest his hand on her knee under the table in a supporting and comforting manner, but she quickly jerked away. There were more secrets, she just knew it, there was something, or someone in Thorin's past who he was hiding from her and it made her sick to her stomach.

"You're just a little... cute looking..." The male replied slowly.

"And a little blonde." Audhild added, not so carefully.

Ora touched her head, "What's wrong with blonde hair?"

"Nothing." Thorin growled, "Nothing is wrong with blonde hair."

"It's just not very Dwarf, is it?" Audhild replied, "I hear a lot of Elves are blonde, but it's nice to know our new King isn't predigest."

Ora gasped at the insult, but it was drowned out when Thorin boomed, "Enough!" And slammed his fist down on the thick table so hard all the dinnerware jumped and shook. He rose slowly, menacingly, and glared down at Audhild, "You do not speak to my consort in such a way, do you understand me?" His voice was now low and intimidating, poisonous threats dripping off every word as a promise of what would come if she disobeyed.

Audhild didn't seem bothered though, and turned to her left and whispered in the ear of the Dwarf next to her, "He must like the blonde, he never got a temper over Helah."

"Who's Helah?" Ora asked, turning her head back to Thorin and promptly shutting her mouth with a light snap. Never, ever had she seen Thorin look so furious. He was red with rage and practically shaking.

Suddenly Ora felt a light touch on her shoulder and she turned to find Dis standing behind her. The Princesses expression was grave when she jerked her head back and ushered Ora to follow her. Which she did, without hesitation.

No one was paying attention to her when she excused herself from the table, except Thorin, who watched Ora leave with a hard expression between growling down the table.

"I'm so sorry, Dis, I should never have come, I-" Ora began almost pleadingly as soon as Dis has shut the door to an adjoining room and blocked out the conversations that had begun at the dinner table in their wake. She felt awful that she'd ruined Dis' birthday dinner, or rather, her presence merely had. She'd never felt so low.

But Dis cut her off by raising her hand. There was no sparkle of friendly mischief in her eyes and her usual bubbly exterior was now as hard as stone.

"No, Ora, I am sorry. Please, do not listen to what that wench out there said." Dis reached forward and took Ora's hands in hers in a comforting fashion. Ora opened her mouth to respond, but Dis cut her off again, "Don't say it, Ora, I know what you're going to say and don't do it." She shook her head, "You are good for us, for my brother, for the Kingdom. Even if you are blonde." She jested the last part and winked at Ora, making her nearly laugh, but only a light huff escaped her lips. "I know what you are going through, and what you have been through, but they do not, but I can assure you Thorin is probably giving them an earful now."

That wasn't as comforting as it probably should have been, but Ora just stayed silent for a few moments, finding words to say.

"Thank you." She finally responded out of courteousness, "But…" She trailed off.

"Helah?" Dis offered, and Ora nodded. Dis sighed, "As Thorin said, it is only his place to tell you."

"Should I be worried?"

"No!" Dis finally laughed, seeming genuinely amused, "Helah is nothing to worry about. Honestly."

Ora bit her lip, she wasn't convinced and the last thing she wanted to do right then was return to that dining room and be stared at like some sort of novelty or shiny new toy.

"You don't have to go back in there." Dis told her quietly, as if reading her thoughts.

Ora shook her head, "I have to." The words hurt to say, but she was too proud to let it show. She wasn't going to let those nasty little critters know that their words had indeed hurt her. No way. "But when we walk in, let us be laughing."

Dis grinned at Ora, "That's the spirit." She grabbed Ora's arm and looped it through her own, steering her back towards the door. "I must tell you, you are doing far better than Kili when he was first introduced to that lot."

Ora raised her brow, "Oh?"

Dis' happy expression slipped, "Aye, they poked fun at his lack of beard."

Ora scowled as they paused in front of the door, "That's horrible," She shook her head, "They are ghastly. Does it make them feel big to make someone feel so small?"

Dis let out a deep sigh, "I guess so. They get exhilaration from it."

Ora didn't comment back, and instead she reached for the door and pushed it open. As soon as she did so, Dis and her both started laughing, as if one of them had just told an amusing story or joke. They walked back into the room grinning and snickering, as if nothing was wrong. After all, if those haughty Nobles thought they hadn't affected her, maybe they wouldn't bother trying again. The best way to shake of a bully was to brush them away like the insect they truly were.

The table fell silent as Dis and Ora took their seats again, and Ora made sure she was still grinning as she settled back down. She glanced down the table and caught Dis' twinkling eyes, which only set her off again into a fit of genuine giggles which Dis joined in with.

"Everything all right?" Thorin asked her as she settled down again.

Ora took a sip of wine before responding, "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

Thorin didn't reply, only nodded. He still looked pretty riled up so Ora didn't press for any more conversations. In fact, for the rest of the meal the only people she spoke to was Dain and Fili (who sat one seat down from her). Another four glasses of wine later, she felt big enough to press a topic that had been biting at her.

"So, my dear Fili." She said, leaning back to peer around the Dwarf who sat beside her. She'd tried to engage him in conversation once or twice, but he hadn't seem remotely interested, so she'd given up.

Fili looked up from licking the last bit of pudding off his spoon and it took him a few moments to find Ora grinning at him. He pulled a face as if he knew what was going to happen.

"Don't." He warned her, pointing his spoon at her.

"A little birdy tells me…" She began, ignoring his warning, "That you have a little crush."

Fili was back to licking his spoon and for a few moments he chocked so violently on it Ora had thought he'd swallowed it. He glared at her, "Nonsense."

"Oh, please, spare me." Ora crooned, leaning further back. "Everyone knows little boys pick on little girls they fancy." Just as the words left her lips, the red head Fili had been pestering all evening came over to take her plate, but she didn't seem to be paying attention to them. And she certainly looked like she was trying to avoid Fili's avid gaze at all costs.

"Lies." Fili replied nonchalantly, turning back around to escape any more questions. "And I'm not a 'little boy'." He puffed out his chest like an angry bird, much the same way Thorin did whenever his masculinity was questioned. Ora just laughed, but she caught Kili grinning at her knowingly.

Ora turned back to the table, plotting to play cupid in her head when she felt something touch her knee. She jumped and her gaze snapped to Thorin.

He didn't look as menacing as he had earlier, but he still didn't look happy. But, then again, he often didn't.

"Yessssss, your majesty?"

Thorin raised a brow, and his eyes glanced to her wine glass, "Maybe no more."

"Nonsense," Ora defended, grinning, "I'm beginning to have fun."

A hint of a smile flickered over Thorin's features, but his expression soon turned grave again, "That's probably the first time anyone's ever said that at one of these dinners." He mumbled.

"Oh, aye, it's certainly been entertaining." Ora replied.

"I suppose you could say that." Thorin rested his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together, shielding his mouth behind them. "I think we need to talk."

"Aye, we do, but not now." Ora didn't look at him when she replied, but one didn't need to be looking at Thorin Oakenshield to know that he was watching you. His eyes were penetrating to even the thickest of skin.

"You are troubled." He observed.

It was Ora's turn to raise her brow. Maybe she had underestimated how easily he could read her. To everyone else she had appeared unfazed and unruffled by Audhild the Awful's (the new nickname Ora had thought up half way through the main course) comments. In fact, she'd been laughing and joking with Dain across from her, but Thorin knew it was all fake. She'd been avoiding his gaze like the plague. She could barely look at him knowing there were more secrets yet to be uncovered.

"You don't deny it." Thorin added after some time when Ora didn't reply.

"Not now, Thorin."

"I want to know what's going on inside your head." Thorin pressed, fidgeting a little with annoyance.

Ora shot him a warning look, "You seem to already know."

"I haven't lied to you, Ora."

"Did I say you had?" Ora's tone took a sharp turn, and Thorin knew better than to agitate her further when there was a storm brewing in their horizon. So, he kept his mouth shut and his jaw clenched.

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"Will you at least look at me?"

Ora rubbed her head and groaned. She was tired, full, tipsy, and definitely not up for an argument right now. It was late at night, if not morning, and Thorin had offered to escort her home which she'd gladly accepted. She wasn't so drunk she was incapable of walking home herself, she had just been happy, and actually mildly enjoying herself. But, now, she sat in Thorin's study because of his minor 'detour' on the way home, and she wasn't impressed by it at all. She just wanted to go to bed.

"Thorin," She began, "I am tired. I want to go to bed."

"I need to talk to your first." Thorin replied from his position of pacing backwards and forwards in front of the fire, and it was making Ora uneasy. And queasy.

"I know you do." She replied in a grunt, "But to be honest I don't think I want to hear it. I don't want to know who Helah is. Whether she was a lover or a consort or a –"

"She wasn't any of those things, Ora."

Ora's heart clenched, "Thorin." She seethed, finally looking up at him to find that he'd stopped pacing and was now looming down at her as she slumped in one of the armchairs. She was thankful she'd warn one of the loose dresses Anar had made her; she'd definitely eaten too much. "I don't want to know." She did actually want to know, of course, but she didn't want her fears to be confirmed.

"Before Smaug attacked, my father wanted me to be wed to a Noble maiden from the Iron Hills for political reasons. I had only met her twice, and there was no affection between us, it was solely for our Kingdoms to be combined. But when our Kingdom was lost so were our ties, and I never thought more of it."

"Brilliant. Good to know."

"Ora…" Thorin growled, "You need to know this."

"Do I though?"Ora finally snapped, "Do I really need to know about your past affairs?"

"It wasn't an affair, I just told you that."

"Really? Was she one of the ones you laid with, aye? Is that why you're telling me this?"

"Is that what all of this is about?" Thorin took a step towards her. "You said my past relationships didn't bother you."

"Yeah, well," Ora stood up, maybe a little too fast for she swayed for a moment before finding her balance, "maybe I lied, you know, like you always do." That was a low blow.

And Thorin knew it, for his fists and jaw flexed in unison, "They were nothing to me, Ora."

"Great, is that supposed to make me feel better?!" Ora fumed, crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn't sure how this argument had escalated, maybe she was a little drunker than she'd first realised. Still, it felt good to finally get how she felt off her chest.

"What do you want me to say?" Thorin replied in an equally loud voice, "That it was good? That it was awful? Tell me!"

"I don't want to hear about it! At all!" She roared back, "I don't want to know about how, or when, or where you laid with other women."

"I didn't love them, Ora. None of them, not Helah, none of them."

"Why would you agree to marry someone you didn't love?" Ora's voice quietened a little. She didn't know if she was supposed to be glad or hurt.

"Because my father wanted me to, because I wanted to be a good King." Thorin replied, taking a few hesitant steps towards her.

"And marrying some commoner like me would make you a bad one?" She snapped, ignoring his advances and keeping her arms tightly folded across her chest.

"No. Marrying Helah would have made me a good King, but marrying you would make me a great one." Thorin reached up and brushed a stray hair away from her face with a thick, rough thumb, but Ora jerked away.

"Was that supposed to be a proposal?" She grunted, moving away from Thorin and towards his desk to fiddle awkwardly with the papers on it.

"Do you want it to be?" Came the silky reply from behind her, and before she even realised Thorin had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back into his chest, burying his face into her check.

For a moment, Ora forgot everything. "Ye-" She stopped herself like she'd just been slapped in the face and quickly leapt away from her King like he had flees. But it was too late, Thorin was already smirking. "No! I don't want it to be! Because firstly, that wasn't nearly as romantic as it should have been, and two," She pointed a finger at him, "I'm mad at you."

"But why?" Thorin stepped towards her once more, and this time Ora let him wrap his strong arms around her. Mainly because she'd suddenly turned emotional, and she needed to closeness. She felt him leave a light kiss on her temple, and then her cheek.

"Because I can't look at you without seeing them."

Thorin took hold of her chin between his finger and thumb, moving her head up to finally look at him. Those crystal hues melted her right down to the core, but only made her heart ache more. His eyes flickered to her lips, but before he had the chance to close the distance between them Ora jerked away.

"I'm sorry, Thorin… But, I-I just can't." Ora's eyes were beginning to sting as her sentence drew to a close, and in the low light of the fire her green eyes popped like bright, glistening emeralds.

Thorin's eyes hazed over, just like when he was hiding his emotions, and his expression appeared blank. "What do you mean?"

Ora bit her lip, fighting back a sharp remark. Instead, she answered in a feeble voice, "When I look at you, all I see is the other women you have touched. You are not mine, Thorin, but many others also. You don't make me feel special anymore - not that you should be obliged to - but because I want to. I want to be special to you, my King, and I am not. This is huge, Thorin, it's against all I know to be sacred when you laid with them."

"You have no idea how special you are to me, my Gold." He replied in a low voice so smooth that made velvet seem rough. "Smaug had just attacked, my mind wasn't in the right place."

Ora shook her head, finally freeing herself from him once more. "But I am not your only."

"You are, Ora. Never think otherwise." His tone was flat and mono, but she knew he meant every syllable, but still, his words fell flat to her. The thought of him saying such sweet nothings to someone else killed her inside, and maybe her feel like one of many apples on a tree. All the same, but slightly different.

"I would just like you to take me home now, your majesty." She couldn't look him in the eye.

It was coming to terms with it, more than anything. She knew full well his history wouldn't write her future, but that wasn't the point. Her morals were telling her that it was unacceptable, her culture was telling her it was unacceptable, but her King had done it. How many more had? Was this the norm now?

Ora shook her head, feeling hurt and confused, and spared a glance up at Thorin as he walked beside as they entered the Main Entrance.

She loved him. She knew that. She couldn't not know that. But he had broken one of the most important rules she could think off (not including the obvious ones), and by continuing with her courting she too was running the risk of being shamed.

But was he? No, no one else seemed to know. Would they ever? Would it actually manner?

Her whole life she'd been ruled by her morals and ethics, that was the only thing she'd stuck by. Could she throw those all away for him?

She rubbed her temples. Was she being immature? If this was normal, was she being dramatic? She knew Uli had done it, obviously, but were there more? Was she old fashioned?

She blinked up at Thorin for a few moments, before opening her mouth.

"Thorin…"

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Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

Bit of a crappy chapter but im sooooo tired ):

Im sorry it's taken me so long to update! But basically I brought skyrim the other day and I'm already level 22 and I haven't even had it a week yet so yeah

Been a little busy on a computer game lols

But thank you all so much for you truly wonderful comments

Carluwee you are an absolute gem! Thank you so much for your lovely review.

All of you guys have no idea how much brighter your kind and constructive comments make my day!

So please keep them coming!

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