Hello again everyone. Whew I did not forget about the chapter this time. It was a bit of a busy day, but I managed to get this in, in time.

It was pointed out to me in a review that sometimes Adaira is spelled differently, I want you all to know, the proper spelling is Adaira. I type rather fast and since I don't see all that well and am using multiple programs to see the screen and to edit, sometimes it is hard to catch all the errors. I kinda do a quick edit of the chapters before posting them as I don't have as much time as I would like to go through everything. Hope you understand.

Please enjoy the chapter!

Mels xoxo

Adaira's POV

When the next day dawned I was surprised at how sad I was to roll over and not find Dwalin beside me. Somehow in the last few days I had grown accustomed to sleeping in his arms and waking up in them as well. Instead I found myself with Kili and Fili clinging to me once more. I poked my head up from the dog pile of tangled limbs, blinking blearily in the dim light and saw Dwalin, wide awake, staring in my direction. I nodded at his longing look, letting him know I felt it too. When I turned my head to the other side to try and find an escape from the clutches of my cousins, their body heat like a small forge, I saw Thorin, also awake, looking smugly back at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing he must have put Fili and Kili up to it after I had fallen asleep as a way to keep Dwalin away from me. Well played. Thorin one, Adaira zero. Kili decided at that moment to snore loudly by my ear and I turned towards him with a grimace on my face and saw that he had been drooling on my shoulder in his sleep. I made a face of disgust and pushed his head off my shoulder. It hit the hay and he woke up slightly, muttering something about "I thought he was an elf maid," which made me have to bite my tongue to hold in my laughter.

I squirmed and tried to loosen my cousin's octopus like holds on me to no avail. I was stuck tight between the two and there would be no moving until they woke up. I flicked my gaze to Thorin once more and raised an eyebrow at him as the light began to soften outside the window.

"Happy now?" I hissed to my uncle, huffing in annoyance as Fili tightened his grip on me and snuggled deeper into my back from behind.

"Immensely," Thorin replied in a dry voice as he inspected his fingernails, a smug look still on his face.

I heard movement from behind me, but couldn't turn back in Fili's new hold. I felt a warm hand on my foot then and looked down, sighing when I could see Dwalin once more. He put a finger to his lips and I nodded and he gestured for me to lay back down so I did.

He took one foot in both hands and began rubbing it, paying careful attention to the soles of my feet, warming them as much as releasing the tension and aches from them. I sighed in contentment as he used his knuckles, taking his time with first one foot then the next. When I looked over at Thorin there was a vein prominent in his forehead looking close to bursting and his jaw was clenched tight. Point one for Dwalin. I smirked and let myself enjoy it.

Thorin seemed to decide that what was going on was somehow worse than Dwalin and I laying next to one another as he pulled himself to his feet and walked over to the mess of limbs I was buried under, kicking Fili and Kili on the boots. Both woke with a start and I made a sound of surprise as I was knocked in the face by Kili's flailing arms. The two trying to untangle themselves and sit up.

"What, where?" Kili asked as he sat up, hay sticking up at odd angles in his hair and I laughed aloud as he looked around, Fili sitting up on my other side, his hair looking just as bedraggled as his brother's.

"Morning sunshine," I muttered to them, stretching when I finally could and I wiggled my hands towards Dwalin after I lowered them and he grabbed them, pulling me up to my feet more gracefully than I could have gotten up by myself. Point one to me.

"Modgin wah, mo ghràidh," I said to Dwalin with a bright smile on my face as he stood and I leaned in, nuzzling my nose to his before I bumped my foreheads with him. He raised an eyebrow at my foreign forwards.

"Modgin wah, mo ghràidh?" Dwalin asked repeating my words with near perfect pronunciation.

"It means good morning my love in Gaelic. Where I grew up Gaelic was like a dying language. I learnt it while in school. Lots of the locals, especially the older inhabitants of the island, used it extensively," I explained to Dwalin and he nodded in understanding.

"Then it is something important to yah, aye?" He asked me as he led me away from the others who were still sleeping and towards the open door to the house. The sun had risen above the trees and the grass glistened with early morning dew.

"Yes, I mean, while I know I'm from here now, it's hard to forget where I grew up. Hegg is where I spent my childhood. It's where I thought I was from. It's where I lost adad and it is where I learnt how to take care of myself," I tried to explain my feelings to Dwalin on the matter and he nodded in understanding after a moment.

"Yah don't have tah forget about it just because yer here now. It means something to yah, that doesn't have tah change," Dwalin told me and I sighed in relief that he understood what I meant. "So, are there any swear words yah can teach me in this Gaelic, yah called it?" Dwalin asked me after a moment and I threw back my head and laughed at that.

"Well, there are a few," I told him with a mischievous look in my eye and he chuckled, pulling me closer to him and holding me as we watched the sunrise, the rest of the Company waking up behind us. "So today is the day," I said after a few silent moments and Dwalin grunted as he ran his knuckles up and down my spine, working out the tension from it. "Are you nervous about fighting Thorin?" I asked Dwalin to gage his mood and he laughed, pulling back to look down at me.

"Nervous? No lass, I'm not nervous," Dwalin assured me and I hummed slightly as I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my chin against his chest, looking up at him. "I'd fight for yah any day lass," Dwalin told me and I rolled my eyes, a warm smile on my face.

"Well, I don't think I'm supposed to root one way or another, but I'm definitely rooting for you," I told Dwalin with a grin and he chuckled once more.

"Always good tah know," Dwalin told me before he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. I heard the booming laughter of Beorn and sighed, knowing that everyone would be awake now and our private moment was over. Dwalin would fight Thorin today to prove that he could protect me and then by all rights, no one could stop us from marrying not even Thorin.

While it was a bit quick for us to be getting married, neither of us having had enough time to really get to know one another due to the nature of our quest, with any luck we would have the rest of our lives to get to know one another. Would there be times when we butted heads? Most likely, but I knew the short answer, the most important answer. Did I love Dwalin? Yes. Was I willing to marry him and work on a partnership with him? Yes. Everything would work itself out for the best. I had to believe that.

I felt the same thing Dwalin did. I didn't want to leave here and lose him and never get to say that he was my husband. I didn't know what the future held for us. I had seen one future. I had seen Thorin, Fili, and Kili's deaths. I didn't know my fate or the fate of the Company. For all I knew, we could all die tomorrow. Our quest was dangerous, we all knew that. From here we had to travel through Mirkwood and make it to Erebor before Durin's day and a dragon awaited us at our journey's end. Azog was also still hunting us and now that he had been so close to obtaining his revenge only to be thwarted, I doubted he would just give up.

It didn't help that Azog had been made a fool of. I had painted a target onto my own back by attacking him. He would be out for my blood now too, especially since he knew I was a Durin. I didn't care. I had meant what I said. I owed him more pain for the rest of my family. He would not end the line of Durin. He would not lay a hand on my family again. I would see to that if I had to kill him myself.

Dwalin pulled me out of my thoughts as he pressed another kiss to the top of my head and pulled me close to him, giving me a squeeze. I was grateful for his constant presence and strength. I felt comfort and safety in his arms, something I hadn't had in quite a long time. He was my greatest comfort during this quest. When I looked to the future I feared for the day that I might someday actually have to be queen. I didn't think I could rule our people, but with Dwalin at my side, I just might be able to.

"Let's get you something to eat âzungel," Dwalin told me and I hummed in contentment, padding through the house barefooted at his side.

We ate another wonderful breakfast of Beorn's honey cakes and fresh fruit along with syrup covered treats and biscuits covered in butter and jam. After months of travel rations and the mixed greens of the Elves it was nice to taste baked goods again. I moved to follow Dwalin after breakfast, but Balin stopped me and informed me that it was customary for darrowdams to talk about wedding plans while her One and guardian readied themselves for the fight. Apparently it was also time for the married darrow to trade stories with those thinking of marriage themselves and time too to drink. For a dwarf it was always time to drink to be honest. Beorn broke out his mead and joined those who were married, Gloin and Bombur, with those who just wanted to sit and drink, Bofur and Nori.

Since there were no darrowdams for me to converse with as was customary, I found myself sitting in a circle with Bilbo, Ori, and Dori. Lyssaria joined us, sitting slightly outside of the circle. Dori was sewing something and Ori was writing in his book which had survived our journey through the goblin tunnels, but Bilbo was very interested in talking about Dwarven marriage traditions. I wasn't discouraged really by the fact that my circle of friends meant to help me prepare consisted of dwarves rather than darrowdams. I didn't have friends in Middle Earth beyond the Company and while I might have some advice from my aunt if we had waited, I was content.

"I'm a bit unsure of all the ceremonies myself Bilbo," I explained to the curious Hobbit as we sat, drinking herbal tea which Dori had made us as I heard the men laughing boisterously from outside.

"Oh, that's easy," Ori piped up, looking up from his book. "The ceremony consists of vows traded in Khuzdul before the braiding of a marriage bead. Of course your ceremony will be a little different, you being a princess and all," Ori informed me and I made an ah sound before nodding.

"How do you not know all this? Surely the Princess of Erebor would know the customs of her own people," Lyssaria asked me, picking at the hem of her tunic. She wore a long tunic of dwarven make, a geometric pattern embroidered about the hem and neckline and belted at the waist and long dark thick trousers meant to withstand both the weather and her travels. Her tunic was a dark brick red cotton and her trousers were made of a light grey wool.

"It's kind of a long story. To summarize, I was sent away from Middle Earth by magic, lived on an island, brought back by magic, found my family, joined the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, and now we're here," I summarized for the other woman and she looked thoughtful for a long moment before nodding.

"Fair enough. I've seen some rather strange things in my own lifetime," Lyssaria said, scooting closer to our circle. "What plans do you have for this ceremony irak'namad?" Lyssaria asked me, Dori shooting her a scandalized look. The others still had not gotten over the fact that she was half elven and half dwarven. They most definitely saw it as some sort of travesty, especially since if her claims were true, she was a child of Nordinbad, a noble family line and related to Durin's line through my birth. Apparently that might not look favourable for me if the Dwarven Lords did digging in the future.

The dwarves had stayed as far away from her as possible during our stay at Beorn's house, almost ignoring her completely. I hadn't had much time to speak with her yet, but I certainly did not think that she was a "bastard" as I had heard some of the others mumbling. It was no business but her own over who her family was. So far she had been pleasant to me, if a bit quiet. I had a feeling that she was used to people throwing insults her way. I wanted to include her in our discussion and thus I had invited her to come and sit with us. If we truly were cousins I wanted to get to know her better.

"Well, I'm not sure. It's not as if we can do much. I don't need a fancy dress or anything like that. I just need Dwalin," I said honestly and Lyssaria pulled a face and Dori cooed over me and how "romantic" I was.

"Your Dwalin seems…," Lyssaria said, still making a face and I laughed slightly, shaking my head.

"He isn't what you call traditionally handsome and he doesn't seem the romantic type no, but I guess that's what makes our relationship special. He's only that way with me," I told her and she shrugged as she reclined on her arms and stared at me over her crossed ankles.

"Guess there really is someone for everyone," Lyssaria mumbled and she sighed, closing her eyes.

"Well, what about your parents?" I asked her and she raised one of her eyebrows, her eyes still closed. "How did an elf fall in love with a dwarf?" I asked her, knowing that Dori was the worst gossip and her story would get back to the others.

"My adad met my mother whilst he was traveling through Mirkwood. She was a…noble woman. He said he knew as soon as he saw her that she was his One. Of course he believed it was one sided, that an Elf could not understand what he felt, but my mother saw something in him. My adad returned repeatedly to the glen where he first saw her and over time my naneth told my adad that he was the other half of her Fae, her soul," Lyssaria explained as she opened her eyes, sounding thoughtful as she spoke.

"My naneth went to her brother and told him of the good news, but she was shunned and disowned by her family. She never got to tell him the other news, that she was pregnant with me. My parents had married in secret you see, first in the Elven way and then in the Dwarven. So my naneth left her home and came to Nordinbad to make her home there with my adad. It wasn't easy for her there either. My grandfather was not happy to discover his only son married an Elf," Lyssaria continued as I tilted my head to the side, humming in understanding. It seemed that no matter how much time had passed, our two races could not forgive one another. Not even when a child was involved.

"My adad made a home outside of the mountains for my naneth. It wasn't until my naneth died, that my grandfather even wanted to see me. I've learnt that I'll never be fully accepted by either race," Lyssaria finished with a sniff and I reached over to her and put a hand on her arm and squeezed it gently.

"Family doesn't abandon family or at least it shouldn't. I can't apologize for what our grandfather has done, for all I know he wouldn't approve of me either, but what I can say is we have a lifetime ahead of us to get to know one another. I'd like to get to know you if you'll give me a chance," I told Lyssaria honestly and she eyed me for a long moment with a suspicious look on her face before she seemed to accept the fact that I was being serious and she smiled her first real smile.

"I'd like that," Lyssaria told me and I grinned back at her and nodded. "Now, I'm sure we can do better than this for a wedding. You are a Princess of Durin's line after all," She said as she sat up properly and snapped her fingers. "Come on, throw out ideas," She ordered and Ori looked up from his book, a bit surprised.

"Well...we could…," Ori began before Bilbo jumped in.

"Flowers. No wedding in the Shire is complete without them," Bilbo piped up and he looked to me for approval.

"Flowers are good," I told Bilbo and he nodded, smiling back at me.

"I'm sure Beorn won't mind us picking a few. After all he seems to like you best. The brides in the Shire wear flower crowns. I could make one if you'd like," Bilbo offered, playing with his hands and looking a bit nervous and I bit my lip, putting a hand on his shoulder as my heart clenched.

"Bilbo...that would be...thank you," I told the hobbit, knowing that he was trying to do his best to not only make me feel like a bride but make me feel beautiful.

"I was waiting to surprise you," Dori said, cutting a thread as he finished up a section he was working on before he held up the off white rough spun project he was working on. "I thought you might be able to wear it," He said, slightly embarrassed as he showed me the half embroidered dress he was working on. Little flowers and geometric patterns embroidered on the neckline and hem.

"Dori...it's beautiful," I told the tailor, tears welling up in my eyes at how thoughtful he was to spend all his time working on this project just for me. I got up and walked over to Dori, kneeling down and hugging him tightly, the older dwarf patting my back awkwardly. "I wouldn't want this any other way," I told them as I looked at my group of friends.

"Well that's good," I heard Bofur say from behind me as I let Dori go and I turned to look over my shoulder at the hatted dwarf whose cheeks were rosy, a glimmer in his eyes from the mead. "Cause we're flat out broke," He told me and I grinned, rolling my eyes.

"They're about ready to fight," Nori said from beside Bofur and I made an "oh" sound before hurriedly getting to my feet, the others chuckling at how eager I was.

"Remind me again why Dwalin is fighting Thorin?" Bilbo asked me as we made our way outside, the others following after me. I was bristling with nervous energy. Dwalin and Thorin were evenly matched in skill and strength. The only thing that might weigh in either of their favor was who was drunkest.

"It's symbolic of the change of hands in the duty of care. Since there are so few darrowdams, we dwarves believe there is a level of care we should pay to our women. They should always be respected and we should always strive to ensure that they are happy, have what they need, and are well protected. Dwalin winning a fight against Thorin proves he can keep Adaira safe," Bofur explained to Bilbo as I finally caught sight of my One and my Uncle. They were both laughing and joking around, Kili and Fili close by.

Dwalin's shirt was off, sweat already glistening on his chest which was dusted with chest hair on his pecs and ran down his stomach a little before disappearing down into his trousers. I bit my lip, blushing as Nori and Bofur elbowed me and waggled their eyebrows. I didn't look away though. Balin waved me over to where he was seated on the grass and I joined him sitting beside him and waiting for the fight to begin.

"Don't be so nervous lass," Balin told me, patting my arm and I hummed slightly as I looked at him, not noticing how tensely I had been sitting. "Thorin will fight him good and proper, but it's not as if he disapproves of the match," Balin assured me and I nodded, sighing slightly.

"I'm only a little nervous. I know I love Dwalin and I know I want to marry him. This is just the last thing still standing in our way," I told Balin and he patted my arm once more.

"It'll all be over soon, namadith," Balin assured me and I made a show of inhaling and exhaling deeply before relaxing my shoulders and sitting back. Kili and Fili came to sit behind and beside me, the two of them grinning widely as they waited. Finally Thorin stepped away from Dwalin and looked to all of us who were assembled to witness the fight.

"My family, friends," Thorin said, looking at me and my cousins before he looked at the Company. "Today you stand as witnesses. Dwalin son of Fundin has approached me and asked permission to marry my rayad and nâthuê kurdu. He knows our traditions and our ways. He has presented Adaira with her courting beads and she with his. The two have agreed to leave their courtship behind for the bonds of matrimony. Are there any here who would make claims that Dwalin has neglected or abused his One during their courtship?" Thorin asked the Company who remained silent.

I watched Dwalin's face as the question was asked. He expected to be met with opposition from the others but seemed surprised when they said nothing. No matter what I had told him, a part of him still blamed himself for what had happened to me and I know some part of him always would. He felt it was his duty to protect me, always. This question was in place so that the head of a darrowdam's family could find out about wrong doing that might have occurred during courtship. Witnesses could come forth on the day of the very public fight and any claims would have to be investigated. Balin had informed me that very few claims were ever made but it was another measure to protect darrowdams, especially those who were not marrying their Ones and who might have been forced into a marriage.

"Then by our customs Dwalin son of Fundin must best me in single combat. I Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror stand as Adaira daughter of Frerin son of Thrain son of Thror's guardian in the absence of her father," Thorin announced, properly sticking to titles and required speeches so the Dwarven Lords could not later try and say that things had not been done by the book. Ori was writing up the account of everything now.

Balin had explained to me that despite the fact that Dwalin was my One, some of the Dwarven Lords would not be happy that I married him, especially because I married him without them present. We would most likely need to be married again as they might throw a big stink and try to claim that our first union was not legally binding. Many of the Dwarven Lords had sons and once they found out that Frerin had a daughter who survived who was Thorin's heir, they would most likely try to fight that they should have been informed first so that they could propose marriage between myself and their sons before Dwalin was allowed to stake his claim.

They coveted the throne and since darrowdams were rare, their best chance at winning the throne would be marrying their son to me. Never mind that the dwarves of Durin's line didn't believe that you needed a man to rule hence why the throne went to me first, not Fili. They would expect for their son to rule in my stead. Fili and Kili had apparently been fighting for their own freedom, the Dwarven Lords who possessed daughters trying to force Thorin's hand and arrange marriage for both of them.

Well, one thing I knew was that no one was going to tell me who I could love and that went for Fili and Kili too. Just because we were royalty did not mean that we had to give everything to our people including our love lives. I understood that some married for political benefits, but I was marrying Dwalin and if the Dwarven Lords had a problem with that they would just have to deal with it. I really didn't have any confidence in anyone who refused to help their people. No doubt if we reclaimed Erebor they would all act like they had supported us all along.

They would be the ones who expected the finest and grandest rooms and things the mountain had to offer, never mind the fact that the entire purpose of winning the mountain was not so that they could live in luxury, but so that their people could live in safety and in comfort. Politics had never interested me much, but now that I had a chance to make a difference and I had seen what was out there in this world, I was of the mind to toe the line and pass reforms that would help the common folk while forcing the corrupt to learn to live more like their fellow dwarf was forced to.

"Come on, come on, get on with it," Dwalin said impatiently, picking up his axe as he stretched, winking at me before he squatted lowly, keeping his center of gravity as he waited for Thorin to begin.

"Are you that ready to be beaten?" Thorin asked Dwalin, trying to gode him into getting angry as he picked up his sword and swung it around a few times almost lazily.

"I'm that ready to hand yah yer ass," Dwalin shot back and I rolled my eyes at their taunting as Dwalin made a "come get me bro" gesture with his hands.

"Oh just fight each other!" I shouted at them both without thinking and Dwalin threw back his head and chuckled as I blushed a deep red. The others laughed loudly as Dwalin sized up Thorin before he ran at him. He sprinted across the grass, keeping his shoulders low, springing up at the last minute to meet Thorin's sword with his axe.

The battle turned into a quick dance of glancing steel just as soon as it started. They were equal parts graceful and deadly. While their styles of fighting were similar, Dwalin used more brute strength in his blows, hoping to tire his opponent quickly while Thorin seemed to trade strong blows with weaker ones to save his strength for a longer battle. The grass around them was uprooted as they slid and danced around each other, grunting and growling, blades locked one minute before clanging and banging against each other the next.

The first five minutes of the fight there seemed like there was no clear winner of the fight, but then I noticed the slight twinge of pain on Thorin's face as Dwalin and him locked weapons once more, Dwalin exercising brute force to push his axe towards Thorin's face while Thorin pushed back. Thorin was injured, Dwalin was not. Thorin seemed to tire the longer the fight progressed but he was giving it his all.

Dwalin for his part fought fairly. I knew that he knew Thorin was injured. I had told him as much. Still, he never took advantage of the injury by deliberately taking a cheap shot and going for Thorin's injured arm just to force him to concede the fight. Instead, Dwalin fought fairly and while Thorin was tiring quickly, the fight had just passed fifteen or so minutes when I truly saw Thorin losing quite a bit of ground. I looked to Balin, biting my lip. I was worried that if Thorin pushed it any further just to prove a point or something he would only injure himself further.

Balin patted me on the shoulder and nodded and I sighed, knowing that the fight was nearly over now. Balin was right too. It was another minute or more, barely, when Dwalin managed to lock his axe with Thorin's sword at just the right angle that when he twisted, Orcrist came out of Thorin's grip. Dwalin relieved him of his weapon, holding it in his free hand and pointing it at a disarmed Thorin, the two breathing heavily before Dwalin turned it, hilt side to Thorin, returning his sword to him, the two laughing as Thorin clapped the victorious Dwalin on the shoulder. Thorin good naturedly raised Dwalin's arm in the air before looking at us.

"Dwalin son of Fundin has proven himself to be worthy of my nâthuê kurdu," Thorin said and he turned his gaze to me. I was grinning from ear to ear, unable to stop smiling. "Adaira," He said and I bounded to my feet and crossed over to him and Dwalin in a few short strides. Thorin picked up my hand in his other free hand and then placed my hand into Dwalin's. "I give you my blessing," Thorin told us as he joined our hands. "Finding your One is a special moment. I wish you both all the happiness in the world," Thorin told us and I turned to Dwalin smiling before flinging myself at Thorin and hugging him tightly.

"Thank you, adad," I whispered into his ear, not caring that he was dirty and sweaty or about anything but the fact that I had everyone I loved here with me. He hugged me back tightly before releasing me and I beamed as I looked at my One, flinging myself into his arms next.

"I told yah there was nothing to be nervous about lass," Dwalin told me, picking me up and spinning me around as he held me to his bare chest and I heard cat calls behind us which made me blush slightly.

"I didn't doubt you. I'm just so ready to marry you," I mumbled to Dwalin as he set me down on my feet and an odd expression crossed his face before he put a hand under my chin and tilted my face up, his other coming to hold the side of my face.

"Aye, so am I," Dwalin told me before he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. I hummed into the kiss, feeling my entire body thrumming with happiness. I pulled back from the kiss and looked up at Dwalin, smiling softly.

"Tomorrow," I told him before I reached up and caressed the side of his face. "I want to marry you tomorrow," I told him and he nodded in agreement, chuckling slightly at my impatience.

"Tomorrow it is, sanâzyung," Dwalin confirmed and I made a happy noise before blinking several times, pinching myself to see if I was dreaming. Nope. Well then...I lifted myself up on tiptoes and flung my arms back around Dwalin's neck, pulling him in for another deep kiss and ignoring the others who were making sounds of disgust or ooohs. For now I was going to enjoy my own perfect little moment for however long it lasted.

Khuzdul-

Adad- Father

Âzungel- Love of loves

Irak'namad -Cousin (female)

Namadith- Little sister

Rayad- Heir

Nâthuê kurdu- Daughter of my heart

Sanâzyung- perfect (true/pure) love

Sindarin-

Naneth- Mother