C2: Ice Maiden

A familiar hammering at the adjourned door was all the warning that Thorin got before it burst open, and his sister stomped her way in.

"Oi, big nose!" She strode over to where he was sitting and glowered down at him, "I've got a bone to pick with you!"

Thorin rubbed at his brows and put down the paper he was reading. His baby sister always did this when he was working and regardless of how important it was, what she had to say was 'more' important.

"Dis, we've talked about this. Can you please, knock and wait-"

"Oh, shut up, and don't distract me!" She folded her arms and shook her head at him, "I asked you to be NICE earlier! How could you be so rude to my best friend?!"

"Dis," he tried to make her see reason, "it was a busy meeting and I apologised-"

"YOU only went to say sorry because Da' made you!"

"Should I try to talk or are you going to keep interrupting me?"

"Depends on if you have anything smart to say."

"Dis. SWEET sister," he glowered at her but tried to smile nicely, even if he was gritting his teeth, "it has been a busy day and I did apologise…and in turn, she got her own back on me, correct? What was it she called me?"

"Arrogant," Dis smiled sweetly but he saw the delightful malice behind her eyes, "amongst other things we came up with later. But you need to do me a favor and be honest; did you like her?"

Thorin arched his brows in surprise. Well…he hadn't expected that.

"Dis, I met her once for a few minutes."

"I know, but," Dis finally dropped that shield she kept up and showed him the vulnerable girl beneath, "she's my best friend Thorin. I want you to like her. I don't want to invite her over for dinner or something and have you constantly just…be at each other's throats."

Seeing she was being sincere, he decided to make a promise.

"Dis. I will try my hardest to get on with her for your sake, however," he raised one finger when she made to speak, "if that…ice maiden bites my head off, I can't promise to keep my mouth shut.

"Oi!" She barked and glared at him again, "don't call my friend that, Big-nose!"

"Dis, how many times-"

"That's your name. Get used to it," she replied smugly and finally took her seat opposite him, "and Rana won't bite your head IF you're nice to her. It doesn't take much. Just don't be so…well, you. Relax, big brother. Come on, you got time for a game, right?"

He smiled at her and looked at the board on the table.

"Frerin and I WERE playing…but he's two moves away from losing and deny he was losing anyway," he pulled the board across the table and winked at her, "just one game, and NO we're not playing for money."

"Oh…you're such a spoilsport," she laughed and rolled up her sleeves, "so…you promise to be nice?"

"Promise," he said one last time with a nod and looked down at the board, "now, try not to cheat."

"What, me? Never."

Thorin could only roll his eyes.

"Or lie."

A few days later…

Rana had been invited round for a nice 'casual' dinner with Dis and her family, but of course, there was nothing casual about having dinner with the King and his family. At least, that's what her parents adamantly told her when she had revealed to them where she was going. She'd already gotten her clothes and hair sorted out, but her mother insisted on putting in the family beads that her grandmother had made, and then her father had 'instructed' her on how to behave. Of course, she already knew, but she entertained them by pretending to listen.

It didn't help to calm her nerves when Dis arrived to walk with her back up, her parents whispering instructions as they parted. Dis teased her mercilessly but stopped when she realised just how nervous her friend was. They then spent five minutes calming down, though Rana was just grateful Dis kept making jokes and poking fun at Thorin.

Finally, they had entered the dining room where the other males were waiting for them. They'd greeted as they had done yesterday and sat down, though Rana instantly felt uncomfortable finding herself seated right next to Thorin.

'Of course, the fates would be against me,' she thought and vowed to keep conversation with him at a bare minimum.

She thought she was coping well. With Thorin, there was mostly silence. Frerin turned out to be a bit of a flirt, but she could easily handle him. Thráin was keeping the conversation going with Dis and Thrór, whilst still imposing, would occasionally jump into the talking and even invited Rana in.

The food was splendid, and it was during the first coarse that he sprung a surprise on her.

"Rana, my granddaughter here tells me you like to read?" He took a sip of his wine and looked over at Dis, a note of admiration creeping into his tone when he talked of Dis.

"Yes, my King. I'm very fond of my books, though I seem to have read everything I can get my hands on."

"You're very much like Thorin in that way," Thrór winked at his son, "he and his father are great readers also. Though, I'm afraid Frerin takes after me."

"No time for reading, grandfather. How would I train with a book in my hand?" Frerin chuckled.

"Probably better than you do now, brother," Dis said smugly and Rana had to hide her smirk behind her glass. Luckily, the King's next words stopped her from smiling.

"Well, Rana. How would you feel about having access to the royal library?"

She turned her head sharply and momentarily forgetting who she was addressing, blinked at him.

"P-pardon?" Just remembering her manners at the last minute, she added hastily, "I mean…apologies, could you repeat that, your majesty?"

He chuckled, evidently amused at her reaction.

"Well, you said you've read everything you can get your hands on. In our library, we have books that are off-limits to others and rare copies that we've read over and over again. It's a shame to waste them and besides, I'd like a fresh opinion. Would this interest you?"

"Yes!" She said excitedly but quickly composed herself and lowered her head in a sort of, polite bow, "Thank you, my king. It's-it's truly an honour."

Despite the conversation returning to normal, Rana found it hard to concentrate. She couldn't believe it, access to new books! In the ROYAL library!

She was finding it hard to stop smiling and even found it in her good humour to ask Thorin to politely 'pass her the pepper'. He gave it to her without even a glance, which she supposed was better than a rude remark.

Still, even that interaction didn't dampen her mood, though she thought it better to stay away from him if they just weren't going to get along.

'Perhaps it's for the best we're kept apart.'