Just as a quick note: this was originally a reader-insert fic but we had to modify it as an OC to post it on here (to those who read the original chapter before we fixed it, sorry!). So if the grammar seems just a tad bit off, we're sorry; if we were to post it on this site it had to be changed.

On the other hand, this is cross-posted on Wattpad, DeviantArt, and AO3 so if you wanna read the original reader-insert version, it's on those sites under the same title: Collector of Shiny Things.

Iolite is a type of gemstone. It means "violet" and can be used for healing and they are known to totally open up your thinking. We thought the name fitting for a dwarrowdam stuck in a company of males for months on end.

It's supposed to be cringey. If you find it epic during some of the scenes, that's just bonus points for us. If it makes you cackle or face-palm, then we're doing our job right.

Happy reading!

When Iolite first woke up, it was barely light. Dawn. Not the best time to wake up because it was cold. She never liked the cold. It always made her shiver so violently others around her were worried her limbs would fall off. As she tried to wake up, she noticed that she was in a considerable amount of pain.

Pain?

What?

Oh. That's right. She was in an orc attack the day before, her and the others.

The others? Who..? It came back to Iolite suddenly, and she remembered. She is a member of the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, and she took the blow meant for Ori. The young scribe was using his slingshot and wasn't watching out behind him. She was, though, and jumped in the way of the orc blade right as he swung. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to get her own sword up in time to block it fully, so her body took most of the blow.

Iolite's eyes widened and she sat up, ramrod straight, only to curl in on herself with a groan a second later. Well that was a mistake. She heard shuffling noises, and then the sound of boots coming closer, and looked up into the eyes of Thorin.

Thorin Oakenshield himself, who at first detested the idea of Iolite coming along, even if she saved his sorry hide a million and one times. Okay, maybe only like three times in the entire time she'd known him, but still. The sentiment is the same.

She was a fine warrior in her own right, but she was also a dam, and that made her valuable, more precious than she cared for. Since dams were so few in number, they did not like the idea of Iolite coming along on this dangerous quest. When they told her so, she just laughed in their faces, shouldered her pack, and followed them. Even if they weren't allowing Iolite to come, she would just go on her own trip, conveniently in the same direction they were heading. After it became obvious she was going to be just as foolhardy and run into danger right after them (i.e. the troll incident), they decided to include her in the group. That meant her own contract, and that meant that now she was contractually obligated to take orders from Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King-in-exile under the mountain.

Who was still staring at her.

"Iolite?" Oh. He must've asked her a question.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked if you were alright. Oin suspected you wouldn't wake for another hour."

Iolite grimaced slightly as she shifted, attempting to sit up straight again. His arms shot out to help her, but she waved him off.

"Oh, well, thank you, but I'm fine. I'm sure this is nothing a bit of rest won't heal. I imagine I'll be sore for next couple weeks, but what else is new?" Thorin still looked skeptical, so Iolite added on, "I mean, it's not like I'm dying. It's just a little…" She trailed off as she noticed the concerned faces of the company behind Thorin. "...scratch." She finished lamely.

Oin decided to make his presence known right then, coming up and nudging Thorin out of the way.

"Lass, I don't know what rules you live by, or what trouble you normally get into, but that wound is no mere scratch. You," and here he turned around to bellow at the rest of the company to give her space, lowering his voice as he turned back to her, "almost didn't make it."

Iolite gasped, one hand flying up to her mouth and the other flew to her side, where the majority of the pain was.

It was at this moment, as she shifted, that she caught sight of something metal shining from the corner of your eye. Normally, Iolite wouldn't care, but this was a bead, and more importantly, it was a courting bead. In her hair. Which she had no memory of it being put in there. She squinted at it, to confirm it was, in fact, a courting bead, before frowning and turning her head to study her companions.

When I find out who did this, by the Valar…

Iolite glared at the Company, who were now trying (and failing) to discreetly watch her. She turned back to Thorin and Oin, the only ones near her now.

"Who did this?" She kept her voice low enough to not disturb anybody who may be resting, but she knew everybody could hear her. Thorin and Oin glanced to each other uncomfortably, and the rest of the company shuffled around nervously behind them. "If nobody is going to be a dwarf and come forward about this, then I will take it as simply a mix-up, a mistake of the light."

Iolite grabbed her new braid to take it out, but before she could take off the bead, twin cries of "Wait!" rang through the air.

She paused, and looked to the source of the call. Fili and Kili pushed their way to the front of the group, on the other side of Oin. Iolite raised her eyebrow at them skeptically.

"You two did this?"

They shuffled their feet nervously, glancing at each other and then to Thorin. He nodded slightly, ever so slightly, probably thinking that Iolite couldn't see it. She thinks. She wasn't entirely sure. Maybe he was giving his consent to them, to whatever they were planning. And now maybe the two of them were confessing to her? At the same time though? Well this is awkward. Or maybe he was nodding to them so they can let her down easily. They probably had it in their heads that she felt that way about them. It wasn't true though. Iolite was only trying to be their friend. No, she had her eyes on a certain dark-haired dwarven king. From the first time she saved him, to his curt nods, and his patented glare of disapproval, she had fallen for him, and fallen hard. And now she lost her train of thought. Again. She snapped back out of your musings as they called her name again.

"Iolite? Are you okay?" Thorin was talking now, and Iolite realized she had been staring again. Whoops… She turned her attention back to the group in front of her.

Again she asked the question of who did this. Fili and Kili both opened their mouths to respond when suddenly Thorin stated - well, more like shouted - "I need to speak with Iolite alone, please." Silence ensued after this declaration. But dutifully everyone turned away to go back to the morning chores that had to be done around the camp.

She shifted so she could look at Thorin but it caused pain to shoot through her body. Iolite cried out and Thorin came rushing over and knelt by her bedside. He looked lost as to what to do next. She stilled for a moment to regain control of herself before attempting to move again. This time Thorin reached out to still her. The pain won out over her pride and Iolite allowed him to help her sit up against an obliging boulder. After she was settled she asked Thorin, "What did you want to speak to me about?"

Thorin looked at her for a moment and then said, "Iolite I put the beads into your hair." She was stunned into silence.

After a long pause Iolite simply asked, "Why?"

"Because you were dying and I knew that if you died I would forever regret not letting you know how I feel about you."

Iolite looked into his deep blue eyes and said, "This is probably a stupid question considering how you already put beads in my hair, but I want to hear it: how do you feel about me?"

He said, "Well to put it simply: I love you. I fell in love with your determination, your beautiful smile and all of the other beautiful qualities that make you Iolite." She was speechless. How could Thorin - Thorin - of all people love her? She was just a simple dam, nothing special but here was the king - no, that was not it - here was Thorin, the man of her dreams telling her he loved her. Iolite started to cry and Thorin drew back abruptly and said in a quiet voice, "Iolite if you do not feel the same I can take the bead back and my words, I am sorry."

"No, no that is not why I am crying; this just feels like it is not real. I am afraid I will wake and none of this will have happened." Iolite placed her head in her hands. Suddenly she felt warm, strong hands pull hers down and she found yourself again looking into a pair of deep blue eyes.

"Iolite this is real. I really do love you and I always will." He cupped her face with one of his hands and wiped her tears away with his thumb. Then he leaned even closer until their foreheads touched and gently pressed his lips to her lips. It was the most amazing and terrifying feeling Iolite had ever felt in her entire life. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, ignoring the pain that shot through her side at the action. Thorin was real and he was kissing her.

Iolite finally broke the kiss and he wrapped her in his arms. Both of them sat in silence enjoying the presence of each other's company. She realized at that moment she was no longer cold, physically or emotionally. He had brought warmth back into her life and he wanted to continue to warm her with his love from that day forward. Finally, Iolite broke the silence and said,

"I love you too."