Arranged Fate

A/N- Welcome back to everyone whom is reading this story. I hope you all are ready for Kili's reaction.

'thoughts'

Disclaimer- I don't own the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, but man do I own my OC's and the story in this.

Please enjoy the story.

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Chapter 2:

Seeing Reason

He was livid. No scratch that, he was angrier than he'd ever been in his entire life.

How could they? That was the question that kept rattling around in his brain as he paced the room, stomping from one end to the other. After the 'announcement' his mother and uncle had avoided him like the plague. He'd tried to corner them at the feast but both seemed to just dissapear when he drew near. Even Fili and Falin were absent.

Kili's 'fieance' on the other hand had followed him around, staying nearby at all times. He found it rather unnerving, considering she knew of his disaproval. She'd been front and center when he'd realized what was going on. Yet still she stood by him as a true betrothed would, she'd even offered to help catch his mother and Thorin.

Frankly he found her to be a puzzle. She was beautiful, that went without saying, but she wasn't vain. He could tell that much already. She was determined to be there in case he had need of her and he was impressed by this.

That was beside the point though. He'd had no place in choosing her, he'd been told. Which was normally taboo to their race, yet his mother and uncle had done so anyway. They had done it in front of the entire mountain so that all may bare wittness and him being too slow to catch on hadn't denyed the announcement. At first.

Now though, he was determined to get through to them. This arrangement wasn't going to happen, not unless he willingly chose the intended bride.

After the party had finally started to wind down Kili was summoned by a messenger, telling him and Ochre to go to the personal wing of the royal family. His uncle and mother awaited them.

Steeling himself for the fight he was sure that was coming, Kili made his way down the maze of tunnels Ochre at his heels. He didn't speak to her or awknowledge her presence, but he was fine with her following him. If one didn't know the mountain tunnels then they most certainly would get lost within them.

Once at the Royal wing, there were guards posted and seeing him they let them both through without a word. A few more feet and they had reached the main tunnel chamber, there were several offshoots and antechambers, but this was where they needed to be.

Sitting at a large table before them was his mother, Thorin, his brother and Falin. Off to the side a bit were Ochre's uncles, the brothers Ur. All three had their arms crossed and were giving Kili the stink eye, as if reading his thoughts about their niece and not liking it one bit. He did his best to ignore them as he approached, Ochre stayed close behind him instead of moving off like he'd expected her to do.

Taking a deep breath he was about to open his mouth and speak when Thorin lifted a hand and shook his head. Knowing better than to ignore his uncle and king, Kili crossed his arms and waited for Thorin to speak.

"Before you begin Kili, I believe Ochre should properly introduce herself." Thorin motioned her forwards and Ochre did as asked. Moving around Kili she stood before him and spoke softly, "Yes, quite right milord. I am Ochre, at your service. I am greatful to the company for restoring our peoples home to us and I am pleased to finally meet you Kili. I have heard much about you from my uncles and seen enough to know you are a good man, I hope to be a worthy wife and partner to you Kili."

Bowing deeply to him she then reached into a pack that she carried at her waist, something Kili hadn't noticed until now. She pulled out a small wrapped package and placed it into the stunned prince's hands before she moved over to stand with her uncles.

Kili was so surprised at this that he shifted the package in his hands. He knew this could only be a courting gift, something that by tradition the male was supposed to give first. If the chosen female was amiable and wished to court, she would then give a gift in return. The fact that the female across from him had done so first meant that she had been prepared this whole time.

This confused him, as did the fact that he was keenly interested in what kind of gift she had made for him. Suddenly remembering that everyone was watching him, he slid the gift into a pocket. Kili felt his face flush red before he cleared his throat all true anger he had gone and asked softly, "Why? Why choose me a bride? Why only one week of courtship?"

Thorin closed his eyes before looking to his sister Dis. She looked distressed but determined, seeing his gaze she nodded to him before standing and walking over to her son. Cupping his cheek she sighed and spoke loudly so that everyone in the room could hear her words.

"That my son is my doing. I wish I could let you have whatever time you wish and allow you to choose freely but alas, since Erebor is retaken, we cannot aford such a luxuary." Kili narrowed his eyes and placed his hand over his mothers, "but why?"

It was Thorin whom answered. "Dain."

Blinking in confusion Kili looked between his mother and uncle. "When I came of age Kili, Dain was the first to try and court me. He was very persistant, he lavished me with several gifts and tokens of his 'affection' for me." Dis laughed bitterly at that, "I was flattered, but I should have known better."

"Our father wanted us to choose freely, so he allowed Dis the freedom to choose wheather to court Dain or not. He did not trust Dain though and it was only later that he told me that he'd been offered countless amounts of treasure and livestock for Dis' hand in marriage." Thorin practically growled these words.

"When our father denyed him Dain threatened all out war, even had an assasin attempt to kill myself and our brother. The assasin was caught and interogated, this was how we learned of Dain's true reasons and designs for wanting Dis to marry him." When Thorin finished, spitting at the ground, Dis smiled sadly at Kili.

His eyes had gone wide in shock and surprise. She knew though that there was more to say, she only hoped her son would listen well and learn from her mistakes.

"Dain wanted the crown, wanted a child of his line on the throne of Erebor. He'd even planned on assasinating all but myself once we were married. Leaving him the sole male heir until I bore him a son. I have no idea if he planned to kill me once I'd fullfilled that purpose or not, but once we knew the truth. I made sure to deny him outright publicly, making another attempt impossible."

Kili opened his mouth to say something at that but Dis quickly lifted her hand and placed it over his mouth, shaking her head at him. She wasn't finished just yet. "He has another chance at the throne now. Why do you think he was so quick to come to our aid? Both you and Fili are of age and avaliable. Fili is ingaged so that makes him harder to use, but you Kili. All he needs is to get you married to one of his daughters and his plan is once more in motion. By getting you ingaged and married quickly, this saves you and the kingdom from his clutches. Even Fili plans to marry soon after you. So trust me in this Kili, Dain would stop at nothing to get what he wants."

Feeling as if he'd swallowed a ram whole, Kili looked over at where Ochre stood, in her hands was a little wittling knife and she paused in her current work on a small piece of wood to smile at him. She'd known all this from the start and still was willing to go through with it. He understood now and wished he didn't. Closing his eyes he clenched his hand over his mothers and nodded his head.

His voice was low and rough, "I understand mother and I do trust you and Uncle in this. I accept your decision and agree to this union. A weeks time...will that remain as the time of the wedding?" Dis nodded her head, feeling pleased that her son trusted her completely.

Taking a deep breath he looked once more at Ochre, "Ochre, would you accompany me to the forges?" Ochre blinked in surprise before she looked at Thorin then her uncles and finally back at him. "Am I allowed?" Kili just nodded his head and Ochre smiled in reply, putting away her wittling she moved over to Kili and then Thorin cleared his throat.

Both turned to look at him, "Remember, even though this courship is unconventional, you will have a chaperone at all times until you two are married. Understood?" Kili's face went red at his uncle's implication and Ochre just chuckled, "for now." She then turned and moved back out to the tunnels, Kili blinked after her in surprise before he quickly followed her.

She waved her hand and said, "After you. I do not know my way around here but am hoping to learn quickly." Kili nodded at this and took another deep breath to calm his raging emotions. He understood his mother's idea and plan and knew it was the right course, that didn't mean he had to like it. But he supposed he could have ended up paired with a less than bearable dwarrowdam, Ochre didn't seem the spoiled selfish type.

He jerked when he felt an elbow to his side, looking over at Ochre whom was watching him with raised brows, he wondered what she thought of all this. Had anyone even asked her opinion? Curious now he cleared his throat, nodded to the guards as they passed them and asked, "Why did you agree to this?"

Ochre stopped at that her cheeks took on a pink hue as she looked him straight in the eye, "Because I love you. You are my One Kili."

Frozen to where he stood, Kili's eyes grew wide and he tried not to gape at the woman. "Bu...but how? I've never met you before, I didn't even know you until today." Ochre gave a soft laugh at that even as she did something else which shocked Kili to the core. She had reached out and fingered one of his braids, an extremely intimate action. Dwarrow only let those close to them such as family or spouse's to touch their hair.

"These braids look good on you. Although when I first saw you, you had no braids and..." Ochre paused as she moved her hand to run her fingers against his beard. "you only had stubble where your beard is now. I saw how kind you were and how different from the other dwarrow men. You have a gentle heart Kili."

Feeling his own face beginning to turn red now, Kili took a step back and out of the woman's reach. Seeing this her shoulders sagged and she turned away dejectedly, clearly hurt by his reaction. He was about to say something to her when she spoke once more.

"I was summoned by your mother, the Lady Dis, and was asked if I would consider a courtship with you. I'd heard of you and your brother, but had never met nor seen either of you. I told you mother I would think about it and have to watch you. She agreed, so operation 'stalk Kili' began. For a good week I followed you around the village, I was there when you were practicing and when you were being teased and shunned by other dwarrow." Ochre sighed and started walking again, her eyes on the ground.

"I had never seen anyone like you before and by the end of the week, I knew my choice. I wanted to know more about you, I wanted to be with you. I knew then that you were my One, my soulmate." Ochre looked up at him at that and smiled sadly, "I am sorry that this had to happen to give me my hearts desire, you deserve better than being pushed into marriage to a total stranger. I am happy you asked me to the forges with you though, I truely am."

Kili was stunned to say the least. She'd just proclaimed him her 'One' something that happened only once to a dwarf, nothing could change their minds either. He knew this from what his mother and uncle had taught him, he'd never thought to find his own One, but this was something different.

He'd agreeded to this union because he understood his families plight. Understood that nothing was more immportant than keeping Dain from having the kingdom, even in the smallest measure. A task he was willing to sacrifice his own happiness for. But hearing her say he was her One was enough to have him second guessing himself.

Would she be happy knowing he didn't care for her as she did for him? He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer though. They had reached the corridor that lead down to the forges, most of it was rebuilt from Smaug's trip through, but there were still several unsecured spots as well. He pointed the way they needed to go.

"We are only going to the smaller forge, sometime later I will show you the larger ones. Balin is excited to get them fully working once again. Bard has been sending us several requests for wares and thanks to working tirelessly we've got half of the large forges up and running. Thus far we've only been working the ore and metals that are freely availiable. Soon we shall move onto the tougher to reach stuff."

Ochre listened closely and tilted her head, "Bard...the one whom killed Smaug. He's the new king of laketown and Dale is he not?" KIli nodded his head, pleased that she'd remembered what she'd been told probably by her uncles and his mother. "He and his children come to visit alot, you will probably get to meet them before the wedding." Kili trailed off again as they walked on, they were almost to their destination and then the real trial would begin.

He just hoped that he'd made the right decision to bring her along.

A/N- Kili will learn...trust me. I have planned a good set of ordeals for my little couple and I hope you all remain with me for the duration of the ride.

Thank you all again for reading and following me. I will do my best to keep updating and writing.

Until the next chapter then...

May the Fluff Be with You!

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