After a few days of rest, she had started to feel well enough to potter about herself. Oin had checked on her twice a day. The grazes and cuts on her hands had healed and the headaches had completely resolved. The dwarves had clothes made and delivered to her from the markets, while she had been recovering. And much to Shobha's dismay there certainly were enough to last her a few weeks stay at least.

After finding poor Balin asleep in the armchair next to her bed on the first night, she had insisted that he got some rest in his bed on the next few, promising to call for help should she need it.

Finally they had all slowly given her a bit more much needed space and freedom, although Balin and Dwalin had still kept a watchful eye on her.

This morning Fili and Kili had insisted on giving her a tour around the markets of Erebor. They were on a lower level, down many flights of stairs which were open to the vast central chamber and so allowed for a good view of the rest of Erebor. But they had taken their time with her patiently, showing various sections of the kingdom.

Erebor itself was a truly impressive place. It was not as busy as she expected it must have been once. The corridors and walkways had been carved into the stone. And the stone of the mountain appeared to look different in different areas. In this vast central chamber, the stone was dark with strange green veins running throughout it, making it look even more grand. Overhead there were many freestanding open stone bridges crossing the expanse of the chamber. The architecture, skill and craftsmanship was truly impressive and no second to what Shobha had experienced at home. In fact she had been pleasantly surprised when she had found running hot and cold water in both a large stone bath and overhead shower fountain, all within her wet room.

Finally after reaching the lower levels of the market halls, which were bustling with a variety of dwarves selling many different items all beautifully hand crafted, she stopped to turn around on the spot several times to take in the whole of Erebor's central chamber in awe.

"It is beautiful!" She gasped.

"We knew you would like it" Kili beamed. He was always the more openly enthusiastic of the two. While Fili, who was slightly more reserved, nevertheless always wanted to be part of the action.

"What do you want to see first?" Fíli said. "We are the master craftsman afterall, and Erebor is as big as it gets. Although it will probably get bigger once more dwarves return."

As they walked past a variety of shops with glass cases containing jewellery and gems all cut and fashioned in a variety of ways. They reached a section with books and scrolls of different sorts.

Suddenly there was a commotion in a nearby stall. A group of dwarves had gathered around something.

Fili immediately moved towards the crowd, who parted to let the crown prince through.

There in the centre was a middle aged looking dwarrow who had collapsed on the floor. There was a decent sized gash on his forehead from where he had likely hit himself from the collapse.

Straightaway Shobha spotted the tell tale signs of a faint. She stepped forward and past the princes. The chatter of the crowds immediately hushed seeing her. She quickly and efficiently checked his pulse and breathing. And loosed any constructive clothing.

"Does anyone have any water please?" She spoke firmly and commandingly. "This dwarrow has fainted, he needs some water and some air. So please go about you business now."

Kili and Fili looked at her grinning, as someone rushed a tankard of water over.

"Princes, please will you help me prop his feet up for a bit."

As they complied with her instructions, the dwarf began to regain consciousness, and after a quick check of him for any further injuries, she gently tilted the tankard to his mouth. The poor dwarrow sipped eagerly.

"Why thank you miss…" he smiled weakly. "I don't know what happened there."

"Have you been eating and drinking enough?" She asked gently.

"Well its been so busy lately miss, I haven't had time much, and I missed breakfast."

"Well there you have it then good sir." And turning to the princes she asked "We need to get him to the infirmary. He will need stitches."

Fili shot off to speak with a guard, while Kíli looked at her with quite a degree of admiration. "So it's true then… that you were a healer in your land..? You were very good!" And in no time a pair of guards had arrived with a litter to carry the dwarrow to the infirmary. The poor dwarf had complained that there was no one to mind his jewellery stall, so they had to help him lock the front before setting off.

Shobha and the Princes accompanied the dwarf to the infirmary where Oin had checked him and insisted that she put in the sutures to close his wound. This had earned her even more admiration from not only the princes, but also the injured dwarf himself, who introduced himself as Kallon, son of Fallon. He was a jeweller. What surprised Shobha was how much Oin had been impressed with her suturing technique, which lead to her admitting that she had been a junior surgeon at home.

"Perhaps you could come and spend time here in the infirmary.." Oin added. "Of course when you are fully settled into life here in Erebor – and if Thorin doesn't mind.."

"I think that would be lovely Master Oin!" Shobha found this invitation to be of the highest compliment indeed. "I would love to be of use if I can!"

Fili and Kili had then dragged Shobha to the very impressive throne room later, where a court session was wrapping up. Balin stood to Thorin's right and was busy documenting issues and petitions raised by several dwarrows, while Gloin stood to his left also with a set of scrolls. They both looked exhausted.

Thorin was dressed formally, although he did not wear a crown he still looked completely regal. He was seated on a large throne carved out of stone with bold lines. Several armoured guards holding rather impressive double sided axes stood on the platform below. While they appeared completely at ease, it was clear they were always poised and ready. The whole room appeared to carved from a greenish marble-like stone with carvings and very high pillars in matching lines to the throne. And the room itself was very well lit, but the source of light was not evident. This appeared to be another mystery architectural wonder throughout Erebor.

"How long have they been doing that?" She whispered to Fili.

"All morning," he whispered back. "I promised to join them, as I always do. Uncle insists, since I am his heir… But today, he let me have a few hours to show you around with Kili."

"Oh gosh! How will you explain you absence all morning…?"

"Well I had to help you and Kili with that sick dwarrow, of course!" He rolled his sparkling eyes playfully. "It was the right thing to do… besides I have been doing this since the first dwarves returned to Erebor. And I will be back to doing it again tomorrow - Uncle is only here for certain days – I do the rest on my own."

"Well its good training brother…" Kili elbowed him.

"That's very true brother… In fact, I think its time you start your training also!" Fili chuckled back. "Anyway, all will be forgiven when they see you, Shobha. And I am sure gossip about your brilliant work has already reached the throne room!"

She cringed at the thought. What she had done felt like nothing compared with the daily hectic struggle that she and her colleagues working in the NHS faced!

Thorin and Balin both looked beyond the dwarves, who were now almost on the verge of fighting again. Their voices sounded heated and they each had their hands poised on the hilt of their sheathed short-swords.

"ENOUGH!" Thorin's voice resounded. It was a deep rumbling, that sent shivers down Shobha's spine. He hadn't yelled, but the firm tone sent a clear message to all the dwarrows who immediately stopped their arguments and paid him their fullest attention. "I can see that a civil discussion is not possible. Therefore I advise that each of you scribe your petitions, and Balin will arrange for a time for each to see me separately."

The dwarrows initially seemed to want to interject, but quickly thought better of it, all bowing together and turning to Balin obediently. Thorin stood up from his grand throne, the hint of a smile registering on his stone mask of a face for the three of them, lifting his initially fatigued look.

"Uncle!" Both princes walked over and put their arms on his shoulder, and each gently bumping their foreheads to his in turn. Thorin then turned to Shobha and gave her a small nod, and she curtsied in return, as she had been shown.

"So word has reached us here that you three have been busy undertaking medical duties" he looked at Shobha. "You are fast becoming the talk of Erebor."

"Oh dear" Shobha cringed again. "That poor dwarf fainted… and his forehead needed stitches. But how did word travel so fast?!"

"That's how it works here under the mountain Shobha!" Kili grinned.

"So dwarves are the best gossips then!" She ribbed back. "They would certainly give my mother's friends a run for their money!" This gave her a twinge of sadness.

Balin and Glóin both walked over to join them after finishing their business with the group of dwarves.

"Well lass, now that you will be spending more time in the infirmary, we think you will need to tell some of the nosier dwarves about yourself.." Balin began.

"And we think you should be paid for your any work you do," Gloin smiled. "Although Thorin would like to offer you a small allowance in any case. So you may purchase things that you need."

"Gosh! I don't know whether that's really needed – you've all looked after me so well."

"Nonsense Shobha!" Balin smiled. "But we really think it safest if you should not mention your true origins."

Just then Dwalin, walked over to join the group interrupting, "Thorin, Dis has left with her group. We just received the raven… And there is much gossip about Erebor that we have an Easterling Healer amongst us!" He looked at Shobha, and she cringed again, bringing her hand to her forehead.

"Thank you," Thorin nodded. "Now, Dwalin, given our guest was always going to be talked about by our people, we need to have something to satisfy their curiosity… Perhaps a distant friend of Dis?"

"Aye… but not Dis," Dwalin looked at Shobha thoughtfully. "It would be better that she is related of one of us…"

"Aye, brother…" Balin smiled, almost as if he knew what Dwalin was thinking. "And what would you propose?"

"Well… mother always wanted a girl, she used to say. So maybe, we should say that Shobha was orphaned as a baby and adopted by our family… our little sister?" he said a little bashfully.

"Perfect!" Balin concurred looking at Thorin. "Provided you are happy with this too, Thorin."

"Dwalin, are you going a little soft…?" Kili chuckled to Fili.

"I don't know what you too are giggling like dwarflings for…" Dwalin scowled. "You missed training this morning! Let's see who is soft at training tomorrow!"

"Well that settles it then," Thorin smiled softly at Shobha, his intense eyes twinkling in a way she had never seen before. She wondered what had brought on this new softness to his usual stone mask of a face, and concluded it could only be due to sheer relief of not having to deal with more arguing dwarves. "You are Balin and Dwalin's adopted sister. You have come to settle here with them in Erebor. As they are your only family. We never knew who your true parents were."

"So, particularly for the noble dwarrows and dams, when they ask: You are Shobha, daughter of Fundin," Balin proudly concluded putting his arm around her shoulder.

"And our little sister," Dwalin winked, looking as soft as someone with such a naturally menacing appearance could do.

Shobha beamed, and threw her arms out hugging both Balin and Dwalin together at once, who threw their arms around her.

"Oh! We want to be part of a family hug too!" Kili and Fili both whined, throwing their arms around all three of them. This urned then a clout to the back of their heads from Dwalin, leaving Thorin and Gloin quietly chuckling at the scene unfurling before them.

"Oh don't worry my Princes! You two will get lots and lots of hugs in training tomorrow! That's what you'll get!"