Thorin sat on the throne in the grand throne room. He wore the heavy Raven crown of the King, and heavy velvet robes of Durin blue and some gold armour across the shoulders, shins and a gold breast plate, with a heavy fur collar. The Arkenstone was set above the throne as it once was, casting its glow over him.

"My King," Shobha walked over carrying a tray of light food and a glass of wine. "You missed supper. You need some food and drink." She wore a sari, the blouse was cut very high, exactly as he liked and her back was fully open but for the laces. Those weak laces that taunted him, that would have her bare in seconds and the sheer gold sash that sat over it all. And Mahal, her hair was loose, but for the two marriage braids he had put in, after they had last made love.

She set the tray on a side table, and he reached out grabbing her wrist in his gloved hands and pulled her over to him. His hunger was for her rather than food.

"My Queen – my beautiful Queen," he murmured into her lips as he kissed her.

She touched his face lightly as she stood in between his legs boring into his soul with her big dark brown eyes, they were lined with a black paint, which made them look bigger and drove him wild. He could feel his desire rising, simply looking at her. Did she intend to seduce him?

He took off his wrist plates and gloves. "Shut the doors. There will be no further audience with the King." He called at the guards.

And then he stood up and grabbed her tight to his chest, violently claiming her lips, and trailing his kisses down her jaw and her neck, as she melted into his chest, her hands wrapping around his neck, and biting her lip to stifle her moans.

"Oh, no, no, my Queen.. I want to hear you." He planted rough kisses at the base of her neck and pulled her onto his lap as he sat them both down on his throne, one hand running along her back and the other teasingly brushing her chest. Her moans becoming more urgent as she tangled her small hands in his hair still locked in their kiss.

"Spread your legs for me, my Queen," he breathed into her ear, as she obliged and he ran his hands up her skirts, lifting them gently. "Good girl."

He loved how she was so responsive to his voice and his touch. Her head fell back on his shoulder as she surrendered to him allowing him to lift her skirts and turn her bodily to sit straddling his lap.

He claimed her full lips once more, and began to explore her mouth. Then brushing her nipples lightly which were now palpable through the material, pressing against his cold breastplate, he reached around to her back and ripped the laces, pulling the blouse free from her body with the sash, letting his eyes, hands and mouth feast on her warm brown skin.

Thorin ran his hands all the way down, beginning to tease her. Her moans and pants, making him reciprocate, as he lifted his pelvis to rub himself on her.

"My Queen, I hope you are ready for me. I am going to take you here on my throne…" he growled.

"Thorin... Thorin"

"Thorin." He opened his eyes to Shobha, touching his arm gently as he lay precariously on the end he of the couch in their parlour. "You seemed to be having a vivid dream.. you almost fell." He reached up and brushed her cheek lightly.

A few more weeks had passed. Shobha had spent the last week in the run up to what would have been Christmas feeling rather down, thinking of her family. While she missed them, it hurt more to think that her disappearance would have caused them worry. They would often gather up at her parents for either Christmas Day or Boxing Day, depending on plans that her sister or she had with in-laws and she would always cook, with some help and company from her dad and mum. Bombur and Elin suggested that they all gathered together and helped her cook a similar meal for them, which she had enjoyed doing. Thorin, Fili, Kili and Dwalin had intermittently popped into the kitchen to carry out some 'tasting' as a help. Thorin had mostly spent time watching her with the slightest smile, as she danced around, planned, instructed, and worked, until he had been called away by Glóin on a matter.

Then they had all sat together in Thorin's royal dining room enjoying it meal, which even a young Gimli and little Lena had enjoyed. Shobha had less of an appetite but felt some comfort in having everyone around.

Then later on, after dinner Fili and Kili had played the fiddle while Bofur played his penny whistle, Bifur the clarinet and Bombur the drums, and they all sang and had a little dance. Dwarves certainly knew how to party.

Then later Thorin had led her back to their parlour, where he had played the harp for her. Now this, Shobha really enjoyed. She found it mesmerising to watch how softly he played, given that he had rather large hands and was a trained warrior. As she watched him carefully, she couldn't help but wonder how his hands would feel on her. She lay on the chaise watching him play almost daydreamimg.

"Would you like to have a lesson...?" He asked suddenly.

"Um… I wouldn't know where to start…" she looked up from her daydreaming.

"Well come over, and I will show you, beautiful one."

As she walked over, he moved back in his seat to allow her to sit between his legs. The harp itself was rather large and solidly built much like a lot of furniture and architecture in Erebor. He let her settle herself, and run her hands along the wood and strings.

"Do you like it?"

"Mmmm… although it's nice to watch you play too…"

"I rather like giving you lessons…"

"Oh yeah… and is this how all harp lessons are taught…?"

"No but I feel lonely playing here, when I could play for you and hold you in my arms at the same time." He brushed her hair over her shoulder and pressed himself right against her. Suddenly she felt all her senses heightened. It was like a fresh awakening from the lull she was in after dinner. She could smell the vetiver that she had come to associate with him, feel his breath on her neck, the heat from his body, and his desire growing. "If you relax against me, beautiful one, I will sing for you."

She had never heard him sing. She felt his arms brush lightly against hers and then moving forward and pushing his chest firmly against her back and leaning over her right shoulder his enveloped her in his arms as he reached for the strings and began playing. Between the sound of the harp, and his firm body, she melted, resting her head back against his left shoulder, and he began to sing. His baritone voice vibrating deep through his chest and conducting to her body, as he sang over her right shoulder and into her neck and hair.

The next morning, Thorin stood in the treasury by the large gold table. He was quite confident now, the nauseating feeling he often had every time he came to the treasury and the terrible memories, had much improved. But the images of Shobha that came to him each time he touched the Arkenstone were still vivid. And in truth he had begun to enjoy them. He wanted her as his Queen, and he knew of the many women that he had ever found attractive, she in no doubt the only one he would consider his equal, and capable of ruling beside him. Similarly, the images he saw of him making love to her and and carrying his child and playing with their children, he believed were all borne of his own desire.

They had planned to have Thorin place the Arkenstone above his throne, as in the days of Thrór, and then proceed to Shobha's coronation as his Queen Consort. Nobles from the Iron Hills, and Blue Mountains had been sent, together with various guests invited for their wedding.

Balin, offered the velvet roll to him, and as he so often had, he unwrapped it and held it in his hands.

Thorin looked at the jewel, and then closed his eyes. This time he saw her kiss him, as he tore off her clothes impatiently, desperate to take her there and then. Then he saw her, in pain, forehead and dark locks drenched in sweat, clinging to the bed head, panting, blood soaking the sheets around her – she appeared to be giving birth. His heart began to race, would she give birth unharmed? The next image flashed before him: He stood in the Throne room, he held baby boy in his arms, bundled up but strong and alert, with raven hair, olive skin and staring up at him with green eyes. Below them was a hall full of dwarves, elves and men, knelt before them. Then his vision faded as he collapsed.

"Glóin, stay here with Thorin!" Balin shouted as he began to run towards the door. "I will get Oin and Shobha."

Glóin knelt down besides Thorin, he was still warm and breathing. Perhaps he had merely fainted.

Oin and Shobha ran into the Treasury following Balin. As the got to the large gold table at the back they saw only Glóin standing by the table, but Thorin was no longer there.

"What happened? Where is he?" Oin asked.

"He came to, he thought he had fainted, and felt he needed rest. He asked that you collect the Arkenstone from his room and that Oin was not needed…" Glóin sounded unsure. "He seemed like himself…"

"What made him faint do you think?" Shobha asked. "Come on let's head to the royal wing."

They had searched the royal wing, and after no sign of Thorin, they had then gone in search of him throughout Erebor, discreetly.

Eventually Fili and Kili had found him in the throne room and called the others.

As Dwalin led the group into the throne room, followed by Glóin, Oin, Balin and Shobha. Fili and Kili who had been standing outside with strange looks on their faces joined them. They walked in to find Thorin, dressed in the formal robes of the King under the Mountain, with deep blue heavy velvet robes lined with fur, and the heavy Raven crown.

She had never seen him dressed so formally, and imagined this would be how he would dress on their wedding day. He looked completely powerful and regal. It took Shobha's breath away.

He paid no attention to them as he read through several scrolls, side by side. As they approached where he stood by the throne. The Arkenstone had been set on the throne.

"Ah good! Now you are all here. There are some things I need to go over with you Balin, and Shobha I want to make some changes to our wedding proceedings." He spoke still not looking at them.

"Aye Thorin," Balin spoke.

"Oin, I am fine. I apologise that they wasted your time dragging you here," he spoke calmly. His face was unreadable. "Dwalin, Dain has some further information about those who may be behind the attacks. He has sent one of his personal guards with this information."

"I will go and find him. But are you sure you're well baheluh?" Dwalin looked at him frowning.

"Aye, and Dain's guard will not remain here for long, he is to turn back as soon as possible."

Dwalin left with Oin and Glóin following. Fili, Kili and Shobha remained still, uncertain about Thorin's slightly odd behaviour.

"Fili, you have important duties haven't you. I want you to precede over court sessions everyday. And Kili it is time you stepped up to help your brother. You can't keep gallivanting off with your elf mistress all the time…" he looked at them sternly, and they didn't need to be told twice. Both princes bowed their heads and strode away, leaving Shobha, who's mouth was slightly agape at the new behaviour.

"It is not becoming of my future Queen and consort to stare at her King… you look at me as though I have grown pointed ears, and shaved my beard, like your close friend, Thranduil." He raised an eyebrow at her. "We will also need to discuss wedding plans. I wish to make some amendments. I would particularly like to emulate some aspects of my grandfathers wedding to his Queen Raena. And I do not care for all the guests you've selected."

"But Thorin, I have no other guests…" she began in protest.

"And would you like to invite any wild men or orcs too…?" He descended the steps from the throne towards her, and came to stand very close. Perhaps uncomfortably so. "No I have decided."

"But what about Tauriel and Legolas, they saved your life –"

"No. Thranduil healed me.. only because you traded a valued piece of hand crafted work by my grandmother, worth those gems many times over, like a whore selling herself for a few coins." He stood close to her and whispered.

She gasped, and while her eyes stung, she refused to allow herself to cry at that moment. "I will overlook that, because you are not yourself today, my King."

"In truth, my consort, I am exactly that: Your King." He spoke coldly in her ear.

"Well… I am not your consort yet." She frowned.

"That is not the case when you accepted my courtship, and a wedding date was set. The ceremony is merely a formality." He grabbed her wrist roughly, and tightened as he spoke through gritted teeth. "You are already mine. And you will do well to remember that."

"Thorin you're hurting me." She gasped again, and he let her wrist go suddenly.

That evening, Shobha didn't wait for Thorin in their parlour. She wasn't quite sure what had changed him. It didn't seem quite the symptoms Glóin and Balin described. Perhaps a good nights rest would help. They had been staying up talking till late almost every night.