After he woke up, Thorin found himself reading through the brief prospect given by Arabella Baggins even though he usually left such matters to Balin. He found himself impressed with what he had read so far. If she was earnest like Frerin had suggested, then this could lighten a huge burden from their shoulders. He went through the day's meetings and found himself growing interested when it was finally time for the hobbit to enter. Frerin had told him in the morning how she had donned more female-oriented clothes after approaching Ered Luin but was armed. When she was asked to divest of her weapons before approaching, Thorin was impressed to know she had a dozen daggers on her person, all made by Frerin. Thorin could practically hear Frerin preen and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Really, it was common sense to not bring an elvish weapon if she wanted to make a good impression. When she was completely visible, Thorin realised that this was indeed the lass he had seen last night in his dreams. Later... He would think about it later. He put on his best glowering face knowing that even though she had passed Frerin's end she would need to pass this end as well. To his mild annoyance, she didn't seem to be the least bit bothered by his expressions and simply gave him a bow fit to his station.
"Arabella Baggins, daughter of Bungo and Belladonna at your service, your Grace."
He gave her a nod of acknowledgement and raised a brow.
"As I explained in my brief prospect, I have come with a proposal of trade. We at the Shire, are interested in selling our crop along with other preservative foodstuffs. I have brought with me samples of my own farm, of the total produce there, three quarters would regularly go into only providing for trade with your people should you find the trade agreeable. I also have permission from the Thain of the Shire, our political head, for your people to be able to open stalls at our markets should they so desire. The only difficulty I have here is that of transportation. Us hobbits do not normally venture out of the borders of the Shire and as such, it would be a very difficult task for me to be able to find people to transport my produce every time. Should your people decide to take care of that problem, I am ready to sell my produce at harvest price."
"You make a generous proposal. Is there a reason in particular for this sudden bout of generosity, Miss. Baggins?"
"Yes and No, Your Highness. I am unaware as to how acquainted you are with hobbit culture, so please indulge me here. We were made by Lady Yavanna, the Wife of your Maker. Which makes all hobbits look more kindly upon the Dwarrows than they would at any not of their race for we see you as kin of sorts. I only recently came to know of the settlement here and the problems you encounter regarding food. So, instead of finding a mannish settlement or hoarding my produce, I decided to go with an option that would help my kin, far removed they may be and make me feel better."
That brought him up short. After having faced a century and more of scorn from even their own kin, Thorin had not expected the answer to be this simple. Yes, he trusted Frerin's judgement and had believed him when he vouched for the lass. But this was discerning to experience in person. It would require more research. He was going to accept the proposal of course. He would be a fool not to do so. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the blackberry jam now hidden in his private supply closet. Mahal, but he had to know how it was made though. He got up and looked at the parchments she had spread on the table and inspected her closely while doing so. He could tell she was nervous, but there were no outward signs. He saw her having a silent discussion with Frerin out of the corner of his eye. There was a sense of familiarity in her posture towards Frerin but a healthy amount of respect and from what he could gather, fear. Her posture towards him though confused him greatly. Being a warrior and an heir to the Throne, Thorin had been taught from early on as to how the posture of a person spoke more than their words did. This hobbit, she respected him more than she respected his brother but held no fear whatsoever at all towards him. It confused him. People were afraid of him and at ease around his brother. He could tell his glowering had no effect, but then again she had known Dwalin for over a month. And wasn't that something, Dwalin actually approved of the lass. Just who was this hobbit? He allowed her to stay uncertain a while longer in the guise of reading the papers, finally, he could see her become more nervous and show a level of uncertainty bordering apprehension and maybe a tinge of fear. Why did she want to trade with his people so desperately?
Thorin wasn't the only high born in Blue Mountain though his family was the only Royals. His people lived in the eastern to the northern part of the mountains. The southern was inhabitable and the western was inhabited by the Broadbeams. Ered Luin was not a habitable mountain, to begin with, most houses were built on the outside like mannish ones and the inside of the mountain was used for commercial purposes mostly. Their numbers weren't great. Barely three-quarters of the population had been able to flee Erebor. Most of the so-called nobles among them had used their resources and connections to find their place in other dwarven settlements leaving the commoners to suffer. A huge chunk was lost on-road and even more at Azanulbizar. After that, most nobles had left and he had become responsible for all of his remaining subjects. When they had made Ered Luin habitable, commoners of the Broadbeams had already been staying there but had welcomed them. Later, when they had started trade and such, lords from the Broadbeams and Firebeards had shown up trying to make profits. They occupied the western part of the mountains. She would have had a much more profitable trade if she went to them, for Thorin could not offer more. He and his siblings knew that if they wished, they too could live like royals and their people would happily work to feed them. But that was not the kind of King he wanted to become. No, he would not enjoy the comforts of Royalty without giving his people their home back. As such, they often went to find work themselves and added what they could to the treasury. Food had always been somewhat of a headache. They were dependent on the men for it and because the Broadbeams and Firebeards gave whatever price the men demanded, his people had to do the same. But, if this prospect of trade with the Shire worked, it would ease him greatly and if he should act on his plans to free Erebor and leave his siblings in charge, they would not have much to worry over. That, decided it. He still needed to know why Miss. Baggins was so desperate for this though, but he trusted his brother to inform him. So, he turned to the hobbit, a bit startled by the intense look on her face and gave her a decisive nod.
"I find no difficulties overtly visible in this prospect. The matter of transportation will be discussed and would likely not be a problem. You can meet my advisor; Balin, son of Fundin and set up a contract after he has inspected your produce and finds it satisfactory. He will also aid you in setting up a stall to sell the same at the market. Do you have any questions?"
Not for the first time, Arabella Baggins wondered why it was that it had taken her so long to see the kind side of Thorin Before. Maybe, because she knew how he was without all the layers of masks he put on that it made his real self visible now. She couldn't really tell. When she had decided to start this trade prospect, she had been terrified beyond belief about how it would be received and that was even before she had the memories of Before. Ever since she had the memories, it terrified her even more. She of all people knew just how suspicious and hostile dwarrows could be. Yet, by Lady's Grace, everything had been going smooth, she even found a way to befriend Dwalin without having to go through his hate and suspicious phase for too long. Which was why she had been worried everything with Thorin might go to buckets. But here he was, being majestic as ever and had accepted her prospect so easily. She was having a very difficult time believing this. She knew, having Prince Frerin's recommendation was doing more than half the job, but really, this was brilliant. She bowed low to the King who had her undying loyalty even though he didn't know it, to convey her gratitude since her words were failing her. She did the same for Prince Frerin, his comforting smile easing her somewhat.
"Thank you, your Grace. I greatly appreciate your assent. I am being hosted by the Ri family and shall be happy to present myself for setting up a contract for whenever it is convenient for Master Balin."
Both Durins watched in disguised amusement as the hobbit lass more or less fled from the Halls as gracefully as she could. He turned to Frerin after the door closed behind her with a raised brow. His brother owed him an explanation and he would have it now. He'd deliberately made it so that this would be the last meeting of the day so Frerin would have no excuses.
"We should discuss this somewhere we absolutely cannot be overheard and it would be a good idea to have Balin along with Dwalin. Perhaps Dis too."
This worried him. Not only his brother's tone but his suddenly changed body language. Thorin had assumed it was something important he would have to say but this seemed like a piece of grave news. He nodded to Frerin and started walking towards their house. By the time his brother and his oldest friend had told him all that they knew, Thorin was feeling numb with rage. To think that the Gundabad filth had survived, it made him want to hunt Azog right this instant and finish him off for once. Thorin had believed him dead for so long and at the same time, Azog had been wreaking havoc over innocent people, gentlefolk who knew nothing about defending themselves. The logic of Arabella Baggins boggled him the most though. Instead of resenting him for not being able to kill Azog, she thought she owed him a life debt? How did that even make sense to her? This was very worrisome news, even more so with what Dwalin had learned from her. If Azog was alive, he would try to take on Erebor at even the slight indication of Smaug's death. Already, the drake hadn't been seen in over sixty years and there were whispers going about.
There was also the matter of his dream. He wanted to pass it off as nothing but something told him he would be a fool to do so. He decided to take a walk and wasn't very surprised when his steps took him to the most sacred part of the mountain. Thorin remembered spending his evenings in a similar but far more grand place in Erebor with his grandmother. He sat down and looked up at the stone statue of Mahal in the Chamber. The beard braids are not right. That thought gave him a pause. He'd been coming to the Chamber of Mahal in Ered Luin ever since he was given the responsibility of being the King in Exile but never had he imagined the braids looking different. He rubbed a weary hand over his face. This was no time for distractions. He needed to be calm and understand what his maker wanted of him. Because something was definitely happening, he was feeling like a new miner who was still trying to understand the old miner's song. Thorin closed his eyes and tried to hear better. He found his thoughts going back to the almost forgotten evenings with his grandmother again. She'd always made sure to tell him how the Chamber of Mahal was the real heart of the mountain and not the Arkenstone. It was a strange thing to say especially considering the amount of importance his Grandfather had decided to put on the Arkenstone. But something seemed to fit in place the moment he remembered her words. What did it mean though? When she told him that, he hadn't paid much attention to her words. Now that he was no longer remembering those evenings spent with her from a child's mind, he found himself agreeing with her. Much as it was because he now felt that pledging loyalty to a stone rather than the King was a mistake, there was also more to the thought. Whenever Thorin had stood near the Arkenstone, he had always felt a weight on him, he'd thought it to be the weight of being an heir but now, all the questions he didn't want to ask were suddenly in front of him. The more he followed and tried to remember the more he felt like he was finally understanding what his maker wanted of him. He would have to find the old records and meet the older clandwarrows. There was something about the Arkenstone that his maker wanted him to know and Thorin would not disappoint Him.