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Yes, yes, yes...Thorin is in deep do-do now. What will Dis, Dwalin, Bergie and Bilbo say? I should call them DD and BB for short. ha ha.

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Chapter 54

~X~

Dis, Bergie, Dwalin and Bilbo had just rounded the corner as Marigold came storming out of Thorin's council chambers. When she spotted them, she halted, stared for a moment, and then burst into tears - running off in the opposite direction.

"Oh, dear!" Bergie whispered, covering her mouth with her hand in shock and sadness. "Something must have gone terribly wrong."

A sudden roar of anger and frustration from inside the chambers confirmed this, as they all heard several pieces of furniture being overturned.

"Bilbo, you and Bergie go after Marigold," Dis was quick to order. "Dwalin and I will handle Thorin. Do what you can to calm her down, and then report back. We will see what information we can glean out of my idiot brother."

With a quick nod of compliance, the two hobbits raced off, leaving the two dwarrow to make their way into where the king continued to rail.

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"Can you believe her?" Thorin fumed, turning his attention to his friend and sister as they entered. "I offered her everything! EVERYTHING! And still she requires that I waste precious time courting her? Me! Thorin Oakenshield, reduced to pandering and catering to some lass like a lovesick pup!"

"Thorin," Dis began, taking a wary step closer to her fuming brother. "What do you mean, you offered her everything?"

"Marriage, a family, the opportunity to be queen!" he explained, throwing his hands into the air. "I offered her my heart! And what did she do? She turned me down, saying that if I wanted her, I would need to spend time courting her properly like any hobbit lad would. I am a dwarf, and a king at that, not a hobbit! For or Mahal's sake, I identified her as my one, shouldn't that be enough?"

"And are you now certain that she is your one?" Dwalin asked, raising an eyebrow as he gave Thorin a pointed look. "Are the signs all there…if you know what I mean?"

"Dwalin!" Thorin growled, his eyes darting towards his sister in embarrassment.

"Oh, Thorin," Dis sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "I probably know more about all that then you do. And right now I am both happy for you…as well as so furious that I want to rip your head off. Of course Marigold wants to be courted! What dam doesn't?"

"But she is my one!" Thorin blustered. "Why should it matter?"

"To a female, those kinds of things always matters!" Dwalin broke in. "Even I know that!"

"But…she is my one," he pointed out again.

"And you are a fool," Dis told him, taking him by the arm and maneuvering him over to a couple of chairs that were still upright, and forced him to sit. Once she was positioned next to him, she did her best to explain. "You keep saying that you are the king…but do you think that amounts to a hill of beans in the matters of love? King or pauper, a lass still wants to feel as if she is worthy of your time, effort, and willingness to court her…to win her affections. Just saying you are the king does not give you the right to such things. By offering to court her, you are telling her that you see her value, that she is worth seeking out, and not simply expected to accept your proposal with no further enticement. It is like when Dwalin offered Bilbo the bride price, it is tradition, a way of honoring the bride. Would you yourself do any less for Marigold? These are her traditions, and she has every right to expect that the one who wishes to marry her follows them. You of all people should understand the importance of such rituals! As a son of Durin, your history is steeped in them."

"If it was truly tradition that dictated such things, I would understand," Thorin assured her, turning his eyes towards Dwalin for support. "Yet your bride required no courting, and married you that very same day."

"Well, my Bergie is a very singular lass, so you can't compare yours to mine," Dwalin admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, though his chest puffed up with pride. "I just got lucky that way is all."

"But Marigold talks as if she wants this to be a long, drawn-out courtship," Thorin continued. "And with all my other duties and responsibilities, I simply don't have the time to spend on such frivolity. Especially when the only thing it would serve is her pride."

"And do you think her feelings are not worth your time and effort? Do you, Thorin?" Dis growled, making him pull back at the force of her ire. "For if so, then I am inclined to believe that you are not worthy of Marigold…or any other dam for that matter!"

Thorin had been face to face with Dis many times when she was angry, yet the fire in her eyes at that instant gave him pause. Taking a moment he mulled over her words, finally understanding exactly what she was trying to get across. It shouldn't matter why Marigold wanted to be courted, or that she wished to take things slow…it only mattered that she did. And in his heart, Thorin knew that if it meant obtaining her affections, he was willing to give Marigold whatever she asked for. Even precious time.

"No…of course not," he admitted with no small amount of shame over what he had just said. "I would do anything to please her. Anything."

"That is better," Dis huffed. "And you best keep that in mind, if you wish to get back in her good graces." His sister seemed to simmer down a bit and even placed her hand on his arm, giving it a comforting pat. "Now, tell me exactly how you asked her…what were your precise words?"

"I…well, I told her that I would arrange the wedding as quickly as I could," he replied, thinking back to when this whole thing had gone south.

"That is all well and good, but what did you say before that? How did you propose?" came her next question.

"Well…I didn't say anything before that," Thorin admitted. "I simply kissed her, just like Dwalin told me to."

"Now hold on!" the warrior was quick to protest. "Don't you go blaming all of this on me. I only suggested a kiss might move things along, I never said to use it in place of a request for her hand in marriage!"

"So you never actually asked her to marry you?" Dis questioned in sudden disbelief. "You simply assumed it was a forgone conclusion and skipped right to setting the date?"

"Well…yes," Thorin was suddenly starting to think that perhaps he might be in the wrong here, and he did not like that feeling one bit.

"Thorin, you dunderheaded, sorry excuse for a troll!" Dis spat, reaching out and slapping him on the shoulder. "You can't go around informing dams that they are to marry you and when! You have to ask first, preferably on bended knee with a bouquet of flowers! You admitted that our father's instructions in the ways of love was lacking, but I thought for sure you had enough sense to figure this part out on your own!"

"Well, apparently not!" Thorin growled back, hating the way his sister was now looking at him.

After a moment of silent frustration, Dis let out a heavy sigh. "This will take a bit of planning and a very fine-tuned strategy, but don't give up hope, brother, we might be able to salvage this yet. But first we need to hear back from Bergie and Bilbo, and see just how offended Marigold is after your mess of a proposal. At least she now knows your feelings on the matter - that counts for something."

"And yet, now I'm left in the dark about hers!" Thorin moaned, hating to be the one exposed in this manner. What if during this drawn-out courtship Marigold realized that she didn't like him at all and rejected him? He was certain that she was his one…what would he do if he couldn't have her?

"Well, I would say since she did not slap your face and forbid you to ever speak to her again, she must at least be open to the idea," Dwalin concluded. He then paused and gave Thorin a pointed look. "She didn't slap your face and say that…did she?"

"No! She did not," Thorin huffed, though more pleased than he cared to admit that he could answer in the negative on that.

"There you go, then," Dis nodded, looking more determined than ever. "Marigold wishes to be courted and you wish to marry her. Now all you have to do is a bit of groveling in order to win her back."

"Grovel?" the king gasped, pulling back as he stared at his sister in horror. "I have never groveled in my life! Not to anyone!"

"Perhaps grovel is not the right word," Dis admitted, noting her brother's disdain. "But you must concede that you have hurt the lass' feelings and the only way you will be winning her hand is if you are willing to give a little of yourself. All I want is your happiness, Thorin, and if you would bend just a little, I am sure we can get that for you. Assuming you still want it enough to fight for it?"

"Yes…yes, I do want it, all of it," he nodded, shutting his eyes as he pictured Marigold standing beside him, heavy with child while he held a dark haired little lassie in his arms. He wanted that more than anything, and if his pride must suffer for it, then so be it. Marigold was worth whatever effort it required he put forth. Even if it meant listening to his sister.

"Good," Dis smiled, leaning in and giving him a much needed hug. "I am happy to hear that. And I am delighted that you have at last made up your mind on the subject…even if it was a bit fast and without the dam's permission. And while there might be a bit of hesitancy from some in the mountain, I know the residents of Erebor will eventually get behind this marriage. After all, no one can argue when you find your one."

"Apparently Marigold can!" Thorin harrumphed, crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair with a sullen look.

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Meanwhile, Bergie and Bilbo had been filled in from Marigold's perspective on all this, having to sit through an ocean of tears as she related each and every detail.

"He…he just expected me to fall at his feet…and agree to be his wife!" she sputtered, wiping her eyes with the handkerchief that Bilbo had provided. "Does he think so little of me?"

"No, of course not," Bilbo was quick to interject. "Thorin obviously holds you in the highest regard to have made any sort of overture to you, regardless of how tactlessly it was done. In all my years of knowing the king, this is the first…and only time, he has ever displayed such open feelings for another besides his immediate family."

"I find I must agree with our cousin on the matter," Bergie told her distraught niece. "If what I have learned from Dwalin is true, Thorin is not the type to throw his emotions around lightly. And if he made any formal proposal of marriage, then he must be convinced that you are his one."

"He kept saying that," Marigold admitted, sniffling a bit as she sat up and gave her aunt a questioning look. "What does that mean…that I am his one?"

"According to Dwalin, it is what a dwarrow calls the mate Mahal has destined for him," Bergie explained, watching as both Marigold and Bilbo seemed to be getting this information for the first time. "So, in essence, Thorin has deemed you as his perfect partner in life. In his heart, there is no one better suited for him than you."

"But we hardly know each other!" Marigold argued. "How could he think such a thing without getting better acquainted? I have a great many terrible habits, I am very stubborn, and tend to speak my mind when it is least appreciated. Shouldn't he know all those things first before he up and proposes marriage?"

"Thorin is not exactly the most level headed and calm person I know either," Bilbo laughed, feeling as if maybe these two were quite suited for one another.

"Those things are secondary in Thorin's mind, for apparently it is his heart that has chosen you. Though I am sure he will think your stubborn streak us adorable, and your outspokenness a delight, just like the rest of us who know you well." Bergie sat back and crossed her arms with a wide grin. "In a way, you should feel honored."

"But not so honored that Thorin does not have to go through the trouble of actually courting you proper," Bilbo pointed out, still a bit perturbed that his friend had treated his relative in such a way. "True, dwarves do things differently, but that is no excuse for bad manners. He will have to realize that if he wants to win a hobbit lass for a bride, he will need to do so in the manner a fine hobbit lass such as yourself would deserve and expect. And I, for one, will be more than happy to inform him of this."

"Oh, please, don't say anything that would insult him," Marigold quickly spoke up. "I…I am not opposed to him pursuing me, really I am not. In fact, I was very pleased at first, when I thought he was only showing the beginnings of interest. It is just that…well, it all happened so fast and suddenly he was talking about marriage, children, me being a queen, and…and I just panicked."

"Of course you did," Bergie laughed, patting her niece's hand in sympathy. "Even if we get what we want handed to us on a silver platter, there is always a measure of concern, worry and trepidation. I mean, look at me and Dwalin," she said, gesturing to herself as an example. "I couldn't have been happier when he proposed, and I have not regretted saying yes for one moment. But even I had my bout of nervousness at first. Marriage is a big step, and no one should be rushed or pressured into it. If you need time to get to know him better, to make a wise and informed choice, then you take all the time you want. If he is worthy of your love, then he will wait. If not…well, then he was not worth your time to begin with."

"I don't want him to lose interest, or keep him waiting…well, at least not too long," the younger hobbit admitted shyly. "But I do think it would be helpful to spend more time together…just to be sure."

"A very wise decision," Bilbo nodded.

"I agree," Bergie added. "So, you stop fretting and let Cousin Bilbo and I speak to Thorin. We will work out all the particulars and let you know when to expect him to come calling on you proper like."

"And you don't think I ruined everything by storming out like that?" she asked hopefully. "I mean, I did say some pretty terrible things…and to a king!"

"King or not, Thorin needs to understand his role in all this and be willing to fulfill it," Bilbo told her. "And I am just the hobbit to fill him in!"

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And so, half an hour later, Bilbo, Bergie and Dwalin sat with Thorin in his chambers, doing their best to educate the king on how to proceed. Dis had gone to visit with Marigold, wishing to officially apologize for her brother's foolish actions and assure her that not all the line of Durin were as thick headed as he.

"You can't just go around announcing your intent to marry someone before asking them, Thorin," Bilbo stated, standing before the seated king, feeling much like a teacher admonishing an unruly student. "Lasses…especially hobbit lasses, don't cotton to such things."

"Well, how would I know that?" Thorin groused. "You are the first, and really the only, hobbit I have known, and such things were never the focus of our conversations on the journey."

"You could have asked," Bergie broke in, though she did her best to keep her voice even and without accusation – after all, this was her husband's kin and king, and in essence hers now as well.

"I meant to!" Thorin said in defense. "I was going to ask both you and Dwalin as soon as you emerged from your chambers…but Marigold cornered me first."

"So instead of thinking things out clearly, you blundered into a botched proposal before you even dared ask the lass to share a meal with you?" Bilbo prodded, still a bit miffed at Thorin's ineptitude. "No lass will say yes to something that monumental so quickly."

"I did," Bergie pointed out, feeling it needed to be said.

"Well, no decent dwarrow would have asked then!" Bilbo added.

"I did," Dwalin was quick to state, crossing his arms over his chest in a huff.

"You two are not helping!" Bilbo bellowed, turning to look at them sternly.

"I think it is safe to say that mistakes were made…on both sides…and that the best thing to do now is to put it behind us and move forward," Bergie suggested, feeling that this was getting them nowhere. "Marigold is willing to proceed with an official courtship, if Thorin still wishes to do so. She understands that there is a difference between dwarrow and hobbits, and does not hold this against him. Neither should you, Bilbo. I am quite sure that you have put your furry foot into it yourself once or twice, and now is not the time to berate your friend for making his own blunders." She then turned to Thorin, noting the look of genuine appreciation in his eyes for her words of defense. "Do you still wish to court and marry my niece?"

"She is my one," he reiterated, yet was quick to elaborate, seeing as how that explanation had not gotten him very far with Marigold. "I very much wish to pursue a relationship with her, even if all of Erebor contests it. I have never felt this way about anyone before, and I doubt I shall ever again. So if she is willing…I will do whatever it takes to convince her to accept my hand in marriage."

"Spoken like a dwarrow in love," Dwalin grinned, stepping forward and slapping his kinsman on the back. "With such flowery speech as that, the lass does not stand a chance!"

"It is going to take more than pretty words to fix this, Dwalin," Bilbo countered, shooting the warrior a stern glare. "It is going to take time and heartfelt action." His countenance then softened, and he gave Thorin an encouraging smile. "But with our help and direction, as well as the charm I know you keep hidden under all that bluster…I think you stand a very good chance of winning the maid's heart."

"And if not," Thorin said, giving his friend a wink, "I would hope as my resident burglar, you will help me steal it."

Dwalin found this to be extremely funny, and burst out laughing as he playfully shoved the little hobbit, almost making Bilbo fall over.

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After speaking with Marigold, Dis suggested that Thorin not make any further moves until the following day, allowing the little hobbit to simmer down and for Thorin to think up the perfect way to apologize. Yet as the king rode through the streets of Dale, having traveled down that afternoon to speak to Bard on a few matters, a display in one of the shop windows caught his eye. He slowed his pony as he read the sign - Hothouse Grown Flowers.

Thorin knew that hobbits liked growing things, and didn't females especially enjoy flowers? So halting his procession, he quickly dismounted and headed inside the little store without even offering an explanation to his company. Even though the streets were covered in snow, the little shop was warm and fragrant with the smell of lovely flowers and potted plants. Thorin was not quite sure how lucrative a business this was, but he, for one, was happy to have found it.

"May I help you?" came a voice from behind the counter, causing Thorin to turn towards the shopkeeper. A look of surprise flooded the man's face as he stared at the dwarf before him, obviously recognizing the importance of this particular customer. "Your…Your Majesty, how can I be of service?"

"I require a bouquet of flowers," he informed the man, striding up to the counter and tossing a bag of gold coins before him.

"Only one?" the startled man asked, eyeing the money pouch. "What size?"

"The usual size," he responded, not at all sure what to ask for. "I would like something special…something pretty."

"Of course, of course," the shopkeeper nodded, turning around and pointing at a few different vases of flowers he had on display. "Anything in particular…a certain variety or color?"

Thorin was now wishing he had waited for Dis, realizing that he was quite out of his element here.

"Do you have any…any marigolds?" he asked suddenly, thinking that perhaps a flower named after the maid he wished to court was just the thing.

"Marigolds?" the man asked, looking a bit startled. "You want a bouquet of marigolds?"

"Did I stutter?" Thorin demanded, quickly reaching the end of his patience with the man. "I would like a bouquet of marigolds…now!"

"Yes sir, right away," he said, jumping into action. He disappeared into the back of the shop and after a short while returned with a large bouquet of yellow and orange marigolds, wrapped with a matching ribbon and placed in a simple clay pot with water, obviously meant to keep them alive on the journey back to the mountain. "I do hope these please you, Sire," the man told him, handing it over with a questioning look.

"They will do just fine," Thorin nodded, removing what he was sure was far too much money from the pouch and leaving it on the counter. He did not have the time nor the desire to haggle, and it was not as if he couldn't afford to be a bit generous. The only thing he wanted to do was leave the shop and remove himself from the human's unnerving presence. Why should the man care what kind of flowers Thorin wished to purchase, he was the customer, and was it not his job to fulfill his wishes?

Once outside, he handed the bouquet to one of his guards before mounting his pony once more. He might be willing to purchase the flowers for Marigold, but he was not sure if his reputation could withstand having the occupants of Dale, as well as anyone they met on the way back to Erebor, seeing him carrying them personally. The guard looked quite mortified by his assignment, yet he dutifully kept his mouth shut…and his eyes lowered.

All the way back Thorin tried to imagine what his little hobbit lass would say when presented with the bouquet of flowers that were her namesake. The more he thought about it, the more pleased he was with his choice. Roses would have been the obvious choice, but he felt this selection showed that he had put some thought into it…or at least he hoped it did. Bilbo had said it would take heartfelt action on his part, and he was rather proud of how he had taken the first step personally.

Once they arrived, he was quick to retrieve the flowers from his guard, much to the dwarrow's relief, and headed directly for the wing that housed the hobbits. He practiced a few things he might say to her under his breath as he went, but in the end, he really hoped that the flowers would do the talking for him. When he arrived at her door he paused, squaring his shoulders and taking a deep breath. Confronting Marigold was never easy for him, made even more difficult with the knowledge that she might indeed return his feelings…even if in the smallest degree. It was now his job to see that those feelings grew, according to Bilbo, Bergie and Dis, and he hoped this would start the ball rolling.

So bolstering his courage, he reached up and knocked on the door, waiting nervously as he heard a pair of little bare feet heading his direction. When the barrier swung open, and he saw her standing there before him, the mighty king found that his voice had abandoned him…along with any wits he had possessed.

"Hello, Thorin," Marigold began, nervously taking the initiative. "I am surprised to see you…yet pleased nonetheless." Her hands quickly ran through her hair, smoothing down her curls and then moving to her skirt, wishing she had known he was coming so that she could have changed into something nicer. Dis had told her not to expect him until tomorrow, yet here he was…though she had yet to discover why.

"These are for you," Thorin suddenly blurted out, shoving the bouquet of flowers into her hands.

"You…you got me flowers?" Marigold asked, looking down at the yellow and orange poms, and then back to Thorin in disbelief.

"I did," he nodded. "And I picked them out myself, knowing that they held special meaning."

"Special meaning?" she questioned, looking at them again, yet this time with confusion in her eyes. "You know about flowers…what they mean?"

"I know these are marigolds," he assured her, though he now worried that the shopkeeper could easily have tricked him, given him something else and he would not have known the difference. "And I would hope the sentiment speaks for itself." This he said with a touch of pride, thinking she would find his attention to detail – especially the fact that he was able to find the flower of her namesake – rather touching. Or at least he hoped so.

"You do?" Now Marigold looked almost horrified, her eyes welling up as tears began to form. "Well…if that is how you truly feel, then I am sorry to have wasted your time. You need not worry about me bothering you again. Farewell, Thorin." And with that she shut the door, leaving the confused king standing there with a very perplexed and distraught look on his face.

"What was that all about?" he asked under his breath, raking his fingers through his hair. "They were supposed to make her happy…not cry. I am so confused!" He then turned and marched down the hallway, heading for Bilbo's room. Hopefully his resident burglar could shed some light on this, for at that moment, Thorin was completely in the dark.

*face palm* NOW what did you do? If you would like to look up what Marigolds represent in the language of flowers, you can find out. Or just wait until the next chapter and I will tell you. ha ha.

At least he TRIED...you have to give him credit for having a nice thought...too bad he followed it up with more stupidity. ha ha.

But don't worry, I won't let our boy flounder for much longer...otherwise we are all going to start doubting his skills to rule Erebor. ha ha.

Guest Reviews:

Aranel Mereneth: Yep, the Dreaded Dumb Durins of Dwarfdom, strikes again.

Guest: Yes, Thorin is a dolt.

Guest: I make you wait till Monday so that I can hopefully keep ahead of you in writing...but I am sorry it is torture for you. Hey, look...it is Monday!

Guest: One would think with how he acted he deserves everything coming his way...but, he is so cute when he is sad you can't help but want him to succeed at some point. ha ha.