There was a Prince beneath the Mountains of Shadow, or at least that's what the rumours said, not that this was new to Vili. There had been a Prince in these mines for nigh on seventy eight years, not that many knew about it, after all Frerin son of Thrain was assumed dead when Smaug took Erebor. It was only Vili who knew that the young Prince had been planning on running as far as possible when the mountain had been lost, having known that there was something terribly wrong with Thror, however when he discovered the plot to take back Moria he had not been able to leave his brother to die. Vili could not fault him for that.

"It has to be the new arrival," said Vili, poking half-heartedly at his piece of bread. "Since nobody has recognized you yet, especially with the beard."

Frerin grinned at that and stroked his long black beard. "It is magnificent isn't it?"

Rolling his eyes Vili took a bite of his bread. "Yes, all the Dwarrowdams will be all over you when we get out of this place."

That seemed to content the Prince, and he tucked into his own meal with vigour. "But if he's a Prince that begs the question. Prince of where exactly?"

Frerin shrugged. "Iron Hills?"

"But Dain doesn't have a wife," answered Vili. "Nor does the lad look anything like him."

"Aye," answered Frerin. "He looks more like a Durin than Dain could ever hope to be."

There was that. The boy had the dark features of a Durin that was for sure, and even his slow growing beard was a trait of that particular line. So a Durin, well there was only one left in that direct lineage …

"So Thorin had a son then?" he mused, glancing up at where the boy was happily eating the last of his gruel and laughing at the frankly filthy jokes Karo was telling. "I suppose he'd have been able to charm one of the widowers."

Frerin all but snorted his gruel out of his nose at that. "No. No I don't think so."

"What?" demanded Vili. "Why? Don't you think that your brother would be able to find a suitable mate?"

"Of course I think he could find a suitable mate," answered Frerin, pointing his spoon at Vili. "Just he ain't attracted to Dwarrowdams is all."

That seemed usual to Vili, he had only ever loved and found the form of one appealing and that had been Frerin's sister Dis. And while he didn't expect Thorin to mate with his sister, even though it wasn't unheard of, he couldn't imagine anyone not wanting the rangy figure of Dwarrowdam in their bed nor heart.

"Don't tell me …" He swallowed thickly. " … that he likes human women?"

"Oh for Mahal's sake!" exclaimed Frerin. "He fucks men!"

He spoke so loud that his voice echoed around the chamber, and all the Dwarves therein went silent and stared at them. Suddenly, within the awkward silence, there was the sound of a single loud guffaw and as they watched the boy toppled backwards off the rock he had been sitting on in peals of laughter. It was as if this released a flood of tension and immediately the other Dwarves started chuckling and smacking each other on the back in good hearted cheer. This was something that Vili hadn't seen in a very long time, and he found that he wanted to get to know this youngling who could make these battle hardened old slaves laugh.

"I'm going to ask him," he said, standing up amongst the laughter.

"Just leave it alone," said Frerin, reaching up to grab his wrist. "If he wishes to have his privacy then we should grant it."

Vili simply should off his grasp and headed towards where the lad was righting himself back onto his rock, he just had to know who he was.

" 'ello," he said, as Vili approached. "You and your friend know how to cause a scene."

"Not as much as you," answered Vili, shuffling aside when Frerin joined them. "Princeling."

That caused him to sit up straight and glance around, though there where none close enough to hear their conversation.

"How did you know?" he hissed.

"There are rumours that there is a Prince in our midst." Vili glanced sideways at Frerin. "Well another one."

The boy's eyes widened at that and he started at Frerin in shock.

"And it's not hard to pick a Durin out of a crowd." Frerin shrugged and stroked his beard. "I should know."

"Frerin shut it," said Vili, nudging the other Dwarf.

"Frerin," said the boy wealky. "You're Frerin, as in Frerin from Erebor?"

"Aye," he answered.

"And that leaves the question lad," said Vili. "Who exactly are you?"

He looked between the two of them, and then twisted his betrothal braid around his index finger. "Kili … Kili son of Vili at your service."