"xxx" Khuzdul
~"xxx"~ Sindarin
**"xxx"** Emma's language
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She is soon joined by her handmaidens, and together they walk through the rooms. Emma is happy to see that her rooms have a balcony, so she can at least get some fresh air and daylight. As she stands on it, her maidens start to organize her luggage and put everything in the wardrobe. There is a soft knock on the door, and one of them walks into the antechamber and opens it.
"Fili, at your service." Thorin's oldest nephew and heir says with a bow.
"Yes?"
"I am sorry to disturb, but I have heard Emma has arrived, and I was wondering if she has a moment."
"Please wait here."
Jalila, the handmaiden, walks onto the balcony.
**"Emma, prince Fili is here and he wants to talk to you. Should I let him in?"**
Emma looks up from her ponderings. **"Eeehm, yes, let him in."**
A few moment later, Fil walks onto the balcony and hugs her tightly. "Mahal, it really is you! You have no idea how happy I am to see you! I have been waiting to thank you ever since the battle!"
"There really is no need to thank me, I just did the duties I gave my word for."
Fili looks at the maidens, and asks. "Could we perhaps speak more privately?"
Emma nods at her maidens and they walk into the appartment, closing the balcony doors behind them.
"Thorin already told me you were not too happy to be here. Are you still upset with him, or us?"
"I have no idea what you speak of, Fili."
He looks at her, taxating. "Really, no idea?"
"None whatsoever. Now, if you would excuse me, I would like to freshen up after traveling."
"Alright then, but I expect to see you at dinner later, Thorin will hold it in your honor. He will come by to invite you himself, of course."
"How lovely." Emma says with a tone that betrays she would much rather be dinner for a pack of orcs than attend the dinner hosted by Thorin for her.
Fili kisses her hand with a little smirk on his face, and then leaves. But the peace is short lived, as there is another knock on the door. Jalila opens it again.
"Kili, at your service." Kili says with a bow and a smile on his face.
"Yes?'
"I have been informed that the delightfull Emma is here, I and really need to speak with her."
Jalila crooks an eyebrow, but then walks into the bedroom.
**"Prince Kili is here, should I let him in?"**
**"Fine, put him in the sitting room , I will be right out, I have no vail on."**
Mina and Shana quicly put her vail on, and she walks to the sitting room, only to be jumped by Kili who gives her an even tighter hug than his brother had done. "I am so happy you are here!" he almost yells out, beaming with exitement.
She can not help but laugh as she sees his enthusiasm.
"Shall I show you around Erebor?" he exitedly asks.
"Maybe later, if you don't mind. I have to unpack and wish to freshen up."
He tilts his head a bit. "So it is true, you actually are upset with us?"
"I don't know who gave you that idea, but I have no reason to be upset with you." She says a bit sarcastically
He sighs in relief, completely missing her sarcasm. "That is great to hear. Will I see you at dinner?"
"I have already been informed that I am expected to there, so I guess you will."
"Great!" he says with a big smile, and then walks, or better yet, runs out.
Emma walks back to the bedroom and tells her maids she will take a short nap. They leave the room, but just as she is starting to slumber, Jalila puts her heas around the door.
**"Sorry to disturb you, but the king is here."**
Emma clenches her jaw. **"Am I not to get a moment of peace?!"**
But she gets up and walks to the antechamber. "Your highness." she says with a small bow.
"May I ask you to call me Thorin?"
"I am sure that won't be necessary, your highness." She replies.
He looks a bit taken back with her cold answer, but doesn't say anything about it, inviting her for the dinner later that day instead.
"I would very much like it you could come, and so would Fili and Kili." He adds.
"As you are the king and I am here at your bidding, whatever pleases you, pleases me." She says in a bored voice.
"Emma, could we-could we talk?" he asks carefully.
"If that is you wish, your highness."
"In the sitting room?"
"Where ever you like, your highness."
They sit down on the sofas, and Thorin looks at her for a moment.
"Tell me what I can do so you will not be upset anymore."
She smirks. "I am not in the least bit upset."
"You have no ide how sorry I am, Emma, but I don't know what to do to make it up to you. Please tell how to make you not be upset with me." He says softly
"I admit that I might be a little prickly about being dragged here and forced to marry, but as it is your wish, your highness, what else can I do but oblige?"
She gets up. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have to get ready for a dinner I am expected to attend."
She bows and starts to walk to her bedroom.
"I thought you would be happy about it!" he says softly, almost whispering.
She looks back with a crooked eyebrow.
"I thought you would be happy to be away from your father, and I—I thought you would have gotten over your anger and remembered what you felt for me before."
He looks at her, but as he can only see her eyes, he can not really read her expression.
"Perhaps you should just keep to ruling your kingdom then, as meddling in other people's lives does not seem to be your forte, your highness." She says haughtily before she leaves the room.
When she sits in front of her mirror to take her vail of, she hears the doors to her appartment slam shut, and her handmaidens walk into the room, also having heard the king leave.
**"Emma! You are supposed to be nice! You were already short to Fili and Kili, and now you have really insulted the king! Don't you remember you have to marry one of them?"**
Emma looks up and sees her maidens looking at her with a mix of annoyance and worry on their faces.
She sighs. **"They just annoy me to a point I can not restrain myself anymore."**
**"But why? What the hell happened on that journey?"**
**"Nothing. Just leave it alone and help me get dressed."**
They put her in in a dress and start on her hair. It is tangled and dry from traveling, so it takes quite a while to get it in order again. Then, they move on to her make-up, accentuating her eyes, as they are the only things visible. When they are done, they put on her vail and take a look at their work.
A mere five minutes later, there is a knock on the door again. Jalila opens it, and sees Fili and Kili.
"We have come to escort Emma to the dinner."
"I shall see if the princess is ready, a moment please."
**"Emma, -"**
**"I heard it Jalila, they are here, what a surprise…. Do you think I could perhaps say I am sick? Or fainth on the way to the dinner?"**
**"I think it would be considered bad manners to not attend a dinner held in your name."** Jalila says dryly. **"Now go, you will have to marry one of them, you can use tonight to see which one would suit you best."**
**"That would be the one that leaves me alone."**
Jalila laughs and starts pushing Emma out of the bedroom and into the antechamber, but quickly stops as she sees the princes looking at them.
They try to hide their smiles, but aren't very succesful. "Glad to see you're feeling better, shall we?" Fili says.
Jalila sends her a warning look, and Emma walks out of the door. "Soooo, are you ready to meet the nobles of Erebor?" Kili asks.
"Ugh." Emma says.
"We could just run off and say we were abducted or something." Kili says.
"Sure, abduct me to a tavern or something and I will convincingly back your story." Emma actually has to laugh a bit as she sees Fili and Kili looking at eachother as if they are weighing the possibility of getting away with it.
But then they shake their heads. "Nah, we won't be able to pull it off now, but soon!?"
"Perhaps."
"Now then, let us escort you into the hall." They both offer their arm, and she takes them both.
Fili and Kili share another look, this time unnoticed by Emma, when they see the look on their uncles face as they walk in with Emma. Thorin frowns so deep that his eyebrows almost become one and he clenches his jaw tightly, his eyes turning dark. Fili sets next to him, Emma besides him and Kili next to her. The servants put the first course on the table, and all start eating, talking and drinking.
"So Emma, shall we show you Erebor tomorrow after breakfast?" Fili asks her.
"I can't in the morning, but the afternoon would be fine."
"What plans do you have for the morning then?" Kili asks in a suggestive tone, noticing that Thorin almost spits out his food as he hears the question.
"I run in the morning. And then I have boxing practice, and then I will probably ride for a bit."
"You do all that in the morning?!" Fili gasps
"No, before I used to do it in the evening, but as I have no more lessons now, I might as well do it first thing."
"Do you have a pony here?" Thorin asks in his deep voice.
"What would I need a pony for, your highness?"
"Well, eeeh, you said you want to go riding tomorrow." He says with a little doubt in his voice.
"And why would I need a pony to go riding, your highness?"
Fili and Kili are now biting their lip to refrain from laughing, as their uncle is really looking quite strange.
"Eeeh, what else would you go riding on?"
"A horse, your highness." She says haughtily
"Right, I see. I shall have the stablemaster get you a horse."
"No need, your highness, I have my own horse." She says.
Thorin stares at his plate, not knowing what to say now.
"Shall we go with you, riding I mean?" Fili says
"If you want to, but I am used to riding by myself, so do not feel obligated." Emma says, knowing they are not really good riders.
"Not at all, it will be fun, like before!" Kili exclaims.
She shrugs. "Alright, tomorrow then, two hours after sunrise."
The main course is served, and Fili, Kili and Emma eat while chit chatting. They do not notice Thorin observing them, mostly looking at Emma. When they have finished their dessert, Emma announces that she will retire.
"Come on, stay a while longer." Kili tries, but she shakes her head.
"I am quite tired and have to get up early again. I will see you tomorrow." She bows to Thorin, a hint of disdain on her face.
The next morning she gets up, quickly washes and is helped by a yawning Mina with her vail, this time a tighter one, so she can work out easier. She walks through the still dark antechamber and opens the door of the appartment, only to yelp out when she sees Thorin standing there, accompanied by Dwalin.
"Goodmorning Emma." He says.
She looks at them. They both look rather sleepy, eyes a bit red, but are staring at her.
"Good morning your highness, Dwalin. To what do I owe this-pleasure?" she says coldly.
"As you plan on taking a run, I thought it would be wise so send someone with you, to make sure you are safe and do not get lost." Thorin answers.
"Right, that thinking again. Well, follow along then, your highness, Dwalin."
And without further ado, she walks to the main entrance. When she is out of Erebor, she takes a small mountain path she remembered from a long time ago, and starts running up the mountain. Five minutes later she hears strange noises behind her, and as she looks back, she sees Dwalin doubled over, his hands on his knee, panting heavily.
"Emma…a…moment."
She can't help but laugh a bit. "Dwalin, I don't think a moment will be enough. Why don't you just wait here untill I return."
"….orders…"
"I think you should talk about those orders. Are you really going to do this every morning?"
"I'll…wait…here."
"Great."
She continues running up the mountain, fighting against the ache in the muscles in her leg, and pauses a moment as she reaches the look-out plateau the path leads to. Any other morning she would have taken the time to enjoy the view, but she knows she has a full day, so she returns and starts the descend. When nearly reaching the end of the path, she sees Dwalin sitting and waiting for her.
"I will talk to Thorin about this, although I don't think he'll be able to find anyone that can keep up with you."
"You do that, Dwalin." She says with a smile, and together they run to the pratice hall for her boxing training.
Jeron is already waiting for her, and has taken one of the pits and put all the boxing gear in it. "There you are, Emma, had a good run?"
Emma sees that Dwalin is still panting, even though he is sitting down. "It was alright. A bit short, but alright." She says with a small smirk towards Dwalin.
She averts her head from the other people training, and Jeron puts her teethprotection in and her headprotection on. Lastly, he puts the heavy leather gloves on her hands, and then they start her training. An hour later, they are both panting, leaning with their hands on their knees.
"Do you have some frustrations to work through, Emma?" he asks with a small smile.
"Many."
"Anything in particular?"
"I have been sent here to either marry a power-crazed gruff or his irresponsable, moronic nephews, what do you think?"
"I think you are perfectly capable of making the right decision. Now go riding with the morons!' he says, and gives her a wink.
She sighs and truds to the stables. There, she finds Fili and Kili, looking quite sleepy, with red faces and watery eyes.
"Mornin'" they groan in uniscense."
"Gentlemen, are you ready or would another time perhaps be better?" Emma says sarcastically.
"No, now is just fine. The stablemaster is getting our ponies and your horse." Fili says.
"How do you ride a horse anyway?" Kili asks, rubbing his eyes.
"It is a small horse and I have a special saddle."
The stablemaster and his assistants lead the horse and the ponies out of the stables, and Emma jumps on the horse while Fili and Kili crawl on their ponies with visible effort. They steer their animals to the front of Erebor, and Emma urges her horse to galop, going in the direction of Dale. But when she looks back 10 minutes later, she sees that Fili and Kili are quite far behind, so she turns her horse around and goes back, steering her horse with just her legs.
"Come on, you can't be this slow!"
"No, but our ponies are." Kili protests
"Hey Emma, isn't that your father's sygil?" Fili asks, pointing at a slowly nearing.
Emma jerks her head and looks in the direction he is pointing at. "Shit!" she curses violently. "We have to go back!"
Fili and Kili look at her strangely, but say nothing as they follow her, urging their ponies to go as fast as possible. When they arrive in the stables and hand the reigns back to the stablemaster, Kili asks:
"Is something wrong, Emma?"
"That wasn't just the sygil of my family, that would have meant it was either my father or my brother. It was our sygil with an extra arrow, meaning it is the second line, my stepmother or my half-brother."
"And that is a bad thing?"
"Lets just say that compared to Sindor, your uncle is a very lovable teddybear."
"I actually think you find uncle lovable, you just don't want to admit it." Kili says, unusually serious.
"You pretend to hate him for what he did, but he has told us the two of you knew eachtother before the quest, and I think you have loved him ever since." Fili adds.
"And I think you are either sleep deprived or still drunk from last night. Now excuse me, I have a half-brother to avoid." Emma says indignantly and she walks away, the heirs of Erebor looking at her as she walks away, silently snickering.