The next morning, a servant lets Mina know that Emma is expected in Balin's chambers after breakfast for the meeting about the details of the courtship. So, after being dressed and having breakfast, a servant escorts Emma to Balin's room where she finds Thorin, Sindor and Balin already waiting for her. She briefly nods at them and takes a seat.
"Well" Balin says. "We are here to negotiate the details of the courtship. Perhaps it is best if I explain the general process of the courtship before we go into the details?"
"That would be nice, thank you." Sindor says.
"So, in total seven gifts will be presented to the princess, of which the last one is the housing his highness will provide, and one is the ring already given to the princess. The nature of the gifts will be decided by his highness, as is the timing of the gift giving. The princess has the right to refuse a gift, therewith effectively ending the courtship. If all gifts are accepted by the princess, the marriage will follow soon after. During the courtship, it is up to the princess and her escorts to determine how well his highness and her may get to know eachother and which liberties will be granted. Once the final gift is accepted and the date of the marriage is established, the dowry will be given to either the princess or her father, that will be your decision to make. Once the marriage has taken place and is consumed, the sign of Durin will be put on the princess' body in a place of her choosing. Do you have any questions regarding this process?"
**"Well then, half-sister, do you have any questions?"** Sindor says to Emma with a wolfish grin on his face.
**"Just shut up, Sindor. I can not imagine you will have anything intelligent to say about this matter. Get it over with and leave before you embarass yourself."**
But Sindor sees and opportunity to get his sister back for hat she has said to him. "We do have some remarks, lord Balin. I am not in the position to stay much longer, so I am afraid that I must insist on a short courtship."
"How short would be of your convenience?" Balin asks.
"If things could be arranged within a week and the wedding the day after the last gift, I would be much obliged.
Balin frowns. "That is highly unusual, such a short courtship."
"I think, taking into consideration that a marriage is to be arranged anyway, it is plenty of time. The courtship is really only a matter of formal display. Besides, they have known eachother for much longer than the time the princess has spent here, so I believe they know eachother well enough."
Thorin knows what Sindor is doing, but he says nothing. Instead, he looks at Emma to find out what she wants, but her face, as far as he can see it, gives nothing away.
"Princess, what are your thoughts about this?" Balin asks Emma.
"Whatever pleases his highness and you, also pleases me." She says emotionless.
Balin looks at Thorin, but the king does not return his look.
He sighs and looks back at Sindor. "Very well then, if that is what you want. Do you have any other remarks?"
"Yes. During the courtship, his highness and the princess are not to see eachother without a chaperone. One of the princess' handmaidens will be present at all times."
"Certainly. I shall inform everyone of the wedding date and start making preparations for the feast."
"Thank you lord Balin, my father will be very pleased to hear this"
"One more thing. Who will get the dowry?"
"Please give it to me, I will make sure that the arrangements made within our family are carried out."
Balin nods and takes out the marriage contracts, which are signed by all present. After that, Sindor takes his leave.
"Your highness, lord Balin, thank you for your time." Emma says as she gets up.
"Wait, I will walk with you." Thorin says as he jumps up and follows her.
"Are you- are you content with this?" he says to her as they walk in the hallways.
"It is not up to me to have an opinion about this, your highness. Whatever pleases you, pleases me."
"I think we both know that is not the case, Emma. You always had quite a strong opinion about things, why are you not sharing it now?"
"For I do not wish to spend energy on matters that can not be changed, your highness."
"Will you dine with me tonight. Privately, I mean."
"As I said, whatever pleases you, pleases me. Let my handmaidens know what time you expect me and I shall be there, your highness." And with that, she walks off, leaving Thorin in the middle of a hallway.
Over the next six days, Thorin gifts Emma with a necklace matching her ring, a tiara matching her ring, diamond earrings, a new wardrobe she can pick out and a county which gives her a title of her own and revenu from the leases on the land, but which will be controlled by a steward as it would not be fitting for a queen to do it herself. The last gift, the housing, has been inspected by Sindor and approved of, so the marriage can go on as planned. During those six days, Thorin has tried to get closer to Emma, but she has held him off, only replying to his questions with short answers and not contributing to the conversation herself.