Upon entering the dining hall, all look at him expectantly.
"Is Emma not with you, uncle?" Kili asks carefully.
"No, she had prior engagements."
"Probably making a head start with her Sindarin." Kili grinns under his breath.
"And Melo?" Fili asks, his voice thick because he is trying to hold back his laughter.
"How should I know!" Thorin says irritated.
As dinner had already been served, they were all just waiting for Thorin and perhaps Emma and Melo, so everyone starts as soon as he sits down, talking softly amongst themselves. Thorin just quickly eats his food and then gets up again and leaves, quickly followed by Elrond.
"Thorin, wait!" Elrond days as he quickly walks after him."I—well, I wanted to talk to you about Emma."
"You already did that, you made me sound like a pervert, remember?!." Thorin grunts.
"I know, I was taken over by my emotion. And a bit surprised by—cultural differences, I presume."
"She does not want you here, she does not want to talk to you and she does not see you as her father. What else do you want to talk about?" Thorin sneers.
"Could you just tell me what she likes to do, or anything about her?"
Thorin tilts his head a bit, like he is trying to decide on that. He thinks about his own child that will be born soon, and he would hate not to be a part of the little dwarflings life. "She excersizes in the morning and does other things in the afternoon. In the evening she either sits with me, my nephews or with her handmaidens and her trainer."
"What sports does she do?"
"She starts with running at dawn, then boxing, and then sometimes swordfighting, riding or bow practice."
"Right, thank you." He says with a bow, and walks back to the dining hall.
Thorin goes to his rooms, finding his wife standing on the balcony. He takes a blanket from the bed and walks out to put it around her.
"It is getting cold."
She nods and pulls the blanket tighter around herself. She had been thinking about what to do, about how to tun this situation to her advantage. She has already come to the conclusion that having Elrond here can be leverage against both Thorin and Melo, as he can provide her with another place to live and a position. She can also use Elrond, as he is waiting almost desperately for her to talk to him. And she has to admit it amuses her a bit. But what about Thorin? She has not yet come to a conclusion about that.
"Have you thought of what I said?"
"You said many things."
"And have you thought about any of them?"
She sighs. "What do you want, Thorin?"
He stands behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. "I want you to tell me that you'll stay. I want you to want to stay."
"So you can push me around?"
"No, so I can love you and never leave your side, and to help you through all this."
"I am in this mess because of you."
"You are in this mess because of your-because of the elves and Gandalf."
"You did not send them away, but instead caved to their rediculous demands. Without that, I would be blissfully unaware of everything."
"How long would that have lasted?"
She says nothing and keeps staring into the dark night.
"Come on, I will make you blissfully unaware of everything again." He says as he picks her up and carries her to the bed.
There, he slowly takes of her dress and turns her on her belly. He starts massaging her back, almost instantly relaxing her. But she tenses up as his hands go over her scars, so he moves his hands back up again.
"You know this could be a good thing for you, right?" Thorin says tentatively.
"How is elves coming here and telling me he is my father and I should not be married to you a good thing?"
He softly kisses her lower back. "He could be a good father to you, someone who loves you."
She shrugs. "I don't want him to love me, I don't need him."
He says nothing and continues massaging her untill she is like butter in his hands.
"You know this does not mean I forgive you, right?" she murmers.
"I know." He says, but with a small smile on his face. "Just a moment."
He walks out of the room and tells the servant they are unavailable for anyone, remembering what happened last time.
He goes back to the bed, locking the door, and resumes massaging Emma, who seems to almost fall asleep from relaxation.
"I really missed you this afternoon, sitting so close to me and yet so far." He murmers as he presses kisses up and down her spine.
"Hmm."she utters.
His hands slide down her back, over her ass, resting just below her cheeks, his thumbs almost touching her slit.
"Somehow I have gotten quite fond of you being close to me al the time." He murmers again, his hands slowly sliding closer to the apex between her thighs.
"Hmmm." She utters again, but sounding much more positive now.
His fingers slide up and down her slit.
"I just don't feel comfortable anymore without you."
She utters a small moan as his fingers touch her clit.
He circles it with one finger and slowly enters her with another.
"It just feels—lonely."
She turns around and wraps her legs around his waist. He goes back to circling her clit and moving his finger inside of her, fastening his rhytm.
"Is there anything, really anything I could do to make it up to you?" he says in a low voice.
She moans 'Yes, yes!' as her pleasure reaches its peak.
He smiles and bend over her, softly kissing her lips.
"What can I do, azyungal? Tell me." He whispers.
"This does not mean you're forgiven, it was a temporary lapse of judgement." Emma says indignantly.
He takes his clothes of and lies on top of her again, slowly entering her.
"And this?' he says when he is fully sheated inside of her.
"No."
He starts to move, remembering how to pleasure her. She gasps as she feels the friction.
"And this?"
"No" she moans
He quickens his pace, looking in her eyes.
"And this?' he asks breathlessly, dangerously close to coming himself.
"No." She moans again, pushing with her fingers on his asscheeks to make him go faster.
"And this?" he groans, following the pace she sets.
"No" she almost screams out as she comes.
Feeling her muscles clench around him makes him come instantly too, and with a groan he lies down on top of her.
"Really? Nothing at all?" He says, panting.
"No!" she giggles
"But it does put me in a more favorable light, does it not?" he smiles at her.
"Perhaps."
He kisses her again and rolls off of her.
"What time is it? Galadriel is supposed to come by."
"I told the servant not to let anyone in and bolted the door."
Emma laughs. "Then she is probably now sitting in out antechamber, entertained by our noises."
"The door is practically soundproof, so we could just fall asleep like this, she will get it eventually."
Emma laughs again, but gets up. "If I don't talk to her now, I will never be rid of her. Put some covers over yourself, I need to get dressed."
"I do not see the relation between those two things."
"Unless you want my handmaidens to see a whole new side of you, you will just do as I ask." She smirks
"Right. Do you want me to come with you?" Thorin asks as he puts the covers over him while Emma rings the bell for her maidens and unbolts the door.
"As you like."Emma shrugs
A moment later they walk in, trying not to look at Thorin, close Emma's dress and fix her hair and make-up. Once that is done, they leave the room as fast as possible, followed by Emma.
She walks into the antechamber and does find Galadriel there. When she has left, he realises she never told him she would stay….
"Emma, how good to see you." The elf says after having looked at her face for a moment. "I really want to talk to you about your father, perhaps giving you more insight as to the motives of your parents."
"Galadriel, lets get one thing clear: I do not wish to speak to you, and he is not my father and she is not my mother. If you insist on speaking about them, just use their names or something."
"Come sit next to me then, and I shall tell you about Elrond."
"Perhaps it is better to sit in the sitting room, it is more private." Emma says coldly, and she leads the way.
When they are sitting, Galadriel starts.
"Elves can have more than one great love, unlike dwarves, who have only one true One. After Elrond's wife, my daughter, went to the undying lands, he was very unhappy for a long time, their children all that held him back from also leaving. But when he returned from a trade mission one day, I saw a change in him. He somehow seemed lighter, less troubled. He remained that way, becoming a little lighter everytime he went back."
She pauses a bit.
"I adviced him against it. I knew Eliana was married and that her husband would not take kindly to these things, even if it was just love and nothing else. He tried for a while, but in the end, he could not resist going back. He was terrified when he found out she was pregnant, and I can imagine she was as well. He wanted to go and take her away from there, with force if necessary, but I forbade it."
Emma lifts an eyebrow and Galadriel laughs.
"I know, things go differently in Elvenculture than they do for dwarves, and I was the head of his house back then. Anyway, I told him to wait untill Eliana had given birth and was able to make a sound decision. But it was too late by then: on his way there he found her in some inn and she told him how her husband made her leave without her children. He took her with him to Rivendell, and after her recovery they tried to make a plan on how to get you and Melo back. But again, I forbade it. I know enough on dwarvenculture to realise it would mean war, and I did not want to risk the life of my kin for two children, one of them not even ours."
They are disturbed by Thorin entering the room, but he says nothing and just sits next to Emma, placing one hand possesively on her thigh.
Galadriel sighs. "That is why Eliana can't stand me, or hates me, actually. They had to wait a long time, but they talked about you a lot, always calling you their little star. Many years later, word arrived that you joined Thorin's quest, and we were all waiting for you in Rivendell. You can imagine the disappointment when you weren't there and Gandalf told us you has left the company. Elrond rode to Erebor to aid in the battle, but again he did not see you and he heard that you had already left. Nothing was heard of you for a while, untill Elrond heard that you were to marry Thorin. As everything went so fast, we were not able to be here earlier than the eve before your wedding, making your introduction to Elrond awkward to say the least. And during your honeymoon, I received word of the problems in Melo's kingdom with the protection of the borders. So it came that our visit coincided with the need for someone to reason with Melo, perhaps giving you the impression that you talking to Melo is more important to them than them talking to you."
Emma just raises her eyebrow again.
"But you have to believe me that they have been waiting for you all these years, and so have Elrond's other children. I think you will like them." Galadriel finishes her story.
"I highly doubt that. So what is your real goal, Galadriel, besides casually telling me Eliana is my mother?"
"You did not know that." The elf ascertains
"I did not, but it matters little, as the agreements only includes Elrond, and not her."
"I want you to give him a chance; at least give him the opportunity to talk to you."
"You know what is interesting?" Emma says. "Everyone just talks about what they want and what they need and what they feel, but no one has asked me what I want, need or feel."
Both Galadriel and Thorin have the decency to look a bit ashamed.
"I know, and I am sorry for that. And if you really want us to leave, at least I shall, but I can not control what Elrond and Eliana do, as I am no longer head of their house."
"You know very well, Galadriel, that I can not say such a thing, as my husband and brother have already made binding agreements." Emma sneers.
"The message will come across, agreement or not."
"If that was the case, it would already have. Why don't you try to persuade Melo to talk to Elrond's, eeeh, how should we call her? I think whore would be correct but perhaps a little crude. The euphemistic consort then?" Emma coldly says.
Galadriel chooses to ignore the sneer at Eliana, whom indeed is not married in the traditional sense to Elrond but does have relations with him. "I have spoken with Melo, but he is still too angry at your mother for leaving him behind. He will not speak to her, as I have a feeling you will neither."
"I will think of what you have said, lady Galadriel. If you would excuse me, I am feeling rather tired." Emma says, and she leaves the room.
Galadriel looks questioning at Thorin, surprised by Emma's sudden departure, but he just looks back at her, forcing her to admit she does not understand what is going on.
"What happened, Thorin, why did she leave so suddenly?" she finally asks him.
"I thought someone with an insight as great as yours would know." He smirks
"I am still surprised sometimes." She says with a fainth smile
"That's nice. It is good to be surprised sometimes."
"Well?"
"I have some idea, but it is not up to me to talk about it. I have said it before and I will say it again: I am not getting in the middle of this anymore. If you want something, ask Emma yourself."
"Then how do you see your role in this?"
"Probably as someone who has clear the mess up after she has sent you away in two months." He says
"And is she likely to?"
"That depends on how persistent you all are and how curious she is."
"That is something, king Thorin. Are you getting in the middle after all? An excellent strategist as yourself would not just give this information up for no reason."
He laughs. "I am not getting in the middle of anything, I am just-protecting my wife's best interests. And now, I shall also retire. Goodnight, my lady."
She gets up. "Goodnight, Thorin."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Elrond looks at his former mother-in-law as she enters his sitting room.
"Well?" he says.
"It was, lets say, interesting. She did not know Eliana is her mother."
"And?"
"She barely reacted to it, and I have absolutely no idea if she will speak to you or even warm up to you."
"You mean to tell me that you have not been able to sense anything of what she wants?"
"Not nothing, but very little. It is strange, I can not read her like other people. She is too—shielded of, sort of speak. But Thorin did say something interesting."
"Knowingly or unknowingly?"
"Knowingly, I am sure. Someone like him does not lets his tongue slip in a polite conversation."
"What did he say then?"
"He didn't day it with so many words, but it is all about persistancy and making her curious."
"So he does want to help us then?"
"I do not think he will do anything to straightforward help us, but he does not seem opposed to the idea of us staying here a bit longer. However, you must remember that she is his One, but we have no idea if he is hers." She sighs and looks at Elrond. "Perhaps you should try to fix this yourself, instead of sending others."
He sighs and rubs his nose. "I am going to bed."
As it is her third conversation partner that goes to bed while talking to her, Galadriel can't help but think that she must be boring people tonight.