Thorin is awoken in the middle of the night by a cold spot besides him and soft cursing coming from the bathroom. He sits up and rubs his eyes, wanting nothing more than to just fall asleep again. But he gets up and knocks on the bathroom door.
"Emma, what are you doing?"
He hears something being knocked over and falling. "Just a minute, I will be right out."
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes, yes, no, yes, just fine." He hears his wife saying in a high pitched,
slightly panicked voice.
"Do you need help with anything, can I do something for you?" he asks, wondering what is going on in his bathroom in the middle of the night.
"Eeeeehm, could you just ring for one of my handmaidens?"
He rapidly blinks a couple of times, utterly confused, but does as he asked, and not much later a yawning Shana knocks on the bedroom door and enters silently. She looks at the king, whom is wearing nothing but his underwear, a bit shy and then walks to the bathroom. Thorin hears them whisper, and then Shana walks back out.
"May we have a moment, your highness?' she asks softly.
Thorin, still not fully awake otherwise he would not have been ushered out of his own bedroom, meekly does as she says. A few minutes later he sees Shana leaving the bedroom as he is waiting in the antechamber, carrying a pile of laundry and leaving the royal chambers, only to come back after a moment, carrying a box and sheets. It is all rather strange, and he wonders if he is not still sleeping. But the cold from the stone floor beneath his feet assures him that he is not.
"All done, your highness, my apologies for the disturbance."
He looks up and sees that Shana is leaving the royal chambers with a bow to him. He takes it as a sign that he can return to his bed, so he quickly does. He finds Emma already lying there with her back to his side of the bed and puts his arm around her.
"Dare I ask what that was about?"
"Nothing…" she says in a slightly higher tone than usual.
"If it was nothing, then why do you knock over half the bathroom, am I put out of my own bedroom and does your handmaiden walk in and out, all in the middle of the night? And why are our sheets changed?"
"I..eeeerm….I might have…eeerm…you know…"
"I really don't."
"I have—you know-eeeh…female…eeeh…"
Then it dawns on him, and he chuckles a bit.
"And you have to be so secretive about it?"
"I did not think you would appreciate a detailed description." She whispers, thankfull that her blush is unseen by him in the dark bedroom.
"You don't have to be ashamed about it. My sister used to exclaim it loudly for all to hear, probably to warn us to stay away from her and not do anything that might in the slightest upset her." He says, trying to comfort her.
He feels her laugh a bit. "Should I be worried about that with you? I mean, should I do or not do anything?" he asks tentatively.
She shakes her head and says after a while: "It would be nice if you could give me some excuse not to go riding or training with Elrond."
"You know he will just think of some other lesson."
"Some other lesson would be fine, just not riding or training."
"Why? Is this not to get out of seeing him?"
She sighs, but he does not know if it is from irritation or something else untill she explains: "No, it is just…eeeeerm…it is rather….eerm….difficult to do physical excersize when…eeerm….I….you know."
Her shame and discomfort from speaking about the subject is almost palpable, so he does not press any further. "I will tell him you can not train." He says, and he strokes her hair untill he hears from her breathing that she has fallen asleep.
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The next morning he slips out of bed and lets her sleep a little longer, surprised that she is not up for her usual run yet untill he remembers what she had told him that night. He quietly gets dressed and makes his way to the dining hall for breakfast. There, he finds Elrond already eating, though not accompanied by his sons as he normally is. As the dining hall is rather empty, most having already eaten or not up yet, he takes a seat next to Elrond instead of sitting at the head of the table. Elrond looks up, a little surprised that Thorin has come to sit next to him, and bows his head slightly.
"I believe I owe you an apology."
"I rather think your son does."
"I have spoken to him, I believe he will talk with Emma later today."
Thorin nods, not wanting to get into the subject further before he has eaten. "What were your plans for Emma's lesson today?"
"I wanted to see what she can do with a sword."
"Perhaps you can postpone that lesson a bit. She is not feeling too well and I believe something more theoretical instead of physical training would be better."
Elrond's face turns into a worried frown. "Is she ill? Should I send for a healer?"
"I don't think that would be necessary. Just some easier lessons would suffice."
"What does she have then?" Elrond asks, panic trickling through his voice.
"Just…eerm. ..a women's thing, you know." Thorin says, turning the slightest bit red.
But Elrond doesn't see his embarassment through the relief that washes over him. "Aaaah, I see. I will take it into regard."
Relieved he does not have to explain the matter further, Thorin turns to the plate of food that one of the servants has placed in front of him and starts eating. But his relief is short lived:
"Are dwarved women the same as elven women in this matter?"
Thorin looks up. "I have no idea how elven women are, so I can not say."
"Do dwarven women….eeeerm….suffer from it?" Elrond explains his question further.
"I think it differs from woman to woman." Thorin says hesitantly, and he turns back to his plate again, hoping it is clear that he really does not want to discuss this subject further, especially not when he is eating breakfast and trying to wake up.
"Right." Elrond remains quiet for a while, thinking how he should phrase his question so he might get the answer he is looking for. As he is talking to a dwarf, and they are not known for understanding veiled words, he just puts it bluntly: "Should I expect Emma to be extra sensitive and should I act accordingly or not?"
Thorin looks up again, resigning to the fact that he will not be able to enjoy his breakfast peacefully this morning. "I really don't know. We have not been married for that long."
"I see. So will she be doing her other training as usual?"
"I don't think so, but you can always ask her handmaidens." Thorin says, hoping Elrond will actually do that and leave him to his breakfast.
"Thank you, I will do that." Elrond says while getting up, not noticing the barely conceiled relieved smile on Thorin's face.
A few minutes later, Elrond knocks on the door of the royal chambers, and is let in by one of the servants. "Is her highness up yet?" he asks.
"I believe she is getting dressed, my lord. Should I fetch one of her handmaidens for you?"
"Please."
The servant knocks on the bedroom door and Jalila steps out, closing the door behind her. She looks at Elrond. "Yes?"
"I would like to ask her highness if she can join me for breakfast in my chambers."
"Just a moment."
Jalila goes back into the bedroom, and he hears muffled voices. A moment later, Jalila informs him that Emma will join him in his chambers shortly, and he walks back, ordering one of the servants outside his wing to bring breakfast for her highness. He takes a seat in the dining room and waits for Emma, whom arrives 15 minutes later, announced by the servant that is bringing breakfast.
She sits down and he pours her some tea, remembering how she likes it; with a lot of sugar.
"So Thorin told me you would prefer something less strenuous today."
"Whatever you like, lord Elrond."
He almost physically flinches when he hears her call him by his title, but does not comment on it and just nods. "So you already read and speak Sindarin and you have read a great deal of elven books. May I ask how come a dwarven princess acquired such knowledge?"
"Too much free time." She cooly says, and takes a sip of her tea.
"Would it perhaps interest you to find out more of the history of our family?"
"I have already extensively studied the history of my family. It can be traced back all the way to Durin the Deathless, one of the seven dwarf fathers before whom there were no dwarves."
"So you are also of the line of Durin?"
"I married Thorin, so I belong to his family now. His line is my line. Whatever may have been before my marriage does not matter now anymore."
The underlying layer of her words does not go amiss on him, and he hesitates to push the matter further as he does not think he can bear any further rejection. "Perhaps we can study the history of the different elven lords and kings then. Shall we start tomorrow? I would like to talk to you about the battle a little more today."
"Studying the history of elves is fine, but I already told you I do not wish to discuss the battle further. You wanted to know what happened, and I told you. End of story."
"Your husband has told me you have not told the story to anyone else before."
"No, I did not."
"Why not?"
"Because then people will start asking all kind of questions, and it annoys me." Emma says with a sweet smile.
"I see. Elladan will be by shortly to offer his apologies about what he said yesterday."
Emma crooks an eyebrow. "I have already said I do not care for what he think of me; an apology is not necessary. Now please excuse me, I have obligations to attend to."
And with that, she gets up and leaves the room, not giving Elrond the opportunity to say anything more. He looks at her when she leaves. One side of him wants to grab her arm and stop her, demand she stays with him longer. But another side knows she is like a butterfly; lighting one's spirit when coming to sit on your hand, but impossible to keep with you, as its wings break even when held carefully between your hands.
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Emma walks back to her rooms and orders her handmaidens prepare a bath for her. She did not sleep well and just wants to have a hot bath and go back to bed, so that is what she does.
**"Your highness? Emma?"**
Emma hears her name beind whispered softly and opens her eyes, stretching herself with a very satisfied yawn.
**"Hmmm?"**
**"Your brother is here, he wishes to speak to you."** Mina says, still whispering to let Emma wake up slowly.
**"Alright, I will be right out."**
She brushes her hair and puts on a comfortable tunic with matching suede pants and then walks into the antechamber, expecting to see Melo. She is unpleasantly surprised however when she sees Elladan standing there with a face that looks like he just swallowed something very unpleasant.
**"That is not my brother!"** Emma scolds Mina. **"Go get Melo."**
Mina swiftly walks out of the royal chambers, leaving Emma and Elladan standing there.
"Yes?" she asks him in an arrogant tone.
"I have come to apologize for my earlier remarks. I feel it is important that we get along as we will be seeing a lot of eachother for the coming week."
Emma clenches her jaw as she hears the insincere tone the words are spoken in.
"I have not been made aware that we have some sort of appointment in the coming week."
"I believe my father has agreed to you getting lessons about the history of several prominent elven families?"
"How does this concern you?"
"I will be giving the lessons."
"I do not believe you being part of the lessons was agreed upon. Now please leave my chambers."
Elladan smirks. "You have to spend at least one hour per day with us, and you already left early today, so keep our attitude to yourself."
"Not with you, with your father. Now leave before I have you thrown out!"
"You're such a little spoiled brat! You had your whole life handed to you on a silver platter, and now you are just toying with my father's feelings, using him for your amusement while he actually puts time and effort into you!"
Elladan did not see Melo also entering the royal chambers, focussed only on venting his frustrations towards Emma, whom has become more and more angry hearing him rant.
"You have no idea what my life has been like, and no right whatsoever to comment on it!"
"What? Are you going to yell again? Tell your husband and brother to come here to speak on your behalf so you can run away?!" Elladan sneers.
That was a little bit too much for Emma to take and remain calm, and she indeed starts yelling at him, rather loudly for such a small girl. When Elladan starts shouting back about how spoiled she is and how her whole childhood has turned her into an unsufferable entitled bitch, the whole thing turns into a screaming match, and Melo intervenes.
"Lessons are cancelled untill further notice. Leave my sister's chambers." He says coldly to Elladan, and turns to Emma.
**"Are you alright, namad? Should I get you something?"**
**"No, I just can't stand how he drives me mad, Melo!"**
**"I will make sure you don't have to see him again, don't worry. Now go have a walk or read or something. Take your mind off of him, he is not worthy of your worries."**
**"Just get him away, nadad."** she shrugs, and goes back into the bedroom, where she lies on the bed, unable to hold back the tears rolling over her cheeks.
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"My son has informed me Melo has cancelled all lessons with Emma. I don't think I need to remind you what happens if the agreement is not upheld?"
Thorin looks up from the papers he was reading and sees Elrond standing in front of him. He has no idea what the elf is talking about and is growing quite weary with the whole agreement and it's impact on his life.
"I have no knowledge of the agreement being cancelled."
"Then I suggest you find out."
Thorin sighs and gets up, jerking his head at Elrond to follow him. Together they walk to Melo's chambers, where they are announced by a servant. Melo comes walking out of the study, his face darkening when he sees Elrond.
"Did you cancel Emma's lessons?" Thorin gruffly asks.
Melo nods. "I did."
"Why?"
"Because his son keeps upsetting Emma. He even called her an entitled bitch."
Thorin's eyes widen is appalment, and he turns to Elrond, looking at him accusingly.
"I do not believe such a thing has come to pass. I suggest we ask Emma." The elf lord says, but with doubt in his voice.
The three men walk over to the royal chambers and while Elrond and Melo wait in the antechamber, Thorin enters the bedroom. There, he sees Emma lying on the bed, flicking angrily through a book, with dark streaks of make-up on her cheeks. When she sees him, she tries to wipe her cheeks, but he sits next to her and does it for her.
"Melo told me Elladan was rather rude earlier."
She shrugs. "I don't want to talk about it."
"I can't cancel your lessons if you do not confirm it is true, azyungal."
"Do whatever you like, I'm not going anymore." She crosses her arms over her chest and looks away from him.
Thorin wants to say something else, but he is interrupted by angry voices coming from the antechamber. When he gets up and sees what it is about, he finds that Elladan has joined his father and they are talking to eachother in not very hushed voices. He does not know what they are saying and from their tone, he can not be sure whether they are upset with eachother or with Melo.
~" She's being a brat, again, father! Either leave her here or take her with you to Rivendell, but don't hang around here and cater to her every whim! We're better than that"~
But Elladan has not taken into account that if Emma speaks Sindarin, it is very likely Melo does also. The young dwarf becomes redder and redder with anger untill he bursts:
"You think my sister is a spoiled brat?! You think she has had everything handed to her?!"He bellowes, startling everyone present in the royal chambers.
He stumps to the bedroom and grabs Emma's upper arm, dragging her out of her bed before Thorin can stop him. He pulls her with him when he takes big, angry paces back to the antechamber where Elrond and Elladan are still standing, their mouths hanging open with surprise.
**"Let go of me, Melo! What are you doing?! I don't want to see them! Let go!"** Emma struggles to get lose from the iron grip her brother has around her arm, but he is both stronger and angrier than her, and he does not let go.
When he has taken her back to the antechamber, Thorin running after them, he puts her in front of him and holds his tight grip
"You think she has had such an easy life?! That it was all fun and games and everyone bending their will to hers?! Do you think she got these for fun?!" he shouts at Elladan.
When he says it, he pulls up her top, exposing her scarred back to Elrond and Elladan. They gasp in horror and surprise, and tears well up in her eyes by the humiliation her brother is putting her through. She finally manages to break lose from his hold and pulls down her t-shirt. Melo sees the pain and anger on her sister's face, and he knows he has gone too far. When she quickly walks back to her bedroom, passing Thorin without looking at him, he wants to say something, wants to call her back, but he does not know what to say. The silence after she has slammed the bedroom door shut is deafening.
Melo looks at the elves, with a mixture of shame and rage. "If you insult my sister one more time, it will be the last thing you do!" He says to Elladan, and then walks out of the royal chambers, back to his own rooms.
Elladan looks at Thorin. "I-we-I-" But he doesn't get a chance to say what he wants, as Thorin already gruffly says: "Lessons are cancelled." And also leaves the royal chambers.
With a jerk of his head, Elrond sends Elladan away. For a moment he hesitates, but then he walks to the bedroom and softly knocks on the door. There is no answer, so he slowly opens the door a little bit. He does not see Emma, but hears noises coming from the adjoining bathroom.
"Emma? It is Elrond." He says while walking into the room and standing next to the bathroom door.
"I am currently indisposed. Please come back another time." He hears her say in a thick voice.
"Emma, please…."
He hears water splashing and Emma moving around. When is about ready to give up, she opens the door and walks into the bedroom.