'Thorin!' Bilbo could not believe his eyes as he opened the door of Bag End. Despite of what had happened, Bilbo had forgiven the king long ago and was happy to see him in good health.

'Bilbo.' Thorin smiled faintly. 'It is good to see you, again.'

The king of Erebor was surprised by the hobbits reaction. He had not thought that the former burglar would forgive him his words and actions so quickly. He had almost killed his loyal companion.

'You look as if you saw a ghost!' Bilbo laughed. He seemed relieved to see old friends again. 'And you brought Bofur, Dori and Kili!'

The hobbit stormed out of his smial and hugged the dwarves. Thorin could see the other hobbits passing them frown at the obvious affection Bilbo was showing towards the dwarves. As beautiful as the Shire was, its people were not.

'Uncle...who is at our door?' a black haired hobbit came to the door, but froze as he saw their visitors.

'Frodo, dear lad.' Bilbo walked back to his door and took his nephew by his shoulders. 'This is Thorin Oakenshield, king under the mountain. The mithril shirt which saved your life in Moria was his gift to me.'

Frodo looked at Thorin with big eyes and bowed clumsily. Thorin could see that one of his fingers was missing. He knew only little about Bilbos nephew. All he knew was that he had carried the one ring all the way to Mordor and destroyed it. He had saved Middle Earth from a terrible fate. An honorable quest for a creature that small.

'It is an honor to meet you, your majesty.' Frodo muttered, but Thorins shook his head.

'No. It is an honor to meet you. Your bravery and your courage saved all of us.' Thorin bowed before Frodo and his companions followed his example.

Frodo blushed and looked down at his feet. 'I had loyal companions who supported this quest. I would not have made it alone.'

Frodos eyes moved to the side and he gazed upon the hobbit hole of his most loyal friend, Samwise Gamgee. Without him, he would have failed in destroying the ring.

'A brave and loyal company...' Bilbos eyes grew dark as he remembered what Gandalf had told him weeks ago as he had passed the Shire. 'I am so sorry, Thorin. I heard about Balin and Ori. Dwalin must be devastated.'

Thorin only managed to nod and Dori had difficulties holding back a sob.

'But please! Where are my manners? Come in!' Bilbo waved them all in and frowned at the curious glances of his neighbours. 'There is plenty of food ready...thank Yavanna, the dreadful Lobelia has not sold all of my property.'

The green door closed behind the hobbits and their dwarven friends and protected them from the curious eyes and spying ears of the hobbits of the Shire.

Kaya held her head high as she met with all the kings and lords of Middle Earth. Most of them had eyed her with grim expressions, for she had either rejected their or their sons hands in marriage. Many of them smiled at her smugly and made her feel like the dust and filth below their boots.

Her mother made an appearance before noon. The proud and powerful queen entered the great hall of Minas Tirith as if it was her own palace and Kayas half sister, Moya, followed her with the same arrogant expression. The seven year old princess was a beautiful child, with the blond hair of her elven father and the brown eyes of her mother. But despite her young age, Moya was arrogant and proud beyond reason and Kaya could feel her dislike for her little sister bubbling in her stomach.

'King Elessar, Queen Arwen.' Kayas mother bowed deeply and Moya followed her lead. 'It is an honor to be a guest at your court.'

She did not even look at her daughter, who stood at the queens side. Kaya tried to not feel hurt by her mothers rejection and looked at her sister, only to see her smirk at her in a satisfied manner. Fighting her anger and hurt, Kaya stood straight and tried to concentrate on something else. Her mind started to wander and remembered happier times.

'Dear Gods!' Kaya covered her eyes and turned away from the fountain. Twelve naked dwarves. Twelve completely naked dwarves.

She had seen naked men already, but never dwarves. Kaya blushed as she had to admit that many of the dwarves were quite attractive, despite all the stories she had heard. There were two younger dwarves who swam to the edge of the fountain as they saw Kaya.

'She is a female, right?' Kaya heard one of them say and turned around with a huff.

'I beg your pardon?' she asked and put her hands on her waist.

The brown haired one looked at her with a caught expression and the blond one smirked at her.

'I apologise my lady, but my little brother seems to have difficulties to distinguish male and female elves.' he yelped as his brother pushed him under water for his words.

Despite her anger, Kaya had to laugh and walked closer. 'It happens to me all the time.' That was a lie, but for some reason she wanted the brown haired dwarf to feel better. He seemed quite shaken by the fact that he had apparently mistaken a male for a female. Kaya teased Lindir for his female looks often enough, so the truth was not so far off.

'Really?' he asked and looked at her with big brown eyes, while his brother coughed and shook his golden head like a wet lion. 'I am Kili, by the way, at your service.'

'And Fili." the blond one coughed.

'Kili and Fili.' Kaya had no idea how people could distinguish the names of the two. 'At your service as well. Is it a dwarvish greeting?'

'Yes, it is.' Kili grinned and Fili looked Kaya up and down before he answered. 'It is not meant literally.

Kaya laughed again, but then she realised that she was standing by a fountain, talking to two naked dwarves. She stepped back and turned around. 'It was a pleasure, Kili, Fili, I will leave you to your...bath.'

'You could join us.' Kaya turned around and looked at Fili who smirked at her. He was a good looking dwarf and she could imagine that many dwarf lasses would have considered his offer.

'Over my dead body.' she snarled and saw him grin before she left.

'Smooth...' she could hear Kili say as she turned around the corner.

'At least I did not mistake her for a male.' Fili answered and made Kaya roll her eyes.

'Well, that was not so bad. But your little sister...what an awful child!' Eowyn shook her head as she walked away from the throne room with Kaya. 'Are you alright?'

Kaya smiled at Eowyn. She loved her for her honesty and warmth. Eowyn had endured so much in her life already, but different to Kaya, she earned a life at the side of her soulmate, Faramir. Many times, Kaya envied her for that.

'I am fine.' Kaya answered. She dreaded the coming evening and rubbed her forehead to fight her headache. The queens courtladies would help the servants to serve wine and would honor the guests with their service. Kaya only hoped that she would not accidentally pour some wine over her sisters head.

'Be strong.' Eowyn told her. 'Do not show them how you feel. They will use it against you.'

'I will try.' Kaya nodded and smiled at her friend.

'You should wear that dress Arwen gave you for special occasions.' Eowyn told her with a smirk. 'Show the kings and lords that even a common courtlady can shine upon all other ladies in the room. You are more fair and beautiful than most princesses I know. The rank is of no importance.'

'I wish you were right.' Kaya looked down at herself. 'Thank you, Eowyn. Indeed, there are things more important than rank and title. Like friendship.'

'And love.' Eowyn smiled dreamily as she thought of her husband. She did not know what she did to Kaya in that moment.

Kaya did not dress into the beautiful dress Eowyn had mentionned earlier. She had worn that dress in Rivendell when she had met Thorin for the second time. It was a flowing red dress and it would fit a queen.

'Uncle! Fili was flirting with an elf today. He made her blush. We were naked.' Thorin shook his head as he heard Kili inform him about their afternoon.

'You got to be jocking.' Dwalin rolled his eyes. 'What is it with you two and elves? They are skinny, pale and ugly. No beards, no proper feasting culture...no ale! No meat!'

Dwalin continued pointing out the missing elven attributes and Thorin felt a headache build up behind his eyes. He was about to say something as they were interrupted by two females striding down the stairway to the royal wing.

'I cannot believe you did this!' Arwen, Elronds daughter, exclaimed and looked at the female following her. Thorin blinked as he recognised the woman who had shown him the way to his rooms last night. At least he thought that it was her. She was smaller than the elven princess and brown curls fell over her shoulders. The two elves were clad into beautiful gowns and Thorin had to concentrate to not gap at them like his nephews did. But they were gaping at the smaller elf.

'That's her." Kili muttered.

'Who?' Thorin frowned at his nephew.

'The elf Fili wooed this afternoon.' Kili grinned and earned a slap to the back of his head by his brother.

Meanwhile, the second woman cocked an eyebrow at the elven princess. 'He did not leave me much of a choice!'

Lord Elrond appreared and joined the two females. He looked at both of them with a smile and Thorin wondered who the second female was. She could not be his daughter, for he knew that Elrond only had one daughter.

'Peace, my daughter. What did the princess do?' Elrond showed one of his rare smiles and Thorin tried to fight his curiosity. So the other elf was a princess, too?

'She hit Elladan unconscious!' Arwen gestured how the princess had given her punch.

'He kissed me!' the brunette crossed her arms.

'We were rehearsing a play!' Arwen looked at her father for help. 'We rehearsed the play of Beren and Luthien. Elladan was Beren and Kaya was Luthien. Elladan kissed Kaya and she punched him square in the face. He will have a black eye for days!'

'Why did I have to play Luthien?' Kaya grumbled and made Elrond smirk.

'Well, I could not play Luthien! I am his sister.' Arwen replied. But she was obviously amused.

Elrond shook his head in amusement and wanted to calm Kaya down as he became aware of the dwarves sitting in his garden. Arwen and Kaya also stopped quarreling and Kaya blushed as she saw Fili and Kili stand behind Thorin.

Thorin thought that she blushed because of Filis advances, but he could not be more wrong. Kaya was suddenly very aware of her dress and the free skin it was showing. The cleavage was cut very lose and left alot of her shoulders free. She could feel Thorins gaze on her and shyly pulled her hair over her bare skin, not knowing what she did to Thorin with that gesture. The exiled king had not indulged in the pleasures of the body in a long time and the fiery woman with the long curls and the smooth skin caught his attention. She had already been on his mind after their first encounter the night before and now that he could see her, she fascinated him even more.

'Her name is Kaya...' Thorin could hear Kili whisper behind his back. 'This is no elven name.'