"This is a beautiful place," Torsten said. He ran his hand along the stone walls of the cavern. He could feel the minerals that made up the stone. His fingers felt the way the grain of the stone ran. The Glittering Caves were full of natural beauty and the cavern they stood in had a large vaulted ceiling. Their voices echoed quietly.

"Once, I came in here and heard someone singing. It was quite amazing," Agli said. "His voice came to me from every direction."

Torsten pulled out a small knife from his boot and flipped it in his hand, so the pommel faced outwards. He ran his other hand along the stone, feeling for the perfect spot in the stone. When he found it, he tapped the stone with the knife pommel. A clear, deep tone rang through the cave.

Agli gasped. "How did you do that?"

Torsten tapped it again, sending another clear tone echoing off the walls. He moved the pommel a few inches to one side and hit the stone again. This time, there was a dull thud.

Agli's eyes grew wide. "How? How did you know where to hit it?"

Torsten chuckled. "I can feel it, in the stone. I found a room in Erebor where I could do this, but only one room in the entire mountain and the tone isn't nearly so clear. It's the caves," he waved his hand at the cavern's high ceiling. "It's the way the stone is formed. Very different from the inside of a hard mountain."

He rolled his chair forward a bit, feeling the stone with his fingers. He felt the stone change and hit the knife again. Once again, a clear tone rang out, this time was pitched higher.

"It's incredible. And you can just feel it?" Agli placed the palm of her hand against the wall.

"Yes."

"I have heard of people who could do that. It's a gift from Mahal, to be sure," Agli smiled at him with adoring eyes.

Torsten felt a little embarrassed, but he couldn't look away from her eyes. She was just so lovely.

"Are you really the nephew of King Fili?" It wasn't an accusation, but a question of curiosity. Agli had never met royalty before.

"I am. My father is the king's younger brother." He really hoped this conversation wasn't going where he thought it might be.

"Who is older? You or Hrafn?"

"I am, but only by three months," Torsten answered.

"So, if you are older, are you next in line to be king?"

Torsten felt like Agli had just taken his knife and stabbed him. This topic was such a painful one in his heart. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He knew the topic would eventually come up. It's just he had hoped it could have waited a while longer.

"No," he finally said. "I am not next in line, but neither is Hrafn, really."

"Oh, I see," Agli nodded. "It would go to your father, the Crown Prince, next. Right?"

"If Adad outlives Uncle, then yes, but after him it will go to the son of my eldest cousin, Milly."

"Really? And how old is your nephew, then?" she asked.

"I don't have one yet and when Milly does have a son, he won't be my nephew. He'll be my first cousin, once removed."

"Oh, of course," Agli was thoughtful for a moment. "Wait. you said your cousin does not yet have a son? Then why will the throne go to one who does not yet live or might not ever exist?"

Torsten sighed. He liked Agli. A lot. It made him sad to know that Agli would walk away from him the moment she found out the truth. He was not a true prince with a kingdom to inherit.

Agli sensed she had pushed her luck too far. "Forgive me, Torsten," she said. "I don't mean to pry. I am simply curious. I am a simple lass who doesn't understand matters or the ways of royalty." She bowed her head.

"You're a Lady, Agli. Surely you understand some of these things." Torsten wanted so much to reach out and take her hand.

"My father is a Lord, but of lower rank and after most of the dwarves left the Blue Mountains, there were very few left who lived the old ways of society and rankings. Our family doesn't have much more than a title."

"I see nothing but a lass of the very highest qualities," Torsten smiled. He thanked his blood line for giving him his father's smile. It worked and Agli smiled back.

"You have a way with words, don't you?" she giggled. "Torsten, I don't wish to make you uncomfortable. I only wish to understand, but I will also understand if you don't want to explain it to me. We need not talk about it again."

He would explain it, he thought to himself. It's not as if it was a big secret. He wanted to make sure she understood.

"As the king's eldest and only son, the crown should have passed to Hrafn, but it cannot. Hrafn's mother was human," Torsten explained.

"Oh, well, that would explain why he is so tall," she smiled. She didn't seem too shocked or bothered by Hrafn's parentage. This gave him some hope, but his own parentage was a different matter, especially with the way most dwarves felt about elves.

"And then, after Hrafn, the crown would come to me as the eldest son of the Crown Prince."

"But it does not?"

"No. My brothers and I were born to an elvish mother. Because of our half blood, my cousin, brothers and I are all denied the throne."

"You are half elf? But you are not so tall."

Torsten smiled. "That's because I'm sitting. If I could stand, you would see that I stand taller than Hrafn."

Agli noticed for the first time that she stood eye-to-eye with him, even though he sat in a chair. "Oh, you are tall," she laughed. "So, your cousin, Milly?"

"She is all dwarf. Born to my uncles first wife, who died in childbirth. Being female, she cannot inherit the throne, so it will go to her first born son."

"It's all very complicated, isn't it?"

Torsten nodded and chuckled. Torsten felt a tickle of hope. She didn't gasp and back away from him in horror. She didn't laugh that he was a prince without a throne. She was still standing by his side. Still smiling at him.

"So," she said. "You don't have to live in Erebor the rest of your life?"

"No, I don't. I have no true claim to the throne, so there is no reason to remain there if I don't want too."

"Then you can stay here for a while?"

"Yes. If there's a reason to stay," he looked at her again and saw a flash of excitement in her eyes.

Agli couldn't hold Torsten's gaze any longer. She looked to his boots. She didn't know what to say now. She wanted him to stay here and not go back to Erebor, but how could she get that across without sounding too eager?

"But I guess you will be going home with your cousin in a few days. I hope you will think about coming back here some time, for a visit," Agli said.

"Well, I have like it here. A lot. I was thinking of asking Gimli if I might stay on for a while and offer my services as a stone inspector or as an ambassador from Erebor."

Agli's face lit up. "You will stay?"

"I would like too. It would be good to do. Also, it will be much better since I will get to see you more."

A large smile spread across Agli's face.

Torsten felt beads of sweat form on his forehead. "May I see you more?"

Agli nodded. "I would like that."

"May I ask your father if I can court you?"

"I would be so happy if you did." Agli's face was turning red, but her smile was radiant and her eyes sparkled. He took her hand and kissed it, but he did not let go of her hand after the kiss. He held it and she didn't seem to mind.

Torsten began to worry that she was just being nice to him. She stayed even though she knew the truth of his blood and parentage, but one more thing was bothering him. So he took a deep breath and asked the question that was eating him up inside. "You don't mind that I can't walk?"

Agli's eye brows went up in surprise. "Of course not. Why should it?" Agli said. "From what I've seen, you are talented, strong, brave, intelligent and if I may be so bold, very handsome." She blushed. "I have watched you as you guide your chair around the Glittering Caves. You get around just as well as the rest of us. And, from what I understand," Agli took a deep breath, "you were injured in battle; defending your home and your people. That is very honorable and I am proud to know such a great warrior."

"Thank you," Torsten said.

There was a moment of silence between them. Agli's hand still rested in Torsten's.

"Alright," Agli said, her tone of voice changing back to a casual conversational. "I've peppered you with personal questions. If you wish, you may ask anything of me."

Torsten grinned. He was thankful to change the subject, but he admired the way Agli just offered herself to him in such a way; giving him the freedom to ask her anything about her life. It showed a great deal of trust so soon after meeting him. Of course, she had just agreed to let him court her, so they needed to be able to trust one another.

Torsten thought for a moment. "You were born in Ered Luin?" She nodded. "Why didn't your family go to Erebor once it was reclaimed?"

She smiled. "Adad. He had a very successful jewelry business with the man villages around Ered Luin and quite a few regular customers in the Gray Havens. He wanted to go to see Erebor, but business was too good, so we stayed."

"Fair enough. So why did he end up coming here to the Glittering Caves?"

"Rich people in Gondor and Rohan. Mostly Gondor, but there are many cities within a short distance of here. Elf, men and dwarves who buy Adad's jewelry. It was a good business move."

"Are you happy here?"

"Oh yes. Of course I miss Ered Luin, but the Glittering Caves is a good place to live. And it's even better now, with you here." She squeezed his hand.

There were many more things to talk about, but that would be for another time. For the moment, Torsten was happy to hold Agli's hand and look into her beautiful face. Talking could wait.