Thanks for staying with me. I hope you enjoy! Like always, I only own my OC.


When the bath water gets cold, I leave the tub and dress in one of the spare outfits I bought for myself in the previous town. It is a simple dress but is thick and will keep me warm in this cold weather.

In the dining room, most of the dwarves are eating and drinking to the safe travels and victory of battle. I take a seat by Dis and we get into conversation about the trek here and then where and what we hope to do while here.

"I hope to get something in a store. Maybe working the front or stocking shelves. What about you?" Dis asks of me.

"I hope to work in a kitchen." I answer honestly.

"Where is the king?" I ask as I suddenly realize he is not here.

"Went to have an audience with the master of this town. To let him know we wish to work for a short while and such." Dis explains. I did not realize that even had to be done but it makes sense now that I think on it.

"So how are you and Thorin?" She asks me, changing the subject and getting a sly look on her face. A blush creeps up my neck and onto my face. I don't dare look at her or else I fear she may see the steamy kiss we shared not an hour ago.

"Fine." Is all I can manage without giving myself away.

"No new developments? Nothing you wish to share?" She persists. I meet her eyes and I break.

"We are engaged again." I sag in realization that I couldn't keep this secret but perk up when she hugs me tight.

"Congratulations… again. This is fantastic. Why has it not been announced yet?" Dis asks. I laugh.

"Because it only just happened. And we have all of this going on. Not to mention, I doubt everyone will be happy with it. I know a few showed their disapproval very openly." I recall about Dwalin but don't give his name.

"Well those people don't matter when it comes to the relationship. And it hurt so many people to see Thorin in pain, wanting you but having to court you. Take it slow. I know Balin took it hard. I did as well." Dis admits to me. For some reason, it takes me by surprise. I never actually, truly, wondered how she felt about Thorin and I not being together.

"Well, not to fret. We are betrothed again and will be planning a wedding when we get settled in the Blue Mountains. If he still wants me by then." I mumble the last part but Dis manages to hear it.

"What do you mean?" She asks me.

"Why can I not tell him I love him? I know I do but the words don't leave my lips. He told me again that he loved me, when we were in our room and yet I could not return these words." I admit sadly.

"I have no idea why this would be a problem. Especially since you say you do. Maybe Balin would be a better person to ask. He has much wisdom." Dis suggests. I take it and think on it. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to talk with him. He is, indeed, wise.

King Thror comes back to the inn after having spoken with the master and looks infuriated.

"The master will not allow us to work. Even when I told him we would stay all winter! He would rather us starve and freeze than pollute his town with the likes of us! We must move to the next town. Anyone who has money is to bring it forth and pool it together so that we may buy supplies for everyone here." King Thror decrees and has a table cleared so pouches of coin can be placed there.

"Sir, may I speak with you." I say before I even mean to. I meant to put my money on the table and leave. Instead I request an audience!

"You may. Come." He says and pulls me aside to have words.

"What is it, Alvina?" he asks of me.

"What happened with the master? What was said? Maybe if I went to speak with him I could make him see sense." I say, not really thinking of what I would say to change the master's mind.

"I don't think you could change anything, dear. But thank you for bringing it up with me." He goes to dismiss me but now I have a fire in me. He thinks I can't but I will show him different.

"Sir, he said no because you are a dwarf. I am a human and a lady, no less. What kind of rumor would spread should he deny me and my compatriots work?" I say slyly and his face goes into a large smile.

"Alvina, do you think you could do this?" He asks, getting extremely serious but hopeful.

"I am the daughter of a diplomat. I am sure we can come to some kind of arrangement." I say with a large smile matching his.

"Okay. I will send a couple of my men for your protection. You may command them as you please but no harm shall come to them, understood?" He asks and I nod.

"I understand. When would you have me go?" I inquire.

"Right away. The sooner we can work the sooner we can start saving coin. For now, we tell only those you accompany. I will send them over to you." He says and leaves me.

Not thirty minutes later and a team is assembled. Imagine my surprise when Dwalin is one of them.

"Sir, I am not sure all these dwarves are best suited to coming. There is one, in particular, that I know does not wish me to even be here much less take my orders." I whisper to him.

"Whoever it is, will listen. It is the command of their king." He tells me, brushing off my worry.

"Okay…" I am hesitant but trust him. I must. I turn to the men that have been chosen.

"Let us be off." I say and they take their places around me, as if my protectors, and walk me to the master's house.

"Who are you?" The second in command at the house asks when he opens the door.

"I am Alvina, daughter of Estmund Tuskmore. I wish to speak with you about the people that just arrived here." I announce myself and use my father's name, should it have some kind of effect. It must because his eyes get wide and he lets me in before running to get the master.

"Alvina Tuskmore, daughter of Estmund Tuskmore. Welcome to my home." The master comes to greet me and he is a vile looking man.

"Thank you, Master, for seeing me." I say playing the role.

"Come, sit." He says and leads me to the sitting room.

"Now what it is you wish to discuss? Something about the rabble that has come into town, hmmm?" he asks, offending the dwarves with me.

"They are not rabble, I assure you. The mountain in which they lived was taken by a dragon. We only wish to work for some coin before we move on." I explain.

"And what if they don't move on? I can't have the likes of them becoming part of the town forever. This is a human town." He speaks to me.

"They will not stay. Their kin is in the mountains. They have no connection here. No want to stay here. The sooner we can make coin, the sooner we can leave. All of us." I say.

"Do you travel with them, dear?" He asks me now. Do I tell him the reason?

"I do. For my father. He is ill, back at home and was supposed to be working with the king. But when the mountain fell, the dwarves took me in and kept me safe. And as my work with the king is on hold and unfinished, I must stay with them. Father would surely be furious if our work could not be completed." I lie.

"Your father, would it be okay for me to send a letter to him? Asking for his side of this outlandish story?" The master asks of me.

"You may but the time it would take to get a response, the dwarves would be ill or dead. We need an answer now. And there is but one that truly benefits us both." I try to persuade.

"What do I care about dead or ill dwarves?" He asks me with a hideous smile.

"Ill dwarves mean illness spreads into town. Dead dwarves mean clean up and the smell of death. Both will cost you money and time to get rid of." I tell him easily because that is probably the only truth I have spoken as of yet. But it hits a nerve. His eye twitches at the thought.

"Perhaps I spoke too hastily with the king. I think we may be able to find a compromise between the two of us." The master speaks, sounding a bit mad.

"Thank you. I am sure the king will be delighted to hear of your change of heart." I say and begin to stand but he has me stay seated.

"I will not deal with the king. I will handle everything through you. You are the diplomat, are you not?" He asks and I nod. I did say that.

"My conditions on them staying to work is that they may stay one month and work as much as possible. Every coin they earn is to feed themselves or buy supplies. Nothing is to go to frivolity of any nature." The master tells me.

"I will take your conditions to the king and report back with his answer by tomorrow. Thank you for your change of heart." I stand. I lead "my" men out of the home and back to the inn.

"My king, you should have seen her talk to him."

"Her command of the conversation was fantastic."

"She got us conditions." Dwalin tries to kill the mood.

"Well, my dear, what does he say?" King Thror asks of me when his men that went with are done speaking.

"A month to work and only work. Then we must leave. No coin that is made is to be spent on anything we can do without. No frivolity I believe is what he said." I tell him.

"That is better than what we had before but, in a month, the weather will be severe. We won't be able to trek through the snow." He remarks. I did not think of that.

"What would you have me counter? A stay until Spring?" I ask. The king looks to me seriously.

"Do you think you could get him to agree these terms?" He asks of me.

"I can try." I say.

"Do it." He commands. I decide to go back immediately and talk with the master.

"Master, the king sends me with his answer. May we?" I ask as I take control and motion to the sitting room we were in before.

"We shall." He says and we sit again.

"We want to stay until Spring. We will die along the way in the coming months should we try to travel." I say flat out.

"And what do I care about that? They will be out of the town and no longer my responsibility." The master says cold heartedly.

"And what would the surrounding towns do when they hear of what you did to them? Caused a mass death because you kicked us out in the middle of winter? And when they find out a human diplomat was with them. Well, I can only imagine the repercussions. And when my family gets involved, sir, you will be cut off from trade fully. Not to mention no more visitors. The economy would collapse; the people would leave in droves when they got the chance. And you, I see the type of person you are, you would stay. To be the master of a ghost town." I say in a deathly calm and collected type of way. It seems to shake the master to his core.

"You wouldn't dare do this. There would be no way to prove that you were kicked out. It would look like bad planning from the king." The master throws back in a panic.

"A simple letter to my father would clear that right up. I can have one of the dwarves take it right now." I say as I look to Dwalin. He catches my bluff and nods in affirmation.

"You have not yet written and given him the letter! I can stop you from ever writing it." The master says, now getting excited.

"He has the letter. I came prepared." I tell the master, my eyes locking on to his. I steel myself, make myself believable. It must work because the master sags in his chair.

"Fine. You may stay until Spring. But not a moment after. And the use of coin still stands." The master says, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"I think you should reconsider that, as well. Think of how much profit will be brought in. You know how the dwarves drink and eat. That alone would double what taxes you could take from the inn and you both would still be better off. Not to mention the shops that they shop in. Should they need clothes, they must be custom made because of the height difference. That right there is extra money to be charged." I tell the master. He seems to be seeing dollar signs now.

"You have a deal. I look forward to the dwarves of Erebor staying until Spring." He says as we shake on this.

"I promise you won't regret it. Men." I say and call the men to lead us out of the house and towards the inn. I am starving after that. I need some food and drink!

"To Alvina!" The cheer goes up while we all eat supper. The news had spread fast and everyone was excited and relieved to know we had a home for the winter.

"Alvina, when you are done I wish to speak with you." Thorin whispers into my ear. I nod and eat the last bit of my supper before going to find him. I end up finding him in our shared room with the other royals. Thankfully, they were still downstairs eating because this looked like it would be a serious conversation.

"Thorin, is everything alright?" I ask as I walk up to him. The pensive look on his face melts into a smile. He quickly pulls me to him and out lips meet in a sweet kiss.

"I am so proud of you. You saved my people. How is it you have the ability to constantly do this?" He asks me and I laugh. We sit on the bed side by side but in each other's arms.

"I suppose I am a woman of many talents, hmm?" I tease and he nuzzles my neck like he used to. I laugh at the sensation and that makes him want to do it even more.

"Hey, now. No naughty times before marriage." Thrain comes into the room and catches us. I am thoroughly embarrassed and go to scoot away from Thorin but he keeps a firm hold on me.

"She is my bride to be. Surely that means I can get away with some things." Thorin teases his father and I squeak when he begins to nuzzle me again. Thrain just laughs and Thorin joins in.

"You two are incorrigible." I laugh. Thrain leaves the room and gives us more time to just be in each other's presence. Nothing naughty happens, as Thrain put it, but we are sure to catch up on all the kissing and touching we missed while courting.