It had been a success. Not long after they had been dispatched, in three quick days they'd captured him and now he was before Thorin on his knees quivering like a child.

Bul, Boheeka, Bofur and to Thorin's surprise, a young woman stood just behind their captured prey.

Thorin observed the four of them in silence; quietly astonished at how well it had all gone.

Still, unable to contain his curiosity, Thorin decided to first ask: "Who is she?"

Boheeka offered a nervous smile and replied; "Forgive me," He offered, "This is my daughter and youngest child, Nola."

"A woman?" Thorin asked. The look of surprise that spread on his face caused Bul to chuckle, "You used a woman? A child?"

"I'm no child, sir," Nola corrected flatly, "I'm of age and my father requested my assistance in the task you gave them a week ago."

"But we would understand," Bofur spoke suddenly, "If ye would prefer we not use her in future deployments. If ye have any more need of us after today that is."

Bul's eyes narrowed and when he moved to speak, Thorin approached Nola, eyeing her deeply and circling her.

"Our women are few," Thorin explained as he reached out to take Nola's chin but she pulled away stiffly, ignoring Bul's disapproving grunt.

"I doubt I will ever marry," Nola countered, "My family needs whatever finances I can provide. Feyd seems the only logical choice. I know the risks of this choice, therefore marriage would be redundant. Other willing dwarf women can see to the responsibilities of populating our race."

"Fergive her," Bul offered to Thorin whom was still staring curiously at Nola who eyed the dwarf King with just as much curiosity, "She's a bit argumentative when her worth is questioned."

"I don't doubt her worth," Thorin pointed out, "I just wonder if it is wise to put such a…rare and young dwarf in harms way. What skills does her posses that no male would?"

Bul chuckled, "That should be obvious," he replied, and to his secret contentment, Thorin jerked his head at him and barked: "Don't think to speak in such a way in front of Lady! And I do hope…"

Thorin stopped and looked at Nola again who was glaring at Bul with just as much anger in her eyes as her father and brother.

"Nola operates as we do," Bul calmly assured the king, "what I meant to say is that the simple fact that she is a girl is her- our- biggest asset. Why, she's the one that caught this little bugger here!"

The dwarves cast their eyes down at the cowering dwarf before them and while Boheeka nodded in the affirmative Bul said with a smirk: "Would ye believe he was more 'n happy to brag about his business here to her?"

Thorin smirked; "Not really," He admitted and offered Nola an innocent smile before asking: "How did you manage it?"

Ignoring the compliment, Nola shrugged; "Charm and ale," She admitted, "He frequented the tavern and Bul had me stand in as a tavern maid. It took some time but Bofur made his acquaintance and got him drunk, gullible enough, for me to lead him away from the tavern and to my father and Bul whom took him into custody."

"A fault amongst the high class," Bul explained, "Especially when they're young. Arrogance can be a great weapon at times. He was putty in Nola's delicate hands."

Thorin glowered down at the dwarf, younger than he, and was silently satisfied that he would not meet his eyes.

"Your name?" Thorin asked, and the young dwarf said nothing for a moment; not until Bul kicked him hard with a twisted smile.

Bofur winced, yet remained silent and stiff beside his father.

"Torias!" Gasped the trembling fellow in a dry voice, "F-from the Iron Hills!"

Thorin's eyes widened and a deep sadness settled deep within his heart; "Rise," He ordered the frightened diplomat, "Get up! I will not harm you."

As the dwarf obeyed, Bul cleared his throat and said: "Apparently he was sent to work out terms with the Steward on behalf of Ironfoot." Bul began to explain as he pulled from his red tunic a rolled parchment, "Terms first presented to Dain by Staric, months ago when Dain had come for a visit~"

"Then…Dain isn't the instigator?" Thorin asked, beginning to feel relieved, "His only part in this was considering to aid Staric in whatever he meant to do?"

Bul smirked and slapped the scroll into his free hand as he thought about how to answer the king's question.

"It would seem so," He finally announced, "At present your concern should be more focused on the Steward…however, I wouldn't just dismiss Dain's part in this so easily. Not just yet."

"Agreed. The message, here, seems to indicate Dain is someone you shouldn't so easily dismiss as a potential threat," Boheeka further explained when he noticed Thorin's confused expression.

"It's true," Bul went on, "That Dain was and is still uncertain on whether or not to ally himself to Staric. Possibly due to the fact that, regardless of his unhappiness from lack of monetary fulfillment he still, obviously, does bear loyalty to you. But, according, to this scroll, he would have been willing to help Staric if his requests in this scroll had been fulfilled. That's why this little brat here, was not only sent to meet with Staric, but to also try and find out just how vulnerable you are now. He, Dain, needed to know if it was at all worth it."

Thorin snuffed and turned his back to the group; wishing Balin was present, as he was completely confused as what to do with all that had just been revealed to him.

"What were Dain's requests? What exactly was Staric hoping to obtain…or destroy?" The King asked softly, though he felt he already knew the answer.

"They both hoped to obtain more than ye promised either of them, o'course," Bul answered quickly, "With the two of them allied against you, it promised profit, strength of arms, and…the kingdom Erebor."

Thorin spun, his eyes flaring intensely, "Erebor?" He barked, "You mean the treasure left behind don't you?"

Bul nodded slowly; "With yer power diminished, due to a combined force of their armies, they would steal your claim to the throne. Truly make ye no one, and then more n' likely head for Erebor when they were ready and, if they succeeded, divide the treasure between themselves."

Thorin crossed his arms and began to tap his chin again with a tight fist.

"Release him," The king ordered finally, looking over at their captured spy, "Send him home to Ironfoot."

Bul, forgetting himself, scoffed and barked: "That the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

Boheeka and his children glanced wide eyed at his comrade then at Thorin, all of them stepping back when the horrid tension between Bul and the King weighed down upon them all.

"Bul," Boheeka warned, "We should follow his orders!"

"Yes," Thorin agreed, staring hard at Bul who stared with unnatural savagery at the diplomat, "Doing what you think we should, could result in something that I don't care to deal with right now. Sending him to Dain will cause my cousin to step back and look over everything that has occurred. It will also serve as a warning that while I am…vulnerable…I am still strong and my hand upon my rightful claim is still secure. Also…I'm sure you'll understand when I say I've more reason to worry about spiders in my bed rather than snakes in the garden at the moment."

"Very well," Bul conceded, "I see what ye are on about."

Thorin blinked and looked at the at the dwarves before him, the small group of Feyd operatives, and thought himself quite fortunate for having adopted the group as his eyes, ears, and even his unrelenting fist.

"Then it's settled," Thorin said before turning and pointing a thick finger at the unwelcome guest.

"Return to the Iron Hills," He ordered, "Tell him I will not tolerate his acts and any further attempts at betrayal will result in some…rather distasteful actions on my part."

Thorin nodded to the dwarves that stood before them and smirked.

"I have the means," He explained keeping his eyes steady, "Go. Now and don't ever return."

Watching Torias sprint from his sight, Thorin turned his anger to Bul, whom was fiddling with his long braid again; a look of what Thorin suspected with a pang of shock was one of insatiable hunger.

"Don't ever think to speak to me in that way-again!" He spat, ignoring the wavering feeling Bul's expression had given him.

Bul bowed low and said: "Forgive me, I was thinking only of your welfare."

Thorin hummed, studying Bul who'd come out of the bow, yet said nothing; looking at Boheeka he extended his arm: "Take your children home," He ordered, "Then return with Bul as soon as you can. We are far from concluding this meeting tonight."

Bul watched with great interest as Thorin's eyes softened when they observed Nola curiously as she quietly left the dining room with her brother and father.