Chapter 45

The journey there was short, and I quickly made my way down through the trees and to the entrance. It was a beautiful day out, but cold and I wasn't keen on wasting the day arguing with an elf lord. I had to say he was pretty brave by not sending any word to us. It also irritated me to no end. I was human when I landed, and quietly adjusted the coat I had on before lifting my head. The guards moved from the gates to come greet me, as I made my way over the bridge.

"My Lady Arina," one greeted, bowing slightly. "I regret to inform you that King Thranduil will not be seeing you today."

"Oh?" I arched my eyebrow. "And why not?"

"He said he will not be seeing you today, or any day. He will continue trade with Erebor, but that's it," the guard said quietly.

My eyebrow arched again, and I kept my expression as neutral as possible. He was pulling back on allowing Tauriel and Kili to marry. The fact that this was happening did not surprise me, but still I couldn't help the anger that burned in my chest. Letting out a silent breath, I looked at both guards in front of me. They both shifted their feet, and while I knew they were warriors, that didn't stop them from becoming uncomfortable. I almost glared at them, before I had an idea pop into my head.

"I've always assumed that Thranduil was not a coward," I sighed, keeping my voice even. "It's sad to see that I was wrong. He is in fact a coward. I will regret to in form you, that the wedding is still going to happen. With or without his blessing."

Turning, I went to march off when the doors of the kingdom flew open. I smiled, but by the time I turned around it was gone. I knew he had been close by. The moment I landed, I knew he had made his way down to the entrance, just in case something happened. Thranduil approached, his expression cold and deadly. The old me would have shifted back, and shuddered in fear. Now, I was a queen. Drawing myself up, I met his gaze with an angry one of my own.

"You are bold to assume that I am a coward in my kingdom," he said, his voice utterly calm.

I tilted my head a little, "I do remember you offering plenty of insults when you were in my kingdom. Do correct me if I'm wrong. But that is beside the point. I want an answer from you, and if not then she will be joining us anyway."

"Why should I allow one of my elves to pledge herself to a dwarf?" he demanded. "It is the most absurd thing I have heard of in over a thousand years."

"Careful, it might just continue to get better," I answered smoothly. "As I remember, you did banish her, did you not?"

For a long moment, everything was silent as we faced each other. I could sense the anger swirling around Thranduil, ready to come out. I didn't want to push him over the edge, but it seemed like the only option I had. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I shook my head slightly.

"I knew you would do this," I said softly. "You only care about hiding within your halls. You don't care about anything else but that. I was wrong to place any type of faith in you. I asked for your blessing and permission because I wanted this alliance to happen. It would strengthen everyone around here. We could have peace. But you don't care for that."

The movement was quick, but I saw his fingers flick and suddenly his hand was on his sword, ready to pull it out. I gave him a challenging look when I saw it, and he glared again. My body tensed, and a small gust of wind blew through the forest, pushing his hair back. The look on his face was the one equivalent to how he had looked at Tauriel back at the Battle of the Five Armies.

"It seems your power has gone to your head, shifter," he hissed, venomously.

"You pull that sword on me now, and you'll have a war that will be far worse than the one we fought at Gundabad," I answered, my voice low. "I'm no longer just a shifter. I'm a Queen of Erebor, dwarf or not."

"You are nothing of such to me," he rumbled.

"Then you are a fool!" I snapped. "Just because I'm different. I am tired of dealing with you!"

"You are the fool. Stupid little shifter, stuck in the fairytale of love," he snorted, his fingers flexing.

"I am asking you, to look in your heart and tell me honestly that you would try to stand in the way of those two. Their love is purer then any I have ever seen. If you chose to not be a part of this, then fine. You will continue trade with us, but we will never come to your aide shall you need it. We will never send someone here if you should ever ask, and the only elf beside Tauriel that will be allowed inside that mountain from here is your son," I growled, staring at him.

Again, it was silent and he stared at me in mild surprise. If I had been Thorin, the two would have been fighting already. Or worse, Thorin would have cut all ties with the elf. I figured I was being gentle on the terms. I opened up my palms to him in a quiet gesture, and looked around. I was giving him a choice, and after this it was completely up to him. I was hoping he would use his brain.

"You have so much you could gain," I offered. "The time of darkness is not over. In fact, I fear it might just be beginning."

"What do you mean?" he asked, not giving anything away.

"Sauron was banished to Mordor by Lady Galadriel. Orcs have been moving across Middle Earth. We have had a few attacks in Dale, and I'm sure they've come through here. I cannot be sure when, but I know that he's not finished," I crossed my arms. "I thinking of not just now, but of the future as well."

That seemed to make his mind work, so I waited patiently while he seemed to mull things over. Behind him, the guards shifted nervously when nothing happened for several minutes. I looked back to Thranduil when he finally shifted to grab my attention.

"I will send a raven in three days….and then we can begin our planning," he said, his voice forced.

I smiled at him, giving the elf a deep bow. "We thank you, my lord."

Three days later, we received a letter from the elf lord stating that he accepted the terms of the alliance, and that he would be sending what ever we requested to be sent. I knew that the elf lord was not happy about this, but deep down he knew it was the right thing to do. I was very happy to see everything falling into place. I stood outside with the raven that had sent the message, and nodded to him, giving the bird a message of my own. I offered him a small meal before he flew off and then stood quietly in the cold for a while to think.

"Arina?"

Fili walked out to join me, coming to stand by my side. I gave him a slight smile and glanced back up to the stars. He had changed so much in the last year, that he surprised me. The battle we had fought when we had arrived here had changed him. I didn't think it was in a bad way, but it was something I had noticed. Fili had a new wave of confidence that he carried with him, and he was always striving to become better as a warrior.

"How are you?" I asked gently.

"As heir, I've been shoved into meetings with Thorin now that I'm fully healed and well enough," he chuckled. "I forgot that it's extremely...taxing to be heir to the throne."

"Well you already have a great start. You've been doing this since you were thirty. I'd imagine this is nothing new," I laughed. "It can't be all that boring."

"It is not. Not now anyway," he answered, smoking his pipe. "Now that uncle is….different."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He is much more accepting of things, I'd guess it's because of you. And that he doesn't want to be like Thror," he murmured.

"It's a big step not to be like his grandfather. I remember briefly when Thror ruled here," I sighed. "He was already in his sickness. He'd surface every now and again. But he was mostly cold and withdrawn. Even after they left here..."

"I remember," Fili nodded his head.

"Something else brought you out here though," I smiled at him.

"Rumors said that you changed our fate when you managed to save us," he said, getting right to the point. "Is that true?"

"Sometimes the Valar doesn't control everything. But yes, I believe I did. All three of you were meant to die in that battle. I knew that for certain. Maybe we were lucky, but I don't think anyone was expecting all three of you to get out alive."

"Would it be crazy to say that we could live without worrying about who we fall for?" he tilted his head toward me.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

"It's possible that I might have found someone," he mused, with a slight smile.

"Oh?"

"I guess I need advice on what to do," Fili mused, arching his brow.

I chuckled a little, and wrapped my scarf around my neck. Watching my breath puff out in the cold night air, I thought carefully about what I was going to say next.

"I think, now that things have changed that we are being put in different positions. The Valar is now helping rewrite things," I mused. "They could be using us to help further things, or it could be the way things are going. Men, Dwarves and Elves are coming together in ways I would have never imagined. So, I guess you just need to let things fall into place."

"Well, that was helpful," he grumbled.

"Well, give me a better answer to go off of," I laughed, turning to see him.

"I have been spending time in Dale," Fili rumbled quietly. "I've been helping Balin when he goes down there, and to help over see some of the trade. I've also been supervising what still needs to be fixed. So, naturally I've been spending much time around Lady Sigrid."

"Well, like I said. You need to let things fall into place," I said softly. "There isn't much you can do. But do not fear it."

"I hope to have you on my side if I have to beg my uncle if this goes further," he chuckled.

I gave him a tender smile and reached out to grab his hand gently. "You know I'll be there to defend you no matter the case."

"Thank you, as always," he murmured.

Turning to him, I reached up to give him a tight hug, before sending him inside. It was still amazing to me, how the two boys had grown up. They were both turning into fine dwarves, and one day I was sure they would change the world. Gazing up at the stars, I jumped suddenly when someone joined me without saying a word. Glancing over, I relaxed seeing that it was just Thorin. I couldn't read his expression, so I just quietly waited to see what he had to say.

"Did I hear correctly, that my heir is falling for a human?" Thorin asked lowly.

"I feel like I should not answer that question," I answered, not looking at him.

"There's no use. I heard the whole conversation," he muttered.

"You are angry."

He snorted from beside me, and I resisted the urge to pester him on it. I crossed my arms, and leaned against him for a moment. I could only help him along so far. He was a dwarf, and true to dwarves he was still extremely stubborn. I loved everything about him, but I couldn't do anything about how stubborn he could be. I wouldn't change it about him, and he knew that. All I wanted was to further protect this city. He crossed his arms, causing me to shift and let him have his moment.

"I am angry," he finally said. "I had always prided all three of us. We were the proper dwarves, and yet here they are falling for elves and humans."

"And shifters," I added lightly.

Thorin sighed softly. "I want to be furious. But you said something...something that caught my attention. We shouldn't be here…."

"What?" I questioned, turning to look at his face.

"What I mean to say is, we should be dead," he rumbled. "Dead and buried, and Dain would be King. Not I."

"But you are not," I answered fiercely.

"Aye, we are not," he agreed. "So perhaps, we are free to live the way we may want, because we weren't suppose to be here. You said the Valar might be using us for something different."

"It is possible," I shrugged lightly.

I watched him go through several emotions, his eyes the only thing that gave him away. Sighing, and holding back a yawn as I did so, I lifted my hands to his chest as I moved in front of him. Looking down at me, Thorin allowed his forehead to touch mine.

"What ever happens, happens. Do not be afraid of change. You have the chance to be one of the greatest dwarf kings to ever cross Middle Earth right now. What you could do could change everything," I whispered, pressing my lips to his.

"And you wonder why I took you as my Queen," he murmured.

"I figured my dashing good looks had something to do with it," I smiled.

He laughed, a soft sound that came from his belly. I loved hearing him laugh, and seeing him smile. It reminded me of our time back in the Blue Mountains. Thorin's arms came around me, and he pulled me tightly against him.

"Come, my Queen," he rumbled. "Let's go to bed."

I hummed in agreement, and followed him to our room after bidding several guards and dwarves a good night. Shutting the door softly behind him, Thorin watched as I moved across the room and got myself ready for bed. I fiddled with my hair for a moment as I slipped under the covers.

"What is it?" he asked, arching his brow at me.

"Are you…" I paused, and tilted my head. "Don't get me wrong...but are you angry that you fell in love with me?"

He swung to look at me so fast, that his braids almost tangled together. For a moment, Thorin just looked at me, obviously shocked by my question. Waiting for his answer, I felt myself twitch, when suddenly he reached forward and touched my cheek. Closing my eyes at the feel of his hand, I sucked in a gasp when he suddenly pulled me forward and kissed me. There was so much passion, and love in that single embrace that my cheeks hurt.

"No," he murmured. "No, I was never angry. Shocked. But never angry."

"Well," I smiled, unable to help it.

"Never ask me such a preposterous question again," he grunted.

"Sorry," I sighed.

He leaned over and blew out the lantern beside the bed, and then wrapped me up in his arms. I got comfortable, and fell asleep against him.

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