The choir concert made me sad. All of the seniors are leaving, and the choir that I'm a part of may not be a thing next year. It just... Made me wonder what I'm supposed to do if it's not, and I don't get into one of the show choirs. I can't not be in a choir, guys. It's... I'm a part of the choir family. I... I belong in there.

I think.

"Chey."

She grunted and swatted at whatever was tickling her nose, muttering out a curse. "Go away," she ordered. "I'm sleeping."

"Cheyanne!" The tickling persisted, and she sneezed, her eyes opening. She found Fili grinning down at her, and she frowned in annoyance.

"Go away!" she repeated firmly.

"I was told to wake you, and that's what I'm doing," the dwarf responded. He disappeared, and Cheyanne turned her head to see him sink down into an armchair that was pulled up next to the bed she was laying on.

Blinking, Cheyanne looked around the room they were in, and she let out a sigh when she realized they were in Thorin's bedchambers. "Why am I in here?"

"Dwalin carried you here," Fili answered easily. He kicked his feet up onto the bed and scratched at a bandage on his calf. "With Thorin's permission, of course."

Cheyanne rolled her eyes and struggled to sit up, but hissed in pain. Then she remembered her broken rib. Slowly, she lifted the blanket that was covering her and pulled up the corner of the shirt she was wearing, which was several sizes too big on her. She spotted the white of a bandage, and she groaned.

"So, you're not allowed to move," Fili told her. "I probably should have mentioned that."

"Y'think?" Cheyanne growled, lowering the shirt and moving the blanket back in place. She gazed upwards at the canopy overhead. "Why did you wake me up?"

"Gandalf wanted to talk to you," Fili responded. "I don't know why he isn't here yet, though. Probably stopped to speak with Bilbo. Little fella's still running around in circles, he was so worried about you."

Cheyanne had to smile when she heard that. "Will you go tell him I'm all right, please?" she asked Fili.

The dwarf sighed and leaned his head backwards over the armchair. "What am I, an errand dwarf or a prince?" He sat up and grinned at her once more before standing and walking out of the room.

Cheyanne watched the door, waiting for someone else to come in. Her wish was granted almost immediately, and Gandalf appeared as soon as Fili was gone. "Gandalf," she said with a relieved grin.

The wizard approached the bed and sat down in the armchair, tipping his hat to her as he did so. "Good to see you're awake," he said cheerfully. "You looked rather broken when Dwalin carried you into Erebor."

"I don't exactly feel any better than that," Cheyanne told him, realizing that she was aching all over. She grunted and attempted to sit up again, but could barely move. Sighing, she settled back down and looked at the wizard. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to help me sit up, would you?"

Gandalf shook his head. "No, you mustn't move at all, or else your rib won't heal properly." He winked at her. "I cast something that should help speed up the healing process, though, so as long as you don't move you should be back on your feet in three days, at the most."

"Three?" Cheyanne exclaimed in disbelief. "I'm going to miss the feasts!"

Gandalf chuckled and shook his head. "I don't think Thorin would let that happen," he told her. "You did save his life, after all."

"How is he?" Cheyanne questioned, remembering his foot.

Gandalf raised his shoulders. "Fine. Worried about you, more than anything, and fretting over whether or not we should move you somewhere closer to everyone else."

Cheyanne smiled and shook her head. "I meant his injury, Gandalf."

"Yes, I know," Gandalf answered. "I gave you a response in my first word. His injury is fine. Azog's blade went clean through his foot, but missed any bone. Thorin is already up walking around."

Cheyanne let out a breath of relief. "Why isn't he-?"

"In here?" She nodded, and Gandalf grinned. "He wanted to be, but Balin has kept our King Under the Mountain busy with preparations of the other dwarves of Erebor coming back to the mountain." Gandalf gave her a look. "And for the wedding that I knew nothing about until this morning."

Cheyanne returned the look. "You didn't know about the wedding because instead of being here in Erebor you were down in Dale!"

Gandalf merely shook his head. "I don't know about a wedding, Cheyanne," he said. "Do you believe you can be a queen?"

Cheyanne gazed at the wizard. "Why? Do you think I can't be?" she queried.

"Not at all," replied Gandalf.

"So why are you asking me?"

Gandalf tilted his head at her. "You're a hobbit. The dwarves of Erebor will be expecting their king to wed a dwarf."

Cheyanne frowned. "Are you suggesting that they'll be disappointed with me?" she asked quietly.

"I certainly hope that's not what he's suggesting." Cheyanne looked past the wizard sitting in the armchair towards the door, and she grinned when she saw Thorin standing there. The dwarf walked into the room, limping slightly, and he gave the wizard a glare. "Cheyanne saved my life. I would hope that my people will be more than willing to accept her as queen once they learn that."

Gandalf dipped his head. "Of course, Thorin. I agree." The wizard stood and looked down at Cheyanne. "I will speak with you later?"

"If you like," Cheyanne replied. The wizard nodded and walked past Thorin and out of the room.

When he was gone, Thorin looked down at Cheyanne. "I'm sorry I was not in here when you awoke," he told her. "I've been busy."

"Gandalf told me," Cheyanne said. "It's all right."

Thorin gave her a small smile and moved the armchair out of the way so he could stand next to the bed. He reached over and stroked her cheek with one hand. "I must… I have to tell you that I love you, too. I didn't have the chance to say it because you fainted before I could."

Cheyanne grinned up at him. "I would hope so, Thorin," she said with a laugh. "Why else would you ask a hobbit to marry you?"

"Well, I could have been afraid no dwarf would want me for a husband," Thorin mused.

Cheyanne scoffed. "You? Please." Thorin lifted an eyebrow, and Cheyanne shook her head. "Thorin, you must know that you're very handsome, and, though you're stubborn, you're also very kind and you genuinely care about your friends and family. You are a king worth following."

Thorin leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. He pulled away a second later, much to Cheyanne's annoyance. "I wish that you could come with me down to the throne room and help me handle all of the plans Balin is coming up with. So many feasts, so little time."

That made her laugh. "I know. I partially wish Fili would have let me sleep through the rest of my bedridden state. Gandalf said I'm going to be stuck here for three days."

Thorin grinned. "Did Gandalf also tell you that you've already been here for two?"

"What?" Cheyanne exclaimed. "Does that mean I can walk tomorrow?"

"Perhaps," Thorin answered. "It would certainly be nice, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," Cheyanne agreed. She twisted uncomfortably. "I used to enjoy laying down, but, now that I think about it, I would rather be standing up."

Thorin brushed a strand of curly hair off of her cheek. "I want to be able to dance with you at our wedding," he said quietly.

"You won't be wishing for that when it's actually happening," warned Cheyanne.

"Why is that?"

"I'm an awful dancer." Thorin smiled, and she gave him a look. "I'm serious. I've never been able to dance. Most hobbits can dance wonderfully, and I was over in the corner at Midsummer's Eve celebrations barely doing anything but tapping my foot."

Thorin didn't stop smiling. Instead, he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. "Just one dance," he said, "and if it starts terribly, I will let you stand on my feet."

"Even if it hurts?" she asked him.

"Even if it hurts," answered Thorin with a nod.

Cheyanne reached up with the hand he wasn't holding and placed it on the back of his neck. Thorin allowed her to pull him down, and she kissed him solidly for a few seconds. When she broke it off, Thorin rested his forehead against hers. "I have something to give you," he told her. "Don't move."

Cheyanne gave him a subtle glare, and the dwarf chuckled before he walked away and out of the room. Bilbo entered as he left, excitement all over his face.

"Chey!" he said happily.

"Bilbo." Her cousin moved over to the bed and pushed her hair off of her forehead. Cheyanne looked up at him with a half-smile. "How are you?"

"How am I? How are you?" Bilbo questioned.

"Well, my chest hurts, and I'm tired of laying down even though I just woke up, but other than that I'm all right."

Bilbo's shoulders dropped and he leaned over, resting his forehead against hers in affection. "I'm glad. I was worried about you, but they made me leave the room because I wouldn't stop jabbering." Cheyanne laughed, and Bilbo straightened up again, eyes sparkling. "I can't believe you're actually going to stay here," he told her with a shake of his head.

Cheyanne's grin slowly disappeared, and she frowned up at him. "Why?" she asked.

Bilbo didn't like the look she had on her face, and he quickly said, "I mean, I don't know. I-I just… You said you weren't in love with him…"

"Bilbo!" Cheyanne whacked him, and he flinched away from her, rubbing his arm.

"What?"

Cheyanne glared at him. "You had me worried that you didn't have faith in me!" she exclaimed.

Bilbo grinned. "Of course I have faith in you, Chey," he said. "I wouldn't have pressed Thorin so hard if I didn't!"

Cheyanne blanched. "You did what?"

Bilbo merely shrugged his shoulders. "Thorin came asking me about you while you were talking with Gandalf about something. He was very interested when I told him what I thought you thought of him, and, with the assistance of a few of the others, I was able to convince him to do what he'd been planning since…" He thought about it for a few moments. "Oh… I don't know. Beorn's house?"

Cheyanne made to hit him again, but Bilbo skipped backwards before she could. "I was helping!" he insisted. "Without my input, I don't think Thorin would have ever acted on his feelings."

"Bilbo, you devious little hobbit!" Cheyanne said with a shake of her head.

"There was nothing devious about I did," Bilbo said firmly. "I was doing what I thought best, and the others agreed."

Cheyanne let out a sigh. "Thank you, I suppose," she mumbled.

"You're very welcome, coz," responded Bilbo.

The door opened behind him, and Thorin entered again, one hand behind his back. Bilbo immediately bowed his head to him. Thorin walked over and put his free hand on the hobbit's shoulder affectionately. "Thank you for making sure she didn't leave, Master Baggins," he said.

Bilbo lifted his head, grinning. "It wasn't easy."

"You both are awful," Cheyanne muttered under her breath.

Dwarf and hobbit exchanged a laugh before Thorin subtly nodded towards the door, asking Bilbo to leave. He winked at Cheyanne before doing so, casting a knowing glance over his shoulder as he exited the room.

Cheyanne turned her attention to Thorin once her cousin was gone. "What do you have hidden?" she queried, eyeing his arm.

Thorin walked closer to the bed and lowered himself so that he was at eye level with her. "There have been moments on the journey when I wondered why I had allowed Gandalf to bring you along," he told her, "and there have been moments when I wondered what I would have done without you."

"Sweet Nessa," Cheyanne said. "You're about to pull a proposal out of your arse, aren't you?"

"Not exactly," replied Thorin. "I've had some time to think about it."

"All right," Cheyanne began, shifting slightly so she could see him better. "Please continue."

Thorin met her eyes, and Cheyanne saw how much he was keeping locked behind them to maintain his composure. "More than once I wanted to apologize for the way I was treating you, especially when I realized just how much you meant to the quest. The first apology wasn't exactly the best, but it was necessary, for it saved my life. You saved my life, in more ways than one."

Cheyanne watched as Thorin pulled his hand out from behind his back. Slowly, he unfolded it and held it up for her too see, though she had an idea as to what it was he was holding before she saw it clearly.

On Thorin's palm rested a small silver-banded ring. The gemstone on it was a crystal, flashing in a rainbow from the light of the fireplace. Around the crystal was a circle of rubies, blood red. Cheyanne could only shake her head as she gazed down at it.

"I wanted to give this to you, before all of this happened. I was going to ask you to stay with me in Erebor, just so I would be sure Bilbo was right before I actually proposed," Thorin said softly. "There were two issues with that plan: I didn't have the chance, and I didn't have the strength to ask you outright, so I… May or may not have given you a courting braid without thinking you might not know what it means." Cheyanne looked up from the ring and met his gaze. "I realize now that I should have asked you first, however, and so, I suppose there's nothing left to do but ask."

Cheyanne waited in anticipation, wanting to grab one of his braids and pull his lips to hers that moment, but she forced herself to stay still.

Thorin bowed his head. "Cheyanne Baggins, you are ê 'ibin, and you are the only jewel I will ever need." He lifted his eyes and gazed at her. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my Queen Under the Mountain?"

Cheyanne merely smiled and took the ring from him. She slipped it on the fourth finger of her left hand and admired it for a long moment. "You didn't have to plan that out," she told him. "You do realize that, yes?"

Thorin shook his head. "I wanted some sort of traditional aspect, Cheyanne. Everything else is far from traditional. Can't you give me my proposal without having something to say about it?"

Cheyanne turned and looked at him. "Am I allowed to say yes?"

Thorin grinned and nodded. "More than allowed."

Cheyanne pushed herself upwards with a grunt of pain, wrapping her arms around Thorin's neck to keep her upright. Thorin grabbed her worriedly. "This isn't safe," he said softly as his eyes met hers.

Cheyanne merely rubbed her nose against his. "I never had much concern for my own safety," she mused before covering his protesting mouth with hers. As soon as she tasted Thorin again, upright and happy, she realized just why she hadn't ever worried about her own safety. Thorin was there to protect her, and she would be there to protect him.

Thorin slowly lowered her back down, as though it would keep her from noticing, but Cheyanne was too happy to care. Her king kissed her gently on the tip of her nose. "I will love you forever, ê 'ibin," he promised.

"Save it for the vows, dwarf," Cheyanne suggested, eyes closing in sleepy happiness.

On a less gloomy note, proposals! I don't think this is how it works for realsies in Middle-earth, but hey, it's not Tolkien who's writing this, it's Gary.

Right?

...

I'm sad.