'You look different today, Brann.' Elsa, the carpenters wife, greeted Brann as they met on the way to the market.

Brann looked caught and stared at her feet, not knowing what to say. Elsa could not know what happened last night, or could she?

'Don't look down at your feet, dear. Its normal to glow like you do when two people take that important step.' Elsa smirked as she saw Branns shocked face.

'How do you...how could you?' Brann was almost speechless. 'Is it that obvious?'

'It is to me.' Elsa smiled. 'You and your husband have been visibly lost as you came here. I do not know what happened between you and I do not want to know. But with time you found your way and the innocent looks you exchanged proved to become more. And there is only one thing that can make a woman smile like that.'

Brann could not help but smile again and Elsa grinned as they walked down to the market side by side.

'May I ask you something?' Brann had thought about asking Elsa about it all morning, but she had not dared so far.

'Of course! You can ask me anything.' Elsa nodded and looked at Brann curiously.

Brann bit her lip. 'It is only the first time that hurts, right?'

Elsa looked at the young healer with a surprised look. 'The first time is never good for the woman. But it will get better everytime. Especially when the two people involved love each other that dearly. Don't worry, it will get better.'

'I know that as a healer I should know that, but...its different when I am involved myself. And Thorin...he...' Brann blushed furiously. 'He is big.'

Elsa laughed at Branns words which came out quiet and chocked. The young healer was so innocent and unexperienced that it amused Elsa.

'You will have a wonderful time, believe me.' Elsa blinked at the young woman. 'Thorin loves you very much, I can see it in his eyes. And you love him, too. Thats all that matters.'

'Thank you, Elsa.' Brann smiled at her friend and hugged her. 'I am so happy to have you as a friend.'

'And I that I have you.' Elsa smiled warmly. 'I hope that we will still stay in touch when your sister in law comes here?'

'Of course!' Brann assured her. 'Dis is a great dwarf, you will like her.'

Thorin took a deep breath of relief as he saw Brann and Elsa return from the market. Everytime Brann left the house Thorin was afraid that the ranger might follow her. But today they seemed lucky. He watched as Brann and Elsa bid their goodbye and the carpenters wife blinked at his wife for a last time before she entered her house. Brann had a huge grin on her face as she walked towards the smithy and Thorin chuckled as it became even wider as she saw him standing in the doorway. Brann ran the last few steps and jumped into Thorins waiting arms. The dwarven blacksmith and his wife slammed the door shut as they stumbled into the smithy, laughing.

The ranger stood at the end of the street watching the smithy. He frowned as he saw Brann and Thorin disappear into it. This was not going according to his plan. The arrogant dwarf should have driven his wife into the rangers arms and not the other way around. Slowly he moved down the street and walked towards the smithy. He could hear Brann laugh as he knocked onto the door. The dreamingly smile on her face died away as she saw him as her husband opened the door.

'Master dwarf.' the ranger greeted Thorin coldly. 'You have work to do. The weapons need to be ready when the days are getting longer. I suggest you focus on that.'

'I suggest you worry about your own business, keeping the people of Bree safe.' Thorin answered firmly. 'I assure you that the work will be done.'

'I hope that you are right, for your sake.' the ranger warned him. 'The people of Bree do not like their trust kicked in the dust by a dwarf and his kin.' he spat out the last word.

Thorin was about to give the arrogant man a piece of his mind and Brann stepped forwards.

'We should leave my husband to his work. And I am sure that you have important business to attend to, master ranger.' Brann said through clenched teeth. Thorin looked as if he wanted to hit the ranger and she was fighting to not beat him to it.

Surprisingly the ranger nodded and backed away. Brann rushed to their house and closed the door behind her after sending Thorin a reassuring glance. With a last glare Thorin looked at the ranger and slammed the door shut in front of his nose. The man clenched his teeth and turned away from the dwarfs home. He would take the woman one day, he was patient.

Brann watched the ranger leave from the kitchen window. Subconsciously she moved her hand to the dagger Thorin had given her. With the tip of her finger she caressed the blue saphire on top of the handle. Sighing she put it back into her coat and hoped that she would never have to use it. She started to prepare lunch as she saw Thorin walk to the market in a hurry. He had not told her that he would leave and Brann worried that he might run into the ranger again. She was about to follow him as she stopped herself. She trusted him and he would not jeopardize their future in the town by causing trouble. Thorin was a hothead, but he was also the most responsible person Brann knew. She concentrated on lunch and jumped as the door flew open and Thorin stood in the doorframe. The look he gave her was a mixture of love and longing and he made Brann toes curl.

'You are in time for lunch.' Brann smiled at him. She noticed that he was hiding something behind his back. 'Come in. And what are you hiding from me?'

Thorin came in slowly and shoved the door shut with his foot. He walked over to Brann and nuzzled her hair with his nose. Brann smiled and leaned back into him. As she turned around she saw a pot with flowers in Thorins hands. It was blue forget-me-not, the same color as Thorins eyes.

'Thorin, they are beautiful!' Brann gasped and looked at her husband. 'And in a pot!'

'I would hate killing the flowers in the color of Durin.' Thorin smirked. 'We could plant them in front of our door when they get bigger.'

Brann looked at Thorin with so much love that the dwarf king almost forgot to breathe. 'Yes, we could. Is that why you rushed to the market moments ago?'

Thorin smiled sheepishly. 'I saw one of the neighbours boys return with these flowers and I thought that they are perfect for you. He told me where to find them and since the market closes around midday thought I'd hurry and surprise my lovely wife with flowers. I should have done that earlier.'

Thorin placed the flowers into Branns hands and kissed her softly. Brann leaned into the kiss and moaned happily.

'Lunch is burning.' Thorin mumbled into the kiss and smirked as Brann jumped away from him, quickly placing the flowers on the table and taking the pan off the fire, cursing.

Thorin laughed quietly and helped his wife with the plates. He had met Rose and Margret at the market and they had told him that there would be a feast in Bree this evening. The two girls invited him and Brann, but Thorin had wanted to ask Brann first.

'What troubles you, Thorin?' Brann sat down beside him and frowned. 'You are so silent. Not that you usually talk alot...'

Thorin smirked at his wifes remark and took her hand. 'There is a feast in Bree this evening and the carpentes girls invited us. Since we are living here it may be wise to socialise a bit. What do you think?'

'A feast? Eating, drinking and dancing?' Brann smiled as Thorin nodded. 'I have one condition.' Thorin cocked his eyebrow at her as she continued. 'I will only dance with my husband.'

With a big grin Thorin pulled her onto his lap and kissed her hungrily. 'I will see to it that your wish is granted.'

Later that evening Brann looked at her wardrobe and tried out half of it. The only dark blue dress she had was a fine dress, which was not suitable for such an event. Grumbling Brann threw one dress after the other onto the bed and did not notice Thorin standing in the door smiling at his wife.

'Don't tell me that you have nothing to wear.' he smirked and made Brann jump.

'I have too much to wear.' Brann mumbled and Thorin took the opportunity to grab his wife and swirl her around in her undergarment.

'I could change that.' he smirked and made her laugh. He loved her laugh so much that he did not know how he could ever have lived without it. He was surprised as Brann took his face into her hands and kissed him passionately. Her body pressing against his made him dizzy and Thorin felt his control crumble. As a knock on the door disturbed their privacy Thorin growled irritatedly.

Brann sighed and grinned at him. 'You go, I can't open the door in my undergarment.'

'I am not sure if I can open it myself.' Thorin smirked and pressed his hips against Branns waist, causing her to grin sheepishly.

'Brann! Its me, Elsa! We are going to pick you up in a few moments, alright?' Elsa yelled through the door, obviously amused.

'See you then!' Brann yelled back and chuckled at Thorins shocked face. 'What? That saved us from opening the door. Quickly, help me chose a dress.'

Thorin smiled at her and went for a dark red dress. He chose a brown tunic matching her dress and soon the two of them headed out with Dorn, Elsa and their daughters.

As usual Thorin and Brann met curious glances, but today they did not bother. They were out with their friends and they planned to enjoy this evening. Dorn and Thorin had ale and Elsa and Brann went for mead. Rose and Margret sat with the other children and enjoyed a cheerful evening away from their parents. The four adults talked and Thorin found Dorns business quite interesting. Dwarves rarely worked wood and Thorin was eager to learn more about it. Elsa and Brann talked and chuckled and Thorin felt his cheeks redden at Elsa blinks. He did not even want to know what they were talking about. After dinner the musicians started to play, they started with songs to not get the people dancing directly after eating.

A woman started singing a song which made Thorin humm along quietly, so that only Brann could hear.

There's nothing I could say to you

Nothing I could ever do to make you see

What you mean to me

All the pain, the tears I cried

Still you never said goodbye and now I know

How far you'd go

I know I let you down

But it's not like that now

This time I'll never let you go

I will be, all that you want

And gather myself together

Cause you keep me from falling apart

All my life, I'll be with you forever

To get you through the day

And make everything okay

I thought that I had everything

I didn't know what life could bring

But now I see, honestly

You're the one thing I got right

The only one I let inside

Now I can breathe, cause you are here with me.

Brann closed her eyes and leaned against Thorins shoulders. Hearing him humming in his deep voice and listening to the lyrics made her feel lightheaded. Thorin knew that people were watching them, but he did not care. He placed a gentle kiss on Branns forehead and smiled at her lovingly as she looked up at him. Elsa looked at them and gave Dorn a nudge.

'When was the last time you looked at me like that?' she asked him.

'A few moments ago, when you weren't looking.' Dorn smirked and kissed his wife on the nose.

Brann smiled at Dorns sweetness and was about to turn back to Thorin as she felt a cold shiver run down her back. As she turned around she saw the ranger sitting in a corner watching her and Thorin. He cocked an eyebrow at her and raised his mug to greet her. Brann quickly turned around and met Thorins worried look. He looked past her and saw what, or better say who, had worried Brann that much. The dwarf firmly put a hand around his wifes waist and pulled her close. In that moment a merrier music started playing and people were rushing to the middle of the place to dance. Dorn and Elsa went to dance and Brann was about to follow them as she saw Thorin stiffen. Brann had never thought about it, but to her Thorin did not seem to be much of a dancer. He did look uncomfortable.

'Not a dancebear, are you?' she asked him and made him chuckle.

Thorin seemed to wake up from his petrified state and grabbed her hand. 'I promised you a dance with your husband. I did not promise you a good dance.'

Brann smiled as he led her to the dancing floor. Neither of them knew the dance so they tried to adapt to the steps and swirls by learning by doing. They learned quite fast and soon Thorin was swirling Brann around in circles, making her hair fly around and cover her face. Thorin then realised for the first time that Brann was not wearing any braids like dwarves did. He could not believe that he never noticed that before. To him Brann had never been a dwarf and therefore she did not need braids. But seeing her hair cover her beautiful face made him think about putting some into her mane if she wished to.

'Why are you looking at me like that?' Brann smiled at him.

'You have too much hair.' Thorin stated and made Brann laugh.

'I thought that dwarves liked that?' Brann teased him and threw her arms around his neck. They swirled over the dancefloor until Thorin felt dizzy. Feeling Branns body so close to him made him feel hot and his blood rushed into certain body parts. Brann noticed it and bit her lower lip as she looked at Thorin. People were watching, but Brann did not mind. She stayed close to Thorin as they left the dancefloor and told Rose and Margret to send their parents their regards. As they left the feast the ranger watched them with eyes turned to slits. His comrades laughed and teased him that the dwarf seemed to have something he had not, since his wife was that smitten with him. The ranger only rolled his eyes. He had always gotten the woman he wanted. And it would not be different this time. What could that dwarf give her what he could not?

Thorin and Brann nearly danced down the street to their home, laughing like two youngsters in love, not sensing any of the rangers dark thoughts. It had been a long time since Thorin had felt that way and he liked it. He liked not feeling the heavy responsibility of a king on his shoulders, but he knew that he had to get back to his duties sometime.

'You are thinking about your home again.' Brann looked at him closely. 'You miss the Blue Mountains.' she did not ask, she knew.

'I miss my friends and family.' Thorin admitted. 'But I do not miss the Blue Mountains. They are not my home.'

'Erebor is your home.' Brann remembered the night where he had told her all about the Lonely Mountain and how the dragon took it from the dwarves. 'Do you think that you will ever return?'

Thorin sighed and looked down at his feet. 'Erebor is lost to us. The dragon will guard the gold as long as he lives. His lifespan will outgoes ours and our grandchildrens.'

'And if you kill him?' Brann asked innocently.

Thorin frowned at his wife. 'Erebors whole army could not stand against him. How could we kill the beast now that we are deprived from our best weapons and armors?'

'There is always a way. Nobody and nothing is unscalable.' Brann said firmly. 'And I know one of the best blacksmiths from the Blue Mountains.'

Brann smirked at her husband and made him grin. 'One of the best?'

'Alright, the best!' Brann rolled her eyes in amusement. 'And with the biggest...ego I know.'

They had arrived at their home and Thorin pinned Brann against the main door. 'Rightly, I would say.' he grinned at her.

'Is that so? You are quite sure of yourself master dwarf.' Brann bit her lower lip and cocked an eyebrow at Thorin, knowing that these gestures had a provocative effect on her husband. Grinning, Brann left Thorin in front of the door. Thorin only looked at her and his eyes darkened of lust and desire. With a few big steps he had joined his wife in the bedroom and slammed the door shut behind him.