Thorin and his wife woke up to childrens yelling the next morning. Groaning, Thorin tried to cover his ears with his pillow and Brann chuckled at the sight. Last night they had collapsed into bed, tired from all the catching up with Dis and Dwalin. Thorins sister informed them of some political agreements with the other dwarven kingdoms and that Balin had everything under control.

'Uncle Balin runs your kingdom.' Dwana stated at breakfast and cocked an eyebrow at Thorin. 'You are the king. Why do you hide here and work as a mere blacksmith?'

Dwalin winced at his daughters open hostility, but Thorin answered calmly.

'Yes, I am the king. Therefore it is my responsibility to care for my people as well as my family. We came here to find the peace and quiet we needed in our marriage. To successfully rule a kingdom a king needs an inner peace. Brann gives me that peace.' Thorin surprised everyone with his statement and Brann eyes grew wide at her husbands open words.

'And you could only find that in Bree? In a town of men where the city guards have already laid eyes on your wife and queen? Why should she stay married to a dwarf when she has the chance to have a man?' Dwana saw the dangerous gleam in Thorins eyes, but she did not care.

'Dwana, enough!' Dwalin yelled at her. 'I am sorry, Thorin. We will leave as soon as possible. Maybe my daughter will learn some manners in the Blue Mountains.'

'No, Dwalin. Please sit down.' Brann was irritated by Dwanas words, but she could see the pain and the confusion in the young dwarfs eyes and tried to be patient. 'Dwana, you are still very young and you have suffered a big loss as your mother died. But you surely know love, do you? I love my husband. I do not care wether he is a man or a dwarf. And as far as this town is concerned. We will not stay here forever. And I could care less about what some men in this town might think or do.' she could feel Thorin shift beside her and winced at his worried look. But she could also see slight anger in his look and sighed. She should have told him about the ranger and she decided to do that after breakfast.

Dwana had gotten silent and looked into her bowl of milk and oatmeal. Dwalin was still frowning and Fili and Kili looked into the round with big eyes.

'Love Dwana. Altho mean sometimes.' Kili stated proudly and grinned at the young dwarf girl. Fili covered his face with his hands in embarassment for his little brother, but Dis and Brann had to smile. It was impossible to not fall for Kilis charm.

Breakfast continued silently and afterwards Dis and her boys cleaned the kitchen while Dwalin and Dwana went to the forge.

'Will the girl help you in the forge?' Brann asked Thorin in astonishment. She knew no female smith, although Dwana would make a good one, of that Brann was sure.

'We will see.' Thorin needed to talk to Brann before he left to work. 'Why didn't you tell me that the ranger and his friends still bother you? Even threaten you?'

Thorin tried to not be angry about the fact that Brann had kept this a secret from him, but he was hurt and he needed an answer.

'I am sorry that I did not tell you anything.' Brann sighed and sat down on their bed. 'But I did not want to worry you. And I was afraid that you might do something you would regret afterwards.'

'Like what?' Thorin growled. 'I would never regret defending my wifes honor. I protect what is mine.'

'I am no object, Thorin.' Brann hissed. Although she liked him being possessive, his choice of words in this moment was insensitive. 'And how would you have protected my honor? You would have lost you reputation as a blacksmith and maybe even more.'

'Then at least we could leave this Durinforsaken town.' Thorin mumbled and Brann paled.

'I did not realise that you were unhappy here.' she whispered. Of course he was unhappy. He was the king of the Blue Mountains. And here he was working as a blacksmith in a town of men and living in a tiny house. Brann cursed herself. He had done all of this for her, for them. Brann was not able to say another word. Silently she stood up of the bed and walked out of the house, in need for fresh air. Dis looked at her in worry as she walked out, but she had seen this coming as she had heard about the ranger and her not telling Thorin about him. The man had been there as she had arrived wit her sons. Dis thanked Mahal that they had arrived when they did. Even if the presence of Dwana was nervewracking Dis was sure that the stay at Bree would do good to all of them, even if not everyone was aware of it.

Thorin sat down where Brann had sat before and sighed heavily. No, he was not happy in Bree. But he was happy with Brann and he had hurt her again. He did not know how, but he had seen the hurt in her eyes as she had stormed out.

'What did you do now, brother?' Dis voice from the door made him jump.

'Why am I always the one who has done something?' Thorin grumbled. 'My wife was the one who lied to me.'

'She tried to protect you, brother.' Dis told him gently.

'It is my duty to protect her not the other way around.' Thorin stated firmly and frowned at Dis chuckle.

'You should stop to see Brann as the girl she was when you met. She is a woman now, which I am sure you already know.' Thorin did blush a bit at his sisters words and Dis knew that she was right. 'She is your queen, she is on eye level with you. You will need her help as well as she will need yours.'

Thorin and Dwalin worked fast that day. Both dwarves used their work to divert their thoughts from the females in their lives. Dwalin had no ide how to cope with his daughter and Thorin had no idea how to take back the words he had thrown at Brann earlier this morning. Thorin cursed himself for speaking before thinking. He knew that words could hurt more than a sword sometimes, but this knowledge did not keep him from lashing out with words at the people surrounding him.

Dwana brought them their lunch into the forge and silently emerged from the forge seing Thorins death glare.

'I know that she is your daughter, but she is a brat.' Thorin growled at Dwalin and looked at him in surprise as the dwarf with the mohawk grinned.

'Balin said that she behaves like me in that age.' Dwalin told Thorin. 'i have found new respect for my parents, may they rest in peace. Dis told me that she suspects that Fili and Kili come after you after you and Frerin and not after her and Lindin. I guess that depends wether the two rascals behave or not.'

Thorin smirked at his friends comment and thought about Fili and Kili. He had planned to accept Fili as his heir, but lately his mind wandered off to a possible new future. He and Brann would have children someday. And these children would be his heirs. But Brann would never get pregnant when they continued like this. In this moment Thorin was that preoccupied with his thoughts that he hit his thumb with the forging hammer. Cursing, he let go of the hammer which fell onto his foot, right behind the steel tip. Dwalin looked at his king in alarm, but soon began to fighgt his laughter.

'Thats not funny for Durins sake!' Thorin shook his hand with the injured thumb and hobble around in the forge, makng Dwalin laugh even more.

'You should see what I see, cousin.' Dwalin chuckled. 'Never think of a woman when you work. But maybe we should first take a break. The stew is getting cold. Your wife is a great cook by the way. Soon you will look like Bofurs brother Bombur.'

Thorin snorted, but he took a testing look down his body.

At the end of that day Thorin undressed in his bedroom and looked down at himself again. He held his breath in his lungs and looked down his belly. It looked flat and muscular as always.

'What are you doing?' Brann had silently entered their bedroom and looked at her husband with an amused expression.

'Nothing.' Thorin straightened and tried to cover his stomach. But Brann had already walked over to him and took his tunic out of his hands. She slightly brushed his abs and made Thorin shiver. He had to ask. 'Did I change?'

Brann tipped her head at his question. 'In what way? You are still the dwarf I got to know on the battlefield.'

'Maybe not quite.' Thorin had not trained for since Moria and he felt unfit. 'You cook so much delicious things and I...no wait! This was not an allegation!'

Brann had turned away from him and her shoulders were shaking. Thorin thought that she was crying, but as he reached her he realised that she was trying to stiffle her laughter.

'You are asking me if you are getting fat aren't you?' Brann pressed out between the laughter. As she saw Thorins frown she cupped his face. 'I am sorry that I am laughing at you. Its just that...you are the most attractive man..dwarf I have ever met. But even if you would gain weight and would look like master Bombur one das I will never change my mind. And no, you have not gained weight.'

But Brann could not stop laughing and her laughter was infectious. Soon Thorin was chuckling, too and they had to sit down on their bed to catch their breath.

In the neighbouring room Dis nearly fainted as Fili asked her if uncle Thorin and aunt Brann would do the thing Dis and his father had done to become Kili. Dwalin and his daughter did not hear the laughter. They were occupied with glaring at each other silently in their room.

'Oh my...my stomach hurts. That was a fine workout for the belly muscles, dear husband.' she teased Thorin and made him grin.

Thorin laid his forehead against hers and so they remained for a while.

'I am sorry that I did not tell you about that ranger.' Brann whispered and looked at Thorin with big brown eyes, making him growl.

'Don't pull that Kili look on me, woman.' Thorin grumbled and took her chin into his hand. 'And don't keep something from me ever again.'

Brann shook her head and kissed Thorin on the nose. 'I promise. But you will have to promise me that you will not lose your temper when that man comes near me or our home.'

'I will protect what is...' Thorin bit his tongue soon enough. 'You.'

'All yours.' Brann smiled warmly at him. 'Only yours.'

Her words touched something in Thorin that made him feel hot. Brann moved her hands over his and caressed his muscular lower arms. She could not help it, she had to touch her husbands body as often as she could. Brann moved her hands up Thorins arms and shoulders and back down his chest, her fingertipps brushing his nipples and making him hiss. Their lips met in a desperate kiss before either of them could even think about what just happened. Brann climbed onto Thorins lap, straddling him and Thorins hands moved into her long mane. As his tongue entered her mouth and started dominating her tongue Brann moaned in pleasure and pressed her hips against him, feeling his growing erection. Branns lips and her chin were burning from his rough treatment and his beard but she did not break the kiss. Her hands were driving Thorin mad and he felt how he lost control.

'I am not sure if I can be silent.' Brann whispered and bit her lower lip.

'Then just don't be.' Thorin grinned against her lips and pushed up her dress, caressing her thighs while he moved his hands upwards. Brann worked on his pants and freed his manhood from his pants. She positioned herself over his erection and pushed herself down. Thorin filled her completely and she felt deliciously stretched as she started riding her husband. Thorin growled in delight as Brann pushed herself up and down his manhood. He watched as her head fell back and she opened her mouth in a silent cry as he pumped up his hips. As he brushed the sensitive bundle of nerves inside of her she could not fight back a quiet cry. Thorin closed his lips over Branns nipple and kneaded her other breast with his callous hand while Brann bit her lower lip to chocke her moans and cries. As Thorins hands moved to her bottom and supported her moves Brann was already close. Thorin was mumbling something in Khuzdul and Brann had to smirk.

'You can speak your secret dwarven language my dear husband, but I know that you just said mine.' Brann whispered into Thorins ear and felt him grin against her cheek. 'Gods, Thorin!'

Her moves became erratic and Thorin silenced her cries with a kiss. Brann moaned into his mouth and pushed Thorin over the edge as she clenched around him. He nibbled her lower lip as they rode out their orgasm.

'Mine.' Thorin murmured as he kissed his wife and hoped that Brann did not take his possessivness the wrong way. But she only smiled at him and kissed his nose.

'Always.' she answered before they crashed into the mattress and fell asleep in each others arms.

Thorin woke up as the sunlight shone through the bedrooms window and smiled sleepy as he saw Brann try to get the cuttling out of her dress. After a while she cursed and chose a new dress. Seing her undress woke Thorin up for good and he wished that they could repeat what they had done before falling asleep, but he could already hear Fili and Kili on the other side of the door.

Brann turned around and smiled at Thorins dreamy face. But she had not forgotten what he had said the day before.

'We do not need to stay here, Thorin.' Brann needed to speak her mind before she lost her courage. 'It has no use when you are not happy here.'

Thorin pulled her close and looked up at her. 'Are you happy here?'

Brann frowned and sighed. 'I do not have a home anymore. My home is where you are.'

'You stole my answer.' Thorin smirked and gently kissed Brann. 'And I believe that we are not the only ones who need some peace and quiet to settle down in life.'

He had barely finished the sentence as they heard a quiet knock and Fili and Kili stormed into the room, despite Dis terrified cry. Thorin thanked Mahal that Brann was already dressed and covered himself with the sheet. But as he looked out into the living room he saw that Dwana was looking at him and her gaze trailed over his bare torso. The young dwarf girl blushed, but she did not look away. Thorin knew that look. Many women had looked at him that way. Suddenly he felt a cold sting in his guts. The provocative behaviour Dwana was showing towards Brann and also himself made more sense now. Thorin gave her his best cold frown and sighed in relief as she turned away. This was not good.

Brann had seen Thorin frown at somebody outside, but she did not know what troubled him. She had her arms full of dwarflings and tried to keep Kili from tearing away the sheet from Thorin. Laughing she swirled out of the bedroom with one dwarfling under each arm and kicked the door shut to give Thorin some privacy to get dressed.

'Hey, you little rascals! Will you help me with breakfast?' she asked Fili and Kili and cocked an eyebrow at Dwana. 'What so you want to eat? Do you like eggs with potato?'

Dwana only shrugged her shoulders. 'Fine.'

'We love eggs with potatoes!' Fili exclaimed and Kili nodded along.

As Thorin joined them in the kitchen Brann saw the sudden change in Dwanas behaviour. The young dwarf tried to behave and showed her best side. She helped Brann in the kitchen and took care of Thorins nephews. During breakfast she glanced at Thorin various times. Brann could see that Thorin felt uncomfortable, but Dwalin did not seem to realise that his daughter was just developping a major crush. Dis was much too busy with her sons and Brann decided to speak with Elsa when she had the chance. She was not used to a big family, in her old village it has always only been her parents and her two brothers. No cousins, no nephews, no further relatives. Brann felt overpowered by Thorins family, but she tried to keep up to the challenge. She loved Thorin and she loved his kin...she would learn to love Dwana too some day.