'Thorin!' Dwalins alarmed voice and the complete ignorance of Thorins title during council made Thorin jump and frown at his old friend. But as he saw Dwalins pale face he realised that something was not well.

'Master Dwalin, what happened?' Thorins tried to stay calm.

'The queen...' Dwalin had to take a breath before continuing, but Thorin immediately stood up and took Dwalins shoulders.

'Brann? What happened? Tell me now, by Durins beard!' Thorin was about to panic. He had rarely seen Dwalin that agitated.

'Brann...I mean the queen...she ran into lady Dara.' Dwalin muttered.

By Mahal, she killed her. Brann killed her was all Thorin could think.

'Dara? Did she do something to my daughter?' lord Mara, Daras father spoke up from the other side of the table.

'She...' Dwalin tried his best, but he could not hold back a chuckle. He did try to hide it with a cough. 'I was told by some passing dwarves that the lady Dara has challenged queen Brann openly. The queen reacted like every proud queen of Durin´s Folk would. She dragged lady Dara out to the gates - by her hair. Lady Dara is - by queen Branns order - banished from the Blue Mountains.'

Thorin was close to fainting. The council errupted in shouts and cries, some of protest and some of agreement and Dwalin looked at Thorin for orders.

'Shazara!' Thorin yelled and silenced the council immediately. He turned back to Dwalin and looked at him closely. 'How exactly did lady Dara challenge my wife?'

'It seems that the lady Dara has informed the queen about some rumors that she was to become your second wife.' Dwalin answered as a matter of fact. 'Queen Brann defended her honor and threw her out. You will have to talk to the queen herself for more information.'

Thorin swallowed hard. Dara had confronted Brann with a decision that was yet to be made. He felt his anger rise, but these feelings were soon replaced by a high amusement over Branns reaction.

'The council is dismissed.' Thorin growled at the council dwarves. 'And I believe that your proposal about a second wife has just been clearly denied.'

With a faint smirk Thorin left the council hall, ignoring the shouts of protest.

'Where is she?' Thorin asked his captain, who gestured towards the throne room.

'I was told that queen Brann awaits us in the throne room. And she has company.' Dwalin shrugged his shoulders at Thorins questioning look. His guard had not told him more than that.

As they entered the throne room Thorin saw Brann stand beside his throne, talking to a grey haired dwarf. She was pale and seemed shy around him, for she lowered her head when she spoke to him. Still remembering the past incident with lady Dara Thorin frowned at his wifes open submissive gestures. As she met Thorins gaze Brann paled even more. Thorin was about to speak up as the visitor turned around.

It was the second shock for Thorin that day and he was not sure how many more surprises he could take. Dwalin inhaled sharply and fell to his knees. Thorin could neither move nor speak for a few seconds. Thrain was the one who spoke first.

'I remember you being scarce with words, but I would appreciate it if you would find a few nice words for your father.' Thrain said with a smirk.

Thorin opened his mouth a few times, but he could not say a single word. He had to clear his throat several times before he could speak.

'Father.' he croaked hoarsely. 'How...'

Brann had had more time to recover from her shock and ended the sentence for Thorin.

'Your sons and your dwarves searched for you after the battle of Azanulbizar. They could not find you and thought you dead.' Brann told Thrain quietly.

'I thought as much.' Thrain nodded and eyed his oldest son. 'I am sorry that I did not come back earlier. After your grandfathers death I was...devastated. I could not form a decent thought, all I could think about was my grief. I wandered the wild, not knowing who I was and where I was. I met Gandalf the Grey when I passed the Misty Mountains. He healed me and made me remember. And now I am here. I hope that you can forgive me for ignoring the needs of my family in my grief.'

Thorin listened, his face an unreadable mask. 'Much has changed since you...left.'

Thrain nodded and smiled at Brann curiously. 'Indeed. Like this precious jewel at your side. A woman from the race of men. Interesting. But the soul of a dwarf.'

Brann smiled shyly and decided that father and son should be granted some privacy. 'My lord, husband, I will retire and see to it that your old room will be prepared in the royal wing.'

Thrain nodded his thanks and watched Brann and Dwalin leave. Thorins gaze was only on his father. 'She is a nice young lady, Thorin. You have to tell me more about her. And the circumstances of your meeting.'

'Later. I will bring you to Dis. Her second son, Kili, was born as we returned from Moria. She will be happy to see you.' Thorin took his fathers arm and walked to the door.

'A second son? She and Lindin must be proud.' Thrain stated and winced as a sad look darkened Thorins face. 'What is it?'

'Before we leave for the royal wing I have to tell you more.' Thorin knew that there was no easy way to tell his father how many dwarven lives the battle of Azanulbizar had cost. 'Lindin and Frerin fell in the battle of Azanulbizar.'

'Lindin...and Frerin...my son!' Thrains knees gave away and he would have collapsed if Thorin would not have held him by his shoulders. 'Frerin...'

Thrains eyes filled with tears as he looked at his oldest son. 'Please, you have to tell me everything.'

After a while Thorin and Thrain decided to visit Dis and use the privacy of her chambers to inform Thrain about what had happened the last two years. Dis, of course, had been informed about her fathers arrival and already awaited them. With a teary sigh she threw herself into the arms of her father. Fili only looked at his grandfather with big eyes and Kili hid behind his big brother.

'Father!' Dis sobbed. 'Bless Mahal, I never thought that I´d feel the warmth of your arms ever again!'

'My daughter!' Thrain held her tightly. 'My little jewel!'

'Little? Mum no little...' Kili whispered loud enough that everyone could hear.

Thrain looked down at his grandchildren and smiled warmly. 'Fili and Kili. My grandsons. Come here.'

Fili shyly stepped forward, Kili always staying behind his brother, looking at Thrain from behind Filis shoulder with big eyes. Thrain kneeled down before them. 'The little one looks like you, daughter.' he stated. 'Fili is all Lindin.'

As he heard Dis sigh he turned around with a sorrowful look in his eyes. 'I am sorry, I heard...'

Dis only nodded and walked to her sons, taking them into her arms. She pointed towards the fireplace. 'Please, sit down. I will get them into bed and then we´ll talk.'

Thrain and Thorin both sat down in front of the fireplace and waited in silence until Dis´return.

'Now.' Thrain looked at his children with a determined expression. 'Tell me everything.'

And they did. They told him at what cost the battle had been won and that they would have had even more casualties if Branns people would not have come to their rescue.

'Lord Dan and Lady Gwen?' Thrain frowned. 'I remember passing their village before the battle. And queen Brann is their daughter?'

Thorin nodded. 'She is a healer, like her mother. Lady Gwen, Brann and Oin worked for days without much sleep to ensure the best medical attention for our soldiers.'

'So, your queen is a healer? I already thought that she looked a little frail for a warrior. But please, go on.' Thrain sat back and listened. He smiled as he heard that it was Frerin who had shown interest in Brann in the first place. He nodded in appreciation as Thorin told him that Brann had been reluctant to become Frerins wife because she had not fallen in love with him. His eyes filled with new tears as he heard how Frerin, Lindin and Branns family had died. So much death. For nothing.

As Thorin told him how he took Brann as his wife due to tradition Thrain nodded in agreement. 'It was the only right thing to do, my son. So that is why you married her. I was already wondering. She is not your usual type at all.'

'I have been blind in my previous life, father. Brann is the best thing that ever happened to me and I love her from all my heart.' Thorin told Thrain, who looked at his son in surprise. Thorin had never before spoken about his feelings that freely.

'It was a bumpy road until you realised it though.' Dis smirked and continued to tell the tale. She did not leave out a thing. How Dwalin fainted as she gave birth to Kili, how beautiful Brann had looked at her wedding, how Thorin deceived her. Thrain frowned deeply as he heard about his sons escapade, but he listened to his daughter in silence. As Dis told him that she broke Thorins nose Thrain hummed in appreciation, earning rolling eyes from Thorin. Thorin then informed his father that he and Brann had lived in Bree for the last six months, trying to give their marriage a second chance.

'A marvellous idea. And it seems that it worked. You two are close, I could see it in the way you look at each other.' Thrain murmured and rubbed his hands. 'Does that mean that I might probably get another grandchild soon?'

'Father!' Dis shrieked with laughter as Thorin blushed and looked at his father in shock. He was not prude, but he did not want to talk to his father about such things.

'Alright, alright.' Thrain held his hand up in amusement. 'Well...this is alot to handle. And tell me one last thing - who was the dwarf lady Brann dragged to the gates by her hair today?'

'She what?!' Dis had not heard about that yet and stared at her father and her brother. 'She did what?'

Thorin could only repeat what he had heard from Dwalin. 'Apparently Dara tried to provoke Brann. She told her about the councils proposal to me to take a second dwarven wife to keep the line of Durin pure. And she said that she would be more than willing to take this place.' Thrain huffed at this, but stayed quiet. 'Brann...well, she grabbed Dara by her hair and dragged her all the way to the gates and told her never to come back. This is when our father first met her.'

Dis was so shocked that it took a few moments for her to burst into laughter. 'Sweet Durin! I love her! Dragging that floozy out by her hair! I swear, if I did not know better I´d say that Brann is a dwarf!' she held her stomach while tears of laughter streamed down her face.

Thrain smirked and nodded. 'A very impressive first meeting with your wife, Thorin. And about the pure Durin blood argument...screw that.'

Thorin looked at his father with big eyes. Thrain had never been so open with Thror around.

'I know that your grandfather would probably have agreed with the council, but...he is not in this world anymore.' Thrain took a deep breath. 'And after all what your wife did for us and our people I support your decision in not taking a second wife.'

'By the way...have you talked to Brann about that?' Dis asked Thorin who shook his head. 'Thorin...'

'I did not deem it necessary.' Thorin muttered. 'I have never even thought about it and would never have considered it. Why tell her?'

'Right. Having Dara tell her that was the better way.' Dis remarked dryly. 'Although since that made Brann throw her out for good I think we should be grateful that Dara could not keep her mouth shut. But you, brother, are a pighead!'

'Father, won´t you tell you daughter that she shall not talk to her brother like that?' Thorin growled and Thrain grinned. He was home.

In the meantime Brann was pacing in the royal quarters. She had ordered the servants to bring food to Dis chambers, since she guessed that the Durin family had forgotten about lunch as well as dinner while Thrain was catching up with what he had missed the last years. After all what she had heard about Thorins family she would never have guessed that Thorins father was so - nice. He looked quite terrifying, especially with the missing eye - Brann had decided that she would give it a look because the wound seemed infected - but his behaviour towards her was more than polite and considerate. Brann recognised much of Frerin inside of Thrain, less of Thorin. Then Thorin must be like his mother Brann mused. In all these years, Brann had never asked Thorin about his family, out of fear to bring back bad memories. But now she was curious.

Sighing Brann decided to take a walk outside of the mountain. She knew that Dwalin would make sure that she was safe, she had known that he had followed her during her first months in the mountain to watch over her. As she walked down the corridors of the dwarven city she felt thath someone followed her, but she knew that it could not be Dwalin. She turned around and faced a red haired dwarf who looked familiar.

'Lord Mara, my queen, at your service.' he greeted her coldly.

Brann instantly knew who he was. 'Brann, at yours.' she answered politely, but coldly. She should have said her title, but introducing herself with her title still seemed strange to Brann.

'I hear that you had a quarrel with my daughter.' he stated as a matter of fact, but Brann could feel the hatred in his voice.

'Yes, that is correct.' Brann nodded and tried to not look as intimidated as she felt.

'You may want to reconsider your actions my queen.' Mara hissed. 'Durin´s Folk is newly settled here. Although wealthy and powerful they need the support from the dwarves of Ered Luin. Of my dwarves. Banishing my daughter will cost king Thorin alot.'

'Is that a threat?' Brann was furious. 'How dare you even speak to me about this? Your daughter showed repeated disrespect towards her queen. Be thankful that I did not have her head.'

Brann had no clue if dwarven royalty punished disrespectful manners this way, but as she saw Mara pale she knew that she had actually hit the bull´s eye. But she also knew that lord Mara did have a point. Thorin needed a good relationship with Ered Luin. He needed the trade and the military support.

'Dara may come back into the mountain IF she apologises to me in front of the whole court.' Brann knew that this would be another massive humiliation to Dara, but she did not care. She was the queen and she needed to show strength. And to be perfectly honest she did want to humiliate Dara a tiny little bit than she already had. Most likely Dara would never apologise to her anyway.

Lord Mara was about to explode, but he decided to yield in the last second. The queen was no young and naive girl as he had expected. She was intelligent and strong. He knew that he had no choice. As much as Durin´s Folk needed the dwarves from the Ered Luin, his dwarves also needed the wealth and protection from Thorins dwarves. Grinding his teeth Mara nodded.

'I think that this will be acceptable, I will talk to her.' he snarled and turned away without giving Brann another look.

Brann frowned at the repeated disrespect, but she was relieved that this conversation was over.

'What an ass...' Brann jumped as she heard the voice come from behind the next pillar. Dwana emerged from behind it and watched Mara leave.

Brann could not help but grin at Dwanas honesty. 'Language, my dear. But you are right.'

Dwana smiled openly at Brann. Their initial dislike was long gone. 'You are on your way out, right? Can I accompany you?'

'I would love to.' Brann nodded and linked her arm with Dwanas. She noticed that Dwana was carrying a sword and an axe at her sides.

'Can you wield those?' Brann asked surprised.

Dwana only gave her a look. 'Sure. Dwalin is my father.'

Brann laughed at that answer. It actually made sense. She looked at Dwana again and made a decision.

'I have an offer for you.' Brann told Dwana and waited a while to express it. 'What do you say about becoming my court lady?'

'A courtlady? ME?!' Dwana looked at Brann as if she had lost her mind.

'Why not? We get along well. And I could make sure that you get the best education there is in the Blue Mountains. Plus, you can fight. And who better protect me than my own courtlady? You would be a courtlady and a bodyguard to me.' Brann suggested and saw a gleam of interest in Dwanas eyes.

'I will not have to wear girly and silk dresses do I?' Dwana sighed and made Brann laugh.

'If this is your only worry, then no. You can wear whatever you like. You would only have to dress up on formal occasions, but I warn you, there are plenty.' Brann answered and blinked. 'And maybe one day - I would ask you to show me how to wield a sword - or an axe.'

Dwana grinned at Brann. 'I gladly accept then. I will also gladly show you how to use a sword. But an axe...meh...better not.'

It was obvious that Dwana meant no disrespect and her honesty was one of the things Brann loved about the dwarf girl. Together they stepped into the night and laughed and talked like sisters.

For those of you who wonder about Thrain actually being here - in the LOTR Appendix they say that Thrain II survived Azanulbizar and settled with his kin in the Blue Mountains. Later he left to reclaim Erebor, but failed and was imprisoned in Dol Guldur. I will go for a mix of movie and appendix in my story.