'What has he even done to you?' Zial looked at her parents in shock. Guards had entered the kitchen and had dragged Thror away from her. She had been told to return to the royal chambers at once and the princess did not understand. 'He is scared and insecure, he has just lost his home! How can you be that coldhearted?'

Thorin flinched under his daughters words, but Brann took her daughter by the shoulder and led her to the armchair by the fireplace. 'This dwarf, Dara, has nearly destroyed our family, my gem. She...she tried to trick us into believing that Thror was your adads son and tried to deceive us for a place amongst the royal household and near your father.'

'I do not understand.' Zial frowned at Thorin. 'Why would she want to be...? How could she even...this does not make any sense!'

Zial had noticed the similarities between Thror and her adad and she had also realised that Thrors name was a connection between their house and Daras. But all of this made no sense to her.

'I know that this is alot of information, but we will wait for the others to explain everything to you.' Brann told her daughter. They would inform the whole family at once.

Thorin and Brann summoned the royal family in their quarters, Dain and Mya, Thorin Stonehelm and Dwana, Dis and her sons, Dwalin, Balin and their daughters. Nori was invited as well.

'As some of you might know already, Dara is back in the Blue Mountains.' Thorin informed his family. He winced as Dis cursed loudly.

'Who is his Dara?' Gwen wanted to know. 'And why to you all hate her so much?'

Fili and Kili looked at each other in worry. They had witnessed Daras intrigues, but they had been too young to fully understand.

'You do not need to know everything.' Brann frowned. 'But long story short, Dara wanted your adad for herself. She could not accept that we were happy and she and her family did not accept me because I am no dwarf. She wanted to be queen and to achieve that she tricked us into believing that Thror was Thorins son. You two had been born already.' Brann turned to her older daughters.

'But he isn't?' Gwen looked at her father with a frown. She sighed with relief as he shook his head.

Zial was taken back by the news. She knew, as a healer, that Dara could only have tricked people to think that Thror was Thorins son if he had slept with her in beforehand. The thought that her adad had betrayed her amad made her sick.

Brann saw the disgust in Zials face as she looked at her adad and realised that she needed to tell her daughter everything. She could not bare to see her daughter despise her father because of this mess. The queen took her oldest daughters hand and led her away.

'Zial, my gem, please do not look at your father like this. It was not his fault.' Brann started, but Zial snarled at her furiously.

'He must have slept with her, otherwise nobody would have thought that Thror was his son!' Zial had tears in her eyes. 'He betrayed you!'

'He did not betray me, Zial!' Brann grinded her teeth. Her daughter did not need to know that Thorin had indeed betrayed her after their wedding. That had been a different time. 'Dara drugged your adad. He was in Ered Luin for political reasons and stayed with Daras family. Her father was the lord of Ered Luin. During dinner they slipped him Narcotica. Your adad did not remember anything from that night.'

Zial seemed relieved, but her anger was still there. 'What happened to Dara? How did you find out that Thror was not adads?'

'Master Nori found Levek, Thrors father.' Brann told her. 'As the betrayal was revealed, Dara was banished from the Blue Mountains. Her father and her mother died as they attacked me and your father.'

Zial had to sit down. That was alot of information. Nevertheless, she could not hate Thror. 'Thror did not do anything wrong.' Zial whispered. 'How can you deny him help when it was his mother who decieved you?'

Brann frowned deeply at her daughters question. She was right and the queen knew it. Cursing quietly she returned to her family. Thorin looked at her and frowned. He knew that look.

'You want to grant them to stay?' Thorin asked quietly and waited for Brann to nod.

'The Red Mountains have been burned down by the enemy.' Brann sighed. 'Who are we to deny them our help?'

'We are the ones who Dara and her family would have left to rot if it was the other way around.' Thorin growled. 'How can you have pity with her? After all that she has done to us?'

'I do not pity her.' Brann shook her head. 'I pity her husband and her son. And I do not want to take a mother from her dwarfling.'

'I really hate to say it, brother, but she is right.' Dis grinded her teeth. 'If we throw them out of the mountain after all they had to go through, we would be no better than Mara was back then.'

Thorin looked at the sons of Fundin. Dwalin grumbled into his beard and Balin nodded at Dis words.

'I will have guards posted at their door.' Dwalin looked at Nori. The spy nodded and left certain things unsaid. He would have an eye on Dara and her family.

'Where is Levek now?' Thorin asked.

'I sent a messenger to get him back.' Dwalin crossed his arms in front of his chest. 'He should be back by now.'

'I will speak to them.' Thorin made for the door and turned as he heard Brann follow him. 'You will stay here.'

'No way in Mordor I will stay behind. This is not about you, Thorin.' Brann was astonished about her husbands decision. 'This is about us.'

'I need to do this.' Thorin pulled Brann close. 'Dara nearly ruined our lives because of me, because of my foolishness. I was too weak to protect you and our daughters back then, but I will protect you now.'

'It is not solely your responsibility to protect us.' Brann told him and pressed her hand against Thorins chest, over his heart. 'We are in this together. I am your queen and I will not let you take all the responsibility for this.'

Thorin cupped her hand with his and sighed deeply. 'But...'

'Oh, for Durins sake!' Thorin Stonehelm stood up and stomped to the door. 'I'll tell the floozy and her family that they better watch their steps. You stay here and throw sweet nothings at each other until we all can't take it anymore.'

Before either of the royal family could react, Thorin Stonehelm was out of the door, leaving everyone behind with stunned expressions. Brann started to chuckle as she saw Myas apologetic look and Thorin cocked an eyebrow at Dwana.

'Don't look at me like that, he is right, you two are way too sweet. Its horrible.' Dwana stated firmly and rocked her dwarfling back and forth.

'Maybe its not that bad that Thorin is going to speak to them.' Dain mused. 'This way you will show Dara that she is not worth your time and thoughts.'

'We should punish her with ignorance?' Brann looked at Thorin. 'That actually makes sense.'

'I will not punish Thror for anything!' Zial exclaimed and reminded her parents of another problem. 'He is nice and I will continue to meet with him.'

'Oh no, you will not.' Thorin grumbled.

'You have no right to tell me with whom to meet!' Zial yelled at her father and pushed her fists into her hips.

'I am your father and I have every right to tell you who to meet!' Thorin roared and made Brann jump. She knew that Thorin worried about their daughters, but yelling would no help anyone.

'Stop the yelling, both of you!' Brann held up her hands and walked towards her daughter. 'Do not speak to your father like that, young lady! And you...' she pointed at Thorin. 'No yelling.'

'Zial, dear, you can meet with Thror if you want...' Brann told her daughter and looked at Thorin with a glare as he was about to burst. 'But ONLY when either Fili, Kili, Gimli or Gwen is present with you.'

Thorin quickly closed his mouth as he heard his wife's words. This would be an acceptable compromise.

'You want us to travel in packs?' Fili asked and made Brann smile.

'Yes, you will take care of each other, is that understood?' Brann looked at every dwarfling.

'And if I take Nain? Does that count?' Zial smiled at Dwana.

'Ask again in five years, when he can hold two axes.' Dwana told the princess.

'So, we all agree?' Brann looked around and sighed as nobody objected.

'We will take our leave.' Dain and Mya stood up and helped Dwana with Nain. 'It was a long day.'

Mya nodded at Brann with a proud expression on her face. 'You are a great queen, my dear. I am proud to call you my friend.'

'I am not great, Mya. I only have great friends and a great family who give me strength.' Brann smiled and gently laid her forehead against Myas as she passed her.

'I will prepare dinner.' Dis walked out with her sons. 'We will eat in my rooms tonight. I will use my chance and have dinner with our whole family as long as you all are here.'

'We are happy to be here.' Mya told them. 'It seems as if it is never boring here! We will miss this when we leave again next week.'

Brann nodded at her sister in law and turned to her husband as their guests were gone. 'I am sorry that I decided without asking you. But...'

'You decided well, my queen.' Thorin assured Brann and squeezed her hand in his. 'I trust you and I cherish your opinion. You are my wife, never forget that.'

Brann smiled and bit her lower lip at her husbands words. Sometimes she could not believe how lucky she was with Thorin as a husband.

'Why should I come with you?' Gwen exclaimed and jerked her parents out of their daydreams. 'I do not want to play with Thror. His mother tried to destroy our parents lives!'

'His mother, not him.' Zial looked at her sister pleadingly. 'Please, I want to speak to him and you heard amad. I shall not go alone.'

'Maybe you should stay away from him, as adad said.' Gwen looked back at her sister and straightened her back.

Zial sat back in her chair, despair in her face. Brann was about to walk over to her, but Gwen sighed and took her sisters hand.

'I will accompany you, if only to protect you when needed.' she smiled at her sister and clenched her fists. 'You are my sister and I will not leave your side.'

'Why do I have the feeling that I might regret asking you?' Zial sighed, but grinned at Gwen. 'Thank you, sister.'

With a questiong glance at their parents the twins stood up and walked to the door.

'Dinner at Dis rooms this evening.' Brann shouted after them and looked at Thorin, whose expression had changed again.

'Dara already influences the life of our family.' Thorin growled. 'Our daughters are not free to move in their own mountain. I curse the day I met her. I curse myself for ever involving myself with her.'

Brann cupped her husbands cheek with her small hand. 'Maybe we do not need to worry. Lets wait and see.'

The next days passed slowly and everyone was tense. The adults tried to live their lives normally, but their thoughts still lingered with the intruding family. Zial had decided to not visit Thror immediately and had waited until their paths crossed again by chance. Zial was with her sister, Fili and Kili as it happened. Thror had wanted to speak to her, but the kings nephews had glared at him that menacingly, that he had not dared. Daras son had recoiled and had watched Zial from afar. She had been the only one who had been nice to him and his family and the young dwarfling wanted to thank her. After a day he took a deep breath and walked over to the princess, despite the presence of the kings nephews.

'Zial.' Thror tried to smile althought he was nervous. 'I...may I speak to you? Alone?'

'No!' Gwen, Fili and Kili exclaimed and glared at Thror. Zial rolled her eyes and looked at her family members with a scolding look. She walked away a few paces, but not out of sight.

'Please excuse them, they are only worried about my...safety.' Zial hoped that the boys mother had told him why their family was having a difficult standing in the Blue Mountains.

'My mother told me why people are looking at us with hatred in their eyes and behave as if we were not there.' Thror told her and smiled sadly. 'Adad was furious, but she said that she deserved it. I...I am sorry...for what she has done.'

'This is not your fault, nor your adads.' Zial was disgusted by the peoples behaviour. 'You have nothing to be sorry about.'

Thror smiled at her and glanced over her shoulder towards the other dwarflings. He knew that he if he wanted to spend time with Zial, he had to face them first. He walked past Zial and met with the others.

'Thror, at your service.' he introduced himself and looked straight back at them. He looked at the three royal dwarflings and decided that he would need to win Gwens trust first. He would have a long way to go.

Thorin smirked as he watched his daughter in the arena. She was currently in a training fight with Thror and...won. Both used wodden swords, but Gwen fought as if it was a fight until death.

'Thorin?' Brann appeared behind him. 'Why is our daughter beating the poor boy to pulp?'

'He wants to spend time with Zial. He knows that the only way to achieve this is over Gwen and Fili and Kili. Even if he survives this against Gwen, the hardest part lays still before him. He needs to get past Fili and Kili.' Thorin grinned knowingly.

'You are pure evil!' Brann chuckled as she saw Thorins smug expression. 'The poor boy!'

The queen watched as Gwen landed a blow and hit the sword out of Thrors hand. But the boy would not give up. He grabbed Gwens hand which held the sword and turned it onto her back. The princess snarled and swung her head backwards, slamming it against Thrors nose. Brann winced as she heard a quiet crack and heard Thror groan.

'The boy has guts.' Thorin was impressed. The king watched as Thror swipped the blood under his nose away with the back of his hand and stood up to face Gwen. But he would not let the training fight get out of hand.

'Shazara!' Thorin emerged from the shadows and walked into the arena. 'There shall be no bloodshed in a training match of dwarflings. Save your strength for the real battles which may follow in your adult life.'

'Yes, my king.' Thror bowed and the four royal dwarflings lowered their gaze at the kings appearance.

Thorin took Thrors chin into his hands and lifted his face into the light. 'Your nose might be broken, see Master Oin with this.'

'Zial is a healer, she can look at it.' Thror dared to say and made Thorin smirk.

'Healer Oin. Now.' he growled and Thror hurried to get to the infirmary. The king watched him leave and smiled. The boy really had guts.

'The boy impressed you, admit it.' Brann smirked as she went to bed with her husband. Their evening had been chaotic. Zial had yelled at Gwen for breaking Thrors nose and had not spoken to her father because he had not allowed her to tend to Thrors nose. The twins were growing up and Brann had silently said goodbye to the peaceful days.

'He comes after his father.' Thorin said. Levek had challenged him years ago and had shown strength and honor. Although he was only a miner, he had won the kings respect that day.

'Thank goodness.' Brann sighed. She had not seen Dara since their encounter in the lower halls and she did not plan to meet her again. Nori had informed them that Dara did not leave her chambers and that she dreaded the hostile behaviour of the dwarves of the Blue Mountains. Levek brought her food and water and stayed by her side when he was not out with the guards. None of them had even tried to talk to Thorin, Brann or any member of the royal household. Dwalin had taken care that Levek would only be on watch under his own command and kept an eye on the former miner. They had everything under control. Everything but their daughters and nephews.

'Where is she? Did you find her?' Zial asked her sister breathlessly as they met in the corridors.

'Yes, yes, I found her and then I decided to hide her again so that you can find her.' Gwen answered sarcastically.

The royal twins had been taking care of their younger sister and had looked away for a mere blink of an eye. And now Belladonna was gone and the twins panicked.

'Fili and Kili are searching on the top levels.' Zial was pale mand shivered. 'We have to find her!'

In the meantime, Belladonna was wandering around in the lower halls. Dragging Blacky behind her, she looked around and hummed a song. The little princess was curious and had an adventurous streak. She had knowingly left her older and boring sisters to go to places she had never seen before. She had just passed the servants quarters as she heard a voice call out for her.

'Well, hello little precious one, what are you doing here all by yourself?'

Belladonna turned around and looked into the face of a cooper haired dwarf woman.