Author's note – Hey, I'd like to thank the people who have followed/favourited my story, even if I've only got the prologue and chapter 1 out now. I'd like to do a shout-out to Ivy of Mirkwood for being my first reviewer! :D (All Elvish and Khuz-Dul will be in Italics.)

Elvish Phrases and translations:

Tula Sinome - Come here

Mae Govannen - Well met

Mellonamin - My friend

Dola lle - Thank you

Lle ume quel - You did well

Adar - Father

Khuz-Dul phrases and translations

Vaen - Beautiful

'We were strangers, starting out on a journey,

Never dreaming what we'd have to go through.'

- At the Beginning with You, Richard Marx & Donna Lewis.

May 25th, 2769 TA

Just outside Erebor

A day later, the elves found themselves about half a mile from the doors of Erebor. Marissa was sitting atop her horse with a smile on her lips and her soaked hair plastered to her face, the group had been caught in a sudden downpour just as they had reached the borders of Dale and had been soaked within seconds… though the others were more irritated than she was, mainly because she absolutely loved the rain and they detested it.

"Why do we have to attend this feast?" Marissa questioned lowly as she rode in between her brother and father.

"You know why, Marissa," Thranduil scolded, staring down at his light haired daughter. Marissa winced at being heard and lowered her eyes respectfully as she always did when her father was frustrated at her.

"How long are we staying, Adar?" Legolas asked, subtly shifting their father's attention from his sister to him. Marissa sent Legolas a thankful look before slowing down to ride beside Tauriel so she could start up a conversation with the only other female in the group. Tauriel smiled brightly at the princess and Marissa returned it readily.

"Princess," the fiery haired elf greeted.

"How many times do I have to tell you? It's Marissa, not Princess."

"My apologies… Princess," Tauriel teased. Marissa sent her a mock-angry look and nudged her roughly.

"Tau—" Marissa was cut off abruptly as her father called out to her and the female elves both looked up to find the fortress of Erebor looming over them. They shared mutual looks of amazement and Marissa was off of her horse and standing beside her father's elk the moment the group had stopped and a dwarf had approached, ready to take their horses and the Elvenking's elk to the stables.

"What do you think?" Her father's voice by her ear had her jumping in surprise. He chuckled softly and reached down, stroking her wet, braided hair gently. "You are more like your Naneth every day," he said quietly after a few minutes of looking at her. "Such beauty."

Marissa stared up at him in shock, he never talked about her and Legolas' mother, so to hear him say that she looked like her had her heart skipping a beat and her cheeks warming. Her father seemed to realize his mistake and his usual stoic mask slipped back into place and he dropped his hand before holding out his arm. "Tula sinome, Mari." Marissa took his arm and followed him towards the gates of Erebor. Tauriel and another of their guard assisted the blonde haired dwarf in guiding the horses to the stable at the base of the mountain, mainly because they knew their king wouldn't appreciate a dwarf going near his treasured elk and because there were seven horses as well.

The other guards surrounded the royal family and walked with them towards the entrance. A dwarven escort met them at the gates and greeted them politely, bowing as was custom, though Marissa could see a hint of contempt in his dark eyes that was mainly aimed at her father, but remained in his gaze as he looked at all of them. She frowned but shook it off as they were led inside the mountain and through the long, winding hallways in the direction of the throne room.

Marissa's eyes were wide in awe as she gazed around her surroundings. On either side of them were statues of old dwarf kings in battle armour with axes clutched to their chests—they stretched all the way from the ground miles below and almost touched the ceiling. The wide walkway they were on led up to the throne, which had another walkway connected to it that led to passageways between the giant statues. There was another walkway behind the throne and two more just below where they were walking. The sunlight shone through the large windows before them and illuminated the Arkenstone embedded in King Thror's throne.

"Mari, pay attention," Legolas whispered as he pinched her gently. She nodded sheepishly and turned to stare ahead of her.

King Thror was sitting on his throne with his son and grandsons standing on his right with a few guards behind them and a couple more guards on the left hand side of the throne.

"King Thror, mae govannen, mellonamin," her father greeted smoothly.

"Welcome, Elvenking," the dwarf king replied, nodding his head. "I have had some rooms prepared for your party for the duration of your stay. I'm sure you'd like to retire and freshen up before the feast."

"Diola lle," Thranduil said in response, thanking the dwarf in his native tongue.

"This must be your son," Thror said as the elvenking made to turn away and the dwarves caught sight of Legolas and part of Marissa.

"This is my son; Legolas," Thranduil confirmed, tone full of pride.

"And who's the fair elf maiden?" All eyes turned to Marissa and she straightened up immediately, holding her head high as her father had taught her.

"She's my daughter." The politeness was gone from her father's voice and he held a hand out to her. "Tula sinome, Marissa."

"Adar," she whispered softly and took her father's outstretched hand, allowing him to walk her to the steps that led to the throne.

"What's your name, my dear?" Thror queried curiously as he took in her white-blonde hair, pale skin, violet eyes surrounded by dark green dust and the dark green, short sleeved dress she wore beneath a floor length black cloak.

"Marissa… heru en amin." She curtsied out of respect before stepping back into the safety and comfort that emitted from her father.

"Vaen," Thror said as he turned to look at his grandson. "Don't you think?" The dwarves around Thror chuckled deeply at his comment. Marissa frowned curiously, wondering what the dwarf king had said to warrant such a response. Her light eyes flickered up to the prince in time to see him nod slightly before he turned his incredibly intense, stormy grey eyes onto Marissa. She flushed at the sudden attention and dropped her gaze bashfully.

"If it is no bother, we would like to retire to our rooms before the feast, your majesty," Thranduil interrupted, not liking the way the dwarves stared at his only daughter. It was also clear by Legolas' body language that he didn't either as he tensed, grabbing Marissa's hand and guiding her to stand between him and Haemir—her assigned guard for their stay.

"Of course," Thror said before barking out an order to one of the guards next to his throne. The armoured dwarf nodded and gestured for the elves to follow him.

"Lle ume quel," Thranduil whispered to his daughter. She smiled up at him, happy to receive his praise. She pulled her hand free from Legolas' and hooked it around her father's arm.

As they walked, Marissa risked a glance back over her shoulder at the dark haired dwarf prince… to find him watching her retreating form. When he met her gaze, he smirked at her in satisfaction as her cheeks turned an even deeper red. She smiled back hesitantly and quickly turned away before her father or brother could catch her staring at the dwarf.

After Marissa had been shown to her room, she'd unpacked her belongings and stuck the dresses she'd taken with her in the wardrobe near the door along with her riding gear and her riding boots and spare pair of slippers.

She glanced around her room with satisfied eyes before making her way to the door, deciding to go on a walk around the mountain to familiarise herself with her accommodations for the week. She walked through the hallways with eager eyes, taking in the portraits that hung from the walls in between lanterns that stuck out slightly and lit up the dark hall.

When she arrived at a staircase with two passageways on either side of it, she chose to go left, heading down a steep path and entering into a large chamber with a large variety of different gems and jewellery strewn about on wide work benches. The gold and silver gleamed under the candle light.

Marissa's lips parted in amazement and she walked forward until she was standing in front of the work bench, reaching down and carefully picking up a silver necklace with a small emerald surrounded by metal that twisted around it like vines.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Marissa yelped in fright, the trinket flying from her hand at the sudden voice. She spun around to find the dwarf prince standing in the doorway.

"I… forgive me for just barging in here, my lord," Marissa said quickly, scrambling to pick the necklace back up and put it back where she found it. "I was just exploring."

"There's no forgiveness needed, you're not breaking any law," he told her, finding her flustered expression to be highly amusing for him.

"I—uh, of course my lord." She looked away in embarrassment, and busied her hands by smoothing out a crease in her dress.

"So, you are the great Elvenking's daughter?" he queried as he walked closer to her. Marissa looked down at him and felt a hint of surprise at the realization that he was actually quite tall for a dwarf as the top of his head just reached her shoulder.

"Yes… and you are one of the princes, though, I am afraid I don't know your name," she pointed out.

"Thorin. My name is Thorin."

"Well, Thorin, perhaps you could show me around?" she asked mischievously, her violet eyes sparkling in the minimum light from the candles and Thorin found himself comparing them to the amethysts he'd seen the miners work with in the past, they were beautiful and practically glowed in the darkness.

"It would be my honour." Thorin gestured for her to walk ahead of him and she did so without complaint, heading for the exit with an excited grin on her face. She couldn't wait to get to know the dwarf prince more.