Disclaimer: I own nothing, obviously.
A/N: As I said yesterday, Thank you so much to everyone who has already reviewed this story. You don't know how much that means to me.
Chapter 2
Frerin POV
I hefted the bag further up my shoulder and walked into the Royal families private dining hall, the fire was blazing and the cooks were setting out a few different drinks around the room. In the corner was a small table, already piled high with gifts for our little sister. I smiled at the thought, Ariana had really changed a lot within the family and the mountain. She was a breath of fresh air after our mothers death and seeing her smile made the pain of that loss more bearable. I placed my gift down on the side of the table and moved back down the hall towards our chambers, cleaning up quickly before knocking on Ariana's door. I poked my head around the door and saw her seated on the floor before the fire reading a thick book. "Careful namanith, you'll become as stuffy as Thorin." I teased and smiled when she turned and stuck her tongue out at me.
I chuckled and moved to sit behind her, grabbing her hair brush from the stand near the bath chamber. I began to brush out her long hair, knowing that despite her lack of beard, she was respected for the amount of hair that grew on her head, and because it was such an inky black it fit in well with our family, my hair being the exception. I set the hair brush down and we sat in silence, only the sound of Ariana turning the pages could be heard. I listened to the faint noises coming from the corridor, hearing when Dis and Thorin moved towards the dining hall. "Namanith, shall we go for a walk. I think we might be able to sneak a few treats from the kitchens if we're quick." I said tugging lightly at strand of her hair, inhaling when she turned to me and shot me a cheeky grin. I returned it and hoisted her up into my arms.
She giggled and curled her hands into my braids, flicking my nose when I grumbled as she pulled one of them. "What just because I pulled you hair doesn't mean you get to pull mine." I declared and she rolled her eyes, nodding her head, then looking around and frowning. "I know this isn't the way to the kitchen, I lied. We have a surprise for you and I didn't think you would come if I told you that." Her eyes went wide and even I could read the fear that started to creep into them, I stopped and shook my head, hugging her tightly to me. "Namanith, whatever is going through your mind it needs to stop, this isn't a bad surprise. It's a very good one, no one in the room we enter will hurt you. I swear it." She stared into my eyes as we spoke and then nodded. I continued down the corridor and then shifted Ariana slightly, so I could better open the door. "Remember, I swear it." I whispered into her ear and she nodded.
As the door swung open we were greeted with the sight of my siblings, father, grandfather and cousins all grinning and looking over at the little girl in my arms. "Happy Birthday Princess." Adad said, walking over and pressing a kiss to her forehead. She smiled shyly and then wriggled. I set her down gently and she dashed over to grandfather, who gladly picked her up. "Happy birthday little sister." Throin murmured and pressed a kiss to her cheek, Dis repeating the sentiment and gesture. Balin dipped into a little bow and signed 'Happy Birthday', to her which made her grin. She giggled as Dwalin gently tickled her ribs as he wished her happy birthday.
Grandfather moved over to a seat and sat, gently pulling a few strands of her hair towards him, and placing the braid to fall down past her ear. He then placed the bead he had forged on to the end, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Happy birthday ghivashel. This bead and braid lets all in the mountain know that you are my grandchild, that you are a child of the line of Durin. That you belong." He told her showing her the intricately carved bead, made of the customary silver and sapphire of our house. Although the silver seemed to shine brighter than usual, I sucked in a breath quietly when I realised it was probably Mithril and not silver that grandfather had used.
Adad was the next to approach Ariana with a gift, he handed her a velvet pouch and tipped out a necklace that carried a series of silver panels, each engraved with a different rune, Daughter, Sister, Durin, Princess, Survivor. There was two blank panels on either end for if she wanted to add more on. He slipped it around her neck and it hung low on her chest because of her small size, causing her to frown. "Don't worry about it sweet child, you'll grow in to it." Father said pressing a kiss to her forehead, before taking a lock of her hair and braiding it before placing a bead of his own, the rune for daughter encased in emeralds. She twisted both in her tiny finger staring at them like she couldn't believe they were there.
Thorin approached her next and gave her a thick book filled with stories and tales from our history written in Khuzdul and then added a thin silver bracelet to her left wrist, it also had a panel connecting the delicate links with her name engraved in runes on it. Ariana slid her finger tip over it and smiled, causing my normally dower brother to smile back. Dis presented Ariana with a delicately carved wooden box, which inside held another bead that she added in a braid next to adads, the rune for sister decorating its surface. I darted forward next and picked up the satchel that I had had the men of Dale make, I opened up the leather to show Ariana the little gifts inside. One was the dragon figurine she had been drawn to in the market a week ago and I had purchased when she hadn't been looking. The others were three small eggs that shined in the firelight, one ruby, one sapphire and the other a bright shining white. She smiled over at me and I pressed a kiss to her nose, causing her to swat at my head.
I chuckled as she missed and watch Balin present her with a sketchpad and charcoal and a thick tome of Khuzdul and Ingleshmek stories, chuckling when she looked at him then at Thorin. "Yes these are stories, but they are ones about your family and the mischief they have gotten up to, especially your grandfather" He said chuckling at the look on grandfathers face. She turned and pressed a kiss to his cheek and he calmed, pressing one to her forehead. Dwalin was the last to give his present and his eyes sparkled as he passed her a leather bag, motioning for her to unroll it. We all gasped at the shining daggers that were nestled in the leather pouches, each one different to the other ranging from needle like blades to one almost the size of a hunting knife. She smiled widely at Dwalin and handed him the bag as she slid of grandfather's knee.
She pulled out a normal sized dagger and began to twirl it deftly in her hands, flipping the blade up and around, catching it by the handle every time. "Where did you learn to handle a blade, Givashel?" Grandfather asked and she smirked, pressing a finger to her lips. "It's a secret, really?" I asked and she nodded, sliding the dagger back into its sheath in the leather. Dwalin rolled the daggers back up and the held up a bead for her to see, and she nodded turning to add it next to grandfathers. When I moved to looked she shook her head and hid it in her hands, running behind Dwalin who chuckled. I shrugged and we all moved over to the table to sit and eat the small feast that the cooks had laid out for us.
Ariana clapped her hands delighted when the platters of beef and roasted potatoes were brought in, along with pies filled with pork, duck and venison. She smiled as the cooks also placed chips and a stew with dumplings in it. They bowed to her and she smiled widely at them, signing out her thanks, to the delight of everyone in the room. The room was filled with little songs and stories of other birthday parties that had been held, especially focusing on the ones from when we had been Ariana's age. She was giggling uncontrollably at Balin's story of Dwalin's eight birthday that she nearly fell from the chair she was sat in. The cooks smiled at the sound and brought in a small cake and a spiced pumpkin pie that Ariana really seemed to enjoy.
The rest of the evening progress with stories and songs and eventually found Ariana curled up in grandfather's arms fast asleep, clutching his family braid and bead in her fist. He stayed still as we all pressed soft kisses to her forehead and cheeks before rising and taking her back to her chambers, with Thorin and I following with her gifts. Grandfather removed her shoes and the belt that was around her tunic, before settling her under the light blankets on her bed. Thorin banked her fire as I arranged her gifts on her table. "May this be the first of many happy birthday's for you my little givashel, for you deserve them and so much more." I heard him whisper and turned as he was pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Over the next few days, Ariana's mood was infectiously happy. She had even begun to craft her first piece of metal work down in the forge with Thorin and I. It was only a small little token that would fit on a piece of leather, but she had insisted that she carve it herself, not allowing us to look as she carved the rune into the little piece of silver. She had been delighted with the little token, making us wait until she had finished threading it onto the leather. She then showed it to us and Thorin and I gasped at the delicately carved rune for Grandfather etched in amongst a typical dwarfish pattern. She frowned as she looked up at us and I quickly smoothed my hand down the thick braid of her hair that Thorin had done this morning before he would allow her near the forge. "It's beautiful namanith. I'm sure he will adore it." I told her reassuring her as Thorin nodded, "You have a real talent for this little one, you are truly a dwarf at heart." He told her pressing a kiss to her forehead, causing her to beam at the praise.
I shook my head and we moved out of the forge to allow some other smiths into use it, Ariana tucking the token away around her neck. We moved up through the mountain and she pointed towards the training fields, Thorin nodded. "Yes, yes go find Dwalin. Make sure he knows that the new guards are due for inspection in three days." She nodded and waved, darting off through the crowd and we craned our necks to watch her dart out along the fence around the training grounds. We both nodded at each other and then moved up towards our rooms to freshen up before going to the throne room, there was a council meeting we were supposed to attend soon. I stood beside Thorin in the throne room as we watched the council members crowd around the bottom of the steps, I caught Thorin's gaze and he tilted his head, he was bored as they nattered on about something completely irrelevant. I smirked, noticing how much easier it was for all of us to communicate without words now that Ariana was in our lives.
The council was just dispersing as Ariana burst through the chamber door, her breath hitching and as she drew closer, I saw tears streaming down her face. The council cleared a path for her as she ran, knowing that to delay her was to risk the wrath of the King. Grandfather had stood at her entrance and was now kneeling down to pick her up, adad at his side wiping away the tears from her cheeks. It was then that I noticed the mark around her cheek that hadn't been there when she had left us, I nudged Thorin and nodded my head at it. He tilted his head and I knew he had seen it, but we couldn't ask where it had came from as Dwalin burst into the room, looking fit to murder someone. His face lost some of its anger as he saw Ariana with us, but he stalked forward and bowed his head. "Permission to hunt the coward who dared to harm the princess?" He asked and Thorin turned to him.
Dwalin followed his movement and raised an eyebrow. "We left Ariana with you, how did she come to be hurt?" Thorin snapped out and Dwalin growled. "She was sitting on the fence watching me put the recruits you want to inspect through their paces. While they were doing it, a little shit decided it would be funny to knock out one of the more promising recruits with the handle of his axe. I had stalked closer to him to check on the fallen recruit and hadn't noticed that Ariana had gotten down from the fence. Before I unleashed hell on the recruit, I turned to check on her. Stood beside her was a dwarf I don't recognise and he was staring at his hand, which he then backhanded her with. I bellowed, he ran and before I could check Ariana she ran too. I've got one of the other trainers dealing with the recruits, I wanted to deal with the bastard that hurt a child." He snarled out and Thorin nodded.
Ariana was patting grandfathers arm and signing that it wasn't Dwalin's fault, she knew she should have stayed on the fence, but she had wanted to check that the recruit was alright because he had been kind to her. Grandfather nodded and gestured for Dwalin to rise. No more was able to be said as the doors opened again and a contingent of dwarves from the Ironhills walked in, our uncle and Daín his son, walked in front of them. Behind Daín, one of the soldiers eyes widened as he took in Ariana curled up in grandfather's lap and I heard Dwalin growl, his hand straying to his axe. "Greetings Thrór, King under the Mountain." Uncle declared as he approached the throne, bowing deeply and then looking at Grandfather when he didn't return the greeting.
Grandfather was staring down at the soldier, who looked to be trying to make himself as small as possible. "Have your company been with you since you arrival?" Adad asked, standing next to Grandfathers throne, a hand on his sword and another on Grandfather's arm. Ariana squirmed and grandfather released her, letting her climb down and dart over to Dwalin who placed her between him and Thorin, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "No, one was sent to the training grounds to see if the princes were there. Why?" We all glanced down at Ariana and she nashed her teeth at the dwarf, "That is impolite, maybe you should control you spawn." Uncle drawled out aiming it a Dwalin, clearly thinking Ariana was his. "My granddaughter probably has plenty of reasons for showing your guard her teeth, least of all that lovely bruise that is forming on her cheek." Grandfather barked out and both uncle and Daín paled.
Uncle and Daín turned to the soldier; just stared at him, both of them missing the fact that Ariana was signing rapidly to us. They came to check on Grandfather, they think he's going mad. Their advisors were talking about it as I ran here. She scowled down at them, nashing her teeth and I moved over picking her up. The dwarf's eyes followed the gesture and she let out a snarl, glaring daggers at him. He frowned, "I had no idea who she was when I met her, I just knew she wasn't a dwarf and when I touched her, she bit me. The reaction was instinctive, forgive me." He said simpering and bowing lowly. Dwalin growled, "Is that why you were staring at your hand for so long before reacting?" He stared at Dwalin like he was something vile and Ariana frowned and narrowed her eyes at him. He's an asshole. She wrote the runes on my neck and I looked down at her, although she ignored me, wondering where she had learned that language.
"So despite the fact that she was a child, you felt it necessary to hit her. Considering that you are nearly twice her size and many times stronger than she is?" Dis' voice sounded down the walkway as she approached the throne from behind the company. Every dwarf stared at her as she drew her hunting knife and grabbed the guard by the beard. He stumbled along behind her and I smirked, Dis could be completely ruthless when she wanted to be. The dwarf fell to the floor as Dis flicked her knife around, cutting off several of his beard braids. Ariana wiggled and I let her down, she gripped Dwalin's belt and he looked down at her nodding. She smiled and moved past him, her braid swinging behind her. She stopped in front of the dwarf and watched him, looking at his braids on the floor.
He looked up at Ariana and a sneer formed on his face, everyone of us reaching for a weapon as he did. Apparently that was pointless, Ariana twisted out of the way of the blade of his sword, swinging the blade of a familiar dagger into his wrist. He grunted and she hammered her elbow into his temple, causing him to tilt forward and turn sideways on to us. Ariana was immediately behind him and had the blade of Dwalin's dagger pressed to his throat, her face set in a sneer. I blinked and looked at Thorin, who showed exactly the same amount of astonished pride on his face as I am sure was on mine. It seemed our little sister wasn't as helpless as we thought, although Dwalin seemed to look smug as well as proud.
Grandfather stood and we all watched as he walked down to where Ariana and the guard were, placing a hand on his sword. "I think you have something to say to my Givashel?" He said, not really paying attention to the reaction the dwarves gave as all his attention was on the guard. I glanced at Thorin and he nodded, soon everyone would know exactly what my Grandfather treasured most in this life and it wasn't just the Arkenstone. Soon it would be around to every dwarf community that King Thrór had an easily captured weakness. Well they would think it was an easy capture, but after Ariana's little show with the dagger I doubt it would be. The guard was clutching his wrist and was not saying anything. Ariana rolled her eyes and moved around to stand next to Dis, signing It's ok Grandfather. I don't expect such filth to know what an apology is. Her Ingleshmek perfect and her face serious, I leant over to Thorin and whispered in his ear, "She takes after you with that scowl." He turned and glared at me.
The dwarf stood and tried to reach for her, not getting far as Grandfather's sword sliced his arm off. "Do not touch my Grandchildren, any of them, but certainly not my granddaughters." Thorin and I moved down to stand behind Dis and Ariana, each resting a hand on Ariana's shoulders. Grandfather waved a hand and three of our guards walked forward. "Take him down to the cells. Keep him there until I decide what I will do with him." The guards bowed and wrenched the dwarf to his feet, one picking up the severed arm. They walked away and grandfather turned to look at the company before him, "Well then what can I do for the Lord of the Ironhills?" He asked turning back to his throne and sitting down.
Uncle looked at grandfather for a minute before blinking and speaking. "We came to pay our respects to the new princess. I will admit when I got your latest raven this was the furthest thing from what I expected to read." Uncle said, Daín shifting behind him and smiling over at Ariana. She tilted her head, studying him. I tuned out what grandfather and uncle were saying as he walked forward, feeling Ariana tense slightly. Daín bowed and the reached out to touch the bead the had come loose from her braid, he then yelped before he could touch it and waving his finger around. I let slip a chuckle, "Sorry iraknadad, she bites everyone, takes after me. Your guard wasn't particularly special, I would recommend not going near her face if I were you, although you've just learnt that."
Daín stared at her and I for a while, before his moustache twitched. Uncle turned and looked like he was going to say something, but it was drowned out as Daín began to laugh loudly. "Oh I like her. Welcome to the family, although I am pretty sure that you already deeply set in it by now." He chuckled, giving her a wink and laughing when she rolled her eyes. "Look Thorin, it's a mini-you." He chuckled, clearly amused by this. Thorin shook his head, but ran a hand down Ariana's loosening braid and smiled when she turned and looked up at him. Dwalin took his dagger back and wiped it on the inside of his tunic. "Care to explain, Dwalin, how my daughter know's how to use a dagger?" Adad asked and Dwalin just shrugged, "I didn't actually have anything to do with that. She was already pretty good at it."
We all turned to Ariana who was signing something quickly to Balin, so quickly that I couldn't catch most of it. She turned to look at us and blinked her eyes, an innocent look on her face. "Mhm namanith? You want to explain?" Dis asked and she shook her head, signing, I don't know what you're talking about. I chuckled along with Daín, "Well, if you believe that your dumber than a goblin." He said and we all nodded as Ariana smirked up at us, completely unaffected by the fact that we knew she was lying. I turned to look at grandfather out of the corner of my eye, catching the shadows lingering in his eyes lift when he looked down at Ariana.
A/N: I have a feeling that the general thoughts for Ariana's other half are at least going to be Elvish. I am currently writing a Thrain POV chapter and them I'm thinking of writing a chapter from Thrandy's POV. So any comments on that would be appreciated, but that probably won't be up for a few days, or at least until Friday ;) Also the main sentence swimming in my head right now for at some point is along the lines of a "she's my sister/ she's my wife" argument between Thorin and Elf!