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A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, I am very grateful that you are enjoying the story :) Also I apologise that it's taken a little longer than I thought to get this chapter up.

Chapter 3

Thrain POV

I sighed wearily as I walked into my chambers, glad that my brother-in-law, nephew and their men had finally left. Daín was a loud bastard, his father a dour, kiss ass and I was tired at forever having to watch out for an attempt on my children, my father or myself. I knew it was unlikely that a coup would come from the Ironhills, but it would not surprise me. Not when I was sure that a month after their arrival, every dwarf in middle earth knew about my little daughter and how dear she was to us all. I shrugged out of my furs and boots, sinking down into my armchair. I leaned my head back against the headrest, smiling when I thought back to one of the happiest days of her stay with us. It had happened a week into the visit and we were gathered in adad's chambers.

~*Flashback*~

I walked into adad's chambers to find all four of my children crowded into the kitchen, Ariana and Dis making us some dinner, while Thorin and Frerin tried to sneak little scraps off the plates they had already prepared. I chuckled as Dis smacked Frerin's hand away with the spoon in her hand without looking, acting so like her amad that it took my breath away for a second. I sat down at the table, smiling when Thorin placed a mug of ale in front of me. We all turned at the sound of the door slamming shut and adad's stomping footsteps that echoed from the door.

We all froze as my father stalked into the chamber and threw his sword onto the wooden drawers next to the door. I moved to stand, worried that something bad had happened. I needn't have worried as a voice we hadn't heard in over 6 months rang out in the room, refreshing like the rain after a drought. "Grandfather." Ariana darted away from the kitchen top and took hold of adad's hand. His face one of shock as she dragged him to the table and pushed him into his seat. He blinked as she put a plate in front of him, taking it off an unresisting Dis. All of us, soaking up the sound of her voice. "Look what Dis taught me to make today. I think I made them right, Dis said I did. What do they taste like?" She asked, her voice so sweet to hear after the silence.

Adad shook himself out of his stupor and looked down at the pies that rested on his plate, he picked one up and broke a bit off. The pastry flaked away and the smell of gravy and meat drifted through the air. Adad placed the piece of pie into his mouth and chewed, his eyes widening. "Givashel, I can say that I have never tasted anything as fine as this in all my years. Dis taught you well." She beamed at him and helped Dis to bring the rest of the pies and plates to the table. None of us said anything as she chattered on throughout the meal. When we had finished, Thorin and Frerin did the washing up and the rest of us went and sat in the small living area, Ariana curled up next to adad.

Dis cleared her throat and we all turned to look at her. "Namanith, please don't take this wrongly, but why are you speaking now?" Ariana tensed, but relaxed as adad curled and arm around her. "It wasn't that I didn't want to, I did. At the beginning I wasn't sure that I could trust you, no one had been that nice to me before, then I just didn't know how to start talking again. I had just always been told that I was suppose to be seen and not heard and that if I dared to open my mouth I'd be sorry. I found that out." We all flinched, knowing exactly what those words meant, that was what had happened to her before she had arrived with us. Thorin came in and knelt down in front of her. "You will tell us if anyone ever threatens you like that again and we will present you with their tongues. No one speaks to my namanith like that."

She smiled down at him and nodded, "Can we keep it quiet? Maybe let Dwalin and Balin know, but not anyone else? At least not yet." We all nodded and the evening continued on much as it had been, but we were all thrilled to hear that soft, welcome voice sounding through the chamber. Just before we all left for the evening, Ariana tugged on adad's beard braid and he leant down. "I wanted to give this to you last week, but I forgot. It's what I made in the forge with Thorin and Frerin." She handed him a small token on a piece of leather and we all watched as his eyes teared up. "Givashel, thank you so much. It is beautiful and I will treasure it forever." He passed it over to me and I stared at the delicate engraving on the small piece of metal amazed that my little child had done this.

Thorin and Frerin were puffed up with pride, "We didn't actually touch any of it. We just stood behind her and directed her, she did it all herself." Frernin crowed out and suddenly I realised that everything was alright with my family again, yes we would still grieve for my wife, but the amazing little girl that was sat in front of us had healed us just as we had healed her. I smiled at this realisation, I would no longer care what any of the council said, stuffy bastards that they were, this little child had saved the line of Durin.

~* End*~

I chuckled as I remembered what Dwalin's face had looked like when he had heard Ariana speak for the first time, he had about fallen on his ass causing us all to laugh. I closed my eyes and leaned back, just listening to the odd set of footsteps that managed to filter in from the corridor. I frowned when I heard my door open and then close again. I stayed silent, barely able to hear the footsteps that belonged to the person that had entered. "Adad? Are you alright?" Ariana's voice sounded, her Khuzdul perfect, and I sat up again and nodded. In her arms, was the book that Balin had given her for her birthday. I waved my hand and she crawled up into my lap. "What is it mizimith?" I asked her, replying in Khuzdul. It seemed to be the language she preferred and none of us were going to be-grudge her that. She opened the book to a story and I scanned the page quickly.

I inhaled slightly, I was the story of my beginning courting attempts with the dwarrowdam that would later become my wife. "Will you tell me about her? I've read the story, but it would be different coming from you." She said and I nodded, swallowing around the lump in my throat. "I think my sweet wife would have loved you. She always wanted another daughter, but we were pushing it having three children. Most families generally only have two children, maybe three as after that it can get quite dangerous for the women." I told her and she nodded, closing the book and resting it on the table next to us.

I spoke about how my wife had been everything an attractive dwarrowdam should be, a tidy well kept beard, thick hair braided and decorated with beads and jewelled clasps. Ariana put her head on my shoulder and listened as I talked, telling little stories that at the time had seemed so important, but wasn't really now over 85 years later. I told her that when I had first started courting Dris that I blathered on and on and she had just looked at me and said, 'Is your asshole jealous of all the shit that comes out of your mouth?' Ariana giggled at that and I laughed with her. "Yes, you can see how that was completely scandalous. She had said that to the crown prince and it took balls of brass to say that. That was one of the things that endeared me to her, with her I was just Thrain. I wasn't anyone special, she knew that I was the crown prince, but she treated me as any other dwarf."

I continued to tell little stories until I looked down and found her asleep with a small smile on her lips. I sighed and got up, cradling her in my arms and walking back to her rooms, placing her down and pulling off her boots, belt and fur lined coat. She curled up under the blankets and I smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead and creeping back to my room. I sat back in my armchair and although I was tired, I couldn't resist reading a few of the stories that Balin had given my daughter. I cringed at the first few about myself and Thorin, they seemed to be all about biting and I groaned at the story of me biting Girion's grandfather when he first came into the mountain. None of my kids would let me live that down if they read this.

I left the book on the table and finally moved through the motions of getting ready for bed, falling asleep straight away; dreaming of my wife and all our adventures. The next morning dawned bright and clear and I sighed as that meant I would have no excuse not to take my daughters across to Dale to look at the markets. I groaned as I strapped my sword to my waist and quickly rebraided all my braids in my hair and beard. I was just clasping the beard braids when Ariana darted through the door, her hair tied back into several different braids. I lifted her up into my arms, hugging her tight, "Good morning mizimith. How are you today?" I asked her and she smiled, signing that she was fine and excited to go to Dale. I nodded, noticing that the bead that Dwalin had carved for her had the runes for strong warrior on it.

I smiled and walked over into the royal dining chamber, seeing my other children already seated there, "Good morning adad, namanith. Are still going to the markets today?" Dis asked and I nodded, letting Ariana down so she could give her brothers a hug and a soft headbump. Thorin scowled at the thought, "Take Balin with you, there's been reports from sentries that a few dwarves from the Blacklock clan entered the mountain very late last night. You know what they're like." He said and I nodded, prepared to allow that knowing how much of a target my daughters were, despite their skills.

It was as I was leaving the mountain that I realised that far more guards than Balin and a few other were following us. I turned to look at Balin, who shrugged, "Frerin refused to allow Ariana out of the mountain without at least three of her own guards on top of me. Yes mizimith I am aware that you bite and have a lovely selection of daggers to choose from, but I would rather like it if you didn't have to use them." He told her and she sighed loudly, causing the guards to chuckle. One of them stepped forward at her gesture and bowed, Can I ride on your shoulder's please? Your taller than the others. She asked and he looked to me for permission.

I nodded, "If you don't mind then feel free. If my son's trust you and you've survived Fundin and his sons inspections to actually make it this far, I know you'll protect my daughter." He straightened and nodded, I lifted her up on to his shoulders and she smiled, laughing as they walked along. Although she was higher up than she had ever been, she didn't seem to be holding on to anything, her hands just resting on the guards head. "You can hold my braids princess. I doubt you could hurt me." He mentioned and Ariana tapped his head to show she had heard him. "She say's she is fine for now, but may well do when we reach Dale." Dis told him as she signed at us. I looked at Dis and Balin, we knew that Ariana wanted to be higher up because we were entering a town of men who towered over her far more than any dwarf ever could.

One of the guards began to whistle little tunes as we walked and although it would have normally annoyed me, it kept a smile on Ariana's face, some of them even making her giggle. "Are you alright to keep my namanith on your shoulders in the town or do you need someone else to take a turn?" Dis asked and the guard shook his head, "No thank you princess, the little one is barely a weight on my shoulders. My own boys a lot heavier and he never likes to sit still, so I've had a lot worse passengers." Ariana giggled and tapped his head, weaving her fingers gently into his hair as we walked through the gates of Dale. She pointed and signed to us about which stalls she wanted to visit, letting Dis or Balin point at things and nodding when she liked them. I bought each item she pointed and smiled at, knowing that I would spoil her until the end of my days.

Halfway through the market she gestured to Balin and he helped her down, letting her tug him through the crowds. She was pointing at something on a stall and caught the sign for father, so I stayed away for a minute but keeping them in eyesight. "Someone's watching us, watching me I feel." Dis whispered into my ear and I turned to her looking around over her shoulder. I couldn't see a threat, but there were many men and dwarves in the marker place. We moved on through the stalls and I turned as Dis gasped out, seeing the glint of the knife pressed into her side. "Move and your little princess dies." The words were hissed into my ear and lost in the noise of the crowd, but they were spoken from a height that suggested a dwarf was speaking, if the cloaked person holding Dis was any indication as well.

I looked around and saw my guards a little way off talking to Balin and gesturing widely, but I couldn't see Ariana. My eyes widened and Dis looked at me, I blinked and let my eyes return to roving around the market place trying to find her. One of them chuckled, "Looking for your guards, don't worry we made sure their going to be a little distracted. Tie them up." The one holding Dis ordered and the one behind me moved, cursing as he did so. "The ropes gone, someone's picked my pocket. Fucking men." He growled out and the Dis began to chuckle, I raised an eyebrow and she held her hand out at the height Ariana was. I smiled, hearing the grunt of the dwarf behind me and I turned to find him clutching his groin.

The one holding Dis exhaled sharply as very familiar needle like blade pierced his hand, causing him to drop his dagger to the ground, as he waved his hand I saw a little hand emerge from behind Dis and yank his beard down. Dis then proceeded to elbow him in the face, causing him to drop the ground and allowing Dis to scoop Ariana up in her arms and for the guards to reach us. "Mahal, Fundin is going to have our heads." One of the guards murmured and Balin nodded, "I'll have adad, Dwalin and the princes after my hide." He groaned out and Ariana shook her head, gesturing to the other dwarves. "Yes I know we have the mizimith, but I doubt your brothers are going to feel particularly forgiving at you almost getting hurt."

Ariana groaned and wiggled in Dis' arms, presenting Balin with the length of rope the kidnappers had obviously been hoping to use on us. "I am not even going to ask how you got that Princess." The guard who had given her a ride earlier said, she smirked briefly before placing a innocent look on her face, I chuckled and shook my head. "Not believing it mizimith." She pouted and I swung her up over my shoulder, listening to her giggle as we walked out of the town and back towards the mountains, three of the guards dragging our semi-conscious captors behind us. Ariana gestured to be let down as we approached the mountain, but I shook my head, grunting when she yanked my braids. "No you are going to see your grandfather like this."

Her head collided with my back and I felt her groan vibrate against my back, causing me to chuckle. I strolled through the mountain, as the people we passed chuckled as she beat against my back. "Adad she has a Thorin like scowl on her face." Dis told me and I hoisted her further onto my shoulder, causing her to shriek and clutch at my tunic. I strolled into the throne room to find my boys and father seated listening to petitions, I ignored them all and walked up to my father before dropping Ariana into his lap. I stood beside the throne with Dis coming to stand next to me. The guards dragged forward the two would-be captors, depositing them in front of the members of the miners guild that were stood petitioning for something.

I saw Ariana curl around adad's lap, her hands winding into his beard and effectively making sure he couldn't react violently, without hurting her. "These two tried to take the Princess Dis and Crown Prince Thrain. They were stopped with a little bit of Ariana's quick thinking." Balin gestured to Ariana and she smiled at grandfather, releasing one of her hands to sign that she had picked their pockets for the rope they wanted to use. I saw my adad's beard twitch, before his face hardened and he gestured for their hoods to be removed.

We all held our breath as two Blacklock dwarfs were revealed and Thorin scowled, before walking forward. "How long have you been in our mountain?" He asked and they frowned up at him, one muttering something I couldn't hear. Ariana, however, seemed to be able to as she darted straight off adad's lap and had twisted her fist into the dwarf's beard, her teeth bared and her dagger pointed straight at his eye. Thorin placed a hand on her shoulder, "Namanith, enough." She nodded, tucking her dagger away before curling that fist and smashing it into the dwarf's face. She nodded and skipped back up to sit with adad again. "What did he say Givashel?" Adad asked and Ariana launched into a tirade of Ingleshmek.

It said that Thorin was a disgrace to the Longbeards as he has so little of a beard. It wondered if I wasn't the first to be adopted into this family. She signed, a few words in between causing us all to look at Thorin and Balin as they had been the ones to teach her Ingleshmek. "Those words did not come from either of us." Thorin said through gritted teeth as he looked down at the foreigners. I was angry, how dare they suggest that my son was anything but mine, Mahal he looked like Dris so much and yes his nose was smaller than was conventionally attractive he was still young and his beard hadn't quiet reached it's full volume yet.

Adad stood with Ariana wrapped in his arms and nodded his head at the guards, "Take them down to the dungeons, we will find out everything they know. By any means necessary." The two dwarfs look over at him in shock. He just grinned maliciously. "You threatened my son and granddaughter and then insulted my grandson, what in Mahal's name did you think I was going to do? Let you go?" Ariana grinned at them, her eyes glinting and nodded. You are truly idiotic if you think you can do that. Bloody Foreigners. She signed the last two words behind adad's back and Frerin and Dis chuckled quietly.

The guards dragged the two dwarfs away and the miners followed, clearly aware that now was not the time for them to get what they wanted. "Other than that, how was the market mizimith?" Frerin asked and she smiled, gesturing that she had really enjoyed it and she really liked Tristahal too. I blinked then realised that must have been the guard whose shoulders she had been on. Frerin nodded and escorted Dis up to the royal quarters, gesturing that we were to get a few hits in for him, I grinned and then turned to my son and father. "Shall we go and find out what they had planned?" I asked and they nodded, adad proceeding us to go down to the dungeons.

It took us into the early evening to wheedle out all the information from the two captors, before sending them on their way with a few fingers missing and some severe bruising and quiet possibly most of their beards missing. We cleaned our hands before heading back up to the royal quarters, we had barely walked through the door when Frerin was darting to hide behind Thorin. "Save me, they are insane. Ariana actually threw a plant pot at my head." He said and I could see the dirt in his blonde hair, Thorin just chuckled, "Any particular reason she threw it?" He asked as he approached the receiving area.

Arian was sat reading a book and didn't look up as she spoke, "For shits and giggles." She said, dryly, in Westron and we all looked between the two of them. "Mizimith who taught you such language?" I asked and she looked over at us, "Someone long before all of you." She said glancing back down and we all frowned, knowing that it had probably been aimed at her rather than at others around her. We ignore that comment as we settled down to eat, Ariana spending most of the night curled up in Thorin's lap, eventually falling asleep on him, her small hand wound tightly into his braids and hair. I was truly blessed to have such a family as this around me, my mood light and it continued to stay as such, until a missive the next morning. Fucking tree-hugging weed-eaters. Why did they need to come here?

A/N: Bet you can't guess who's coming next? ;)