As Halien walked over to join Elrond, Thorin, and Gandalf at the main table, the dwarves stared in wonder at her. She was already a very beautiful woman, but the purple gown she wore accentuated her beauty and as they looked at her now short hair, they felt as if they were looking at a completely different person. They stared at her as she took her seat across from Thorin, only looking away when their king glared at them.
Kili had been looking at an elf maid with keen interest, but when he was caught by Dwalin, he tried to explain away that there wasn't enough hair on them and they had too high of cheekbones. He mentioned that an elf who passed behind him was "not bad", but Dwalin- with a straight face- pointed out that it was no elf maid that he was looking at. Kili blushed and tried to think of something else, but Bofur pointed out how beautiful Halien looked and asked if Kili agreed. Kili nodded and they went about trying to muster the courage to eat the greens.
Meanwhile, Elrond was telling Thorin and Gandalf the names of the blades they had found in the troll horde. Thorin excused himself to join the others and Halien felt uncomfortable sitting with them, so she excused herself as well. She felt very overwhelmed at being back in a home setting and needed to breathe. Before she could leave though, Bofur hopped upon the table and asked if she would sing with him. The other dwarves had felt like they were at a funeral with the soft music the elves played, so Halien agreed and she and Bofur started to sing a tune from the Blue Mountains.
"There's an inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old inn beneath an old grey hill. And they there brew a beer so brown the Man in the Moon himself came down one night to drink his fill. Oh, the ostler has a tipsy cat, who plays a five-string fiddle; And up and down he saws his bow, now squeaking high, now purring low, now sawing in the middle. So, the cat and the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle, a jig that would wake the dead. He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune; while the landlord shook the Man in the Moon: 'It's after three!' he said."
As Halien and Bofur sang the old tune, the dwarves pounded their fists and feet. They laughed and threw food back and forth, but Halien managed to slip away before any of it could get onto her gown. Thorin had watched her dance with Bofur as they sang the tune and he smiled, glad to see her having fun and their companions enjoying themselves. They needed to blow off steam after what had happened that day. He took a swig from his flask and watched as Halien disappeared around a corner.
Halien walked through the halls to find a quiet spot to relax, which came in the form of a secluded spot encircled by trees with a small stone fountain. Sitting on the rim of the fountain, she touched the surface of the water with her fingertips. She took a deep breath and summoned a small bit of her magik, pouring it gently into the water. She lifted her hand and guided the water out of the fountain, moving her hands back and forth and making the water dance as she passed it from hand to hand.
At the entrance to the alcove, Thorin had come around the corner and spotted her. He stood nearby in the archway that led to the secluded spot, having sought out solitude himself. He watched as she moved the water in different directions, maneuvering it in front, around, and above herself. He stepped into the little alcove and startled Halien, causing her to lose concentration which in turn made the water she was controlling fall down on her head, soaking her.
"Sire," she said, wringing out her hair as best as she could.
"I must apologize that I could not reach you in time, earlier." He pointed to her hair. "I am sorry about your hair."
Halien smiled a little. "I do not mind. I will have to get used to it, but I rather like it."
"As do I. You know, you are quite skilled in this magik of yours," Thorin said, coming to a stop next to her, "when you can concentrate."
Halien sighed. "What do you wish of me, sire?" she asked.
"I simply thought perhaps you would like some company," Thorin replied. "I can leave if you would rather be alone."
"No, it's alright. I have been alone for so long that I dare not turn away the chance for company," she told him. When he stayed, she asked, "Why are you so harsh with me, Thorin?" She looked up at him. "Have I not proven myself to this company? Have I not proven myself to you?"
Thorin looked at her, her emerald green eyes glistening. "Halien, you have done more than enough to prove yourself. You are a valuable part of this company."
"Then why, Thorin? What have I done?"
Thorin sighed and sat down. "It is nothing that you have done. It is hard to look past what your father did to my kin."
Halien put a hand on his arm. "I am not my father, Thorin. I have tried to be everything but what he has become. I do not know what my father could have been thinking. You have seen this!"
Thorin felt comfort in her touch and looked into her eyes. She was beautiful, caring, protective, strong, held family, kin, and honor in the highest regard, and she was great with the others. They had accepted her as one of their own and she seemed as though she was more dwarf than she was an elf.
"Can you really think that little of me, sire?" Halien asked.
"You need not call me that," Thorin said. "You have no allegiance to me as your king. Your father is the only king you should show that respect to."
He started to look away, but Halien stopped him with a hand at his cheek. She looked him in the eye and said, "My father cast me out, exiled me from my home and people. He is not, nor will he ever again be my king. Thorin Oakenshield, I vow here and now, that you are the only king I want to follow."
Hearing that made Thorin smile, but he was surprised when she kissed his cheek. Halien started to stand- unsure what more to say or do- but Thorin pulled her back down, grabbed her face with his hand, and kissed her, his beard tickling her face. She was startled, but she immersed herself in his kiss. They lost themselves in the moment and when they pulled away from the kiss, they looked at each other and smiled softly.
"I have been aching to do that for so long," Thorin said. "I apologize if that is not what you wanted. I must also apologize for how I spoke to you before the troll incident. I was frustrated with the wizard and I took that out on you. It was unfair and will not happen again."
"Thorin, it's alright. I understand." Halien replied. "I am happy, though. I never would have thought you would even consider looking at an elf, let alone kissing one. It makes me believe that you are able to look past what my father did, enough to allow yourself to be happy."
Thorin put a hand to her cheek. "I am happy. Halien, I remember how beautiful you were the first time I saw you. You are even more beautiful now."
Halien looked at him in surprise. "You remember that? I did not think you had even recognized me in the Blue Mountains, not until Dorin had said my name."
Thorin chuckled. "I remember you. How could I forget your mithril and obsidian-like hair? Though, now it is only mithril in appearance." he said with a chuckle.
"Again, is that the only part of me people remember, is my hair?" Halien asked, slightly disappointed. "This is why I wore a shawl for so long."
Thorin put a finger to her lips and continued. "I also remember how excited you were to be in Erebor, how beautiful you thought Dale and the halls of Erebor were. I remember you telling me that you had never before been outside of Mirkwood and was glad to have come to Erebor as an ambassador, leaving the forests of your homeland. I remember you climbing that pillar to get a better look at the halls and it is as clear to me now as if it had happened yesterday. I remember how the children loved you and clustered around you like you were their mother. They were as protective over you it seemed as you were of them."
"I had feared that my father's actions made you forget about me. You were so kind to me that day, showing me around the halls of your kingdom, but when my father..." Halien said, but she seemed sad.
Thorin placed his forehead against hers. "I could never forget such a gentle soul as yours. You are as kind as a hobbit but as fierce as a dragon and you fight for what you believe is right, you protect those closest to you, you take care of others before yourself. You are strong, courageous, and beautiful."
Halien squeezed his hand. "And you are righteous, strong, brave, protective, and you put the needs of your kin before your own. You are leading this company to try and take back the home that was ripped from your grasp. They follow you not because you are the King under the Mountain, but because they know that they can trust you and they are confident in who you are as a person and your skills as a leader and warrior. You are their king, and you are mine."
Thorin smirked. "I am your king, am I?"
"You will always be my king, Thorin, son of Thrain. You will be a great king and you will rule Erebor for many, many years."
At that, Thorin kissed her once more and pulled her closer. He felt great comfort in her touch, her soft skin warm against his callused skin. It was surprising how soft her skin was after sixty years of hard work that he knew she had done, trying to prove herself to be a better person and elf than her father. Halien felt the whiskers of his beard tickle her cheeks and lips, but it was comforting. When they pulled away from the kiss, Halien kissed the dwarven king's forehead.
"We should get back," she said softly. "The others will begin to worry."
Thorin nodded and stood, pulling her up with him. He still had to look up at her, the elf maiden standing only a foot taller than him. She was still a young elf by her kin's standards; she had lived only two hundred and sixteen years. Since she was still so young, she was small for an elf but just as beautiful and just as graceful as one.
