Chapter 10

Two weeks of traveling didn't stifle the excitement of seeing the Iron Hills in person for the first time. Unlike Erebor, which was built into the lonely mountain, the kingdom of the Iron Hills was settled on top of the largest hill. The castle was spaced out wide to each side and not very tall. The tallest points were watch towers built at the four corners of the castle walls. The base of the castle was a dark gray like charcoal, but as the wall went up, the color became lighter until the top sections were a mix of gray and reddish rock that caught the sun and made the tops of the wall seem ablaze.

Kaleria could hear the whispered oohs and aahs behind her. She could also hear her husband grumbling about their companions' amazement.

She leaned over to him. "Do you need me to say your castle is better than his?"

Thorin frowned. "I know my castle is better than his. That's why I don't understand all the admiration I can hear behind us."

Kaleria couldn't help but laugh. "They like it because it is new. Once the new wears off, Erebor will be remembered supreme in everyone's minds."

"It better be soon," grumbled Thorin.

Kaleria looked to her left to Balin. "Master Balin, have you ever been to the Iron Hills?"

"Once," replied Balin. "When I was a much younger dwarf, I traveled here to learn about iron working."

"You were an ironworker?" Kaleria chided herself for not spending more time getting to know Balin personally.

"For a brief time. I found I spent more time listening to folks instead of working."

"He put us behind schedule more than he kept us on it," added Thorin.

Balin blushed through his white beard. "I can't help that people open up to me."

"My grandfather decided he would be better off in a position to listen and give advice." Thorin looked at Balin over his shoulder. "He's been giving me his two cents for decades now."

"Master Balin is very intelligent. You would be wise to listen to him when he gives his two cents." Kaleria teased.

"Thank you, my queen." Balin nodded in gratitude.

"Aye, he's been telling me what to do all my life. I can't escape him." Dwalin complained.

"You would think he would have learned to listen to me by now, but that's not the case," said Balin quietly to Kaleria.

"I heard that!" Dwalin pointed at his brother–an empty threat used between the two many times in their lives.

"Enough. We are here," said Thorin, bringing their attention forward.

The caravan reached the gate to the kingdom and the iron doors were cranked open to allow them to enter. The courtyard was a large empty space with cobblestones matching the bottom of the wall creating a solid floor that no vegetation could penetrate. The entrance was bare and practical with armed guards lining the walls and two catapults that Kaleria could see standing in the yard like skeletons of trees that once stood.

Many dwarves stood around watching the caravan fill the empty space. They stared more as if the caravan was a traveling side show and less as if the King Under the Mountain was gracing their presence. Kaleria usually disliked how captivated the dwarves in Erebor were with Thorin, but now she grew furious at the lack of respect these dwarves showed for their king.

Thorin stopped his pony and she followed suit. A balcony jutted out from the middle of the castle looking over the courtyard and flanked by a staircase to either side that led to the ground. Kaleria searched every face for someone she might recognize as Thorin's cousin, but no one shared a resemblance to her handsome husband.

"Cousin!" A booming voice echoed throughout the courtyard.

Kaleria's eyes were drawn to the balcony where a large red haired dwarf appeared with his arms open wide.

Thorin nodded in greeting. "Lord Dain, thank you for welcoming us into your home."

"Of course," replied Dain. "And thank you for bringing all that gold." He earned a laugh from his crowd of followers.

Thorin eyed the wagons then looked back at his cousin as the noise died down.

"I hope you have remembered our bargain. I did not bring this gold only as a sign of good faith."

Kaleria loved when Thorin put on his king mask. He identified himself as shy and reserved most of the time, but when he forgot he was in front of a crowd of people and defended his answers perfectly, she burned for him like the forges in Erebor.

Dain smirked through his full beard. "Aye, Thorin. We have your goods ready, but let's put aside business talk and celebrate! Everyone go to the Great Hall for a feast!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and dispersed without a second glance at the Erebor company. Dain reached the bottom of the stairs and made a gesture that his guards understood to help their visitors with their wagons.

"My men will take your's to our armory and trade your gold for our weapons and armor."

Thorin turned to Dwalin, who rode on his right. "Go with them and make sure it's done properly."

Dwalin grunted, which Kaleria took as his version of 'Yes, sir'.

Dain stopped a few steps back. "Come down from there, cousin. And introduce me to this wife of yours."

Kaleria met Dain's eyes and grew wary. She had met many dwarf men who seemed charming and fun, but revealed themselves to be handsy, boorish, pigs.

Thorin dismounted and handed his pony off to an Erebor guard. He went to Kaleria's mount and helped her down. He held onto her waist for a moment longer than necessary and looked her deep in the eyes as if reassuring her that he would protect her. She squeezed his shoulder to let him know she understood.

Thorin let her go and turned to embrace his cousin.

She could tell Dain was a large dwarf when she saw him on the balcony, but standing on the ground with him, Kaleria realized how big. Thorin had been her measurement for dwarves since she first met him. None, but a few were taller or broader than her husband, but Lord Dain was both. He stood two inches taller and his shoulders extended past Thorin's on either side. His torso was the same size all the way through, like a barrel. His red hair hung below his shoulders and his red beard hung past his belly button. He adorned his beard with iron and boar tusks, one on each side of his mouth.

Dain grabbed Thorin around the middle and lifted him off the ground in a bone crushing hug. Thorin patted his cousin's back once, then twice to signal to let him go. The Lord of the Iron Hills finally placed Thorin back on the ground and released him. Thorin sucked in a deep breath.

"I've missed you, cousin. After our victory, you laid in bed for so long we didn't get to celebrate," said Dain.

"I apologize I didn't heal from my wounds at a pace more to your liking." Thorin bristled.

Dain ignored Thorin's irritable tone and looked at Kaleria. "And who might this lovely lady be?"

Pride swelled up in Thorin as he introduced her. "This is my wife, Lady Kaleria of the Blue Mountains."

"It's a pleasure, my lord." Kaleria gave her best curtsey.

"The pleasure," Dain reached out his hand and she gave him hers, "is all mine." He kissed the back of her hand for a long moment, until Thorin cleared his throat to break it up.

Kaleria pulled her hand away gently, not trying to show how much her skin was crawling.

"How did a lovely lady like you end up with my grumpy, old cousin?" Dain asked.

Thorin growled low in his throat.

Kaleria put on her best smile. "I became friends with his sister and forced him to be near me until he had no choice but to ask me to marry him."

"And how long had you known my cousin before he asked you?" Dain's eyes traveled back and forth between them.

"Nearly two years," answered Kaleria.

"Oi! Took you long enough!" Dain slapped his cousin hard on the arm as he barked a laugh.

Thorin's fist balled at his side and Kaleria reached out and forced him to hold her hand to calm him down.

"Lord Dain, perhaps we can be shown to our rooms? I would really like to wash before I attend your lovely feast." Kaleria smiled, sweetly.

"Yes, my servants will show you." Dain waved a hand and a group of servants came forward to direct Throin and Kaleria. "I'll see you at dinner."

Dain disappeared through a doorway on the underside of the stairs, while Kaleria and Thorin followed the servants up the stairs. Kaleria leaned into Thorin.

"You were right."

"About what?" Thorin questioned, less annoyed than he was before.

"He is the exact opposite of you. You got all the charm, wit, and good looks. I feel sorry for the poor fellow." Kaleria teased.

Thorin chuckled under his breath. "So you won't be running off with my cousin then?"

"Well, I didn't say that." Her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Thorin squeezed her hand and pulled her into him as he reached with his other hand and pinched her side. The servants tried not to smile at the playfulness of the king and queen of Erebor.