Queen Under the Mountain - Thorin Oakenshield

~Seventeen~

~War Comes to the Mountain~

"Dahlia, Thorin wishes to see you," Dwalin told her.  "In the throne room."

She wondered if he had somehow caught the knowledge of her sneaking out and helping the townspeople against his wishes. 

But when she arrived in the great hall and stood before the throne, Thorin gave her a smile, a warm smile.  She hadn't seen him smile, and certainly not like that, since their return to Erebor. 

"Dahlia." He reached out and took both of her hands in his own. "I know that this will come as no surprise for we have been betrothed since we were both young. The Arkenstone still has yet to be found, but now, now that we are finally home, and now that the Mountain has finally been reclaimed, I am officially asking you, Lady Dahlia Ironfoot, to be my wife and to rule at my side as Queen of Erebor."

She blinked back at him. "Are you proposing to me?"

"Yes, is it not obvious?"

 She scoffed.  "Yes. But I am amazed that you have the audacity to ask me such a question when you do not deserve such an answer." She pulled away from him. 

"You dishonour our marriage arrangement?"

"Yes, yes in fact I do. Because the Dwarf standing before me now is nothing like the one I pledged myself to those years ago. I would marry that Thorin, yes, but you, never. And as for the Stone, I hope you never find it!"

"The Arkenstone is within these halls - no one rests until it is found!"

Their shouts echoed back to each other across the vast hall, bouncing off the stone walls and ringing long afterwards within their ears. 

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War was coming. That morning, Bard and King Thranduil would present Thorin with the Arkenstone in exchange for what they were owed. At first she had had full faith in Bilbo's plan of getting Thorin to give over what was owed by finally receiving the Stone, but now Dahlia was growing more and more uncertain. She didn't know for certain what would happen, no one did, but a storm was definitely brewing, that much was for sure. 

She prayed to their ancestors and fallen kin that all would go well, that all would work out. 

"Please don't do anything rash," she requested of Thorin, who was still bitter for her turning him down. 

Thranduil and Bard, each leading their respective armies of Elves and Men, arrived before the gates of Erebor. The warm welcome they received was Thorin shooting an arrow down at them, the arrow striking the ground before them. 

"I will put the next one between your eyes!" Thorin promised. 

The Dwarves hooted and hollered in mocking - that was until  with one simple gesture, Thranduil's entire army raised their own bows up at them. With another similar gesture, the army stood down.

"We have come to tell you that payment for your debt has been offered. And accepted."

"What payment? I gave you noting. You have nothing."

"We have this-" Bard produced the Arkenstone from his pocket.

"They have the Arkenstone!" Kili was the first to break the shocked silence that had settled over the Dwarves at this reveal.  "Thieves! How came you by our birthright?"