More Than Meets the Eye

Chapter Thirty

The music was unlike any Arielle had ever heard before, loud and raucous, with a beat so powerful, she couldn't help but tap her own foot in time with it. Elen gestured to the dwarves out in the middle of the Great Hall. "Is this how they dance?"

"You're asking me?" she asked, lifting her goblet of wine for a sip. They stood at the edge of the dance floor, watching as the Company, led by Thorin, of all people, showed off their moves in a series of complicated steps that had them stepping forward and back, side to side, and around one another—without crashing into each other as well. She leaned her head against Elen's arm, smiling as Thorin actually threw back his head and laughed, the sound rising above the loud music and stomping feet to reach as far as the kitchens, where several of the staff looked at each other in surprise.

It was a beautiful thing to see—watching Thorin enjoying himself the way he seemed to be doing. In the few weeks she'd been in Erebor, while she'd heard him laugh when they were alone, which didn't really count, she rarely heard him laugh with the other dwarves, rarely saw him smile, even though everything progressed smoothly with Erebor's restoration and the work needing to be done at Dale and Esgaroth.

But this... this was pure joy and she loved it. She wondered if at Yule, when Dale planned to host its first Yule celebration since Smaug's first arrival, she might talk him into going and if he'd enjoy himself there as much as he seemed to here.

"They seem to be having fun." Elen remarked, sounding almost wistful.

She looked over at him. "Why don't we join them?"

"Because we don't know the steps?"

She shrugged. "So what? You grab a dwarf maiden and I'm sure she'd be more than happy to teach you." She looked over toward the kitchens, where Brynne stood. "Go ask her. She's a sweetheart."

"Isn't she one of the ones who wasn't speaking to you?"

"Yes, but I also know that when she thought I was you, she had a crush on me." At Elen's confused look, she shook her head. "They thought I was a man, remember? Anyway, don't ask, just go over and ask her to dance."

"Thorin won't mind?"

"He won't care in the least."

He looked back at Brynne, took a deep breath, and squared his shoulders. "All right then. I'm going in."

"Oh, for goodness sake, Elen, you're just asking her to dance!"

He grinned and made his way across the room and Arielle almost beamed when Brynne smiled up at Elen and nodded, then they made their way out to join the others. She finished her wine, which was soft and fruity and not nearly as potent as mead, and set her goblet on the table before her.

Thorin spun about, faced her, offered up a teasing grin and, with one forefinger, gestured for her to come to him. She couldn't hold back her own smile as she crossed to him. "What?"

He caught her by the hand. "You look lonely over there by yourself. Where did Elen go?"

"He is considering romancing one of your staff."

"Who?"

"Brynne." She nodded in their direction. "She had a crush on me, so I thought it safe to assume she will definitely have one on Elen."

Thorin grinned. "She had a crush on you?"

She nodded. "That's what Kusela told me the night of the fair in Dale. Apparently I was a handsome lad."

He shrugged. "Makes sense to me. After all, you're a pretty girl."

"Thank you." She offered up a smile, then glanced down at his feet and tried to copy his movements, but her timing was off by just enough that he almost stomped down on her foot. She jerked back, her cheeks growing warm as she said, "I beg your pardon."