The Warrior and The King

10. The King's Woman

Two mornings later as they were laying in bed, Thorin was idly running his fingers over Kaylea's hair when he suddenly stopped.

"Are you going to put those other beads I gave you in your hair?" He asked.

Kaylea snuggled against him, her arm across his chest. "I keep meaning to, I just have not made the time."

Thorin scoffed. "It takes no time at all!"

"I have not the skill in my hands that you do, my king," Kaylea replied. "I will do it soon."

"Why not do it now?" Thorin asked. He got out of bed and retrieved his undergarments from the floor. Moving over to the table he pulled out a chair and looked at Kaylea expectantly. She was watching him from the bed.

"You are going to braid my hair, my king?" She asked, obviously suspicious.

Thorin only smiled and gestured to the chair. Kaylea pulled on her leggings and undershirt then took the pouch of beads and a comb off the dresser and handed them to Thorin before taking a seat. Thorin got to work immediately, combing her hair out. He then started to braid her hair from just in front of her ears, in a four-strand braid the same as he wore. He had one done in almost no time, attaching a larger bead to the bottom. He then started on the other side.

"Today are we..." Kaylea started to ask, but Thorin shushed her. He wanted to concentrate, this was an important task. Kaylea looked at him, her eyes narrowed.

"Is this some Dwarvish custom I know nothing about?" She asked.

Thorin only smiled. "You have shown me some of your customs, now I will introduce you to one of ours."

After he finished the first two braids he started another at her temples, adding some beads as he went. Where they came together at the back he braided them into her hair and added more beads at the bottom.

"I told you it would take no time, my love," Thorin said, giving her a kiss on the neck. "Now you have your hair done in a proper Dwarvish style."

She smiled at him, reaching up behind his head to bring his mouth to hers. After a moment, Thorin leaned his head forward to rest his forehead on hers. "I should probably tell you the only time a Dwarf braids a woman's hair it is his wife's. And husbands and wives share the same braids."

Kaylea laughed softly, she fingered one of the long braids that matched his. "I knew you were up to something. So, we are married now?"

"Sadly, no," Thorin replied. "There is a ceremony involved, or at least a contract. And anyway, when I marry you it will be a big ceremony with hundreds of guests and you in a spectacular dress."

"When you marry me? I do not believe that was the answer I gave you."

"I intend to change your mind, my love," Thorin said matter of factly. "In truth, it is not unheard of but it is a bit scandalous for a king to carry on with a woman who is not his wife, or at least his fiance. These braids show there is an understanding between us."

"So, you have marked me as your woman?" Kaylea teased.

"I will have no other," Thorin said seriously. "We should probably get dressed, much to do today." He watched Kaylea closely as he gathered up his clothes, trying to see if she was angry that he had claimed her as his without asking her first. He was relieved she seemed more amused than upset. After spending several days in near-constant company he was starting to be able to read her. It was odd, in some ways it felt like they had been together for many years but in others she was still a bit of a mystery to him.

"Dain is leaving on the morrow," Thorin said as he dressed. "I thought I would have a dinner for him tonight."

"Gandalf and Bilbo have been talking about leaving as well," Kaylea replied, picking her clothes up and shaking them out. "Perhaps you should host a dinner with all the members of your original company, a sort of reunion before they all go their separate ways."