All I've ever known

3

Thorin growled with anger as he threw his arms up again before sitting back down. She was infuriating. Peeling him away from his angered fit, Balin sat down next to him and scowled,"You really shouldn't have done that Thorin." Thorin shot straight up and began pacing in front of Balin,"Now you're taking her side? She's the one who didn't accept my apology!"

Balin glanced up at him unamused,"You did force it though, you cannot lie about that." Thorin just huffed and folded his arms across his chest. Balin continued,"She knew you were lying and she told you off for it, and I admit she has now earned my respect." Thorin looked at him with his brows knit in confusion. Balin laughed,"She really did put you in your place. Now come along, your father sent me to get you in the first place." Thorin said nothing and followed Balin.

They both entered the Hall just as soon as the current song ended. Thorin caught sight of Mivera and his anger rose up again, but quickly diffused when he saw her laughing and smiling with a male dwarf spinning her around. He didn't know why, but this made Thorin even more angry. His grandfather called everyone's attention,"I thank you all personally for attending this feast tonight. As many of you already know, this banquet was thrown for the engagement of my grandson, Thorin. Thorin, Mivera, please step forward."

Thorin pushed his way through the small crowd to stand beside his father, Mivera stepped up the steps and stood beside him. She could tell by the scowl on his face that he was still angry, and so was she but she kept her face neutral. Thror grinned,"People of Erebor, meet your future queen, Mivera!" The Hall erupted with cheer and shouts, surprising Mivera. She was so surprised by the sudden sound that she unintentionally stepped a bit closer to Thorin. She noticed almost instantly and stepped back away.

Thror's voiced boomed and everyone settled down,"Now the engaged shall enjoy a dance!" Both Thorin and Mivera recoiled from one another. Thrain took Mivera's hand and placed it in Thorin's. Mivera swore she could here him mumble a string of profanities as he led her to the center of the dance floor.

Just when they were in positions to dance, Mivera whispered hurriedly,"I can't dance." Thorin looked at her,"Are you joking." She shook her head, her face turning red. Thorin faced the crowd and said with a smile,"Well, are you not joining us?" The crowd cheered and everyone paired up as the music began. Mivera looked up at him,"What are you doing?" He showed no emotion,"Now no one can see if you mess up." Mivera was shocked beyond words,"Th-thank you Thorin." He didn't say anything and continued to sway with her.

He smirked,"So you really can't dance?" She looked down at their feet,"Yes, I can't dance." He held his head back and looked down at her,"Were you not spinning around earlier." She replied rhetorically,"Well spinning isn't exactly dancing now is it?" Thorin groaned,"You are so infuriating." He didn't know she had heard him until she said,"The same could be said about you." The rest of their dance, or sway, was kept in silence.

Thrain clapped his hands and said joyfully,"Have a splendid night!" This signaled all the guests to leave and the servants to come cleaning. Thorin glanced at his side to see that Mivera was already gone. He rolled his eyes and began to leave, but loud laughter caused him to turn his head mildly interested. He was really surprised to see the happy sound came from Mivera.

Thorin could not help but stare, the only time he saw her smile was when she smiled at Dwalin, and that was not even a true smile. Not wanting to get caught Thorin moved behind a pillar to the left of Mivera. For some odd reason he had to know what was making her laugh. He was no longer confused at what made laugh, it was the man twirling Mivera around earlier.

Thorin did not understand why but he felt a pang of jealously. This man was effortlessly making her laugh and smile, whereas Thorin could only cause her to scowl. Seemingly done with whatever they were talking about, the man pulled her into a hug, kissed her head and watched her go. Thorin realized that now the only people in here were servants. He sighed and walked calmly past the man.

"Hey! Prince!" Thorin turned around to see it was the man calling to him. He didn't bother to hide the annoyance in his voice,"Yes?" The mans bright cheery face turned into a dark sneer,"What did you say to Mivera?" Thorin stayed neutral faced,"I don't know what you are talking about."

The man slammed his fist down on the table,"You know damn well what I'm saying! You made her cry tonight, are you proud of that?" Thorin anger welt up inside him,"In what position are you in to talk to me his way?" The man laughed,"Wow, she wasn't joking about you." Thorin chuckled emptily,"Infuriating woman..." The man became angry again,"Don't call her infuriating! She's trying her absolute best!"

"Trying her best to annoy me yes, now get out of my way.", Thorin said, trying to push his why past the dwarf. The dwarf looked him in the eye with a squared jaw,"Not until you promise to apologize to her." Thorin scoffed,"I mean no offense, but Mivera's old partner cannot tell me what to do."

The dwarfs eyes widened and his lips curled up into a smile,"Partner?" He burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter. While this dwarf was clutching his stomach and wiping his eyes of tears, Thorin stood rigid and looked at him, he felt awkward. Did he say something wrong?

The dwarf caught his breath and looked at Thorin with a broad grin,"Whomever informed you I was her old partner, was seriously mental." Thorin furrowed his brow,"What? You're not her old partner?" The dwarf began laughing again,"Boy, it gets funnier each time you say it! No, I am not her old partner, I'm her older brother."

Thorin felt so embarrassed, but then angry,"That still does not mean you can order me around." The dwarf said simply,"I am standing in for our late father." This helped Thorin understand a little, but he was still angry. The dwarf held up his hands,"I mean no disrespect when I saw this, but you were a rude arse earlier. Calling my sister infuriating, wretched, pretentious, spoiled, and annoying, have you no sympathy for women?"

Thorin growled,"She angered me-", the dwarf interjected,"Yea, well she's a woman Thorin, they do that. I was just shocked that you weren't a man and pouted like a child instead of apologizing. You know nothing about her Thorin, I can tell you I know for a fact that she wasn't spoiled. I admit she's annoying but I'm her brother I can say that. You however, cannot."

The dwarf walked past Thorin, he called out over his shoulder,"I wasn't lying when I said you made her cry. Surprising as it may be to you, she's very fragile." Thorin just stood in the empty hall and huffed angry breaths. Off to his left, someone clapping. Turning to see who it was, Thorin saw Dwalin stepping into the light with a scowl on his face and his hands sarcastically clapping.

Dwalin smirked,"Well done Thorin, you made the poor lass cry. I guess you can douse the question of her hating you." Thorin was not in the mood for a lecture. He walked briskly past Dwalin bumping his shoulder, and slamming the hall door behind him.

He huffed one final breath as he came up to his room, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw his father at his door. He thought he was in trouble, but Thrain looked over and smiled,"I thought you had gotten lost Thorin." Thorin laughed but didn't respond, he knew his father was going to say something. Just as expected, Thrain continued,"I saw you dancing with Mivera, or at least trying. Not the most graceful is she?" Thorin felt the back of his neck grow hot and his fist clench, but he said cooly,"She is alright."

Thrain just nodded,"I am pleased that you have made her feel welcome here, and I just wanted to apologize for the um, sudden, engagement." Thorin rolled his eyes. Thrain pulled out a small box from the folds of his robes and held it out to Thorin,"Here." Thorin almost forgot about his anger,"What is this?" His father answered with no emotion,"The rings." Not waiting for Thorin to answer, Thrain dismissed himself and walked past Thorin.

Thorin silently closed the door behind him. With the doors now closed, he felt a wave of guilt hit him like a carven brick to the chest. He had not ment to make her cry, or angry for that matter. He was just so surprised that she could see right through his lie, that he acted brashly.

Sitting on his bed after washing his face, Thorin held the box in his hand. He took a deep breath and opened it. In the center of the deep maroon silk cushion sat two nearly identical golden rings.

The one to the left was the most simple, it was gold and had dwarfish patterns carved into it. The one on the right was more intricate, the band was made of very tightly woven strands of gold, all overlapping each other in any way possible. It was obvious whose was whose, and Thorin decided he would give Mivera her ring tomorrow, not to mention a real apology. Before he set the box down on his bedside table, Thorin picked up his ring and put it on his finger.