Hobbit 1. Chapter 1

If someone even bothered asking Kalea what she thought about these lessons she'd merely frown.

Kalea considered herself a very patient girl even though she had just reached her twenties and most of her people still saw her as a little girl who still had much to learn. And yes, she had.

Kalea was a pale girl whose almond eyes where characteristic of her family. For a girl whose stature was below average, she always seemed to managed herself when it came to helping her father deliver some errands throughout the kingdom. She wasn't exactly considered pretty and she blamed her freckles and her height for that.

Her auburn hair danced along the mild breeze as she made her way into the training grounds. There was a crowd gathering by the wooden railing and she recognized her 'training' group.

"It is not usual for the king to be late, you know?"

"Well, there must be a good reason. It has only been half an hour," Thrung simply said. He was the older than any of his companions and apparently the only one trying to reason.

Kalea's group consisted of ten young dwarves who had been selected among some noble dwarf families to be a part of some sort of challenge to the king, Thorin Oakenshield. None of them knew much about this from the start. All of them received a letter signed by both the king and his loyal friend Balín and it demanded that they presented themselves alone in the training grounds the next day at midday.

Her mother, as always, immediately said it could be so much talked about search for the king's companion. Nothing would please her mother more than to have one of her 3 daughters marrying the brave and good-looking king under the mountain.

However, her father immediately threw his wife's hopes back to the ground by saying that this was supposed to be some training destined to some noble families younger ones. Kalea being the first child was to represent her family.

Her parents warned her more than once to mind her tongue and to not talk back as she had a bad temper. In fact, Kalea decided to take this advice seriously seeing that she had quite the reputation of defying Thorin's nephews of a daily basis.

She leant against the railing and merely watched in silence as they debated whether or not they should send someone to look for the king. The group was formed by 7 boys and three girls and all of them had promising futures. Well, not all of them, of course. Kalea thought her temper would hardly get her anyway.

Her gaze crossed with Friga's.

Friga was the only noble girl in Erebor whose beauty had been acknowledged even by the king himself and for that she behaved like this was a lame excuse for Thorin to get to gaze upon her. Her eye color was what drew more attention for they were a bright shade of green and some men even said she possessed the ability to read one's thoughts. It was stupid, of course. That long blonde haired girl was as useless as a plank but her beauty allowed her parents to be in the spotlight as the makers of Erebor's finest emerald.

Kalea inwardly sighed as she diverted her eyes from that girl and looked at the lake that flowed beneath the training grounds. She threw a tiny rock at it and watched as ripples began to form where it had landed.

"Maybe he forgot," a rather chubby boy mumbled. "Someone should go check the armory."

"Why the armory?" Thrung inquired raising a furry brow at the tiny boy.

"I saw him get inside on my way here," he shrugged, leaning along the railing next to Kalea. "The king has a lot to do. This might have slipped his mind."

Some heads nodded along his statement. The fact that no one offered to go look for the king didn't surprise her in the slightest.

Suddenly everyone seemed too busy looking at a random tree or at some women who carried some cabbages to the market nearby.

"It is no problem," Kalea grunted as she began walking away.

"I'll go with you," Friga's voice invaded her ears and she rolled her eyes. _Of course_.

The blonde girl didn't have the courage to actually take the initiative all by herself. Kalea didn't even bother halting her steps. "Don't even think about it, _princess_. You can stay."

Seeing that Friga did nothing more than to call her idiot, she resumed her pace with no hurries.

It was bot well seen amongst the costumes of her people someone being late and it only made things worse that that someone was the king. As far as she knew, he was a very punctual man and only when in dire need would he choose tardiness.

The armory was a pretty isolated locale and only few had permission to enter it. Kalea reckoned the amount of weapons inside it were far too valuable to be played with. Usually, there were two guards guarding the only entrance, but this time there were none.

She briefly looked around to see if they were nearby, but they were nowhere to be seen. That alone was strange enough even though the door was closed.

The girl approached the large building and wondered for a moment how to approach the king without sounding inappropriate.

The front window was slightly open so Kalea took some steps and was ready to knock on the door until she heard some noises coming from inside.

Her eyes drifted to the window nearby and she paced a bit to the left just enough to allow her to take a look inside. The sound turned into some groans and she immediately thought someone was injured.

Just as she was about to call the king, she froze.

There was no need to call for him as he was right in front of her pretty much naked and with a woman pressed between the wall and his body. It seemed that they were too much involved in what they were doing to actually notice Kalea who was just a few meters away.

Kalea had never seen something so intimate as this in her few years of life and it disturbed her. Love-making was a taboo and most of dwarves only came in touch with it after their wedding and to fulfill the matrimonial duties. Of course, most men had had contact with these intimacies some taverns across Erebor where some women gained their lives offering her body. Some even paid debts doing _it_.

She didn't consider herself a prude or anything like that and she wasn't scandalized. If anything, she was mesmerized by the act itself.

It was obvious Thorin liked to dominate for he didn't even allow the woman to squirm much against his shape. The way the muscles on his bare back flexed as he kept ramming into her was quite exquisite. Apparently, she was the source of those groans that quickly turned into drawled moans as her face was pressed harshly against the wall. The king's hands were placed on her hips and kept the scarlet skirt from dropping.

There was not much of his face that Kalea could see and she was thankful for that. She preferred looking at that scene not having the image of the king in her mind. Next thing she knew, the woman was crying "My king!" so loud that she was forced to hide her head afraid that he might see her peeking through the window.

Honestly, if Kalea had a shred of self-respect she would just go back and tell everyone she didn't find him. She knew she should leave, but now was too late for her to move. A beam of sunlight entered the room and gave her vision of what was hidden in the shadows.

His face held an expression that was a mixture of pleasure and concentration. Thorin was now pounding faster and faster as he placed a hand in her mouth to prevent her from bursting.

Kalea shook her head slightly and realized she had lingered for too long.

Just as she was ready to take a step back, her right foot knocked some hammers that had been resting beside her. The sharp noise was enough for him to notice her.

His dark blue eyes shot in her direction and Kalea just froze in place.

If she thought this would make him stop what he doing she was wrong. This only made him speed up his movements as his hand fell back into the woman's hip keeping her in place and it only made her cry out even more.

She felt her cheeks grow red with shame and took a last look at the king before turning away as quickly as a hawk.

Even though it wasn't a hot day at all, sweat came out from every pore and the sudden realization that she had just caught the king under the mountain doing _it_ with some random woman…

Kalea considered the hypothesis of just go back home and say that she was done for the day, but she knew her father would soon know the truth. The most humiliating thing was that he had seen her. His eyes had been locked onto hers even if only for a few seconds. She wasn't able to tell if he was angry, but she guessed he didn't even bother.

She forced herself to stop for a moment as she tried to brush those images away from her mind. A few moments ago she had just caught the king in such a vulnerable position that every effort she made to remind herself all those tales and wonders people spoke of him was in vain.

The almighty Thorin, son of Thrain, was a legend to live up to. Every young man wanted to be like him and every young woman wanted to be with him. He had a lion heart and an unbreakable spirit that had won him Erebor back. The glory days were far from over for danger would find a way to torment them.

"I'm a dead woman," Kalea spoke vaguely as she placed a hand on her burning cheeks and hoped it would fade away before she reached the training grounds.

On the way, she almost tripped twice and almost knocked an old man who threatened to tell off her parents.

She only realized she had arrived to spot when Thrung's hand grabbed her arm roughly. "Well?"

Kalea looked at the faces staring at her with curiosity. She really hoped her blush had faded. "The king is on his away."

The other girl, Fenna, looked highly suspicious. "Why are you all flushed?"

"I tripped," Kalea said, not inviting the girl to continue the conversation.

"What held him?" Some boy, whose name she couldn't remember, asked plainly.

She took some time to figure out some decent answer. What if the king told them a different justification? "He was just taking care of some things."

Rather _someone_.

"Welcome, young ones!"

No one seemed to have noticed Thorin approaching, but has soon as he spoke everyone bowed slightly as respect. Kalea's bow was more accentuated than the others'. This way there was no way he'd recognize her just yet. When all of them regained their poses, she made an effort to stay just behind the tallest boy, Orek.

"I must apologize for my tardiness," he went on cheerfully. "Some matters had to be taken care of."

Kalea couldn't even see his face and hoped to maintain that for as long as possible. However, her weird attitude was noticed by Friga, who stood next to her. "What are you doing? It is a disrespect not to look at our king's face when he is addressing us."

Right now, Kalea couldn't care less about etiquette. But… "What is the matter back there?"

So much for discretion. Friga immediately seized it as an opportunity to make an impression on him. "My king, I am sorry for the disrespect. It is very usual when it comes to Kalea."

"Who might that be?"

Well, at least he didn't know her. However, she knew that she had to stop hiding. She took long steps until she was side by side with Friga. "It is me, my king."

Unfortunately, she couldn't help but to feel her face burning hot with humiliation as she saw his eyes wide slightly at the sight of her. Kalea still hoped he hadn't quite seen her face, but she acknowledged by his expression that he had not forgotten the person who had just momentarily seen him naked. Well, from the waist up, at least.

She expected his face to twist into hanger or amusement. But no, he simply smiled lightly at her and it made her feel uncomfortable. "I do know your father, yes. Good man. However, I must admit your face is not totally unfamiliar to me."

The innuendo was there. Kalea decided to ignore that. "He is a good man, yes. Thank you, king Thorin."

Every single face was fixed on hers. To an outsider it might seem that she had made quite an impression on the king and that was good. Above all, Thorin was a very hard man to please and Kalea wondered if that woman had been able to do so.

"King Thorin, will you tell us what we are doing here?" Someone asked, his voice trembling a bit. Yes, Thorin demanded respect above all.

"Yes, young Brond," he quickly answered and then pointed at a forest just behind them. "Shall we move closer to the forest?"

Everyone nodded and promptly began walking to where the king had pointed. Kalea saw that he stood still and was waiting for her. "Are you coming, young Kalea?"

_Oh…_


	2. Chapter 2

The time to choose a life companion was upon Thorin. Not a day went by without his friend and advisor Balín storming in the halls of carved stone and demanding his attention once more.

"My king, you do need to look at the list of suitors for you at least once and disposal." He would often say, just like he did the morning Thorin was having breakfast with his nephews by an old gigantic window that was built in the hard stone of the dining room.

That morning would go rather differently than his usual daily routine of opening letters, attending to his people's needs and go training with his nephews deep in the forests surrounding Erebor. It had been settled between Balín and him that if he was to initiate a series of lessons involving some younglings across his kingdom and purposely placed Friga, the Erebor's finest emerald, in the group. He had to admit she held a rare beauty to her and a well-shaped personality within which, in normal circumstances, would allure him, but it didn't. It had nothing to do with her birth conditions and the fact that her parents were mere fish merchants who ascended thanks to her beloved daughter. She lacked something Thorin appreciated: strength and determination.

Balín's attempts on bringing the two together failed miserably as Thorin would simply sleep through his grasp. After all, he was the king. No one had the right to make him do what he did not wish to do.

His friend approached the lavishing table and sat quietly next to Fíli. Said silence lasted for some minutes in which some stared were exchanged between Thorin and him. He knew Balín was up to something, as usual.

"What is it, my friend?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Thorin, will you look at it?"

The list parchment rested in his weary hands and he placed it on the table as Kíli and Fíli attempted to look at it looking as innocent as possible. "That is quite the list, Mister Balín! I guess our uncle does not see it dearly enough. Then, give it to us. We will make a far better use than him," Kíli then grinned deviously at his brother.

"Kíli, do not play games with me. Those names are not to be repeated by any of you," Thorin warned. He thanked every day that the brothers saw his as a father-like figure and respected and followed his command for that. "That list is to be burnt, Balín."

At this, his friend held an expression of indignity spread across his wrinkled face and even his nose twisted into an odd shape. "This list was organized by me, my king. With all the devotion and attention as if it were destined to me."

Thorin sat back on his stone-cold seat. "I meant no offense, dear friend. I am sure they are quite enjoyable. However, I do need to take some time to think of this."

"You said that a year ago, uncle," Fíli spoke this time with crumbs falling on his yellowish beard. "Remember? When Bilbo last came here. You promised him to find yourself a lady."

The king frowned as that memory came back to mind. "Yes, I see your point."

"Then, if you do, you must know how important this is! Securing the line of Dúrin as your forefathers did before you," Balín half-pleaded, creasing the list in his hands nervously. King advisors before him had managed to get this done without so much time and effort spent. Thorin was too stubborn for his own good.

As usual, this conversation was heading to the point that Thorin lost his patience and exited the premises completely silent. Above all, he hated being scolded as if he was no more than a mere child who had stolen something. He knew his duties as king well and knew that marriage was no longer an option. It was a demand.

"_Fine_," he said, scowling at the three men sitting across the table. "I will look into it later tonight."

By now, Balín held a victorious smile dancing upon his lips. "That is the spirit, my king. Well, I will leave you to your duties now and do not forget about the training at midday."

He simply nodded as the old dwarf left the room.

Kíli and Fíli were looking at him clearly expecting him to say something. He raised a brow. "What is it?"

There was that daft grin back to Kíli's face that annoyed Thorin beyond reason. "Uncle, may we attend at the first training today?"

Of course they would want something like that. Even though the training group had more young boys than girls. They adored tormenting the young ones with some winks and meaningless jokes. Most of the times they would get away with it, but he'd heard some girl had shoved a pine branch down Fíli's head which had caused an immense mess in the market when things started flying through the air in order to bruise the brothers. Thorin never had the chance to reprehend the girl for she had run away which made them take all the blame for all the tomatoes and apples that had been literally destroyed.

"That girl is there, is she not?" He asked almost foreseeing the answer.

Fíli looked at his brother feigning ignorance. "What girl?"

"I know not of what he speaks."

"Likewise, brother."

Thorin rolled his eyes. "Leave the girl be. Do not disturb her again."

"Ah! So she is a part of the group," Kíli cheered, raising from him seat in a blink of an eye. He grabbed Fíli by the arm and dragged him up. "Come, brother."

"Kíli…" Thorin warned threateningly, playing with an apple in his hand. "If I see any of you near the training grounds…"

Both frowned deeply and folded their arms across their chests. Kíli sighed. "But, uncle…"

They were far too juvenile when it came to impediments and almost looked like a child whose candy had been stolen. "If I remember well, today is the day you promised me to train the new recruits."

"It seems no one in this family is keeping the promises they made," Fíli grumbled, not daring to look at his uncle.

Thorin had been in charge of them since his sister Dís died and he promised her to take care of them with his own life. It was not easy at start, but as the years passed, Thorin began adapting himself to his new responsibilities and during the quest for Erebor he had been confronted several times with the possibility that they might be injured or even die. Fortunately, things had turned out for the best.

With that, Thorin merely let his eyes to the work. Kíli knew what that stare meant. "Let's go, Fíli. We also have some training to do."

After that, the morning had pretty much been a bore until midday struck and he was contemplated with the opportunity to easy his tension.

She wasn't a pretty woman, but she would suffice. Her long black hair cascaded down her back and her dark eyes were like an impenetrable mask he couldn't quite figure out.

In fact, he didn't recall seeing her before. Not that he frequently visited taverns, but she seemed new here. Before he could even put more thought into it, she was down on her knees with her silky hands roaming down and down until they reached the hem of his shirt. It had been a while since he had allowed a woman to touch him like this.

His thoughts wandered to the training which was about to start, but the way her hands caressed his abdomen made him put that thought away.

The scene quickly evolved into something more serious and passionate. He'd soon be done with her and make it in time to not be late, but something caught his eye.

Someone.

A girl's face appeared by the window and knew her face was not strange to him. Her almond eyes were what gave her away. She was the daughter of a very dignified noble man and he wondered what she was doing there.

Thorin didn't even feel angry about such impropriety. He acknowledged the armory wasn't the best place to be intimate with someone.

He soon finished and resumed his walk to the training grounds, leaving behind the woman who, apparently, hadn't done her job as good as he thought she would.

* * *

As they approached the forest, the air became more humid and denser than previously. Bird chants had been replaced with howling wind and the croaks of some animals that were a part of the forest's fauna. It was harder to breathe in these conditions or to maintain focus and that was why Thorin was fond of that special place. It prepared better soldiers and made them get used to difficult environmental changes.

The group followed him like a herd follows its shepherd and there was little talk to be heard amongst them.

First impression: all looked scared and intimidated by the fact that they did not know what to expect from this. The age range went from 19 to 24, Thrung, son of Throllar, being the oldest. As for the girls, Friga was there as expected. The other one she did not know and then there was the almond eyed girl whose name was Kalea.

Moments before, she had just caught him in a very intimate situation which he feared she might not be ready for such things. How old was she, anyway?

He noticed she was embarrassed to even look at him without looking somewhere else 2 seconds later. The way she blushed gave her away the moment he saw her.

In comparison with Friga, the girl hadn't much to her. Freckles painted her cheeks and nose which underlined her facial expressions far too much. What made her quite exquisite among his people were her brown almond eyes and pointy noise. That wasn't very common in dwarves and it could make her look like an outsider if not by her height.

She realized he had been staring at her for the last seconds and that faint red returned to her cheeks as she started trotting faster ahead of him.

Maybe he had gone a bit too far.

They halted upon reaching the forest's heart. The sunlight came down on them through the trees' dense foliage and it was quite mesmerizing to look at.

"For a fortnight, our mission will be to learn how to defend ourselves and to always be prepared," he began slowly so everyone could follow. "And why so few of you? I feel like it will be the start of better prepared young adults. We may never know when the enemy is near and for that we need to be one step ahead."

Panic sprawled on their faces. Thrung was apprehensive. "Are we under attack, king Thorin?"

"No, young Thrung," he reassured, though he wondered if they now believed him. "But our treasure is very desired throughout Middle Earth and I would not be surprised if we received some threat. However, at the moment, there is no danger."

They were young adults and Thorin knew the age of ignorance was way past them and that they would be easily suspicious.

Without wanting them to linger on this thought put on a warm smile. "First off, we should try hand-to-hand training. Find a peer as I will demonstrate some of the basic moves. Understood?"

All of them nodded and he called Kalea to be his partner. She approached him slowly, but promptly. Thorin placed his hands on her shoulders to make her turn to face her companions and she did so. "First off we will talk of pressure points. The human body has many different points throughout that can cause a great deal of pain when hit properly. A direct hit on these areas can put a quick end to a fight. There are many of these to aim for: A blow that lands squarely on the forehead with sufficient pressure can knock an assailants head back and cause whiplash," he explained as he let one of his fingers trail up to her forehead. He felt her fidget under his grip. "Hitting the eyes is not only very painful, but it can also temporarily damage the enemy's vision, giving you time to get away."

Thorin reckoned if he was speaking too quickly and paused for a moment. He could not see Kalea's face as she had her back turned to him, but it seemed as if she was trying to keep a certain distance from him. He regained his breath. "Punching the nose can lead to a fracture, bleeding and the end to a fight. Striking the collarbone with sufficient force can break it, thus disabling your attacker completely. A kick to the knee or groin is usually enough to bring an immediate conclusion to any confrontation. Keep these key areas in mind if you find yourself under attack, and strike back quickly, aggressively and with as much force as you can to defend yourself. Also, this is obviously only used when you're dealing with single targets. A burglar, for example."

"We will need some practice to do retaliate as fast as possible, king Thorin," the boy named Dern pointed out with a serious look.

"Indeed. Do not expect to be agile right from the start," he chuckled lightly, making them more at ease. "Now, Kalea. You will try to attack me using one of these techniques."

The young girl turned on her feet to face him and they locked eyes for the second time that day. He could feel she wasn't comfortable with this situation. "If you want, I can call one of your companions to do it with you."

A defiance look crossed her eyes immediately. "No. I can do it."

She flexed her legs a bit and assumed a combat position close to him. He saw her roam her eyes over his body to find the best spot to hit. With one quick blow she kneed his groin.


End file.
