" I tell you it almost fell on her head. Everyone stared at the rock laying on the floor in the throne room. "Just another inch or two and Lady Clencia could have been seriously hurt!"

"Now Thorin, I don't think a small stone like that would have done too much damage. But yes, this can't be a coincidence. Not after what happened to Lord Indoin last month." Balin frowned as he thought of the lord leaving Erebor with a broken leg. Accusing the mountain of hating him.

"Well that bit about the mountain hating him, now that was probably the pain killers talking." Bofur offered.

"He was saying it before the walkway give away under him." Fili reminded them all.

"There is something going on here. Someone is trying to sabotage Thorin's courtship." Dwalin stated matter-of-factly.

"Proposed courtship, at this rate everyone will be afraid to become his intended." Kili added grimly.

Thorin just brooded for a few more minutes, it was a safe and utterly familiar response to any situation.

"Ori, check the library for any mention of the mountain actually...well actually hating anyone. Yes, I know how ridiculous it sounds but we've seen trolls turned to stone by sunlight and storm giants battling, a mountain with a mind of it's own doesn't seem so strange after that." Thorin looked at the dwarfs gathered around him and saw a moment's hesitation before they had to nod in agreement. Middle-earth was filled with magic after all, why not Erebor.

Thorin would never admit it to anyone but secretly he was relieved that the first two suitors had not worked out. Lord Indoin was a stuffy dwarf who apparently thought the world existed only to cater to his whims. Lady Clencia never seemed to tire of talking about herself. Thorin couldn't imagine listening to either of them day in and day out for a lifetime. Truth be told he didn't have to marry, he already had heirs in Fili and Kili. Since the Battle of the Five Armies as it had come to be called' both had matured...mostly...well sometimes...well...there had been that one time that he was sure... Fine, they would grow into the roles of Crown Prince and Prince Adviser. Now with Erebor regained they had time to do it. Still it was his duty to at least entertain the idea of a queen or consort.

The others drifted away leaving Thorin to his thoughts but Balin stood close by and waited until they were alone.

"Thorin, Thorin." Balin's voice shook Thorin out of his thoughts. It reminded him of the many times his old friend, teacher, and adviser had done that when he drifted away into a daydream during some long dry history lesson.

"Yes"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. Just thinking of who is left to even consider if Lady Clencia leaves in a huff ?"

"Thorin you have heirs. You don't have to do this. Your people respect you and would respect any choice you made for consort. They respect bravery...it would not even have to be a dwarf for that matter...just someone the people respect. Most of all it should be someone you love."

"Love, Balin that hardly comes into the picture for royalty and you know it."

"Thorin, I knew your grandfather and your father, they loved their Ones, truly loved them. Well, lad we will back you up no matter what your decision." Then looking at Thorin and moving a little closer Balin added. "Have you happened upon our Burglar of late?"

"Bilbo, why mention him?"

"No reason lad, no reason...just hadn't seen him lately."

"I...I assume Mr. Baggins is fine...probably in the library or one of the kitchens. But ...why even speak of...I mean...well." Thorin looked flustered and try as he might he could not hide that slight blush that touched his cheeks.

Balin smiled that kindly, fatherly, and right now infuriating, smile that Thorin knew meant ' I know what you are thinking, laddie'. Thorin had a sudden desire to either hide or hit Balin. The first would be most unbecoming for a king and the latter would get his royal rear end thoroughly kicked. Balin was still quite a warrior. Given those choices His majesty ducked his regal head not unlike he did when Balin would catch him daydreaming during those lessons.

Balin chuckled and patted Thorin on the back before turning and walking away.

Lady Clencia, was not a soft, cuddly dwarrowdam. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. A few rocks falling inside a mountain that had been once breached and left in various stages of ruin by a dragon, would not frighten her away. As she strode through the halls and galleries she looked every bit a queen; head high, shoulders back. She seemed to glide over the stone, with a grace and bearing that spoke of decades of training , wealth and power. She would find Thorin and they would talk. He was far too great an opportunity to let slip away.

" Ah, Thorin." Lady Clencia called as she spotted the tall, dark haired dwarf. She preferred males who were closer to the dwarfish standard of beauty; shorter, rounder, longer beard, bulbous nose. Still...a king was a king and Thorin did have a majestic bearing about him.

"Lady Clencia, how good to see you. I was concerned that those rocks falling may have dampened your spirit for Erebor." Thorin lied, the truth was he had rather hoped it.

"Oh no, I suspected that Erebor would be quite literally falling apart after that dragon. But seriously Thorin you might see to it that the workers do a better job of the repairs, now mightn't you."

"Actually they do very..."

"Yes, yes of course. No matter, like Erebor you just need a strong dwarrowdam to put you right again."

"Lady Clencia I don't really believe that..."

"There, there don't worry, Clencia will make it right, dear. Now I will see you at dinner, yes.:

"Well, now that you mention it..."

"Yes, yes of course I will. See you then, dear." And with that she seemed to almost glide swiftly out of the hall.

Thorin was left staring at where she has been with a confused expression on his face. It wasn't until he heard the chuckle that he realized Dwalin had walked in and was a few feet behind him.

When Thorin turned to glare at his old friend Dwalin burst out laughing. "Thorin, you didn't arrange for those rocks to fall on the good lady did you?

"Dwalin, I'm warning you."

More laughter.

"I'm serious Dwalin, I'm in no mood to be laughed at. Rocks falling, dwarrowdams, bossy dwarrowdams running loose through Erebor."

A lot more laughter.

At dinner that night Lady Clencia sit beside Thorin, much to his displeasure. She managed to flow into his personal space again and again. It was nearly impossible to look brooding with a swirl of braids and lace mocking your privacy at every turn. He had just about had enough and was trying to find a good reason to excuse himself when for no apparent reason the stone chair the Lady Clencia was in started to rumble and vibrate. The everyone jumped away from the table just as the lady's chair crumbled into rubble.

"What!" Lady Clencia hit the stone floor hard. Several dwarves rushed to help her.

" Thorin, I realize Erebor is in terrible disrepair but really! This is outrageous!" The lady glared at Thorin accusingly. "If you don't want me here, be dwarf enough to say it!"

Kili opened his mouth to say something and Fili hit him in the back of the head. Thorin could feel Fili and Kili trying not to laugh. Dis seemed to be in as bad a shape, not really able to look at Thorin for fear of bursting out in a very un-royal, un-princeness like laugh any second. No way was he going to look at Dwalin, that would take him completely over the edge. But it wasn't funny...well yes it was, but Lady Clencia could have been hurt and even though he didn't want to marry her, Thorin did not want her harmed in any way, certainly not while in Erebor because of the damage to the mountain.

" No, no Lady Clencia, I assure you this was some type of freak accident. I will have the workman check all the chairs...and the tables. It is no doubt the result of the dragon and years with no repairs." Thorin tried his best to sound apologetic, but deep inside he just wanted her to storm out in a huff and storm right back to the Iron Hills. Let Dain find her a husband there.

" I believe I will retire for the evening." Lady Clencia gathered all the dignity she could and swept out of the dinning hall.

Once she was out of hearing range, Fili and Kili couldn't hold back anymore. They nearly fell over laughing until Thorin's glare shut them up. "Alright that's more than enough. We might have a real problem here. If Erebor is crumbling around us."

"Maybe the mountain hates her too, like Lord Indoin." Fili smirked.

"Well you can't blame Erebor for having good taste, brother. Kili smiled innocently.

"No. no you really can't, brother. It would appear that the lonely mountain has decided to sabotage His Majesty's courtship." Fili stated, trying not to giggle.

" Perhaps it is not the idea of courtship, just who the King Under the Mountain decides to court." Kili replied, ignoring Thorin glare.

"Thorin, my sons, may just have a point. I know how strange that sounds..." Dis stated, rolling her eyes at her children.

"Mother!"

"Quiet, both of you! Now as I was saying. As odd as it sounds perhaps Erebor wants to have a say in your courtship." Dis looked totally serious

"Dis I love our home but to think that the mountain is aware and interested...I...we...we may need the wizard to sort this out. But I doubt it is anything more than loose stone, worn with age and the destruction from that dragon. Lord Indoin did say the mountain hated him but honestly that's just too much to believe." A few very small pebbles fell from the ceiling onto Thorin's head. Everyone looked slowly up at the ceiling and then back down at him. Suddenly the room was completely silent.

" Balin try to contact Gandalf, Lord Elrond may be able to locate him. Everyone be careful." Thorin said still looking up at the ceiling with confusion and disbelief on his face.