It had been two months since the Battle of the Five Armies. Everyone had mostly recovered from their injuries and Thorin was now a king with a kingdom. As part of the company, Ruby had been given a room to recover in and an invitation to stay. She wasn't entirely sure who issued the invitation but it was unlikely to be Thorin. A half-elf with human ears, she had been able to hide her heritage until Mirkwood, where Legolas and Thranduil both knew her. While some of the others had gotten over her keeping the secret, Thorin hadn't been one of them. Even when she took Azog down with her bow before he could kill the dwarf king, she got little more than a nod of thanks.

With a sigh, she shoved her belongings into her bag. She was healed now and she was pretty sure she'd overstayed her welcome. Thorin still wasn't talking to her and the rest of the company seemed to have taken to keeping their distance as well. She guessed it was one thing to be friends on the quest and quite another to be friends here in the dwarven kingdom. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks and she quickly swiped them away. She put her pack on one shoulder and her quiver on the other.

"What are you doing, Ruby?" a familiar voice said and she turned to see the blond prince in the doorway.

He eyed her warily as he stepped into the room. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm leaving, Fili."

He frowned. "Why? Your family is gone. We've asked you to stay. Why would you leave?"

"I'm pretty sure the invitation was only extended due to a sense of obligation since I aided the company. We all know I'm not wanted here, Fili."

"That's not true. Why would you think that?"

"Why wouldn't I? Bilbo and Gandalf went home. Thorin hasn't spoken to me since he heard Thranduil call me by name. This is the longest conversation I've had with anyone from the company in weeks. The dwarves cross to the other side of the hallway when I walk past. I might as well not even be here. No one will notice when I'm gone."

Fili's face fell. He was obviously upset she felt this way. He reached out as if to take her hand but pulled back before they touched. "Listen," he said, "just stay for tonight. Let me talk to you and see if I can convince you otherwise. If you still feel the need to leave, you can go in the morning. I won't try to stop you."

She thought about it for a moment. What difference would a day make really? It's not like she had a destination in mind once she left. "One night, Fili."

"Yes," he exclaimed. "Put on a dress and I'll be back in an hour."

He hurried from her room without giving her a chance to respond. "A dress isn't the best way to convince me to stay," she muttered even though she was the only one there to hear it.

True to his word, Fili was back in an hour. He complimented her dress then led her to a room she'd never seen before. Inside there was a long table filled with food. The company sat in the chairs around the table, all of them shouting a greeting when she walked in. She laughed, happy to see her friends.

"Hello, lass," Dwalin said as she sat in the empty seat between him and Fili.

"Hello, everyone." Her eyes ran down the table. Everyone was there except Thorin and Kili. Thorin's absence was expected. "Where's Kili?" she asked his brother.

Fili smiled. "He'll be along presently. He had to pick something up on the way here."

She watched with no little amusement as the dwarves piled food on her plate. They always told her that she didn't eat enough. Many jokes and stories were told as they ate. The room fell silent however, when the door opened soon after they started eating. Kili walked into the room with a grin and a wave. Right behind him came Thorin.

Thorin stopped in surprise, his eyes taking in everyone until they settled on Ruby. He looked at her a long moment before turning to his nephew. "What is this?"

"Dinner with the company," Kili said before turning to wink in Ruby's direction. What were those damn brothers up to now?

Thorin huffed out a breath. "I don't have time for this. I'm the king," he grumbled.

"Sit. Down," came the demand and they all turned to find Balin scowling at his friend the king. "You've been avoiding all of us except your nephews. Sit and have a meal."

Thorin continued to grumble but moved to the head of the table to sit. "Happy?" he asked.

"Getting there," Balin said. Everyone just looked between the two of them. "Well, eat you lot," Balin ordered and everyone went back to their food.

She joined in the conversation. Occasionally she darted a glance in Thorin's direction. His eyes were on her every time. She willed her cheeks not to flush. After the food was gone, servants cleared the table then brought out mugs and two casks of ale. Ruby arched her brows but happily poured herself a mug just the same.

Dwalin was telling a battle story and she leaned against the back of her chair as she listened. After a moment something tugged at her hair. At first she ignored it thinking her hair had gotten caught between her back and the chair. When it persisted after she shifted positions she turned with a frown to see Fili grinning at her. He gave a little salute with his mug.

She turned back around and soon the sensation came again. It only lasted a moment before Thorin barked at his nephew. "Knock it off, Fili."

Everyone fell silent and turned to look between the two of them. Fili sat there innocently while Thorin glared at him with narrowed eyes, his face flushed.

Kili cleared his throat. "So, Ruby, Fili says you're leaving. Any idea where you're going to go?"

Every head in the room turned to look at her and her face flushed. She took the opportunity to kick Fili in the shin. Hard. He grunted and jumped in his seat a bit.

"You're leaving, lass?" Bofur asked with a sad voice.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Dwalin added.

She sat her mug on the table and took in the sorrowful faces looking back at her. "Come on, guys," she pleaded. "You got your home back. You don't need me anymore. Give it a month and you won't even remember my name."

That only made them look more upset but no one said anything. She took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll be honest. When we first got here, I saw you guys all the time. Training, eating, walking, whatever, we spent a lot of time together. Now all I get is excuses and sad faces. I get it you're all busy. But I don't have a purpose here. It's time to move on."

Still, no one said anything, but their gazes shifted to focus on Thorin which made her frown. "Everybody out," Thorin said in a low voice. When no one moved, he said, "Now," in a much louder tone. Everyone stood abruptly to file out of the room. "Not you, lass," Thorin said when she moved to follow the others. The princes were the last two out, Fili giving her a little wave and Kili sticking his head back in with a grin and a thumbs up before he was dragged away.

She kept her eyes on her hands which were folded in her lap. "Look at me, Ruby," Thorin said. She shook your head, afraid if she met his gaze she'd start to cry. Though he was the one that had distanced himself the most from her, he was the one she least wanted to leave. He'd had her heart almost since the beginning of the quest whether he wanted it or not.

He sighed and came to sit in the seat Fili had vacated. When she still didn't look at him, he took one of her hands in his and pulled it into his lap. She snapped her head in his direction, her eyes wide. He chuckled at her expression. "I am an idiot and a coward," he said.

She wasn't sure what to say to that. "Is this the part where I'm supposed to argue?" she asked with a half-smile.

Thorin laughed again and shook his head. "No, amralime, for I said nothing that wasn't the truth."

She tilted her head to the side. "What does that word mean? I don't think I've heard it before."

"Amralime?"

She nodded.

He took a deep breath and squeezed her hand. "It means you are my love, my one."

Her heart skipped a beat at his admission. "But you haven't spoken to me in weeks, Thorin. I thought you hated me." She felt tears well up but willed them not to fall.

His free hand cradled the side of her face and he looked into her eyes. "I could never hate you, Ruby. When I found out you were half elf, I grew quiet simply because you had not shown me one aspect of what I had come to expect the elves to be. I had to rethink everything." He ran his thumb along her cheek. "And then I was ashamed that I had shut you out. Eventually it became so compounded I couldn't think of how to explain it all."

"What about the others? Why have they been avoiding me?"

He grimaced. "I'm afraid that's my fault as well. See, my people only fall in love once. When we find our Ones we are very protective. Once I made my claim known amongst the others they kept their distance out of respect for me."

"So, I've been miserable and lonely because you love me?" she asked and arched a brow. She smiled when Thorin blushed.

"Like I said, I'm an idiot and a coward. I should have told you much sooner." Leaning forward, he pressed surprisingly soft lips to hers. The kiss was brief and when he pulled away, he looked at her intently. "Dare I hope you return my feelings, Ruby?"

She leaned her forehead against his. "Thorin Oakenshield, I have been in love with you almost from the moment I met you."

With that he kissed her again and again, laughing as a grin settled on his face. She hadn't seen him looking this happy in quite awhile. "Would you do me the honor of allowing me put a courting braid in your hair?" he asked showing her the beads he'd been carrying with him.

Her cheeks heated and she nodded shyly before turning so he could braid her hair. When he finished, he kissed her again. This time it was soft, slow and needy. "Walk with me?" he asked and pulled her to her feet. She kept her fingers laced in his as he led her to the hall.

When she opened the door it was to be greeted with the eager faces of the rest of the company. Seeing the courting beads in her hair, they all let out a happy shout.

Thorin grinned and pressed a kiss on her cheek. "Welcome home,Ruby."