This is a teaser to see if the plot may interest readers. If you'd like to read more, more will be posted! Drop a line and let me know. This story takes liberties with the original in terms of plot, though everything else remains the same.

Disclaimer: Only in my dreams would Thorin Oakenshield, or anyone else belonging to Tolkien's wonderful universe, belong to me. Hrrrmmmph...

"Marry a dwarf?"

Vanya looked up in shock. She had heard her father's threats of arranged marriage for years, but had never thought he would actually give her hand to a man she hadn't chosen for herself.

"We have been given an advantageous opportunity," a weary King Therumen repeated, rubbing his temples in exhaustion. He had expected nothing less than a hard fight from his stubborn daughter when the time came to choose a husband for her. He sat up in his throne and looked at her sternly. "It is necessary for our people to be linked to the dwarves, especially now!"

Vanya scoffed and took a few steps away from her father, her right hand gripping the spear at her side. She turned to him with a toss of her braided hair, eyes gleaming defiantly. "Why should we?" she snarled. "They can take very good care of themselves, and our people are more than strong enough to fend off any stray orc-packs stupid enough to wander into our part of the forest. My army -"

"Your army is not prepared for what is to come!" the old king thundered, standing up and gripping his staff with a strong hand. Vanya turned away, her shoulders tense, hard eyes turned to the ground. Her father's anger ebbed away as he saw the pain she hid underneath her thick emotional armour. He understood. To marry without love was, for Vanya, to be doomed to a life of captivity, serving a husband she did not know, and bending her indomitable will to a man she did not care for. From the shadows of the great wood pillars of the throne room, piercing blue eyes watched Vanya keenly as she came to grips with her own fate.

The king walked towards his daughter and placed a gentle hand on her arm. She moved away, but he held firm. "If you do not marry Thorin, son of Thrain, it could start a war. He has just reclaimed Erebor, and both our people are plagued with stronger and larger armies of orcs." Vanya scowled and jerked her arm away from her father, but he persisted. "For whatever reason, there are dark forces growing in the East. The orcs are coming down from the mountains and darker creatures are rising up from their depths. We share the woodland around Erebor, and for years have lived in fear of Smaug. Now that he is dead and more evil may be coming, we could use the protection of the Dwarves in case..."

Vanya turned around, light green eyes resting on her father's smooth brown ones. She saw his fear, and forgot her own feelings for the moment. "In case of what, father?"

He looked back at his daughter, his love for her aching in his heart. "I cannot promise our safety. Please, child. Consider it. Speak with him. Do it, if not for our people, then for me."

She held his gaze, her eyes silently pleading one last time, before she looked down, nostrils flaring and eyebrows furrowed. She turned to walk away.

He called after her, walking quickly to catch up to her before she reached the door. "If you refuse him, he may never forgive the insult, Vanya. He already holds a grudge against the elves - us wood elves cannot leave for the West with Galadriel's people. Our home is here, for better or for worse - and having enemies on the mountain as well as around the forest could only be bad for us."

Vanya whipped around, her voice filled with bitter despair. "But why would he want me, papa? Why would he want an elven maiden if he hates our kind so much? As King he must have his pick amongst the people of Durin - why could he not pick a Dwarven maiden to wed?"

The king looked at her earnestly. "Because he cares for you, little one."

Her eyes widened, and without another word, she turned and left, the door closing heavily behind her. The shadow in the pillars disappeared.

Thorin Oakenshield sat on a rock overlooking the waterfall by King Therumen's palace, deep in thought. He heard a heavy tread behind him and felt a sturdy hand on his shoulder.

"You must give her time."

Thorin recognized the gruff voice of the king immediately. He looked out at the flowing water. "Not even time can force one to love another." His voice was thick with some indiscernible emotion.

The King sat by the handsome dwarf with a grunt. "Perhaps not, but Vanya is as stubborn as they come."

"She despises me!"

"It is not you she despises, it is being bound against her will. She is as wild as a river spirit. You must appeal to this part of her nature."

They were quiet for awhile, watching the water flow. Thorin turned to look into the old king's kind eyes. "A dwarf is no wild spirit."

The king returned his gaze. "Isn't he?"