1

"I think it is best to review the finances to begin." The elder dwarf grumbled, raising his viewing glass to his eye as he surveyed his advisors.

"Your Majesty, our wealth has never been greater. The treasure halls are full, the city of Dale bustles with a market of unmatched capacity, and those within the mountain could not be more content." One dwarf commented, earning a respectful nod from the King.

"I could not feel more pride, though I am not shocked to say so in the least!" Thror bellowed, causing all around him to rumble with laughter. "Are you surprised, my son?"

"No, Father. Not at all." Thrain's grin widened, his words earning him a clap on the back from Thror. "Not in the slight—"

The large oak doors burst open, bringing the reverie of the coveted meeting to a halt. A young lad, aged no more than seven years, was bent over, his tiny lungs gasping for breath. His thick black hair, falling at his shoulders, concealed his face, though the sapphire blue of his tunic revealed his identity.

"Has... anyone... seen her?" His light voice huffed as he straightened, showing the redness in his cheeks. To the amusement of his onlookers, it was clear he did not know what he was interrupting.

"Who, Prince Thorin?"

"Talia."

"Who else, Master Fundin?" Thror laughed. Normally, the King would be in a state of slight annoyance at an interruption, but today he was amused by his grandson. He was in a good mood. "Who else does he have his eye set on other than Talia Rue?"

"She's not still hiding, is she?" The young prince begged, not registering his grandfather's words.

"Why was she hiding, Thorin?" His father asked.

"Hide and seek."

"Well, she's not here, laddie." Fundin smiled at the poor lad, who looked like he could pass out any minute.

He sighed again. "Only one other place, then."

"Talia!" Thorin called, rushing out of the room once again and down the halls, skidding around tight corners. His little boots slid as he dodged pillars, people, and every other obstacle that the kingdom of Erebor, his kingdom, threw his way. It wasn't long before he collided head-on with not one, but two dwarfs similar to his size, knocking him down to the ground.

"Thorin!" Balin laughed at the prince, giving him a hand and helping him stand. He, being ten years Thorin's elder, hadn't taken too much of the force of his sprint. His brother, on the other hand, couldn't say the same.

"OI!" Dwalin grunted, standing once again with great difficulty and little help from Balin after Thorin had knocked him down. The dwarf was only five years older than Thorin, but already had the snark of a teenager. "Thanks for the hand, brother." He added sarcastically.

"Anytime."

"Why are you in such a rush, laddie?" The younger of the brothers asked, now recovered.

"Talia... hide... can't find..."

"Of course not." Balin snorted. "How long has it been, now?"

"Almost an hour."

"Thorin!" Dwalin laughed merrily. "No wonder you look so desperate!"

"She's in the gardens, laddie." His brother winked at the prince, who was already off. "Ashenstones, eh? Impossible to tie down."

"Balin, they're not even ten yet."

"Doesn't mean they haven't started something." Balin retorted, watching the young prince rush after his companion.

Thorin reached the gardens in under five minutes, now utterly winded from his chase and in dire need of rest. The prince flopped onto one of the benches, back to the stone and eyes to the sky, absorbing the fluffiness of the clouds as he panted. Though he hadn't found the one person he was looking for, the child was not entirely sure that he cared, now that he could breathe.

Once he had caught his breath, his original goal appeared right before his eyes. Stunning emerald eyes met his own blue ones, causing their owner to smile.

"'Bout time you found me." Talia plopped down on the ground below, leaning on one of the bench's legs.

"I checked all of the usual places."

"I guess it was kinda unfair. I was in all of those places at some point." She shrugged, causing Thorin to whine, loud and exaggerated. The dwarven lass giggled, tilting her head back until her eyes too gazed amongst the clouds. "Yeah. Not very fair."

"No."

The duo continued to look up at the clouds, their green and blue orbs never tearing away from the dance of the clouds above. Although they were rowdy and rambunctious, Thorin and Talia could often be found in the gardens, messing with the flowers or playing tag. They had been best friends for as long as anyone could remember, practically since the womb. After Talia's mother had been summoned by the royal family to assist with a birth— the birth of the heir to the throne, no less— the healer could not refuse, hauling her pregnant self up to the Mountain on the coolest of days that autumn. Though the healers within the kingdom held unmatched expertise, they were all men. As soon as the first contraction hit, Thorin's mother had begged for a female healer, or even the closest mother within Erebor's walls, to help her. No man could possibly understand this! She had screamed. Theresa had held her hand the whole time, never letting go, and the heir was born with enormous success. Still gripping tight to Theresa, Thorin's mother made a vow upon seeing her pregnant belly. You, my dear Theresa, are a true friend. I rest with ease in knowing that Thorin shall soon meet this child as well. They will be friends, Theresa, the best of friends— I can just feel it. Talia Rue Ashenstone was born a mere two months later, in the comfort of Theresa's home with the entire royal family there to help shut out the cold seeping through the wooden floors.

"What are you thinking about?" Talia asked, green eyes imploring. Thorin raised his head, twisting to look at her.

"How we met."

"As babies? You don't remember that."

"No, just the stories." Thorin settled back down. "They are interesting, though." The prince added.

"I can't believe your mother waited all that time for mine."

"Was worth the wait, I guess."

"Good friends are always worth the wait." Talia raised herself off the ground and sat next to Thorin, their legs brushing as they swung their feet. Neither of them were tall enough yet to touch the ground. "You think Balin and Dwalin are looking for us?" She asked.

"Probably." Thorin agreed. "It's almost supper. Will you stay?"

"Can't. Mother is getting me at sundown."

"But tomorrow's Durin's Day!"

"Why's that matter?" Talia looked at her friend, searching his shocking blue eyes for an answer.

"I'm still a prince. They'll be prepping me for the ball all day tomorrow, especially since I skipped today's fitting." Thorin grinned devilishly, causing Talia to giggle as soon as she saw it.

She sighed contently once the both of them had calmed down, in a child-like manner that only a seven-year-old could master. Now, they could see the brothers descending the hill to the gardens, though they hadn't been seen yet. "Oh, I don't know. I'll always remember you as the guy who couldn't find me for over an hour, not just a prince."

"Hey!"

"Bad seeker!"

The bold prince tackled his companion off the bench, causing her to giggle as the wrestled in the dirt that they landed in. Balin and Dwalin stopped right before their roughhousing, exchanging an amused look before separating them.

"Best not to hurt the lady, lad." Dwalin chuckled, pulling the prince off of her.

"Talia Rue, when have you been one for playfighting?" She gasped at Balin's voice, not having noticed his entrance, and gave him a big hug. She had always seen Balin as a big brother, the one who often read her stories to help her sleep. When Theresa was visiting with Thorin's mother in the later hours, she often brought Talia along to play with the boys, since there was no one else at home to watch her. Countless times had Balin found Talia dead asleep against Thorin's door, drooling with a cheek smushed against the fine hardwood.

"Come along, you two. Talia, your mother is waiting."

Back within the walls, the three young boys accompanied Talia to the gates of the mountain, following the young lass as she wove them through the halls she knew so well. Once they had reached the gate, sure enough, her mother was there waiting for her, an amused smile on her face at the dirt smeared all over her daughter.

"Roughhousing in the gardens, Lady Theresa." Dwalin greeted her, followed by a mumbling of apologies from Balin.

"I wish I could say I was surprised." Theresa laughed, approaching her daughter and ruffling her hair. "She was due for a bath for Durin's Day, anyway. After all, the ball is tomorrow."

"Are you coming?" Thorin asked Talia.

"Sure."

This earned a nudge from her mother. "Yes, my prince." Theresa corrected.

Talia giggled. "Yes, my prince." She curtsied gracefully for her mother, but as her head was bowed low and her lips were out of her mother's view, she mouthed, Bad seeker. Thorin also giggled lightly at this, but quickly became bashful in the presence of the brothers and her mother.

"Bye." Talia added, running from her mother to give Thorin a quick hug, the awkward one that children give that never feels awkward to them.

Thorin returned it. "Bye."

Dwalin and Balin grinned at the sight. As the gates closed behind Theresa and Talia, the three of them made their way towards supper, chatting all the while.

"How long?" Balin challenged his brother.

"Fifty years; remember the stubbornness of the Durins!" The bigger dwarf fired back.

"No way! Twenty."

"Too short, my brother!"

"Care to wager?"

"Wager what?"

"Nothing." The two brothers responded in unison, causing Thorin's eyes to return to the halls in front of them. "C'mon, laddie." Dwalin led them on. "Best not be late for supper."

...

"Oh, look at you. Filthy!" Theresa exclaimed, brushing off Talia's dusty shoulders as soon as they were past the gates. "Mahal, I hope the King didn't see you."

"Thorin was dirty too!" Talia pouted.

"Well, Thori— the prince is not my son, now is he?" Theresa took her hand, leading her daughter on and heaving a sigh at what little the small dusting of her clothes had accomplished.

"King Thror didn't see me."

Theresa smiled. "Good. I am not mad, my child. Merely amused." She reassured her, causing both of them to smile.

The journey home through Dale was pleasant. They wove through the marketplace, hand in hand as goods of silk, satin, and more danced atop the white stone. Although it was Dale, and people from all across Middle Earth visited for its riches, it was busier than usual— no doubt in preparation for the annual ball of Durin's Day. They reached home just before the sun set, golden light spilling into the three-room cottage through its few windows. Compared to the riches of Erebor, Talia knew it wasn't much, but nevertheless, she knew it was home.

Theresa led her past the kitchen hurriedly, rushing Talia immediately into the bath. The usual smell of the many spices and herbs Theresa used for healing, the smell of home, hadn't even hit the child's senses before the bath was run and ready, the warm water inviting the weary child.

Once Talia was in the tub, stripped and rubbed clean, Theresa pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter's brow, stepping back. "I must prepare dinner now if you are to get any rest before the market tomorrow. Come out when I call you."

"Yes, Mother." Talia smiled, causing her mother to grin back as she shut the door, leaving Talia to gaze out of the nearby window and up towards the clouds. But before long, her eyelids grew heavy and her green eyes shut, the exhaustion of the day hitting the young girl.

She dreamt yet again of the fluffiness of those clouds, and reached with yearning fingers to touch them. Except this time, she could actually reach. Before long, Talia and Thorin bounced on the weightlessness of the clouds, giggling as their green and blue hues met.