Title: Every Few Hundred Years

Summary: It's been 200 years since an inter marriage in Durin's line and it's time for another. It's Fíli's turn. He doesn't know the cousin he's supposed to marry but when he meets her, he might just change his mind. Maybe.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit. Never have.

A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted!

2nd A/N: I read somewhere that every few hundred years a royal family must intermarry to keep the bloodline strong.

Fíli, son of Dis, stared at his Uncle as though Thorin had asked him to cut off Kíli's right arm.

"You want me to marry my cousin?" He asked. Kíli even looked surprised.

"She's a fine maiden. I myself have not met her but her mother tells me she is the perfect one for you, Fíli." Thorin said, Fíli couldn't speak.

When he found his voice he sounded scandalized, "Uncle!"

"No arguments. Her name is Karla and you will meet her tomorrow morning." Thorin said without letting his nephews argue. As he walked away Thorin thought back to when he'd first met Karla's mother. It brought an image of his brother's wicked grin to the for-front of his mind. Thorin had missed Frerín greatly and he wished to have some reminder of him in the house again. That happened the day Karla's mother came to him.

"Majesty! King Thorin!" Thorin hadn't been addressed as thus for quite some time, but he turned at the title.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"My name is Tarna, and I have to speak with you." She said, her face held urgency.

"What is this matter?" He asked firmly.

"It has to do with the Prince Frerín." She said, knowing the matter still caused pain to the family.

"We don't speak of my brother." Thorin told her.

"I know. I must tell you." She pleaded, Thorin relented.

"Go on." He said.

"He and I…we…he laid with me." Thorin was surprised.

"And?" He asked, knowing the answer already.

"Well I gave birth to a child not too long ago. She is still a babe but she looks just the same. I will raise her and if, when the time comes for your heir to marry, she will be of the age, I will offer her to him." She said with a small smile.

"You would offer your daughter to my nephew to marry?" Thorin asked, Tarna nodded fiercely. Thorin nodded to her.

"Alright. If my nephew is ready to marry and your daughter is of age, they will meet." He agreed.

He had no idea that Fíli would be so against the idea. He had to meet her at least once. Just once. Thorin also wanted to meet her. Tarna had said she looked just like Frerín. Maybe Fíli would change his mind.

The next morning Thorin was pacing in front of the throne he was supposed to sit in when a door to his right opened and Kíli could be seen pushing Fíli into the room. Fíli still looked as though he didn't want to be there. But took his position beside Thorin and Kíli too. Both boys had their small circlets on their heads, they felt silly, Thorin knew, but it was what they were supposed to wear. He took up the throne and then the proceedings began.

Many 'cousins' were brought in for the Prince to view. But then Thorin saw her. A small, slim girl. She had long golden hair and dark focussed eyes. Frerín had looked just the same. His eyes never lost their focus or their intenseness. Fíli saw where his Uncle was looking at glanced down at her. She was beautiful no denying it. Even Kíli had noticed. Fíli still scanned the line of 'cousins' until his eyes finally rested on her in the way they should.

"What is your name?" His voice sounded making most of the young girls jump, she turned her gaze up to him and smiled softly.

"Karla, My Lord." She said curtsying slightly.

"She'll do." He muttered to Thorin and the King announced that Karla and Fíli would begin courting the following day. Once dismissed the Princes took off their circlets and fled the throne room.

"You look like your father." Thorin said with a smile approaching the small girl. She gave him a small smile.

"My mother told me I did. But I seem to not be in the Prince's favour."

"Not yet." They turned, Kíli had returned and he joined them with a bright smile.

"Uncle's right. And so is your mother you look just the same as Uncle Frerín." Kíli said. Karla's smile vanished.

"My mother never told me he was Royal. But she did tell me I was your cousin. I am happy Fíli chose me but he does not seem too pleased." Karla said sadly.

"Fíli just needs to adjust. I'm sure he'll like you well enough." Kíli told her with a smile.

Fíli hated her. Alright not her just the idea of marrying her. She was pretty and funny and she made him laugh but he didn't like the idea of marrying her, mostly because she was his cousin. He told her so and she basically repeated the word Thorin had said to him.

"But I am willing to wait as long as it takes you, Fíli. I am not going to push for a marriage in the summer, when Thorin thinks we should marry. If you are not ready, I will not marry you until you are." Karla cared for his feelings in this and for that he was grateful. At least she was compassionate and caring. She had trait of her father, his mother and maybe there was a bit of Thorin's unbridled stubbornness there too. Fíli liked her as a person and Karla liked him. They didn't love each other yet, though they may be a underlying love that might just form into something else, but any love was that for a cousin, not a lover. Not yet.

"Are you sure you want to marry me?" Fíli asked.

"One day perhaps. Not right this second, Fíli." Karla laughed, "but maybe one day. We will see. You have plenty of other cousins who wish to marry you." Is Fíli didn't know any better he'd say she sounded sad.

"But I didn't choose them did I?" he said, she smiled at him.

"No, so for now I have you all to myself." Karla laughed and they spent the afternoon mostly just talking and laughing together. Kíli watched from his window, he was glad Fíli was happy. His brother deserved to be happy. It was supposed to be a happy time now that Fíli was courting Karla but then by the time summer would come around – would Fíli want to marry her? Kíli knew he'd still get to spend time with his brother but it wouldn't be the same. Fíli would be married and then he'd have kids. Kíli would be an Uncle. Now if this had not been arranged then Karla and Fíli may never have met. Kíli smiled and turned from his window. His brother was happy and that for now was enough for Kíli.

Summer came around too fast. Karla feelings had changed for Fíli, but he still loved her like family. Karla sat in the chambers given to her as Fíli's betrothed. She'd told Kíli how she felt about his brother but Fíli had told her he did not love her that way. He had neglected to add 'yet' to his sentence. But Kíli did that for him.

"Don't worry over it, Karla. He didn't mean that he will never love you. He simply meant that he does not yet." Kíli told her as he sat next to her. He wasn't meant to be in her room with her as they were not betrothed. Only Fíli was allowed and even then it had to be by invitation, not because he felt like it.

"Do you think he will ever love me as I do him?" She asked. Kíli smiled at her and nodded.

"I am sure. I know my brother well and I know he will not see you heartbroken. I know he will come to his senses soon and if he does not I will beat it into him." Kíli said making Karla giggle.

"Thank you for talking to me Kíli. I think you and I will be quite a pair of in laws." She said, Kíli smiled wider and gave her a small bow as he left her with her thought. He had to find the blonde that had hurt that wonderfully thoughtful and beautiful dwarf and give him a piece of his mind. Kíli knew that Fíli would never honestly and knowingly hurt her – but did he realize that he had done that anyway?

He found Fíli sharpening his swords out of the pathway near the gate of Erebor. Kíli sat down next to him and waited until Fíli acknowledged his presence.

"If you are here to tell me I shouldn't have been so harsh on them, I don't want to hear it." Clearly Fíli thought he was here about the way he'd scolded the young dwarves he'd had for training that morning. Fíli had offered to take a class even though his Uncle had been reluctant.

"You made some of them cry, Fíli." Kíli pointed out, Kíli had been several yards away with the young archers. It had surprised the young Prince that so many young dwarves wanted to be archers. But then after him...who wouldn't? Though he did credit it was mostly the younger brothers of the ones Fíli taught.

"They are supposed to be warriors, not cry-babies." Fíli snapped.

"You were rather harsh on Valin and Rurin." Kíli reminded him, the brothers were by far the youngest pair in Fíli's class and they were barely older than Fíli had been when he'd first been scolded by Thorin and brought to tears. But Fíli cared little about it. They had to harden up to be warriors, but maybe it was more than that.

"Has something been bothering you brother? Usually you are not that harsh." Kíli said softly, trying to coax his brother into telling him. It didn't take much.

"It's summer, Kíli. What is supposed to happen on mid-summer's eve?" Fíli said putting down the whet-stone and his sword.

"Your wedding?" Kíli said with an air of uncertainty, as if he wasn't sure he was correct.

"Exactly. Unfortunately I find that I do not love Karla as she does me." Fíli said looking over towards the city of Dale as if wishing he was still a child and playing in the streets of Ered Luin.

"You've hurt her brother. She knows. You may not have meant to but you have hurt her." Kíli said not taking his eyes off his brother, if he wasn't mistaken Fíli's eyes had clouded with fear when he mentioned it and now they had clouded further with tears.

"I mean not to hurt her, Kíli. You know I never mean to hurt anyone." Fíli said closing his eyes against the tears but they fell anyway. Fíli never purposefully hurt anyone. If he did he reacted passionately. Often tears would accompany it. Kíli felt bad, but he knew that Fíli would fix it. He watched his brother get to his feet and go inside the halls of Durin. Leaving his sword and whet-stone in Kíli's care.

Fíli stood a little uneasily outside the door that led to Karla's chambers. He could only be allowing in by invitation and even then it was awkward. He had knocked and was now waiting for her to answer.

"Fíli?" He looked up and instantly felt bad once more. Karla had clearly been upset. Very upset.

"Karla. I wish to speak with you." He said softly, almost fearing to speak too loud.

"Of course. Please come in." she said stepping back to let him in, she closed the door behind him and watching as he slowly took a seat on the chair that Kíli had previously occupied.

"Karla…I have been unfair to you. You must understand that I never meant you any harm. I am truly sorry for the way I acted and what I have said. I wish I could turn back time and take it all back." Fíli said softly, watching as she took a seat on her bed.

"Are you saying that you do love me?" Karla asked carefully, she wanted it to be true but if Fíli was just apologizing she had to know.

"I think I am, but I am no ready for marriage." He told her, she nodded with a small smile.

"Nor am I. I just hoped we could have a normal courtship where each side loves the other. I have heard of it from mother – but then she never courted Frerín. She merely laid with him." Karla said with a small shrug, Fíli smiled – he had heard of it from his uncle that Frerin had laid with Karla's mother but there was no evidence of courtship. Karla stood and walked over to her bookshelf she picked up something and then return to Fíli and held out her hand. In her palm sat a bead, the same as one would put in their hair. Fíli looked down at it and then lifted it from her palm. She had already put the braid in Fíli's hair, he had let her do it on their second outing as Prince and intended. Now she was requesting he give her one. Letting her settle on her bed once more, Fíli moved behind her and began to braid an intricate design into her hair before he clasped it off at the bottom.

"It is done, my love." He said quietly as she turned around.

"I have waited to hear you call me that, Fíli. My Prince." She said standing up. Fíli then did something he never thought he'd get to do, and something that Karla had always dreamt of. He kissed her soundly. It was soft and loving, passionate. A promise. A promise to love her forever and to make sure she was always happy.

"I never want to see your tears…never." He whispered as he rested his forehead agasint hers.

"As long as I am with you I will never have need for tears, except in happiness." Karla whispered to him in return.

Winter Festival

Erebor's Winter Festival was something to behold. Thorin had made sure that weeks before a message had been sent to Bilbo in the Shire, inviting him to join them. The Hobbit had arrived the day before, he had heard from Kíli that Fíli was engaged and he couldn't wait to meet the lucky girl. Though Kíli explained the complexity of it to the hobbit.

"She's your cousin?" Bilbo asked as he put his bag down inside the room Kíli had led him to.

"Yes. It's something that happens only every few hundred years. To keep the Durin bloodline strong. Since there are no many dwarf women, it's only every century or whatever. You'll love her though. She's great." The young Dwarf smiled widely at his old friend and left him to settle in.

The next morning a knock sounded at Bilbo's door, it was timid and soft and when he opened the door after tying up his dressing gown he was met by a pretty, blonde dwarf woman, a tray in her hands.

"Good Morning, Master Baggins. I thought I'd introduce myself to you first. I hope I didn't wake you." She said smiling.

"Not at all. You must be Karla." Bilbo said smiling in return.

"Yes. Kíli's told you about me?" She said with a small giggle.

"Only that you and Fíli are engaged, so congratulations. And that's you're cousins." Bilbo said, Karla shifted her weight.

"That's right. Can I come in? This is breakfast." She asked, Bilbo stepped back letting her come in.

"I'm sorry, I should've invited you in the moment I saw you with the tray." He said with a small amount of blush covering his cheeks.

"It is of no matter Master Baggins. This is merely a thank-you for helping them return home safely. It is not much, but it's the best I could do on my own." She said.

"You cook?" Bilbo asked surprised, she was a Princess wasn't she?

"You must understand I lived with my mother for most of my life. My father was the royal but did not know of my birth. He was killed just weeks before I was born. My Uncle has given me my own chambers here, next door to Fíli's, and I am expected to move into Fíli's after we are married. Does that make sense?" Karla paused here to see if he understood.

"Yes, yes it does. And thank-you, for breakfast. It looks great." He said with a smile.

"I hope it is satisfactory. I'll leave you to your breakfast." Karla gave him a small curtsy and left Bilbo to his meal. He wondered how it looked when Fíli and Karla interacted. He'd have to wait for tonight to see he guessed. But he didn't mind waiting.

In truth Bilbo saw everything they did very sweet. Fíli held Karla's hand the entire evening and she made him laugh all the time. It was the type of laugh where you had to throw your head back and laugh. Kíli made Fíli laugh like that too, but now Karla did it as well. Bilbo watched from beside Bofur as they spoke with Thorin, Kíli and another woman Bilbo didn't know, but Bofur explained it was Fíli and Kíli's mother, Dis. Thorin's sister. Bilbo had little trouble imagining Thorin as an older brother. Most of evening is spent drinking ale and celebrating Winter's arrival, but half-way through the evening a shout breaks the calm.

"Don't touch me, Brother!" The shout was female and when the crowd seems to part as the pair argue, Bilbo and Bofur – from where they remain – can see who the pair are that are fighting. Karla is tugging her arm out of the grip of another male dwarf, this one has red hair like Glóin and he has fiercely blue eyes. Bilbo can see them from where he stands.

"You will not marry him!" The male dwarf says, Fíli is being held back by his brother and the Prince looks ready to murder the male dwarf.

"Ha! Too late, Nalar! You are too late! Mother promised me to the Prince the very day I was born!" obviously her brother did not know of the selection.

"Father would never have approved." He said angrily.

"Your father is not my father and has never been." Karla retorted.

"What are you talking about…?" Her brother seemed to shrink slightly.

"Have you not noticed? I have blonde hair, you do not." She tugged on one of his braids.

"Mother has dark hair…as did father." He said slowly, now seeing that his sister was only that by half his blood.

"My father was of Durin's line." Karla snapped angrily at him.

"Don't you lie to me!" Then it happened. Karla fell to the floor but the resounding slap was what shocked the room to silence. Even Fíli stopped struggling against Kíli. The dwarf moved to help her up but she put up a hand to stop him.

"Don't you dare touch me." She growled, allowing Thorin and Dwalin to help her to her feet. Karla then turned and walked away from the male, he seemed to want to chase after her, but the only dwarf that followed and she didn't object was Fíli. The crowd resumed their conversations and the noise rose again, Karla paused by the stairs and waited for a hand to grasp hers. They continued up the stairs and Bilbo was sure that the pair would spend a good long while in her room until she was calm. He knew that Fíli would never let anyone suffer in silence, not his brother, Uncle, mother or any of the company and he would definitely not let Karla suffer.

Bilbo was led back to his room by Kíli and as they passed Karla's room they could hear a conversation going on in hushed tones. But Kíli kept them moving, they wouldn't eavesdrop, it was unbecoming, although he ordinarily loved to eavesdrop on any conversation.

Inside the room Karla sat on her bed with Fíli next to her his arm around her shoulders holding her to his chest as she cried. Her forearm where her brother had grabbed her was bruising and her cheek was red. Fíli just held her for a long time letting her cry. Fíli wouldn't leave her while she was upset; it wasn't something he ever thought to do. He'd often sat with his mother after his father's death and just sat with her, waiting for her tears to stop. He had sat in her lap and hugged her and when he was older had sat next to her and held her to try and provide any form of comfort he could. He'd seen his Uncle do it for her so why couldn't her eldest son? Now he's have to provide it for Karla.

"I had no idea he loved me so much." She whispered.

"Your brother has every right to. Kíli and I love each other fiercely. We are the closest I think any too siblings can be, we can read each other's minds sometimes!" Fíli replied softly. They spoke in hushed tones so nobody could hear them. Karla didn't lament her brother ant further but often the pair told the other how much they loved them. It wasn't until earlier hours of the morning that the pair separated and slept. They knew they had to be separate until they married, but they didn't want to have to wait too long. Tomorrow they'd make the announcement and then they'd go onto plans for the bonding ceremony.

The next morning Kíli woke Bilbo and said that there was to be an announcement made of great importance.

"I didn't know you had to wear a crown, Kíli." Bilbo said with a smile. Kíli snorted.

"It's not by choice." He said and straightened it slightly, "Fíli has to wear one and soon Karla will have to as well." The young Prince left the room for Bilbo to dress and when the Hobbit exited the room Kíli was waiting in the corridor, he handed the hobbit an apple.

"Eat it while we walk, or Uncle will be furious." Bilbo did as told and followed Kíli's directions so he entered at the right door. Kíli was already standing on the días next to Thorin when he came in and he noticed Fíli on the other side, Karla sat on a small stool beside him. Bilbo waited for the whole room to fill, dignitaries he didn't know, dwarves he had met on his travels, he noted that there was one elf in their midst, just one. Blonde hair fell to his waist and he was standing as if he too were of Royal blood. He wore greens and browns, a quiver of arrows nestled on his back and a bow was slung over his shoulder.

"That's the Prince of Mirkwood." Bofur whispered in Bilbo's ear, "Legolas. He's here to try and offer congratulations to Fíli and Karla on behalf of his father, who apparently doesn't know he's here." Bilbo smiled softly. He had assumed that all the Mirkwood elves would not have anything to do with Erebor, but it seemed that there was still a kind heart among them. He just hoped that it would endure. Silence fell and Bilbo turned to see that Thorin had stood.

"As most of you will recall at the start of autumn, our Crown Prince began to court his intended." There were murmurs of agreement yes they remembered, "It is my immense pleasure to inform you all that the pair have allowed me to announce that their engagement ceremony will take place tomorrow evening and on Autumn's eve they will announce their wedding date." The crowd murmured again and Bilbo frowned at Bofur, the hobbit was clearly confused – weren't they already engaged? Did Dwarves have engagement parties? Bofur caught on quickly to the fact that the Hobbit had no idea on Dwarf courting or marriage rituals. When the crowd started to depart Bofur led Bilbo up to the library so he could find a book that might teach the Hobbit some.

"Any questions on what you read in here," Bofur said handing Bilbo a large leather bound book, "go to Kíli, he spends more time reading now anyway." It was true, as Bilbo settled down to start reading the book; Kíli entered the library and retrieved a book from one of the tables. He turned and Bilbo noticed him handing it to a small child. He told him to find a quiet spot to read it and then retrieved his own book and took a seat next to Bilbo.

"Brushing up on your Dwarf knowledge?" Kíli teased lightly, Bilbo smiled.

"Bofur gave it to me. I don't know what it's like for Dwarves to marry, so Bofur thought that this might help me understand." Bilbo said, Kíli laughed.

"I could tell you anything you want to know. I've had a few friends that had to get married. It'll be the same for Fíli and Karla, just…grander." Kíli said with a grin. He plucked the book from Bilbo's hands and set it aside before turning in his seat like an excited 5-year-old and exhaled loudly.

"Now…what do you not understand?" He asked.

"Why there has to be an engagement ceremony. I thought Fíli and Karla were already engaged." Bilbo said.

"You're right, they are already engaged, but the ceremony is merely to make it official. They must be presented to the court and their people as an engaged couple. Also Fíli will be presented with a gift from Thorin – sort of like an engagement gift. It just makes it official. You might have noticed an extra braid on Fíli's hair," Bilbo nodded, "yeah that braid means 'I'm courting' so it's like telling female dwarves to stay away, Karla has a similar one in her hair that tells all male dwarves to back off. Especially since the pattern of the braid is different for every person who does it. If you look closely at the braid that I recently did for her and the one Fíli did they are very different. The braid Fíli put in her hair tells males not just to leave her alone but also says whom she belongs to. It screams Crown Prince. Or Fíli anyway." Kíli said, "Anything else?"

"Why don't you explain about your race to me. I have read may books, but nothing compares to a dwarf's description." Kíli raised an eyebrow but nodded and started to tell Bilbo all about the Dwarves.

They eventually got onto Dwarf women and Kíli paused here when they reached this part as he could only tell Bilbo when his mother had told him.

"Women are very protected by our race. Often kept inside our halls, and when they do venture out it's only because they have to and even then they dress as men. And you've heard a few women talk. They sound like us as well. So they are often mistaken for men and it's not offensive to them. You'll also find that – I won't say all – most dwarves have beards from the beginning of their lives." Kíli paused here, "more on marriage?" Bilbo nodded.

"Okay, women usually join their husbands' families and most children that are born are boys. That is why only about a third of population is female and not all of them marry. If a son is said to be 110 years younger than his father then this usually indicates that there is an older sister somewhere. And they aren't usually named in our tales unless they do an incredible deed or their sons or husbands die. Our tale of reclaiming Erebor has been told and retold so many times I think they say we died in the battle of five armies. But they can say what they like. Most men like to spend time with their crafts, look at Bofur and Bifur, they aren't married they enjoy toy-making too much. Now I'll tell you a secret – many men forget the existence of women as well. They think as they don't see them nor are they mentioned very often that we dwarves are 'born' out of stone. So you can see that even we get confused." Kíli laughed and Bilbo joined in. It was not hard to see as Bilbo hadn't seen many but had seen a few Dwarf women and most had beards but there were very few that didn't. Karla being one of them. Bilbo let Kíli keep babbling on about Dwarves all he liked. He only suggested they stop when he noticed Kíli yawning.

The Ceremony for Fíli and Karla's engagement was amazing. There was lots of food and the ale was flowing, but it was Karla that made many heads turn. She appeared in the hall, led by Kíli (as Fíli had arrived alongside his Uncle), she was wearing a long dress, it was an off-white but it shone, it looked like elves had made it and Bilbo wasn't at all surprised if Kíli had said it had been. Karla hair had been braided, Bilbo guessed by Kíli. Braiding was usually reserved for lovers or close family, Bilbo guessed Karla had asked Kíli to braid it for her as she had no one else she trusted enough. Kíli had effortlessly braided it into intricate designs while adding flowers to her hair. Heads turned in her direction as she descended the stairs Kíli slightly ahead of her holding his hand to guide her down the stairs. She looked out across the crowded hall searching for Fíli and when her eyes found him she waited until his eyes found hers. Kíli slowed as he noticed her eyes had shifted. He didn't want her to stumble. He glanced up and Bilbo turned his head to watch Fíli and Thorin as they spoke to Gloin and little Gimli before Gimli tugged on Fíli's tunic before pointed up at the stairs. Bilbo had seen Fíli look like he was 13 or younger when with his brother but when he set eyes on Karla; he seemed to age slightly and become an adult. Seeing his beautiful fiancée as she was led towards him by his younger brother. Bilbo watched as they shared a smile before Karla joined the men in their conversation and while she spoke to them she accepted compliments from other dwarves as they passed. Kíli appeared at Bilbo's elbow and let out a sigh.

"Hard work leading her down the stairs was it?" Bofur joked.

"More like hard work getting her to calm down." Kíli said, "She was in total panic mode until I got started on her hair."

"You did well, her hair looks lovely." Bilbo said with a smile.

"Did you expect any less?" The Prince said, "I've been braiding Fíli's hair and moustache for long enough." He grinned.

Bilbo had to return to the Shire soon but Karla had cornered him and begged him to stay for the wedding. It was set for Winter's eve. He would have to travel home in snow. But Karla told him he wouldn't have to worry much about the cold. Bilbo may have been confused but he told her he was sure he wouldn't. He spent most days in the library reading scrolls or books or looking over maps. He was often joined by Kíli who complained mostly about not spending any time with Fíli anymore. Bilbo felt for the young Dwarf, but he was sure it was only until the wedding was over.

"Kíli, he's getting married very soon. You can't expect him to have a lot of time to spare for you. I'm sorry. But after he and Karla are married I'm sure you could convince him into a hunting trip or something. Some quality brother time." Bilbo said, Kíli agreed, that was a good idea. Bilbo suddenly remembered something.

"Kíli…did you and Fíli know Karla before?" he asked.

"I don't think so. Why?" Kíli was surprised.

"Because when I first met her, she told me that I had helped your return home safely. Like she knew you had gone on the journey." Bilbo said. Kíli took a moment to look thoughtful.

"Oh…we might have met a few times in Ered Luin, it's hard to remember. Fíli and I had lots of friends and there were a few girls, not many though." Kíli said with a smile, "she might have been around. I'm not sure."

Winter's Eve

It had been 4 hours since Fíli and Karla were married and like at their engagement party and a year ago at their Winter's Festival, Fíli never left her side. He held her hand tightly and Karla welcomed any touch he gave her. Whether it be a squeeze of her hand, moving his arm to around her shoulders or putting a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she welcomed it all. Bilbo could tell that they loved each other. Kíli had said that Fíli didn't like it at first but he soon warmed to the idea when he started to see that even if it wasn't due to tradition and under his King's rule – he'd probably still marry her. Karla was beautiful, no denying it – and she was very welcoming and kind-hearted, she'd make a very good Queen.

"She'll be a great Queen, one day." He said to the Dwarf that came to stand beside him.

"Yeah she will be." Bilbo turned and was gifted with a smile from the younger Prince.

"You and I seem to be spending a lot of time together. People will start to talk." Bilbo said with a smile to match.

"Oh let them talk. They need a bit of good gossip every now and then." Kíli said with a casual shrug. He hated that he couldn't spend time with his brother but at least he knew he could talk to Bilbo and the Hobbit had suggested some good things to plan with Fíli after everything had died down.

As Bilbo saddled up his pony for his ride home a voice called out to him. A voice he never expected to hear call him anything but 'Master Baggins'.

"Bilbo!" He turned and was slightly startled to see both Fíli and Karla walking towards him. Karla was holding something in her arms.

"It's another thank-you. For bringing the boys home alive and also for keeping Kíli company during the whole thing. I know he's been lonely not having Fíli every second of the day. So this is a thank-you from all three of us." Karla said, the something she was carrying turned out to be a hobbit-sized fur coat, "I'm sure you'll find a use for it." She winked and he nodded, riding home in the snow, he sure could.

"I wish you both every happiness." Bilbo said, Karla allowed Bilbo to kiss her hand and he even got an embrace from Fíli. They were the perfect couple and they deserved each other. A couple like them only came around every few hundred years.

I know dwarf women are supposed to have beards and all that but I saw the Hobbit movie 3 times and in the opening scene of Dale there are Dwarf women selling various items to the people of Dale and I can't see any beards or wisps of hair at all! Plus Karla is one of a kind.