Thorin Oakenshield

☆⧼ He has to find a betrothed

The halls of Erebor once more echoed with the sound of hammer on anvil, the low hum of dwarven voices filling the mountain with life. Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, stood at the grand balcony, gazing out over his reclaimed kingdom. Beyond the gate, the scattered remnants of battle and ruin were slowly being replaced by the signs of rebirth. The mountain was alive again, but for Thorin, the weight of the crown pressed heavier each day.

It had only been months since the death of Smaug and the bitter Battle of the Five Armies. The Lonely Mountain, once silent and forsaken, was now a beacon to the world. The gold and treasures of Erebor gleamed, drawing in merchants and rulers, all eager to forge alliances or seek favors. Yet amidst the rebuilding, the songs of victory, and the restoration of his people’s home, there was a new expectation – one that gnawed at Thorin’s peace.

He was expected to marry.

Word had been sent to all the great dwarven houses of the Blue Mountains, the Iron Hills, and beyond. Nobles from every corner of Durin’s Folk were arriving, bringing with them daughters of noble blood, each hoping to forge a union that would seal alliances and secure the future of the kingdom. Thorin, though, felt no desire for such a thing. His heart had been hardened by years of exile, war, and loss. What use had he for a marriage when his only love had been his homeland, and that had already nearly destroyed him?

But custom and duty left little room for personal feelings. As king, it was expected of him to choose a queen and secure his line. His advisors, Balin chief among them, had gently but persistently reminded him of this need, urging him to fulfill this final obligation as ruler.

Inside the halls, preparations were being made for the grand banquet that would welcome the guests. The throne room, once littered with dust and decay, now gleamed with polished stone and flickering braziers. The nobles were arriving, each with their entourage, eager to meet the once-legendary Thorin Oakenshield. They came with gifts, with jewels and promises of loyalty, but beneath the formality, there was ambition. Thorin could see it in their e