Take Off My Crown (Throw It To The Side)
“Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror”, announced Balin. “May I present to you, Miss Belladonna Baggins.” He paused a moment for effect. “Your wife.”
In an Erebor that never saw the wrath of Smaug, after the death of Thror, rule falls to Thrain, who, determined to not allow his mountain to suffer in the same way it did under Thror's rule, arranges a marriage contract between a chosen gentlehobbit of the Shire and Thorin, to be activated upon his death, in hopes of creating an Erebor less reliant on monetary wealth for surivival. Thus, a grieving Thorin is thrown into a marriage with a woman he has never met. Full of resentment, he can never hope to love this Hobbit who knows nothing of their customs.
Billa Baggins, inheritor of a marriage contract, is hardly thrilled either.
A late present for Shivi, who had a terrible nightmare some time ago, to make her feel better :)