The Prince's Secret, A Thorin Oakenshield Fanfic, Chapter 1

Every Iron Day, she secretly watched Prince Thorin as he came down to the village to the annual fair and market, strolling along the main street with his young nephews, Fili and Kili. His manly beauty took her breath away, just like every time she had seen him before. Not that she'd ever had a chance of catching his eye. Even if the villagers tolerated her well enough, every time a male dwarf directed his gaze to her, he quickly turned away when he noticed her hideous appearance. Some managed to hide their repulsion politely. Others stared at her with open disgust. They thought her painstakingly thin, with long, ugly limbs, hands and feet that were far too small for their taste. Her height didn't matter much, although she was taller than most dwarves. Only very few, among them the prince, towered over her. But the worst thing was that she didn't have a beard - not even the tiniest wisp along her jawline.

Keyla Slatestone, about twenty years old since she never learned the day of her birth, was named after the place her dwarven parents had found her: A massive block of slate near Erebor, where she had lain as a baby, left back to die by her own kin. Eldur, a merchant who had been on his way back home, had come across the tiny, wailing human that had been draped in dirty rugs. He couldn't bear the thought that the child would be eaten by some passing animal, or die of hunger and thirst. Deciding to bring it to the next human settlement the next day, he took the little girl home to his wife, who was childless and convinced her husband to raise her as their own daughter. Sadly, her parents died only a few years later, both lost to the same fever that took a third of the dwarves' population in a matter of weeks.

Afterwards, she was sent from house to house, raised by the whole village who felt obligated to her deceased father and mother. However, no one seemed to care for Keyla, since she didn't talk much and was deemed dumb. In fact, she wasn't talked about at all, and no one ever dared to mention her to King Thrór, or to those close to him. For who would want to bring shame on himself and his family by raising a human in his household? As soon as Keyla was old enough to live on her own, she was placed in an old, abandoned hut outside the village, at the forest's edge. She went to the market once a week, earning a meager income by selling vegetables she grew in her garden, and eggs by some chicken he had managed to buy. Apart from that, she was an outcast, and lived on her own.

Today, she had her own little both at the market, neatly stocked with the goods from her small farm. Many people had come to the village, dwarves and humans. She loved this day - it was the only time of the year she didn't feel so awkward but vanished in the crowd. Nevertheless she wore a wide cloak over her dress, and had pulled her hood forward to cover her human features. It was better for business anyway. One day, when she had saved enough coins, she would leave this place for good and settle down in one of the humans' cities, far enough to start anew. Maybe she could buy a little shop in some market town. No one would miss her here. Her parents were long dead, and the few friends she had made among the other children were grown up now. Even they didn't dare to recognize her anymore, for they feared their parents' disapproval.

When Prince Thorin drew near her booth, she made sure to hide deeply in her overcoat, but underneath watched him with wide eyes. Gods, he was a handsome man. She was sure that no warrior, male or human, possessed the width of his shoulders, or such strong arms. His whole being seemed to radiate power, strength and integrity. But he also held himself with a quiet dignity that made everyone accept his authority. People succumbed easily to his will, even if he was just a young dwarf, his beard not even long enough to touch his chest but cropped closely to his handsome chin.

His clear blue eyes were constantly scanning the place as he walked, taking in every detail he saw. There was a fierce intelligence in their depths, and definitely a spark of humor. While his younger nephews constantly chatted about, making jokes and flirting with the blushing women who were selling their wares, the prince kept himself quiet, apart from occasional remarks to his companions. It was a tradition that the royal family went to the village that day, spending Iron Day with the peasants. They even joined the famous dance around the fire at midnight, since this late summer's day, shortly before the harvest, was a celebration of fertility.

Every year, the heir to the throne chose a maiden among his subjects and opened the dance with her. Keyla had never seen it herself, but quickly packed up her goods and went home before the evening's festivities started. Without knowing why, she had never wished to watch the prince dancing with one of the prettiest girls. However, she'd heard that whomever he chose, this one dance would bestow a great honor upon the girl and her family, and from that day, she would be a prize to all the men who wished to marry. Usually, the woman quickly found an eager, wealthy suitor who bid for her hand. The villagers hoped the prince would choose his own bride among their daughters one day. However, none of them had caught his attention for longer than just this one dance.

When Thorin finally walked by her stand, an unexpected crowd gathered around him and his nephews. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the young princes, maybe get the chance to bow to them and present themselves. The two guards, who had been subtly following Thorin, Kili and Fili in case they needed protection, quickly stepped into the peasants' way, making the princes step back. All at once, Thorin stood right at Keyla's booth. They were only separated by the narrow table she had stacked her eggs upon, and for a moment, their arms brushed. It was a hot day, and besides his trousers, boots and sword belt, he wore just a deep-blue shirt that hugged his strong shoulders and chest. It clung a bit to his wide back, and she caught a sniff of moss, mingled with a hint of the clean, musky essence of his fresh sweat. Keyla's arms beneath her cloak were bare, and she felt the warmth of his skin all the way through the fine silk that covered his arm. His face was averted, his attention drawn to the gathering people who had suddenly began to push forward, all-too-eager to see him. But he was close, so close.

His long, dark brown hair fell openly over his shoulders. As usual, he wore it in a simple style, with only two braids at his ears. She just couldn't help herself. Everyone was looking elsewhere, especially the prince himself. Cautiously, she stretched out her hand and touched his hair, very lightly. It was surprisingly soft, and smelled heavenly, emanating the fine, male scent she already recognized as his very own. With a small sigh, she retrieved her hand, glad that he hadn't felt it caressing his tresses. But he still didn't look her way. What if she …?

Before she knew it, she leant slightly forward and placed a soft kiss into the dark, silky mass, inhaling his wonderful, seductive smell. Smiling, she closed her eyes, savoring the moment. This might be her only chance in life ever to touch him, to come so close just once, and she had seized it.

She had already begun to draw back when she opened her lids, but was abruptly jerked back into reality by a sudden movement. The heavenly mass of hair brushed over her arm as the prince moved his head …

… and directly stared into her eyes, his face close to hers. He had caught her.

She gasped, wanted to run, but felt herself unable to move at all. His eyes pierced her, looked right into her soul. He knew. She blushed to the roots of her hair when she became aware that he realized what she had been doing.

Gods, what had she been thinking? It was forbidden to touch a member of the royal family without their consent, or talk to them without being asked to. She knew that it would be just a few moments before he'd call his guards and have her arrested.

Instead, he just continued staring at her, so close that their breath mingled. "Now, what have we here?" he murmured in a deep, low voice that sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't utter a single word, just held her breath while her heart was racing, pumping her blood through her veins so hard it hurt inside her chest. Surely he must hear the wild, frantic beating, too. It was the only sound she heard, thundering in her ears.

His hand went up to her hood, lifting it from her head. His sharp eyes were on her, taking in her pale, fine-boned face, her beardless cheeks, her curly, sun-streaked hair. She stared at him wordlessly, mesmerized by his intense gaze. His eyes seemed to light up for a moment, but she couldn't tell how he felt about her unexpectedly human appearance. But it wasn't disgust what she saw, nor anger for her shocking behavior. She just looked at her, looked into her.

Then, very slowly, his gaze dropped to her mouth. Without knowing why, she quickly licked her lips and opened them a bit. His eyes widened, and she realized that his breathing had become fast and shallow, too. A sound escaped from his chest, a deep, low rumble. She didn't know what it meant, but it made her feel so weak that she grabbed the table in front of her, steadying herself before she humiliated herself even more and dropped to the ground right before him.

He opened his lips again to say something, but right at this moment all hell broke loose. There seemed to be some riot in the crowd as more and more people rushed down the narrow street, forcing the guards and the prince's nephews to retrieve. Suddenly, Thorin was pushed over the table, right into Keyla. She was so surprised that she didn't even notice when he grabbed her, slung a strong arm around her waist while they went down to the floor, landing in a heap of broken eggs. During the fall, he had somehow managed to turn around so he landed on his back, with Keyla lying right on top of his body. Completely in shock, she just breathed deeply, trying to recover for a while. She didn't have the faintest idea how this had happened, but her face was buried in the crook of the prince's neck, against his warm, heated skin while his arms were all around her, protecting her. Only faintly she heard his voice asking if she was all right, felt his hands touching her back as if he wanted to check if she was hurt.

Seconds later, she was roughly grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. Two spears were pointed right at her throat, and she stared up into the faces of two particularly furious palace guards.

"Damn," she murmured, hardly aware that this very word had escaped the prince's lips at exactly the same moment.

(To be continued …)

To read more chapters of this story, click here. Enjoy! ;)

*****

All rights belong to their respective owners. No monetary gain for the author. This story is for entertainment purposes only; a hommage to Professor Tolkien's work and the awesome movies by Peter Jackson.

Deborah Court: My Next Big Thing

Last wednesday, I was tagged by my friend and talented author Lynette Sofras to answer 10 questions about my next release - "Bound by Magic", the second book in my Elven Warrior Trilogy and sequel to "Bound to the Prince".  To read about Lynette's own Next Big Thing, her upcoming romance "In Loving Hate", you can visit her blog - which is very entertaining and worth reading, anyway!

Now here's some info about my own "Next Big Thing" I'd like to share with you:

What is the working title of your book?

Bound by Magic. It's not a working title anymore. When I first thought about writing a story about elven sorcerer Calatin, a character from my debut novel "Bound to the Prince", there was just this one line in my mind. I like it short and simple when it comes to book titles.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It was very unexpected. During writing my first story about an elf who fell in love with a human woman, I invented Calatin and fell in love with him right from the start. Originally I just wanted some kind of funny sidekick as a friend for my hero, Elathan, who is more the dark and brooding type.

Calatin is my idea of a typical elf. He loves to play dice with trolls, gets drunk and - since he is known for his male beauty in all of the elven realms - he loves to seduce any compelling female who happens to stumble into his arms. But he's also a loyal friend, brave and selfless when it comes to protecting his people. And he hides a hurt, vulnerable sould behind his handsome, smiling face.

What genre does your book fall under?

Although I like to call it H.E.R. (Hot Elven Romance), it's actually a Fantasy/Paranormal Romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Ok - I'm thinking big so let's choose actors for all my three elven heroes:

Alexander Skarsgard - he has the height, the Nordic features and most of all, the brooding quality I'd need for my elven prince, Elathan. Anyone who has seen him as Eric in True Blood knows what I mean.

Benedict Cumberbatch - he is an amazing actor (just watch him in Sherlock), and I can think of nobody who has more elven-looking features than him. He'd be my perfect Calatin.

  

Tom Hiddleston - this is just a teaser because I can't reveal anything about my third book in the Elven Trilogy yet but let's say that for my leading man, I need a type that's a bit more sinister and villaineous. Loved him as Loki in "Thor" and "The Avengers".

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Elven sorcerer is cursed by furious ex-mistress and thrown into the human world, bereft of all his magic - right into the back yard of a human female who needs protection from lethal enemies since she knows too many secrets.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? 

Self-published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?  

Hard to say. I'm constantly writing and re-writing, adding new scenes. Maybe five or six months. It's still a work in progress.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? 

Since it's part of a trilogy, obviously to "Bound to the Prince". But this story will be very different from the first book.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Writing "Bound to the Prince" helped me through a very painful time in my life; it was pure escapism when I couldn't sleep at night. This is probably why the story has a certain darkness to it. Bound by Magic was inspired by my character, Calatin. He simply commanded me to write it.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

In all of my elven books, I include elements of Celtic Irish and Scottish mythology, and the language I chose for my elves is real Gaelic. I believe that our whole culture is influenced by those ancient legends, more than we realize. We automatically respond to them, in an instinctive, emotional way.

A damsel in distress on a lonely island inmidst a lake, a brave, tragic knight coming to her on a silver elven vessel trough the wavering mist. Every woman secretly yearns for her very own warrior to save her. And yes, I'm talking about self-confident, modern women who successfully manage their careers and families. Deep inside, we are holding out for a hero. And I don't think that this contradicts feminism in any way. It doesn't hurt at all to be soft and a little bit weak at times. Life is hard enough, don't you think?

Next Wednesday (October 17th), my fellow authors Blak Rayne and Leigh Savage will tell you about their "Next Big Thing" - make sure to check those awesome blogs out!

Indie Romance Convention 2013

I am very happy to announce that I'll be an attending author at the first Indie Romance Convention in October 2013 - organized by my friend and well-known blogger, Laurie from Bitten by Paranormal Romance. You can bet there'll be lots of awesome people around - wonderful authors, cover designers and bloggers (you'll find the full list and more information here on the convention's website). For me, it's the long-awaited opportunity to talk to my readers in person. So if you can make it possible, head over to Lebanon, Tn (near Nashville), and meet me at the convention! I'm looking forward to seeing you there. ;-)

Love,
Deborah

Bound to the Prince nominated for Best Fantasy Romance 2011

Dear Readers,

Recently I heard some news that really swept me off my feet - "Bound to the Prince" is nominated for The Romance Review's "Best Book of 2011" award! I'm so excited about this, and couldn't believe it, considering that I only started publishing last August! However, it's a great honor to know that so many readers enjoyed my book. ;-)
So if you liked "Bound to the Prince" and want it to be the best Fantasy Romance 2011, please visit this site and click on "Vote" over the cover (you can easily log in with your Facebook account). Thank you so much for your support!
Click the logo to vote:


I also have a little goodie for you, an excerpt from my upcoming erotic romance, "Virgin Dancer". I hope you like it!

Until soon, with much love,
Deborah
xxxx

Excerpt from "Virgin Dancer"
@Deborah Court 2012

Jade, a small town girl who has recently moved to New York to become a professsional ballet dancer, is wildly determined to lose her virginity. She goes to a Lower East Side club and celebrates her birthday with friends - fully intending to choose the most handsome, charismatic man she'll meet there to introduce her to the art of love that night. Instantly she falls for the blonde, tall Swedish sex god who owns the club, pretending to be a pole dancer who wants to apply for a job. But Alrik has secrets of his own, and soon Jade gets entangled in a web of danger, mystery and relentless passion ...

****

Don't lose your courage now, Jade thought.

In this instant she felt it, the undeniable sensation of someone's gaze on her. When she turned her head slightly, the crowed parted for a moment, and she saw the most stunning male she'd ever laid eyes on.
Much taller than any other man in his proximity, the blonde giant leaned nonchalantly against the black marble block that formed the bar, his strong arms crossed in front of his wide chest. He was broad-shouldered and sculptured with muscle, yet his exceptional height prevented him from looking like one of those bodybuilders Jade had always disliked, finding them too heavy and bulging. He looked as if he had gained that body with heavy physical work, or maybe some kind of martial arts.

Actually, he didn't fit at all into this decadent environment. This man looked strangely out of place, maybe even out of time. The only way she could describe him was as one of those medieval warriors she liked to read about in her romances - late at night, when lay alone in her room in the tiny apartment she shared with Amber, dreaming of a man's touch on her naked skin.

Looking like the epitome of understatement in this club, he was only wearing a black tank and black jeans, combined with biker boots. His golden-streaked hair was combed back, accentuating the planes and angles of his striking face - high cheekbones, a straight nose, a strong chin, and lips that were curved into an ironic half-smile. But the most impressive part of him was his piercing grey eyes, their gaze so intense that her cheeks started to burn when she saw him looking directly at her.

Jade gasped when she felt a liquid fire racing through her body - straight down to the juncture between her legs, causing a strange, throbbing feeling. His stare felt as if he was touching her, keeping her imprisoned until she swiftly turned away. She managed to make Beth remove her tongue from her new guy's mouth long enough to talk to her. "Who's that?" she asked, discreetly nodding in the stunning man's direction.

Beth chuckled, elbowing her friend, who stopped making out with her fellow dancer, too. "Hey, Amber," she said. "Look who Jade has picked - from all of the men!"

Amber followed Beth's gaze and grinned, too. "Oh. Him."

"Him?" Jade said, breathlessly. "Do you know him?"

"Sure. Everybody knows him. His name is Alrik Larsson."

"Yup," Beth added. "The sex god from Sweden. He owns this club. All the women here want to get laid by him, that's for sure. He might be a great choice to deflower you - but I'm not sure if you can handle him, sweetie. He's a bit on the dark side, from what I've heard."

"Beth!" Jade cried. "He isn't my choice. I only asked."

"But he's watching you," Amber remarked. "He's undressing you with his eyes. It's clear that you have piqued his interest.

"And … what did you mean with 'he's a bit on the dark side'?" Jade asked as her heart started to pound faster. She had a sudden adrenaline rush. It was a feeling as if something was about to happen that couldn't be stopped once she had crossed a certain point. Amber was right. The blond giant locked his gaze with her whenever she looked at him, devilishly trying to seduce her with those amazing eyes.

Amber came nearer so she couldn't be overheard. "I know a girl who told me she'd had a short affair with him," she said in a low voice. "I still don't know if she was just bragging, but she sounded honest. She said that Alrik was an incredible lover. He did things to her she wouldn't even have dreamed possible. She says that he liked to be the one in control, and that he could make love for hours. Oh, and that she never had so many orgasms in her life."

Jade swallowed. "Maybe I had better look for someone else."

"Don't worry, Jade. He was a perfect gentleman. My friend said that he never harmed her, and didn't do anything she didn't wish for herself. He seems to be very good at pleasuring a woman. This man could teach you a lot about sex, girl. Only problem was that she fell in love with him. When he noticed that, he didn't meet her again. She said that he gets cold as ice if a woman develops any feelings for him. Definitely no boyfriend material."

Jade narrowed her eyes and tried to avoid his gaze. "Well, this sounds great! He might be just what I was looking for, after all," she murmured.

"Go girl!" Beth said. "You have to grab the opportunity."

"But … I've no idea what to say to him!" Jade said.

"You'll think of something," Beth answered. "Will you go now? 'Cause if you don't, I'll shout out to all the men on the dance floor that you're looking for someone to take your virginity."

"Oh Beth, you wouldn't!"

"Don't dare me, girl."

Jade took a deep breath. You wanted this. Now go for it. Don't be such a coward. It's not a big deal. After this night, you'll never see this man again, anyway.

Straightening her back, she raised her chin and crossed the dance floor, walking directly towards him. But when she had passed the dancing crowd, he was gone. Frustrated, she leaned against the cool marble of the bar, closing her eyes for a moment. She felt so ridiculous right now. It just wasn't like her to be so straightforward. Why couldn't she just meet someone and fall hopelessly in love, instead of staying a virgin forever?

"Are you looking for someone?" a deep voice said, right over her shoulder.

Wincing, she turned and saw that the Swedish sex god was standing right behind her. Being so near to her, he was even more striking than from afar. She was taller than many men, but still her eyes were on the same level as his chest. The height difference made her feel petite and feminine for once, a feeling she wasn't used to. Slowly, she raised her head to look him in the face. Towering over her, he looked incredibly powerful, and undeniably male. His golden beauty was almost too seductive to look at. This was too much.

"I …," she breathed, swallowing. Then, unexpectedly, an idea came to her mind.

"I'm … an exotic dancer, and I'm here because of the job," Jade said. "I've heard you were looking for new dancers," she added, nodding towards one of the strippers on the pole.

He stared at her for a moment before he smiled, a lopsided grin that made her heart flutter. "That's very interesting … because right now, I don't need any new dancers."

Well, then I might have heard wrong. Sorry," she said quickly, starting to turn around. This man was too much for her to handle, Beth had been right.

His big hand closed around the bare flesh of her arm. It was a gentle touch, yet she found herself unable to move. "Wait," he said, and his deep voice sent shivers down her spine. "Don't go. Actually, maybe I could use another dancer. Would you like to show me some moves?" He spoke perfect English, but with a melodic quality that only added to his exotic attraction. And heavens, he smelled so good.

A smoldering heat spread inside her belly, going straight down into her core. "Yes," she said. "I think I'd like to do that."

He led her to a back room with a private elevator. "Let's go up to my penthouse," he said. "I have a pole there. My name is Alrik, but you probably know that, if you came to apply for a job. What's your name, beauty?"

She didn't know why, but her endearment made her shiver with need. "Jade," she said, staring at him without even thinking about telling him her last name.

When he pressed the up button, Jade felt like running away for a moment. This is it, she thought. It will really happen. When the door slid open, she hesitated. This might be her last chance to leave. Besides, could she simply follow this man to his private rooms? She didn't know anything about him.

He had noticed the changed expression in her eyes and smiled. "There's nothing to fear, fair Jade. Don't look at me like I'm the big bad wolf who wants to eat you. I only want to see you dance and talk about a possible job - unless it's you who has other intentions?"

Jade didn't have the faintest idea what to answer to that, so she simply followed him into the elevator. With this step, she probably crossed the last boundary that kept her from staying in her innocent state. This man was a born seducer, and she was his willing prey. However, she wasn't naïve. There could be no doubt why he took her to his private rooms. Surely he had some kind of back room or office in the club which they could have used for a demonstration of her dancing skills?

They played a game with open cards, and she wanted him to win, although she shouldn't show it to him too openly. He stood so close to her that she could feel the warmth of his body. He quickly typed in a code, then the elevator moved up to the 34th floor, as she noticed on the display.

Alrik's penthouse was furnished with subtle, tasteful luxury. They stood in a huge, open room that provided a 360-degree, breathtaking view of the city. It was clearly a man's apartment. No curtains. Everything was black and white. There was a large living room area with a giant flat screen and a large, comfortable leather couch, and beside it a built-in dancing pole that reached from the high ceiling down to the floor, which was covered with a thick white carpet. The other side of the room was dominated by the largest bed she had ever seen - of all things, a curtained four-poster made of dark oak. It didn't seem to fit to the rest of these lodgings. Doors led to a kitchen, bathrooms and to a office.

"Nice flat," she said, feeling incredibly stupid. He simply laughed, shrugging. "I'd be as happy in a cabin in the forest. I'm not often at home anyway. Now would you like a drink before we begin?"

"Heck, yes," she murmured, feeling her color rising. She hoped that he meant dancing, for now.

He went to a polished cupboard in one corner, busied himself there for a while and came back with a tulip-shaped glass, which was half filled with a clear liquid.

Jade didn't even ask what it was, and downed the welcome drink in a single gulp. Instantly, the alcohol burnt her throat, and she cringed, coughing. "What … the hell is that?" she croaked.

Alrik laughed, flashing perfect white teeth at her. "You shouldn't have drunk it so quickly. It's Aquavit, a traditional Swedish snaps. It's similar to vodka."

Jade tried to regain her countenance, and raised her chin, looking up into his smoldering eyes. For a moment, she thought he'd kiss her, as his gaze wandered over her face, lingering on her lips.

"Dance for me," he said hoarsely.
She went over to the pole while he lay down on the couch, propped up on one elbow. His stormy grey eyes had taken on a predatory look as they followed her every move.

Jade dropped her handbag to the carpet before she grabbed the pole with both hands, slowly moving around it. Alrik seemed to like what he saw, for his body seemed to tense. "Begin," he commanded. "But first you'll remove that enticing dress you wear. And open your hair for me."

Slowly, she reached up into her hair and removed the pins, one after the other, until the bronze curls fell freely over her shoulders.

"Beautiful," he murmured. Jade was beginning to really like this. She opened the zipper of her dress and shrugged it down to the floor, stepping out of it and kicking it to the side with her stilettos.

"Damn," he said, when she revealed her lean, athletic dancer's body. Dressed to the occasion, she wore tiny red lace panties with a fitting bra that pushed her breasts up and together. She had been blessed with a nice pair, but she'd never given it much thought until now, seeing the awed look on Alrik's face. Slowly, she began to walk around the pole ...

****

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