She pulled out her hunting knife and held it in her hands as she sat in front of the fire.
"That is a sturdy blade you have there." Came Fili's voice over her shoulder. She looked up and smiled as he joined her. She twirled the knife a little then flipped it so she was holding the blade, she offered it to Fili.
"My sister gave it to me, she is my best friend back home. No one knows me the way she does, sometimes I think she knows me better than I know myself… I miss her." She said sadly. Fili examined the blade and handed it back. It was nothing more than a 6 inch hunting knife in her world, but in middle earth it was a battle blade.
"It is very well made, and an exceptional gift. Your sister really loves you, I can tell." Fili replied handing the blade back to her. She hesitated and gave it back.
"Can you sharpen it for me, its dull from being used so much back home? I would like it if I weren't going into battle with a butter knife." She asked. Fili chuckled and took the blade and pulled a soap stone from his pack. Settling back he began to sharpen her blade.
"Pay attention so you can do this for yourself next time. What is it you used it for back home?"
Fili looked at her with curiosity.
"A lot of things really, cutting strings, and packages. I used it at my job. My favorite is when I used at a party to open a bottle. The looks of shock I got were priceless. But I didn't have anything else at my disposal to open the bottle, so my blade did the trick. I think everyone there thought I was being barbaric." She laughed at her memory and Fili smiled.
"Sounds like your resourceful to me. I would of done the same." He responded
"Yes but I'm a girl, and in my world girls are always supposed to be weak damsels who always need a helping hand. People don't like it when we can think for ourselves, or lift heavy things, or even fight… I was an outcast in that world." Her tone turned bitter explaining how people didn't like her masculine ways.
"Thank the heavens my father never got to see the extent of my tattoos… he would of pitched a fit." Fili frowned but decided to continue the conversation.
"How many tattoos do you have?" he asked as he looked down at her knuckles that each held a black star. The girl had yet taken off her coat or cloak, so no one had seen her arms bare. She stood and removed her coat and cloak before sitting back down with her arms free for the entire company to see. Fili's eyes grew wide when he saw the extent of the markings on the girl's body.
"You have more than Dwalin… and you felt no pain?" he asked in awe sitting up to examine her arms.
"Oh I felt pain, but I needed to feel it… I got all of this done shortly after my dad died… the daisies are my favorite flower, the stars are because I love the night, the moon is for my family." She said.
"And the man and the eagle?" Balin asked from her other side
"My dad… the eagle represents him finally being free of the living world… He is in vahala." She replied proudly.
"The one on your chest then?" asked Kili, of course he noticed the one just visible above the neckline of her tank top.
"The holy trinity, the heavens, the earth, and the holy spirit." She said with a small smile.
"You are a brave soul to endure that much pain." Balin stated.
"No I am a broken soul that needed to feel pain so she would feel alive again." She replied blankly and she leaned back against the tree behind her.
"I am sorry I did not mean to offend." Balin said and she smiled weakly at him.
"You did not offend me. It is hard for me to think about my dad, or the things I have struggled with. But I am strong, I shall live." She said and she rested her head back and let it loll to the side as she looked over at Fili's sad eyes that were watching her.
"How's the blade coming along?" she asked him, and he blinked.
"Fine, just fine…" he said before resuming his duty of sharpening her blade as she watched.
She had dosed off resting against the tree, but was woken by the sensation of falling. When she started she looked up and realized it was Fili. He had lifted her up and was moving her.
"Put me down please." She whispered pleadingly.
"Just a few more steps…" he replied before lowering both him and her to the ground. Once out of his arms, she slapped him in the arm.
"Never do that again, you scared me half to death." She scolded.
"I'm sorry but you looked uncomfortable, now lie down and come here." He said lying beside her. She lay down to, her head falling to rest on his arm.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked.
"You may not like being treated like a lady, but I will treat you like a woman." He said and he wrapped an arm roughly around her waist and pulled her body into his. She gasped at the movement.
"Hush! And lie still woman…" Fili demanded. She looked back with an evil smirk. Lie still… riiiight.
She wiggled in his arms and he squeezed trying to stop her.
"You're being difficult." He said but she could hear the smile in his voice.
"Maybe, but it is fun to tease you dear sir." She said and she weaseled around till she was facing him with one leg between his two legs and her arm around his waist, her head resting on her arm that lay beneath her. she had managed to fully tangle herself with the dwarf.
"I do not think we can escape this position in a hurry even if we tried." Fili chuckled quietly.
"Yes, but I am comfortable, are you?" she asked. Fili squirmed a little in her embrace, throwing his free leg over her waist, entrapping her.
"I am now." He said with a wide grin.
"Can I kiss you?" she asked and Fili's smile faded.
"What?" he asked, he wanted to make sure he heard her right.
"Can I kiss you?" she asked again. This time her expression was serious as well.
"Why do you want to kiss me? I am a dwarf, not a human man." He replied confused.
"You are the kindest person I have ever met, and being a dwarf, I am okay with that. I have wanted to kiss you for a very long time now, but I have been afraid to say so… You are beautiful Fili… Now I will ask again, can I kiss you?" she said all of this her face growing redder as she blushed, her body warmed and Fili could feel it through her clothes. It was almost like she was burning with passion… He did not answer her with words, but instead touched her face softly with his hand and he kissed her. Their lips met softly at first, with an endearing quality that dripped with romance, but it grew passionate quickly. Fili's tongue forced its way into her mouth and she obliged. She nipped his lower lip and smiled. Fili chuckled at her animalistic love bite and returned the favor. The kiss was deep and heated. She lifted herself ever so slightly and deepened the kiss as she ran her fingers through his blond hair. When she grabbed a handful and pulled slightly he growled at her and she paused.
"Should I stop?" she asked loosening her grip in his hair. Her answer was Fili reaching up and pulling her back to him. He continued the kiss, and she pulled his hair again, causing him to admit another growl. She smiled into the kiss and he smiled back.
"Do you two mind?" Kili whispered loudly from a few feet away "if you're going to go at it like wild animals do so in the woods!" when they looked over they saw the biggest grin ever on Kili's face.
"Go to sleep, all of you." Thorin growled from his sleeping spot. All of them grimaced then smiled wide. Kili winked at Fili and Lavonna. And Fili looked up at her. She looked at him as well the biggest smile on her face he had seen yet.
"This is the happiest I have ever seen you." He said quietly so only she could hear.
"Of course I am happy, I finally got to kiss you." She replied with another kiss, this one a soft one. She laid her head on her arm and Fili watched her as she watched him. She looked at every detail of his face. The color of his eyes, the color of his beard, the sparkle of the clasps in his braids. She reach her free hand up and ran her hand over the braids in his mustache. Then she ran her hand softly over his face memorizing every detail by sight and touch.
"You are beautiful…" she said in awe as Fili had his eyes closed. He reveled in it, loving the feel of her soft hand on his face. Her thumb ran lightly over his bottom lip and he kissed it.
"Nothing can compare to how happy I am right now." She said finally and the kindest smile came across Fili's face.
"Then I will do my best to make sure to keep you this happy…" he whispered as his eyes drifted open to look into hers.
"Promise?" she asked her eyes searching his.
"If you will have me." He replied.
"Till the end of time…" she said and she nestled herself into him, his chin resting on top of her head. He smiled at this, but he knew Thorin would not be happy that he had just promised himself to a human woman. That he had promised the throne to someone not of royal or dwarven blood. But he had fallen in love with this girl over the past months that they traveled together. He could not deny that. She had stolen his heart, but they had been too afraid to move on it till this night. He was in love, and that was sacred. Thoran would have to except it, or not except Fili.
