"Do you think she could have loved me?" she peered down at their interlaced fingers afraid that if she moved even slightly they'd fall away from each other. She could barely feel his fingers against hers it was so gentle, but it sent more energy through her than she'd ever felt before. His eyes were near closed now yet still set on her face. In his delirium she did not think he would really expect and answer.

"I do not think it impossible." She said as quietly as she could she wondered if he'd even heard her, she got her response quickly enough as his eyes opened again and a slight smile passed across his sickly face. She let out a tiny sigh as his grip on her fingers tightened.

"I like to think she could." His whispers matched hers. Her stomach tightened and she felt a tiny seed of courage grow within her, she'd already defied her king and prince. She might as well deny her people now too and venture further into this tangled web.

"Why?" she heard a rustle behind her, caught the corner of Tilda's skirt at the edge of her eye and was brought back to the reality that they were not alone in the small kitchen. Somehow she didn't care.

"So I could tell her… I love her too." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He clearly didn't notice the others around them, lost in his confusion. It could have just been her imagination but she thought she saw a little more colour grace his cheeks, and she was sure a little more coloured hers. Her knees weakened slightly at the sound of his confession, this time her fingers squeezed his. "I could tell her I want to spent a hundred lifetimes with her, and spend every night chasing starlight." She felt the beginnings of tears pricking her eyes. His voice was growing stronger word by word, and she feared that soon he would awaken from the pain induced haze and stop speaking his deepest thoughts.

"that sounds too perfect to ever come to be."

"It is the only thing fitting for a creature as beautiful as she." She heard Fili cough under his breath. The feeling in her stomach turned from butterflies to lead.

"Young prince you know all this would only cause heartache."

"It would for a time, but the love I feel for her would turn even the hardest hearts." She felt the very tips of her ears blush now. She locked eyes with him again and didn't care who was watching now.

"Kili I'm here, I will always be here." She leant down and kissed his hand. He rose slowly from the table and his other hand reached over to cup the back of her head. His rough thumb making circles in her hair.

She let her eyes close and she rested her forehead on him. She didn't know what she was feeling. She did not know what true love felt like but she would wager all the starlight that shines on earth that what she felt right then was it.