Kíli wasn't sure what to do or say when he looked upon the beautiful, tall elf maiden. As a dwarf he was neither tall nor beautiful, unlike the elven men this maiden must normally be courted by. He was therefore unsure if her feelings were like his, or of another nature.
He was shorter than her by a head, and far less beautiful. Kíli wasn't even a mature dwarf by the standard of his own kin. He was still young at 77 years of age, and his beard wouldn't grow in full yet. Tauriel was as complete as any mature woman could be, or so he believed.
When he laid his eyes upon her he felt as though his insides were melting gold, and he felt his mouth dry, as no words could escape him. She was fairer than any gem or stone he had ever seen. She was shining brighter than Mithril, and her skin was clearer than any diamond. It looked as smooth as well, and he yearned to touch it.
When Tauriel then took his hand he was even more dumbstruck, and he had to lick his lips before being able to utter a word. Luckily she spoke first.
«The fate of our lives are so curious,» she said, as if dreaming. Tauriel looked at Kíli again, and her eyes were the brightest emerald green. He didn't know what she meant by it, but it didn't matter.
Kíli was still silent, for he did not want to chase away the sound of her words in the air about them with his brutish voice. They stood in the woods of Rivendell, and he felt he wasn't worthy to speak within the atmosphere of such a place with such a creature before him. As a dwarf he wasn't used to the calmness of the place, and he was afraid he would do something wrong and chase her away. So he stayed silent and watched her, as she stood before him.
Tauriel walked light as a feather over the forest ground, both with the moves of a trained hunter and a gentle maiden. She was not highborn, but all elves were properly educated in the art of grace as it came natural to them.
She sang a song of the evening stars, of which she was most fond, and Kíli watched her with wide eyes. The songs of the elves were very much different from those of the dwarves and he was always in awe of their softness. He could only dream that the feel of the song would be like the touch of her soft skin.
The dress she wore was a white dinner gown, of soft material, which draped beautifully about her slender body. It moved softly in the wind as she walked, and he could not take his eyes away from her.
Tauriel held his hand gently as she guided him through the forest, away from the house of Elrond, where they both were on official business, him from Erebor and she from Mirkwood. She thought he was charming, as she felt his nerves. She yearned to soothe him of his troubled mind, whatever it was for.
When she stopped and turned to him, he was long gone in the deep gaze of her eyes. She smiled and touched lightly the short stubbles of beard on his strong chin with her long, slender fingers. Kíli felt an unusual tingling of the skin where she touched him. No one had ever caressed him in that fashion before.
The light of the night stars was shining through the leaves of the forest, and gave off a blue, soft light. She looked like a Valar in the magic light of the night sky.
Like most dwarves Kíli spent most of his time inside great mountains, and he enjoyed the life there, but not the light of the fairest jewel could compare with the light in which they stood.
«You are quiet,» she said, more an observation than a question, but she eyed him curiously and patiently. He was again unsure what to do or say, so he only raised his hand and touched an auburn lock of her hair, which lay upon her shoulder. It was soft like silk and glided through his rough fingers. Tauriel smiled.
«There is nothing to say that could justify the beauty of this sight, my lady,» Kíli said softly and squeezed lightly the hold of her right hand for a second. Her smile widened and she laughed sweetly with a beautiful sound Kíli had never heard before in his life. He imagined it was the sound the stars made when they laughed.
«We are alone,» she said, again merely an observation. He wasn't sure what she meant by it, though he felt his heartbeat quicken. He was a young dwarf and he thought of the things he would like to experience with this maiden. He was at once dazed by the ideas inside his head. Was such ideas even allowed for him, as a dwarf, towards her, as an elf?
There was a seat under an old archway just behind them, and still smiling Tauriel led him to it. She sat, and at that moment she was but a little lower than him.
Kíli smiled as she looked up at him. She touched his chin once more, and led his face closer to hers. He held his breath, as they were only inches away from each other. Her eyelashes fluttered and closed just before their lips met. Kíli stopped there and for a moment he could feel her warmth and smell her sweet scent. Tauriel was anticipating and waiting for him to close the space between them. When he did, and their lips met, they both felt a rush of emotions and warmth spread from their touch.
Her lips were as sweet has he could ever have imagine, and he held her in place, for he wouldn't let her go just yet.
His lips were soft, softer than she had thought, and for a second it was as if he wasn't even a dwarf. Nothing of his movement or excitement were rough, and he used his hands softly and sweetly over her neck and chin. She urged him on, for she liked the sensation. And Kíli followed her example.
As the kissing grew more passionate and he lowered his hands onto her body, she felt things she had never felt before. She wanted more of him. Her hands played with his hair and about his chin. She moved them over his strong shoulders and arms, and she could feel the muscles pulsating under his skin. He was perhaps small in the reckoning of elven height, but he made up for it in the volume of his muscles, and she liked to touch him. There was nothing little about him.
Kíli smiled as she started to pull his body towards hers, and he liked the feel of her hands on him. He hadn't imagined sweet, delicate hands like hers would have such strength. He did as she wished.
Kíli's hand followed the curve of her body 'til he suddenly caressed her breast, and she was startled. Tauriel looked at him, and he was for once completely sure what he wanted to do to her. Kíli smiled sheepishly, and she smiled as well, giving him permission to touch her more. He continued to kiss her, pressing her body towards his, caressing it passionately. When he then opened his mouth and touched his tongue to hers, she was again startled. This was much different kissing from what she'd heard about in songs and tales of romance. She was puzzled at first, but soon responded to the movement, and found the rush of emotions exhilarating.
Kíli knew of course much of the feeling of desire, as he was a man, and had an older brother from which he had learned quite a lot about pleasing a woman, though it couldn't be said that dwarvish and elvish women had much in common, neither in bodies nor minds, yet he had never experience it himself. It had never interested him before he met the creature now sitting in from of him. She was delightful, and he wanted to hold her like this forever.
Fíli might have told him a bit or two, but Kíli found it didn't matter. His lips knew what to do, and his hands knew where to touch. It came to him as natural as breathing.
With his left hand on her waist he traced her ear with the fingers of his right, and moved his lips about her chin and down her neck. Tauriel let out a light breath of satisfaction as he kissed the collar of her neck. She found herself faint, and wondered what magic the dwarf was using on her to make her weak like this. Also she found she didn't really care, as long as he kept on using it.
Kíli moved away so he could see meet her eyes. Tauriel blinked, as if confused, and looked into the eyes of a man she loved. His eyes were kind, and his smile was sweet, and she never wanted to be looked at by any other. She felt a tear run down her cheek, filled with happiness and love.
Kíli of course was at once alarmed.
«Have I hurt you, my lady?» He said with great concern in his voice. He all but let go off her in the fear that he might have used too much strength on her delicate skin.
«No,» she breathed, «but you will if you never touch me with those lips again,» and yet again she closed the space between them, putting her lips to his.
Kíli was taken aback, for he had never known this emotion welling up inside of him. To be looked upon with eyes full of love was a gift he had never anticipated by a creature as fair as the evening star. He felt his own love grow too big to keep withheld, and he held her tight to his body, tighter than he had dared before. He kissed her lips, cheek, throat and shoulder passionately, and she caressed his thick hair as he did so, yearning for him to go on.
Kíli played with the shoulder of her dress and pushed it over so he could touch the bare skin of her upper arm. His fingers touched lightly, and she breathed a soft laugh as he tickled her skin. He smiled as well, and kissed her deeply as he let his hand slip beneath the fabric on the back of her dress.
Tauriel wanted him to touch her more. She was yearning for his love, and she wouldn't deny herself it after all these years. There was no other man she would give herself to.
Suddenly Kíli moved away again, looking deep into her eyes. He held the back of her neck, and he breathed almost without a sound: «Could you love me? Could it be possible in this world? Being what I am?» He was afraid of her answer, but fought hard not for it to show on his face. He caressed her cheek with his fingers, following the shape of her high cheekbones. She smiled, and shook her head softly; irritated he could even ask such a question.
Kíli felt his heart sink in his chest, as he thought it to be her answer. But Tauriel cut him short with her fingers on his lips before he could utter another word.
«I already do,» she whispered. He smiled breathlessly, with tears in his eyes, and kissed her. It was a fierce, passionate kiss, for to know that the person he loved returned that love, gave Kíli a desire beyond reckoning.