The battle raged on and on. Kili felt his body becoming cold, his blood tainting the grass beneath him.
He looked to his right and saw his brother Fili, already passed from the living. Farther away Thorin lay near death. To his left he could see the Elf Prince holding the lovely elven woman that Kili himself loved. A tear ebbed down his face and into his hairline. Kili had found love, if only for a moment in time. As he lay waiting for the darkness to take him, he could see a bright sphere descending upon him. His body was enveloped and soon began to rise. He was lifted toward the clouds, then seemed to sail along the horizon. As he lay watching the scenery rush by, his body was mending. He looked at the scenery again and saw buildings, changing from small to towering structures. Horse and wagons to speeding steel objects on black wheels. After what seemed an eternity, the orb began to descend. It lowered to a fountain near a group of very tall buildings. The orb left Kili and his mind was overwhelmed by information. He looked down at himself. He was no longer dressed in his Dwarven gear. He now wore clothes that resembled those of the other people milling about. When he felt his body drawn toward the first of the tall buildings, he followed the feeling.
As he walked past the large plate glass windows he looked at his reflection, he was human. He stopped and stared at himself. How could he be human, and tall. At least five feet ten inches. He did another take on his appearance then continued where he was headed. He entered the building and walked to the elevator, instinctively hitting the up button.
As he rode it, he watched the numbers, then hit the number eight. The elevator ascended and the doors opened at floor eight. He walked down a hall and stopped at room 815. He knocked, listening for footsteps. When the door opened he smiled and waited.
"Can I help you?" A lovely woman stated quietly.
"Yes, I'm looking for Anna Place. I am the person who inquired about the room for rent." Kili stated and waited for her response.
"Oh, of course. Won't you come in." Anna stated and opened the door wider for him to enter.
"You keep a very neat home Ms. Place. I have references." Kili stated and smiled.
"Yes, thank you. The room is down the hall. You are the only one who has been interested. It is $600 per month. Which covers utilities, cable and internet. The room has its own bathroom and balcony. If you are still interested." Anna stated.
"Quite, I wish to move in immediately as I have just recently moved to the city. I have the amount plus the deposit, as per the add." Kili stated formally.
"Thank you, Mr. Oaks." Anna stated and returned to the living room.
"Please, call me Kyle." Kili stated and smiled.
"Yes, Kyle. My name is Anna. You may move in at anytime you like." Anna stated.
"Thank you, my belongings will be arriving tomorrow morning. I have them in storage and the movers will deliver them quite early." Kili stated and waited.
"That will be fine, I go into work at five tomorrow morning. My shift lasts until two. What of your work, Kyle?" Anna asked.
"I am working at the First State Bank, in the treasury department. My hours are from eight to six, weekdays." Kili stated and began to unbutton his overcoat.
"There is bedding in the hall linen closet, as well as any toiletries you might need." Anna stated and led him to the closet. "You may put your coat on the rack or hang it in the coat closet, unless you wish to keep it in your room."
Kili took off the coat and hung it on the rack in the living room. He then withdrew his billfold and handed her a stack of bills.
After taking the bedding to his new quarters he made the bed and laid on it to relax. Then waited, he closed his eyes and images of his past life flowed, then were replaced by a tall glowing figure. She showed him the woman he was renting from, of the sorrow she had been dealt by her wayward mate. How she had lost everything that she considered most dear to her. Kili watched as the woman lay crying nightly, his heart went out to her. She was a beautiful creature, with caring brown eyes and soft chestnut hair. He watched images of her walking the halls of the hospital where she worked, handing out medication and reading to the children. She was a kind soul. Her only fault in the eyes of her ex-lover was that she was not skinny. She was far from overweight though. Healthy as Kili saw her. He knew that the glowing figures were giving him a chance at a new life in a new world. He vowed he would not waste this life the way he had his former.
The next morning he heard Anna leaving for work, at seven he answered the door and had the movers take his sparse collection of personal items to his room. After which he paid them and left for his own job. He worked in a small office keeping the accounts of the bank accurate. At the end of the day he returned to his new home.
Anna was sitting watching television and quietly sobbing. Kili walked to her and smiled, he moved his hand toward the couch and she nodded. He sat next to her and she gave him a fragile smile.
"I am sorry for your sadness, is there anything I might do to cheer you?" Kili asked gently.
"I don't think so, I just can't seem to forget the things in my past. I thought I had a wonderful life, until I was thrown aside." Anna stated and wiped at a tear.
"I too have images of past sorrow. I lost my Uncle and brother on the battlefield, as well as the love of my life. She fell near my family. I was saved, but I could do nothing for them." Kili stated with a heavy heart.
"I'm so sorry, you were in the war. Afghanastan?" Anna waited.
"No, in my own country. There was a civil uprising. We tried to keep our land." He swallowed, then smiled faintly. "It was on native soil." Kili stated, knowing that the portal was near the Stonehenge monument.
"I thought you had an Irish accent." Anna stated and smiled sadly.
"I am trying to put the past behind me, to live in the present and look forward to a new future. One with out fighting and tyranny. That is why I came to America." Kili stated and smiled in return.
"I have never been out of America. I always wanted to travel, but never had the money." Anna stated.
"Someday, I would like to travel to the islands. I have always wanted to see palm trees and the clear blue of the Caribbean." Kili stated, remembering the pictures he had loved looking at while he was being educated on this present world.
"Yes, I have too. The Caribbean looks so peaceful. The sunsets so beautiful." Anna stated wistfully.
"Perhaps it will happen." Kili stated.
"Kyle, may I ask you a personal question?" Anna stated and then looked at her hands in her lap. "Please be honest, even if it hurts my feelings."
"Of course Miss Anna." Kili stated.
"Am I pretty at all to you." Anna stated with a shaky voice.
"Miss Anna, you are lovely. Your eyes are like soft velvet, your hair like shining mink. Your skin like roses and cream. How could you think you are not beautiful?" Kili observed.
"I was told that I was to fat to be loved." Anna stated.
"You are not fat, you are healthy. Anyone who thinks that a woman with bones sticking out is pretty is misled. A woman should be soft to the touch, rounded in the right places. Curves for a man to caress and hold. A woman should be like a perfect shape, well rounded breasts and hips with a thick trunk for baring children and holding by her man." Kili stated truthfully, he liked plump women. Dwarven women were thick and hearty.
"You are so different from other men I have asked. Most say that I could be pretty if I lost weight. I am a size 14, Marilyn Monroe was a size 14." Anna stated.
"The world has changed, but I hold to the days that a woman should be more plump, not sticks that would break in the wind. Men, now only can see the models on the magazine covers and billboards. None of these women are real to me. A woman must have shape and content. A woman must be soft and pliant. I suppose I am old fashioned that way." Kili stated.
"Thank you, Kyle. You make me feel like I might someday find love." Anna stated.
"Hear this now. You are to rise, dress in a lovely blue or red dress, I am taking you out on the town." Kili stated.
"I have no lovely dresses, only scrubs and sweats." Anna stated.
"Very will, we will go shopping first then. Come, I need a few things as well. My treat, for you giving me a roof." Kili stated and smiled holding his hand out to the lovely, lost woman.
"I can't allow you to spend money on me." Anna stated.
"Fine then you will have to cook me a meal daily for a week to pay me back." Kili grinned and held out his hand once again.
"Agreed!" Anna stated and took his hand. He helped her on with her coat and donned his own. They took the elevator and hailed a cab. Their first stop was a nice clothing shop only a few blocks from their apartment.
Kili had noticed the stacks of recipe books in the kitchen and the will used aprons. The smells from the kitchen of past meals brought growls to his stomach. Anna was a fabulous cook. He figured he was getting the better end of their agreement.
The first shop, was wonderful. He helped her pick out two lovely dresses, one in blue and one in soft yellow. Shoes to match and satchels.
Then he bought himself some slacks and jeans. He then talked her into jeans and nice tops.
By the time they returned to the apartment, he was famished. They dressed and went to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant they had passed. The dress she wore of blue made her the loveliest woman in the place to him. He was unhappy that she still felt less then beautiful. He smiled at her and waved a woman with flowers to the table. He bought her a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses.
By the time they returned to the apartment, Anna was smiling and laughing at the funny stories he had shared of his past. They sat on the couch and talked until the sun rose. Then went to their rooms.
The following evening, Anna made a wonderful meal, of roast beef and vegetables and ended the meal with a sublime carrot cake, topped with cream cheese frosting.
"You are already spoiling me." Kili stated and kissed her hand.
"Kyle, I want to thank you for everything." Anna stated and smiled sweetly.
Kili returned the smile and took her hand again, pulling her gently to her feet. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her face to meet his. He lowered his lips to hers and tasted her rose colored lips. He drew her into his embrace and deepened the kiss. Then lifted his head and smiled.
"You are beautiful, Anna. I fear I am falling for you. I just hope that you may someday feel the same for me." With that he kissed her hands and parted to his room. Anna standing mesmerized in the kitchen. After several minutes she was able to think again. She cleaned up after their meal and couldn't keep the smile from her lips.
The next night she made them spaghetti with bread sticks and salad. After they were sated, Kili rose and kissed her gently and repeated the words from the night before and left her in the kitchen.
The following night she made steak, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables and chocolate cake. Kili again rose, taking her hand in his, but before he could leave her side. Anna smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you."
Kili smiled and kissed her passionately. "It is all I wanted to hear." Kili stated.
After months of planning the two married, Kyle and Anna Oaks. They bought a small cottage on an island in the Caribbean, where they raised their family of two boys and a girl, named Thorin, Fili and Tauriel.
Happily Ever After!