DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything, except for the plot line and my OC! Everything belongs to the genius J.R. .

The Dinner Hall by breakfast had always been a place where dwarves walked in and out, quickly grabbing their breakfast or sitting quietly for an hour, enjoying the different eggs or sausages that stood on the table.
This morning, Thorin, Fili and Kili shared breakfast. Fili had a sausage on his dagger and was swinging it around, while Kili pushed a whole boiled egg in his mouth. The egg yolk dripped down his chin. Thorin looked at them with mixed amusement, taking a bite of his toast with jam once in a while.
They hadn't heard or seen Mercië since yesterday. Thorin was worried, and he kind of wanted to hear the messages now. Just as he was about to ask Fili and Kili about it, the doors swung open and the elf walked in.
She was dressed in a simple, long green dress, and a silver belt around her waist. Her hair was combed and braided in elf-fashion. She looked a lot cleaner then yesterday.
Thorin stood up to greet her. "Welcome, Mercië. I hope you had a good night rest? It would be my honor to offer you breakfast." He gestured at the long table, covered with food.
Mercië smiled kindly. "I think I never slept better, thank you. And it would be my honor to accept your offer." Thorin smiled at her and she sat down next to Fili.
"Bacon?" He asked her, dangling a piece he had skewered upon his dagger before her eyes.
The elf wrinkeled her nose. "No thank you. I do not eat meat."
Kili gaped at her. "Nothing? No meat? No bacon, sausages, roast beef? Then what do you eat?"
Thorin nudged Kili. "Don't be so rude!"
Mercië laughed shortly. "That's alright. I eat a lot of fish, and fruit, and vegetables. Everything, except meat and things that have meat in it." She scanned the table with her remarkable blue eyes. "Since we are talking about it, do you happen to have fresh fruit?"
Fili wrinkled his nose. "Fruit? No, fruit is for our animals. We've got eggs and bacon and sausages and toast and jam and baked beans and muffins. Would you like a muffin? They are Bomburs favorite."
Thorin frowned. "I could get you some fruit if you want. But it'll take an hour or so to come here."
Mercië waved her hand. "Don't bother. I can live on toast and jam for today. And I would love to try those muffins." She winked and reached out to grab a slice of toast.
Kili frowned as he kept his eye on Mercië. She looked so elvish, but at the same time she didn't. She calmly chewed the toast, looking over the room with interest. Suddenly, her gaze caught his. A shiver rolled over his spine. She smiled sweetly.
A blush colored the tips of his ears as he fixed his gaze upon his plate.
"Will you join our meeting after breakfast, Mercië?" Thorin asked her, between two bites of sausage.
"Of course. The reason I'm here is to deliver messages, so messages delivering I will."
"Very well. That is settled." He washed his last bite away with his dark coffee and stood up. "Then I will see you later. Kili, stay with her and show her the way to the Council Room after she is finished. Fili, come with me."
Fili almost jumped up. He made a quick and messy bow to Mercië and hurried after his uncle."
"He doesn't like me." It was no question.
Kili frowed at Mercië. "Fili? I thought he did. He seemed quite excited yesterday."
Mercië gave a weak smile. "No, not your brother. Thorin. I can see it in his eyes."
Kili frowned again, prodding into his egg with his dagger. "It's not your fault. He just... doesn't like elves. Not precisely you, but elves in het general."
"So I've heard. Lord Elrond told me his story. I can understand." He gaze quickly flashed to a guard standing by the door. "Most of the dwarves don't like me. They all tense when I walk past them." She returned her gaze to Kili. "It is sad that it has to be this way."
He looked at the guard. "It are just the older Dwarves. Who were there when it happened. They remember." He stuffed a piece of bacon in his mouth. "Because I have never seen how it was, I can't judge the elves for what they have done." He said after he swallowed.
Mercië gazed at him. "You're an interesting dwarf, Kili, son of Dís."
Kili blinked, not sure what she meant with that.
She wiped her mouth with a napkin and got up. "We should go. I have to get my saddlebag from my room."
Kili jumped off his wooden stool. "I shall bring you there."
"I would much appreciate that, Master Kili."
Together, Mercië with her gracious elven strides, and Kili hurrying to keep up with her, they made their way to Mercië's chamber. While walking, Kili told her about Erebor. Mercië smiled and listened, asking a question once in a while.
Kili enjoyed talking to her. She had an easy laugh and witty questions. And she didn't talk to him like he was a child. To some dwarves he still wasn't more than the youngest nephew of Thorin.
When they arrived at the chamber, the elf quickly got her packed saddlebag. Their conversation continued on the way to the Council Room.
"And here are the Royal Chambers." He gestured to a great wooden door on their right. "Hardly used, though. The king doesn't sleep much. He says there are more important things then sleep." Kili shrugged and continued walking.
Mercië had a thoughtful look on her face.
"Here we are." Kili knocked trice on the big door. It opened. On a large table, parchments, maps and letters were spread. A group of dwarves stood around the table; discussing loudly. Thorin, standing at the head of the table, spread his arms.
"Kili, Mercië, welcome in my council room. Kili, you can come here."
Kili shot the elven lady a small smile before making his way to his brother, who stood next to Thorin.
"Let us sit." Thorin sat down, as did the rest of the dwarves. Fili and Kili kept standing, both on a side of their uncle.
"My lady Mercië, may I introduce you to Ori, Gloin, Balin, Frid, and Òca." With every name, he pointed at one of the dwarves.
Mercië smiled. "It is a pleasure to get to know you all." She walked forwards and placed her bag on the table. "I bring messages and gifts." She took a step back and clasped her hands together.
Thorin frowned at the bag. "Very well. Lets hear."
She started with the message from Elrond. It was short and basic,
Thorin frowned, but gestured her to continue.
"Gandalf, the Grey Wizard, lets you know that he has placed spies around Dol Guldur. And..." She seemed to hesistate. "The goblins have chosen a new king. He recommends to not go past Laketown, for it might be so that the orcs and the goblins are to work together to take their revenge."
Silence hung heavy in the air. Fili and Kili shot each other terrified looks, but Thorins face was emotionless. "Continue." He said.
Mercië bowed her head. "From Thranduil I have not so good news. He is planning to send an elf here, to get to know more about the dwarves and all that is going on in the city. He wants that the Elf had a place in your council to hear what is going on, but the elf shall not participate in any decision. He expects you to accept that choice and to welcome the elf into your home."
Thorin growled softly. "We'll see about that. And what did the Hobbit tell you?"
"He wrote it down." She got a folded piece of paper from her saddle back and shoved it over the table to Thorin. He opened it and started reading, his eyes flashing over the paper. Then he started laughing. A deep, rumbling laugh, full of joy. Over his shoulder, Thorin gave the letter to Fili, who started reading while Kili watched over his shoulder.
"What's in the bag?" The dwarf Thorin pointed out to be Balin asked.
"Gifts, master Balin." She opened her bag and got something out. "As celebration for the defeat of Smaug, Mithrandir sends this." Her eyes sparkled as she held up a bundle, wrapped in skin. "Firework." She carefully placed it on the table.
All the dwarves laughed and started talking enthusiastically. Kili grinned broadly and had to resist jumping of enthusiasm. Even Thorin had to smile.
"I have another bundle. He has made them especially for you." She smiled and waited for the dwarves to calm down. "Tranduil, king of Mirkwood, sends you a barrel of his best wine. It will arrive here soon, but he gave me two flasks so you could try the wine already." She placed the flasks on the table. "And from Bilbo Baggins, Thorin, king of Erebor, gets a pipe, and pipeweed from the Shire." It was a beautiful, decorated pipe, made of dark wood. A dragon circled his way around the handle and the hole on the end was his mouth. Thorin smiled and accepted the pipe gratefully.
"I thank you, Mercië. You are free to go. You may stay as long as it pleases you, but tell me when you leave so I can tell you the messages in return."
Mercië bowed and after looking everyone in the room in the eye, Kili got a smile too, she left trough the door, her dress waving around her legs.

After the meeting, Kili went to the stables. He had a piece of buttered toast in his hand and an apple in his pocket. In his head, he was figuring out the route he was going to take today.
When he arrived at the stables, the toast was gone. "Dari!" He called out. A soft neigh from a stable told him Dari was there. "Hello there, buddy." He rubbed the pony's forehead and gave him the apple. The pony smacked on it happily.
He entered the stable to clean the pony's fur. Dari stood calmly, turning his head to nuzzle in Kili's side once in a while.
When the brown pony was all clean, he got the tack and saddled him up. On his way from the tackroom to Dari's stable, he checked every other stable for Mercië her elven horse. The stable of Erebor was small, with only 6 stables and 3 ponies, only used when messages had to be delivered. The two resting stables were empty. /Maybe she is riding./ he thought while saddling his pony.
When Dari was all saddled up, Kili jumped in his saddle and walked out of the stablebuilding.
It was cold outside, and the frosty air made his breath little white clouds. But the sun shone and he wore ward clothes. He kicked Dari into a trot. It was a long ride to the place he was going, an hour and a half. It was a vertakking of the River, monding out in a small lake, surrounded by high trees.
Kili enjoyed the long ride to 'his' spot. The sun shone on his back and Dari was happy to be out of his stable. He jumped and he danced, tossing his head in the air. Kili just laughed and stroked his manes.
After the long ride, Kili arrived at the place. A small path of sand led to it. The trees had shaken off their leaves and hung over his head, like a comforting roof. Dari felt were they were going and Kili booted him in a canter. The sandpath widened where the trees left each others company to form a circle. Standing underneath the bow of trees, Dari suddenly neighed. Another horse answered.
Kili frowned. Nobody ever came to this spot, except for him and his brother. He stepped off the horse and lead it trough the gate of trees, his other hand tightly gripped around the knife he had gotten from out of his boot.
A mighty black stallion stood next to the lake. He was nibbling on the grass that surrounded it but raised his head when Kili and Dari walked his way. Kili's eyes widen. The stallion had a mighty head with black, intelligent eyes. His chest was broad and his legs were so long, they would reach Dari's wither if he would stand next to him. Kili could see his muscles roll underneath the thin skin when the horse carefully walked forwards to meet Dari.
Kili's eyes scanned the area for the horse's owner. And then he saw her.
She was only a few foot away, sitting on the edge of the lake, her bare feet dangling in the water. She had changed into a pair of greenleggings, a brown top and the same cape she had worn when they first met. The brown eyes met the blue ones. Mercië smiled and tapped the ground next to her.
Kili hesisated, but then took off Dari's tack, placed it on the ground and gave his pony a last reassuring pat on his neck. The pony, driven by the pat of his master, reached out his neck to meet the nose of the other horse.
Mercië called out an elvish word and the black horse sniffed, breathing in Dari's breath. He carefully reached out further, step by step, to nibble on the pony's neck. Dari returned the gesture by rubbing his nose against the black horse's ribs; he couldn't reach his neck.
Kili laughed and pushed his knife back into his boot. He left Dari unbound, for the horse was trained to come when he whistled. He made his way over to Mercië. "I didn't know you were familiar around here."
Mercië smiled, kicking the water with her feet. "I am not. Sùlion brought me here. He must've smelled you're pony's smell."
Kili looked at the two over his shoulder. "He is a beautiful horse."
Mercië looked at the horse with such a loving look in her eyes that a shiver ran down Kili's spine. "He is. Bred by Lord Elrond himself." She reached out and grabbed Kili's hand, dragging him down to sit. "But so is Dari. He is one of the finest ponies I have ever seen."
Kili, suprised by the sudden contact, pulled back his hand the moment his butt reached the ground. It was cold, and the frozen grass cracked under his weight. "Aren't you cold, my lady? Since it is winter, the water couldn't be warmer than ten degrees." He looked at her thin shirt underneath the cloak and shivered. He himself wore multiple layers of clothing; a long-sleeved shirt; a woolen vest; and a conducted jacket and boots.
"The cold does not affect me." She answered. "Not does warmth. It does not affect any elf."
Kili's eyebrows shot up. "It doesn't affect you at all? So when it freezes, it feels like it is warm for you?"
She frowned. "It is not that simple. I can feel the cold, but it just doesn't... I can feel that it is cold, and I can feel the cold of the water but it does not affect me." She seemed to hesitate. "I do not know how to explain this." She looked up to meet his eyes, and she took his hand again, placing it on her other hand.
Kili twitched when she took his hand. When he felt her soft skin underneath his hand, he swallowed. It was warm, body temperature, even though it had been exposed to the cold for at least an hour. He pulled his hand back right away. "You're warm."
Mercië smiled. "I am. All hail the magic of the elves."
Kili looked out over the water. "What brought you here, if I may ask?"
"A horse." Mercië laughed shortly. "Since your king has no need for me anymore, I am free to go where I want. I thought I could just as well ride around and discover it here before I leave."
Kili laughed with her. "I used to come here with Fili. We found it together, three years ago. But now, Thorin needs him more and more. He has to learn everything about politics and stuff." He made a face. "Rather him than me."
"Poor Fili. I bet he prefers being here with you. This is a wonderful place."
"It is." He looked over the water to the other side of the lake. "So where are you from, my lady?"
Mercië's smile faded and she fixed her glare on him, her eyes smouldering. "That is of no concern of yours."
Kili backed away. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to insult you. I was just curious. I shall say no more."
Mercië turned her gaze back to the water. Her dark blue eyes seemed darker than before. A few minutes passed in silence. "I offer my apologies, too. You did not deserve to be snapped at. My past is a sensitive part of me, and I ask you to ask no more about it."
"I shall not. My sincere apologies. Your past shall be hidden for me till the time you will tell me about it voluntary."
She splashed her foot in the water. "Then you will have to wait till eternity, since I have never told anyone my past before, unless for when it was necessary."
Kili shrugged and scratched his stubbled jaw.
"How come you don't have a beard?" Mercië's curious eyes were fixed upon him once more.
He blushed. "That is a mystery for you as well me."
"Really? Nobody knows why?" She tilted her head slightly. "Odd."
Kili nodded. "Odd it is."
Mercië reached out to trace his jaw line. "I think I wouldn't even like you better with beard."
Kili backed away when her finger touched his jaw.
Mercië pulled her hand back and cocked an eyebrow. "I see you do not like people touching you."
"Just women." Kili mumbled, pulling on the grass.
"Just women? How so? A good-looking dwarf like yourself has surely some admirers. No?" She clasped her hands together in her lap. "Strange. Were you an elf, the ladies would've never left your side." She moved her feet in the water, sending ripples over the clear water. "I guess it is different with dwarves. For elves, touching is normal. Little things to show that you care. I'm sorry if I scared you away."
"It is different with dwarves. Our touches are reserved for our dearest. Our lovers, our best friends. A touch is something personal that is not available for everyone." He didn't dare to admit that he had actually quite liked her touch. His jaw was burning on the place where she traced it.
"I understand. But look at the horses. A touch is something as natural breathing. There is so much power in something as simple as a touch. It can comfort; it can heal; it can be pleasurable; it can be painful. A touch can give a man rest in the last minutes of their life, or it can cause the last minutes of their life." She looked up at Kili, for she had looked at her hands as she spoke. "You have never felt the touch or the kiss of a woman? You have never experienced how it is to love, or to make love?"
Kili had listened carefully during her talk but the question took him off his guard. "Never. A beard is one of the most important things a dwarves woman can fall for. Since I have none, it is difficult for them to take me serious."
Mercië laughed softly.
Kili frowned at her. "Why are you laughing? Have I said something funny?"
"Have you ever seen an elf with a beard? As important as it is for dwarves, as hilarious it is for elves. An elf with a beard would never find a partner, as a dwarf without a beard never would find one." She pulled her feet out of the water and stood up. "Come. We have talked enough. Let us go to Dale and share some food. I hope you could show me the city."
Kili stood up with her, sweeping the grass of his butt. "I would love to."
And so they walked to the horse and pony together, mounted and rode away, talking to each other about the quick friendship of their horses.

Hi there, my lovely elves, dwarves hobbits and humans. I told you the second chapter would be up soon! Romantic, don't you think? I thought, because Kili never had experienced love he would be a bit reticent. And Mercië... well, she is not. I have written the third chapter already, but I need to check it and everything. And I just wanted you all to know that English is not my first language, so if there are any mistakes please tell me! Kisses.