Shorter one this time, sorry about that. I'm aiming to have several shorter chapters, and then have longer ones every so often so I don't end up feeling drained.
To Walk in Starlight
6. Winter
Tauriel smiled, taking in the sight of her beloved slowly sinking into a relaxed stupor as she played with his ever-tousled hair. Kíli smiled back as he curled further into her side and pulled the blanket tightly around them.
She brushed some wayward strands from his face, carrying the motion on and combing her fingers through the soft, dark locks as she returned her gaze to the sprawling landscape topped with the distant, bustling city of Dale.
This place, a small balcony hidden by a convenient outcrop, was her sanctuary.
Although she had grown to love Erebor, Tauriel also accepted the fact that she was an Elf, not a Dwarf. The warm, golden depths of the mountain were comforting enough most times, but every so often she felt the need to feel the wind and smell the wilderness, to see the stars she adored glittering high in the heavens. Kíli did not resent her for it, for he understood the call of the wild lands.
It was a haven of sorts, a sacred place outside their respective chambers were they could simply be at peace. It was a welcome respite from the prying eyes that followed their every move, the ears that listened in on their every word, scrutinising and perhaps condemning.
Here, there were no such pressures. There was only the sound of the wind and the steady beat of entwined hearts.
"S'cold." Kíli said, voice muffled by the blanket. "And I don't like the look of them clouds."
"The air carries a raw bite." Tauriel agreed. "The clouds offer a silent herald to the coming winter. I feel it will be a harsh one this year."
"Aye, I feel it too. Still, one thing's for sure."
"Oh?"
Kíli smiled, sitting up and wrapping his arms around his Elf. He pulled her down for a kiss, roughened lips pressing insistently against her silken ones for a long, lingering moment before he drew back mere inches and stared up at her.
"It may be a harsh winter, but something tells me this year, it will be far easier one to bear."
Tauriel's smile broadened and she reached up to trace the shape of her Courting Bead and the braid it accompanied, before reaching out and tracing his with a tender gaze. Her beloved's eyes lit up like the mighty forges deep in the belly of the mountain, and her heart flared with love like the fires that fuelled them.
"I think you may be right." She said, closing the minute gap between them once again.
Hope you liked! :)