A feast was organized in Dale in honour of new treaties. Invitations were sent to Erebor and Dale and Kili was excited. Since he and Fili were already in attendance, they helped with the organization and he was quite proud of how things turned out.

The feast was to be held in the castle, within the great hall in which many stately pillars provided the room's foundation. Food was brought in and set up buffet style and a corner was separated from which musicians would play their music.

Come nightfall the fete was in full swing. Wine was flowing and everyone seemed to be have a good time. Even his grumpy uncle Thorin decided to join the party. Kili chucked as he threw a glance over to his family who was singing and dancing. Indeed dwarfs loved a good feast and often were the heart of a party. But King Bard had seemingly forgot the fact that if you invite a dwarf to a feast he would come with all his family and friends.

Kili couldn't resist the energetic atmosphere and took a maiden to dance. He liked her fiery spirit and both of them twirled around the dance space.

It was one of his favorite moments when he could really see how close dwarfs of Erebor were to the people of Dale. Signing mundane peace treaties didn't even come close to drinking and singing together.

He exchanged a playful kiss with the girl before going to refill his cup of wine. As he looked around he saw King Bard at the high table, chatting with the blond angel from two days ago. His name had completely slipped Kili's mind but he remembered clearly what he was hiding behind the white cloak. Both man and angel laughed and servants refilled their cups as they heartily drank the strong wine.

Kili studied the crowd, hoping to see a certain angel, but she was nowhere in sight and he began to wonder if she had come to the party at all. Their conversation last time had been cut short by King Bard and the blond happening upon them at the most inopportune moment.

As he passed by drunken men and dwarfs, he saw the one he sought standing near the buffet. She wore the same clothes as two days ago but her fire hair was elegantly braided.

The angel was engrossed in the task of choosing food. She was standing with her back to Kili and he wondered how best to go about talking to her. He felt nervous. Had she been a dwarven woman he would have confidently approached her because he knew that they loved strong and self confident males. But Tauriel was an angel and they didn't even speak the same language.

This would have to be handled delicately.

He was taken aback when she suddenly faced him. Her emerald eyes met his and she gasped.

" Kili."

She remembered my name. Kili thought, grinning.

" Tauriel." He greeted back. "Are you enjoying the party?"

She smiled.

"Noisy and strange, but so far it is fun."

The dwarven Prince decided to join her at the buffet and both looked over the wide range of available food offered. Since he disliked vegetables Kili filled his plate with different kinds of meat, Tauriel choose fruits.

They sat at a nearby table and looked at each other's choices. Kili was surprised that Tauriel had only chosen fruits and greens. He had never before met someone not fond of meat before.

"Kili will be sick." Tauriel giggled, as she put on his plate a small tomato.

He smirked and both started eating. Tauriel seemed lost in thought as she finished off her fruits.

"Do you like sweets?" Kili asked, amused by the way she flinched when she was brought back to reality.

"Sweets?" She frowned. "I am not sure."

"I will show you a world full of wonders," Kili grinned "Just wait here."

He went to the buffet leaving Tauriel confused. He had a sweet tooth himself so he filled a bigger plate with a lot of different pastries and pieces of cake. When he returned, he could see Tauriel's gaze trained on the desserts.

"Taste whatever you want." He told her and gave her a fork.

She took a half a of strawberry shortcake and studied it; sniffing tentatively in a manner that Kili couldn't resist his laughter at and simply pushed the food in her mouth. After a moment she nodded her approval, delighted, and took a bigger bite.

The plate of desserts was soon finished and Tauriel looked at Kili with a dreamy expression. He felt a blush creeping up his cheeks and turned his gaze to the others. He saw Fili bringing Sigrid to their uncle's table and couldn't stop his smirk. He wondered a moment if he should join the upcoming discussions that would no doubt be fiery but decided to keep his nose clear for the time being.

"Kili's brother?" Tauriel asked, pointing to the blonde.

"Yes. His name is Fili and that's Sigrid."

"His Mate?"

"I guess so?" he responded unsure by the choice of her words.

Tauriel seemed satisfied with his response and watched the servants pour them some wine. She drank deeply from the cup, not stopping until it was empty.. Kili looked at his own wine and wondered if the servants cheated and mixed some water in. He took a sip and looked at the redhead, amazed. She didn't look affected at all. This was the strongest wine available and even he could not manage more than two to three cups, and certainly he would not have been able to guzzle it so fast.

"Do you want more?" He asked still trying to process but she shook her head.

"I go outside." She said while getting up. "Join me?"

They both exited the hall and ambled through the castle to the front steps that towered like a mountain over the lower gardens. The paved path was illuminated by torches and gave the place a mysterious aura. Few walked the pathways, majority of them seeking refuge from the loud music and cheering people.

"So. Let's play a game." Tauriel said, giggling.

"What type of game?"

"Hmmm, a competition," she said. "With these." She said pointed at a toy bow left probably by one of the children.

"And what is the prize?" Kili asked, "If this is a competition, there should be one!"

Tauriel smirked and crossed her arms but Kili just smiled innocently. He went and retrieved his and Fili's bows and arrows and returned to the garden.

"Make rules." She said while testing the bow he gave her.

"We have five arrows each. You see that far away tree, it would be the target. Who gets the most arrows in the tree wins. Ok?"

Tauriel took but a few moments to process, she nodded.

"What is the prize if I win?" He asked, taking an arrow out.

"What Kili wants."

"And if you win?"

"What Tauriel wants."

He smirked, thinking of the possibilities but shook the thoughts out of his mind and concentrated on his match. If he wanted answers about angels he needed to set aside the courtesies and win. Kili wondered if she knew how to use the bow, but as he was debating this, Tauriel shoot her arrows.

All of them hit the tree and Kili's mouth formed a perfect 'O'. She smiled her innocent smile and stepped aside.

Kili felt a little pressure. It would not do to have poor aim now.

He notched and shot arrow after arrow, wondering why nobody found their activity out of place. Finished, he walked closer to the tree and saw that all his arrows had found their target. Tauriel was there in a moment also and she studied them.

"So I guess it's a tie?" He said. "We both win the prize."

Tauriel nodded. She sat near the light of a torch and looked at the sky. Kili joined her but found his eyes strayed many a time to the enchanting figure beside him. Her emerald eyes met his and she graced him with a warm smile.

"Your turn first." He said.

Tauriel pondered for a moment and then she touched Kili's face. He shuddered but let her continue. The movement stirred something inside of him. The angel seemed interested in his growing beard because she touched it curiously a number of times.

"So different." She hummed as she met his eyes and blushed.

"Angels don't have beards?"

When she shook her head Kili wondered how she would react if she found out that dwarven women had beards. He needed to save that moment for the time she understood the language better. It would be priceless.

"Your turn."

He thought for a minute of what to ask her but another idea came to mind. He pointed to her back hopeful that she got his message. Tauriel seemed reluctant at first but in the end she took off her cloak and spread her wings

Kili gasped in sheer amazement. They were immaculate, shimmering in the torch light.

"Can I touch them?" He asked.

Tauriel nodded and brought her left wing close so he might. Some of the feathers brushed his cheek. The texture was soft and tickled him.

"Your wings are so beautiful." He said while passing his fingers through her feathers.

He observed that they were quite sensitive. When his fingers brushed the feathers she shivered and twitched. Tauriel seemed completely relaxed and she closed her eyes. As he got closer to the base of her left wing, she let a blissful moan. To Kili's surprise, she then suddenly went completely rigid and shook her wings.

"Don't touch there!" she snarled,jumping to her feet.

"What?" Kili blinked, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to anger you!"

Tauriel's expression went from anger to confusion. She covered her wings with the white cloak and turned her gaze to the party that was still ongoing.

"Kili doesn't know. Sorry."

The dwarf was still confused. He wondered why she got so upset. While he was petting her wing she had seemed to enjoy it very much.

"We go back. They will look for me." She said.

Kili nodded.

An awkward silence fell between them as they walked back to the feast. Kili was so busy admiring the angel that he missed a step and tumbled backwards, landing in a heap at the bottom. Thank goodness they had not walked too far.

"Kili!" Tauriel exclaimed, hurrying to his side..

She helped him up and started laughing when she saw his face.

"Do I want to see it?" He asked, chuckling as he touched his cheek, that was now turning purple, and winched.

"Poor Kili." The angel said sweetly.

Kili watched as Tauriel looked around and sneaked her right wing out. She took a feather and rearranged the cloak.

"Why did you do that?" He asked confused.

"You will see."

Tauriel rubbed the feather over Kili's damaged cheek and he was surprised to feel that the pain was rapidly fading away. When she stopped her ministration he felt his cheek, astonished to now come in contact with fully healed flesh, the bruise completely gone.

"Thank you," he said,"How did you do that?"

"Angel feathers are magic," she explained. "They heal. Please keep the feather in case you get hurt another time!"

Before Kili could reply he saw the blond angel standing at the castle entrance. He looked displeased and threw his piercing gaze on Tauriel. She turned to him and discreetly passed the feather to Kili without the blond's notice.

They exchanged a few phrases in their language before Tauriel followed the other inside. Kili remained where he was still stunned by the events. He took out the feather and studied it. It was light and soft, just like Tauriel's wings.

Did this thing just heal me?

Still disbelieving he sat on the steps and checked his feet, certain he had also been injured there. . Sure enough, he found a wound on his ankle. As soon as he passed the feather over the injury, it healed.