Anya waited as Kili knelt in front of his ancestor's shrine and spoke silently even as his lips moved. She knew that Kili was asking for confirmation that Anya was the woman that was meant to be his wife. What Anya did not know is if Kili wanted a physical or emotional conformation. Anya slipped away silently giving Kili space with his ancestors. Anya had never tried to be in tune with her Dwarven ancestors, she doubted they would like her all that much. Her father always told her that she had his mother's eyes but she knew that was just his wishful thinking; her eyes looked just like her own mothers. The only Dwarven attribute Anya really had was her height. It was during times like these that she wished she had more Dwarven characteristics then she would not have to worry about the Dwarven people not only from the Blue Mountains but also Moria and The Iron Hills accepting her as the prince's wife. Anya watched as Kili emerged from the shrine and picked up his bow and slung his quiver onto his back. He had the look upon his face of deep thought so Anya let him be as he wandered over to his training area. Kili took a bow from his quiver and aimed it at a target letting the arrow fly it landed in the bulls-eye. Kili continued until he had only but a single arrow left which Anya grabbed and let loose it splitting Kili's dead center arrow in half.

"You ruined a perfectly good arrow." Anya shrugged.

"I felt like showing off, I'll whittle you a new arrow. I'll make sure to put lots of pretty feathers on the end." Anya responded with a grin as Kili let out a genuine laugh.

"Yes I will strike down my enemies with my flamboyancy."

"Well if that is the case you will not need any arrows at all." Anya smiled as Kili placed his hands on her hips bringing her closer to him.

"How are you feeling?" Anya asked referring to how he felt after speaking with his ancestors.

"At peace." Kili responded placing his palm against her cheek.

"So just a feeling is all?"

"Aye, a feeling in my trousers." Anya laughed as she pulled away from Kili.

"You would think by now I would be immune by your brazenness."

"You shall never be immune to my charms. If you were you would grow tired with me much sooner that I would ever be comfortable with."

"If she ever grows tired of you she can move on to a real prince, you know the one who actually inherits the throne." Fili spoke with a large smirk on his face.

"I heard the females like it when the beard tickles them in certain areas." Kili glared at his bother as Anya was red with a blush turning to see Kili's reaction.

"I think I have crossed a line." Fili spoke as he took Anya's braid into his hand and looked to Kili with sobered eyes.

"Forgive me brother no one told me."

"You're the first living person to know." Kili spoke grasping Anya's hand.

"The first," Fili spoke before cutting himself off as his eyes widened.

"You did this without consulting neither Thorin nor her father?" Fili let out a sigh running his fingers over his braided mustache.

"Sounds like you have a death wish to me boy." Kili glared at Fili.

"Do you not approve? You think that Thorin will think alike?"

"Brother I only want what is best for you and if you believe that the lass falls into that category then I am very happy for you. I am just worried about how Thorin will react to you not asking him first."

"I'll just speak to him in private and pretend that I am asking him first."

"Let us pray that your rushed plan works in your advantage."

"Thank you for your approval, brother." Kili spoke as he took Anya's hand walked briskly with her to her quarters.

"I'm going to talk to your parents first."

"Are you sure you should not ask Thorin first?"

"I want to save the scariest for last." Kili spoke with a forced grin as he pecked her forehead and knocked on the large stone doors. Anthriel gracefully pulled open the heavy doors as if they weighed almost nothing and smiled at the couple before her.

"I was expecting you sooner young prince."

"You were, why?"

"Well are you or are not here to ask for my daughters hand in marriage?"

"Your daughter's hand in what?!" Rahvo shouted as a tankard was thrown down in exchange for a battle-axe. Kili's eyes widen as he spoke rushed to Anya.

"I told you I needed that arrow." Anya moved her mouth but no words were emitted. Surely her father would not kill his best friends nephew. He would not dream of killing his prince. Would he?

"Rahvo my love I told you to expect this. I told you this was her path."

"You did not say it would happen so soon! I was expecting a few more decades!"

"I do not understand." Kili spoke.

"Are you some sort of witch? You keep speaking like you already know what is going to happen."

"Many Elves are in tune with the future as they are with many things." Anthriel stated softly.

"You said this is Anya's path does that mean you accept me having her hand in marriage?"

"Yes I do young prince. You make my daughter happy I do not wish to see the day when that goes away." Kili looked to Rahvo nervously.

"And you?" Rahvo let out a growl.

"Aye I suppose if the misses thinks it is what is best for our Anyanka. But let this be your warning boy, prince not you hurt her and I will sever your head from your princely body." Kili nodded with a gulp.

"I understand and I fully believe that you would uphold your promise."

"Damn right I will." Rahvo spat as he picked up toss mug and filled it with more ale. Kili smiled and walked with Anya towards Thorin's room leaving Anthriel with a sad look upon her face.

"Do you think Thorin will say yes?" Anya asked as she held Kili's hand.

"Well I still have my head I think our luck is going pretty well." Kili smiled and stopped with Anya outside the door.

"Let me go in and speak with him by myself. I'll come and tell you the news." Kili laid a small kiss upon her lips and knocked upon Thorin's door before opening it.

"Uncle?" Kili asked trying to hide the nervousness from his voice.

"What is it boy?" Thorin asked his voice sounding a mixture of worry and annoyance.

"I have something very important to speak about with you."

"What is it, someone dying? Let an arrow out in the wrong direction?"

"I wish to court Anyanka Dragonfighter." Thorin paused and closed a book on his desk.

"You couldn't have put a few pints in me before asking this question?"

"I thought it best to just come out with it."

"You put me in a very tight place Kili. Rahvo is a very good friend of mine but his daughter is tainted with the elves. I taught you the history of our people Kili. The elves betrayed us they left us to die! You would go marry and bed the reason you have no parents?!" Kili clenched his jaw unable to look his uncle in the eyes.

"I love her uncle."

"And I love ale you don't see me going and marrying a barrel of it."

"I take it I don't have your permission?"

"Aye, and you never will."

Leave a review and feed the muse!