(Warning! Slightly mature content ahead!)

Kili's POV

I laughed as my companions jumped in and out of the fountain. We'd been having such fun splashing in the cool water. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so clean. I chuckled as Fili slapped water into my face, and I returned the favor. After a while, the rest of the Dwarves and I trickled back in ones and two to the balcony we'd be given to sleep on. I grimaced when I found my clothes in a neat pile next to my things. The Elves had been and gone, then. I scowled when I smelled the flowery scent lingering on the cloth.

"Remind me to never come here again..." Dwalin growled; all of us Dwarves chuckled in agreement.

"I'd rather stink of orcs than this blasted perfume of the Elves!" Bofur grimaced as he tugged on his tunic. We all grumbled in assent. I tugged my trousers over my legs and tucked in the tails of my tunic. I pulled on my boots and my jacket and then gave my bag a once-over. Satisfied that the sneaky Elves hadn't stolen anything, I followed the others as they went down to dinner.

We soon found ourselves seated on cushions at a short wooden table. The Elves placed bowl after bowl of leafy green foods onto the table as well as a few flagons of a sweet smelling wine. I would have preferred ale, as would my colleagues, and I was beginning to wonder if there was to be any meat served. Ori picked up a lettuce leaf and I chuckled as Dori tired to get him to eat it, "try it. Just a mouthful."

Ori twisted the lettuce in his fingers, "I don't like green food." I chortled with Fili and Bofur at Ori's expression.

Dwalin soon voiced the one question we were all thinking, rummaging through the bowls of vegetables, "where's the meat?"

We all grumbled while Ori asked, "have they got any chips?"

Bifur said something nasty about Elves in Khuzdul making all of us laugh until our sides ached. Gandalf and fussy looking Lord Elrond walked in just as we were wiping the last of our tears of mirth away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Thorin remove his sword from his belt and turned to watch as he handed it, hilt first, to the High Elf.

Elrond examined Thorin's sword intently before saying, "This is Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver. A famous blade, forged by the High Elves of the West. My kin. May it serve you well." He handed the sword back to Thorin, again hilt first; the Elves obviously didn't like us, but it was clear they had no quarrel with us. I was only slightly comforted.

Elrond then admired Gandalf's sword, "And this is Glamdring. The Foe-hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the Goblin wars of the First..."

I had stopped listening when Bilbo pulled out his own tiny sword. If one could call it a sword. Balin tried to break it to him gently, "I wouldn't bother, laddie. Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war."

I'd thought it was obvious, but maybe the Bilbo hadn't, for he said, "What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battles?" The silly Hobbit; of course that toothpick hadn't seen battle.

Balin agreed, "I'm not actually sure it is a sword. More of a letter opener, really."

Bilbo's face fell, and I actually felt sort of bad for him. But then I thought, "he really shouldn't be on this quest anyway. He's going to get hurt or killed... Same with Lady Laerwen..." The thought of her made me want to throw something. She made me so irritated, always getting in the way or getting hurt. Always causing trouble for the Company. She was almost as bad, if not worse than the Hobbit!

I picked at a hangnail, stewing and listening to Bofur's over-told jokes until Fili nudged me, "what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure you're not wondering about Lady Laerwen?" Fili gave me a small wink.

I scoffed, angry that he'd been right, "now that you've brought her up I definitely am!... I wonder if she's alright."

"There you go again! Acting like you couldn't care less and then you go and say something like that!" Fili shook his head and I noticed for the first time how pink his cheeks were.

"You've been drinking haven't you?"

"I only had a small sip!"

"I think you had more than a small sip, brother!" I laughed and pushed him lightly on the arm. He pushed me back and dared me to try the wine. Smirking, I complied, if only to try the fruity drink. It was surprisingly good, and soon I was singing along with the rest of the dwarves while Bofur danced on the table. We pounded our fists to the beat until Lord Elrond stood from his seat.

Bofur jumped off the table and took his hat off, making us all swing our heads in the direction he was looking. I heard a few sighs of admiration as the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen walked down the stairs to the table. She was wearing a sky blue dress made of some thin, flowing fabric and her mahogany colored locks cascaded around her shoulders, tied back with a thin silver ribbon. Her cheekbones were high and rosy, her olive skin glowing with an almost ethereal light. I thought she must be an elf, but when I looked closer at her ears and saw how short she was next to her attendant, I knew she was human.

Upon taking a closer look, I realized with a jolt I had been gawking at Laerwen. I scowled at the looks of awe on the faces of my fellow Dwarves. Even Thorin, Mr. Impossible to Please, was looking at her with grudging respect. I felt something roll in the pit of my stomach and I wanted to tear the expressions of wonder off of all of their faces. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I was disgusted with myself; she was just a silly human that was accident prone, there was no way I would feel jealous over her!

Fili nudged me again as she walked past, a minty smelling breeze trailing after her. I saw Fili inhale deeply, and heard many of the others do the same; I couldn't blame them, her scent was frustratingly intoxicating. I looked across the table to find Bilbo with a silly grin on his face, admiring his adoptive daughter proudly. Gandalf and Elrond looked on in respect, seemingly impressed by her entrance.

I wondered for a moment if she was going to sit among us, but then she curtsied to Gandalf and Elrond and joined them at their table. I threw myself onto my cushion after she sat, and yanked my tankard towards me, sloshing wine onto the table. I saw Laerwen give me a look of disgust before she turned to wave to Bilbo, smiling as if nothing had passed between us. I took a long draught from my drink, trying to drown my anger.

Fili bumped into me, slurring his words a bit as he spoke, "Lady Laerwen is beautiful don't you think?" I chuckled humorlessly at his inebriated state. Fili continued, attempting to be quieter this time, "you want to know something Kili? I saw her, back at the river... before the trolls..."

Confused, I waited for him to continue. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "I saw her... all of her... her beautiful skin..." Fili took another swig from his drink, "I saw her small hips, her thin waist... her back... everything, Kili..." I could feel the heat on my neck travel to my cheeks and my groin. I became angry at myself when I found I was feeling jealous.

I tried to control my rage as Fili looked at me and winked, "I even saw her breasts... small and round, perfect for holding." He was blushing even redder; I assumed he wasn't just flushed from the drink anymore. My suspicions were confirmed when he looked at me in all seriousness, "it was an accident you know... I didn't try to see... but she was so beautiful!" Fili lowered his tankard, finally realizing he'd had enough. "It was an accident.. I swear..."

I lowered my own tankard and stared hard at the table. Feeling my rage about to burst out of my stomach I shoved myself from the table and almost ran to our sleeping quarters. I stopped in front of the fountain and kicked at a bush.

Why was I so upset?! Laerwen was a stupid human, a hindrance to our quest! She was a strange, frustratingly beautiful girl that I couldn't get out of my head.

I kicked at the bush again before sitting on the fountain. Fili had seen her naked! I couldn't help the rush of emotions that bombarded my brain.

I was jealous that he'd seen her and I hadn't. I was angry at myself for feeling jealous. I was disgusted that my brother was even attracted to her, but I was most disgusted at myself for the same reason. I took a deep shuddering breath and stomped to our sleeping quarters. I threw myself onto my sleeping mat and tried to push all thoughts of Laerwen away. I wanted to hate her so badly. But I just couldn't.