Tauriel staggers back a few paces, keeping her balance by some small miracle; dwarrows are not particularly tall but they are compact missiles of muscle and bone when you run into them unexpectedly. She looks up, recognizes the person she ran into, and bows, crossing her arm over her chest and dipping her torso. The scoffing noise that the dwarrowdam makes at her gesture is unexpected but Tauriel straightens up, spine stiff with awkward discomfort.
"So you're the elf captain." It's not a question but a statement and Tauriel gulps. She's had opportunity to talk to her elven kindred since last she saw the Lady Dís and has now heard at least three different versions of how the first thing she did on her arrival was yell at the King Under the Mountain for his stupidity and recklessness and idiocy for however long it took for the rest of the caravan to arrive. Tauriel isn't expecting a much better reception for the elf who detained her kin on their quest and braces herself for whatever the dwarrowdam wants to say to her. "Thank you for saving my idiotic brother and my even more idiotic children." There is a rueful smile on the lady's face and she laughs at Tauriel's more than obvious confusion.
"My lady, I did only my duty," Tauriel starts, trying not to let her confusion become more and more apparent.
"Call me Dís, my brother is the one who insists on titles," the lady says, waving away Tauriel's explanation like an annoying branch in her face. "And it surely was not your duty to heal Kíli from the poison of a goblin arrow or to get my moronic brother out of the center of the battle before he got himself killed, unless the Elvenking has gone soft since I saw him last. So you have my thanks and if you refuse them, I will be quite upset."
Tauriel can feel the blush moving upward through her cheeks and she bows hastily, concealing her awkward bewilderment in the stiffness of formality and duty. Killing things and formal ceremonies are easy to navigate, but heartfelt thanks and other things involving emotions are foreign and puzzling. She thanks the Valar silently when the lady, Dís, seems to take that as acknowledgement enough and simply moves past her, continuing wherever she was headed before Tauriel ran into her. Tauriel takes a moment to breathe and regain her composure before setting off to try and find the Elven courier that's still stationed in Erebor so she can make her report to the Elvenking.
"You know, for an elf, she's not too bad. You could have done much worse."
Kíli drops the arrow she'd been examining and whirls to gawp at her mother, standing in the doorway of Kíli's quarters, which had not been open just a moment ago. Then what her mother had said sinks through her skull and Kíli just stands there, mouth hanging open a bit like a fish and red flooding across her cheeks.
"Don't give me that look, nathith. Unlike your illustrious uncle, I can admit that the elves can be tolerable and more than a little pleasing to look on," Dís continues, blithely ignoring the strange noises that Kíli makes in response. "I'm certainly not about to jump in bed with one of them myself though."
"Amad!" Kíli's strangled cry of embarrassment and horror only brings a grin to Dís's face but she stops nevertheless. Kíli buries her face in her hands, trying not to think about her mother's words at all.
"Still so young, nathith, no matter how tall you are," Dís says, stroking Kíli's back in a soothing manner. "Your uncle is not likely to be as sanguine about your choice as I am but I'm sure I can beat some sort of sense into his skull eventually. Even he can acknowledge that a political union with Mirkwood is advantageous and he never has been able to deny you the things that brought you joy."
"Thank you, amad," Kíli murmurs, turning to hug her mother tightly. If a few tears make their way into Dís's hair or her beard becomes a little disarrayed, she's not complaining.
"Don't thank me, you still have to explain to the elf what those braids mean and then deal with your brother and uncle's reactions," Dís says, extracting herself from the embrace. She smirks at the look of sudden misgiving on Kíli's face and bestowing a kiss on Kíli's forehead, turns to leave.
"Amad? Really, thank you."
"You're my only nathith, what else was I going to do, fly into a fit like Thorin always does? I like to think I'm a bit more mature than that." The sound of Kíli's laughter follows her down the hall and Dís smiles.
Supportive families are the best families. Also, moms are great.
Amad - mother
Nathith - daughter