A/N: Hello again, and welcome to my new favorites/followers! Also oceans of thanks to my reviewers: Dalonega Noquisi, Jarvis68. You're beyond the best!
Note: the song towards the end is a tweaked version of Secret Garden's "Sleepsong", should you want the music to go with the words. Enjoy the chapter!

What looked like had been a rocky path through the Anduin to what Gandalf had called "the Carrock" was now mostly covered by water in a good portion of places, and though the water only came to mid-calf for me, I didn't want to risk falling into the river's embrace. I hopped carefully from rock to rock over the shallower part of the river, mindful to keep my balance as well as a hold on the bundle of firewood I clenched in my arms. The shadow of the Carrock was cool enough to send a shiver up my spine, even though it was almost midday and almost exceedingly warm in the sunshine. We'd decided to make camp in the cave of the Carrock, and were trying to prepare as much as we could before nightfall. Thorin, though conscious, still needed to recuperate a bit longer; he relaxed towards the center of the cave, tending our growing fire. He stared into the flames with an almost haunted expression, though every now and then he would look towards Erebor, and his features would set with purpose.

That must be where Fili gets it from, I thought with a smile as I hopped from the last stone back to the Carrock's isle. On my way back to the cave, a disgruntled Bilbo looked up from where he was scrubbing at his coat, seeming surprised by my grin. "You're in high spirits, I see!"

"It was just a thought I was having." I assured him, pausing to shift the firewood in my arms. "What's wrong with your coat?"

"Oh, it's nothing; it got a stain during that nasty business with the goblins. It's almost like—like grease! It's quite nasty." He sighed like it was one of the earth's greatest shames, letting the sleeve fall to the rocky ground with a wet slap.

I made a sympathetic face, ruffling Bilbo's curls and laughing at the indignant sound he made. "It'll be alright, Bilbo. Maybe it will work its way out on its own?"

"Doubtful, but thank you for the thought." He gave me a rueful smile before turning back to his coat, and I continued on.

The fire had grown while I was out, and a number of the others had come back with fish or small game to prepare for later. I set my bundle down next to the others against the far wall of the cave, stooping before the fire to warm my fingers. Gandalf puffed thoughtfully at his pipe where he sat beside our healing leader. Thorin looked up at my company, puzzled by my smile. I'd seen that expression on Fili, as well, when he'd accused me of keeping secrets. "You're cheerful."

"Actually, I'm exhausted and everything hurts," I corrected, feeling my limbs begin to throb from my stillness, "but there's work to be done, and besides, seeing Erebor? Even just the hint of it—it's exciting."

Thorin's lips curled up just the slightest at the corners, his eyes crinkling. "Indeed."

"Tal!" I looked up at my name to see Balin and Oin motioning me over to them where they sat looking over what supplies we still had.

"Feel better." I gave Thorin's battered hand a pat, inclining my head respectfully before making my way over to my elder uncle.

Balin patted the cold stone next to him. "Sit down, lass. We'd best clean and treat your wound before it gets infected."

I grimaced at the burning and pain that awaited me. "Aye."

Swallowing hard, I watched as he dampened a square of cloth with wine, pressing it to my cheek with an apologetic smile as I cringed. "Come now, lass, this is nothing you can't bear."

"Doesn't mean it feels pleasant." I grumbled as he began wiping away what blood and ash I hadn't managed to get when I'd washed my face in the river earlier.

He applied more wine to the square with a knowing smirk, swiping a few more times at the wound before moving on to the cut on my ear. "How'd you manage this one, then?"

"A goblin shot an arrow at me. Luckily, it was a bad shot." I smirked, earning a chuckle from Balin as he traded Oin the wineskin for the small jar of poultice.

"Aye, but you wouldn't have the wound at all, had you done as I'd bid." I blanched at Dwalin's tone, twisting to see him looming over me with an ominous sparkle in his eye. And here comes the lecture. "All I asked was that you stay behind me, Tal. What about the rules, as well?! Do you even remember them?"

Even at its quietest, Dwalin's voice carried through the soft chatter of the others. I felt my blood pool in my cheeks, heard the almost silent snickers of Fili, Kili and Bofur from where they sat towards the mouth of the cave skinning and cleaning what would be our supper. I looked down as Balin applied the poultice to my cheek, covering the herbal-reeking paste with a dried onion skin to keep it from smearing. "Aye, Uncle. I'm sorry."

"Be sure to better heed the rules in the future, lass." Dwalin grumbled softly, tapping his knuckles against the top of my head affectionately before shuffling off, addressing Fili and Kili. "And you lads! What're you chortling at? I could get onto you all for the exact same recklessness!"

Balin gave me a sympathetic smile as he tightened the lid on a small pot before putting it back into a pack. "Look on the bright side, Tal—at least he kept it short and to the point. No doubt he didn't want to embarrass you too horribly."

"I suppose," I grumbled, not entirely convinced. I rested my elbows on my knees, propping my chin up on my fists as I watched my elder uncle sort through what few supplies had made it with us through the goblin tunnels. All of our bedrolls had been lost, by the looks of things, as had our tripod and large pot and essentially everything else that might have been useful.

My uncle noticed my scrutinizing eye. Without looking up from the herb satchels he was searching through, he breathed to me, "Of all of us, only Ori, Oin, Dori and Bombur managed to keep hold of any of their belongings outside of what was on their person. Thankfully, we've all decided that pooling our resources would be best."

"What does that mean for us, supply-wise?"

Balin waved away my concerned look. "Most of us have fared with less. Don't worry, lass."

I sat up straighter, scooting closer. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Aye," he nodded gruffly, turning to me with a wry smile, "you could go back out there and try to ferret out some more game. Most of us are famished after last night, and our rations were amongst what was left behind."

"Alright." I rose to my feet stiffly with an internal sigh, stretching my arms high overhead. I had no idea how I'd do that with only a sword and a hunting knife, but maybe I would happen upon the world's stupidest deer.

"The lads set some snares earlier; why don't you take one of them with you, have them show you where they are?" Balin suggested, a calculating twinkle in his eye. I followed his glance as he cast it towards the mouth of the cave. Kili was laughing raucously at some joke Fili was telling, the golden prince's hands slicked with the blood of the fish that lay forgotten on the rock in front of him. "Fili doesn't seem to be busy."

Oh, by Mahal's forge! I set my hands on my hips, giving my uncle my best exasperated look. "Honestly, Uncle—!"

"Well you can't expect to get very much done with a sword out there, can you? Fili's excellent with throwing knives." Balin smiled widely now, his eyes crinkling merrily at the edges. "Go on, and be quick! There's lots of hungry mouths to feed."

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from arguing, bowing my head in acquiescence. Cheeky. "Very well."

"And Tal?" Balin called to me as I turned to leave. "Be careful."

"Aren't I always?" I grinned, batting my eyelashes.

The smile fell from Balin's face as he deadpanned, "Hardly."

I hummed low in the back of my throat, spirits raised a bit, before turning to the mouth of the cave. I was careful to step over what kinsmen were resting on the floor of the cave, their exhaustion having overwhelmed them, as I made my way back to the river.

The lads looked up at my approach, still shaking with laughter. Kili dimpled up at me cheerfully. "Hello, Tal. What're you up to?"

"I'm being sent to go fetch more food. Balin said you'd set up some snares?" I asked, adjusting my scabbard so it sat more comfortably on my back.

Fili's eyes all but glowed in the sunlight as he nodded, his gaze searching mine. "We did. I'll come with you, just give me a moment to wash up." He added, wiggling his bloody fingers teasingly at me before heading to the Anduin's banks.

I went to the rocks to wait for him, the river lapping at the shore by my boots. The breeze blew some of the river's spray in my direction, and I closed my eyes at the refreshing feel of it.

"Shall we be off?" Fili's voice was almost excited, his expression matching when I reopened my eyes. I nodded, smiling, and he made a motion for me to go ahead of him. "Ladies first."

As we crossed the partly-submerged path, I couldn't help but feel a bit of the thrill that Fili had shown. The last time we'd been alone together had been when we'd been on watch together. Since then, it had been nothing but danger and running and panic. I snuck a sideways glance at him as we reached the opposite bank, his hair brilliant in the midday sunshine as the breeze toyed with it.

The shade of the trees was a welcome relief to my eyes from the sun as we entered the small forest nearby, a small smile stretching across my lips as his knuckles grazed the back of my hand. He was so close I could swear I could feel his breath mist over my shoulder and neck. I shifted a bit from him, clearing my throat. "So, where's the first snare set up?"

"Just a little ways past here," he answered, his eyes flicking over to me for a moment before focusing ahead. I nodded, falling back behind him a bit and treading carefully through the underbrush. I heard the trickle of a waterfall somewhere undertoned by the dull rumbling of the river, birdsong filtering down from the sun-dappled treetops above us.

Fili's lips quirked a bit at the corners when he looked at me over his shoulder as we struggled up a rise, and I scowled up at him in confusion. "What? Still laughing over my scolding?"

"Would I do something like that?" I could hear the smile in his voice, and socked him lightly in the shoulder. "Alright, alright. I'm just teasing."

"How much farther is the stupid snare, Fili?" I grumped.

His light laughter carried through the relative quiet of the forest, making my heart stutter, as he reached back and took my hand in his. My cheeks and neck warmed almost uncomfortably at the contact. His hand was so hot in mine, his calloused thumb rubbing circles on my palm that sent shivers down my spine. "Don't worry, we're almost there."

I hummed low in my throat in acknowledgement, saying nothing as he led me around a close copse of trees. Around on the other side he knelt down, his firm grip tugging me down with him amongst the tangled underbrush. Using his free hand he held a finger to his lips, motioning for me to be quiet, he crept closer to me so slowly that he almost made no sound. His face was a hairsbreadth from mine when he stopped, hazel eyes intent on my face.

"Fili?" I whispered, my fingers shaking where they braced against the ground for balance. "What is it?"

His hazel eyes dipped from mine to rest intently on my lips when I spoke, his body going rigid for a moment. My heart beat erratically as his hand came up, tucking a loose curl behind my ear, before turning my head just a bit to the side. The breeze felt cool on my flaming cheeks as I looked anywhere but at his face. He's so close.

After a moment he took his hand away from my face, tapping my knee as though to gain my attention. He pointed with his free hand to a few yards ahead of us to a small shaded clearing, and I followed his gaze in time to see a tawny blur jolt into the air with barely a sound. I fell onto my backside with a startled gasp, making Fili rumble with suppressed laughter as I stared at the newly caught rabbit dangling by its neck in the air.

"You should've seen your face!" he grinned as he stood, holding out his hands to help me up.

With a glare I snubbed his offered help, struggling from the thick of the forest floor to my feet and brushed the dirt and moss from my backside before marching towards the strung-up rabbit. From the corner of my eye, I could see another rabbit hanging above a bush. "You'd best shut that loud mouth of yours, else you'll scare away every other animal here."

"Oh, come now," his expression was full of warmth as he followed after me, "I'm only teasing. After all, isn't this fun?"

"Fun?" I gave him a quizzical look over my shoulder as I loosened the knot holding the twine to a tree root, looping the excess twine around my hand to keep it from tangling and leaving the rabbit to dangle. "How so?"

He shrugged, moving to fetch the other rabbit I'd seen. "No particular reason."

I scowled at his distant tone, watching him as he checked the other surrounding snares. His expression was odd, somewhere between guarded and frustrated as he fixed a mussed snare. He all but stomped over to another trapped between a log and a pile of stones, squatting to check its setup.

Why was he angry? I was the one who he kept teasing and making fun of!

Satisfied with the leftover snares, Fili took up his rabbit and started tromping back the way we came without another word. With a heavy sigh, I followed after him until the forced silence became too much. "Fili, what's the matter?"

"It's nothing." His voice was gruff as he answered without looking back at me.

I felt my lips twitch with an unbelieving smirk. "If you say so."

I hummed softly to myself to ward off the silence, the rabbit swaying at my side with each step. I watched as the tension leaked out of Fili, as though the music drew it from him, and with a smile I hummed a bit louder. Ahead of me, Fili stopped where he stood, tilting his face up to the sunlight that had managed to filter down from the canopy.

"I don't know how you do it." He said at last, turning to face me. His lids hung low over his eyes tiredly, the sunlight playing over his features as a breeze caused the trees to stir around us.

I cocked my head to the side, puzzled. "Do what?"

"Set me aside, all the while seemingly unaware how you're drawing me closer with just the smallest actions." He let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. "I don't know how you can just ignore your feelings when we're together like this—or the other night, when you pulled away from me to go back to watching over the others. Are you not tempted by me as I am by you?"

"I'm plenty tempted," I scowled, shifting my weight from one foot to another, "I'm just sneaky about it, I suppose. There is a time and place for everything, you know."

"Is this not the best time and place, then, after everything that's happened?" He shoved a few errant strands of ocher hair from his forehead, letting his hand fall to his side before coming back towards me. His gaze was almost feverish on me, and I felt my cheeks warm in response. His fingers laced through mine, and he used his hold on me to tug me closer until the toes of our boots touched, our breaths mingling. He pressed his forehead to my own, his hand releasing mine to run gently up my arm and shoulder to cup the back of my neck.

Heat swirled in my chest as my heart beat against the confines of my ribcage. "Fili?"

His fingers knotted in my hair as he bumped his nose softly against mine. "I'm trying to be patient, to wait for your answer, but it is driving me mad, Tal!"

"We are a bit young to marry." I murmured, focusing on a small tear in his coat by the fur trim, running the fingers of my free hand over it in a subtle barrier between us. It was a weak defense, I knew. Though marriage between dwarves our age was uncommon—most waiting until their late nineties to wed, if at all—it was not unheard of.

His laughter caused his chest to quake under my hand. "It's not as though I'm asking you to wed me tomorrow, Tal. We can court however long you'd like, or at least until my sanity draws dangerously low."

I smiled a bit at his jest, smoothing my palm over his heart. He gingerly tilted my face up, forcing me to look him in the eye. This close, it was like his eyes were all that remained in the world, more gold than slate and full of emotion, the sunlight glinting off of his honey-tinged lashes.

"Humor me, if but for a moment." His lips just brushed against mine as he spoke, making me shiver. "Please, Tal?"

The whispered plea caused the warmth in my chest to roar into an almost unbearable fire, and I rose on tiptoe just enough to press my lips to his, feeling his heart hammer against my palm. His fingers trembled against my neck before knotting in my hair, keeping me in place as he deepened the kiss with a moan of what I thought was gratitude. The fire within me surged through my veins as I pressed against him, the forgotten rabbit dropping from my hand to the ground by my feet. I wrapped my arms around his waist, my hands delving up underneath his coat to trace the muscles of his back as they shuddered beneath my touch. I heard the soft thud-thmp of his rabbit bouncing from his boot to the forest floor as he dropped it in favor of my hip, his fingers digging in almost hard enough to bruise. I broke our kiss, my chest rising and falling raggedly as I gasped for air, Fili dragging his chapped lips down the side of my throat. He teased the sensitive skin of my neck with tongue and teeth, his hand releasing my hair to push at the opening of my coat. The coat pulled with it the sleeve of my tunic, exposing most of my shoulder to him.

Including my mithril shirt, the iridescent links shimmering like starlight in the sun.

His lips paused on my neck at the sight, stilling on my skin with shock. I shivered at the feeling of his warm breath washing over the hyper-sensitive skin through the coolness of the mail as he asked, "Is that what I think it is?"

"It is," I breathed, watching his reaction as he stroked the mail with his thumb. When he didn't say anything, I elaborated, "It was my mother's. My brother demanded that I wear it if I was so set on coming on this venture."

"And you've been wearing it all this time?" At my nod he let out something like a sigh, resting his forehead on my shoulder. I felt a soft pressure through the mail—had he kissed the mithril? "By Durin's beard, you're full of surprises."

"Are you angry that I didn't tell you beforehand?" I asked quietly, nervous.

"Angry? No, Tal, I'm relieved." He lifted his head, kissing me sweetly on the forehead as he straightened out my tunic and coat to once again conceal the mithril. "If you're to be protected by anything other than me, I am glad that it is by that particular armor."

I pressed a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth before pulling away from him, stooping low to pick up the rabbits we'd discarded and handing his back to him. He caught my hand instead of the rabbit's twine, waiting until I looked him in the eye to speak.

"By the way, what was it you wanted to tell me right before the Eagles came?"

Blood roared to my cheeks, making me blush hard. "It was nothing, really."

He gave me a doting smile. "Come now, Tal, you're only making this more and more intriguing."

"I was only going to tell you that I think that I…" the rest of my words caught in my throat, refusing to be spoken. Don't you dare say those words—not unless you're absolutely sure you're prepared for what they will bring about. Not unless you know that's how you feel. I licked my lips nervously, trying to tear my gaze from Fili's. "I think I agree with you. I think we could do well together—maybe."

"I'll wait as long as I have to, Tal." He reminded me, brushing the fingertips of his free hand down the side of my face. He caught my mouth in another searing kiss, gently nipping at my bottom lip before turning with a grin to walk back towards camp, humming in his rich voice to himself.

"There you two are!" Bofur greeted us jovially once we'd crossed the rocky path back to the Carrock. He sat with Kili, Gloin, Nori and Dwalin at the mouth of the cave, smoking their pipes happily in the afternoon warmth. Just under the smell of their tobacco, I thought I could smell the hearty scent of cooking meat, making my stomach grumble.

Kili piped up with a teasing grin, "We were beginning to worry the rabbits had gotten the best of you."

"Don't be silly." I shook my head, grinning. "We just had to fix a few of the snares that had gotten mussed up, that's all."

"Which ones?" Kili's smile shrank a bit, his brows drawing together.

"The ones you set up." Fili answered with a laugh, dodging a stone tossed by his brother. He turned to me with a wink. "I'll take care of these. Why don't you go see if there's anything else that needs to be taken care of?"

"Alright." I nodded, feeling his gaze burn into my back as I trudged back into the cave. I'd forgotten about how tired I was when I was with Fili, but now that sleepiness and the aching in my legs and back came back with a vengeance.

Inside, Bombur, Dori and Bilbo all hovered around the fire where they were roasting fish and strips of rabbit meat over the flames, the source of the wonderful smell from outside. Thorin lay by the far wall of the cave, asleep, his brow pinched with discomfort, as Gandalf muttered softly over him. My older uncle was sleeping propped up in a sitting position within arm's reach of the healing leader, the rest of our company sleeping soundly beyond him, towards the back of the cave.

As if feeling my watchful eye, Gandalf looked up from what he was doing, giving me a warm smile. "You'd do well to follow their example, my dear. Rest will not come easily for us from here out."

"Is there anything that still needs to be done?" I asked despite my body's tired aching. I wanted nothing more than to curl up on the silt-covered floor of the cave and sleep for several months. After eating, I added mentally when my stomach rumbled its reminder.

Gandalf shook his head, crossing to sit amongst the others at the fire. "There is only to wait until we are all rested and fit to continue. We will probably leave at first light—you'd best rest while you can."

"Here, Tal." Bombur pried a skewer from its holding place amongst the fire's protective stone circle, careful to not let the meat get too close to the fire, and held it out to me. "This one should be done."

"Thank you, Master Bombur." I smiled thankfully, taking the skewer from him. The wood was warm from the fire, smoke rising up from the strip of rabbit meat.

He waved away my thanks with a tired smile. "No, thank you for bringing those rabbits back. The others already devoured what meat there was, save what we have cooking now."

"You more than helped in that regard, Bombur." Dori grumbled, taking a pull from his waterskin.

I followed the pool of afternoon sunlight that spilled into the cave to the wall opposite Balin and Thorin, sitting with my back against the sun-warmed rock wall. I pulled the rabbit strip off of the makeshift skewer, glowering at how the still-hot meat burned a bit at the tips of my fingers. I all but inhaled it, the meat overcooked and almost flavorless, yet still somehow delicious.

Ori sat a bit off to the side, more towards the opening, scribbling in his field journal, and I scooted a bit closer in my curiosity. "What're you drawing, Ori?"

Ori blushed a bit, or perhaps he'd been sitting in the sun for too long. "Fili had an odd look on his face when you two came back, so I thought I'd try to draw it." He replied, squinting first at his drawing and then at Fili, who was obliviously skinning rabbits. "It's like he's happy, but there's something more to it. Do you see what I mean, Miss Tal?"

I swallowed my mouthful of meat, letting my eyes roam over Fili's face. I could see what he meant; Fili was obviously pleased with something, but something about the set of his jaw and brow kept the expression from being purely one of joy. It was like he was staring down a challenger he knew stood no chance against him. No, that's not quite it, I thought to myself, there's not so much as an egotistical look to it. It's more like he's— "Fiercely determined." I answered aloud.

"Yes! That's it." Ori agreed, nodding and adding a few more lines to his drawing.

I scooted a little closer, the silt warm under my hands as I leaned in. "May I see your drawing?"

"I-if you'd like to. Keep in mind, it's not finished yet." Ori's face reddened as he moved a little away, holding out the book to me.

Smiling reassuringly, I took it, holding it so I could see the drawing clearly. A small gasp escaped my lips as I traced the empty air just above the sketch, not daring to touch it. I could see the mischievous quirk to Fili's lips, could practically see it breathe before me. It was absolutely amazing—we'd practically just sat down, and this drawing was already almost finished. "This is wonderful, Ori! How on earth could you draw something so well so fast?"

"I have to draw quickly if I want to document everything as we go." Ori explained, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully before taking the book back from me. "As for the talent, I've just had a lot of practice, really."

"Well, it's fantastic." I beamed. "I wouldn't mind buying copies of some of your portraits, once this whole venture is over."

"I'll keep that in mind, Miss Tal." He smiled shyly back, going back to his drawing.

Taking that as a sign that he wanted to be left alone, I scooted back over to my original spot, unstrapping my sword from my back and curling up on my side with my back to the opening of the cave. I used my arm as my pillow, tucking it under my head as the sun warmed my back, and closed my eyes, my sword clutched close.

Slowly but surely, the crackle of the campfire and the low murmurs of the others gave way to the familiar ringing of my brother's hammer, the comforting, dull roar of his forge. In my dream I found myself sitting in his shop on my usual stool, the skirts of my dress heavy around my legs as I swung my feet below me. I rested my elbows on my knees, propping my chin on my hands as I watched Fal work, each strike of his hammer sending up sparks like magic, fire occasionally lapping at the edges of the work in progress.

"You're awfully quiet tonight, sister-mine." He rumbled as he paused in his hammering, drawing his forearm across his brow to wipe away the sweat gathering there as he looked up at me. His face was red from the heat and exertion, blending into the deep crimson of his beard. He looked just as he had when I'd last seen him, clad in a slightly-singed tunic and his leather apron; his thick hair was braided back from his face in some places, the majority of it drawn back in a messy ponytail at the nape of his neck. The scar by his eye practically glowed against his flushed skin. "Tal?"

He looked alarmed as a wetness slid between my fingers, and I realized I was crying. I sat up, wiping the tears away as he set his project on his anvil, crossing the workshop to stand before me. His hands were rough and hot as the coals in his forge as he grasped my face, making me look into his troubled blue eyes. "Why do you cry, nan'ith?"

"Tal?" My eyes snapped open as I lunged into an upright position, heart slamming in my chest as I cast my gaze around me blindly. A hand clutched at my shoulder, and I turned to see Fili crouched beside me, face pinched with concern. "Are you alright? You were crying in your sleep."

My face felt wet and icy, and I turned from my side to a sitting position so that I could wipe away some of the grit that clung to my cheeks from the cave floor. "I'm fine. I don't know why I was crying—it wasn't a nightmare or anything."

Fili hummed low in his throat, his hand drifting from my shoulder to my face, his thumb brushing away a tear that I'd missed. His gaze was intent on mine as his thumb slowly moved down to stroke my bottom lip, causing my cheeks to flare with warmth. He was becoming bolder—we were barely a stone's throw from where the others slept, and I could hear a few of the company still chattering at the mouth of the cave. He knew this was embarrassing to me, too—I could tell from the mischievous grin he wore. Two can play at that game. I cast a glance over the sleeping members of our party to see if any of them were awake or, at the least, glancing in this direction. Seeing none, I pressed a quick, silent kiss to Fili's hand. I grinned at the red tinge that rose in his cheeks at the gesture as I rose to my feet, sword in hand, and left him kneeling in the silt. I was halfway back to the mouth of the cave before I heard him move to follow me.

Outside, darkness had descended while I'd slept. The Anduin glowed like a river of stars under the moonlight, the forest beyond a daunting black wall. Balin sat on a rock at the cave's mouth, Bifur, Bofur and Kili sitting around him amongst the pebbles and weeds. They paused in their talking to greet me and Fili when they saw us, Fili scowling down at his younger brother. "I thought you'd gone to sleep."

Kili shook his head, dark braids flying as he gave Fili a half-smile. "Can't. I took that nap earlier, though, so I shouldn't be too badly off later."

"That's bollocks, Kili." Fili's admonishment was lessened by the doting smile he wore as he lightly bopped the top of the darker prince's head. "Go on, off with you."

Kili grumbled under his breath as he moved to be just within the mouth of the cave, sitting with his back against the wall. "I told you, I can't!"

"What do you want us to do, sing you a lullaby?" Bofur teased as he lit his pipe, taking a few puffs to get it to smolder. Bifur cocked his head curiously at the last word, his tired eyes glitteringly keenly. Maybe he wouldn't mind a lullaby himself, I thought, trying not to stare at the axe embedded in his forehead.

Balin smiled softly at me. "Do you still remember your lullaby, Tal?"

The blush that had just started to fade on my cheeks flamed back to life. "Aye, I do."

"I can't remember the last time I heard mine." Bofur thought aloud, eyes wistful.

"I bet hearing one would help settle the nerves around camp about now," Fili mused, smirking in his brother's direction, "maybe even get Kili to finally sleep."

A quiet chuckle escaped my lips as I sat cross-legged in the large space beside Balin, Fili moving to claim the space between me and his brother. "You can't be serious."

"Actually, it really might help." Balin agreed, giving my shoulder a squeeze. "Besides, I've told more than enough stories this evening. It'd be good for me to take a rest, try to think of more to tell."

I shook my head at their antics, laying my sword across my lap. "Very well, if you all want to hear one so badly,

" I'll sing you to sleep,
And I'll sing you to-morrow,
Bless you with love for the road that you go."

Fili and Kili's talking trailed off as I began singing, and I could feel my kinsmen's attention on me as I closed my eyes, the words coming to me easily as I tapped the slow rhythm of the song on my knee.

"May you tread fair
To where your travels may take you,
With diamonds and pearls
At your head and your feet.
And may you need never
To banish misfortune,
May you find kindness in all that you meet.

May there always be good friends
To watch over you,
To guide you each step of the way,
To guard you, and keep you,
Safe from all harm,
Loo-li, loo-li lai-lay.

May you bring love,
And may you bring happiness,
Be loved in return,
To the end of your days,

Now, fall off to sleep,
I'm not meaning to keep you,
I'll just sit for a while,
And sing loo-li, lai-lay."

I hummed the last bars of the song and opened my eyes when I'd finished, Fili tapping on my leg. I looked to where he pointed, grinning to see Kili slumped over against Fili's side.

Bifur murmured a series of soft grunts, his hands fluttering in soft, lofty movements, his eyes twinkling, and I smiled at the almost childlike animation in his face. "Thank you, Bifur. I'm glad you enjoyed the song."

Bofur nodded in agreement, his words slightly distorted by his pipe. "Yes, that was lovely."

Fili's hand covered my hand that rested on the ground between us, lacing our fingers together as his brother's sleeping form slid down in the silt, using Fili's thigh as a pillow. I hadn't done the song the same justice that my mother had—her voice had been silk compared to mine, refined over the years from singing to my brother, then me—but the others seemed to have liked it well enough.

Above me, Balin let out a loud yawn, rising on creaking legs. "I think I'll go try to rest a bit more. You all would do well to do the same; Thorin wants us to be ready to depart at first light."

I hummed in acknowledgement, stretching my legs out before me. I could practically feel my leg muscles tensing with dread just at the thought of moving too much, of running. Please, please can we just have a few days of peace? Even one would be a blessing.

Fili's hand gave mine a squeeze. "You should rest some more, Tal."

"I'll be okay," I reassured him, tightening my fingers around his before trying to pull my hand away.

Fili let out a derisive snort. "I'm so sure. You're as stubborn as the fool drooling on my leg." He retorted, jerking his chin in Kili's direction. I felt my cheeks warm as his arm came around my waist, pulling me close until I was leaning against him, my head on his shoulder. "Go on, sleep. I won't mind."

"You're one to talk about being stubborn." I grumbled, ignoring the warmth creeping up my neck. The cool night air made me shudder, driving me to snuggle closer into him for the heat that radiated off of him. He even smells warm, I thought as I took a deep, collecting breath, the scent of sun-drenched pine almost overwhelming me.

When sleep overtook me, I had no dreams.

A/N: Here's your update! Thank you so much for reading. Please review, and I'll try to have another update up for you soon!