Chapter 11

Tauriel took Kíli's arm as he led her out of the hall, Grund and Shar close behind them. Grund had handed Kíli a cane, which he obviously used to steady himself. She frowned at it. She remembered the pain, both physical and mental she felt before waking. She sighed as she considered what she should say. In the end she avoided the uncomfortable. "Where are we going?"

"Hhhmm?" He gave her one of his shy smiles. "Someplace we can see the stars, amrâlimê."

They continued on a path that led ever upwards in awkward silence. So much lay between them. Tauriel grew concerned as the climb proved difficult for Kíli. She almost asked him to turn back, until she saw the stubborn set of his features.

"I don't remember you injuring your leg again," she mused, her thought accidently voiced.

"It was still healing when I ended up bedridden for months." He shrugged then huffed as he shook his head, "It left it weak." He pulled open a door revealing a ledge open to the night sky.

"It has been difficult for you, has it not?" Tauriel lowered her head as she stepped out the door. "I could feel your pain and sadness right before I opened my eyes."

"Aye, amrâlimê." He paused and took a deep breath before joining her.

Tauriel watched his brow knit as tears started to well up. "Kíli?" She reached up and wiped a tear.

"Why, Tauriel. Why did you not come with me?" He took a shuddering breath. "Why did I have to learn from Legolas that we had wed?" Kíli turned towards her his eyes searching hers.

"That night, when you put your forehead against mine then kissed me, I realized how much you meant to me." She lowered her head, a feeling a shame gripping her heart, "I was terrified of what I had done after." She felt her own tears start to flow. "That what we had would not be accepted."

She felt his hand beneath her chin as he raised her face. His eyes locked with hers.

"Forgive me, amrâlumê." She swallowed hard. "I should never have left. When I found you again I watched you die."

"I'm quite alive," he said with a shake of his head. "You thought I died, and left me again."

"No, you died. You're alive because I gave up my immortality." She frowned. "Eru granted my prayer and I died for it. He allowed you to come back and told me I would start my life anew as one of your people."

"And then Mahal made you and sent you back to me." He whispered. "What I remember was no dream then. I was greeted in the Halls by Fíli and my father I never knew. I welcomed Thorin." Kíli pulled her to him. "Don't leave me again."

She felt all the love in his fierce embrace. "I will not leave you again. May I be there to hold you when you return to the Halls of Mahal and then follow close behind."

Grund cleared his throat when there closeness lasted a bit long.

Kíli let go and stepped back with an annoyed huff. He looked up into the sky. "What of your stars, amrâlimê?"

"I have traded them for stone." She placed a hand against his face. "For I love with all that I am, a dwarf." She watched him smile despite his tears.

"I loved you, an elf, so much in such a short time. You were so beautiful, sure of yourself, dangerous." He caressed her face. "You are beautiful still. You told me once, that the stars were memory. I hope they remember you still beneath the stone. I forgive you, amrâlimê, for leaving me on the shores of the lake. Forgive me for taking you from the starlight."

"Hush." She placed a finger against his lips. "There is nothing you need to ask forgiveness for from me." She closed the distance and kissed him.

"Milady." Shar tugged at her sleeve as Grund pulled Kíli back.

Kíli chuckled. "They'll only allow us kisses on the cheek. Once we're betrothed we'll be allowed a bit more." He then looked at her mischievously. "But still not like I kissed you earlier," he winked and lowered his voice, "we'll have to sneak those."

"I suppose I am safe from you inviting me to search your trousers then." She took his arm and leaned into his side.

He laughed until it left him a gasping for breath.

"Kíli!" She felt panic rise. This was not like her. You don't panic.

"Hold his arms up above his head, milady." Grund offered.

"Thank you." She did as he told her, still watching her love struggle to breath.

"This is something you need to know, Milady." Grund moved closer to help support Kíli. "He may get better as he heals; he may not."

Kíli scowled at Grund and worked on getting air into his lungs.

"Milady, may I ask what he found so funny about searching his trousers?" Shar gave Kíli a suspicious look.

Tauriel laughed in turn as she continued to help Kíli breath. She smiled bemusedly at her love. "This one here, while I was shutting him in cell thought it appropriate to suggest I search his trousers, as he might have anything hidden in them." She rolled her eyes. "I saw through it of course. After all, had he been armed he wouldn't have asked me to throw him a dagger. I threw it at the giant spider about to bite him instead."

A goofy grin appeared on his face as his breathing quieted.

Tauriel raised an eyebrow as she gauged if he was fit to continue their walk. "That would be the first time I saved him."

"Aye, and I confess, it was when I lost my heart to you."

"Majesty, may I ask how many times, Milady saved you," Shar's eyes were wide.

"I will answer your question, but, you do know as chaperone you're supposed to be quiet unless you are reminding us of proper behavior or we ask something of you?" Kíli raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry." Shar lowered her head.

"Kíli! That was rath..."

"Tauriel." His voice was soft yet commanding. "This is supposed to be as close to us taking a walk alone as possible." He sighed.

"Why didn't we just take the walk alone then," Tauriel huffed.

"Not allowed until we're wed," he smiled, "again." He cleared his throat and looked over at Shar. "How many times has she saved me? Until what she told me tonight, I would have answered three. It is four." He then turned to Tauriel. "And twice it was a sacrifice for her. She was banished and then she gave up her life for mine. And more, she gave up her very self." His voice soft and low.

Tauriel saw all the love in his eyes and she felt her own heart swell with happiness. Her face split into a beautiful smile. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in crook of his neck. "Even an afterlife without you was unbearable to think of. I will take this life and the fate of your people over an eternity without you. It was a gift, amrâlumê, not a sacrifice."

She sighed and stepped back from with a glance at their chaperones.

Kíli captured her hand in his, interlacing their fingers. "This is the backdoor the Company used to reclaim Erebor from Smaug."

She could hear the hint of sorrow in his voice. "You changed the subject."

He smiled at her. "I fear it will be long before we fully discuss this, Tauriel. It is something for us alone."

"This place brings you sadness." She tugged gently at his hand to lead him back in.

"Yes and no. It was the presence of this door that allowed our quest to reclaim our homeland. It led me to you." He closed his eyes. "It also led to my Uncle's madness and the death of so many people in Lake Town. It was what led to a battle that took Fíli, you for a time, and my Uncle from me."

"You were close with your brother." She squeezed his hand.

"Aye."

"Should I have let you go?" She looked up into his eyes.

He closed his eyes his head lowered. "A part of me says yes. The part that still grieves their loss. Had you not been returned to me, this would be the start of a very lonely life for me. One filled only with my duty to my people. I fear you are right though, eternity would have been unbearable without you."

Tauriel pulled Kíli to her until their foreheads touched. "Is this allowed?"

"As long as we don't linger," he whispered, his voice husky and full of longing.

#

Dís watched as Thranduil approached her seat, his discussion with Bard and Dáin done. She'd been so young the last she'd seen the Elven King. She had been cold and hungry, the horror of her grandmother and mother lost to dragon fire etched on her mind. Only her nurse left to care and comfort her at the time. He'd turned her people away. She schooled her face to a neutral mask.

"Princess." He inclined his head.

"King Thranduil." She gave a small nod of her head.

"Your youngest is full of surprises." He glanced through the door Kíli had escorted Tauriel through.

"That he is." She held her head high. "What is your purpose?"

Thranduil smirked. "Distrust or distaste of me runs strong in your family."

"Both." Dís glared at him. "You turned away from us when the dragon attacked and then you turned us away when we sought aid."

"As I told your brother, by the time I arrived there was nothing I could do about the dragon." He inclined his head. "As to the aid, we did not have the capacity to house and feed your people. The harvest had been poor that year."

"You still haven't answered my question." She took a gulp of her ale.

"I had hoped to see the maid your son is entertaining." He shrugged. "I want to see for myself if the rumors are true."

"She was deemed young enough to need a guardian. Lord Erlic and Lady Miri have taken her into their family. It is they you need to speak to," Dís answered icily.

"Is it true she was carven stone and sent from Valinor?"

"Yes. Alabaster. Dressed and wearing a ring with my son's sigil." She looked steadily at him. "I have no reason to doubt Lord Círdan's word on where she came from."

"I owe her something then." He glanced at the door again with a smirk. "They return."

Dís turned to see her son with Tauriel on his arm reenter the hall. "Come." She motioned to the Elf King as she stood and made her way to Lord Erlic and Lady Miri.

"Erlic, Miri," Dís nodded to the couple.

"Your son ha..."

"Earned himself more chaperones?" She laughed. "I figured that's what you meant when you held up your fingers." She watched as Kíli slowly made his way over. Too slowly.

She heard Erlic and Thranduil speaking quietly behind her. Dís had to override her maternal desire to rush and see what was wrong with her baby. He looked exhausted and a bit ashen.

Kíli gave her a weak smile and shook his head in that way, he'd say it was 'nothing.' He brought Tauriel to stand before Erlic and Miri. "Lord Erlic, I return your adopted daughter to you." He inclined his head his hand on his heart. "I would be honored to court her."

Dís smiled, it wasn't the full bow he should have given. Though given his station and state he looked she did not think Erlic would hold it against him.

Erlic turned to Tauriel. "Daughter, do you find this dwarrow worthy of you?"

Dís suppressed a smile as Tauriel's eyes widened in alarm. She looked to Miri who leaned close and whispered in her ear. The young dwarrowdam nodded and mouthed thank you to Miri. She turned to Erlic. "Adad, I find him more than worthy."

"As she is agreeable, you have permission to court her." Erlic's voice held a hint of amusement. "She will be in your presence with no less than four chaperones."

Dís couldn't hold back the laughter when Kíli was left standing there opening and closing his mouth his eyes wide as he processed the verdict.

"Amad!"

She laughed even harder. "You have only yourself to blame for it Kíli."

Thranduil sensing what ceremony there was done, spoke up. "Tauriel?"

Tauriel's gaze travelled past Dís to where the Elf King towered over her. "Milord." She then dropped her gaze to the floor.

"I lost my son over how I treated you. Perhaps in time the wound between us will heal. I owe you an apology, for if the love you held for this dwarf was such that you were both granted life again then it is a love to be celebrated not scorned."

Dís could see the confusion play across Tauriel's face.

"I don't seek your forgiveness. I hope he is worth all you have given up for him." Thranduil turned to Kíli. "I hope you understand what she has done. I have no doubts that you love her. Tell me, if she had not died that day what would you have done?"

Kíli straightened himself. "Had she lived and I without what she'd done, had my brother and Uncle still fallen. I would have abdicated my claim to stay by her side. Had they lived as well, I fear my Uncle would have exiled me for I would not have given her up."

"I look forward to forming an alliance once you are crowned." Thranduil nodded and swept away.

Dís looked to Erlic. He nodded with a smile on his face.

A/N: This chapter was a bit harder to write, so sorry for the slight delay.

Thank you to whilewewereyetsinners and lilysmiles following. Thank you also to lilysmiles for favoriting. I was going to respond to your review lilysmiles, but you have PMs turned off. At any rate if you've seen this, then you already have your answer. :-)

Hopefully the next chapter won't take long. :-)