I have a huge library of songs thanks to Rhapsody and it annoys me that I cannot find a rock genre song I like for her to sing. But anyways, thank you everyone for the huge turnout on my previous chapter and for the new followers and reviews for this story. I've gotten more than one saying how much they love the relationship between Fili and Helena, something that makes me all warm and fuzzy. Just to give warning, I'm not sure if this story will stay in the T rated category. I remain undecided to have a small M section later on or post another story with outtakes.

Side note: notta damn thing is mine

Chapter 14 Her Scars

Helena and Fili didn't converse much the rest of the afternoon, for two very different reasons. Helena was distracted by her memories of playing at her grandmother's house, her attention also on the warmth that grew within her at every animal noise as they traveled. She realized as they rode she hadn't been that person she was as a child when her grandmother died, as if after she was gone so was her affinity of animals. Helena couldn't even recall having a house pet.

Fili on the other hand, his mind was full of his One at his side and everything that had happened earlier from. Seeing her after it rained was damaging his restraint in a lot of ways. Thankfully Thorin had instilled enough discipline during his earlier years that he maintained some control. The way she looked with water sliding down her face and neck had sent his imagination into overdrive as he imagine what she would look like without the body forming leather. It was a curse and a blessing that his wish came true when he stumbled out of the trees to find her in her underclothes standing in the stream. Fili clenched his fists around the reins as he fought against focusing on the memory. He had been lucky she forgave him so easily, he was sure it was because she knew he hadn't come to watch her intentionally. He also hoped it was because she knew they were destined for each other.

Both were absorbed enough in their thoughts that Kili had to throw pieces of his bread he had saved from lunch at them when Thorin called to camp for the night. Helena blinked at him and looked around her at the dismounting company while Fili was giving him a dark look for interrupting his thoughts. Everyone worked together setting the fire, searching the area for threats, and finding places to sleep. Even Bilbo who had offered to Bombur to go foraging in the surrounding land for additions to dinner. Once all was said and done, everyone set to occupying themselves while they waited for supper to be done. Helena spoke to Ori and obtained a few pieced of parchment and a thin piece of charcoal to draw her carving in progress for Bifur. She sat next to said dwarf and spoke to him in Khudzul while she drew, explaining the simple piece while she detailed it on paper the best she could.

When she was done, Bifur had a better idea of how to continue her education. He took the small bag from his side, rummaging through it to find the specific tool she was going to need next. When he found it, he presented it to her handle facing her. Helena took it and inspected the long pointed and almost funneled blade on it. Bifur began to sign to her and he move her eyes to his hands as he explained how he believed this tool was the one to continue her project with. They sat together while they ate supper as Helena was alternating between bites of stew and drawing the mechanics of the toy she had promised Bifur along with instructions along the side. Once she was done with both, she gave the parchment to Bifur with a smile and handed her bowl back to Bombur with a thank you. She made her way over to the Durin brothers who were done eating and conversing in low tones. They stopped talking as she approached them, both presenting her with a smile as she stood there shuffling her feet and her hands grasped together in front of her. Fili and Kili traded a look and the brunette went to his feet and over to Dwalin and his Uncle who were inspecting their blades for damages from the rain.

Fili observed his nervous One before him, wondering what had her so wound up she wasn't speaking. He held out his hand to her and gently tugged her to the ground when she laid her hand in his. "What is wrong Marlûna?" He watched her drag her long hair over her shoulder and he realized it was only bound back by a simple leather strap, her hair was falling about her face and curling at the end. When she answer him he almost missed it because of how quietly she spoke.

"Will you braid my hair for me?"

Fili felt pride and love well up in his chest as he took in her request. He remembered the conversation they had about braids days before and while she remembered as well, but may not fully understand the meaning behind the gesture, she understood the implications. He glanced around at the rest of the company and where they were located. He and Helena were enough out of the way that they shouldn't be bothered and he leaned forward to place his other hand not holding her own on her waist to drag her closer to him in front of his crossed legs. Helena helped by turning herself around and untied her hair. Fili moved his hands to her hair and dragged his fingers through the soft strands, relishing in the soft sigh Helena let out at the feeling. He grinned behind her, apparently she liked to have her hair played with. He put that information away for later along with her next action which was a shiver running down her spine as he dragged his fingers along her neck. Fili took a deep breath to control himself and began to section off her hair.

They sat without speaking while Fili began to deftly braid her long hair. Helena looked at the company herself to take in their position, how far they were from them. Deciding they wouldn't be able to hear her, she began to talk.

"My father was a warrior before he died." Helena started and she felt Fili pause in his braiding. When she continued talking, he started his task up again. "He was very strong, honorable, loving, and charismatic. How he ever got along with my mother long enough to have me was always a mystery to me. I'm not sure how it happened, but my parents separated when I was five. My mother found a new husband and rarely let my dad visit me. I often snuck off when I turned eight to try and find him while my mother was otherwise occupied. It was when I was ten that she finally gave in to his multiple plea's and allowed me to go live with him for a short period of time. It was probably one of the happiest times in my life." She paused as Fili shifted and turned her head slightly.

"After that stay with him, she allowed me to me to go over more often. Mostly because she would have more free time to herself." Fili pressed his forehead to the back of her head at the bitter tone in her voice as he paused in his braiding. "My burns came during one of those visits to his house. He live in a secluded area, his house was alone for a half league around him. Enough land for him to sustain himself and for others to leave him alone. It happened one night when a man came to his door. He was the brother of a fallen warrior who fought and died in my dad's arms. He invited the man in for dinner and sat with him, telling him stories of the times he and the brother had spent together. I sat at my father's feet and listened to stories from drinking escapades to the wars they fought. I was thirteen."

Helena took a shuddering breath to calm herself for the next part of the story. "I was sent to bed as it was late into the night. I was sitting in my bedroom when it started. It was nothing at first, just them talking, but I heard something crash to the ground and yells the other side of my door." She hesitated, taking in a shaky breath as images from that night bombarded her vision.

Sensing something was wrong when she didn't continue, Fili gathered the hair he was braiding in one hand and seized her chin with the other turning her face to his and saw her eyes unfocused and glazed over. Seeing as how he already had her trapped in place, there was few things he could do with both of his hands occupied. Taking a chance, he blew air sharply into her face. Helena blinked a few times from the sudden gust of air and her eyes focused in on Fili's face in front of her lined with worry. She felt the hand on her chin and she placed one of hers over it to loosen the grip. He dropped his hand, grabbing ahold of hers. "Do you want to stop?" He asked softly.

With her head still turned toward his, she gave a small smile and shook her head. "No." She loosened her hand from his and gestured back to her hair. After a moment he resumed his task. "The shouts had increased in intensity and hatred. From my bed I could hear the stranger cursing at my dad, blaming him for his brother dying. Their voices suddenly dropped, my dad's barely at his normal octave. When I crept closer to try and hear him, a loud noise like an explosion scared me backwards and I heard my father cry out in pain. I tried to open the door, I yanked at the handle with all my strength but it didn't move. When I pressed my ear against the door, I heard the man tell my father that he was going to find out what it was like to be unable to save a person that is their whole world. After he said that, there was liquid spilling under my door and the smell of flammable gas filled my room. I remember panicking and pounding on the door, screaming for my dad." She flexed her hands, remember the feel of wood bruising and scraping her hands. Helena felt Fili finish her hair and tie it off. She squeaked when he picked her up by the waist and set her on his lap, arms encircling her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

Helena didn't protest other than her surprised noise as the warmth from Fili's body calmed her down. She in turn rested her head against his as tears threaten her eyes. "He lit the gas and left us. When the flames came under the door I slipped and landed partially in the liquid that was turning to flames." She paused for a few seconds. "I don't remember much after my leg caught on fire. There are flashes of my dad holding me, laying outside in the snow. The lawmen that found us told me to the best of their ability what they thought happened. My dad had received a hole in his leg from being shot from a gun, a localized explosion shot from a tube," she supplied for Fili knowing he wouldn't know what a gun was. "He managed to break down my door, get passed the flames and wrap me in a thick blanket to put out the fire that had eaten through my night clothes." Fili tightened his grip on her as the tone of her voice became detached and cold. "They said he carried me out of the house wrapped in the blanket and ended up collapsing in the snow about a hundred feet away from the house." She let out a sniffle as a tear rolled down her cheek. "T-they said that if it weren't for the snow at my side and my father holding me in his arms, I-I would have died. He ne-never had a chance they said. Th-that the w-wound was too damaging and he had lost too m-much blood."

Fili's hands became wet as her tears began to flow steadily in remembrance of her father. He leaned back against the tree with her in his arms, turning her so her faced pressed into the right side of his neck. He could feel tears rolling hotly down his neck as he began to hum an old dwarfling lullaby. He didn't know how long they sat there, him stroking her scarred arm until she stopped crying and fell asleep. He stayed up a little longer to make sure she didn't stir away, but the emotional toll from telling her story had wreak its havoc and kept her sleeping. Fili finally closed his eyes an hour later and followed her into oblivion with her in his arms.

Helena woke slowing, breathing in deeply as she shifted her head slightly and then stopped. The scents that woke her brain weren't hers of peppermint and tea-tree but of leather and metal. Opening her eyes, she was meet with a neck and blonde beard. Pulling her head back slowly she saw Fili was still sleeping, as was the rest of the company with the exception of Dwalin who was on watch as the sun hadn't crested the hills yet. She turned her attention back to the dwarf she was laying on. His face was peaceful in sleep, his right arm was around her back and waist and his left on her legs atop the blanket that was covering them. Her mind gave little thought about moving from her position and she grew sleepy again from the warmth Fili's body provided. Helena's eyes fluttered shut and was asleep once again.

When she woke a second time she was laying by herself wrapped in the blanket from before. Lifting her head, Helena spotted her runaway pillow by the horses. He looked to be packing both of their ponies with their bags and weapons, as did the rest of the dwarves. Helena felt a bit lost at why she hadn't been woken with the others. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Kili appeared to her left, crouching before her with a smile.

"Galikh baknur, Mamahdûna. How are you feeling today?"

"Just fine Kili, a little useless to be truthful. Why did no one wake me up?"

Kili grinned in such a way Helena would have categorized it as 'shit-eating' back home. "It wasn't for the lack of wanting to," he said mischievously. "However Fili was very adamant about letting you rest. I'm almost positive he growled at Uncle." Helena was tempted to call him on that but the glee in his eyes made her less doubtful that Fili would growl towards the fierce king. She heard footsteps coming towards them and Helena looked forward seeing Fili walking over with a slight frown on his face.

"Nadadith." He said when he arrived in front of them, the warning clear in his voice.

However the grin never left Kili's face as he remained crouched next to her and Helena rolled her eyes. "Oh calm down you grumpy bear." She untangled herself from the blanket and Fili extended a hand to help her up. "Why didn't you wake me up to pack my own horse? I feel useless now." Kili stood with her and left them to ensure his own belongings were all gathered.

"You needed rest and Uncle agreed with me."

"After you growled at him I heard."

A smirk flashed across his face as he tugged on one of the braids he had redone on the side of her face, fingering his bead that held it at the end. "You needed rest, don't you remember the tears that fell from you yesterday?" He asked of her cupping his hand around her cheek. Helena pressed her face into his palm as sorrow across her eyes. "Ê abnâmul ugrur."

Helena smiled at that, "Don't I already have a nickname?"

"The one my brother gave you is his, this is one I hope he will never call you. You are my beautiful One, my Helena Echo. No one has the right to call you by the name I just gave you." Fili told her fiercely.

Helena's eyes widened at his words. It was the first time either of them had admitted out loud that they were each other's One's. Heat blossomed across her cheeks at the possessive tone he used. No one had ever used her middle name as a term of endearment before and the name he gave her had sent a thrill through her. They stood there staring at one another for a few minutes until Kili came over and caught their attention.

"We will be heading out shortly Nadad, Mamahdûna."

Fili dropped his hand from her and looked over at his brother. "Thank you." He turned back to Helena, "I left your clothing bag next to you in case you needed it."

She looked behind her and saw the leather bag sitting at the base of the tree. Helena smiled her thanks and he took the blanket from her, leading his brother away to give her privacy. Before he turned to leave, Kili grinned at her again "Your braids look good by the way."

Helena lifted a hand to her hair, completely forgetting Fili had styled her hair last night. She dug through her bag to find a small hand held mirror to inspect her new braids. Using one hand to hold the mirror, she used the other to feel her hair she couldn't see. The top part was pulled back into a five strand braid that was clasped together with the hair that was braided over the top of her ears, that section of hair was braided into the bottom section to her shoulders and the rest flowed freely from the leather strap. Fili had redone the braids that were in her hair hanging by her ear as before the only difference was they were didn't hold her normal beads. Lowering the mirror, she lifted one of the beads closer to inspect it. The royal blue bead had the same carvings as the ones in Fili's hair. Helena smiled and pressed the adornment to her lips as she looked over at him where he was talking to his brother at the horses. Noticing the company was mostly set to start their trek for the day, she stowed away the mirror and grab her bag to disappear into the tree line to preform her normal morning routine.

I know I promised Trolls this chapter and I tried I swear, her story just kinda took over and ran the chapter. Hand to god, the next one will have the entire troll scene. Loves all around.

Marlûna- love

galikh baknur- good morning

ê abnâmul ugrur- my beautiful echo

Mamahdûna-She who is (or has been) blessed