"I can't find your brother."

Fili looked up at his uncle, blinking as he yawned heavily without covering his mouth. "Morning?"

Thorin grunted and shook his head. "Evening." He corrected. "We decided to let Kili come over here and let the two of you join us to open the Durin's Day gifts before the feast downstairs."

Sleepy blue eyes lit up and Fili pushed himself up in his bed, settling against the headboard. "Yes!"

"Are you sure you're feeling up to this?" Thorin asked, eying his nephew's still rather pale face carefully.

Fili yawned again, unable to help himself. Yet he was nodding the whole time. "Sorry. I spent most of the day teaching Arwen to play Oshthir Rakur."

Instant disapproval as Thorin's face fell into a sharp-edged frown. "You found this a wise course of action?" His tone showing that while he may no longer hate all elves, that didn't mean he was willing to give them his friendship.

"I found it less than boring." Fili said dryly, heavily understating how much he'd enjoyed the time spent with his 'aunt'. "And I like her." He added, just to be perverse.

Thorin's eyes rounded and his face started to redden and Fili waved his hands at his uncle as he realized how that might have sounded. "No. Not like that."

The dwarven king drew his head back slightly, giving his nephew a measuring look. "No?"

"No." Fili said firmly. "She's sweet and smart and funny. But I'm not waking up for her. Nothing pokes out. Don't worry."

Thorin's mouth twisted and he looked uncomfortable with the topic, which was better than looking like he was about to explode with temper. "Don't be crude, your Mam would box your ears until they rang."

Fili went far too still at the mention of his mother. It took Thorin a moment to notice that something in his nephew's mood had changed. Hardened into something brittle. He looked puzzled and started to ask when they were both interrupted by a knock on the door.

Two guards, one with a dark brown beard and dozens of small braids, poked their heads into the room. "Pardon, your majesty. Is this where you wanted the table for the presents?"

Thorin grunted and pointed to a side wall. "Over there will work." He didn't add please or thank you because that wasn't the dwarven way. The younger dwarrow sometimes added these words, but mostly because they'd been living above ground too long. Too much influence from the culture of Men. Among themselves, they preferred to be more direct. It wasn't a lack of manners, it was a different set of manners.

When he turned back to his nephew he forgot all about his question as the blond was now grinning up at him with anticipation. "Presents?"

The hopeful word startled Thorin into a small chuckle. "Still not but a dwarfling, are you?"

The blond prince pushed aside his earlier uncomfortable thoughts and instead poked out his bottom lip while widening his blue eyes. The effect was only slightly lessened by the mirth shining up through those eyes though.

Thorin's chuckle grew into a bark of a laugh as he shook his dark mane balefully. "Kili does it better." He pointed out. "Speaking of which, I can't find your brother."

Fili paused. He'd fallen asleep an hour or two after the midday meal. Was Kili still outside? Was Tauriel? He glanced at the time piece hanging on the wall. Early evening, sun probably close to setting but still light out there. He looked at Thorin, who was staring suspiciously at him.

"You know where he is." It was a straight forward statement, not quite an accusation but close. Thorin sighed. "Everyone has been looking for him."

"He wasn't lost." Fili shrugged, trying to look innocent. But his uncle was right, Kili did that look so much better than he could.

"Fili?"

The blond grinned and pulled up the sheet to his chin. "I'm still injured." He teased, trying to stem the tide of his uncle's formidable temper.

Thorin wasn't amused and his glare clearly stated that, but he wasn't furrowing his brow yet so Fili figured he was still on the good side.

A knock on the already open door had them both looking around. Elladan stood there, dressed elegantly in an elvish style robe with intricate embroidery.

Fili's eyebrows shot up and he gave a half-smile at the elf warrior. "Just something old and worn that you brought with you on a journey to face a dragon, an army of child-stealing dwarves or whatever you thought might be out here?"

Thorin smirked at the elf's expense.

Elladan didn't seem perturbed as he slid one hand down the richly appointed robe. "My brother and I had just arrived back in Rivendell, we had not yet unpacked from our travels when we discovered …well …" He paused, not wanting to needle touchy dwarven feelings into anger right before a celebration. "When we discovered that we were going to be coming to Erebor, we threw some extra supplies into our bags, but did not bother to unpack what we already had."

"Training Rangers calls for strange garb." Thorin said with a disingenuous air of innocent support.

Now Fili smirked and Elladan blinked slowly, then smiled in self depreciating humor that the blond found to be admirable. "Even Northmen have nice dinners on occasion." Was all the elf would admit to, however.

"So. You're here looking for Kili too." Thorin turned and pinned Fili with a stare that clearly showed that his original purpose had not been veered from entirely.

Elladan sighed and shook his head. "He hides himself from me, I believe. No. I came to check in with Fili and see how he fares."

A bit surprised the crown prince's smile faded, though not turning into a frown. "I'm tired all the time, chest hurts but not too badly. Fine. Achy."

Walking in from his office, Nuluin heard the last comment and nodded. "To be expected, Prince Fili."

Now even more surprised, Fili turned to stare at the healer as he came toward him. "You've been calling me by my name all day." He pointed out in a reasonable tone of voice.

"Your uncle, the king, is present. It would be disrespectful to his name and title to show you familiarity unless we were in private without leave." Nuluin said smoothly.

Thorin and Fili shared a perplexed look. Finally the King Under the Mountain cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. "Your words may be in common, but their meaning is clearly Elvish and thus unintelligible."

Nuluin looked up, his expression clearly showing he'd not been trying to be obtuse. "Protocol."

Elladan nodded and tried to explain. "Even though I am friendly with King Thranduil's son I would only call him Legolas to his face with his unspoken agreement on such a familiarity. But if in front of his father, then I would refer to him as Prince Legolas to keep from intimating that my friendship with the prince would in any way encroach upon King Thranduil's welcome."

"I think this is what Arwen must have felt like when I was trying to explain the rules of Cloudy-head to her." Muttered the blond dwarf. He raised his voice and looked at the two elves in turn. "Elvish rules in their petty but pretty courts don't count for much here. My name is Fili. Use it."

Thorin bared his teeth and slowly crinkled his eyes as if his words actually were causing him pain. "Don't make me say that I agree with the elves, Fili."

The blond dwarf blinked, unsure even as Elladan and Nuluin nodded in understanding with Thorin.

"They may call you by name, since you gave them permission." The king continued. "And I don't give a damn if they even do it in front of me. Just save those pretty manners when in front of representatives from the Seven Families."

Fili grimaced this time as he realized why this might be important. He was no longer a beggar at the table of the less blooded, but not homeless, dwarven nobles. His title now matched his address. Grouchy, he added on another thought. "Or other elves."

Thorin's face darkened as he clenched his jaw for a moment. "Does there have to be other elves?" He complained. "Don't we have enough already?"

Taking that for a rhetorical question, Nuluin gestured toward the prince's shirt. "I need to change your dressing before the celebration begins. Fili."

The blond recovered his mood quickly, pleased at the drop of his title. He nodded at the healer and pulled off his loose shirt with barely a grimace of pain, though not moving with his usual feline grace.

Thorin rolled his shoulders, trying to loosen the knots he could feel in his muscles. "Get rid of a dragon, only to have elves take up residence." He muttered, still on the sore topic.

"And find yourself related to one." Elladan added with no little dry humor.

A surprised chuckle escaped the dwarven king in spite of himself and he barely nodded his head in acknowledgement. "You drink more wine than the dragon did."

"But less than the dwarves who drained the wine and ale reserves of Rivendell." Elladan snorted lightly. "Or so my father conveyed."

Thorin actually managed a pained smile, shaking his head. "Imagine my surprise to find that elves eat meat. Since as Rivendell guests we were served only green growing things."

Elladan's eyebrows shot up and a less than elegant snort of laughter flew from between his lips. "Oh dear. My father did that? He must have really been irritated."

Thorin felt some of his tension ease in spite of himself. "It is possible that I and my company might have been a bit on the gruff side."

Fili laughed, then arched his back as an expression of pain flew across his features. "Ow."

Nuluin frowned, though not unhappily, but rather in a puzzled way. "Your wound looks a week healed, not a day or two." He made thinking noises in the back of his throat, prodding here and there at Fili's chest. "Very quick healing processes you dwarves possess."

Thorin nodded, pleased to hear that bit of good news at least. Elladan too looked happy. Until the two shot glances at each other, noting the pleasure both seemed to be sharing. Then their smiles disappeared awkwardly, but at least did not delve into anger.

Nuluin made some more approving nods and started to rewrap Fili's chest wound over a crisply herbal smelling ointment. "Remarkable how healthy and recuperative your race seems to be." He looked up at Thorin in a questioning manner. "From what I gather from Master Oin, the Dwarves don't get ill often at all. Most healing is on injury or illness related to either a wound or a trauma such as Kuilaith's pneumonia following that ambush."

"True." Thorin allowed, but didn't expound on his answer, wondering what the elf was looking to ask him about.

Nuluin nodded thoughtfully, then looked around the area and shrugged. "So why such a big healing hall within Erebor?"

Ah. The dwarven king grunted, understanding basic curiosity. And it wasn't culturally sensitive information at least. "Mining injuries mostly. Training injuries and battle wounds." He turned his attention fully back to his nephew.

"And of course childbirth." Nuluin murmured, seemingly content with the answer.

"Nay, that would be in the Ozinafkhur, not here." Thorin said dismissively, completely disregarding his use of the Khuzdul term as he looked intently at his heir. "Where is your younger brother?"

Fili's smile turned tentative as he gave a fake groan and let his features fall into a wince instead. "That really hurts." He complained.

Nuluin looked bemused, knowing he was no longer prodding sensitive areas around the chest wound. He knew an evasion when he heard it. He turned toward Thorin helpfully. "I believe that young Kuilaith is still outside on the balcony, where he's been getting some much needed rest. I only break his confidence because it will be dark soon and he will need to return inside for the Durin's Day celebration tonight."

Fili slid his gaze over to the healer, looking at him from the corners of his bright blue eyes. Rest? Oh, the healer had been gone earlier when Tauriel had come through the room. Nuluin obviously didn't realize that Kili wasn't outside alone. He hunched his shoulders a bit in amusement.

"Balcony?" Elladan looked startled, then resigned. He gave a balefully look at a not-ashamed-at-all Fili. "I suppose he's been out there for quite some time?" He left unspoken the accusation that Kili had been outside even when Elladan himself had been looking for him earlier.

The blond prince didn't respond beyond a small shrug, instead sliding his gaze onto Thorin as the dwarven king turned and headed out onto the balcony. The tall elf was only a few steps behind him.

Fili looked up at Nuluin with almost ill grace. "Had to tattle, didn't you?"

The healer appeared genuinely surprised. "Your brother shouldn't be alone out there, especially not with winter coming very soon. It can get chilly outside at night. It was fine while the sun was bright."

"We dwarves are heat and cold resistant to such mild changes as these." Fili snarked a bit, then gave a rather cheeky looking grin. "And who said that my brother was alone?"

Nuluin's eyes widened as he straightened up, obviously taken by further surprise. Speculatively he studied the blond dwarf and running through available names and the look of chagrin on Fili's face, the healer made a correct guess on who was out on the balcony with Kuilaith. The elder healer even had the grace to drop his gaze and apologize.

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

Fergard Stormrune scanned the horizon worriedly. Beside him the leader of the Grimbasher clan mirrored him, his once-too-often broken nose twitching as if testing the air.

"If this were a mine, I'd be sending in a songbird." Brorgic Grimbasher said in his usual gravel-rough voice, referencing how certain animals were more sensitive to the dangers inherent to their profession.

Fergard nodded with a grim outlook. "Looks fine, smells fine, all is well."

"All up until the odorless gasses swamp your lungs and kills your brains." The Grimbasher turned to look back at their group of immigrants to Erebor, and their supply wagons. "We're too good a target."

Fergard sighed heavily, kicking the ground with his heavy miner's boots, steel reinforced for protection. "Good place for an ambush ahead."

Brorgic's own sigh echoed that of his long-time neighbor and friend. He glanced back at those waiting for their decision, including his own daughter. "It would be different if were just us out here." He said quietly.

Not surprised, Fergard nodded. "Not too late to turn back, wait for the Ironfoot to come through as escort."

"We're not exactly unarmed." The Grimbasher clan leader gave a smile that echoed his name, grim. "And we did send messengers on ahead."

"We did." Fergard agreed. "If they got through."

Brorgic gave a sudden grin, exposing his straight teeth that had not ever been broken, unlike his off-center nose. "If we're being targeted, they won't find us so easy to overrun. Mines breed them tough. And our numbers aren't exactly low."

"True enough." Fergard gritted his teeth, thinking of all those that had elected to travel to Erebor with them. "Another reason to go ahead. Going around adds time to our journey, time that could leave us even more exposed. And it depletes the travel supplies, which make us forage which only adds to our exposure." The Stormrune father rolled his shoulders in resolution. "I really don't sense anything out there. Only …it IS a good place for an ambush."

"Aye."

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

Elladan came to a halt behind Thorin, who was blocking the doorway. After a long moment, when the dwarven king did not either speak nor move, the tall elf cleared his throat. "Problem?" He queried.

Thorin's head turned and he sent a resigned and not very happy look back at the elf lord. He did move however, walking out onto the balcony, allowing Elladan to follow.

The elven father stilled as he saw the reason for Thorin's consternation.

Lengthy red hair mingled with thick dark hair, where a certain elf-maid's head was resting in the crook of Kili's shoulder. The young prince's right hand fingers were casually lifting up some of those long red tresses and letting it sift through to fall gently back down to her side before he reached down and caught another handful to repeat the gesture. Tauriel's visible hand was resting on Kili's chest, tracing indistinguishable outlines on his leather tunic. The rest of the duo was hidden beneath warm, puffy blankets as they reclined on the jewel-toned pillows.

Kili was stretched full length on the couch which was dwarven sized. Tauriel clearly had to pull her legs up and bend her knees a bit in order to fit. And those long legs beneath the covering blankets, looked as if they were snuggled up closely against a certain dark-haired prince, entwined. A suggestive pose, even if it was obvious that all clothing was in the proper position for propriety.

"Uncle." Kili greeted sotto voce, and then fell silent.

Elladan tried to bury the hurt of the non-greeting behind a bland affect, perfected over a few thousand years. Especially as Thorin seemed pleased with his nephew's snub.

With obvious reluctance, Tauriel sat up, though the she-elf had to smilingly disentangle Kili's hand from her hair. "That's mine." She teased.

"I was just borrowing." Kili teased back, disinclined to relinquish petting her red tresses. Or letting her go.

Thorin shifted his weight, put out with his nephew's completely unsubtle flirting. With an elf. Even if she wasn't ….terrible. His lips thinned as he pressed them together, to keep from uttering something unproductive.

"Tauriel?" Elladan's voice was calm, even. "Would you be so kind as to give us a few moments?"

The she-elf's hesitation was brief, but present. Her liquid green eyes turned to Kili's gaze with silent apology before she nodded her head.

The dark-haired prince sat up and watched Tauriel as she left the balcony to the males. Father, uncle and son. Finally, Kili looked up at the elf whose blood ran through his veins. "Personally, I'd rather you left."

Thorin made a small sound and grimaced lightly. "She is prettier on the eyes than he is, though not by much." It wasn't a compliment, but a verbal jab at the elf in his fine robe.

Elladan shook his head and opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by his son. "No. I'd rather you left." Emphasis on the last word, accompanied by an intent stare from very serious dark eyes.

The elf lord straightened, meeting his son's stare head on. "Inside?" He queried, but knew that whatever Kili said, it wasn't going to be what he'd have liked to hear. "Downstairs?" A longer pause as the young prince remained silent. "Or Rivendell?" He added softly.

"Rivendell would be a decent start." Came the bitter tone. "Go there."

"Without you." Elladan guessed.

Kili stood, a brittle and yet mocking smile touching his mobile face. "Without a doubt."

Thorin stayed still, watching, listening. Part of him wanted to rejoice in Kili's rejection of his elvish father. But part of him knew …something was wrong. He knew his nephew, and his moods. Something very deep was bothering the youth. This harsh, deliberate cruelty wasn't a part of Kili's being, not usually. His nephew was acting very out of character. Yet he couldn't bring himself to interfere, not on behalf of the elf lord.

"Here you all are." Elrohir had no problems interfering it seemed, walking out to join them all despite the thick emotional aura.

Thorin's blue eyes slid to the balcony entrance, somehow unsurprised to see the other twin was being accompanied by the silver-haired leader of Lothlorien. He didn't bother to greet either of them.

Kili groaned and rolled his neck and shoulders as if tense. "Good. You can all hear this loud and clear. Go home."

The twins shared a quick glance while Lord Celeborn simply looked on without expression or word, yet his manner no less haughty than before. The cheerful, pretty colors of the elven robes seemingly out of place out here.

"Kuilaith. Son." Elladan was clearly trying to marshal his thoughts and words together in a manner not to set off Kili's already broiling temper. "I offer my heartfelt apologies to you if my comments on the gifts you made …"

"Go. Away." Kili interrupted with the supreme rudeness of youth, glowering darkly at his father.

Thorin wondered idly if it were possible for Celeborn's nose to angle up any higher in the air. From his height he could clearly see that either elves didn't have nose hair, or it was too fine to be visible. He was only grateful that the male's wife wasn't present. As if thinking of Galadriel might summon her somehow, Thorin glanced around quickly but the elf witch was not present.

"Son." Elladan apparently was just as stubborn as ….Thorin's mouth twisted wryly …as stubborn as Kili himself could be. Why that thought amused him, he could not say. "Give me a chance. My intentions were never to harm you or …"

"A chance for what?" Kili snapped out the words. "What do you want from me?"

Elladan's gray eyes never left his child's face. "To get to know you." He said quite simply.

"Why?" Demanded the youth. "Because we share blood?"

Silver hair tilted as Celeborn's head moved slightly, observing yet not speaking.

"Just because you are the cause of my birth, does not mean that we have to share the same air." Kili said, not quite in the heat of temper, but rather in the harsh coldness of dismissal.

Elrohir seemed nervous, the fingers on his injured side twitching somewhat. Elladan simply stood there, taking the full force of the dark-haired prince's verbal jabs. "Is there not anything you would need nor want from a father?"

"I had a father. Not possible for anyone to do better." Kili gestured toward Thorin without looking at him. The king shifted his weight, both proud and disturbed by the words as he knew he'd not been the best of parents by either race's standards. Being a king to an exiled people and trying to hold together far-flung communities of touchy dwarves had left him little enough time to devote to his nephews no matter how much he cared for them.

"Maybe it is I who needs a son." Elladan said quietly.

"NO!" Kili exploded forward in fury, taking everyone by complete stunned surprise. The earlier coldness of the young prince's mood instantly changing over to the volcanic heat of pure temper. "That is the LAST thing you need! I am the very last thing that you need!" He shouted, eyes blazing.

Elrohir watched with wide eyes, unsure of the emotional currents swirling thickly around them all. "I have never seen my brother so alive in decades. You are good for him." He offered cautiously, not raising his voice.

"I'M GOING TO DAMNED WELL KILL HIM!" The words seemed ripped from the core of the young dwarf's soul.

At last, Celeborn's nose came down as he leveled a solemn-eyed gaze at the child of his line. "Was that a threat?"

Kili turned and glared at the elder elf lord. "One already accomplished." He said, deep bitterness and self-loathing dripping from his words as he blinked, moisture at the corners of his eyes. "I've already killed him." The heat of anger fled, leaving behind something close to despair as he sank back down to sit on the edge of the reclining couch.

Thorin drew up, confused. His eyes met that of Celeborn's first. Neither had an answer, only questions. They both turned to look at the twins, who seemed no more enlightened than they.

Kili groaned at the ignorance around him. "All your vast ages, wisdom and knowledge and you don't see the simple truth? I'm fucking mortal! I'm going to die! Now or in a thousand years, I'm gone. And when I go, I take him with me!" He waved at Elladan with a soured expression. "Stupid Elves with your damned heart barriers."

Celeborn blinked rapidly, but showed no other expression. Thorin still wasn't clued in, however.

The twins seemed to have figured it out though. Elladan smiled sadly. "No. My heart has no barrier to you. But that won't kill me, son."

Kili's eyebrows arched high over his dark eyes. "No? Pardon my feeble grasp of history. But didn't your family marry you off to keep you from fading from grief? So what if you now have someone else to care about? That someone is a mortal dwarf!"

Thorin started to understand a little, but wasn't sure how to react.

"Yes. When you pass from this world, you will take parts of our hearts." Elrohir tried to speak up next. "But we have each other, our father and sister, our mother's parents and other family, even our close friends. It won't mean our deaths."

"Maybe not for you." Kili nearly spit out the words like venom. "But didn't your brother have those exact same friends and family around when his love died? Didn't he have you?"

Neither twin had an answer for that.

"If all those friends and family weren't enough to keep my da from fading back then, what makes you think it will keep him in this world after I'm gone?" Kili stopped, breathing hard, but thankfully not coughing. He turned and faced Elladan, looking up at his father's face with a fierce intensity. "How many pieces of your heart do you have left to spare?"

Elladan stared at his only child, his features still, but his gray eyes clearly showing the whirlwind of emotions within him.

"Don't love me." Kili's voice was nearly a plea. "Go home."

The tall elf lord came to some drastic realizations right then, right there. Truth smacked him in the face and he shared it out loud, his gray eyes never leaving the gaze of his son. "Since Bainnid passed I've not had a home, or a life. Until I learned of your existence."

Kili moaned, unable to help himself as he dropped his head. Shaggy dark waves fell about the sides of his face, hiding his expression. "Don't. I'm reckless, and a lot of trouble. Mortal. I get distracted sometimes. Didn't pay attention in my studies like I should. Thorin had to yell at me a lot."

Thorin closed his eyes in amused despair, a sad smile ghosted over his lips.

"Apparently he did a good job." This voice was smooth, pleasant and cool as silk.

Kili's head snapped up to stare at the Lord of Lothlorien. "You're supposed to hate me."

Celeborn blinked slowly, leaving no wrinkles despite his great age. His expression was still guarded though. "I was not aware that was my assigned role. Perhaps you should endeavor harder to distance yourself from the elvish side of your blood. It is possible you were too distracted by the beautiful Tauriel to turn my regard to hate."

Thorin shifted. It sounded like a joke. But when he looked over at the tall elf lord, he simply couldn't tell.

"You did mention that you had a propensity to become distracted, did you not?"

Thorin sighed heavily and slapped the side of his leg loudly as he shook his head. "Elvish humor. It's as fun as elvish music and food." His tone left no doubt of his low opinion on any of it.

"Hey!" Kili protested weakly, his raging temper suddenly dispersed and leaving him exhausted. "I'm part elf."

Thorin's left eye twitched and he grinned. "Which explains why I had to yell at you while you grew up. A lot."

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

Brinarg kept his face blank, his eyes friendly. On the inside, however, he was raging mad.

Wait.

That had been the latest order he'd received. It wasn't the brevity of the message that he railed against, for he understood clearly what was required of him. Wait for an opportunity, then apply the second part of his orders.

The physical part. The part in a small pouch that looked and smelled innocent enough, but was a poison so virulent that those affected would die a hideous and painful death.

Wait.

Brinarg wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but he gritted his teeth all the same. He'd sent on messages to his master, but apparently his intelligence was going to be ignored. Again.

Fili and Kili, the puling princes were injured. Brinarg fought not to curse out loud. While the deaths of either of the two would have been welcome, a failed attempt only put Erebor on guard. It brought a careful scrutiny that he and his mission did not need.

So. What was he waiting for? Brinarg helped in the scurry and bustle of readying the main hall for the Durin's Day celebration feast. He wanted to add the poison to the food this night. It would be perfect, and unexpected.

Only he had orders. To wait.

The stubborn streak within most dwarves fought with his allegiance. But in the end, it was fear that ruled. Breaking with the master's plan would bring him nothing but grief, even if he did manage to succeed. So he'd wait.

For now.

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

Kili's face flamed with embarrassment as he followed the others back into the healing hall room. Seemed as if nearly everyone was there. Had they heard?

Fili's bland expression showed clearly that they had indeed heard some of what had gone on between father and son. Yet thankfully no one seemed prepared to make mention of it. Kili started to relax.

"So. You fear for the life of your father?"

Kili's eyes closed and his head drooped, there was no escape. "Lady." He muttered.

Galadriel hadn't been immediately visible to him, standing over near a window on the far wall. Of course she'd heard. And would mention the argument.

"Your method is clumsy, but your heart appears to lead you, child."

"Leave him be." Elladan stepped in for his son, much to Kili's relief. He put his hand gently on the young brunet's shoulder. The elf seemed to be holding his breath, but when the prince didn't shrug off the touch, the contact firmed a bit.

Fili clapped his hands together to garner attention his way, then rubbed them eagerly. "Food? Presents?" He grinned. "Presents!"

Bofur and his cousin Bifur both laughed as they rummaged carefully through a large box the two had brought up to the room with them.

Balin shook his head, moving over to stand next to his king. "I would suggest that we have an informal exchange of gifts up here. But eat downstairs without the lads."

"Ah." Fili protested. "Why?"

Kili though felt nothing but relief. He wanted everyone out of the way so he could mull over the confrontation with his father. The elves seemed to think that once he'd aired his concerns, it was all over. But the reasons he was worried were still valid.

"You chew over the same thoughts, leaving you in turmoil." Galadriel's bright eyes were still trained on Kili.

The brunet refused to look in her direction, but it didn't help much. He could almost feel the intangible weight of her regard.

Elladan's hand pressed more firmly on Kili's shoulder, offering comfort and understanding. "I would rather have my life with you in it, than live forever without having known you. Come son, let us have our celebration and gifts."

Kili felt his stomach churn at the thought of food right now. "You can say that, you weren't the one specifically born into order to kill …well, you."

Galadriel didn't move, but suddenly her attention increased tri-fold. Celeborn turned from his quiet conversation with Glorfindel and he stared at the child of his daughter's son.

Thorin and Balin both raised their eyebrows almost impossibly high.

Elrohir shook his head. "Yes. You are mortal, and that will be a huge blow to our family once you pass away. May that be not for a very lengthy period of time. But you aren't killing anyone." He hoped. Actually his true hope was that Kuilaith would marry and have children, who would in turn help ease the burden of his death for the much longer lived elves.

But Kili shook his head, still not looking up. "Look. I know this probably sounds self-important, and far-fetched. Call it stupid, I don't care. But I was thinking … Elves and Dwarves have never gotten along, not well. Distrustful. So why would anyone think it a good idea to merge the bloodlines? Sauron is back, right? And he's known as The Deceiver? Why wouldn't he try and trick everyone into this marriage in order to destroy any alliance between our races? And if it happens to kill off one of Elrond's sons, what would he care?"

Kili waited for the denouncement of his words. The mocking, the tearing apart, the …silence?

Looking up, the dark-eyed, dark-haired prince found himself the subject of every eye in the room. A mixture of consternation, shock, surprise, disbelief, and utter sorrow stared back at him.

Fili frowned, unsure. "Put a lot of importance on yourself there, brother." He said weakly, his mind racing for something to say to comfort his younger sibling.

Dwalin opened his mouth, his gaze shuttered. Finally he grunted. "Durin's Line and the bloodlines of …." He paused. "Who does take precedence in the elvish scheme of things?"

"Myself. Galadriel. Thingol. Luthien. Tuor. Melian. Elrond. There are many." Celeborn's voice held steady without inflection. "Take your choice."

"High Elf blood." Balin translated for his brother. "And if you think Dwarves are greedy with mere things, you should see how closely we hold our families."

"Bloodlines are important among our kind as well." Celeborn admitted smoothly. "And perhaps greed isn't the right word in this instance, for either race."

Thorin's voice sounded hoarse as he spoke up next. "Sauron was defeated the last time in a great alliance. Elves, Men, and Dwarves. Could The Deceiver have tried to influence a destruction of any duplication of such an alliance? Drive a permanent wedge between us to separate the resistance against him?"

Kili grinned widely suddenly, a laugh even escaping him.

Fili's blue eyes widened. "Why do you look happy about this?"

"No one is saying it's a stupid thought." The brunet sounded relieved to have his fears go un-mocked.

"Stupid? No." Celeborn sounded thoughtful. "I'm not saying what you are thinking of is right. But the idea is far from stupid. Whether or not Sauron influenced events from behind the scenes, I have no doubt he would use the marriage of my daughter's son to his own advantage."

Galadriel nodded most carefully. "The White Council would have had to meet simply to discuss Sauron's return. This only adds to our discourse. But it is disturbing to contemplate."

"But not Kili's fault!" Ori piped up, overly anxious.

"No indeed." Elladan started to wrap his arm around his son, disappointed when the young male stepped away from the light embrace. Though the elf was relieved to see an embarrassed smile on his grown child's face rather than anger or dislike.

"So now what?" Kili asked, looking nervously around the room at large.

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

"You don't like it?" Fili asked, looking disappointed.

Elrohir held up the fine dagger. It was of simple lines, but elegant in its weight and balance. The craftsmanship was brilliant. "I do like it." He said, his voice a bit tight.

The dwarves glanced at one another, clearly at a loss with the underwhelmed reaction.

Ori leaned forward helpfully, elbow on the table. "Fili made that. He may not be formally apprenticed, but he does fine work."

"Yes, of course it is. Beautiful work indeed." Elrohir still seemed almost distant since he'd opened the gift from his dwarvish nephew. Before he'd unwrapped the present he'd been quite light-hearted.

Thorin glared at the elf lord, his hand on his own gift from Fili. A fine comb carved from the bone of one of the wargs killed in the last battle. A battle trophy with intricate carvings depicting the royal crest of Erebor.

Glorfindel stirred, uncertain, throwing an odd look at Fili and then at Thorin himself. "Elladan and Kili have been butting heads about differing gift meanings. It occurs to me that Dwarves might not have the same customs about the giving of blades."

Fili's blue eyes snapped up toward the golden-haired elf. "There's a custom?"

Elrohir himself seemed to relax a bit as he nodded. "I apologize, I did not consider that the ways might be different."

Balin spread his hands out, pleased. "It's not that you don't care for the blade, then?"

"What is the meaning behind the giving of such a thing?" Celeborn leaned forward, his facial expressions giving nothing away of his feelings on the matter.

Bofur leaned forward, pointing at the dagger. "Different blades have different meanings. And buying one is different from forging one."

Balin agreed. "No one really had enough time to do much forging, not with the repairs needed here in Erebor taking priority. But I do believe that Fili has given you a blade from his own collection, one that he forged himself and has worn for several years. That is considered a personal gift between family."

"Such a gift means that the lad is extending his arm to you if ever you are in need. That you can count on him." Dwalin said rather coolly, arms crossed.

Fili flushed lightly, a bit embarrassed. "Well. He did put himself between me and Kili while we were in that damned river. Deliberately placed himself so as to protect us."

Thorin had known that, having heard it from Kili already, nodded in reluctant approval. As much as he wanted to discount the elves, he could not deny that the gift was appropriate.

Elrohir suddenly smiled, holding the dagger with practiced ease.

Ori scratched his chin, confused. "What does the giving of a dagger mean to elves?"

Elladan chuckled, shaking his head. "That you want to sever the relationship between the giver and receiver."

"Oh!" Fili's blue eyes widened, deeply appalled. "But…"

Thorin coughed, interrupting. "I think from here on in, gifts between our two cultures should be received with the intent of the giver. If you're unsure. Ask."

"Indeed." Celeborn added in agreement, surprising the dwarven king immensely.

"My gift is looking better right now." Kili said with a cheeky grin and a laugh. "Smelling better too."

Elrohir smiled in return, picking up the hair conditioner his nephew had gifted him with. One that Kili had proudly proclaimed 'didn't smell like the woods'.

Glorfindel held up fine mug gifted to him by Bombur, his eyes tracking to neither the dwarves nor the elves as he spoke. "The reason the twins have a conditioner that smells like the woods, is so that the orcs and goblins won't smell them coming."

Kili's grin faded.

Glorfindel smiled then. "I can just picture the orc's confusion thinking they're tracking a dwarf by the spicy scent and find their death at the hands of an elf."

Dwalin laughed, drawing a scowl from Kili. Thorin even smiled at the thought of Elrohir smelling like his nephew.

"I like your gift, it was very thoughtful." Kili's elven uncle avowed. "And it will come in handy should my hair become entangled in a tree limb again."

More laughter, this time with even Kili being drawn in. "Go on and give your gift to Fili now." His hands petting the white fur from some northern animal that his uncle had presented to him.

Elrohir smiled and pulled out a small pouch, handing it to his blond dwarven nephew. "For you."

Fili grinned widely, his good humor more than restored as he took the pouch. "Small." He looked so young and excited that Elrohir couldn't help his own answering chuckle. It had shaken the elf warrior terribly to have seen Fili so hurt in that ambush at the river.

A set of silver beads with elvish sigils rolled out into Fili's hand, who's blue eyes went wide as saucers.

Kili took one look and nearly fell out of his chair, laughing. His wide grin gave way to a series of coughs that had others reaching for him, but he waved them off. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes as he finally succumbed to gravity and slid to the floor caught between coughing and laughter.

Elrohir looked confused at Fili's shocked expression and Kili's uncontrolled mirth. He glanced over at his twin brother, but Elladan shook his head slightly.

Thorin's mouth twitched. "Cultural misunderstandings? I'm sure you're not trying to court my nephew?"

Celeborn sighed and his lips actually twitched into a ghost of a smile. "Even I knew that one."

Elrohir shook his head, his long dark hair swinging with his movements. "I gave him his first bead when he was younger."

Bombur grinned madly as Bofur hooted out loud. "The important word there is 'young'."

"After a dwarrow hits around thirty the meaning of such beads changes." Balin explained, trying to be helpful.

Elrohir closed his gray eyes in resignation. "Is there not a way for an elder male uncle to give such a gift?"

Dwalin shook his head, then paused. His eyes brightened and he gave a grunt. "Maybe. Didn't Nain's father gift him with courting beads in order to spur him into finding a wife?"

"Which Nain?" Gloin asked, interest piqued.

"The second, if memory serves." Balin answered for his brother.

Elrohir pointed at Fili. "You're the crown prince of Erebor now, and you do need to find a nice dwarrowdam."

Thorin's hand slapped down on the arm of his chair for emphasis as he agreed. "Aye!"

Fili smiled sheepishly and poked at the beads with his finger, nodded. "We need dwarrowdams out here in Erebor first."

Arwen leaned forward, curious. "Are there none?"

"No." Elladan answered at the same time as Balin, who answered "Yes. There are. But they are warriors under Dain's command. Most married."

The young she-elf perked up attentively. "None that have caught your eye?"

Kili giggled, still on the floor. "It's not his eye that needs catching." He said suggestively, only to get swatted on the top of his head by his older brother.

"Watch your mouth." Fili hissed. Then the blond crown prince looked around the room. "What other gifts have we not given out yet?"

Ori raised his hand eagerly, grabbing a box he'd lugged up to the room and opening it. "Sorry. I didn't know what kinds of things elves are wanting. So …I made several of these." He started handing out the fine hand-made writing quills.

Lord Celeborn accepted his with a bit of surprise to be included, but took the time to graciously thank the young dwarven scribe. "This is of very high quality." He commented, making his wife smile at him.

Arwen waved hers in the air with a delighted look. "Why is mine dyed purple?"

Ori blushed prettily and ducked his head. "It seemed to suit you." Was all he could be teased into admitting. Thorin coughed and spared the young dwarf from any comments, even going so far as to gesture for Fili to swat Kili again when it looked like the young brunet was about to make a comment.

"I have another gift to give." The soft musical voice of Lady Galadriel never rose, but seemed to be heard clear as a bell regardless. Several eyes turned to her. Kili brightened from his pout immediately and he climbed back into his chair. Only to stare as the Lady handed a roll of parchment to Elladan and gestured for him to deliver it to Thorin.

The King Under the Mountain gave the golden haired female a long, cautious look but did accept the roll of parchment. He untied the velvet ribbon and rolled it out upon the table. Gasps from the dwarves around him had several craning their necks to see.

Thorin stared down at the features, feeling off kilter as memories beset him. "My father."

"I sorrow if my gift brings you pain. But I have seen for myself the state of most of the portraits remaining in Erebor. Smaug did not treat them kindly." Galadriel spoke sympathetically. "My skill in art is less than a master and it is but a color sketch."

Balin whistled, looking at Thrain drawn in happier times. Younger times. Not maddened by grief and despair. "Your skill is wonderful, Lady."

Dwarves didn't usually hold to the ways of Men and Elves. But even he knew that something was called for here. "I thank you. Your gift is priceless to me." He managed to say without choking up.

Suddenly he was glad for the wild impulse that had struck him earlier in the week. He gestured for Balin to hand him several banded scrolls of his own. "It seems we have been thinking along the same veins."

Thorin himself handed Galadriel, Elladan and Elrhohir each a parchment scroll. "I am no artist at all, but I did learn draftsmanship here in Erebor many years ago. I hope to have done the subjects justice."

Elladan opened his first, sucking in a breath at the shaded line drawing of a laughing and very young Kili and Fili each holding up a fish. The sketches seemed alive and nearly jumping off the page.

Uncomfortable with the raw emotion that briefly flowed out from the elf lord's face, Kili looked away. Fili grinned, pointing. "That fish is almost as big as you were, brother."

Dwalin grunted. "I was there that day. The fish was bigger. Knocked Kili into the river where he stubbornly refused to let go of the line and nearly drowned himself trying to keep his hold."

Fili guffawed and slapped an embarrassed Kili on the back. "That's two rivers you tried to swallow!"

The dark-haired prince groaned in response.

Elrohir eagerly unrolled his scroll next, finding a scene with Kili standing on Fili's shoulders trying to reach one of his arrows high on a tree trunk. He was startled into a chuckle with the picture of Kuilaith with one eye closed, his tongue caught between his teeth, and Fili's scrunched up face of great effort and strain. "Very nice!"

Kili looked at the picture and huffed. "That's misleading! That was actually Fili's shot!"

The blond swatted at his brother and Kili dodged this time, crossing his dark eyes at him.

Galadriel's hands moved with grace over the final parchment, unrolling it slowly. This one was a much younger duo. Kuilaith in the cradle, swaddled closely and asleep. The drawing drew attention to the soft fan of dark eyelashes on the baby's face. Fili was peering down at his new brother with a look that seemed a cross between one of loathing and curiosity. The Lady of Light smiled at the sweet image, nodding her head. "This is no small sketch, and no small ability. I thank you for the generosity of your heart, King Thorin."

"You look like you didn't like me." Protested the younger sibling to the older.

Fili grinned. "I still don't like you." He lied through his teeth.

Thorin rolled his eyes as the two started to tussle, having to be separated by an exasperated Dwalin and a laughing Bofur.

Galadriel watched all of this with an air of amused patience and indulgence. "I have another gift though."

Kili immediately sat up in his chair, drawing a chiding look from his uncle on the dwarven side of his blood.

"Master Dori?"

The gray haired craftsman looked up, more than a little shocked to be so singled out. Earlier he'd gifted everyone with hand woven book marks and tea cozies much to the elves delight and the dwarves resignation. "Me?"

"For you, and perhaps for Erebor." Galadriel had Arwen pull out a much larger roll of parchment which was carefully laid out on the table.

Dori stared with greedy eyes, tracing the complicated weaving pattern with utter adoration.

"Glorfindel noticed you bemoaning the loss of many of Ereborn's historical crests and tapestries." The Lady of Lorien smiled at the craft master. "I have drawn these from memory. Unfortunately they come not from Erebor, but from the time I travelled through Khazad-dum. I don't know if you will find these patterns useful …"

"Oh dear. Oh my dear. Oh, oh, oh!" Dori looked like he was about to weep. His thick, yet nimble fingers tracing first this line and then that line.

"My daughter's daughter is skilled in needlework, and helped translate my memories into a working pattern. Or that was the hope." The golden haired she-elf spoke gently.

Dori seemed lost in a daze. It was Ori who cleared his throat and bowed with respect to the Lady of Light in thanks. Balin shook out a handkerchief and nudged Dori with it, so that the weaver wouldn't get tear spots on the precious pattern.

Thorin was in a quandary. He hated elves. These elves had reason to hate him. But these 'simple' Durin's Day gifts were touching parts of his soul that he'd thought long since beyond reach.

"I have a gift." Glorfindel pulled out a leather pouch and tossed it to Bombur. "For one who has managed to surprise even one as old as I. Bubbles in my juice. Amazing."

General laughter met the elf's words as the dwarves nodded, all having heard the warrior expound on the qualities of sparkling cider ever since he'd discovered the drink.

Bombur grinned, opened the pouch and grinned at the sharp smell of expensive spices. He bobbed his head in pleasure, beaming at the elf happily. "This will be put to good use!" The rotund dwarf promised.

Fili grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Someone give Kili something before he starts pouting!"

Kili immediately protested, even though the comment seemed right on target.

Tauriel bit her bottom lip, but stood, holding out a package.

Kili stared at her, his protest dying on his lips. Nervously he smiled and thanked the red-head nicely. "Not a pony." He commented, then pulled out the beautifully tooled pair of boots. The young prince held them up for all to see the soft leather of the footwear.

Elladan and Elrohir smiled. Dwalin frowned. "Elvish style boots." The warrior remarked.

Fili peered at the leatherwork, then grinned widely. "Those aren't Elvish runes. Those are dwarven designs."

Immediately each of the dwarves crowded close. And it was true. The boots were made in the lighter elvish style, but the decoration and embellishments were clearly dwarven.

Tauriel blushed as several of the dwarves eyed her speculatively. "Ori helped me pick out the proper runes."

Balin cleared his throat. "Smart of you, lass. Very clever and a well thought out gift." He shoved Kili in the back. "What'd you get her?"

Now Kili blushed, but he gamely pulled out the pin he'd hand crafted and enameled for his she-elf. He blushed as much as she'd done and stood, walking over to her. "Remember. We're attaching the customs of the giver. So no matter what my da says, this is for you. Because I think very highly of you."

Everyone smiled.

Kili then went and grinned very widely and pinned it to her dress, near her heart. "And maybe one day it'll mean what my da is so afraid it might mean too."

Elladan's head dropped back as he groaned and stared helplessly at the ceiling as the dwarves all erupted into laughter and glee at his expense. Even his own twin brother.

Arwen went so far as to clap while smiling. She then turned to Fili with a spark in her bright eyes. "Now we need to find a dwarrowdam for you to gift those courting beads to!"

Fili hissed mockingly at her, not really upset at the idea but having fun pretending otherwise. It was actually kind of exciting to think that he might actually get a chance to meet more than one or two females of his race.

"Pay no attention to the young and stupid. By that I mean Tauriel and Kili. In that order." Thorin grumped, he then nodded at Dwalin.

The tattooed warrior nodded back and he pulled out an ornately carved wooden box. Not huge. But covered in designs from nature. Vines, flowers, trees and the like. It was darkly stained and with a shimmering luster of well tended wood. He carefully put the box down in front of Glorfindel.

The golden haired warrior of old, looked up with a stunned look. This was no mere trinket, but a masterwork of dwarven craft and design.

Thorin coughed politely and nodded at the elvish warrior. "To hold keepsakes."

Glorfindel's eyes moved from the dwarvish king, to the tattooed warrior and his diplomatic brother. All three nodded lightly. Touched beyond words, the re-embodied elf put his hand on the box and bowed his head in deep respect and gratitude.

The four of them had shared grief, sorrow, and a bone-deep knowledge of pain too powerful to talk of with others who didn't share in the losses they'd suffered. This gift was an acknowledgement of that shared memory, and those they'd each lost.

The others in the room did not seem to understand the undercurrents, only murmuring about the fine work that had gone into crafting the box. Galadriel's eyes moved between them and she turned to look at her confused husband.

It wasn't until Glorfindel had pulled a jeweled ring off of his finger, that Celeborn had caught his breath. But the elf didn't place the ring in the newly gifted box. He handed it to King Thorin.

"The House of the Golden Flower is no more. There is only I." The hero of old said slowly. "But the strength and heart of my house is yours in the time of need." He pledged.

Thorin wasn't sure exactly what was being promised, but he knew enough to be completely bowled over by the offer. From what it sounded like, Erebor had a new friend.

He suddenly laughed, drawing surprised looks from all around him. "I finally make friends with an elf. Is it a neighbor? No. One of the relatives of my nephew? No. I get the bubble-loving, tomb-robbing, jokester fond of making trouble." Thorin smiled at the elf warrior.

"May your feet be of stone, your head clear, your heart proud, and your arm as of iron. May the paths you walk be lined with riches. May the Maker craft your family. May I always call you my friend."

At the Common words of the old Khuzdul saying, Glorfindel stood and bowed with utter grace and dignity.

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

A/N: Longest chapter yet! Argh! In fact, didn't want to end it there cuz Durin's Day isn't done. But the next bit leads into the following scene and I'd end up with three chapters in one. So. Here we stop until the next update.

Yes. Fur. Furs were given as gifts. Animals were harmed in the making of this story, but they're imaginary animals thank you very much. Middle Earth doesn't have synthetic furs nor fabrics. Sorry.