A/N: I've decided to go more with book on them being in Mirkwood's dungeons for a longer period.
Chapter 25
Tauriel flopped down on the bed and blew her breath out in a huff causing Braita to give her a gentle shove. "Uncrowned Queen or not, no throwing yourself on your friends!"
She tucked her chin embarrassed as her eyes darted to Braita beside her. "Forgive me." She scooted over giving the other dam more room.
Braita chuckled. "You don't do well in confinement, do you?"
"I was a Captain of Thranduil's Guard. I led people in the protection of my people and lands. Sitting in a room under protection goes against everything I've ever known." She rolled on her side, her hand finding its way to her belly. She understood Kíli did this out of concern for her and their child. Still, it rankled her to do nothing.
Ailís settled herself on the bed on Tauriel's other side. "It seems that was properly important to you. How then did you decide to wed Kíli?"
"The look on his face when I threw the dagger that killed the spider about to kill him amused me," the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, then she laughed, "Would you believe when I threw him in a cell he had the nerve to ask, 'Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my trousers.'," she laughed.
"I am not the least surprised," Ailís said through her own laughter.
"Cheeky, Lad our King. Or at least he was." Braita smiled. "Surely that didn't win your hand."
"No." Tauriel's smile grew, "But, I gave him an appraising look for his trouble and answered, "Or nothing at all." She sighed. "It is when I was doing my rounds later that we started sharing stories that I felt my heart start to yearn for him. He told me the night I was presented it was when I killed the spider he'd lost his heart to me."
Ailís raised her eyebrows. "Surely you didn't wed him there? Wouldn't everyone have heard?"
"No," She caressed her stomach; just knowing their daughter was there gave her peace. "I got to know him over the weeks he was there. I looked forward to speaking with him. Then one morning, he and the others escaped with help from a Halfling." She frowned. "He had charged up the stairs from the river to open the gate. The idiot was unarmed to start until someone threw him a weapon liberated from an orc. He was shot in the leg with an arrow."
"That is why he limps now, isn't it?" Braita rolled to face Tauriel.
"Aye," She nodded. "I learned from an orc we captured the arrow was a Morgul shaft. When I left to hunt the orcs I thought he was dead and just wanted to end the ones who'd taken such a bright spirit from this world. When I found him near death and writhing in pain from that fell poison I felt I'd failed him." Tears slipped from her eyes.
"What happened then?" Ailís leaned forward.
"Bofur had returned toe Bard's house with athelas, you call it kingsfoil, I used it and a chant I'd learned to drive the darkness from him. It was when he spoke in his delirium thinking I was a dream that I realized he loved me."
#
As she straddled Kíli's hips still joined to him though he was surely spent she leaned forward. "Eru as my witness, I have given myself to you and there will be no other."
She felt Kíli nuzzle her ear. "My heart is yours, always."
Tears slipped down her face. "This cannot be. Our peoples will never allow it. We shouldn't have." She moved gracefully off his lap and retrieved her small clothes and leggings. "Get dressed, Master Dwarf."
"Tauriel?" His voice sounded pained.
"Forget me." She took a shuddering breath. "What we've done cannot be."
"And you'll just forget me?" His voice was pleading.
"Never." She scooped up the gathered wood and walked away leaving him to dress.
#
"Tauriel, a word with you."
She turned to see Kíli's brother, Fíli. "Yes?"
"I know my brother is smitten and I thank you for his life." He reached up and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I've seen the way you look at him. He's a Prince of Erebor; he can't be with you no matter what pretty words he says to you."
"I'm not the one you need to tell that to." She could feel her heart breaking. Could she be happy again? Would she succumb to fading when he leaves Arda?
"Whatever guilt I see on your face, know you've made the right choice. Uncle would never allow this infatuation of his." He let go of her and stalked off to inventory what he and the others would take with them to Erebor. The dwarves needed to leave before the bone weary and grieving people heaped their anger on them.
#
"I'm not surprised my Fíli said that to you." Ailís wiped her tears.
"I'm guessing by the fact Mahal placed that ring on your finger, your rebuke of the marriage directly after didn't end it." Braita tapped the ring on Tauriel's hand.
"Since he didn't know we'd wed I hoped he could find happiness later with one of his own people, though I knew I would live out my days bound to him for eternity."
Braita snorted at that. "Ha! Had he not ended up King and you not died, he'd die a bachelor, or rather estranged from is Elven wife and clueless he was even wed."
"Oh?"
"It's true. He wasn't presented on his 70th as is custom and the only dwarrowdam willing to choose him died before she could tell him." Ailís sighed. "Kíli wasn't exactly a dwarrow the dams in his age group wanted." She looked Tauriel in the eyes. "Had neither of you died, would you have told him about the child you'd conceived?"
"I hadn't thought about it." Tauriel rolled on to her back to stare at the veined stone above her. "After seeing the hurt in his eyes when I denied him before he left for Erebor, yes, I would've sought him out and told him. I don't know what would have happened to us, but I could not have denied him his daughter."
Tauriel looked to the door as it opened, hoping that Kíli had come again. Instead it was a very tired Dís along with the cart with their dinner.
Tauriel and Braita sat up as the matron walked towards them. "Do you have news, Amad?" Tauriel wasn't sure if it was quite proper to call her husband's mother that, but she did anyway.
"Despite the efforts of the healers, the best even Sûlindiel could do was ease Cami's pain until Mahal gathered her to him."
Tauriel let out a sobbing cry her arms protectively around her belly. It could have been her and Mananna. The thought her new friend was gone hurt. "Braita, whatever you added to the lace she made, undo it. I will wear my dress with unfinished lace in tribute to Cami."
A/N: Sorry I took so long to get to this update. Had a lot going on this last week. Had a blast going to WothF awards on the 10th. I'm also starting to concentrate on writing one of my original fics. Don't worry, I won't abandon this one though. :-)
Thank you to Nimuea, Odette12, sorrellkaren for following. Thank you to KahlanIsabella, moonstonequaffle7942, booksfoodmusic-minion, and darkmaster69 for following and favoriting.
Thank you to cbyard414 for favoriting.
Neni