"Fili! Fili!"

He jumped out of bed and said,

"What?!"

Erin was frightened,

"Kili and Kahlan are gone! Thorin is going to freak!"

"I knew this would happen."

She sat beside Fili and started crying,

"I just can't believe she didn't say goodbye. That hurts."

He held her,

"i know, but remember the situation that they're in. Maybe they just didn't have time, love."

She shrugged,

"I guess. Still hurts. I'm scared for them."

"Don't worry, they'll be okay. Kili's been trained since he was old enough to walk."

After eating, Kili and Kahlan sat by the fire in silence. They were directly side by side, her head leaning on his left shoulder. The left corner of his lips were just barely touching her forehead.

"Amralime? Do you want to go to bed?"

She looked at him, his face gentle and loving.

"I am very sleepy. Is it safe?"

He heatedly kissed her sore lips anddd said,

"I'll make sure of it. Let me do something real quick though."

He got up and went to the river where he had caught their breakfast. She sat and watched the fire until he came back.

He was dragging a boat behind him. It was a small, skinny boat. Twenty inches long and ten inches wide, smooth wood and not too heavy.

He squatted and made a big fire, then got two long and thick branches and propped the boat on one end. He stripped off his fuzzy leather coat and gave it to her. He had his cobalt blue cotton tunic on.

She took a coat and sat down with him,

"Now then, you're all set."

She turned to him and said,

"Are you not sleepy? Surely you're tired."

He shook his head with a smile and kissed her deeply and whispered,

"I'm okay. You need sleep more than I do. Plus it would be unfit to be so intimate with you right now, my love. It's important to me that you know that..I do long to love you, to show you and that day will come. Loving you, being with you, that will happen but for now I want to perserve our love.

I'll be fine, my love. Get some sleep," he kissed her forehead lightly.

She whispered,

"You're right. Thank you for protecting me, I do hope you're not too tired though. I don't want you to be exhausted when we travel again on an account of me."

He smiled and shook his head,

"Not at all. I'll be here.'

BACK IN LAKETOWN

Thorin and the dwarves and Erin boarded the ship. The ship was made of a beautiful and smooth type of wood, had two levels and was sixty feet wide and twenty three inches tall. The upper deck had a sail and steering wheel. The lower deck had fourteen beds, one shower room, a table and chairs.

The master of Laketown had packed them provisions for the next two days. Then they were sent with a royal farewell.

An hour afer they set sail, Fili was called to speak with Thorin, Dwalin and Balin on the lower deck.

"Yes Uncle?"

"Fili, I wanted to talk to you about Erin."

His eyebrows shot up and he said,

"Yes?"

"I know you love her I am asking, do you think you or she's ready for marriage?"

"I do believe I am ready Uncle. We have never talked about getting married- that I remember. I KNOW I'm ready.P

Thorin nodded,

"I offer you unlimited resources, should she accept. I will help with all details, if wanted."

"If you don't mind Uncle, I'd like to talk with her."

Thorin motioned toward the door, giving permission.

"Erin?"

She turned around. She was by the railing watching the waves as the sun began to rise.

"Hi Fili, everything okay?"

He smiled and kissed her.

"Can I ask you something?"

She nodded.

"Have you ever..BEEN with a man?"

She sweetly smiled and shook her head,

"No, I chose long ago to save that for the man that I'll marry. What about you, have you ever been with a woman?"

He shook his head and said,

"Are you kidding? Amad would kill me! At least until marriage," her head jerked to look at Fili and she could almost see a certain twinkle in his eye,

"Speaking of...how do you think you'd know when you're ready for that commitment?"

"I believe that if it's God's will, I will have peace about it. There won't be hesitations, second guesses or even the smallest hint of doubt."

He smiled and kissed her and said,

"I need to get go back to my Uncle, but I do agree with you.P

"What are you talking about? Anything I can know?"

"No I think it's just for Me, Balin, Dwalin, him and I. Probably something having to do with what will take place sometime after we get to Erebor. I love you."

They kissed and he left.

Several hours later, Kahlan woke up and they decided to get traveling. They were almost to Beorn's.

"We should get there by dawn, love."

She nodded.

"Okay, that works."

MEANWHILE

Erin had fallen asleep and Dwalin and Fili were working on a craft together.

"Erin?"

She woke up to find Thorin there.

"Yes, sir? Can I help you?"

He smiled a little and sat beside her.

"I just want you to know, I support you and Fili. Happy for you both."

"Well, thank you sir. I really love Fili and I'm really grateful to God for him. Would you mind me asking something?"

His eyebrows flew up as a sign of acceptance.

"Kili and Kahlan, if you don't mind me asking...how come you won't allow them to love each other?"

"I appreciate your question. I just feel that Kili's too young and he's a warrior and when you're a warrior, you don't have time for love."

"I understand what you're saying- I get it. You want him focused, but I do believe Kahlan helps keep him focused. He loves her, therefore he cares about her opinion. He wants her safe and protected- willing even his life for her. I think Kahlan actually encourages him to be a better fighter, a stronger warrior.

I don't mean to disrespect or offend you, sir."

"You know, that's true. You know, when Fili and Kili were small, their dad, Frerin, died in battle and I promised him that I'd keep them safe."

Erin gently put a hand on his right shoulder.

"I understand that Thorin, but I do think that part of keeping them safe, is letting them love."

He nodded, smiled and went back to his room.

Pretty soon it was night again, they were half an hour away from Beorn's, they made a fire and ate the fish Kili had caught.

"Is it good, love?"

She was just finishing eating and kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear,

"Does that answer your question, you handsom dwarf?"

He growled at her and kissed her in the shadow of the firelight.

"Kahlan? Can I ask you a personal question?"

She kissed him, making him sigh.

"What's your question?"

He looked at her intently and set his right hand on her left hand, affirming his love and patience for her,

"Have you ever been with a man before?"

She looked to the ground for a second and then looked in his eyes,

"Well, have you ever been with a women before?"

He patiently looked at her and gently said,

"No. I haven't, when I was only enough to decide that I chose to wait for the right time..and the right person."

She let out a frusterated and shaky breath and looked to the ground,

"Yes, I have but I have asked for forgiveness since then and I have chosen to wait again. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

He took his pointer finger and thumb, gently held her chin and listed her head and said,

"I want you to know..I understand. Although, you did not wait

I understand. You're still my love, I won't be letting you go. I am still very committed to you, very much in love with you. I forgive you. Thank you for telling me baby."

Tears streamed down her face. He leaned in and whispered on her lips,

"Don't cry my love. You are my woman. You won't lose me, I love you."

He passionately kissed her.

Sometime later, she fell asleep with her head in his lap.

Kili and Kahlan had made it to Beorn's and he welcomed them with open arms. Kili kissed Kahlan and said,

"Come get me if you need me, Amralime. I'm gonna go take a nap."

She kissed him back and said,

"I will. Go get some sleep I'll go take a dip in the river."

He winked and went to lay down.