Chapter 2

Gailien falls back into a light sleep, her legs curled up as she rests on her side, alleviating the pain off both her front and back. It is a nice slumber, one of actual rest rather than induced by pain and injury.

When Bilbo returned to Erebor, Kili was preparing to leave but the Hobbit had pulled him aside, conveying part of what Gailien had told him. Bilbo refrains from the entire truth, just saying what Gailien had told him to – that it is alright for him not to go down.

"But she's awake," Kili had protested with a deep frown. "Why wouldn't I go see her?"

With no good answer, Bilbo only shrugged, repeating what he had been told once more and shuffles along to go find Thorin and tell him of the news as well.

Gailien is still sleeping when he arrives, the outside world almost quiet except for the loud songs of the birds nearby. Kili sits in the chair that Legolas pulled up, resting his chin on his forearms which are on the side of her cot. Bilbo had told them that she was awake, so he knows that she is just in a light sleep. Most of him doesn't want to wake her, but the urge to see her awake and talking once more becomes too great.

He reaches out to her hand, softly squeezing her fingers. Gailien's face twitches, her breathe jolting as she is brought out of her dreaming. Eyes flickering open, she is greeted with Kili's face, a small smile on his lips as his head rests at the same height as her own.

Her mouth is tied shut, only able to stare at the young prince.

"Feeling better?" he asks quietly. Gailien nods numbly, turning her head back into the middle of the pillow so she can look at the roof of the tent instead. Memories of he and Tauriel talking for what had seemed like hours back in Mirkwood's cells flash through her mind. "You sure?" Kili peppers, tilting his head to gauge her face better. Gailien nods again.

Kili sucks his lips, shifting his head onto his open palm. "Do you…want me to get you some food?"

"I had some," Gailien answers with a raspy texture. Kili nods slowly, looking down at the sheets. His mind runs over what Bilbo had told him just before he came, and worry starts to boil in his stomach mixing with insecurity.

"Water?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Are they treating you alright?" he asks, trying to rule out the other possibilities. Gailien nods again, eyes floating around the room. "Did…did I do something to upset you?"

Gailien's head snaps back down to the side, her eyes meeting Kili's wide innocent ones. She shakes her head feverishly. "No," she whispers. "No, never."

Kili drops his head off his hand, leaning forward. "Then tell me what's going on. It seemed like Bilbo was trying to convince me not to come down and now you're acting strange. I've obviously done something."

Gailien shakes her head again, sniffling as she looks back to the roof. "I…I…" she closes her eyes, biting her bottom lip. Her stomach gurgles and her cheeks flush with uncomfortable heat. "It's my fault," she confesses. Kili frowns, pulling her hands into both of his under his chin. "Tauriel. I promised you I would keep her safe and I couldn't."

"G-Gailien," Kili breaths. "That's not your fault. It was that creature's, and he's dead. I would never blame you."

Tears streak down her cheeks again, something she is coming to hate since it happens so often now. "But I promised."

Kili sucks on his cheeks for a moment resting his forehead on his hands which are still clasped over hers, deciding what would be best to say. Eventually, he lifts his head back up. "Thorin would have died," he says. "If you hadn't had told me to go after him Azog would have killed him. I only just got there in time. Even if you had gone after him you would have been too late. I had seconds."

Gailien doesn't have anything to respond with, only her stomach becoming even more unsettled. There was so much that she could have seen coming but didn't. Thorin almost died because she was too caught up in her own mental battles to realise anybody else's troubles.

Kili smiles sadly, noting her look. "That was supposed to make you feel better."

"I know," she chokes with a small bubble of laughter. Kili's smile widens at the sound. Taking a deep breath, Gailien digs her elbows into the cot and begins to push herself up. Kili straightens, supporting her. She sits fully upright, legs dangling over the edge. "This is going to hurt but I think I need it."

"What's that?"

Gailien opens her arms, wrapping them around the young prince. Kili chuckles softly, returning the gesture. Sure enough, her chest and back burn but she knows that it is worth it. "I already asked Bilbo, but it might be more convincing come from you," she starts, resting her forehead against his shoulder, "but can you tell Fili to come down if he can manage with his leg. I understand how he feels but he shouldn't. Or in three days I'll be storming up there."

"I can try," Kili answers. Gailien nods, slumping back down, resting her hands in her lap. Quietly, she yawns, blinking slowly. "Tired?" She nods again. Kili sits back down on the chair, resting his head against his arms again on the side of the cot and Gailien lies back down on her side. She smiles softly at him, reaching out and brushes his fringe out of his eyes,

"Will you let me trim it?" she asks with a slightly teasing tone. It has gotten long, surely enough to be an annoyance.

Kili smirks lazily. "Only if you promise to have a steady hand," he retorts. "Fili tried to convince me to let him but if you look closely, he has a few strands shorter than the rest on his left side." Gailien breathes out a small puff of air as laughter.

Her hand moves to the back of his head, finding the braid. "I'm surprised it stayed in," she muses. "I was scared I didn't put the bead in right."

"They're not that hard," he taunts. Gailien rolls her eyes, dropping the braid. "But you did pull on it quite a bit." He reaches up behind his head, adjusting it, as though to relieve himself of the imaginary pain. "You have a tight grip."

"Sorry," she laughs, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I did think I was dying, in my defence."

"And don't you ever do that again," he chides, giving her a slight glare. "I don't think I felt my legs for a good minute after that Elf took you."

"Had no idea cared so much," she taunts, restating their earlier joke.

"That's a lie and you know it," he mocks her own words. The pair laugh tenderly, falling into a comfortable silence. Even though she is tired, Kili actually manages to fall asleep first with his head on the side of her cot. She doubts he meant to fall asleep, looking uncomfortably bent over in the chair but she can't bring herself to wake him, noting the small rings of tire under his eyes.

Gailien falls back onto her back, staring at the roof once again, letting her hand continue brushing through his hair as he sleeps soundlessly. She can't even begin to comprehend how lucky she is to have him. All of them. It hurts that Fili is refusing the even come down, but she knows that he is struggling with his own guilt. But Bilbo had told her Thorin would be coming down that night and if she had the strength, she would already be trekking back up to Erebor herself.

She looks back down at Kili who is starting to snore lightly. She giggles as his cheek and mouth are stretched upwards against the bed, his arms moved out above him. Her ears pick up another set of uneven footsteps coming inside the tent, behind the white sheet. Gailien perks up slightly, stretching her neck to look past it as much as she can.

"Thorin," she smiles as the King hobbles towards her. He is still donned in travelling clothes, not even wearing the fur-lined robe or crown that he had before. He limps heavily, favouring his right foot and holds a staff as a crutch.

Thorin smiles, walking faster towards her. She sits back up, shuffling down so not to disturb the sleeping prince. Thorin drops his staff, letting it fall on the grass in his last few steps towards her. With both hands he reaches out, cupping her face. Gailien smiles wider, her own hands rising to the side of his face.

He drops his head, resting his forehead against hers, closing his eyes to focus on her hands on his face. Their warmth. Blood flow. Heartbeat. He grins, leaning back then places a soft kiss on her cheek, then her other. Gailien giggles as he peppers her face, hands moving down to her neck. "You're going to make me wake Kili," she says, trying to keep quiet but the smile doesn't leave.

"Please," Thorin scoffs, albeit also quietly. "That boy could sleep through a storm." It is true. Fili was the lighter sleeper of the two, wakening at small movements whereas you could clap in Kili's face and his snoring would barely be disturbed. "He wasn't pestering you, was he? Everyone is still unsettled from everything and he's been coming down here to clear his head."

"Of course not," she mumbles, resting her head on his chest. "But I think he's going to be sore when he does wake."

"Undoubtedly," Thorin agrees, shaking his head slightly. He rests his cheek on the top of her head. "You have no idea how much you terrified me. If it wasn't for that Elf…"

"I owe Legolas so much that it scares me," she jokes. "But how are you doing? I don't actually know what happened to you and Kee back up at Ravenhill. You said Kili killed Azog."

Thorin nods then looks down to her side. "Do you mind if I sit?" he asks, looking back over to Kili. "Kili's taken the only chair and my foot…"

"You don't need to ask."

Thorin turns around, planting himself next to her. "I also want to apologise for my display of jealously. It had been playing in the back of my mind since Rivendell, but I know what you said is true. I should never have doubted you in the first place. Or Kili."

"Since Rivendell?" she asks, gaping slightly. "How long have you..?"

"Longer than I care to admit," he responds, sucking his lips with a shy laugh. "But as for Ravenhill – Bilbo came after the three of you left to scout and warned us that Azog had another army coming. We were to late to act though and that's when you saved Fili. I fought Azog but he was too strong. I only kept him at bay long enough for Kili to come and he stabbed him right through the heart."

"And your foot?"

"Got me through the ice. Wasn't expecting it," he grunts, lifting his right foot up slightly. He still has his boot on but there is no doubt a bandage underneath. "Probably shouldn't be walking this much but I've got a kingdom to run."

"That you do," she agrees, slowly as she listens to him, resting a hand on his thigh, playing with the fabric of his pants. "I heard about Bof," she whispers, her mouth tweaking down slightly. "It's awful."

"We are having a feast in a few nights," he says. "We have cleared the old banquet hall and all those who wish the attend may, including those from Lake-town and Mirkwood. It is to honour him and all those who gave their life."

"Well, you can count on me being there, even if I have to drug the healers to leave," she jokes, resting her cheeks on his shoulder. Thorin laughs lightly, running his hand up and down her thigh, squeezing softly at different places. "You know, you, me and Fee all are going to have the same limp for a while," she realises with a playful smile. Glancing over at Kili, she whispers, "reckon we can get him to shoot his own foot again and complete the set?"

Thorin chokes on his own spit, shaking his head with a laugh of disbelief. "Gailien," he chides.

"I'm joking," she replies, tipping her head back with a broad, joyous grin. "He doesn't need interference; give him enough time and he'll do it himself." Thorin laughs louder, squeezing the inner part of her thigh in both disapproval and humour. "I'm mean, aren't I? Teasing him while he's not even awake to defend himself."

"A little," he agrees.

"But you love me?"

"That I most certainly do."

Gailien smiles coyly, dropping her head and letting her loose hair curtain over her face, planting her eyes on his hand that rests on her thigh. He wears a few rings, ones she has seen before but not really taken notice of. Taking interest, she lets her fingers reach out and trace over the different shapes of metal. Thorin stays silent, continuing the gently squeeze her every few moments.

Then a finger settles under her chin, tilting her head upwards. Gailien waits, watching him with a small smile until Thorin leans down, capturing her in a tender kiss. Well, it starts off as tender and gentle, both very aware of their physical and mental state of health. But his other hand stays on her thigh, squeezing tightly, kneading into her muscle as he moves it up and down. She takes a sharp intake of air as he leaves her lips, moving them along the line of her jaw. The hand not on her leg moves her hair out of the way, finding a spot under her ear to focus on. Gailien's hand drops to the one on her leg, squeezing over his fingers.

Her chest begins to flare more with the deep breathes she has to take but the pain numbs as all focus shifts to his touch. She tilts her jaw upwards, a gesture of appreciation and a request for more. He obeys, shifting spots but being wary of the bruises left by Bolg as he gently pulls at the skin with his mouth. Though she doesn't make any sound from her throat, a soft sigh of content does pass through it.

Then he pulls away out of nowhere. Gailien's eyes open back up, gazing up at him with curiousness and a little worry. Thorin's eyes flicker around as he shifts his weight slightly. "It is probably best if we do not continue here," he mumbles.

Gailien snaps her eyes back down to the still sleeping Kili, whose head rests only an arm's reach away from her legs. She laughs quietly, nodding her head in agreement, then looks back at Thorin who is breathing deeply, looking out towards the other side of the tent. Frowning, she reaches out for him, her fingers grazing over his thigh, but his own tight fingers wrap around her wrist.

"Please watch your hands," he mutters, shifting his legs again, letting her hand go. Gailien's frown deepens for a moment before the realisation comes to her. She snatches her hand back, staring at him then breaks into laughter. It ignites hot flames in her throat and chest, but there is no helping it. "I'm glad you find my situation humorous."

"Sorry," she giggles.

"You're going to wake him," he grunts. "And now I can't leave." Gailien laughs harder, having to hold her hand against her side. "You have no idea how many times…" he trails off, shaking his head in his own embarrassment. Gailien laughs herself into a coughing fit, which leads to Kili finally awakening and then being covered in water as they try to give her some but coughs it all back up on him.

"Sorry," she repeats, giving him a sheepish look

"Thanks," he says flatly, giving her a sarcastic smile, walking away to have the cup refilled.