Shayla had tried to sleep for hours to no avail. Her mind kept flitting back to the way Riley had looked at her with what seemed like hatred in her eyes. Could she blame her that much for what happened? She still didn't understand exactly how it had happened.

Rolling over for what seemed like the thousandth time, Shayla set her gaze on the remnants of the fire that Kili had lit in the hearth. She had tried counting sheep, she had tried meditating, she had paced up and down the bedroom but nothing would calm her mind.

She had walked back to the chamber with Kili, Jessika and Fain, who were much quieter than they had been the entire night. Even Kili's expression lacked the smirk that she had seen him sport regularly. Shayla knew that it was because of Riley; she still couldn't understand how she could be so ungrateful to the people that had saved them.

Sighing, she unravelled herself from the blankets that she was cocooned in, throwing her fur coat around her shoulders to protect herself against the chill in the air as she begun to pace once more.

Shayla was sure that Riley knew how unreasonable she was being, but she knew that she held the stubbornness of a brick wall and would not budge in her behaviour or attitude. It took her a long time to trust Shayla, and even then, she didn't completely; it was still a mystery to her what had happened to Riley when she was younger. All she knew was that she had been in foster care for a time, but that was the extent of her knowledge.

It didn't surprise Shayla that Riley wasn't handling the situation well, but she was shocked at the incredible severity of her anger towards everyone around her, especially Shayla. It left her wondering again for what seemed like the hundredth time:

Did Riley truly blame her for the situation they were in?

Shayla had continued to pace, not settling but rather forcing herself further into darkness in which she was currently encompassed. With her attention lost within her own thoughts, she jumped nearly a foot off the ground when she heard a slight knock at the door of the bedroom.

Hesitantly, she moved towards the door as though she expected someone or something to burst through and attack her, but she was relieved when she heard Kili's muffled voice through the thick wood.

"Miss Shayla… Are you alright?" Shayla slipped into her boots and crossed the remaining distance to the door, opening it to reveal a worried looking Durin on the other side.

Straightening up, his gaze turned down to the ground in embarrassment as he explained himself.

"I'm sorry to intrude like this, but… I could hear you pacing, and I thought that something might be wrong." Shayla smiled a little at his concern, though the smile turned into a grimace as she explained herself.

"I can't sleep. I'm sorry I woke you up, I didn't mean to… I'm just struggling to think of anything but…" Shayla didn't have to continue for Kili to understand what she meant.

"You did not wake me, do not fret. Is there anything I can do? I could make a nice brew of tea, or pour a tankard of ale if that sounds preferable?" Kili smiled a little then, seemingly trying to lift Shayla's spirits.

"No that's okay, thank you though Kili... I just…" Shayla cut herself off, grimacing again. "It doesn't matter." Kili frowned then, but Shayla saw the curiosity pique within his eyes.

"Of course it matters. What is it?" Shayla exhaled, cheeks flushing a little.

"It's just… Whenever my mind would wander to places I didn't want it to, when I was living at home, my father would tell me that I needed to be at one with the land. He said that it was the only way the jumble of thoughts within my head would clear."

I would go down to the river, if it was during the day, and watch the canopy of trees above my head. If it was night time I would lay in a hammock we had between two young eucalyptus trees and watch the stars. I just really wish I was back home, that's all."

Kili nodded and then watched Shayla with almost absent eyes, as though he was trying to figure something out within his mind. After several moments he vocalised an idea that had begun to form from Shayla's admission.

"Shayla, would you like to come with me? I have something that might help."

"Oh, okay." Shayla said a little nervously, giving Kili a small smile as she moved from the room, shutting the bedroom door behind her.

The corridor was dimly lit by small lanterns that were held into the stone walls by metal brackets, and even though it wasn't enough to see detail, it was enough to know where she was walking without tripping over her own feet.

Kili stayed close to her side, only leaving it to open the door to his chambers and signal to turn right out the door way. The chill in the air intensified as soon as Shayla had stepped foot from the relative warmth of the chamber, and she crossed her arms as she stepped in stride with Kili who had begun to fill the cold air with his warm words.

"Do not take Miss Riley's words to heart, Miss Shayla. She will understand soon."

"I don't understand why you are sticking up for her, any of you, really… I know she's my friend but she has been nothing but horrible to all of you. I'm sorry about the things that she said about you." Shayla turned to Kili, gazing at the source of Riley's awful words. Kili's eyes seemed to cloud over as he became lost in thought once again, lightly grazing his fingers across the scarring of his face, before becoming alert to the present once more.

"I'm sure it is something that she did not mean. Besides, she did not speak ill truths. I do have a scarred face." Kili smirked at Shayla, though the orange light from the lanterns in the sloped passageway revealed the sadness that attempted to stay hidden behind the deep browns of his eyes. Shayla smiled back at Kili, and after some time, replied.

"In my culture, my family's culture… They used scars to signify a significant relationship, to the land or to one another, or to symbolise a journey. It would be an important part of a person, not detracting but adding to oneself." Kili watched Shayla as she spoke, something moving within the depths of his eyes as he considered what she was saying.

It was possibly the first time in his life that he was speechless.

"I… Thank you, Miss Shayla." Kili's shoulders lifted as though a great weight had been removed from his back, causing the air around him to relax.

"We are close now. Several more corners and we will reach it." Kili said, excitement rising in his voice. Shayla was momentarily relieved to hear it, as it hadn't taken long for her legs to ache from the incline in the passageways they were travelling through.

"Where… Where is it we are going, exactly?" Shayla swatted away an errant thought that told her that he was a serial killer, before being greeted by an icy breeze as they turned another corner.

Kili glanced across at her as they walked quickly through a smaller passageway and rounded into an open space; no ceiling, no walls, just…

Shayla gasped as she looked around, tears quickly forming within her eyes.

Stars. Just, stars, hundreds of thousands of them all above and around her, richer and deeper in colour and brightness than she had ever realised they were.

"Oh…" That was the extent of Shayla's vocabulary for quite a while after that. Kili had told her that this was the highest outpost of the Lonely Mountain, in which their city lay, and it wasn't often used. He also pointed to particular stars and constellations, explaining what they were and the story behind them.

Shayla sat down as he explained different stories excitedly, though the stories about battles and war were laced with sadness instead. She was just amazed at all of it. They were completely different constellations, a completely different solar system to the one that she lived in. It was incredible and terrifying.

It took some time before Kili stopped talking, and though the silence felt empty without his voice, it was exactly what she needed, to just sit and stare at the stars above her head.

Shayla couldn't remember how long they had been outside, staring at the sky. It could have been an eternity and she wouldn't have minded. She felt absolutely content, but her body decided that it had had enough of the freezing cold. Her fingers, ears and nose felt as though they were about to freeze off, and she reluctantly said goodnight to the night sky and stood up, smiling down at Kili who had been lying next to her.

"Thank you, Kili. This was… Exactly what I needed." Kili gazed back at Shayla with a warm smile and eyes dancing with starlight.

"Anytime, Miss Shayla," and he truly meant it.

Short & sweet chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. I feel like Kili would have had to deal with a lot of self-confidence issues after receiving quite serious facial injuries in the Battle of Five Armies at the end of my first fic. Even though I imagine battle scars being something that the males within the Dwarvish community take pride in, I think it is a reminder for Kili of almost dying and seeing his family almost killed as well, so I don't think it would be something that he takes pride in or brings him any positive memories. I hope I have conveyed it well enough, anyway.

Thanks for reading and having a great week! xx