.

One more chapter closer to the Flinn/Dis reunion!

.

.

Chapter 128

~X~

Kili had not said a word as he took Tauriel's hand and led her away from camp, finding a nice quiet spot near the river and encouraged her to have a seat on a large rock. He sat down next to her, loving that they were nearly eye to eye in this position, making what he wished to say and do so much more convenient.

"I thought you said we were not supposed to be alone," Tauriel reasoned, looking over her shoulder, half expecting to find Fili or Flinn standing nearby watching them.

"I got permission," he grinned, reaching out and taking her by the hand. "For a very special reason."

"Oh?" she questioned, intrigued by his expression. "And what might that be?"

"I thought it was high time I asked you properly to be my wife," Kili revealed, knowing he had only a short amount of time to do this before his brother came looking for him, so he got right to the point. "I know we spoke about such things, but never have I officially asked you, as I should have. So, I'm asking now…Tauriel, will you do me the profound honor of agreeing to be my wife? To marry me and spend the rest of our lives together?"

At first Tauriel's face was bright with excitement, yet when he mentioned spending the rest of their lives together, she grew sad.

"Kili," she told him, reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm lovingly. "I do love you, and I want nothing more than to be your wife. Yet, we can't delude ourselves that we will be able to spend the remainder of our days together. For you are mortal…and one day we will be forced to part."

"I know," he nodded, covering her hand with his own as he looked at her with a sad expression. "And yet, I would rather spend one day at your side, than a thousand years away from you. I don't care if we have one, ten, or two hundred years before we must part…I still want to spend them all as your husband." He pulled back a bit, taking her hand from off his face and placing it over his heart. "Unless you fear binding yourself to a mortal being? Has the fact that I am to grow old and perish, while you remain young and beautiful, caused you to change your mind about me?"

"Oh, Kili…no!" she assured him, leaning in to rest her forehead against his as she shut her eyes. "It does pain me greatly to think of ever losing you…but if I have learned anything, it is that life is uncertain. Look at your father, for example, everyone thought he was dead, taken from his family far too soon. Yet I doubt that your mother would have acted any differently, had she been told that their lives together would not have been as long as she had originally hoped. I almost lost you several times over the past few days, and there is no guarantee that I will not meet with an untimely end myself in the near future. But if we allow our lives to be ruled by fear and doubt, we will never find happiness." Her face brightened and she looked into his eyes, her own shining brightly. "And to answer your question…yes, I will indeed marry you, for you make me happy, Kili. Very, very happy."

"And I can't imagine a life without you either, my love," he assured her. And since their heads were already so close, he leaned in just a bit more and claimed her lips, savoring every moment of their shared connection. Kili had never known how enjoyable kissing could be, for not until meeting Tauriel had he ever desired to give it much study. Fili seemed to like kissing Sier, and Thorin and Dwalin took every opportunity to sneak a kiss with their wives as well, so he had always figured there had to be more to it than met the eye. And now, as he felt the gentle pressure of her lips and the soft teasing of her tongue against his, he could honestly say, that this would quickly become his new favorite pastime.

When they broke apart, both searching for air, they smiled, each one looking at the other through dream-filled eyes. Yet when she leaned in for another, Kili pulled back.

"Not yet," he insisted, causing her to furrow her brow in confusion. "I am only allowed two kisses tonight and I want to save my second one for after I braid your hair."

"Only allowed two kisses…who says?" she balked, not caring for the idea of anyone limiting her expressions of affection. Yet she knew the answer to her question before Kili could affirm it. "It was Fili…wasn't it?"

"Well, yah…but he did give us two!" Kili was also upset by the limit, yet he still stuck up for his brother. "He just wants to keep me…proper."

"Fine," Tauriel said with a laugh and a roll of her eyes. "But what's this about braiding my hair?"

"Oh, it is a dwarven tradition," he told her with a grin. "When a dwarrow finds his one, he braids her hair and puts a bead in it bearing his family crest. Well, technically he gives her three beads…one for courting, one for engagement and the final one when they get married. But first he needs to place a braid in her hair for the beads to rest on."

"And you wish to do this for me?" she sounded rather excited about the idea.

"I can do the braid now, but the bead will have to wait until we get back to Erebor," Kili told her, sounding a bit disappointed by this. "I didn't think to bring any courting beads along with me on this trip."

"Not something one usually travels with?" she questioned, chuckling slightly.

"No…but I am seriously regretting it now," he huffed. "Yet, if you will allow me, I would be honored to put the braid in now, and add the courting bead when we get back home. And since you just agreed to marry me, I could place the engagement one right alongside it."

"I would love it if you would braid my hair, Kili," she announced, turning around so he had access to the back of her hair.

"No, I put it in the front," he explained, having her swivel back to face him. "Right here, behind your left ear, so that the beads lay over your heart."

"Oh…that's lovely," she nodded, once more giving him access to her hair.

Kili's hands were shaking slightly as he reached up and began to section off strands for the intricate plait. It was not a typical braid, but instead one that consisted of multiple weaves, resulting in a very distinctive pattern that any dwarf would recognize. It signaled that she was spoken for, that a dwarrow had claimed her as his one, yet only the bead would show his identity.

When he got to the end, Kili tied it off with a small strip of leather, wishing with all his heart it could be the pretty little bead he had at home in his chambers. Kili had not looked at them in years, never having had a reason to even consider taking them out…until now. Both he and Fili had grumbled when Thorin ordered them to craft a set for each, but after they had started, Kili had really got into the process. Working with their hands was a dwarf's delight, and the young princes had really outdone themselves with what they had crafted. Still, Kili's set had not seen the light of day since, but now he couldn't wait to see how they looked in Tauriel's lovely red hair.

"There…all done," Kili announced, holding it out so Tauriel could inspect his handiwork. "You are officially being courted by a dwarf."

"And that dwarf is you…right?" she questioned, just wanting to make sure.

"As if I would allow another anywhere near you!" he exclaimed, the possessive side of his heritage flaring up. "You are mine, Tauriel…just as I am yours. And while I know the race of men can often find love again, if their mate dies…it is not that way with dwarves. I will love only you until the day I take my final breath, and you can rest assured that my mind and heart will never stray. For you, my lovely Tauriel, have filled them both completely."

"Elves do not stray either," she assured him. "Once we have bonded with our mates, there can never be another."

"Is there any token I should expect from you, claiming me as yours?" Kili asked, not exactly sure what to expect.

"No…we exchange no braids or beads," Tauriel told him, still admiring the lovely plait that hung from behind her ear. "We simply state our interest in another, and if it is reciprocated, then we marry. The ceremony is really only a formality, for an elf it is the physical act of bonding that makes us husband and wife."

"You…you mean…intimacy?" Kili gulped, doing his best to sound mature about the subject.

"Yes, the sharing of our bodies, as well as our lives," she nodded, making it sound like such an everyday occurrence. "The act of physical love is very sacred to the elves, for it is what unites a couple and allows the blessing of children."

"Children?" This time Kili actually choked, having to cough a few times before he could speak again. "You…you want children?"

"Yes," she nodded, suddenly looking a bit uncertain. "Don't you?"

"Of course I do…dozens of them!" Kili was quick to tell her, his face breaking out in a wide smile. "I was just worried that maybe you…being a captain of the guard and all…might not want to take time from your duties to have any."

"Kili," Tauriel stated, looking very serious. "I enjoy my position as captain in Thranduil's guard very much, but nothing, and I mean nothing, would make me happier than to marry you and start a family right away. I am over six-hundred years old…I am quite ready for the next phase of my life. Where I am a wife, a mother, and a warrior."

"And a princess," Kili grinned.

"That part I could easily do without," she giggled. "I am marrying you for love, not your title."

"Well, lucky you…it comes along at no further charge." He reaching up and allowed the braid to slip through his fingers, loving the way it looked in her hair. His braid…and his one. Still, his countenance fell as he spoke his next words, worried about how she might react. "I do need to tell you, that even if we have sons…they will never inherit the throne. Our children might officially be royalty, but they can never be Thorin's heirs."

"Because of me? Because of their mixed blood?" Tauriel seemed upset by this…but not for the reasons one might think. "Does this grieve you, my love? Will you grow to hate me for robbing your children of their birthright?"

"What?" Kili looked stunned. "No! Never! And while I suppose you are right...about them being part elf and all, that's not what I meant. Tauriel, you have to understand, I never expected any offspring of mine to ever become king, no matter whom I married. Fili will rule Erebor after Throin, and Flinn and Frerin after him. I'm my brother's shield, his sword-brother, and it is my duty to stand at his side, not try and take the crown from him. So, trust me when I say, it matters not a lick to me that our children won't inherit, and I hope it doesn't to you either."

"I do not desire a title or a kingship for our little ones," Tauriel smiled. "Only that they have you as their father, and that they are loved."

"Oh, I can promise you they will have both, guaranteed!" Kili said with a wily grin. "So, now that we have that all settled…how about I spend that final kiss to seal the deal?"

"It sounds much more to my liking than a mere handshake," Tauriel laughed, leaning forward in anticipation.

"There you are!" came a little voice from behind them, causing the two to freeze in place and turn towards the sound. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Frerin?" Kili gaped. "What are you doing out here all alone?"

"Adad said you were down by the river and wanted to talk to me," he informed them, climbing up onto the rock and positioning himself between the couple. He sat down with his hands in his lap, looking up at the two of them with innocent eyes. "So, here I am…what did ya want?"

Tauriel and Kili looked at each other over the little dwarfling's head, their eyes meeting as their smiles grew wide. They knew his presence was a warning from Fili, stating that their time was up. Yet neither one could begrudge the overprotective brother, and his little way of telling them was rather adorable.

"We were looking for you so I could do this!" Tauriel told him, reaching out as she pulled the dwarfling into her lap and gave him a big hug. Frerin giggled and squirmed but he didn't seem at all displeased by her attention.

"And we wanted you to be the first to see this," Kili added, holding out Tauriel's courting braid, watching as Frerin's eyes grew wide with shock.

"You're…you're gunna marry her, Uncle Kili?" And much to everyone's surprise, the little dwarfling sounded rather upset at the idea.

"Well…yes, that was the plan," Kili stated, a frown touching his lips. "Are you not happy about that?"

"NO!" he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and sticking his lower lip out in a pout. "I was gunna ask her to be my one!"

Now the two looked at each other in shock…for they had not expected this.

"Frerin, I am highly flattered that you would consider such a thing…with me," Tauriel began, not quite sure what to say. "But from what I understand, it does not work that way with dwarves."

"She's right," Kili explained. "When a dwarf meets his one, Frerin, he knows in his heart that she is the one Mahal has chosen for him. And that is how I feel about Tauriel."

"So do I!" Frerin insisted, not giving up. "What if she's really my one…and not yours?"

"I think I would know," Kili assured him. Yet knowing that logic was not about to win this argument, he tried a different tactic. "Besides, if you were to marry Tauriel, you would have to move into your own room with her, and leave Flinn and your family behind. Are you ready for that?"

"Leave Flinn?" This idea seemed to upset the young lad. "And not live with Ama, Adad and Freya?"

"That's right, you would have to be the head of the house…your own house," Kili nodded. "You would have to work hard to make a living for you and your new wife, and eat all the vegetables that she will undoubtedly cook for you each night."

"You'd make me eat vegetables every night?" Frerin turned and looked at Tauriel in horror.

"Well…it is what a wife does for her husband, or so I'm told," Tauriel nodded, playing along with Kili's little ruse.

Frerin was silent for a bit, looking at the two adults before him in deep contemplation. At last he let out a heavy sigh and flopped back against Tauriel's chest in defeat.

"I suppose you can marry her then, Uncle Kili," he stated, though not sounding very happy about it. "I'm not ready to move out of the room I share with Flinn…and I really don't like eating lots of vegetables."

"Thank you, Nephew," Kili said, bowing his head in gratitude. "I appreciate your sacrifice on my behalf."

"It's all right," he said with a little shrug, but then leaned forward, crooking his finger to call Kili closer. When he was only inches away, Frerin cupped his mouth and whispered quite loudly. "But if you ever get tired of eating your husband-vegetables, you can come over to our chambers and I'll give you a cookie or two."

"I promise to take you up on that," Kili grinned, reaching out and ruffling the dwarfling's hair. "Now…will you do us one more favor before we go back to camp?"

"What?" he asked, anxious to be of help.

"Close your eyes, cover your ears, and count to ten," Kili told him, giving Tauriel a wink.

"Why?" Frerin questioned, not seeing the point to such a thing.

"It's part of a game…and if you can count that high, you win," Kili explained.

"Or maybe you could count to twenty?" Tauriel spoke up, not wanting to cut their time short.

"But I only know how to get to ten," Frerin told her, looking disappointed.

"Then just do that twice," Kili laughed, watching as the lad nodded and did as he was told.

He shut his eyes, put his hands over his ears and began to count quite loudly.

"One…two….three…." and on he went, thankfully in a very slow cadence.

Not wanting to waste time, Kili leaned in and claimed Tauriel's lips for his second and final kiss of the night. And all the while, with Frerin's childish voice counting off their stolen moments, he couldn't help but imagine how many kisses they would share in the years to come.

"Eight…nine…ten!" Frerin shouted, having gone through his set of numbers twice. "Did I win?"

"Oh yes, you sure did," Kili assured him. Though as his eyes met with Tauriel's, the dwarf prince knew that he was the true winner…for he had won her heart.

.

.

When they finally made it back to camp, Kili shot his brother a withering look, though Fili simply smiled back pleasantly. At the sight of the braid in the elf's hair, all the dwarves sitting around the campfire began to shout out their congratulations, making Tauriel blush at all the attention.

"That's a fine braid you wove there, son," Flinn told Kili, giving him a fatherly look of pride. "And a fine lass you chose to bestow it upon. I hope you realize her worth."

"Oh, I do," he nodded, squeezing Tauriel's hand gently as he looked up at her with adoring eyes.

"Does this mean you and her are getting married?" little Flinn asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Yes it does," Kili grinned. "Just as soon as possible."

"Can I be your bead bearer?" the little blond dwarfling begged. "I'm really good at it…just ask Uncle Thorin!"

"No! I wanna be the bead bearer!" Frerin wailed, looking back at Kili with a pleading look. "Flinn got to be it last time!"

"How would you know, you weren't even born then?" little Flinn laughed.

"You told me about it!" the youngest lad huffed. "If he is the bead bearer, then can I be the ring bearer?"

"I'm afraid elves don't require rings," Kili stated, recalling Tauriel's words earlier.

"You are correct, we do not exchange rings," she nodded, sitting down beside the others as Kili joined her. "Do dwarves?"

"No, that is more of a hobbit thing," Dwalin told her. "Thorin and I mixed both dwarf traditions and hobbit traditions into our weddings to please our wives."

"Oh…" little Flinn said, looking a bit concerned. "In that case, Frerin can be the bead bearer. It's only fair…I did get to do it last time."

"Really?" Frerin beamed at his brother, reaching out to hug him. "Thanks, Nadad!"

"Looks like you're having a bead bearer in the ceremony," Fili whispered, giving Kili a wide smile. "Whether you want one or not."

"That's fine," Kili grinned back, personally loving the idea. "Yet I can see that there is still a lot for Tauriel and I to discuss about the wedding." He then got a look of horror on his face. "Who on earth am I supposed to offer the bride price to? Thranduil?"

At this, all the dwarves began to laugh, imagining what an elf king would demand in exchange for his captain of the guard's hand.

"I'm just glad that I will be there to witness your happy day, Kili," Flinn said, his eyes becoming a bit misty as he looked over at Fili. "And I'm so sorry I missed yours, my son."

"Well…it really wasn't much of a ceremony," Fili admitted, looking a bit sheepish. "But, neither Sier nor I regret it for a moment."

"And as long as we are officially married, Kili…I will be perfectly happy as well," Tauriel assured him, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder, having to only bend slightly to accommodate the height difference.

"But there better be cake!" little Flinn spoke up firmly.

"Lots of cake!" Frerin agreed.

Well...they had a nice chat about stuff...and she said YES.

The braid is in, the beads will come later, and the wedding soon after that if Kili has his way.

Poor little Frerin...couldn't decide what he wanted more...Tauriel, or not having to eat his husband-vegetables. ha ha. I think he chose wisely. ha ha.

Yes, there BETTER BE CAKE!

Guest Reviews:

Emrfangirl: Ha ha, you mean little Flinn will spill his guts in hopes of a lighter sentence? ha ha. And I would think that those two have been through enough to make them more sorry than any punishment ever would. But they will still have to make it up to Bombur. ha ha. Glad you like my solution with the Blacklocks...and Frerin is indeed a perfect chaperone. ha ha. Thanks

abc: Yep, looks like the FF site is back on track as well. Oh yes, kids can give you grey hairs, but later on you will laugh and tell your friends about it. Just like these father's did. Thorin is merciful...but firm. They will bow or die. Kili is growing up...his Amad will miss her little baby boy. And you know it...Rose and her tantrums could stop an orc hoard in their tracks! Thanks.

dojoson41: I am posting every day till they get there...just hang on a little longer. I know you can, ha ha.

Aranel Mereneth: There will be more of them when Fili gets home. ha ha.