Alyssae intertwined her fingers while she watched Kíli with mixed feelings. He'd wrapped an arm around Tauriel's shoulder and started to talk enthusiastically to her, as if Alyssae was not there. She knew he didn't like the fact she couldn't answer his question, especially after everything she had concealed from him, but Thorin meant the world to him. Alyssae knew both Fili and Kili looked up to him and they adored that man. He was their hero. Their example.

She couldn't tell them it had been Thorin who had strangled her with his drunken head, because she knew that knowledge would destroy their relationship, while Thorin really needed their trust.

Especially now, when he almost died in grief - at least that was what Alyssae was hoping for. That he felt so sorry about yesterday he didn't even dare to look in the mirror, otherwise he was not even worth the support of his cousins.

"Are you okay?" Fili's worried voice sounded suddenly beside her. When she looked down, she saw that his gaze rested on her neck.

"I'm fine," she murmured, after which she arranged her hair in such a way it fell largely in front of the welts. It itched viciously, but that feeling was also caused by the pity glances of the dwarves.

She noticed he was full of curiosity as well. Or maybe it was another emotion that lighted up his eyes. Anger? Did he want to take revenge at the person who'd inflicted these injuries? Still he decided not to ask the question and Alyssae was grateful for that, even though he probably just wanted to avoid another disappointment.

"Tauriel wants to show us around!" Kili yelled over his shoulder. "Are you coming with us?"

Nori and Fili nodded but Alyssae actually had other plans.

"Can we talk?" she asked to Bofur, who looked at her for a moment and then nodded.

"We stay here," he told the others.

Fili looked silently at them before he turned around. Alyssae understood he found it difficult to see them together, while it was only caused by a lie she had created herself.

"I have done something very stupid," Alyssae muttered when the others were gone and she leaned with her arms against the railing, staring at the trees in the distance. "I told Fili I am in love with you."

Her eyes flashed aside, but to her surprise Bofur started to laugh.

"My dear, why do you make it so hard for yourself! Did he really believe that?"

"I think so," she murmured. "I wanted to tell you this before it escapes his lips and the story leads a life of its own. I know it's stupid, but I hoped it would ease his broken heart a little when I said my heart already belongs to somebody else."

A smirk played on Bofur's lips. "Well, that was not a lie, am I right?"

Alyssae stared silently at her hands. Would she tell him? Just so that someone would know the full truth?

"Not really."

Bofur looked at her for a while and suddenly he gave a tap on her nose. With raised eyebrows she looked at him. "What was that for?"

"Dunno," he replied with a shrug. "He did it, huh?"

Alyssae colored red. "Who?"

"Thorin."

She stared embarrassed at the ground, although she knew she had done nothing wrong.

"He was drunk."

"Yes, drunk with love. That poor man doesn't know what to do with his intense feelings."

Carefully she looked up. The temperature suddenly seemed to increase with ten degrees. "W-what do you mean?" she stammered.