Sorry for the delay with the chapter. Busy weekend!

That and the longer I waited to post, the longer Fili got to kiss Daeloness! He slipped me a few gold pieces to let him remain in the lip lock just a day longer. Tee-hee

Thank you to all my new readers and reviewers!

Guest Review: I am so glad you like my take on the story, it is a bit out of the norm for a Hobbit story...seeing as how there is NO HOBBIT in it. Tee-hee. But Fili was the main reason for the story and since they are trying to get Erebor back by other means, Bilbo was just not needed...sorry, little fella. And I apologize for leaving you hanging for two days. I hope you did not suffer too greatly. Thanks again for all your reviews (if you had an account I would respond to you personally - but since you sign in as a guest, this is the best I can do)

~X~

~X~

Chapter 6

Daeloness was completely taken off guard by Fili's sudden and powerful kiss. In the split second before his lips claimed hers, she had seen his eyes turn from anger, to regret and then to something that took her breath away. It was not the most tender of kisses, not one full of love and heartfelt devotion like she had always imagined her first might be…no, this was something altogether different. His touch was infused with a primal need, a passion and fire that would rival that of the famed dragon Smaug. His lips searched, seared and almost brutally overpowered her senses until she felt it might overwhelm her mind. And while it was nothing like she expected from her normally teasing and flirtatious prince, it was not at all unpleasant or unwelcome. As her body began to relax, Daeloness felt herself enjoying these new sensations, and began to react accordingly. Her instincts quickly taking over, where her inexperienced mind lacked the knowledge and ability to proceed.

Fili did not know what surprised him more, his own boldness or the fact that the princess was now kissing him back! He did not know what had come over him, why he had given in to the urge to ravish her lips the way he was, for he had never forced his attentions on a woman before. Yet, the fact that she was not fighting him or trying to push him away, gave him hope that he had not crossed some moral line…in fact, she was returning his passionate kiss with an equal amount of fervor. She was like honey on his lips, the sweetest wine on his tongue and the more he explored, the more he wished to lose himself within this feeling. It was like nothing he had ever felt before and he could not get enough.

Removing his hands and freeing her wrists, Fili reached up and cupped her face, pulling at her gently until they were both in a sitting position, his lips never once leaving hers. Fili gave a deep moan as he felt her delicate little fingers weave their way into his hair, pulling him even closer as she willingly deepened the kiss. Her initial hesitancy had confirmed to him that she had not lied, that she was an innocent in the ways of love, having truly spent her life imprisoned in a lonely tower. And yet, her willingness to follow his lead, to let him guide her as they explored the pleasures they might share together, made his heart soar. She was everything he had never allowed himself to dream about, fulfilling every fantasy he didn't even know he had. To him, she was perfection itself.

Fili broke the kiss at last, unable to go another second without taking a breath, but the moment he had filled his empty lungs, his lips sought out her skin once more. Nipping and tasting as he trailed warm kisses across her silken cheek and down her long and graceful neck. He savored every one of her gasps and pleasure-filled moans as he continued to explore. He had to have more!

Daeloness could not explain the feelings that sought to overwhelm her, for it was like her mind had suddenly taken leave and given her body free rein. There was nothing she wanted more than to become lost in these sensations and the tender embrace of Fili's strong arms, enjoying the way his mustache braids and the little clips at the end tickled against her throat. Emotions she had always desired, yet never experienced, were bombarding her from all sides and she began to imagine she was a leaf in the wind, being carried hither and thither with no will of her own. She would give anything to stay this way, to not have to think beyond this kiss, nothing else to trouble her mind but what she was happily drowning in at that very moment.

Yet, deep in her heart, Daeloness knew she could not. If she gave into her desires…as well as the ones Fili was obviously experiencing…all would be lost. If she were a free woman she could choose to do as she pleased, yet as a princess already promised in marriage…she was bound by the laws and expectations that governed her station. It could mean her death should she go to her marriage bed impure, especially when her intended husband held no love or compassion for her. It would be a humiliation he could not overlook or live down, guaranteeing swift punishment for the perceived offense.

So, no matter how much she wanted Fili to continue, she knew she had to stop this perfect madness. Daeloness let loose a groan of despair, and untangling her fingers from his hair, she began to push at his chest. At first he did not budge, so lost in his own thoughts and actions, but as soon as she began to voice her wishes as well, begging for him to halt, it apparently got through to his clouded brain.

"Please, Fili…please…stop," she sobbed, the words like poison on her lips. "We can't do this…I…I can't!"

As if her words had struck him like a bolt of lightning, Fili sprang backwards, falling to the ground as she scrambled to her feet and took a few steps away. Fili sat there for a moment, fighting to catch his breath as he contemplated what he had almost done. He felt a wave of disgust wash over him, realizing all the wicked thoughts he had just been thinking. All directed at the innocent maid who now stood a few feet away, her body trembling as she leaned against a tree for support. He had almost taken her, having been only moments away from divesting them both of their clothing and giving into his animalistic need. He had acted no better than a mangy troll…or a vile orc, pawing at the girl when he had no right! Fili was now thoroughly horrified and ashamed!

Sitting up and supporting himself by one hand, he brought his right knee up, laying his other arm across it, with the knuckles of his now fisted hand touching his still burning lips. He knew he had to speak, to beg her forgiveness for taking such liberties, but he feared he had no words…no voice to offer such entreaties.

"Daeloness," he began, almost choking on his own shame and grief. "I…I am so sorry…I didn't mean for…" he stammered, yet she cut him off.

"No…stop!" she cried out, obviously grieved. "Don't you dare apologize!" Daeloness knew she had been right to stop what had almost happened, but she knew it would destroy her if she thought he regretted the kiss…for she knew that she never would.

Fili was confused, for he felt he must express his remorse over what he had just done.

"Daeloness…I feel that I have dishonored you, and my kin, with my barbaric behavior," he lamented. "I swore that you would be safe under my care and yet I go and…" he looked away, deeply mortified by his actions. "I did not mean to frighten you…I never meant to touch you. I was just…"

"Angry…hurt…feeling betrayed?" she offered, realizing how much her deception must have pained him. Fili had been kind to her and in return she had tricked him. Had the kiss been his way of punishing her for daring to flee?

"Yes…all those things," he admitted, yet knowing that had nothing to do with why he had kissed her. "I was given the assignment to guard you…to keep you safe, and yet I can do neither of those things when you run from me." He slowly got to his feet and tried to appear calm. "However, after the offense I just committed against you, I am sure you feel you have even more reason to wish to be free of me."

"Can't you just tell everyone I died? That I fell off a cliff or…or…was eaten by a bear?" she questioned, desperately trying to get him to see her point of view. Yet, she could tell that the conversation was causing him distress and her heart went out to him.

"If it were up to me, princess, I would take you wherever you wished to go...set you free and wish you a happy life!" Fili all but shouted.

And from the almost frantic look in Fili's eyes, and the way he was now raking his fingers through his hair, Daeloness could tell that he was being sincere.

"But the choice is not mine, I take orders from my king and do his bidding. Even if he were not my uncle, I would still follow Thorin into hell and back, for he has earned my trust and loyalty. Please do not ask me to break my oath to him, Daeloness…I couldn't do it…I won't do it!" His tone had risen to an almost wild roar, his mind and heart tugging him in all directions, not giving the often tenderhearted dwarf a moment of peace.

"Shhhh," Daeloness told him, approaching him as she laid her hand against his chest. She suddenly realized the terrible position she had put him in. He was no more to blame than she for their predicament, for both of them were unwitting pieces in a much larger game of chess. Yet, while Fili was a knight, a prince and warrior of high value, she was just an insignificant pawn. She could see how cruel she was being in trying to force him to go against what had been ingrained in him, to ask him to side with her and not the man who had lovingly raised him. If she were to play upon his kindness and force him to let her go…then she would be no better than her own father, willing to ruin her life just to get what he wanted. Now Daeloness was the one who felt terrible. "I am sorry, Fili. It is I who should apologize to you, for I have no right to try and guilt you into betraying your kin. I do not blame you for coming after me…just as I hope you do not blame me for trying to run."

Daeloness took hold of his hands and held them for a moment looking downward in deep thought. Fili did not speak, he only rubbed his thumbs over the back of her knuckles, still relishing the feel of her, wishing he was bold enough to steal one final kiss. They remained this way for a few moments, neither one of them speaking until she broke the silence.

"I…I will not try and escape from you again, Fili," she announced suddenly. "I give you my word."

"No, Daeloness, I can't ask you to promise such a thing," he insisted, hating to see the look of defeat in her eyes. "You deserve to be free…and if you see a way, you are honor-bound to take it." Yet Fili knew he would not be letting his guard down a second time…she would not escape from him again.

"I never said I would not try and run…yet I give you my word that I will refrain from doing so while in your keep," she explained, a sly grin crossing her face. "No one said I could not attempt to flee after the exchange is complete. And who is to say that aiding you and the dwarves of Erebor in reclaiming your homeland wasn't meant to be my biggest contribution to this world? What if that was the reason I was born?" She did her best to sound optimistic, yet she was not sure who she was trying to convince more…Fili or herself. "Yet in the meantime, I will not put you in a position where you must make an impossible choice. You might be my keeper for now, Fili…but you are not responsible for my ultimate destiny, only I can govern that."

"This world does not deserve one as gentle-hearted as you, Daeloness," Fili told her, pulling both her hands up to his lips and gracing them with a kiss.

She blushed at his words but said nothing, and for another few moments they stood there, both lost in thought. Yet a call of some wild animal in the distance snapped Fili from his reflections.

"What was that?" Daeloness asked, taking a step closer to her protector as she looked around fearfully.

"It does not matter, for by the time it gets anywhere near here, we will be long gone," he told her, taking her by the hand and leading her back to where he had left his pony. The shaggy white mount was happily nibbling on some grass when the two made it back through the thickets, raising its head as he watched them approach.

"Thank goodness," Daeloness sighed, the pony being a welcome sight. "My feet are so sore and tired that I don't think I could have made it the many miles back to camp walking."

"We are not as far away as you might assume," he corrected, lifting her up by the waist and setting her atop the pony, leaving room for him to mount up behind her. "You spent most of the day running in circles, princess. We are less than half a dozen miles from where you started."

"We are?" she sounded so downhearted by his words that he almost regretted telling her. "What an idiot I am! It is no wonder you found me so quickly."

"I also had use of a pony, where you were on foot," he pointed out, trying to make her feel better. He wrapped his arms around her and took up the reins, urging the little equine towards camp. "You made a valiant effort, I commend your attempt."

"Something tells me that you are just saying that," she huffed, catching the twitch of his lips as he fought against a smile.

"I admit to nothing, Daeloness," Fili laughed, unable to hold in his mirth any longer. He still felt terrible for keeping her against her will, yet he was extremely grateful for her understanding in the matter.

He could never betray Thorin…or the dwarves of Erebor.

~X~

They did not speak much on the return trip, mostly due to the fact that once Daeloness had eaten her fill of the bread he had brought and drank his water skin dry, she had fallen asleep halfway back to camp. Fili gently leaned the sleepy princess towards him, supporting her between his arms and allowing her head to rest against his chest. All the delicious thoughts he had been entertaining that morning came flooding back, along with the sensation of their intoxicating kiss. He still had no way of explaining why the touch of her lips had been so consuming, why it had overpowered his sense of right and wrong and almost caused him to make a fatal error in judgment. From here on out, Fili would need to exercise more restraint, tamp down these wicked thoughts and remember his duty. However, the fact that she was now cradled in his arms, looking so deliciously tempting, was not helping his resolve in the least!

Fili let out an audible sigh when they reached the camp, the sun had set hours ago and the moon was high in the sky. Repositioning her just a bit, Fili gently slid off the pony, never relinquishing his hold on his precious cargo. She stirred slightly as he carried her to her bedroll, laying the sleeping princess down as if she were a piece of spun glass. He smoothed out her hair, moving a few stray locks off her forehead and out of her eyes, before covering her up and allowing her to continue sleeping.

"I am glad you are back, Daeloness," he whispered, and he knew his reasons had nothing to do with Thorin's orders…or his mission.

~X~

Fili woke the next morning to the sound of a crackling fire. Yet his eyes flew open when he recalled that he had been so tired the night before, that he had not bothered to start one! Daeloness? Jumping to his feet, Fili's eyes searched the campsite, yet she was nowhere to be found. Oh, why had he not bothered to chain her up? He chided himself. Why had he believed that she would keep her word and not try and escape again? He had to be the most gullible dwarf that ever lived!

"Daeloness?" he called out, his poor befuddled mind making one last desperate attempt to believe in her, before he knew he would have to set out in search of her once again. "Daeloness!"

"Yes?" came a voice from the edge of the trees, as the very girl he sought stepped forward with a wooden bowl in her hands. "Did you need something, Fili?" she asked in all innocence, making her way towards the fire.

"Where were you?" he barked, his blood pounding in his ears from the fright she had just given him.

"I heard a quail clucking not too far away and followed the sound to her nest!" she told him with a look of pure glee as she held out the bowl so he could see. "Look! Eggs for breakfast! I realize they are small, but they should provide at least one or two mouthfuls." When she glanced up at him and saw the anger still reflecting in his eyes, her smile faded and she took a step back.

"You should not wander off alone, Daeloness!" Fili loudly scolded her. "What if you had encountered a wild animal…or a party of marauding orcs? Again, how am I to protect you if you do not stay within my sight?" He knew he was being overly harsh, but she had worried him, and he could not seem to get his heart to calm down.

"I…I am sorry," she whispered, looking down at her feet in shame. "I just wanted to surprise you with something new for breakfast…and…I didn't go very far…I promise."

Now Fili felt terrible! Not only for yelling at her, but for not trusting her as well. Had she not promised that she would not run? Still, old fears die hard.

"No…I am the one who is sorry," Fili told her, his voice much more calm this time. "I…I just worry is all. I woke and you were nowhere to be found."

"I told you I would not try and escape again," she reminded him, her eyes looking a bit hurt by his lack of faith.

"I know…and I believe you," he assured her, forcing his mind to work in harmony with his heart. "Just please, do not go off alone like that. It could be very dangerous."

"I won't do it again," she nodded, staring up at him as all conversation seemed to fade. They stood there for a long while, two pairs of blue eyes locked on each other, yet no words were spoken.

Fili could feel that sudden need trying to take control of him once more, urging him to lean in and claim her lips again…and yet he resisted. How he found the strength he never knew, but he did, stepping back and turning away as he took a ragged breath.

"I…I will go tend to the pony," he told her, his voice rough with desire as he stalked away.

Daeloness gave a sigh of regret as she watched him go, for she had silently hoped he might have kissed her again. She was still very unsure as to why he had done so the first time, but she would give just about anything if he would do it again. Instead she turned back to the fire she had started, and picking up the iron pan she began to fix breakfast.

"What is his name?" Daeloness asked after a while, having been watching Fili care for the animal for the past few minutes.

"What?" he asked, lifting his head at the sound of her voice.

"His name…what is the pony's name?" she inquired, stirring the eggs to keep them from burning.

"As far as I know, he has none," Fili answered back. "I have not had him long, for he was given to me at the start of our journey."

"He must have a name," Daeloness insisted.

"Then I give you leave to name him, princess," he laughed, noting her determined look over the matter.

She thought for a while, staring at the disinterested pony for a long time. Fili thought she might have given up on the idea, when she suddenly shouted out.

"Cotton!" she announced with pride. "His name shall be Cotton."

Fili stepped back and stared at the shaggy white pony and nodded…he did look a bit like cotton.

"An excellent choice," he nodded. "Cotton it shall be." Fili then leaned in and whispered in the animal's ear. "And if I were you, Cotton, I would come without delay should our pretty princess ever call…I know I would." And patting its neck, he looked over at Daeloness and flashed her one of his winning smiles.

And there we go, they are back on speaking terms...though it would appear they would rather be on kissing terms instead.

Lets see how they spend the next few days before Thorin, in all his kingly wisdom, decides it is time for the trade.

Poor Fili...talk about caught between a rock and a hard place.