Hello. We are back again.

I THINK that Fili and Daeloness have just about finished with their private time, so we can safely go back into camp. I really hope poor Cotton is not traumatized by what he might have seen. I will be sure to get him some Pony therapy, just in case.

My thanks to Almara Elf for her guest review. I am glad you are enjoying it!

I found a site that had some dwarf words in Khuzdul, so I tossed in a few of them just for the fun of it. Here is their meaning so when you come across them you won't be like "huh? What did he say?"

Men lananubukhs menu = I love you

azbadu men = My Lady

~X~

~X~

Chapter 11

The rain had all but stopped, leaving only the occasional drops of water falling from the overhang or the nearby trees that could be heard as Fili lay there, staring down at his sleeping princess. He could hardly believe what had just happened, how in the space of a few hours his whole life had changed. He had gone years, after coming of age, wondering if he would ever find his one…and now here she was, curled up beside him, lost in peaceful slumber. Fili reached down and brushed a lock of her golden hair from off her face, relishing the sleepy sound of pleasure she made, and the tiny smile that graced her lips. Lips he had spent the last hour tenderly kissing, and the very ones that had, in turn, eagerly kissed him back.

Fili had been with other women before, both dwarrowdam and females of the race of men, but never had he experienced such fulfillment as he had with Daeloness. Suddenly everything made sense to him, and he felt as if he had at last unlocked the mysteries of life. This was the woman he was destined to be with, and only she could bring him such untold joy. He shuddered to think how lonely his life might have been if he had never met her, never knowing the pleasures that could be found when wrapped in the arms of his one.

He had begun slowly, doing all he could to show her pleasure, seeking to wipe away any doubts she might still have been harboring behind those innocent eyes. Fili knew she had been the one to instigate this, begging him in word and deed to make them one, yet he was not a fool. He knew he needed to take care. Yet with each touch, each heavenly sigh and every tender kiss, the young dwarf could feel her fears melt away, soon to be replaced with excitement and wonder. She had whispered his name over and over as he had explored her body, and he had never recalled it sounding as magnificent as it did coming from the lips of his true love. He, in turn, had spoken many words of endearment to her, enjoying how each one of them had earned him a smile or a perfect sigh of contentment. Even the ones he had chosen to utter in Khuzdul seemed to have the same effect, for the love and utter devotion in his voice spoke louder than the actual words ever could.

Using an amazing amount of restraint and taking his time, Fili slowly worked Daeloness into a passionate frenzy, all the while exploring the succulent taste of her lips and the silkiness of her long golden hair, which was now tangled around his eager fingers. He did his best not to crush her under the weight of his need, yet loving the way his own rough body seemed to fit perfectly against her tender alabaster skin. It didn't take long before he could feel her body coil as tightly as a spring, and pulling away to hover above her, Fili had a perfect view as he expertly shot her over the edge with just the skill of his hands and lips, giving her a mere sample of the pleasures to come. When she had cried out in ecstasy Fili had smothered her lips with his own, jealously keeping her response only for himself, desiring those sounds for his ears alone and no one else. Yet he was far from done with her, having only just begun to show her the meaning of love. It wasn't long before Fili soon realized that he too was sailing uncharted waters, having never experienced anything so right, so near to perfection. He had been born in the Blue Mountains, yet raised to view Erebor as his true home…yet never in all his years had Fili ever felt so content as he had at that moment. Within her arms…he was home.

When the moment came to do as she had asked, to make them one at last, Fili felt a moment of hesitation. He had never taken a maiden before, and from stories he had heard, the young dwarf now feared that he might cause her pain. Yet like his unwavering love for her, their ultimate coupling was equally as gentle, genuine and pure. Just as a riverbank would swell to accommodate a raging flood with ease, so did Daeloness, freely accepting him and his own torrent of emotions, as they at last were united. Never had anything been so glorious, so deeply meaningful as that blessed moment with his one. Fili knew then and there that he was truly lost for all eternity, and he did not regret it for a moment.

After what felt like hours, or was it only mere seconds, both of them reached the precipice and flung themselves over willingly, only to come crashing back down to earth in the most delicious of ways. Fili was utterly spent, having no more energy, or anything else left in him, and he fought to reclaim the ability to think or speak. It appeared that Daeloness had fared no better, and with exhaustion filled eyes, she drifted off to sleep with a dreamy smile on her kiss swollen lips. His heart soared to know that he had managed to please her, that he had succeeded in his ultimate goal.

Yet what was his goal now? To keep her forever, his heart whispered to him as he had settled at her side, bracing himself up on his forearm. And there he had stayed, watching her as if he feared she would fade into the mist if he but looked away. She was his now, in every way that mattered. Fili now truly had something worth fighting for.

"Men lananubukhs menu, my little princess…more than you will ever know," Fili whispered into her ear as he lay his head down beside hers and pulled her close, reaching out to tug the furs up around them. The campfire had long since died out, but they had lit a flame between them that would never be extinguished. Yes, its blaze was more than enough to keep them warm as the night silently slipped on.

~X~

Fili woke to the light of the sun, and blinking his eyes he sat up, instantly taking note that he was very much alone.

"Daeloness?" he called, looking around frantically.

"I am here, my love," her voice spoke from over where Cotton now stood. She came around the side of the pony and gave him a smile that melted his heart. "I did not wish to wake you, for you looked so peaceful in your slumber."

"Only because I was dreaming of you," he confirmed, reaching over and grabbing his breeches, tugging them on before rising and going to her side. He relished the feeling of her arms around him as he took her into his embrace, leaning down to capture her lips in an amazing good morning kiss. "I would have much preferred to wake in your arms however," he told her, yet his smile suddenly faded as he took note of what she had been doing. Daeloness had saddled the pony, quite efficiently it would seem, and was now loading the few supplies they still possessed across his back. "What…what is this?"

"I knew we would need to get an early start, so I decided to make myself useful until you woke," she explained, looking away from his questioning eyes, not at all enjoying the hurt and confusion she saw hovering there. "We have an appointment to keep…Thorin will be waiting."

"Thorin? What…what do you mean?" Fili was aghast by what she was saying. "What are you talking about…you don't actually believe I could now go through with the trade, do you? How can you even be thinking of such things after…after what we shared last night?"

"Fili…please," she begged, trying her best to keep from tearing up, her heart breaking at the pain she heard in his voice.

"Did it mean nothing to you?" he asked in shock and disbelief.

"Oh, Fili…it meant everything to me, how can you even doubt that," she cried, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands. "You were so wonderful…so kind and gentle, it was everything I ever dreamed it would be. I could never thank you enough for what you gave me last night, and I will treasure that memory for the rest of my life."

"A memory?" he growled, pulling back suddenly, as if she had just slapped him. "I offer you my heart…my life, and you wish to think on this as only a memory?"

His reaction hurt her, but mostly since she could see the devastation in his eyes by her words. After taking a few deep breaths, Daeloness wiped at her eyes and tried her best to keep her voice calm and steady.

"Fili, you are a proud and honorable dwarf," she told him, unmitigated pride showing in her eyes as she spoke. "Not only that, you are also a prince, heir to a throne and the kingdom your uncle seeks to reclaim. You were charged with a solemn duty, giving your oath as a warrior to see it completed…and what was that mission, Fili? Tell me."

The golden haired dwarf grew sullen, looking away and refused to speak, for they both knew what his answer would be.

"And what am I?" she continued, about to say more but he cut her off.

"You are my one!" Fili all but shouted, taking hold of both her arms and staring down at her in an almost panicked state.

"Yes…just as you are mine," she agreed, trying to soothe him with her words. "But I am also your prisoner, a bargaining chip and the only means of obtaining the necessary stone that will win back your lost homeland. You and I are both bound by the obligations that have been set before us," she reasoned, every word feeling like a dagger to her heart. She knew that she did not care one lick about what her father or future husband thought, she would sooner see them both rot than to give in to their demands…but she had to think of Fili in all this. Having to choose between his feelings and his duty to his people would destroy him…and she could never do that to him.

"I don't give a damn about obligations…it is you I care about!" Fili roared, rage blazing in his eyes, yet not at her.

"You don't mean that," Daeloness insisted. "Duty and honor have been ingrained in you since birth…it is in every deed you perform, ever word you speak. And what would you have us do, Fili? Would you willingly betray your king…your uncle? Would you throw away the one chance to end the suffering of every dwarf run out of Erebor when Smaug attacked? You would in essence be telling them that their loved ones who died so many years ago, mean nothing. Could you ever look them in the eye again, knowing that you denied them the chance to go home, just so that we might follow our hearts? That is not you, Fili, that is not the dwarf I fell in love with…and I refuse to be the woman who changes you."

The dwarf prince stared at her for the longest time, a battle raging behind his eyes as he fought to deny her words…and yet in the end, he could not. Leaning down he placed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as grief overtook him.

"I…I can't give you up…I can't!" he choked out, the idea practically killing him.

"I don't want to be parted from you either, Fili," she assured him, her eyes brimming with tears at the mere thought. "But what choice do we have? Thus…I will accompany you to the High Plains and there offer myself in trade for the water stone." Moving in, she wrapped her arms around him, laying her cheek gently across his bandaged chest. "And you, my love, you will join your brethren in the battle to win your homeland. We both have a duty to perform, one we might not like or agree with, but it is the path that has been set before us. And yet…I will never regret finding you, or what we shared last night. Never!" She was sobbing quietly by now, and Fili had wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"I could never allow another to have you," he argued, fearing he might crush her if he held her any tighter.

"And I desire no other husband but you, my prince," she whispered. "Yet there is still time, there is a chance that I can escape again, to be free of my title and birthright. And should I succeed…I will come to you, wherever you might be. I swear it."

"Just as I will come for you," he assured her, leaning in and kissing the top of her head, before closing his eyes, his own tears now slipping down his face. "You will not be forced to marry that king. You are mine, Daeloness…forever!"

~X~

Neither one said a word as they finished packing up the camp, the miserable and defeated looks they shared speaking more eloquently than any words. And all too soon they mounted up, Fili holding Daeloness before him, as Cotton carried them away from the place their love had been forged.

The clouds still lingered, but thankfully they were blessed with little to no rain, making their journey easier, yet no less somber. Daeloness knew it would take more than one day to reach their destination, and their travels were made worse due to the fact that Fili seemed unwilling to converse with her. She knew he was hurt, angry and feeling more than a little betrayed, yet what could she do? Daeloness realized, if she had only asked, Fili would have willingly run away with her, the two of them leaving for parts unknown to begin a new life. And they would have been happy…for a time. However, eventually the stalwart dwarf's conscience would catch up with him, along with his sense of honor and duty and he would grow to hate himself for what they had done…and eventually her as well. She didn't want to leave him, for he was now as much a part of her as her own heart. But if he were to complete his mission and retain his principles in doing so, Daeloness knew she would need to willingly sacrifice her freedom. Doing what Thorin had asked was hard enough on him, the last thing Fili needed was for her to fight him on it, to make him feel as if she resented him for something he had no choice in. Thus she had to be the one to insist on it, knowing that in the long run, it was the only chance for them to ever be happy…if, that is, the fates deemed them worthy of an eventual reunion. And for this she could only pray.

As they journeyed on, the pace much slower than she would have imagined, Daeloness took time to reflect on the decision she had made last night. The idea of parting with Fili, and never having shared the most intimate aspect of love with him, had been more than she could bear, leading her to beg him to make them one. She knew it was wrong, that by doing so she was placing her life in jeopardy, should her plans of escape fail and King Palnish or her father ever learn the truth. Yet at the time she had not cared. And as she closed her eyes and thought back over the amazing night they had just shared, Daeloness knew she would never regret her decision for a moment. Fili had been everything she ever dreamed of and more, for he had fulfilled each fantasy, every desire, and done it in a way that left her breathless and longing for more. The feelings and emotions he had brought out of her were ones she would never forget, storing the memory of his touches and kisses deep within her heart, to be pulled out and played back over and over after they were cruelly parted. She would find a way to either avoid her fated marriage, or contrive some means of tricking the water king into believing that she was still a maid. But no matter what…she would never regret lying with Fili…she only hoped he felt the same.

They stopped several times to rest the pony, yet unless it was to ask her if she needed anything, Fili continued to remain silent. When the sun began to lower in the sky, and Fili announced that they would halt and make camp for the night, Daeloness found she could stand it no longer.

"This is hard on me as well!" she railed at him, as he began unloading the pony. "Do you honestly think I want to return to that lonely tower, when I now know exactly what I will be missing? That I would ever be content now that I realize there is a whole world out here…and you?"

"Then why are you insisting on giving it up?" he yelled back, throwing the packs to the ground in a fit of frustration. "It is killing me to think of giving you up…of watching you leave with your wretched father and risk never seeing you again!"

"It is not easy for me either, knowing that once we are parted, you plan to join a battle to take down a dragon?" It was her turn to raise her voice, angry at everyone and everything except him…yet Fili was the only one she could vent her rage upon. "Have you ever given any thought to how I will cry myself to sleep each night, fearing that you might…might…." She stopped there and spun around, covering her face with her hands, unable to even say the words. Thoughts of Fili's mother came to her mind, how she had lost her one, and yet had to live on for the sake of her sons. Daeloness did not know how Dis had done it…how she had forced herself to rise every morning knowing that half her heart was now missing. For should Fili perish in the battle, Daeloness was certain that she would die as well. Death by broken heart.

"Oh, Daeloness," Fili groaned, realizing that he had not only been hurting himself with his silence that day, but her as well. They had so little time left, and he had wasted far too much of it already. "Please, do not cry…it tears me up inside to see you this way." Taking a few steps closer and placing his hands on her quivering shoulders, he slowly turned her around, removing her hands from her face as he tipped her chin up so he could look into her eyes. "Let us not spend our last night arguing," he pleaded, the thought that this could truly be their final evening together leaving a sickening lump in his stomach. "Why don't you make a little fire and prepare us some dinner, while I unpack the gear and take care of the pony? Then, I promise we will talk, and this time it will not be about parting or what tomorrow might bring, but instead, happy things. We will speak about our future, when this nightmare is finally behind us and we are together once again."

"I…I would like that very much," she nodded, wiping her eyes as she did her very best to smile.

"Then get to work, princess," he told her, leaning in for a quick kiss. "It will not take me long to unsaddle Cotton, and by then I believe that I will be extremely hungry."

"You have not been disappointed by my cooking so far," she teased, enjoying their friendly banter once again.

"I never said it was food I would be hungry for, now did I, azbadu men?" Fili informed her, his voice dropping in pitch as a low growl emanated from his throat. He pulled her in for a searing kiss, leaving no doubt in her mind to what he had just been referring. When they parted, they were both left breathless and wanting more, yet knowing that things did need tending, they were forced to part, each one heading off to take care of their assigned job.

~X~

True to his word, Fili did his best to recapture the easy and light rapport that Daeloness had missed all day. They laughed, talked, and when their emotions got the better of them, they held each other and kissed as well. It was during one of these quiet moments that Fili took the opportunity to ask her something that his mind had been toying with all day.

"Daeloness…would you allow me to braid your hair?" Fili questioned, his voice surprisingly unsure, as if worried she might deny him.

To anyone who did not understand dwarf customs, which in all honesty would have been her mere days ago, his offer would have sounded strange, childish even. Yet, Daeloness knew just what he was asking and her heart was deeply moved by his request.

"Fili…I would be honored to have you mark me as your one," she told him, her voice hardly above a whisper. "Yet we will have to do so in a way that no one will notice. It would be rather difficult to explain to your family should they see me wearing a braid that signifies I am your betrothed."

"I will hide it underneath, near the nape of your neck, so that only I will know it is there," he assured her, pulling her closer and then shifting until he could reach around behind her. Gently taking her hair, he swept it over to one side, singling out a small section behind her right ear, his strong warrior's hands becoming ever so gentle as he began to weave each golden strand into an amazingly intricate braid. When he was finished he removed one of the small metal clips from his own hair and secured the end, ensuring that it would remain as a symbol to all that she belonged to him.

Daeloness pulled the piece of hair forward to inspect, loving the sight of it and all that it stood for. In her culture they did not have any such tradition, a silver bracelet engraved with symbols of love being the only thing a man and woman would exchange when being wed. Yet this seemed far more personal, an intimate symbol of their pledge to each other, one she would wear with pride.

"I would offer to braid yours the same way…yet I fear I do not know how," she murmured, turning the little silver clip over and over between her fingers.

"I am more than willing to teach you," Fili assured her, his tone rich with pride and confidence. "Yet I will need to keep mine concealed as well, for while your people would see a braid as only a mere decoration… to my kin, it would be like heralding our bond with a trumpet."

Daeloness moved to where she was kneeling behind him and after separating a piece of his hair from underneath like he had done for her, she followed his directions, taking great pains to make sure that every strand was tucked perfectly in place, until she too had a fine looking braid ready to be clamped shut at the end. Another one of his regular braids quickly forfeited its silver clip, and his was at last finished, meeting the approving eye of its recipient.

"You did wonderfully, my heart," Fili complimented; fingering the braid as he reached out and touched hers at the same time. "My future bride," he murmured in a low voice, as if he could see it all in his mind as truly happening.

"What…what do you think your uncle and your brother would say if they ever found out?" she asked, a bit nervous by the idea.

"When," Fili corrected, a broad smile crossing his face. "You mean when they find out. For I think they might become suspicious when they see us standing before the elders and reciting our marriage vows."

"There will be vows?" she asked, unsure what normally took place at a dwarf wedding. "What kinds of vows?"

"I will promise to keep you safe, to provide for you and always put your needs above my own," he told her, listing off just a few of the ancient oaths. "I will also swear to love you like no other, to bring you happiness at all times, and make the most passionate love to you every night for the rest of our lives."

"That is actually part of the ceremony?" Daeloness squeaked, her face truning red at the thought of him saying such intimate things in front of an audience.

"Well, I might have elaborated a bit with that last one," he admitted with one of his cheeky grins. "But I will swear to you here and now that I will be thinking that very thing in my mind and heart. And you, Daeloness? What vows will you be saying as I take you as my wife before all of Erebor?"

"Well," she began, tapping her chin as she appeared in deep thought, "I will swear to love you, to be your friend, to always listen to your councel - no matter how wrong or pig headed you might be," she told him, earning an amused glare for her jest. "I will also promise to remain at your side, to stand at the ready for your defense and never allow you to feel alone. But most of all, I will offer you my heart, mind and body, whenever you have the need of them, keeping you wrapped in my loving arms until I have fulfilled your every desire."

"I think those are perfect vows," Fili nodded, loving each and every idea. "But you forgot one final thing."

"And what is that, my wise and loving prince?" she asked, looking up at him, affection shining in her eyes.

"To smile, to laugh and never forget that you are mine," he told her, leaning in as if he were going to give her another slow and gentle kiss…but instead he grabbed her around the waist and began to tickle her, causing her to let loose with a squeal of delight.

"Stop! You wicked dwarf!" she shrieked with laughter, finally managing to wiggle out of his grasp and scramble to her feet. "You are bigger and stronger than me and you don't play fair." Daeloness' words were meant to scold, but they were interspersed with so much mirth, that no one would have ever believed her.

"Well, far be it from me to ever pass up an advantage, dear princess," he laughed, also climbing to his feet as he began to advance on her like a hunter stalking his prey. "I fully intend to use every bit of strength, power, and cunning I possess if it will get me what I want."

"Oh? And what exactly do you want, master dwarf?" she inquired, slowly backing away from him, yet the smile never left her face.

"If you cannot read my thoughts through my eyes, my dear, you must either be blind or foolish," Fili chuckled. "And I am pretty certain you are neither of these things." With a speed she was sure no normal dwarf should possess, he leapt forward and captured her in his arms, backing her up a few steps further until she felt herself collide with a large tree. There, with her pinned between a sturdy oak and his broad chest, Fili claimed her lips as his spoils of victory. Ravaging her mouth with his own until they were both panting for breath. When he felt he had given an ample amount of attention to her lips, he moved to the side, nipping at her neck just below her ear, following it down to the hollow at her throat. Here he paused, lavishing the spot with his lips and tongue, his little mustache braids tickling her and causing her to giggle.

"You find something amusing, princess?" he asked between kisses. "You find my ministrations something to laugh about?"

"Oh, no…never," she assured him, still unable to stifle her giggles. "In fact, I find I take your attentions very seriously…especially when I know exactly what pleasures you have to offer." Her tone had gone from amused to sultry in the space of only a few words and the meaning of this was not lost on Fili.

"Shall I take that as an invitation to once again take you to my bed and demonstrate all the different ways I can fulfil your desires, my dear?" he asked, staring at her with such lust in his eyes that he felt her shiver in anticipation.

"Yes…oh, yes," she nodded eagerly, recalling all the amazing things he had done to her body last night. It was said that the skill of the dwarves were in their hands and not their tongues…but Daeloness had more than ample reason to believe that Fili was a master of both.

Without warning, her golden prince scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to where the fire danced merrily. And laying her down on the furs they had shared the night before, he slowly began to divest them both of their unnecessary clothing, once more baring her supple flesh to his eager eyes and hands. Yet, where last night Fili had been able to control himself, wishing to take things slowly and savor every blessed moment of their tender act, tonight he was consumed by a fire that raged within his mind and heart. If tonight were to be the last time they would spend in each other's arms, perhaps forever…he was determined to make it a memory that would never fade. Fili knew that he would never rest until she was back within his arms, yet the possibility that he might die in the battle with Smaug was ever present in the back of his mind. Should he leave this world, he would do so with her name on his lips and the memory of tonight as his final thoughts. And so…he aimed to make it count.

The two lovers were so utterly consumed by each other and their act of love, that neither one of them noticed the spectacular red and blue burst of light in the night sky overhead. The fireworks exploded in a shower of sparks…signaling Thorin's second call to Fili, informing them that the deal to trade the princess had indeed been made.

OH dear, oh dear, oh dear. What will our poor boy do? Will he give her up, will he grab her and run, will he even be given a choice? Tune in on Friday and find out!

So...how did you like this chapter? I will sit here and stare at the computer without blinking waiting to find out. OK?