I Run To You

A/N- Now onto the journey.

I do hope you my dear readers are enjoying the story thus far. This chapter will earn the M rating, but not with a lemon.

Disclaimer- I do not own this world, the main characters and such, but the family of Ludeth and Dinodas are all mine. Lurol and Poppy are my babies. =^..^=

'Thoughts'

Khuzdul

Once more unto the breach.

=^..^=

Chapter 4:

Two days of rain.

Normally any journey had its hazards and mishaps, so a little rain wouldn't normally go amiss. This particular rain storm on the other hand was slowly but surely driving the company mad.

After a discussion with Gandalf about wizards, everyone had fallen silent. It continued this way for a good couple of hours until they happened upon a bridge across a large river. Only this river was out of control and lapping at and over the bridge.

It was the only way across though; this much Gandalf had vehemently stated when Thorin had suggested alternate routes around it. Grudgingly the company watched their leader defer to the wizard, the other knowing this territory better than himself.

Lurol couldn't help but respect that about their leader. He knew when to bow out gracefully, without insult to either side. Her opinion of him had improved with that little decision of his.

In the end it was decided that each of them would cross the bridge one at a time. Thorin went first and was followed closely by the main group of the company; Lurol had crossed with her sister behind her. Bilbo had already crossed earlier this left Kili, Bombur, and Ori.

The river seemed to quiet down a moment as Bombur and Ori crossed the bridge. Kili had waited as long as he could before he finally began crossing himself. A sudden influx of the river sent a large wave of water straight at Kili and his pony. As everyone cried out to warn him, it hit him full blast. Knocking him and the pony from the bridge and into the river.

"Kili!" Yelled Thorin, but before anyone could react Poppy leapt from her pony and dove into the river. In three deep strokes she reached the prince. He'd been fighting the current and was treading water, as she reached out to grip his wrist his head struck a rock and he fell limp.

Cursing Poppy wrapped her arms about him and swam as hard as she could towards the bank. She could feel the cold of the river sapping her strength and the weight of Kili made it very hard to stay afloat. Suddenly another pair of hands gripped her arm and pulled her from the river, taking Kili as well considering she had her arms wrapped about him.

"It's alright lass, you can let go of him." Hearing Dwalin's deep voice Poppy let out a sigh and released her hold upon Kili. She then got to her feet slowly, shaking out as much water as she could. Kili looked very pale and had a bloodied spot on the side of his head. Seeing this Poppy looked around, seeing Oin she rushed over to him.

"Oin, Kili is hurt." Oin blinked before he grabbed a pouch off of his pony and followed her over to where Dwalin had moved Kili. Both then knelt at his side and Oin quickly examined him. Once he'd applied a salve to the wound, he looked around until he saw Thorin.

"Thorin, we cannot move him. He's going to catch a chill if we do not let him warm up." Thorin looked angry for a moment before he nodded his head, "we shall camp here tonight then. Fili get out the extra blankets. Bombur, Bofur get a fire going."

As those three hurried to fulfill their orders, Poppy stared at the young Durin prince before finally coming to a decision. She waited at Kili's side as Bofur built the fire nearby, when Fili appeared with several blankets she quickly grabbed them and set them to the side. She then looked up at him, "help me undress him." Fili blinked in surprise and shock. "What?"

"Just do as she says, she knows what she's doing. She is one of the better healers of hobbiton." Poppy smiled up at her sister. Fili looked between the two of them in indecision before he let out a sigh and nodded his head.

He then proceeded to undress his brother, when he got to his small clothes though he looked at both Poppy and Lurol in slight questioning and Poppy answered. "All of it. We need to get him out of his wet clothes before the cold has a chance to sink in anymore. Even dwarves can succumb to the cold if soaked too long." Fili's cheeks turned pink as he removed the final layers of his brother's clothes.

Poppy hurried to cover his body before she took too long a look, her cheeks turning pink as well. "Lurol would you help dry our clothes?" Lurol just nodded her head with a small smile while Fili looked between them in confusion, "our?" It was with that, Poppy started to shed her own clothes.

The entire clearing went silent at that, sighing Lurol looked over her shoulder at the company. "She's got to share her body heat with Kili. It will help keep the chill off of them both. She got soaked as well, remember? I promise nothing else is going to happen."

Thorin gave a nod and that seemed to end the silence, although Lurol swore she could see a slight tinge of pink to their leaders cheeks. Lurol turned back with a blanket she'd kept tucked under her arm. Fili had turned his back and Poppy nodded to her, so she held out the blanket. Poppy quickly removed the rest of her clothes and slipped underneath the blankets with Kili. Her face felt like it was on fire but she had a job to do.

So reaching out she pulled him close to where their bodies were touching and stayed like that. After a few minutes she could feel the heat slowly returning to Kili's form and knew she'd caught it just in time. She began to grow very warm as well as very sleepy. Kili shifted and had turned towards her and his arm slid over to wrap about her, settling on her upper hip.

Poppy felt her whole body tremble at his touch as she brushed her hand against his cheek, feeling the stubble of his beard. With a small smile she took a few small strands of his hair and braided it, tying it at the end with a bit of thread from one of the blankets. She then hid it in the depth of his hair; she knew what it meant to braid a man's hair but didn't want anyone, including Kili to know. Not yet.

Sighing she settled again and let the heat pull her into a light slumber.

Lurol remained alert and on guard as she sat next to the sleeping couple. She'd seen her sister's little braiding moment and almost had laughed. Almost. She knew now just how serious this had gotten, at least for her elder sister.

Sighing she looked around the clearing and hoped the small relief they'd gained from the rain lasted long enough. It had been raining still when Poppy and Kili had gone under the blankets, the only reason they were semi-dry was the fact that she'd slung the last blanket across some tree limbs above them. It had held off the brunt of the rain at least.

Now though, dark was beginning to fall and the others were bedding down for the night. Bilbo had come over to check on them and she had waved him off with a simple, 'they'll be fine.' He'd still set up his sleeping roll nearby and she had to bite back a smile at that. Seems he was worried still.

She on the other hand knew things would be fine. Kili was young and hale; he'd pull through no problem. Her sister might not be as young but she was strong and stubborn, there was no way a little bit of dampness would slow her down. Especially considering the most recent development.

Only one thing had her a little worried. How would the young prince react once he found out he'd lain naked with a woman? She knew without a doubt it would be a deep blow. Whether a good one or not though, she wasn't too sure. She didn't know him well enough to judge such a thing.

Feeling someone looking at her had her turning her head towards the fire and the others. Her eyes met those of Thorin for a brief moment before she turned her head. That was another dilemma entirely. Over the last few hours they had sat there, Thorin would keep looking at her. Not at where his nephew lay, but at her. It was making her a little uncomfortable, but she knew she couldn't say anything.

It wasn't like he was doing anything bad, he was just looking at her with those deep blue within blue eyes. She felt a shudder as she realized her own thoughts, 'what ails me? Why do his eyes make me feel like he can see into my soul? Why is he looking at me like that?'

Shifting a bit in her current position, she looked down at her sister and the young Durin prince. She needed to think of something, anything, other than those eyes. Thorin might be a king in exile but she, from his eyes alone, knew he'd never truly lost that title. He was still a true king.

When she found herself unable to watch her sister anymore, Lurol leant back against the tree nearby and allowed her eyes to close. In the morning she'd worry about everything, right now all she wanted was sleep.

His first thought as he awoke was that he was pleasantly warm and something smelled wonderful, like fresh pine and flowers.

Blinking at such a thought, Kili slowly opened his eyes. He hissed with pain at the jolt his head got from doing so and he knew this was the beginnings of a raging headache. But he looked around and saw that the company had stopped next to the river, all he truly remembered was being swept off the bridge and how cold the water felt. Not to mention that he could have sworn he saw Poppy leap into the river after him.

He supposed she had gotten him out safely, grunting he shifted under the mound of blankets until he freed himself enough to sit up. As he did so though, he felt something soft slide down his right side and into his lap.

He went stock still when he felt the breeze of the clearing across his bare skin. This is when three things occurred to him almost at once. One, he was naked of that he was certain. Two, he was dry so he must have been out long enough for even his hair to dry. Then came three. There was someone else underneath these blankets with him.

From what he could see it wasn't even morning yet, dawn had yet to break and the current person on guard Ori, was looking at him with a red face and wide eyes. Next to him on his left were Lurol, Bilbo, and Oin. All three were fast asleep as well. He could also make out the forms of all his other companions, save one.

Closing his eyes he took a deep breath before he looked down and felt his whole world freeze.

Poppy was lying across his lap, an arm draped about his waist and from the sight of her bare shoulders and lower back. He was almost certain she was naked from the waist up, if not completely. Feeling his cheeks heat and his whole body stiffen, he gulped in a deep breath as he tried to scoot himself over and away from Poppy. Her arm just tightened around him and he tensed again, thinking he'd awoken her.

She mumbled something before stilling once more and he began to try once more to extract himself from her embrace. He'd just about moved free completely when a voice sounded close to his ear, "I'd best get a move on if I were you Kili, she's liable to wake any moment now."

Closing his eyes in utter mortification at his brother's voice, he finished extracting himself and hurried to cover her with the blankets before taking the clothes Fili held out. He quickly dressed and felt his face burning bright red the entire time. It didn't help that Fili was snorting with barely contained laughter either.

Once he felt comfortable enough he turned to look down at the woman still sleeping under the blankets. "What happened?" His voice was barely audible as he stared at Poppy, unable to believe what had occurred.

"You got washed away by the river; she leapt in and pulled you out safely. After Oin looked at you she decided to share her body heat with you so that you wouldn't catch a chill. Seems she was right to do so, you seem fine to me." Kili blinked at the hobbit as Bilbo stepped closer, his eyes on his cousin as well. "You should thank her Kili."

Feeling his face turning red Kili shrank into his clothes a bit as he cleared his throat about to speak when a deep voice sounded behind him. "Kili, come with me." Straightening up, Kili took a deep breath and turned to look at his uncle. His eyes were dark and there was a look on his face that had Kili feeling as though he was a small dwarfling once more. "Yes Uncle."

As soon as the two had disappeared around a corner and out of ear and eye shot, Bilbo turned to look at Poppy only to see her looking right back at him. "Is he gone?" Bilbo blinked and nodded his head, "hand me my clothes would you Bilbo?" As he did so Bilbo noticed that Lurol was awake as well, a small smile on her lips.

Poppy quickly pulled the bundle from her cousin and burrowing once more in the blankets she dressed as quickly as she could. Once she deemed herself fully presentable, she shimmied out from under the mass of blankets and began to fold them up. Fili stepped up and offered to help her, an offer she accepted.

"Thank you." Blinking Poppy looked to the blonde as he bowed his head to her, "Thank you for what you did for my brother. I owe you a debt that I hope I can one day repay." Poppy felt her cheeks heat and shook her head, "please, Fili. It was the least I could do. Besides, you all would have done the same for me."

Fili looked taken aback and even a little guilty to Poppy's eyes, but she didn't mention it as they finished folding the rest of the blankets. Once finished she thanked Fili for his help once more and left the stunned blonde to his own thoughts as she moved to help get breakfast started.

At the same time around the bend of the nearby hill.

Kili was unable to stop himself from shifting from foot to foot. He was nervous and worried as to what his uncle wished to speak to him about.

He knew just how compromising a situation he was in right now. His mother had made sure to drill it into his head how to treat a lady. Proper behavior and such. After the mess he'd caused by hitting on a married woman, he knew he'd deserved it. But he had been young at the time. Barely in his forties. Far too young to peruse women.

But being stupid and not wanting to back down from a challenge the other dwarrow his age had put forth, he had gone through with it. The look on his uncles face resembled his mother's when he'd been taken home, the husband of the woman he'd approached tugging him along forcibly by the back of his tunic.

As if sensing his nephew's distress and worry, Thorin cleared his throat to regain Kili's attention. "Kili. As you no doubt have guessed, we will be discussing what happened between you and Miss Took."

Kili jumped forward at that, "I didn't do anything uncle I swear." Thorin sighed and shook his head, "I know you didn't lad. I meant on her side. What she did."

Unsure on what his uncle was getting at he stared at him in silence and seeing that his nephew had yet to figure it out, Thorin reached out and pulled out from behind Kili's ear, a braid. A courting braid.

Kili felt his face heat and his body warm at the implications of such a thing. She'd done it while he'd been asleep, had hid it and had lain naked with him. Looking to his uncle, Kili felt his heart beginning to race. "Does this mean she...she loves me?" Kili gulped as the last bit of his question came out almost a squeak.

Kili didn't know what to do. He'd never been liked by women of their village back home. He'd been shunned if anything. He had no beard after all, what kind of man was he? But here was a warm and kind woman, albeit only half-dwarrow, whom had shown more than great interest in him. She'd risked her very reputation and future to make sure he wouldn't fall ill. And now there was the braid.

He reached up and touched it, almost in awe of it. He'd never received and braids, he hadn't earned it yet. He straightened and snapped back to attention when Thorin cleared his throat. "I cannot say what her motives were, but Kili," Thorin paused as he placed a hand on Kili's shoulder. "You must take her aside and find out. Keep it to yourselves if you can, until the matter is settled once and for all. Understand?"

Taking a deep breath Kili looked his uncle square in the eye, "yes Uncle. I understand."

"...oppy. Hello, anyone in there?" Blinking Poppy looked up at her sister in surprise, "sorry Lurol, I was wool gathering." Shaking her head, Lurol sat down next to her sister. "Well, first. Your meal has gone cold. Second, I know something is on your mind and I am almost certain it has to with a certain someone. And finally, I know what you did sister. Do you think it's wise?"

Poppy felt her face redden as she poked at her meal once more; she knew she couldn't lie to her sister. Lurol always found her out when she tried but she knew she had to give it a shot anyway. "I am not sure of what you speak sister, I merely helped him heal."

She kept her face turned away but could feel Lurol as she shifted closer, "do not try to hide it, I know what you feel for him. You've always been easy to read sister." Poppy sighed and leant against her sister, "I'm not sure why I did it, but I couldn't stop myself. I've never met another like him before, of course, I've never really encountered many dwarrow anyway."

Pausing Poppy shook her head, "sorry I'm babbling." Lurol pulled her closer and leant their foreheads together. "I do not mind, babble away. Remember what mother taught us? Everyone needs to vent sometime." Poppy just laughed and looked at everyone around them, "Thank you Namad, I needed that."

She quickly ate her breakfast, grimacing at how cold it was but ate anyway. She was just about finished when Kili and Thorin returned. Thorin looked over at them with an almost appraising look before he moved to get himself his own breakfast. Kili on the other hand came over and sat on the other side of Poppy; he didn't say a word, just sat there.

Lurol raised a brow at this, Kili looked at her with pleading eyes and she knew. She gave her sister another hug before she pulled away and stood, she looked between the two of them before she turned and walked away. Poppy watched her sister leave with wide eyes before she started to stand as well, preparing to return her plate to Bombur.

Kili's hand shot out and gripped her wrist, stopping her from rising completely. "Please, stay. We need to talk." Sinking back down, Poppy took a deep breath hoping she was prepared enough for whatever Kili wanted to speak about. "Alright then, let's talk."

A/N- A Cliff Hanger I know...but I needed to stop here for good reason. I do hope you all have been enjoying thus far.

Dwarvish-

Namad: Sister

I am excited for the next chapter and hope you all are too.

Till next time.

May the Fluff Be With You!

=^..^=