I think everyone will loooooove this chapter! *wink *wink!

chp 29

Past the door that Kili opened, they stood on a small stoop that overlooked an open in the mountain. Tauriel was shocked to see it was very large and completely open to the sky, which by now, was all twilight. She could not believe there was something this beautiful in the middle of a mountain! There were many trees and growing things here. One side, the one that backed up to the mountain even had an immense waterfall coming from the upper reaches of rock and landed in a large shallow pond. Many of the Ravens had their homes here in the trees and tauriel could hear them lightly tittering. Her heart lept and she was practically breathless as this place so reminded her of her home. She put her hand over her heart, "Oh, Kili..." was all she managed to get out. He was watching her raptly and reveled in her beautiful and awed expression with huge grin on his own face. "I've been wanting to show this to you for awhile. Of course our gardens will need much tending since its been so long since they had proper care. Maybe you could help us with that," Kili smiled as he winked at her. "How...how, did this come to be Kili?" Tauriel asked.

"Well...of course, we dwarves don't have much a palette for many foods, but at one time, the mountain was host to many a visitor so we needed to have supply of fruits, nuts, fresh water and the like, so this area was leveled off and made into gardens," Kili replied. "Can I see more?" Tauriel asked and he gave her another huge smile, "of course," to this he held out his hand and she grasped it lovingly, heat exchanged from their touch and they both felt tingles of electricity going up their arms. They descended the few steps down to the main level. They walked along the edge of the pond still holding hands while Tauriel looked all around, taking in as much as possible. They walked a little further and Tauriel stooped down, Kili also kneeled next to her. She put her hands on the dusty leaves; she could see that there were indeed the remnants of many plants and other once living things here. They would need to be coaxed back to life, but the foundation was good, and she knew that's all things needed to grow and thrive.

With these thoughts in her head, she looked over to Kili who was patiently sitting next to her, drinking in her happy contentment; and all of a sudden she slid next to him, cupping her one hand and slowly slid it over his jaw. The sensation was unusual for her, she had never felt anything like it - but it wasn't at all unpleasant, in fact it was not just her hand tingling but she could feel that electricity run through the entire length of her body. She was now very close to Kili and she could feel the heat radiating out from him. Sitting on the ground next to each other, they were the same height and when she cupped Kili's jaw she could see his pupils dilate, surprised by what she had done. Emboldened by her actions, he raised a hand, fingertips brushing strands of her hair and moving on so his fingers wove through her long silky hair, his thumb resting underneath the curve of her cheekbone and the other strong four fingers just below her ear and at the back of her neck gently pulled her closer to him where their lips met.

She pushed any thoughts of hesitancy out of her mind and finally, willingly let her body take over. She leaned into his embrace, keeping her one hand along the side of his face and her other hand, even whole forearm was pressed against his chest, and Kili's other arm at her lower back pulled her closer to deepen their embrace. She could feel the strong muscles under his shirt and the deep pound of his heart, their mouths parting slightly to taste the rich sweetness of the other.

Under the twinkling stars their innocent first embrace lasted awhile, both only leaning back to catch their breath and then slowly let go of each others arms. Not knowing what to say for a long period of time, they just looked at each other. Tauriel was the first to speak..."yes," was all that she said, as she looked at Kili. He blinked his eyes and smiled at her with a quizzical look as he tilted his head slightly. She continued, looking deep into those amazing coppery hazel eyes with the golden glow, "do you remember, not so long ago, when you asked me a question?" He continued his puzzled look, so she elaborated, "although you may not have realized it at the time it was me you were asking of it."

He thought for a moment, then slowly the realization came to him and he smiled; if not also slightly blushing. He looked away from Tauriel and up at the stars, "I guess I should have realized when I woke up in Laketown, healing from my arrow-wound, that you were the one that healed me...had saved me, yet again." Tauriel noticed the slightest hint of embarrassment in Kili's last words. She took his hand in hers and patted the top with her other hand which caused him to break his gaze with the sky and look into her eyes with the silvery glow; "Kili, my beautiful, brave Prince...for many a long years I have existed. And by existed I mean, I have walked this earth, I have learned and done many things...but now, looking back, I cannot say I truly have ever lived, until I met you that day in the forest." His eyes seemed misty, but after a few moments, a slight chuckle escaped from him, "ahh, yes...on another occasion where you happened to be rescuing my backside."

She didn't perceive any embarrassed tone in this last statement, so she squeezed his hand a little more and said, "remember when I said we know not what designs the Valar have for us; perhaps us meeting and continually finding ourselves in each other's presences...maybe we are to play a part in some future that has been written, but is not known to us at this time." He looked back up at the stars, which seemed to be twinkling back at them and Tauriel noticed Kili seemed sad and with a heavy heart. "Kili...?" she asked. He sniffed, dropping his gaze from the sky and finally looking back into her eyes and squeezed her hand back. "Never in my all short lifetime have such weighty concepts been pressing at the forefront of my mind, Tauriel. My life was one of exploring, fun, fighting and yes, recklessness," he noted Tauriel smirked at this, "If what you're saying is true, I guess...I just wish..." he struggled for the right words..."I wished I would have paid attention all along to the lessons my brother and uncle were trying impart on me, for all those years."

Tauriel sensed he was close to breaking down again with the fresh remembrances of his fallen kin so she scooted closer to him and put her other hand on his back and rubbed it gently (not knowing why she needed to do this, but just following her instincts), which seemed to stave off his increasing punctuated breathing. "Kili, everyone must bear the weight of responsibility as the years peel away, you are not the first and will not be the last. However, yes, most do not have to face the mantle of kingship, as you will have to." She could feel a slight shuddering sob flow through his body, and continued with her soothing words, "do not fear the unknown, my love. As I said, once I met you, the path and purpose to my life became clear; and nothing with steer me from it, now that we are on that road, together. I will never stray from you and will always be by your side, no matter what we are to endure, even though the road may be a hard one to weather."

His sniffling slowly stopped and he leaned into her and nuzzled his head into her neck. She held him tight and caressed him for awhile longer, smoothing his long hair and his brow and cheeks. After a bit, he pulled away, "damnit Tauriel, why do I always seem so weak and helpless around you," he said half joking, but half serious at the same time. "Because, my love, your burdens are much greater than mine and I will do whatever I can to help you carry the weight of them." They sat there for awhile, Kili thinking, but then shook his head and had a perturbed look. "Wait... Tauriel...I remember...being on Ravenhill. We were fighting the orcs, but...I thought I saw you arguing with your king. He seemed very displeased it looked. I remember being torn between following my uncle and brother and coming down to see what had happened."

Now it was Tauriel's turn to look away. "It...it is nothing for you to worry about, my love." Kili searched for her hands and took them in both of his, forcing Tauriel to look at him. "Why was Thanduil so upset with you Tauriel?" Kili asked sternly. She looked away from him and tried to pull away, but he did not relinquish his grasp. He could sense her sad emotions and said quietly, but firmly, "Tauriel...please tell me. Tell me what happened between you and your king." She sighed slowly and deeply, her chest heaving and letting much air out of her nose...but she did eventually begin. "It was because...because I chose you," Tauriel said quietly.

"The King was just going to leave, even though we knew you and your kin were going to be overrun and I would not permit him to desert his allies again. I pulled my bow against him, blocking his exit...and...and he cut it in two with his sword." Kili listened, going from sadness to fury as she told him her tale. He grasped her hands again, "Tauriel...you have great burdens too...it's not just just me. I'm so sorry that you have had to deal with this," he shook his head, "all on account of one stubborn, reckless dwarf." She acknowledged his concern by smiling and squeezing his hands back. "Did you see him after that? I mean...did you talk with him about what had happened?" Tauriel looked up and said, "yes, actually I did. It was when you were gravely injured, and I thought...I thought I had lost you. He came, and, well...he actually acknowledged that my feelings for you were real. I think he was trying to make amends with me. After that, he was gone...he took my injured and slain kin and the rest of his army home, without so much a word to anyone." Kili watched her with a worried and concerned look at these last words, wondering what this may portend for the future.

They sat there awhile, lost in their thoughts. Kili sighed, as if coming to a resolution in his mind. He grasped her hands, "Tauriel, I know, yes, our road ahead may be difficult... trying to overcome the stupid prejudices of our kin, but I pledge to you- I will never give up on you either and we will face whatever comes our way, together." She looked lovingly into his eyes and caressed his jaw. Then she laid her head beside Kili's neck and he put both arms around her and held her tight. They sat there, together, in each other's arms for a very long while, just looking at the stars. A long while later, Kili gave an enormous yawn. Loathe they were to get up and out of each other's embrace Tauriel said, "Come my Prince...let us get you to your bedchamber where you can get some much needed rest." He raised an eyebrow at her; she demurely batted her eyes and said, "I told you I was not going anywhere...but as for tonite...you are, you're headed straight to bed."

He rolled his eyes but took his hand in hers and they strolled back the way they had come, meeting no one on their way. Passing the outer, public chambers, they descended a side staircase and took a turn off the first landing. Kili wanted to make sure Tauriel got back to her room okay. When they reached her doorway, he wanted to mention about tomorrow, as it just entered his mind; happy they were to have had thought of none of the other pressing concerns in these few hours.

"Tauriel, I'm afraid I will be busy much of the day tomorrow. Balin has me 'bout run ragged with all these meetings and negotiations. I will make sure breakfast is sent to you, and I will try to catch up with you some time in the afternoon, if that's okay." He said it like he was genuinely worried that she would say it wasn't okay..."yesss...my love," she purred. His eyes sparkled, remembering her earlier "yes" and the very heavy meaning behind it...this spurred him to reach one hand up the side of her neck. He intertwined his fingers into her hair, then moving to the back of her neck and brought her head down to meet his. "Amarlime," he whispered and hungrily searched out her mouth. He backed her against the wall...and she didn't resist. One hand still grasping her down to him, the other cupping the graceful curve of her hip bone, gently but insistently pulling her towards his body. Tauriel allowed herself to be pushed up against the cold stone wall. The competing sensations of the ice cold stone and the incredible heat coming in waves from Kili's passionate embrace sent her whole body into sensory overload. She wrapped her arms above his shoulders deepening their kiss. The reveled in each other's passion, heedless of the disapproving eyes that watched them in flickering candlelight of the hallway.

Their first intimate moments together finally were complete bliss. Kili so wanted to continue. Continue tracing every curve of her beautiful form. Explore every smell and taste of her...but he would not force himself like that, on her. They breathlessly, slowly slightly backed away from each other, but held each other in their arms until their breathing slowed to normal. "You...you should go and get some rest, my love," she said raggedly. He ran his strong fingers through her soft hair and stood on his tiptoes to touch his forehead to hers. "Yes, Amralime," I'm a'headin that way," he yawned, "just wanted to make sure you got back to your room okay." Tauriel narrowed her eyes, "Master dwarf- let us not forget who has saved who...on multiple occasions, I might add." He leaned up and gave her a quick, sweet kiss on the lips, "Well, it is high time I returned the favor, m'lady." They gave each other one last smile for the evening and he watched Tauriel enter her room and he closed the door. As he walked jauntily back the long way to his chamber, all he could thinking about was that...yes...yes, she could love him.

ohhh...I'm so happy I could finally bring "them" to this point! I couldn't wait for you guys to read it!...Waddaya think? :)