A/N Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and follows! If you are impatient when your waiting for me, check out MissAnnieV's fic Fading Starlight for more Kiliel.
Kili slept calmly against her side, long after the sun had risen in the east. Tauriel looked down at the dwarf. He curled against her side, smiling lightly. She watched as he woke up, blinking a few times.
"You look well." She whispered, smiling down at him. "However, you'd be even better if you took a bath." She stated before he had a moment to speak.
"I don't want to get up." He mumbled, rolling onto his side and wrapping an arm around her in an attempt to make the elf stay in bed.
Tauriel rolled her eyes. "You are not a child, It is time you get clean." She slid out from under his arm and stepped out of the bed.
She walked over to the small table and slid her boots out from under the table, sliding them onto her feet. She tied her daggers back on her belt, but chose to leave her quiver on the table. Her bow was in pieces back in Dale, and she had no arrows.
Tauriel felt a pang of regret, remembering all she had given up at the lonely mountain. Her hand lingered on the shell, tracing over the lines. She pulled her hand away and turned back towards Kili.
The dwarf had mostly fallen out of the bed, still clinging to the sheets in a vain attempt to stand. Tauriel smiled and laughed to herself, the price she paid was worth it. She swept to his side and pulled him up by the arms, setting him back on his feet.
He looked up and smiled cheekily at her, his eyes widening and his face falling as his knees buckled. Tauriel quickly snatched the collar of his coat, hauling him back to his feet. This time, she kept a steadying hand on his back. "Can you wa-"
"Yes." He cut her off with a defiant and determined look in his eye. "I will walk."
Tauriel offered her hand as support to him, and after a moments hesitation he took it. The two walked slowly out of the small room and made their way down the hall. They did not make it far before one of the elves came to help them.
"If you follow me, I can show you to the bathing chambers." The male elf stated, guiding them down the hall.
He and Tauriel made polite conversation, discussing the sunrise and the day. After some time they arrived at a small chamber. Kili was doing his best to hide how hard he was breathing.
"The dwarf may bathe within." The elf stated, opening the door for him.
Tauriel looked down at Kili. He met her gaze and nodded, stepping away from her. Each step was slow and heavy, but he was walking on his own. The elf shut the door behind him. He pulled out a small, plain, wooden tab and hung it on the door handle. He lead Tauriel to another door a few rooms away.
"You will find a fresh set of clothes within the chamber. The dwarf also has a set of clothing in his room." The elf pulled out a second tab and hung it on the door handle before swinging it open for her. "If that is all, I will take my leave." He turned and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Called Tauriel, stepping towards him. "Can you tell me why Galadriel sent the eagle?"
The elf shook his head. "I do not know, but my lady shall reveal only what she wishes." He turned and continued to walk away. This time, Tauriel let him.
She entered the small room and shut the door. The air wrapped around her like a warm blanket. There was a small pool a few yards off from the door. By the wall, there was a stout table with a new green dress folded carefully. Beneath it were a set of ankle high boots.
Tauriel slid her boots off and nudged them under the table. She took her daggers and laid them beside the new dress. These garments would probably be destroyed if she were to leave them in the room. The elf slid out of her dress and folded it beside the new one, setting her corset and belt on top.
She walked forward to the edge of the pool. The surface was steaming gently, and there was water bubbling up from the middle of the pool. Deep below the surface it disturbed the sandy spring was surrounded by a stone wall, and along the edge there was a small stone bench that rested a few feet below the surface. There was a shallow channel in the stone floor that ran to a shielded grate It allowed water to leave, but no one to look in.
Tauriel stepped carefully into the warm water and sat down on the bench. The water just barely covered her shoulders. She sat for a while, allowing her muscles to relax and the heat to ease away the aches and pains.
After some time, she unfastened the braids in her hair, setting the clasps off to the side. The elf ran her fingers through her thin hair, finding it to be snarled and very dirty. She pushed off the stone bench and flipped onto her back to float in the water.
Her hair began to drift in the water, spreading away from her scalp and allowing the water to wash away the grime. After some time she swam back to the wall and sat on the edge, allowing her feet to stay in the water. She combed her hands through her wet hair and set to braid it yet again, fastening it with her little silver clips.
Tauriel stood and dressed in the forest green dress that had been placed on the table. The arms fit nicely, allowing for movement but they did not billow too much. The skirt, she noticed with a small frown, trailed on the ground. Tauriel sighed somewhat unhappily while she fastened her belt. It would not do to wear this dress for long.
She fastened her daggers to the belt and looked between the boots. While the shorter boots were more practical with this type of dress, she longed for something familiar. Tauriel stepped into her tall, worn boots and tied the bracers back on her forearms. She gathered the rest of her clothing and set the short boots on top.
Holding her head high, Tauriel walked out of the warm room and into the hall. She moved down the hall towards Kili's chamber. She tapped on the door, listening for the dwarf.
She could hear a loud grunt and heavy footfalls through the wood. After a few seconds, the dwarf opened the door. He was breathing hard, and his hair shone with water. His clothes were too large for him, but better fitting than she had expected.
He looked away from her, obviously self conscious about the clothing. Tauriel smiled softly at him and quickly swept into his room, adding his old clothing to the pile in her arm. She stood behind him and rested a hand on his back.
"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Kili." She whispered, nudging him to start walking.
He stepped forward slowly, wrapping an arm around her waist for support. He stayed quiet, refusing to make eye contact.
Tauriel sighed and continued to walk with him, letting him keep his silence. They stayed this way until they reached their room.
Once the door was closed behind them, Tauriel squeezed Kili's shoulder and slid out of his grip. She set the clothing back on the small table before returning to Kili's side. He was breathing hard and swaying slightly on his feet.
Tauriel bent down and pulled him into her arms before he could protest. She walked to The bed and set Kili down so he was leaning against the headboard.
She knelt beside the bed and reached out to put her hand on his cheek. He slowly lifted his hand to rest on hers. Kili lifted his eyes to meet Tauriel's.
"I have nothing." He whispered with tears in his eyes. "I've been stripped of everything I have. My family, my home, and my pride."
"No." Tauriel stated firmly. "You have not been stripped bare. Your mother is alive, and she will be making her way to Erebor. You have not been banished from the mountain, and your people have regained control. And if a change of clothing has caused you to lose your pride and hope, you are not half the dwarf I thought you were." She met his gaze, daring him to argue.
"Tauriel, you don't understand," he began. "You could nev-"
"Don't you dare." She spat, pulling her hand away from his face and standing. "I have lost more than you will ever know. I watched my parents die when I was still very young. Thranduil and Legolas found me and took me in. Because of this war, I have been banished from the only home I have ever known." She turned away from him, hiding the pain on her face. "Because of this war I have lost my home, my family, and my confidence. I continue on Kili, I do not let this loss stop me. Don't you dare tell me that the pain is too great for you to continue."
Kili looked startled by her outburst, and after a long, tense silence he sighed heavily. "I am sorry Tauriel." He stated bashfully. "You're right, I'm a lot more fortunate than I thought."
Tauriel took a deep breath, calming herself. "I'm going to clean your clothes. Do not leave this room." She ordered, picking up the small pile and leaving in a hurry.