Just as the journey to the lake had been lengthened by dread, the return journey was shortened by joy. They rode side by side, hands clasped, occasionally talking but more often silent, and looking at each other more than the road. The sun set to their left in a gaudy display of pink and gold, and one by one the stars appeared above them, and on they rode through the twilight and into the dark. A couple of miles from Erebor Fili felt his pony tiring, and to spare it, he dismounted to lead both ponies by their bridles.

Through the darkness he saw the lights of the guard posts at the great gate, and he pointed them out to her.

"Look, Sigrid love, we're nearly home." When she didn't answer, he looked up to see that she was dozing in the saddle. She was upright, but with her eyes closed, holding on to the saddle and swaying with every step the pony took. As they approached the gate, Fili saw a guard come out to meet them, and at that moment, Sigrid swayed and started to fall. Fili caught her in his arms. She briefly woke, put her arms around Fili's neck, and closed her eyes again.

The guard rushed forward in concern. "My lord, is the lady well?"

"The lady is well, Hamber, just tired. Be so good as to take the ponies, and I'll take her to her chamber." Hamber bowed and took the ponies' bridles and led them off towards the stables.

Fili nestled Sigrid's head next to his and carried her gently in his arms through the great gate. As full as the Mountain was with guests for the New Year's feast, he was thankful not to run into anyone else as he made his way down the corridors to her chamber. He pushed open the door, eased her through and pushed it closed behind him, pleased to see that a fire had already been laid in anticipation of her return, and laid her gently on the bed. He took off her boots, and she sighed and snuggled into the soft quilt. As he moved to step away, he felt her catch hold of his hand, and he turned to see that her beautiful grey-blue eyes were open, and he could see the firelight reflected in them.

"Stay."

He gazed at her tenderly, and said nothing. Then he grinned an impish grin, all sunny blue eyes and dimples, and he kicked off his boots and coat and climbed into bed next to her.

They rolled into each other's arms. Sigrid raised her lips to kiss Fili's neck, and he smoothed back her hair from her face. She continued to press kisses down his neck towards his chest, swirling lightly over his skin with the tip of her tongue, and tugged at his shirt. He caught her wandering hands and brought them to his lips for a kiss.

"You're tired, love. We've got forever. Get some sleep."

"I slept on the horse."

"You fell off the horse, as I recall."

"And as I recall you made me a promise. You wouldn't renege on a promise, would you?"

He grinned and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Peace! Lady of mine, I will honour my promise." Then just for the mischievous pleasure of hearing her say it, he added, "What was this promise again?"

In one fluid movement she straddled his waist, grabbed his wrists with her hands and pushed them back onto the bed over his head. She leaned in until her lips were a hair's breadth away from his and whispered, "Next time. Gentle."

Fili abruptly flipped Sigrid over, and it was her turn to have her wrists pinned above her. With mischief glinting in his eyes he brought his lips down to Sigrid's as if to kiss her, stopping tantalisingly close, his braids brushing her cheeks, and purring, "At your service, my love."

He sat up and peeled off his shirt and breeches, and her hands went immediately to the hard planes of his chest, but when she sat up to taste his skin again he gently lowered her back to the bed and said, "Another promise for you, my love – next time, your way. But just for now, I want you to relax." He could see her eyes flash as she considered defying him, but then she smiled a deliciously wicked grin that sent desire stabbing through his body, and nestled herself back onto the bed.

He locked his eyes on hers and he began removing her clothing, slowly, sliding off each piece without breaking his gaze, until she was naked beneath him. Lastly his fingers reached for the love knot he had bound into her hair, and he slowly unwound it and let the waves of honey gold cascade down around her face and shoulders on the pillow. Only then did he run his eyes and then his hands down her body, lightly and slowly, reverently, watching the flickering light of the fire reflect in her eyes and glint off her hair and skin.

"Ah, Sigrid mine, how beautiful you are," he murmured. He positioned himself near her feet, and lifted one to his lips. He caressed the smooth skin of her legs with his hands, and then began raining torturously slow butterfly kisses along its length. He moved slowly up her thigh towards her centre, but stopped short, tenderly placed her leg back down on the bed, and lifted the other one in his hands. Again he applied the slow exquisite torture of his kisses, up and up, once again stopping achingly short of the place she most desired his lips.

"Amrâlimê, I want you to roll over," he whispered, and she complied, rolling onto her stomach with her chin resting on her hands. He began kissing his way up the length of her spine, using his hands to explore the smooth planes of her back and waist, and when he reached the top, he lifted her hair away from the nape of her neck and kissed it, gently biting and swirling against her skin with his tongue. A light sheen of perspiration had broken out over her body, and he tasted it as he ran his tongue back down her spine to the small of her back, using his hands to trace the graceful curves of her backside, and he smiled as he felt her shudder with pleasure.

"Now roll back, please." She was slower to comply this time, languorously reluctant to move muscles that were so completely relaxed. When she finally rolled to her back and met his gaze, her eyes were so concentrated with heat that his breath caught in his throat. She reached up and tangled her fingers in his braids to pull him down to her mouth. He let her drink her fill, then resumed the slow worship of her body, kissing down the length of her neck to her shoulders. He moved down to take each of her breasts into his mouth in turn, slowly laving and teasing her nipples with his tongue, and he felt her back arch and her hand slide into his hair as she moaned his name. He continued down her body, dipping his tongue into her navel, and then, with one last look into her eyes, he bent his head and slid his tongue into the folds of her sex.

He used his fingers to spread her apart, giving him greater access to her slick bud, and alternated between swirling wet passes of his tongue and languorous sucking with his lips. She moaned into every stroke, and when he moved his hand to slide a finger into her core, sliding it slowly in and out of her wet heat, she arched her back and flung her arms wide to grasp the quilt beside her. He slowly increased his speed, until he felt her muscles contracting around his finger and heard her cry out, her hips bucking under his mouth, but not letting go until she had crested the wave and her shuddering body collapsed on the bed.

Panting, she pulled his head up towards her, and he crawled up her body, planting kisses as he went. When he reached her mouth he delved into it with searching thrusts of his tongue, which she met with equal intensity. He settled himself between her legs, and she reached down between them to guide him inside her. He filled her, holding her close, and he slowly began to move, excruciatingly building her again towards her peak, straining to hold himself back as long as possible. When he could finally hold back no longer and plunged over the edge, she followed close behind him, their hands clasped and their ragged breathing mingling with damp kisses and whispered words of love.