Happy holidays, folks! Here is a chapter to celebrate! Sorry it's so short again. I'm in the process of trying to update several fics today in honor of Christmas. But fear not, I prefer to write chapters of a few thousand words in length rather than one thousand or less. Thank you all who reviewed, I will write out usernames next chapter as my ipod has gone AWOL. Italics are meant to represent the elvish tongue.

Chapter two:

"Tauriel."

The word sounded so distant, so soft that the elleth remained in the comfort of her unconsciousness. The darkness offered warmth, a sense of protection from reality that the female was far from ready to face. The tendrils of sleep still clouded her vision, wound around her limbs tightly as she remained reclined, unaware of the surroundings she was currently in. Though she knew she must awaken, the urge to do so seemed to undesired. The truth that awaited her upon her arousal even more so.

"Tauriel," Legolas murmured, looking down at his fellow friend. "You must wake." With slight emotion evident in his stare, he glared towards the dwarves that gather around the unconscious body of the elleth. "What have you done to her," he inquired coldly to Kili. "I warned you, dwarf. No good was ever to come of any contact between you and that of my people."

"I have done nothing," Kili snapped, concern masked in his own expression. "I...I just spoke to her and she collapsed!"

The brush of the elf's hand against the elleth's forehead was tender at most, fingers delicately smoothing over her temples as he assessed her condition. Brow furrowing, he muttered something under his breath, glancing every so often at the youngest of the Durin line. Kili looked on in confusion, his own stare meeting his brother's before returning its attention to the elf prince. Legolas drew in a breath, a look of displeasure and slight pain crossing his features for the briefest of seconds.

"She is with child," he concluded, swallowing as he turned away.

"What?" Kili broke in. "You mean she's-"

"Pregnant, yes," the prince replied, his stare turning cold as he looked to the dwarf royalty. "This is your doing, is it not?"

"Kili?" Fili inquired, looking to his brother in confusion. "What does...he does not speak the truth, does he? Tell me he lies."

The dwarf did not reply, his attention remaining on the still body of his lover. He had no idea. Absolutely no inference that she was expecting. Had Tauriel known all this time? And if so, had she planned to eventually tell him, if at all? He ignored the sound of his brother's quiet inhale as he turned to Legolas, expression firm as he met the elf's unpleasant gaze.

"Will she be alright?" He asked, glancing over to Tauriel. "I..."

It was then the elleth began to stir, her eyelids fluttering with the slightest of movements. Kili immediately fell to her side, his hands slipping around one of her slender ones as he held it close. He watched her, desperation in his stare as her eyes slowly opened. She gazed upon him, first in confusion and then in fear as she took in the occupants standing in the makeshift tent around her, the sounds of the villagers outside seeming so far away despite their closeness.

"Kili," she whispered, her voice frighteningly hoarse. "I..."

"Shh," he soothed, his mouth forming a relieving smile. "It's alright now. Everything will be just fine, I promise."

"The child," she murmured, her gaze wavering. "Kili, I...the child..."

"I know," he whispered, running his fingers through the slightly tangled locks of her red hair. "I know everything. We're going to be just fine, I swear it. I'll take care of the both of you. You needn't worry now."

Legolas turned away as Kili spoke gently to the elleth, his face drawn into a look of displeasure. His stance stiffened as the dwarf's brother approached his side, looking up at the taller figure with a still expression. Worry and concern was clearly evident in his eyes, a feeling the elf prince equally shared with him despite their differences. With a nod of his head, he motioned for the dwarf to follow him, leading Fili out of the tent and into the open air.

"She will be sentenced to death if my father discovers this," he spoke quietly. "Banished at least."

"But such a harsh punishment for something as simple as love," Fili argued. "You can't possibly believe that-"

"You don't know the king," the prince replied coldly. "She must flee from here before word returns to my father. Elvish and the blood of dwarves were never to mix. And my father will see to it that such will not further succeed."

Fili nodded, glancing back behind them at the entrance they had just exited from. Purity of races seemed to penile to him, though the opinions of others were not of his decision. He inhaled, the thoughts of his uncle, of Erebor, and his unborn kin filling his mind. For now, the elleth would have no choice but to journey with them to the Lonely Mountain. From there, they would have to decide their paths further.

"Go now," Legolas murmured. "I will do what I can. For now, all measures must be taken to protect Tauriel in her condition."

"You have my word," the eldest of the brothers replied. "That I will protect your friend and my brother's love to the best of my abilities, whether death be to find me or not."

The prince merely nodded, peering once more at the tent. "May fate be kind to us then," he muttered. "For time is not on our side."

I personally could see Thranduil having an ideal of purity and being against the mixing of dwarf and elvish blood-more so due to his issues with Thorin Oakenshield and finding Tauriel's interest in the dwarf king's nephew a means of betrayal. Of course, there are much bigger problems than a peeved elven king that Kili and Tauriel have to worry about. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Feedback is greatly loved and appreciated. Let me know, should baby Durin be a boy or a girl? Names? Mention such in the comments! Until next time! -Jen