Chapter 9

Sorry for the long wait. Very busy weekend.

Ade and Tomtom walked back to Kili hand in hand. The wind rustled the branches overhead. Birdsong was cheerful despite the sadness around the small valley. Ade hesitated as she observed Kili still sitting on the blanket. A pile of grasses and stems in his lap shifting with the breeze. Kili kept pulling them in his nervousness. His hunter's ears detected their arrival.

He stood up in a hurry, scattering his pile. Ade stopped walking. Tomtom stopped as well and glanced down at his dear friend.

"I think I need to speak with him alone for a while. Is that alright?" Ade asked nervously.

Tomtom furrowed his brow. Privacy was only when certain body functions needed attending to. He gave her a confused look.

She bit her lip and let out an anxious breath. "I need to explain. I need to understand this. Something tells me to do this alone. But don't go far," She squeezed his hand tightly. "I'm scared."

Tomtom did not understand this thinking thing. He did not like Ade going to the dwarf alone. It made him upset to see her scared, to see Ade unhappy. Tomtom liked Kili. But, he would hurt him if he tried to make Ade even sadder.

Tomtom hugged her. Then he let her go and pointed to a place nearby. They could have their private talk. However, he could be at her side in seconds.

It was enough for Ade. She gave him a slight smile. He let her hand go and turned to leave. Ade left her hand hang there, in the air for a moment. She stared at it, realized she was trembling. Ade remembered a time long ago when she was given her marks. Ade shuddered as a chill ran down her spine.

Kili cleared his throat. He gave the two friends their moment, but he could see her trepidation, Ade's pain. Like Tomtom, he wanted to end now.

"Don't be." Kili said, his voice rough.

"Don't be scared? Aren't you?" Ade asked fearfully. Her fingers were twisting her golden curls into knots. She wasn't entirely what had her so terrified. Kili hadn't run. He wasn't brandishing some weapon or stone to end her.

Kili nodded, "Truthfully, yea, I am."

"I knew I was hideous." Ade's eyes went down and she wrapped her arms around her body.

"Oh, no, Ade not of you. But what I've done to you. I was rude. I was an ass. I'm scared we can't go back to the way things were." Kili explained.

Ade's eyes grew huge. She came a few cautious steps closer and so did Kili. "But I'm scarred up, marked as an outcast." She added in a whisper.

Kili reached out to her face and she drew back frightened. Kili replied gently, "I won't hurt you. I swear by Mahal. I will not harm you," he added in afterthought, "or Tomtom either."

She stood still. His rough hands caressed her cheek for a second. Then his thumb traced the white scar. She shuddered.

"I'm sorry," Kili said softly. "It was rude of me to stare. But you are far from ugly. I was just surprised."

"It's alright, I imagine I'm really ugly. Course I know some peoples celebrate scars. But not mine. Mine are a warning, a reminder." She dropped her head and shook her curls to cover her face.

Kili shook his head. "Please Ade. You don't need to hide from me."

"But, I've read books. What they do to outcasts. Burn them. Stone them." She shuddered.

Kili smiled. "This is your home. I'm the intruder," He brushed golden curls from her face. "I have more scars than you, probably Tomtom too. If we're gonna cast out people for that, I'm first." He tried to lift her spirits. "And I imagine Tomtom can throw me pretty far, but I'll bounce."

She gave him a slight smile at the last comment. Kili gave her his most charming smile, "I get into trouble back home. On the journey, hell, anywhere. Crazy things. But always, I bounce back. Come back for more."

"Would you come back here?" She asked timidly, not sure why.

"Yea, I would, but," should he asked her about Fili now?

Ade tilted her head in curiosity, "But what?"

"I want to bring my brother Fili. I've told you so many stories about us. You two would love him as well. I know he'd love this place and the two of you. Can I do that? Will you trust me enough to allow me to tell my brother? I promise, you two won't regret it." Kili's words went out in a rush.

Ade smiled. "Yes, I think I would love to met your wonderful brother, but he wouldn't be scared by my uglitudeness?"

"Only by the savage act that caused the marks to placed on your person. Please, Ade, how did this happen? Does this horrible person still threaten you and Tomtom? Cause if he does, I will end him." He took her hand in his.

She felt his rough skin against hers. Unlike Tomtom's Kili's hand covered hers snuggly. It was weird.

Ade shrugged. "I have no idea." Revenge was something in books she had read. She had no use for it. It would not bring back her father, nor the others. It was so long ago. "They cannot enter the valley unless the gate is opened. Tomtom and I haven't opened it for ages. When we have its only for a few hours. There is nothing out there we need."

Kili swallowed his rising anger. "So can you tell me who did this? Please. I want you safe."

"I am safe. You going after them will not make me safer. Keeping the gate closed that will." She let go of his hand. "I'm not part of your tribe."

"You're a Longbeard. By your father, you are a child of the Lonely Mountain. My Uncle Thorin keeps drilling into our heads about protecting our people. You're our people." Kili reasoned with Ade.

"I can't be. I'm a keeper of Everpeace. I have no loyalty to any sovereign or any land beyond these walls. My allegiance is to the library, to knowledge and art. It is an oath I hold as dear as any you've made. I know it." She explained patiently.

Kili raised his head to look at the cloudy blue sky above. He took a moment to compose himself. "I don't often do this. In fact this is the first." He moved back to Ade, his voice the most serious she's experienced, " I, Kili, son of Dis, declare Ade and Tomtom to be under the protection of the line of Durin. I also declare Everpeace to be under our protection." He came very close and took both of her hands in his. "I will keep you safe. If you permit, so will Fili."

She blushed bright pink. "That's like in the books, the long tragic romance ones. Kinda weird huh? I mean I always wanted to be in books about famous adventures, sailing over the sea, looking at new lands and animals. Not one where everyone professes love and then goes and dies tragically. Cause I really don't wanna do that and I'm pretty sure you don't either. You're handsome enough though to be the magnificent hero. But I and Tomtom don't look like pretty princesses. He doesn't even own a dress." Ade began her normal ramble. Too many emotions were accosting her heart and mind. Kili's touch was doing strange things to her that Tomtom's didn't. She wasn't entirely sure whether she liked it or was going to throw up.

Kili blinked and tried to follow Ade's flow of conversation. She changed topics even faster than he could at times. "I don't own one either." He let her hands go, Kili tried to calm down his own heart. "You're lovely enough for a dress though, like those fair maidens wore."

"Quit teasing," Ade moved to sit back on the blanket. She waved to Tomtom to come over. Ade was a coward. She needed her best friend to calm down all these strange feelings. Kili noticed the action. Quickly he added, "You've been so kind and generous. It doesn't matter what you'd look like. Because the beauty of your soul is prettiest I've seen."

"Now I know you're teasing." Ade laughed.

Kili once again shook his head negatively. Kili decided to tell her quickly while they still had a moment of privacy. "Nope. I won't lie to you Ade. I've been with dwarrowdams of all shapes and colors. But none of them had your spark. You shine Ade. You've embraced life. Your world is small compared to most. But by Mahal, you enjoy it. I can't explain how much I find that attractive."

Tomtom grunted and walked over. He sat down beside Ade and fixed a stare at Kili.

Ade laughed. She put her arm around Tomtom.

Kili held up his hands. "Hey, Tomtom. I'm not making advances toward Ade. I think. I just want her to know the marks make no difference to me. Hell, you've seen my body. I have my own fair share. I've added to the collection as you've seen." He pointed to his leg.

"That's true. I counted six." Ade agreed.

Tomtom grunted, "Tom."

"Oh, right, seven."

Kili frowned as he mentally tallied the scars on his own body. "I've got five."

"Did you add the new one on your leg."

Kili counted on his fingers, "Nope, but that's six."

Tomtom pointed to Kili's bottom, "Om, om."

It was now Kili's turn to blush. "Tell me you didn't see the one on my ass."

Tomtom and Ade laughed, "It's hard to miss when you're naked. How'd you get that one? Orc, Troll, or warg?" Ade asked now used to Kili's heroic tales.

"Cotton hoe from a very pissed farmer." He admitted sheepishly. "I swear it wasn't me. We dwarves all look alike to humans I never touched that duck!"

Okay, did I go too far with romantic vibes? Please let me know what ya'll think cause I'm curious. As always thanks for reviews . I appreciate ya'll.