Author's note: I've censored the second part of the first half of this chapter because it's pretty smutty. If you want to read the entire thing without the edit, then have a look for it on AO3 (it's under my AO3 pen name Arctica), otherwise, I'm sorry that this chapter will be a bit shorter than I would like! Also, I'm busy at work this week so won't get a chance to update this again before this coming weekend.

In the dim light of her room, the elf studied the old parchment carefully. She'd found it in the great library just this morning when she'd been looking for something to read, and had been astonished to find it on the higher, dustier shelves of one of the stacks.

The younger dwarf, Ori, had accompanied her around the tall aisles, and had promised to teach her the Khuzdul script, if only she'd help him learn some elementary elvish. He claimed there were books written with elvish writing hidden away in the older reaches of the dark library - and he was greatly interested in their contents. And curious herself, Tauriel had been hunting the books for him– until she'd stumbled upon the scroll.

She suspected the paper in her hands was far, far older than she was. And she could scarcely believe what it contained. She'd been reading it for some time, wondering about its implications...

There was a soft knock at her door, and she jumped up, startled. Immediately she dropped the scroll on her desk, worried that prying eyes might catch sight of the secrets contained therein; but then stopped, feeling quite foolish.

There's nobody here for miles around that can read this except me... and nobody would believe me even if I told them what was written.

She strode over from her desk to answer the door, although she suspected she already knew who it was.

Kili stood there in the dark passageway, a smile lighting up his fine features. "Good morning, my lady. May I come into your quarters?"

Tauriel felt her heart soar as she saw him standing there, alive and full of spirit despite the gloom. "Be my guest, Kili, how was your meeting?"

He trudged forwards into her room, his grin vanishing. "Not so good," he said softly, "my uncle has declared his intention to marry the woman we found in the tower yesterday." He raised his eyebrows ominously and shut the door with care. "I don't trust her, Tauriel. I think she's just using him to get her hands on the throne, and my uncle is too foolish to see it."

Tauriel took a deep breath, and sat down on her bed. She wondered how much she should give away. How much of it actually mattered.

"Kili, I don't know anything about this woman, but I know what she said is true. That she was a prisoner of the orcs." The elf looked down at her hands, feeling suddenly guilty again. "I could hear it in her voice – that she was speaking the truth." It was all she could say to him, for now. But what did it matter?

The dark-haired dwarf looked at her earnestly, and sat down beside her. "It's not that I don't believe her story... I just don't trust her intentions! She is using my uncle for her own gain."

Tauriel nodded her agreement. "You may well be right, Kili, but what can we do about it? Your uncle is the king: if he wants to marry her, then how can you stop him?" She shrugged ruefully. "I could try talking to her, but what can really she do? She's a young woman. Are you worried she's going to spend all the Erebor gold on new frocks for herself?"

But Kili's face darkened. "I wish that was it," he murmured. He sat up stiffly, facing her directly. "My uncle has arranged a trade deal with Dáin. He will provide us with food supplies, and armed dwarves, in exchange for us meeting... certain demands. My brother is to marry his daughter, and Sigrid has to marry his brother-in-law..."

Tauriel watched as his face filled with disgust, and she put her arm on his shoulder. "And what does your brother think to this?"

Kili shook his head, frowning. "He doesn't like it. I know that much. I tried to talk to him, after the meeting, but he... wanted to be alone for a while. We said to meet later this afternoon."

The elf thought for a moment, troubled on behalf of her friends. "Tell Fili that I'm sorry he has to do this. It must be horrible to marry someone you don't even know," she glanced over at Kili's dark hair, running her fingers through some loose strands, "... or someone who you don't love..."

He looked at her then, and started to say something, then closed his eyes and stopped. "I'm worried about him, Tauriel. If Thorin's wife doesn't give him a son, then Fili will remain his heir – and I don't think that woman will be too accepting of it for long!" He met her gaze. "I think she sees anyone who can inherit Erebor as a threat to her schemes." Kili turned to face her, and took her hand gently, his voice a whisper. "She might even see you as a threat, and... any children that we have, Tauriel." His eyes dropped. "They could be heirs too one day, you know that, don't you?"

She felt herself blush, and nodded slowly. "I understand, Kili."

He turned to her hesitantly, and kissed her softly on the lips. "I won't let anyone I love get hurt by her. Especially not you."

The elf smiled, and touched her forehead against his. "If she threatens anyone in your family I'll put an arrow through her throat myself."

And she returned his kiss, deeper and firmer than he'd first dared. She could smell the sweet scent of chamomile in his hair as she held him close, wrapping her fingers around his black tresses and pulling him closer to her. Kili released her hand and held her tight across her shoulders. And then his fingers were encircling the back of her neck, tracing lightly on her skin and sending shivers all the way down her back.

She felt her breathing quicken, like some delicious ache was spreading across her chest and sensitising every part of her to his touch. He must have been able to sense it too, as her kissing became more hungry and fragmented, and his breaths came more shallow and strained, until finally she felt his lips pull away from hers and nuzzle into her neck.

A tremor ran through her when she felt his short breath on her ear. "I knew you'd come back to me, amralime," and he kissed her neck slowly, as if savouring the taste of her skin and the way she stirred under his lips, "you make me feel alive, and I couldn't go on without you... now you've shown me what it feels like to live."

She felt tears sting her eyes, and she shut them close. "All the gods themselves couldn't keep me away from you, Kili." She gripped his waist, feeling his warm skin through the linen shirt he wore, "I love you – you're the only one I could ever love."

He straightened up in front of her, lifting his head to meet her as she sat taller than him on the bed. His beautiful, hazel eyes widened as he saw her tears, and he brushed one away from her cheek with a gentle hand. "Tauriel, I know it isn't easy for you here. I know what you've given up – to be here with me." She stared back at him with her green, shining eyes, and relaxed her grip around him, feeling safe and soothed by his calm, soft gaze. "And by Mahal, I love you. I want you by my side until the end of time – not even Mandos will keep me away from you." Kili took a deep breath, his voice about to break. "I want you to be my wife, and let me love you forever."

She felt the tears in her eyes flow then, she couldn't have stopped them even if she'd tried. But these weren't the broken, helpless tears she'd wept for days on end – for now she felt joy, and peace, and a tender, budding hope in her heart that this time, things were going to be alright. He was safe in her arms, and he loved her. And Tauriel didn't want anything more than that.

"Kili, I would be honoured to be your wife, and nothing – not the Aratar and Fëanturi with them – will keep me away from you."...

It was just past mid-afternoon now, but the sky was darkening already with the threat of rain. Over in the west, a slaty blue front of cloud could be seen swallowing up the grey sky, with little gusts of wind already blowing across the lake from the oncoming storm.

Sitting alone on the pebbly beach under the shadow of the Lonely Mountain, Fili pulled his cloak closer around himself, feeling cold and tired. He'd been sitting there for some time, staring as the colours in the lakewater shifted from silvery blue to dark grey and the temperature slowly dropped. He wondered idly whether he should get up and move around, but it suited his mood to sit still on the chilly beach while he waited for his brother to arrive.

He'd known all his life that at some point he would be expected to marry a noble's daughter to further some political agenda, but he'd never expected to be openly traded to the highest bidder by his own uncle. It had been an excruciatingly humiliating experience – and the last thing he'd been expecting – but at least he'd thought he was being sold to Sigrid. There was a chance he could have lived quite happily with that. As long as she was happy, of course. She'd caught his eye at dinner yesterday – she was looking so carefree and natural – not at all like Rose, or any of the other courtly dwarven ladies he'd been introduced to.

And he had some vague, small feeling – that had felt a lot like a hope – that she might be pleased by the prospective match as well. Pleased enough to agree to it, anyway, and the thought had cheered him rather unexpectedly.

Because you like her, some inner voice told him. You like her, and you want her to like you.

But then they'd snatched the chance away, and the hope had turned to horror as he heard who they were going to marry her to instead. Not that he was pleased to be engaged to a complete stranger – but Sigrid was definitely getting the worse part of the deal.

He hoped fervently that she would refuse... but he knew she wouldn't. For the same reason that he wouldn't refuse to marry Dáin's daughter.

He picked up a small pebble with a sigh, and flung it as far out into the lake as he could, watching the ripples as they collided with the waves and were broken up by the stronger swell.

"Fili! Sorry I'm late." He heard his brother calling out to him in Khuzdul from the track that led back to Erebor, and turned and waved him over, not bothering to stand. Kili bounded over and sat down beside him.

Fili could see right away that his brother was excited by something – he was almost fizzing over with exuberance – and he couldn't help but smile as he watched Kili's terrible efforts to rein himself in."It's okay, Ki, you don't have to pretend to be miserable for my benefit." He tilted his head slightly, assessing the newfound glint in his brother's eye. "You've been talking to Tauriel, haven't you?"

He watched as the inevitable smile spread across Kili's youthful face. "There wasn't all that much talking actually...", and the dwarf's glance dropped down to the pebbles in the foreground. But the grin intensified, and he turned to Fili with wide eyes and a rosy glow on his cheeks. "She said she'll be my wife, Fi. She wants to marry me!"

And then instantly his smile dropped, replaced by an anguished frown. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be – "

"Kili!" The blond brother clapped his arm around the younger one's shoulder. "I'm... really glad for you. I'm glad you've found someone who makes you so happy!" He smiled into his brother's eyes, and patted his back. "I like her," he said quietly, "she's brave and loyal – and beautiful – "

Kili smiled back appreciatively. "She's all of those things, Fi. And I love her."

Fili nodded. "I know you do." He removed his hand from his brother's back, and looked away, towards the lake. "But you know what the rest of them will say, Kili. They won't be happy." He gripped his brother's arm, feeling suddenly protective. "Just promise me you won't listen to them?"

Kili shook his head. "I don't care what they think. I'm not going to choose their miserable traditions over her!"

Fili nodded. "Good." He released his brother's arm and rolled his eyes. "At least that makes one of us." He felt his brother turn and regard him in silence, but he kept his eyes on the broken lake surface.

"Fi... I've been thinking. I don't want you to do this! I know you think you have to, but you don't!"

Fili shook his head sadly. "Kili, don't. I don't want to hear it."

"But I've been thinking, Fi! I have an idea!"

The blond dwarf eyed his brother sceptically. "And what idea would this be?"

Kili drew a deep breath and stared up at the sky. "Why don't I go and talk to King Thranduil myself? To see if I can change his mind?" His voice softened. "Tauriel knows him very well – and I know why he won't send us any troops. But our uncle – " Kili rolled his eyes, " – won't even try to see it from the elves' point of view!"

Fili thought for a moment. "You shouldn't go, Kili. You shouldn't go – because he'll clamp you in irons, throw you back in the dungeon, and use you as a bargaining chip to get more of our gold!" He turned to face his younger brother. "I know why you want to do this. I know you think you can help, but just... stop. Please. I'm fine with this! I'm... the future king. It's what I have to do."

Kili screwed his face up. "Oh, you're fine with this, are you? You're fine with Sigrid being forced to marry that ugly beast, and fine with losing your chance of finding love – all so you can sit on that throne and be angry and bitter for the rest of your life like the rest of them?"

Fili glared over at his brother. How could he say that? He's so irresponsible!

But Kili put his hand on his brother's arm, seeing he'd got his reaction. "I know you're not that kind of dwarf, Fili. Don't give me the duty and honour lecture!" He looked away at the water. "I know you like her. So do something about it! You are the future king of Erebor – don't you think that will mean something to King Thranduil?"

Fili smiled faintly. "And go over our uncle's head, you mean?" He laughed. "That witch would have me strung up and thrown in the jail myself."

Kili smiled grimly. "That's probably true. I don't know what he's thinking. Did he have some kind of fight with Bilbo? Is he doing all this just to make the hobbit jealous? Or can he really not see that Rose is playing with him?"

The blond dwarf scowled. "Maybe we should talk to Bilbo, and find out. Maybe Thorin will listen to him?"

Kili nodded. "It couldn't hurt, I suppose. Tauriel has already gone to find Rose." He shrugged his hands. "She thinks that being nice to the woman and trying to get to know her is the best strategy." He scoffed at the absurdity. "I told her she's wasting her time, but she seems to feel bad for the woman. She said we were being unfair and that we should give her a chance!"

Fili stared back, puzzled. "I thought that's what we had been doing?"

Kili shook his head. "That woman has had more of a chance than my elf has. We need to talk to Thorin. We need to talk to Bilbo, and then go and talk to him – together. Sometime when she's not around!"

Fili nodded, thinking. "You could ask Tauriel to take her new friend out hunting, or riding, or... whatever it is women like to do – and then we can talk to uncle."

His brother turned back to him. "So we have a plan for her. Now, what's our plan for you and Sigrid?"

Fili rolled his eyes. He wished his brother would drop it, he really did.

But he's right! How can I let this happen to her?

He looked at the lake, and saw how grey and miserable it looked. How deep and cold, and barren. And he sighed. Either way, whatever he did, he was going to be letting someone down.

"When do you want to speak to Thranduil then, Kili? Before or after we speak to Bilbo? "

Fili picked up a sharp rock from the beach, and spun it round in his fingers. "If we speak to the hobbit first, we might have more of an idea of what's gone wrong with Thorin... and what to say to the elven king."

His brother looked up at him, blinking. "You're coming too? To see the elves?"

But Fili just looked at him and shook his head. "I'm not letting you go alone – you'll be just as bad as Thorin – running your mouth off when you don't get your way..." He smiled at his brother warmly. "Plus I don't think you can be trusted around those pretty elves."

He turned back to the lake, and saw the ominous blue cloud was fast approaching. The rain would hit them soon, and it was already cold. Soon the darkness would be on them too. Fili shivered.

"Let's get back to Erebor and find Bilbo. We can set off for Mirkwood in the morning ."

And so the two brothers stood up and brushed themselves down, preparing to head home for the night.

Neither of them had noticed the small, black eyes that watched them from under a pair of rowan trees on the lake strand...