Wheew, a new chapter!
I haven't seen the DOS yet and probably will only after Christmas (and I really don't like that fact, because I want to seeee iiiiit. Ugh.) Well, anyway, I have decided that once I've seen it and know how much it differs from the book, this story will continue with a mixture of book, film and a little hint of my own imagination, just so you can prepare yourselves :D (But since we're in a slight AU-story anyway, I'm guessing you'll be alright with that :D)
Second, there will probably be no update next week, since I'm booked for basically the whole week for different family and friends gatherings, so you might have to wait for the next one until the week after :)
And third, aaahh, 300 reviews! I'll take that as an early Christmas present :D
DJ Sparkles: Yeah, the feels... I like throwing all the feels out there :D I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you're going to like what happens this time, as well :)
Dalonega Noquisi: Well, I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, Tauriel is not so bad and Kili and Tarya... well... it might take a while until they find a quiet moment to admit their feelings to each other but there surely is a little development in this chapter which I hope you'll like :D
13Nyx13: I'm glad you liked fluffy Kilarya! :D The actual escape will be featured in the next chapter and until then, Kili and Tarya will have another little moment in this chapter that might be quite interesting for both of them :D
DwarvenWarrior: Yeah, sorry about that little cliffhanger-like thing :D Kili and Tarya in the same barrel? That could be interesting, especially after this chapter :D
Hiding in the Shadow: Hello there, and thank you very much! I'm really happy to hear you like the story and Tarya! And I hope you'll continue reading and leaving reviews in the future :)
Guest: Aww, well, thanks for the 300th review then :D I'm glad you liked the little fluffy moment Kili and Tarya had, and concerning your hope for the future, well... let's see how things develop :D The barrel escape will be featured in the next chapter and I hope I'll have seen the DOS until then, so I can do it justice :D But I already have a few plans for the next chapters, so either way that shouldn't be a problem :D
Also thanks to kaia, ZabuzasGirl, TheShawndaLee, Akilah Swiftblade, sillystring-roxs-the-earth andBlackBaccaraRose for your lovely reviews!
And to the people who followed and favorited! Thanks a lot! :)
Now I hope you'll enjoy the new chapter and I wish you all a very happy Christmas already now! :)
"I will come back later tonight to get you," Bilbo muttered next to her the day his plan was to be executed. Tarya just nodded while taking a deep breath. It was early afternoon and she was already nervous. She could see that Bilbo was, too, but she trusted him and if he said that he knew what he was doing, then she believed him. Tarya had always known that Bilbo was brave and smart and as it seemed, the hobbit had now finally started to believe in himself, too. Tarya was about to reply something to her friend when she suddenly heard muffled voices from the other side of the door.
"Someone's coming!" she whispered urgently towards Bilbo who immediately fumbled his magic ring out of his pocket and managed to slip it on just as the door was pushed open and the blond elven prince came walking into the room, followed by Tauriel who was holding a dark red bundle in her arms.
Tarya's eyes shortly rested on the spot where Bilbo had been standing only seconds ago before her gaze darted through the room. There was no sign of the hobbit anymore. He had vanished in thin air and had probably already slipped out of the room now that Tauriel closed the door behind her. The Amarok shot both elves a sceptic look.
"I see you have finally decided to eat something," Legolas said friendly and Tarya shortly followed his gaze to the empty plate next to her. The Amarok just slightly raised her eyebrows. She had indeed eaten something after Bilbo had practically forced her to do it, arguing that she would need all the energy she could get for their escape. But she wouldn't go and tell the prince that.
When she didn't answer, the blond elf cleared his throat slightly. "Well, I know that you are not exactly… pleased about your current residence – "
"What an interesting way to put it," Tarya interrupted coolly and Legolas sighed quietly before he continued.
"My father is aware that his measures as of late might have been a bit drastic," he said, sounding stiff and formal, quickly continuing before Tarya could slip in another comment. "He wants to make good for that. There is a great celebration held tonight, the Feast of Starlight, to which you are most cordially invited."
"I decline," the Amarok replied indifferently, not even hesitating a second.
Legolas didn't seem very surprised by her answer. "My father would like you to come," he said, sending her an insistent look.
"I do not care for what your father wants," Tarya answered honestly, crossing her arms loosely before her chest. Tauriel shot her a pointed look over her blond friend's shoulder but the Amarok ignored it deliberately. Legolas just looked at her for a moment before he finally nodded slightly, almost looking defeated.
"I am afraid you do not have a choice," the elven prince muttered quietly then, before he stepped closer to her, pulling a small key from his pocket as he crouched down before her. Tarya's eyebrows rose in surprise as she recognized the key and she only shorty looked over the elf's shoulder towards Tauriel who was looking rather tense before she heard the familiar click of her bonds opening. She returned her wary gaze to Legolas who was looking at her almost apologetically while Tauriel stepped forward and put the dark red bundle she had been holding on the table. It was only then that Tarya realized it was a dress.
Before she could utter anything, Legolas continued. "Arkin will come for you tonight and lead you to the feast. In the meantime, you have enough time to get ready," the elf said and Tarya's eyebrows drew together in annoyance. But Legolas didn't give her a chance to raise her voice. "Tauriel will help you with your dress and your hair. My father is looking forward to seeing you at the feast tonight."
And with that, he gave her an encouraging nod, accompanied by a friendly smile and Tarya could only watch as the blond prince turned around and walked past his red-haired friend, shortly touching Tauriel's shoulder before he left the room. Tarya just stared at the door for a moment before her dark gaze settled on the she-elf that was standing beside the table, looking at her thoughtfully.
"I suppose we should get started," Tauriel muttered after a while and Tarya merely snorted. The she-elf sighed deeply. "I know you do not want to do this. I understand that very well. But you have to understand that you really do not have a choice. Thranduil wants to see you at the feast and Arkin will convoy you to it as the king has ordered, no matter if you want it or not."
Tarya lowered her gaze to her feet for a moment. The Amarok could tell that Tauriel was being honest and she was quite surprised that she was telling her these things so openly. But she couldn't go to the feast. She had to be in her chamber tonight when Bilbo would come back or else she would never get out of this palace. Maybe she could somehow trick Arkin and escape with Bilbo right before she was supposed to go to the feast, although she didn't know how she could possibly do that. Tauriel ripped her out of her trail of thoughts by clearing her throat quietly. Tarya's gaze shot back up before she reluctantly got to her feet, brushing some dust off her black trousers, the same she had been wearing since before they had been captured. Tauriel nodded slightly before she grabbed the red dress off the table and held it out in front of her. She would just have to figure something out along the way, Tarya thought nervously, her gaze falling on the gown.
Tauriel chuckled slightly as Tarya's expression darkened even more and the Amarok shot her an annoyed look. The dress was of a dark red colour, reminding her of rich wine, with long sleeves and laced with delicate intricate golden patterns around the neckline. Tarya sighed deeply as she stepped closer to Tauriel who handed her the gown carefully.
"King Thranduil chose it for you himself," the she-elf informed her but Tarya didn't care and she didn't bother for a reply as she looked at the surprisingly light dress in her hands. There was no helping it, she thought grimly, carelessly throwing the gown on a chair as she pulled her dirty tunic over her head.
It barely took more than two hours for Tarya's mood to hit bottom. In this time, Tauriel had helped her getting dressed and had fastened the laces on the back of her gown. And while the elf had assured Tarya that it looked beautiful, the Amarok felt awfully uncomfortable. The laces on her back were tight and made the dress stretch over her chest with every breath she took. Tarya was sitting in a chair by now, scowling at the wall on the opposite side of her while Tauriel was braiding her hair after having brushed it thoroughly. Two slim braids were now leading backwards from both sides of her face, coming together in a thicker braid on the back of her head.
Both women were quiet as Tauriel worked and even when she had finished, none of them said a word, the silence growing heavy in the room.
"Why are you doing this?" Tarya asked after a while. "Surely, the captain of the guard has more important things to do than to assist a prisoner in getting dressed."
"You managed to scare the maids off with your continuous fighting," Tauriel answered casually. "None of them would do it, so I volunteered."
"You look beautiful," the she-elf added then and Tarya slowly stood up from the chair, looking down at her own body. The dress fell in soft waves around her hips and legs, swaying slightly with every movement. But Tarya didn't feel beautiful, she felt encased. It was as if they had now not only caged her in a room, but in a dress, as well. They had made someone out of her that she was not and she didn't like it one bit.
"I look like one of you," she muttered lowly and Tauriel shot her a short look with a raised eyebrow, obviously not quite able to tell whether she ought to be insulted or not. In the end, the elf decided not to comment on it, instead sighing quietly and putting a comforting hand on the Amarok's shoulder.
"It will be over before you know it," the elf said, sending Tarya a small smile. "I need to go now. I will see you later at the festivity?"
Tarya's eyebrows slightly drew together upon the seemingly casual question before she gave a noncommittal hum, the sound somewhere between confirmation and negation. Tauriel just looked at her for another moment, her eyes searching Tarya's for something that the Amarok didn't know before the elf nodded slightly and turned away. Tarya watched her collect her old clothes off the floor before Tauriel made for the door, leaving her alone in her chamber.
The Amarok started pacing around the room nervously as soon as the door had fallen closed behind the she-elf.
Bilbo couldn't help the nervous feeling wrenching his gut as he sneaked through the empty corridors of the Woodland palace. Here and there, he sporadically saw a few elves making their way through the hallways and out of the palace to attend the feast but none of them saw him as they walked past him. And yet, Bilbo always hid in the shadows as they passed, afraid that a particularly astute elf might see his faint shadow on the floor, highlighted by the torches lining the walls.
The bunch of keys he had in the pocket of his jacket were producing a slight jingle every time he moved too fast and even though he made sure that there was no one near him as he sneaked his way back to Tarya's chamber, part of him was still afraid that someone could hear.
Bilbo couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about having stolen the keys off an unsuspecting elven guard who had been drinking with a comrade in the wine cellar, not paying attention to his surroundings anymore. Bilbo had every intention to put the keys back as soon as he didn't need them anymore, though. He didn't want the elven guard to get into more trouble than absolutely necessary.
Without a sound, the hobbit rounded the corner, seeing the door to his friend's chamber slightly ajar. Bilbo watched from his spot as the door opened completely and the red-haired elf he had seen before stepped out of the room, a bundle of clothes in her arms. The hobbit stayed where he was, watching as Tauriel sighed quietly, shaking her head before she turned away. Unmoving, Bilbo waited until the she-elf had disappeared down the hallway before he silently sneaked along the corridor, safely disguised by the invisibility that his magic ring provided. Bilbo shot a last look around before he pushed open the door with a slight creak. He quickly slipped inside the room and took off his ring, meeting Tarya's gaze from where she was standing in the middle of the chamber.
"Bilbo!" she exclaimed quietly, relief evident in her voice as she took a few steps closer.
The hobbit could only nod with wide eyes as he looked at Tarya. He was quite surprised, to say the least. Bilbo had thought he would need to unbind her when he arrived; he had not been prepared to seeing her without any bounds and dressed as she was. The dark red gown that Tarya was wearing hugged her every curve softly, the low neckline revealing the bronzy skin of her collarbones while the golden embroidery around it emphasized the unusual colour of her eyes and her dark hair.
"Don't look at me like that," Tarya growled and Bilbo quickly cleared his throat, eyebrows rising slightly upon her dark glare.
"I'm sorry," the hobbit muttered, half raising his hands in defence as his gaze wandered over the delicate braids in his friend's hair. "You just look so… different. Nice. It looks very nice." Then a small frown worked its way on Bilbo's face. "That's not really the right outfit for a secret and quick escape, though, is it?"
Tarya rolled her eyes as she stepped up to him. "I am perfectly aware of that," she grumbled. "I am supposed to attend the king's festivities. They took my clothes to get washed; I can hardly get changed now. So let's not waste time. We have to go before Arkin arrives!"
Bilbo shot the Amarok a confused look that she noticed immediately. "My… the grey wolf," she explained quickly, "he is supposed to escort me to the feast."
Now Bilbo nodded hastily upon her words. They ought not lose any time. They had to get to the dungeons as fast as possible, and so he quickly grabbed Tarya's hand and pulled her with him. The Amarok followed swiftly, her dress lightly wiping against the stone floor as they exited the room and hurried along the corridor. But their luck was cut short as they rounded the first corner; the hobbit suddenly coming face to face with a dark wet snout and for a moment, Bilbo wished he were still wearing his magic ring.
Bilbo halted in his steps abruptly, causing Tarya to bump into his back with a slight huff in the process. He gulped tightly, his eyes wide as he looked at the big grey wolf before him. The animal was staring back at him, dark golden eyes glinting dangerously before their gaze flicked to the woman behind him.
"Arkin," Tarya coughed quietly, the nervousness clear to hear in her voice. "Fancy meeting you here."
Bilbo's eyes widened even further upon his friend's lame attempt to be casual and he flinched slightly as the wolf growled dangerously low before them. All his hope had suddenly left the hobbit. Now they would never make it out of the palace. A small alarmed noise left the hobbit's throat then, as he suddenly felt Tarya step forward from behind him, coming to stand in front of the large wolf. Bilbo didn't miss that she was shielding him protectively in the process.
"Arkin, please," Tarya muttered and Bilbo's eyes widened as he could only watch in disbelief as the two Amaroks apparently started to have a conversation right in the middle of this hallway. His heart was thumping loudly in his chest as he thought about the possibility of someone seeing them.
The wolf growled again and Bilbo felt its gaze piercing him as it looked past Tarya, directly at him.
"A friend," the hobbit heard Tarya say defensively as his gaze frantically flicked back and forth between the two Amaroks before him. Bilbo could only hope that Tarya knew what she was doing.
'I expected better than this from you, Tarya,' Arkin growled angrily. 'You are to attend the Feast of Starlight along with the king and yet I find you here, trying to escape secretly with this… hobbit.' The word almost sounded like an insult out of Arkin's mouth and Tarya's eyebrows drew together in anger now, as well. 'Do you have no honour?'
A low growl left Tarya's throat as she narrowed her eyes at the grey wolf. "You dare to talk to me about honour?" she hissed quietly, careful not to raise her voice too much. "Your loyalty may lie with the elven king but mine does not. Mine lies with my friends. They're my family and I will not leave them to rot in the dungeons of this palace as long as there is still some life left in me to help them. That is honour. That is friendship."
Arkin stared at her silently for a while and Tarya held her father's gaze without batting an eyelid, even though she was all too aware of Bilbo's nervous fidgeting behind her. She didn't know what they would do if Arkin didn't let them pass but she wasn't about to give up. Giving up was not an option.
'That is love…' the grey wolf added quietly after a moment of silence and Tarya could only stare silently at him as he continued.
'You remind me of Kauni,' Arkin rumbled, causing his daughter's eyebrows to rise slightly. 'Your mother used to be just as fierce in her beliefs.'
Tarya felt a slight sting in her heart at the memory of her mother as Arkin made a short pause before he spoke again, his voice low and thoughtful.
'I never doubted her,' the grey wolf hummed. 'And I will not doubt you, Tarya. Go. I will not stop you.'
Tarya's eyebrows rose in surprise and Arkin huffed quietly as he took a few steps to the side, making the way free for them to pass.
'I would rather see you happy and free with these… with your friends... than unhappy here,' Arkin rumbled deeply, a little twinkle suddenly appearing in his dark eyes. 'You are my blood, after all.'
A small smile worked its way on Tarya's face as she looked at her father while Bilbo made a cautious step forward. She felt the hobbit grab her wrist as he realized that Arkin would truly let them pass. Bilbo urged her silently, but Tarya hesitated another moment.
"Thank you," she murmured genuinely and her father just inclined his head slightly. But Tarya couldn't quite bring herself to leave yet, despite Bilbo slightly pulling on her wrist. There was something still left to say.
"Kauni… My mother," she spoke slowly. "You speak very fondly of her."
Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Bilbo's jaw drop open as he finally managed to put the pieces together but her gaze was set on Arkin who twitched shortly with one ear.
'She is the most gracious creature I have ever known,' the wolf replied slowly and Tarya shortly closed her eyes as she saw the deep affection in his eyes, bracing herself for what she was about to say. He deserved to know.
"She truly was," Tarya muttered in reply and Arkin shot her a confused look for a moment before his gaze suddenly darkened somewhat as realization dawned on him. Tarya just nodded, slightly pressing her lips together.
'How?' Arkin growled and Tarya was a bit surprised at the dangerous sound of it.
"Orcs," she just said and it didn't need more for Arkin to snarl viciously. "The ones that are momentarily upon your king's borders, I believe. Azog."
Arkin stayed silent for a long moment, his gaze dark and dangerous, and the Amarok could only look at her father until he huffed at her quietly, his gaze lightening up ever so slightly.
'Go now,' he grumbled and Tarya just nodded, shortly hesitating before she reached out her hand, gently running it over her father's head before she took a step back.
"What about you?" she asked slowly and Arkin shot her a look that almost seemed like he was giving her a crooked smile.
'I think I'm going to hunt some orc,' he grumbled lowly and Tarya felt a small smile tugging on the corner of her lips. She just nodded in reply before she finally turned away from the grey wolf.
Following an impatient Bilbo down the corridor, she shot a last look over her shoulder to see Arkin staring after her, an almost gentle expression on his face. As they rounded the next corner, Tarya shook her head to clear her thoughts before she returned her gaze to Bilbo who hurried her along the empty hallways. It didn't take very long until they arrived at the familiar large iron door that led down to the dungeons.
"Well then," Bilbo breathed, shooting her a short look. "Let's collect our dwarves."
Bilbo pushed open the iron door and quickly hurried down the stone stairs, Tarya following swiftly. The hobbit would really have liked to ask her about the details of her relation with the grey wolf, for it had by now become clear to him that Arkin was in fact Tarya's father. But Bilbo knew that this wasn't the right moment for a conversation of that sort. They didn't have time for this now. And so he led Tarya through the shadowy corridors of the dungeons, expertly making his way to the first cell.
Tarya almost bumped into him again as he stopped before a dark cell and shot him a sheepish smile before they both turned to the bars where they could see a very familiar dwarf leaning against the door from the other side.
"And here I thought you'd let me go to seed in here," Bofur teased with a happy smile, though his voice didn't sound as cheerful as they were used to. Bilbo just rolled his eyes as he fumbled the bunch of keys out of his pocket, searching for the one that would open Bofur's cell.
"We ran into a little obstacle," Tarya stated from beside him as he finally found the right key and the lock sprung open with a heavy click. They all flinched slightly at the sound but Bofur was quick to recover and he pushed open the door with an almost comical doubting look on his face.
"Ah, yes," Bofur grinned as he stepped out of his cell. "The view is much better from this side of the door, I'll tell ya."
The cheery dwarf clapped Bilbo's shoulder heartily. "Thank you, my friend," Bofur smiled and Bilbo just nodded with a smile of his own before the dwarf turned and pulled Tarya into a short but tight hug. His grin had gotten a bit wider as he released her.
"Why lass, you're making me feel quite inadequate. I thought the dress code for our little getaway was 'sloppy'."
Tarya just rolled her eyes at him as he chuckled quietly before she turned to follow Bilbo as he hurried them along. Bofur just trailed along beside her with a cheeky grin on his face and together the three of them made it through the maze of dark corridors.
Bofur and Tarya just followed the hobbit as he led them along, around several corners, deeper into the dungeons, until they came to the next stop a few minutes later, a familiar pair of blue eyes looking back at them as they peered into the dark cell. Fili's face brightened up as he saw his friends standing in front of his cell and he quickly got up from the small pallet he'd been sitting on as Bilbo unlocked the door, not hesitating a second before he strode out and clapped one hand on Bilbo's shoulder gratefully.
"You're quite welcome," the hobbit muttered as Fili thanked him and the young dwarf just grinned broadly at Bilbo before he turned and exchanged a short fierce hug with Bofur. The older dwarf patted his back smilingly as they released each other and it was only then that Fili's gaze came to rest on Tarya who had been standing behind the other two, a happy smile on her face as she looked at him.
Fili was about to return her smile but the young dwarf's eyes went wide with surprise as he looked her over. His mouth opened immediately to comment on her unusual appearance but Tarya cut him off before he could utter anything.
"Not a word," the Amarok growled and Fili closed his mouth, an amused snort escaping him as she narrowed her eyes at him. He just smiled warmly at her then, stepping closer and wrapping her in a hug that was much gentler than the one he'd had with Bofur.
"It's good to see you, namadîth," Fili muttered, his smile growing, as she returned his hug tightly.
"Come on," Bilbo urged then and Fili quickly released the Amarok, sending her another warm smile before he came to walk behind her as she turned to follow Bofur and Bilbo down the dark hallway.
It took them another few minutes until they reached the next prisoner. Kili was already waiting, his arms leaning on the bars as he peered out of his cell. He'd scrambled to his feet as soon as he'd heard the footsteps approaching, the sounds they made too heavy to belong to an elf. A broad smile broke across his face as he spotted Bilbo rounding the corner.
"There you are!" he said teasingly. "Took you long enough!"
"Yeah, we weren't sure whether we should not just leave you here and go without you," Fili teased as he arrived at the cell, stepping past Tarya as she lingered behind. Kili just snorted at him, albeit he felt a heavy weight lifting from his chest at the sight of his brother. Waiting impatiently until Bilbo had opened his cell, he shortly met Bofur's gaze, exchanging a relieved smile with the older dwarf. Once Bilbo had managed to open the door, Kili quickly strode out and wrapped his brother in a tight hug, both dwarfs laughing happily as they were reunited. It had been horrible for both of them not to know how or where the other was.
However, the bright smile on Kili's face faltered a bit as he looked over his brother's shoulder, seeing Tarya standing behind him. He slowly released Fili who just raised his eyebrows knowingly as he noticed that his little brother's gaze was suddenly fixated on the small woman amongst them.
Kili had not forgotten the kiss she had planted on his palm only two days before. In fact, his thoughts had been circling around her action for a long while ever since she'd left after it. He hadn't been sure what to think of it; still wasn't, really. It had undoubtedly been a sign of affection but he couldn't be sure what it meant for her. But it had sparked hope within his heart. He had sworn to himself that he would tell her about his feelings as soon as they would have a quiet moment to themselves, as soon as they were out of the palace. He knew he might ruin their friendship, he knew she might not return his feelings, but he would never be sure if he didn't try.
He had made all these plans. He had planned to wait for the right moment, he had planned not to rush her, and he had planned to go slowly about things.
But now that she was standing there, right before him, he couldn't help but realize that, for once, there were no more barriers between them. He didn't know how their escape would go, whether they would make it or how long it would actually take for the right moment to arrive. If he waited, he might never get a chance again. The only thing Kili knew for sure was that right now, for a short moment, there was nothing that kept her from him.
His heart was racing in his chest as he decidedly stepped past his brother and towards Tarya, his gaze fixated on hers as she looked at him questioningly. Kili moved quickly and he saw Tarya's eyes widen in surprise as he wrapped one arm around her waist, lifting her up so their faces were on the same level, her feet dangling slightly over the stone floor. Kili pressed her to him and lifted his free hand to the back of her neck, pulling her face even closer than it already was, only stopping when their noses were brushing against each other. His fingers were tangled in the hair at her nape, his other hand holding her to his body tightly as her warm breath softly fanned against his skin.
The brunet dwarf closed his eyes shortly, taking a deep breath as her hands fell on his shoulders in confusion, looking for some support. He knew he was making a mistake and yet, he couldn't help himself. His whole body was urging him on, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. Kili was long past the point of no return. His brows drew together as he opened his eyes and looked straight into wide orbs of sparkling gold.
"Mahal forgive me," the young dwarf breathed against Tarya's lips before he finally gave in to his longing, leaning in the last few millimetres and pressing his lips to hers fiercely.
His eyes fell closed as he kissed her, his whole world suddenly coming to a halt. For a moment, nothing mattered except him and her and the way her lips felt on his. Never had anything felt as perfect to Kili as kissing his One. Tarya's lips were soft and sweet against his as he held her tightly to him. And then Kili suddenly felt his head starting to spin as she timidly started to return his kiss.
He couldn't help the deep pleased sigh leaving him as her lips moved against his, mirroring his actions hesitantly, and it was only then that he realized that Tarya had never kissed or been kissed by anyone before. He moved his hand from her neck to her cheek as he slowed the kiss, his lips now gentle and soft against hers as her fingers helplessly dug into his tunic.
A distinct harrumph from behind ripped Kili out of his daze and he slowly pulled back from the kiss, struggling to open his eyes. He could see now that Tarya's eyes had closed sometime during their kiss and were only fluttering open again now. Brilliant golden eyes were looking at him, completely stunned, and Kili felt his breathing coming heavy as he quietly cleared his throat, setting her back down on her feet carefully. One hand still lingering on Tarya's waist, he slowly turned his head to look at where the harrumph had come from.
"If you're quite finished," Fili muttered from beside them, eyebrows raised in a mixture of shock and amusement as he watched them, "We have a few more people to pick up."
"Yeah, o- of course, yes," Kili stammered, struggling to clear his thoughts, his ears turning a deep shade of red as he suddenly realized what he'd just done. "Very well, let's, uh… let's get going then."
Fili raised his eyebrows a bit further, his face now plastered with a sly grin as his gaze shortly wandered towards Tarya who still stood wordlessly beside his younger brother, apparently rendered utterly speechless. Kili felt his face heat up as he averted his gaze from his brother, only to see Bofur and Bilbo standing there, eyes wide with shock as they stared at him. Kili awkwardly cleared his throat again, not knowing what to say. What was there he could say? He had just kissed Tarya right in front of them; they didn't have to be seers to put the puzzle pieces together. And after all, Fili had already known of his feelings for the Amarok for a while.
After a moment of awkward silence, Bilbo slightly shook his head, almost as if to clear his mind of the scene he'd just witnessed, before he just turned around without a word and quickly started walking down the corridor. Bofur and Fili just shot the youngest dwarf amused grins before they turned to follow the hobbit.
Kili hesitantly turned his gaze back to Tarya whose cheeks had suddenly turned a healthy pink. It was only now that Kili noticed the strange braids in her hair and that she was actually wearing a dark red gown instead of her usual travelling clothes. His brows drew together. How could he not have noticed that before? His gaze slowly wandered over the outline of her collarbones, exposed by the low neckline of her dress, before it climbed back up to meet her golden eyes. She returned his gaze silently, making Kili even more nervous.
"You're wearing a dress," Kili observed lamely, his voice slightly hoarse. He silently scolded himself as soon as the words had left his mouth. He had just kissed her out of nowhere for Mahal's sake, and all he could say was that she was wearing a dress?
Tarya just nodded slowly but didn't say anything and Kili mirrored the gesture, unable to form a coherent sentence to say to her. His hand was still lying on her waist and Kili realized with surprise that she hadn't made any attempt to escape or avoid his touch, even after his assault on her mouth. And neither had she been opposed to the kiss, as far as he could tell. He had taken her by surprise, sure, but in the end, she had actually responded to him. Kili felt warmth pooling low in his stomach at the memory, even though it had only been a few moments ago. Maybe his One wasn't as unreachable as he had initially thought, after all.
"Kili! Tarya!" Fili's voice sounded from further down the corridor and Kili twitched slightly, as he was ripped out of his trail of thoughts. He saw Tarya flinch at the sound of his brother's voice, as well. "Come on!"
Kili shortly exchanged another look with the Amarok and dared to give her a small smile before he grabbed her hand gently and pulled her with him, following the others. There would be time to talk about this, he thought to himself, later.