Hello dear readers! I hope you had a wonderful week so far! :)
Borys68: Oh, well then, I don't feel too bad for spoilers :) I'm glad you liked Tarya checking Kili's wounds as a wolf, that was one of my favorite parts of the chapter as well :D
My Beautiful Ending: I sense a hint of tumblr in the air around that review of yours :D You doge'd me :D But thanks a lot, I'm glad you liked it! Aaand I hope you'll like this chapter as well… :D
Hiding in the Shadow: I'm glad you liked it! And yeah, believe me, Tarya would have liked to do nothing better than take a chuck out of those two… but nooo, the dwarves had to be the spoil sports and be reasonable :D And yes, Tarya and Bard is going to get interesting during the next chapters… you'll see eventually :D There will be more Bard in the next chapter, anyway :)
madscientistproduction.01: Thank you very much! I always try to make it as flowing and seamless as possible, which sometimes works out and sometimes not really :D I'm glad you liked it!
kaia: That's an interesting point you made there and you are absolutely right, it would probably be wiser not to transform into human form in Laketown… but then again, when is anyone in this story ever acting wisely? Anyway, the dwarves have a plan for that… we'll see whether that works out in the end :D
Dalonega Noquisi: Thank you! And no, it is absolutely not just you! :D There's definitely a resemblance there! And I'm glad you liked how I brought Bard in, I wasn't quite sure about that. There will be more of him in the next chapters :)
Akilah Swiftblade: I agree wholeheartedly, Alfrid and the Master were just… ugh, no, go away. And I absolutely loved Bard in the movie, as well, and he'll be appearing in the next chapters, too. Bard ftw! :D
XxXLIFEafterDEATHXxX: I'm glad you liked it! And that's a very interesting thought you had there! There will definitely be some important things happening with Bard and Tarya anyway, so we'll see where that leads us to in the end :D
Song-of-a-Curlew: Bard ftw! :D Yeah, he definitely is a good guy and he'll be appearing more in the next chapters :) Thanks for making my day with your review! :D
Thanks also to Birdy21, ZabuzasGirl, DwarvenWarrior, jesskalynn4, Lady Syndra, FleurSuoh, rebel yell1861 andFurionknight for your lovely reviews! They are highly appreciated!
And thanks to the people who followed and favorited!
Oh, and, by the way, there is some singing in this chapter. The lyrics are borrowed from the song 'Pale Moon' by Uncle Earl. :)
Now, go, me hearties, and read the new chapter and… well, if you have any thoughts at the end of it, I'd be happy to read them! :D
After officially being welcomed into Laketown, the dwarves were assigned and led to a large house in which they could stay for the night before they would make for the Lonely Mountain that was looming in the distance on the other side of the lake the next day. They had only two days left until Durin's Day would finally be upon them, two days to reach the mountain and find the hidden door.
They had been given armour to wear and weapons and a boat would be prepared for the company's leave in the morning. Warm clothes and new boots had been put to each dwarf's disposal and they had been invited by the Master himself to join his festivities in order to celebrate the mountain-king's return. The majority of the dwarves had followed that invitation happily and only the older ones, namely Balin and Oin, had decided to skip the festivities in order to rest their limbs that were still sore from the barrel-ride.
Kili was sitting on the bed in his assigned room, staring blankly at his right leg. Oin had bandaged it anew a few minutes ago before he had gone to bed, applying a very ill smelling ointment onto the wound. The old dwarf had told him to keep it still and that he would surely be feeling better in the morning already. Kili had just smiled and nodded at the old healer, even though he highly doubted his words. The pain in his leg had only gotten worse ever since the arrow had hit him and Kili felt like the pain was somehow spreading further in his body rather than lessening. But he hadn't told Oin that. He didn't want any of the others to know that he was in more pain than he let on, unwilling to be a burden to the company. And who knew, maybe it really would feel better tomorrow.
The brunet dwarf was ripped out of his thoughts when he heard a quiet knock on the door and his gaze shot up as a moment later it was pushed open and a familiar blond head of hair appeared in the doorframe.
"I thought you were at the feast," Kili said, a bit surprised to see Fili as he entered the room with a big plate of food in his hands. Kili himself hadn't been able to attend the Master's festivities in his injured state. He was supposed to rest.
"No," Fili answered, sending his little brother a small smile as he closed the door behind him with his foot and walked over to Kili, placing the plate on a small table next to the bed. "I just had to find my little sister a pair of fresh clothes before I could come to you."
Kili's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Tarya and he unconsciously sat up a bit straighter against the headboard of the bed. He hadn't seen her after they had been assigned the house and he'd been led to his room to get proper treatment for his wound. It had taken a bit of convincing until the Master had accepted Tarya into his city, as well, and only after Thorin had told him that she was not just a mere wolf he had agreed to let her stay. Thorin hadn't told him that she was an Amarok, though, and Kili was quite grateful for that, for he didn't really trust the Master of the town. He seemed greedy and perfidious; something that Thorin probably thought as well, for he had told him that Tarya was a skin-changer travelling with them instead of revealing her true identity. And seeing as the Master had already been quite intrigued by that false identity, Kili didn't want to know how much interest he would have in Tarya if he knew what she truly was.
"Where is she?" Kili asked as his brother came to sit in the chair next to his bed. Fili just smiled calmly as he handed his little brother a piece of cheese. Kili took it absentmindedly, staring expectantly at his brother.
"Her room is just a few chambers down the hall," Fili said, helping himself to a slice of bread. "I left her with the clothes on the bed, she's probably changing now. Well, you know… clothes and body."
Kili just nodded silently as he chewed his cheese, his thoughts shortly wandering to the black-haired woman he so urgently needed to talk to.
"How are you feeling?" Fili asked then, his eyes wandering over the brunet's bandaged thigh.
"Good. Just tired," Kili said, and only the first part was a lie.
Fili just slightly raised his eyebrows at his little brother, knowing very well that Kili wasn't telling the whole truth. But he knew as well that he was too stubborn to admit that he was in pain. Fili stayed silent for a moment as he observed his brother worriedly, taking in Kili's pale skin and his exhausted expression.
"You should sleep," he muttered eventually, watching as Kili struggled to keep his eyes open, his torso slumped against the headboard of the bed. Kili shook his head slightly and Fili knew exactly why, rolling his eyes lightly.
"I will wake you when she comes," he said, causing his brother's eyes to widen slightly at him. Fili couldn't help a small chuckle. "Don't look at me like that, Kee, it's hardly a secret anymore after your little snog in the dungeons now, is it?"
Fili's grin widened slightly as he saw his brother's pale face gaining a bit of colour as his cheeks flushed pink. "It wasn't a snog."
"Oh, it was most definitely a snog, dear brother," Fili chuckled. "And it looked like quite a good one, too, if I may say so myself."
Kili rolled his eyes at his grinning big brother before his expression turned more sober and Fili frowned at the sudden uncertain look on his brother's face. He leaned forward in his chair, sending Kili an asking gaze as the brunet dwarf rubbed one hand absently over his chest. Kili tried to avoid his brother's eyes for a moment before he finally sighed and turned to look at Fili hesitantly.
"What's wrong?" Fili asked, worry resonating in his voice. Kili pressed his lips together for a moment before his voice sounded quietly through the room.
"Do you…" Kili hesitated for a second, looking away from his brother, feeling embarrassed to ask Fili something like this. "Do you think she could love me?"
Fili's eyebrows rose of their own volition at his brother's quiet, unsure voice and he couldn't help the smile that came to play on his lips just a second later. He stood up and put one hand on Kili's shoulder, slowly pushing him down until he was lying on the bed properly, looking up at him questioningly.
"I think… she does, brother," Fili muttered and watched as Kili's eyes widen slightly at his words before he patted his shoulder with a reassuring smile. "Now rest. You need it."
The brunet just nodded slowly before he finally closed his eyes and when Fili had returned to take his place in the chair, Kili was already snoring lightly. The blond dwarf sighed quietly, a small frown coming to play on his face as he watched his little brother sleep.
Tarya closed the door behind her as she stepped out of her room, looking up and down the hallway uncertainly. Her gaze shortly rested on the pile of armour that had been positioned near the entrance of the house and she couldn't help the antsy feeling filling her stomach as she thought about tomorrow. They would make for the mountain the next morning, only having two more days left until Durin's Day, the day they had to find the hidden door.
With a quiet sigh, she turned to the left and slowly made her way down the corridor. The house was almost completely silent and she shortly found herself staring out of a window in the direction where the Master was having his feast and where most of her companions were at the moment. Even Bilbo, who had been quite reluctant at first, had been convinced to celebrate.
Light snoring from behind a door pulled her out of her thoughts as she walked by, making her stop and after a moment knock hesitantly. She didn't get an answer at first and she was about to turn away when a quiet 'come in' sounded from the other side of the door. Tarya slowly pushed it open and stuck her head inside, seeing Fili propped up on a chair next to his sleeping brother, smiling slightly at her. Fili motioned her to come in and she closed the door behind her as silently as possible before she slowly made her way over to the blond dwarf, her gaze shortly flicking to Kili who was snoring peacefully.
"So the clothes fit," Fili whispered as she came to stand beside him, raising himself from the chair to offer it to her. Tarya quickly waved him off until he reluctantly sat back down. The Amarok shortly glanced down at her new black breeches and her dark green tunic, nodding quietly. She wasn't wearing any boots, having decided that she didn't need them in the house even though the wooden floor was quite cold.
"How is he?" she asked quietly, looking at Kili as she sat down beside the chair, slightly leaning against Fili's legs. She felt the blond dwarf put a heavy hand on her shoulder, squeezing slightly.
"I don't know," he muttered. "He says he's fine but he's a stubborn ass."
"That he is," Tarya replied quietly, her gaze never leaving the brunet dwarf as a small smile came to play around her lips. She hesitated a moment then before she slightly turned her head towards Fili, staring at his knee. "Fili?"
"Hm?"
She felt his gaze resting on her as she shortly pressed her lips together. "I think… I think the arrow that hit him might not have been a normal one," she finally muttered, feeling Fili's grip on her shoulder tighten slightly.
"What do you mean?" he asked in a whisper as to not wake his brother.
"I- I smelt something on his wound down by the river," she murmured. "An awful, acrid smell."
Fili stayed silent for a long while and only when Tarya fully turned her head to look up at him did he answer, his gaze resting heavily on his little brother. "Maybe it was just the mixture of the blood and water and the iron of the arrowhead?"
Tarya could see that he wasn't convinced of his theory himself, his gaze worriedly wandering to where Kili's leg lay beneath the blanket.
"Maybe," Tarya muttered, leaning her head against Fili's knee as her gaze wandered back to the brunet dwarf on the bed. The Amarok sighed quietly as silence hung in the room for a long while and they both revelled in their own thoughts, until Fili silently stroked one hand over her head comfortingly.
"He'll be fine."
Tarya just nodded slowly and they were silent for another while until the Amarok quietly spoke up again, hesitant to even say anything.
"Fili?"
"Hm?"
Tarya paused for a moment, worrying her lower lip with her teeth as she watched Kili's chest slowly rise and fall with his regular breathing as he kept sleeping soundly. "… He kissed me."
She heard Fili snort some air out of his nose behind her before he answered, the smile actually audible in his voice. "I noticed."
Tarya rolled her eyes in frustration. She had known that Fili wasn't the right person to talk to about this. But then again, there was no one else she could have talked to about it, really. She flinched slightly when she felt him lean forward in his chair, bringing his head next to hers so he could look at her face properly. Tarya stubbornly kept her gaze straight ahead as Fili looked at her from the side, his moustache braids twitching slightly as he attempted to suppress the smile that was tugging on the corners of his lips.
"Stop that," Tarya growled quietly, merely earning a hushed chuckle in reply.
"Stop what?"
"Stop laughing at me, Fili," she hissed. "It's not funny! I don't - … I-"
"You love him, don't you?" the blond dwarf interrupted her stammering quietly, now sounding more serious than before, though the smile still hadn't vanished completely from his face as Tarya turned to look at him in utter shock. Fili shoved her lightly. "I'm not as daft as you seem to think I am, Tarya. I see the way you look at my little brother, the way you interact with him, the way you are somehow… bound to him ever since you two met."
Tarya took a deep breath as his blue gaze fixed hers in the darkness of the room. "Commitment…" Fili murmured lowly and her eyes widened slightly at his words. "It's a bit like with us dwarves, isn't it? Like having a One?"
The Amarok couldn't believe that Fili was just telling her these things that she had only found out about herself a few days ago as if he had known them all along. Fili seemed to take her stunned silence as an affirmation and he shot her a kind smile with slightly raised eyebrows that pulled her out of her momentary numbness.
"H-how…?"
Fili just nudged her shoulder gently. "I figured. And really, Tarya, I have eyes," he grinned at her and now she couldn't help but shove his leg in reply, almost making him fall out of his chair in the process. Fili managed to grip the armrest in time and keep himself balanced before shooting her an amused look as she glared at him. If he knew all along, he surely could have said something, she thought grumpily.
"I told him I would wake you when you came," Fili murmured eventually and Tarya just shook her head slightly, her gaze flicking to the still sleeping Kili.
"Don't. He needs as much rest as he can get. As do you," she added as she looked back at Fili who had dark rings under his eyes. He returned her gaze tiredly, though she could see that he was hesitant to leave. Tarya gave him a small smile. "Go and catch some sleep while you can, Fili. I'll stay here and look after him."
"What about your own rest?" Fili asked with a sigh as she stood up and pulled slightly on his sleeve to get him out of the chair.
"I can manage," Tarya assured him as he let her lead him towards the door. And truly, she wasn't really tired at all, at least not nearly as tired as Fili seemed to be. The blond dwarf stifled a yawn as he reluctantly opened the door and he shot a look back to his little brother.
"Very well," he muttered. "But… call me if anything…"
Tarya just nodded as he trailed off and before she could do anything, she found herself pressed against the blond dwarf in a small hug. "Thank you, namadîth," Fili muttered into her hair and she smiled warmly at him once he released her. She quite liked him calling her 'little sister', she thought, as he put one hand on the back of her head and gently knocked their foreheads together. Tarya's smile widened even more at him as he took a step back, smiling back at her before he turned and walked down the dark corridor to where his own room was.
Tarya kept smiling silently to herself as she closed the door behind her again, returning to sit by Kili's bed for a moment. She had seen Dwalin and Balin exchanging the same gesture before, knocking their foreheads together, and she had learned some time ago that it was a gesture of affection amongst dwarves.
The Amarok sighed deeply as her gaze came to rest on Kili's sleeping face. He looked peaceful but she could see that his breathing was heavier than usual and his skin had gotten even paler over the last hours. Slowly, Tarya stood up from the chair and leant over the bed, gently pushing a few strands of hair from his forehead before she pressed a small kiss to it. Kili kept on sleeping soundly as she smiled almost melancholy.
She did love him that much was undeniably true. But things weren't as simple as Fili made them seem. Tomorrow, they would make for the mountain and Tarya couldn't help but think about what would happen when they would finally reach their goal. What would happen when they reclaimed Erebor. Whether they would even succeed in reclaiming it. If they did, Thorin would be King under the Mountain, Fili and Kili would be true princes and she would still be nothing more than a wolf on two legs who had never truly belonged anywhere. She had nothing to offer. Kili was a dwarf-prince; she told herself, shaking her head slightly. Why would he want someone like her? How could he possibly want someone like her?
The Amarok sighed once more before she turned away from the bed and slowly crossed the room towards the window that looked out over the town. Tarya's gaze flicked up to the sky as the clouds revealed the moon and she felt herself covered in pale light. She shortly closed her eyes. She had finally learned to love and yet it was a love that was not for her.
As Kili struggled to open his still heavy eyes, he didn't know how long he had been sleeping and couldn't quite tell what exactly had caused him to wake up.
Kili found himself in the darkness of a small room that was only lit by moonlight, telling him that it was not yet morning. Lying on a bed and covered in a thick blanket, it took the young dwarf a few seconds until he remembered where he was, before he suddenly noticed the soft voice that echoed through the room. That had apparently been what had woken him, he thought sleepily, and it took him another moment to realize that someone was singing.
"Pale moon in the bright blue sky,
quiet moon in the trumpeting sunlight…"
Kili slowly turned his head in search for the singer and his eyes widened in surprise as he spotted a familiar small figure sitting on the window ledge on the other side of the room.
"Full moon in the bright blue sky.
High noon is hiding your light.
I heard she's waiting. She waits for night."
Kili listened to Tarya's soft and quiet voice as it flowed through the air towards him, filling the whole room with a strange calmness. The young dwarf didn't dare to speak, afraid that she would stop singing if she knew he was listening. Tarya's head was leaning against the frame of the window, her gaze set on the sky outside as she sang.
"Half moon in the bright blue sky,
hold on. Hold back your better side.
Maybe she's waiting. She waits for night."
The Amarok had her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, an absent expression on her face as she sang. She didn't seem to notice that he was awake and Kili could have listened to her soft and melodic voice forever, though he couldn't help but notice the slightly sad tone of the song.
"Shy moon in the bright blue sky.
Lonesome moon. Stars more your own kind.
Heard she's just waiting. She waits for night."
Kili felt his chest tighten at the sight of her, the pain in his body forgotten for a moment as he noticed how beautiful she looked in the pale blue moonlight. Apparently, Fili had found her a pair of dark breeches and a dark green tunic to wear, though her feet were bare against the wooden window ledge. He liked her better like this, he thought, remembering how uncomfortable she had looked in the elven dress. Kili also noticed that she still had the strange elven braids in her hair and he shortly found himself wishing to loosen them and braid his own pattern into her black hair instead.
Eventually, Tarya's voice slowly faded until she just stared silently up at the moon. The brunet dwarf heard a quiet sigh leave her throat and he watched her as she hugged her legs a bit tighter. It was then that he decided to disrupt the silence in the room.
"You sing beautifully…" Kili muttered, his voice slightly hoarse, and he shot her a small smile as her head swivelled around to look at him. Tarya's eyes widened as she realized that he had been awake and listening and he saw a light blush creeping on her cheeks. She didn't make a move towards him, merely staring at him across the moonlit room. "I have never heard you sing before."
"It's a beautiful moon tonight," Tarya answered lowly after a few moments of silence, her gaze shortly flicking back to the sky outside. Kili's eyebrows rose slightly in question and Tarya smiled softly at him when she noticed it. "Have you ever heard a wolf cry to the moon, Kili?"
The dwarf just nodded a bit confused. Tarya's smile widened slightly as she looked at him and he slowly pushed himself up on the bed, careful not to move his leg too much, until his back was resting against the headboard. He still felt a small wave of pain rush through his body and Tarya watched him carefully as he supressed a wince.
"You mean to tell me that the crying is actually… singing?" Kili asked, trying to take her mind off his injury beside his genuine curiosity.
Tarya nodded slowly in reply before she turned away from the window, swung her legs over the ledge and jumped onto the floor with a quiet thud. Kili watched her as she crossed the room and walked over to him, slowly taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside him. "How are you feeling?"
Kili just sighed quietly, avoiding her scrutinizing gaze. "I'm fine," he muttered reluctantly. "Bit sore, is all."
"Kili – "
"I'm fine," he interrupted her a bit harsher than he had intended to before she could say anything, looking back into her concerned golden eyes. She seemed a bit taken aback by his tone and Kili's gaze softened immediately. "I'm sorry, I just…" he trailed off with a sigh, not quite knowing what to say and Tarya just inclined her head slightly, her gaze settling on her own hand that fiddled with the hem of his blanket.
"You sang to the moon?" Kili asked quietly then and the Amarok simply nodded in reply, not looking at him and the brunet dwarf sighed quietly. This was not how he had imagined their first conversation after the infamous kiss to go.
"The song speaks of an old legend," Tarya murmured after a while, her gaze coming to rest on an invisible point on the wall while Kili watched her, the absent expression coming to play on her face again. "It's the story of a young wolf that falls in love with the moon and each night waits for it to come forth and shine down on her with its gentle light. And each night she cries for a love she will never touch."
"That sounds like quite a sad story," Kili muttered in reply and Tarya shrugged slightly, her gaze still set on the wall. Kili tentatively reached out and gently put his hand over her small one that was lying on the bed sheet. He felt the Amarok's fingers twitch slightly at his touch, though she didn't retrieve her hand. "Why do you sing it?"
Tarya stayed silent for a long while and it was only when Kili was becoming sure that she wouldn't answer him at all that she finally did.
"Maybe because I, too, am just a wolf in love with the moon."
Kili watched her attentively, a small frown coming to play on his face upon her words as her gaze hesitantly flicked to him. Tarya was looking at him almost shyly, the strange expression he had already seen a few times before mirroring in her eyes and the young dwarf could feel his heart miss a beat as he suddenly recognized what it was. She was looking at him with uncertainty, with great hesitation but all Kili cared for was the unhidden affection gracing her expression. His grip on her hand tightened slightly as he held her gaze with his, unwilling to let her go again as he realized that maybe he was her moon.
His heart gave a loud thump at the thought that she could actually return his feelings and maybe just be too shy to utter them for fear of him being a love that she could never have. And Kili could understand that, because he had felt the very same way about her and truly, they came from completely different worlds and not everyone – maybe only very few people – would accept their union immediately. After all, no one had ever heard of a dwarf loving someone that was not of his own kind, never mind a legendary kind of wolf. Kili knew that an Amarok would not really be considered a fitting match for a dwarven prince but he couldn't have cared less. Just because his love for her was unusual didn't make it any less true and deep. It made it all the more extraordinary and if she truly returned his feelings, Kili would not let anything come between them.
The brunet dwarf took a deep breath as he tried to organize his thoughts, gathering the courage to answer her.
"B-… but what if the moon is in love with the wolf, as well? And maybe just as the wolf longs for the moon to join her on earth, the moon yearns for the wolf to come dance with him in the sky," he muttered softly, shortly wondering whether his words made any sense to her, and watched as her gaze dropped down to where he touched her.
Kili felt a small smile tug on his lips as he saw Tarya's eyes widen slightly in realization and he let his thumb stroke lightly over the back of her hand before he continued.
"Though from different worlds, they are bound by fate, wolf and moon." Kili's voice was careful, nothing more than a quiet murmur as he slowly leaned forward while pulling Tarya towards him slightly, ignoring the pain caused by his movements. "In the end, they are not just wolf and moon but two souls that long for each other, two beings that belong together. And if they gave their love a chance, nothing could come between them. No distance or barrier would be too great to overcome."
"Do you truly think so?" Tarya softly whispered after a moment of silence and Kili felt a breathy chuckle rise in his throat, smiling affectionately at her as he brought both his hands up to cup her face gently.
"I am absolutely sure of it, Tarya," Kili murmured as he stroked his thumbs over her cheekbones, her skin feeling soft and warm beneath his fingertips. For a moment, they both stayed completely silent before the young dwarf gently rested his forehead against Tarya's and she let him, her eyes closing at the gentle gesture. Kili took a deep breath before he sighed quietly.
"I love you," he eventually breathed, immediately feeling a heavy weight lifting from his chest upon finally uttering the words that had been imprisoned within him for so long.
Kili felt Tarya's body suddenly go rigid beneath his touch and as her eyes shot open he found two wide golden orbs staring at him blankly. For a short dreadful moment, Kili thought he had misinterpreted things, that she didn't actually return his feelings, that he wasn't the moon in her story. But then he saw the expression in her eyes shift to surprise first before she finally drew back a little, now looking at him with so much affection that he almost felt his breath hitch in his throat.
Tarya smiled warmly at him as she brought one hand up to put it over his right one on her cheek, lightly entwining her fingers with his.
"I love you, too, minn máni," she said and he could see the Amarok's smile brighten as he released a relieved breath upon her words before he wrapped one arm around her tightly and pulled her the small bit towards him along the edge of the bed with one strong move until she was pressed against his front. All pain was forgotten as he brought her face closer to his, smilingly pressing a small kiss to her cheek. Kili would never have thought that such simple words could make him so happy. His heart fluttered excitedly in his chest and he could only just keep himself from bursting out laughing in joy as he buried his face in her hair. His One loved him. Tarya loved him.
"You don't know how long I have longed for you to say those words," Kili murmured into her ear as he held her close and she wrapped her arms around his neck before he slightly pulled back to look at her.
"I love you," she repeated quietly, only to see his lips forming into a happy smile, his eyes slightly crinkling at the corners. Tarya couldn't help her own smile as she looked at him. Saying those words to him for the first time had felt like a heavy rock had been lifted from her shoulders and repeating them now just felt good and right, and the words tumbled from her lips naturally as if she had always been meant to say them.
She was ripped out of her trail of thoughts when she felt Kili's hand slide from her cheek into her hair, gently gripping the back of her neck.
"I am going to kiss you now, Tarya," Kili muttered throatily as he held her gaze, his eyes dark with emotion and Tarya felt her heart flutter excitedly in her chest.
"Again?" she whispered against his lips as he leant forward, her eyes already closing of their own volition and her breathing becoming slightly heavier as she felt his warm breath wash over her face.
"Again," the dwarf before her confirmed and she could hear the smile in his voice before suddenly all her thoughts vanished from her head as he closed the small distance between them and gently pressed his lips to hers. Tarya was surprised at how different this kiss felt from the one they had shared in Thranduil's dungeons. The last kiss had been a bit hasty, a bit awkward because it had been her first and she hadn't known what to do. And it had not lasted very long. Now, however, Kili was kissing her slowly and patiently, giving her enough time to adjust to this still new feeling as her lips mirrored his actions almost of their own will, instincts leading her as she returned his kiss willingly.
Tarya didn't quite know where the pleased noise that left her was coming from when Kili pulled her closer, pressing her flush against his chest, as his lips grew a bit firmer against hers. Tarya's arms tightened around the dwarf's neck as one of his large hands gently ran down her back while the other held her face close to his. The Amarok couldn't help the small protesting noise escaping her when Kili finally pulled back a little and she struggled to reopen her eyes. And when she did, Tarya saw the brunet dwarf smiling down at her as one hand trailed lightly over her cheek.
"I think I could get used to this," Tarya muttered slightly out of breath and Kili chuckled quietly as he pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"You better," Kili murmured lowly, gently brushing his lips against hers before he pressed another short kiss to them. Tarya shuddered slightly at the feeling, her hands unconsciously gripping his tunic slightly as Kili looked her in the eyes. "Because you are mine now… and I have already wasted enough time as it is. I will not deny myself the pleasure of kissing you any longer, my love, my One…"
Tarya's eyes widened slightly at his last word, only remembering too well the conversation about dwarves and their Ones around the campfire all those weeks ago. Kili grazed her with a loving smile before his expression turned slightly more serious as he looked at her. Tarya returned his gaze questioningly when he pulled back a little.
"You once said that Amarok didn't love," Kili muttered, a small frown coming to play on his forehead before he looked at her searchingly. Tarya smiled, softly pressing one hand to his cheek and letting her fingers trail over his stubble before she nodded quietly.
"I did," she said and felt his grip around her waist tighten slightly, almost as if he was afraid she would take back her words and move away from him. "And I did think that at the time I said it. But I came to learn that commitment isn't just an empty phrase. It's… I – "
Kili raised his eyebrows as she hesitated a moment, not sure how to explain this to him. She took a deep breath, averting her gaze from his dark eyes to the collar of his tunic as her hand fell from his cheek to fumble with the few laces there. "I didn't know what it meant for a very long time, Kili. But I know now. I know now that I didn't just transform for no reason. Amaroks transform when they commit and they commit when they love."
She hesitantly raised her gaze to look at Kili, only to see that he was staring at her silently. Tarya swallowed tightly before she continued. "It's the origin of light," she explained lowly, remembering her father's words. "It allows an Amarok's very soul to take form so that it may match the one they committed themselves to. The one they love."
"So, this means that… since Rivendell…?" Kili trailed off and Tarya smiled slightly at him as he looked at her almost incredulously.
"I've always been yours, Kili," she murmured in reply and saw Kili's eyes practically gleam with joy in the moonlit darkness before he suddenly leant forward and buried his face in the curve of her neck, hugging her close to him. Tarya shuddered slightly at the feeling of his stubble rubbing against her collarbone as he pressed a light kiss on her skin there. "I just needed a while to realize it."
She was still not used to this sudden amount of physical contact between them but she couldn't deny that she quite liked it. In fact, Tarya really enjoyed being as close to Kili, even though she still felt a bit clumsy in returning his gestures with the same naturalness he had.
"It took us both a while," Kili said as he pulled back. Slowly, he scooted over on the bed and lay down, pulling her with him so she was lying to his left. Kili snaked one arm underneath her, wrapping it around her back and pulling her close so she could lay her head on his chest. He made it seem so normal, almost like they had always been lovers and not just friends. For a moment, Tarya thought about leaving him to get some more proper rest and going back to sleep in her own room, but as he brought his hand up and started softly brushing it through her hair, she couldn't bring herself to utter her thoughts, enjoying his nearness too much. The Amarok felt her eyelids grow heavier by the second as Kili's gentle touch and the steady beating of his heart beneath her ear were slowly lulling her to sleep.
Her eyes were already closed when she heard Kili's deep voice once more, the sound vibrating through his chest beneath her head.
"Tarya?"
She just hummed in reply, too tired to give a coherent answer.
"What does 'minn máni' mean?" Kili's voice was not more than a low murmur in the dark room. Tarya smiled to herself, still not opening her eyes.
"My moon," she whispered sleepily and after a moment she felt Kili press a small kiss to the top of her head before she finally fell asleep.