Kili and Rhavaniel had kept up a brisk pace since leaving the mere, and covered a great deal of ground by midday. They stopped briefly to rest.

"Would you like some bilberry jam?" Rhavaniel asked, reaching in to her pack.

"That will be fine." Kili said. He opened the jar and sighed, "I never imagined I could miss bread this much."

Rhavaniel laughed, "Spread the jam on a slice of baked root and use your imagination."

"I am surprised at how little game there is here, not so much as a coney since we left the mere." Kili noted.

"That is how we could get the poison into the Orcs! Poison the meat of a fresh kill and leave it for them to find. They could not resist it, not out here." Rhavaniel was quite pleased with her latest idea.

"You make a good point." Kili conceded. "That last Warg was so keen for meat, it had eaten rotten Orc like mother's home cooking."

"But, we have no meat, and no poison, so this is all pointless." Rhavaniel sighed. "Now that I have lived a bit in the world beyond my Kingdom's walls, I wish I had availed myself of all opportunities to learn. If only I had studied High Elvish, and the healing arts, and even cooking more diligently. It would have served us well out here."

"You will have opportunity for all of that again." Kili assured her, "You are like my brother, Fili - you will be surpassing your teachers in no time. You have a very quick mind, you know. You are the brightest girl I have ever met. If your teachers have not discovered this, then they have failed to spark your interest in the subject."

Rhavaniel blushed, "Thank you. You challenge my mind, like no one else has before. You are also very handsome."

Kili laughed. "I cannot look handsome to an Elf! I assumed you looked past that because you gave me your heart, but you do not have to pretend. Dwarf and Elf standards of beauty are very different."

Rhavaniel was indignant, "What? I should moon over an Elf Prince who is even prettier than I am, just as every other Elf girl does? I never did, even before I met you. Now that I have met you, I understand why. I think a male should look like a male - should look like you."

"Well," Kili smiled, "I find you to be a lovely girl. More so every day I am with you."

Rhavaniel gave him a quick kiss, "Will you still love me if I grow a foot taller than you?"

Kili grimaced, "That might be difficult..."

Rhavaniel tackled him and he laughed "I am teasing! I will love you always, I promise!"