I do not own any of the characters or the Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC) those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reull Tolkien, and without his genius,this and many other fan fics would not be in existence.

Please review! I love getting them-they keep me encouraged J

Cirashala turned, staring at the furiously blushing young prince with wide eyes, even as Kili refused to look at her.

"W-what?" she asked, her jaw hanging open slightly in astonishment. The young dwarf swallowed heavily, before repeating his words.

"Oin is-isn't a…a girl," he whispered, his voice barely audible even as he subconsciously drew his arms about himself, wincing at the movement. "I-I've n-never…" Cirashala's eyes widened further as realization struck her, her own face heating up in embarrassment. Her eyes closed as she sighed, unable to face the trembling young dwarf as she hung her head.

Of course! The layers….how could I have been so stupid?

Every single dwarf within the company wore at least four layers. She knew from the troll scene in the movies that they had long underwear, but she could also see plain as day that they were also covered in tunics, jerkins, and finally their overcoats. And if it rained, most of them had cloaks as well. Nothing was uncovered amongst the entire company, save their heads and hands, and with a few, like Dwalin, their forearms. Even the young prince, though he had given her his tunic, had still pulled his jerkin to cover as much of his long underwear as he possibly could.

I-I almost forgot- this isn't the world I came from, she thought to herself, feeling quite foolish and embarrassed that she had jumped to conclusions. This is Middle-earth. Guys don't walk around shirtless here, not like they did there all the time.

She opened her eyes slowly as Kili groaned again, brows furrowing in concern at the look of severe pain on his pale face. His ribs had to be wrapped- there was no getting around it. What she had said was quite true- if they were left alone any longer, he could become very seriously injured, possibly even die. And, judging from the expression on his face, Kili was fully aware of that. But how was she going to convince the apparently shy young dwarf to bare his chest?

She swayed slightly on her feet as the forest began to spin a bit, reaching her good hand out to the fallen tree trunk to steady herself. The young woman shakily lowered herself to her knees, before looking up at the young prince sadly.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered, regret in her face. "I-I didn't realize….you-you've never had a woman heal you before, have you?" Kili averted his eyes and shook his head, swallowing heavily.

"N-no," he replied shakily, "N-not before you wrapped my hand in Rivendell. I-it was always Oin, from the time I was born, or Mother, or Thorin…n-never a…" The young prince could not even finish the sentence in his embarrassment, but he didn't need to.

"Don't the dwarves have women healers too?" she asked, and Kili nodded his head.

"Aye, b-but they usually only attended births, from what I've he—" Kili's reply was cut off as another sharp pain emitted from his torso, the young dwarf's face twisting in pain as he groaned.

"They-your ribs- they have to be wrapped somehow," she whispered after a moment, her brow furrowed as she tried to find a solution to their problem.

He said his mother tended his wounds sometimes, Cirashala thought to herself. What if….

"W-would it help, I mean…could you, maybe…pretend I am your mother while I wrap them?"

XXX

The stunned dwarf gaped at her, jaw hanging open as his wide eyes searched her face, his cheeks turning crimson as he realized she was completely serious.

"I-I…well, you…see, you don't…don't look anything like….s-she has a beard, a-and you….look….see, she-she's old, and you're…." the young dwarf stammered quickly, almost feeling the heat that radiated off his cheeks.

"I- what?" she asked, confusion in her gaze. Kili swallowed thickly, his gaze boring holes into the toes of his boots even as his heartbeat quickened.

"N-nothing," he replied quietly, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

"All right, not your mother," she quickly amended, saving the young dwarf from further embarrassment. She glanced down at his torso, before her eyes landed on his long underwear, barely visible between the folds of his dark blue jerkin. Kili's eyes followed her gaze, and he subconsciously tried to cover that spot with the edges of the leather vest.

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered, averting his eyes. "I tried, but it wouldn't completely cover—"

"What if…" she interrupted, an idea forming in her mind, "I wrapped them over your long underwear?" Kili's eyes widened in surprise, before the dark orbs slowly met hers. She swallowed nervously, picking at a small tear on the knee of her trousers as she bit her lip, noting the hesitance in his gaze.

"W-would that work?" he asked slowly, his expression not quite convinced.

"They-they aren't that thick, from what little I could tell last night," she continued, looking up at him hesitantly, not wishing to make the young prince any more uncomfortable or nervous than he already was. "I-I think I can set them and wrap them without you having to, well….without …making you too uncomfortable, I hope."

Kili looked at her hesitantly for several minutes as Cirashala barely dared to breathe. The only sounds audible in the wood around them were the chirping of birds as they flew above them, and the gurgling of a tiny stream at the bottom of the ravine. Cirashala was about to give up, having run out of ideas, when he slowly nodded.

"Aye," he whispered.

XXX

Kili reached down, untying the makeshift bag of bandages from his belt, before handing them to Cirashala.

"You," he began, swallowing nervously. "You might want to start a small fire, just to dry them out some more first." She nodded, and stood up, using the felled tree for support.

The young woman quickly gathered some pinecones and dry sticks off the forest floor, gathering them in a small pile, before turning to Kili.

"I-I can't start a fire with one hand," she said quietly, and the young dwarf nodded. Slowly placing his hands on either side, the young prince hoisted himself to his feet, groaning loudly as the movement hurt his torso. He stood there for a moment, breaths coming quickly, before moving toward the pile. Sinking to his knees next to Cirashala, he reached out his hand for the flint and steel.

She reached toward her right side, under her injured arm, where she had tied the small bag to her own belt. Fortunately, despite being damp from their encounter with the stream that morning, the ties came apart with one good tug, and she handed them to the young dwarf.

Kili had a small fire going within a few moments, and Cirashala managed to lay some of the strips out on a nearby rock to dry. She glanced toward the young dwarf as she was doing so, eyes not quite meeting his.

"I-I need to set the broken bones before they're wrapped," she said quietly. The young dwarf nodded, not meeting her eyes either as he reached for the edge of his coat. She turned back toward the strips to allow the young dwarf some semblance of privacy while he took off his coat and jerkin, though her ears were fully aware of the pained whimpers and hisses that accompanied his movements.

XXX

Kili was trying desperately to not cry out as he removed his outer clothing, jaw clenched tight as he fought against the pain.

Once they were off, he set them off to the side, before clearing his throat awkwardly. As she turned around, blue eyes landing on his torso, the young dwarf suddenly felt very vulnerable and exposed. His fists clenched the legs of his trousers as he fought the urge to grab his jerkin and put it back on, his body trembling as she crouched down in front of him.

She could tell he was frightened, that much was clear by her expression. She sighed, before resting her good hand on his, causing the nervous young dwarf to jump slightly. Hesitant brown eyes looked up at her, the young prince swallowing nervously.

"It's all right," she whispered. "If you wish it, I will stop. I don't want to force you either." Blue eyes met his, searching his face, and Kili was reminded of the night before, when he had said those very words to her before he tended the wounds on her back.

T-this must be how she felt last night, the young dwarf thought to himself as realization struck him. S-she really must trust me.

"Aye," he whispered. "D-do what you must." She nodded, before releasing his hand. She looked at his chest, then back up at him.

"Where does it hurt the most?" she asked, and Kili sighed.

"Everywhere," he whispered, wincing again as another pain shot through him, and she nodded.

"I-I will have to feel for the breaks, then set them," she replied, "All right?" The young prince nodded, watching with trepidation as her hand reached toward his chest.

XXX

Kili hadn't known what to expect the first time a woman would run her hand over his chest, even if it was only to heal him, but it certainly wasn't this.

Cirashala's touch was very gentle, gentler than anyone else who had ever touched or healed him before. Oin, while an excellent healer, was still slightly rough, as all dwarves were. Even his mother, who was gentler than most, still had dwarf strength behind her movements. The young woman's fingers slowly moved across his ribs, surprisingly dexterous fingers probing gently as she felt along the bones for breaks.

The young dwarf's heart raced, pounding hard against his ribs. His breaths came quickly, though he tried to slow them as he swallowed heavily. That strange tugging in his chest continued, even stronger than before, his whole body trembling nervously.

Cirashala didn't seem to notice how much her gentle touch affected him, much to the young dwarf's relief. Her brow was furrowed as she ran her hand over his ribcage over and over again, causing Kili to be more aware and insecure about his lack of muscle, as opposed to other dwarves. She sighed in frustration, causing the young dwarf to look away in shame.

S-she must feel that I don't have much muscle, the young dwarf thought to himself sadly. That-that I am not a proper dwarf.

He was quite slender, especially for a dwarf. His muscles weren't quite as thick as the others, especially Fili, who was most definitely a dwarf in build. His elder brother had had little trouble with warhammers, with exception to Dwalin's huge one, and had been able to enter sword and axe training at the proper age.

Kili, on the other hand, had been unable to even lift a warhammer or axe at the same age, let alone train with one. His uncle had quickly spotted the fact that Kili had a keen eye and good aim, and had chosen to hone his skills with a bow first, followed by sword training when he could finally wield one. Kili did not regret learning the bow, and it had become his favorite weapon by far, the wooden bow and yellow fletched arrows being among his most prized possessions.

However, his inability to lift the heavier weapons until several years after the others who trained with him had caused many of the dwarflings to remark about his lack of muscle. Though the remarks never happened when his brother was around, or Dwalin, who had been his weapons master, there had been plenty of opportunity for Kili to hear what they said of him.

It hadn't helped the vicious rumors of him being part elf, and the young dwarf had felt the insults and taunts keenly. He had become very self conscious, only willing to bare his chest in front of others whom he trusted. The members of the company had been among those few, and he had an easier time with it on the quest. That is, until Cirashala ended up joining them.

The insecurity had begun to return then, but it was only til now that Kili was fully aware of just how insecure he was. Clothes had been mostly able to hide it, but his long underwear didn't hide much of his chest, at least not in shape.

She sighed again, and Kili felt his ears burn in shame. But before he could stammer out an embarrassed apology for it, she spoke up.

"I am trying to feel for your broken ribs, but I can't feel them through the muscle," she replied in slight annoyance, eyes focused on her task. His eyes widened.

"W-what?" he whispered, blinking owlishly. She glanced up at him, before reaching to try and feel along his chest again.

"Your chest muscles-they're too thick," she replied. "I-I am trying to be gentle, but I may have to press a bit harder to find the breaks." The young dwarf's eyes widened, even as he felt his heart nearly stop in astonishment.

"A-all right," he finally managed out, and she nodded, not noticing that the dwarf in front of her was now blushing to the roots of his hair.

Kili watched as she increased the pressure, her touch still gentler than other dwarves. Her hands began again at the top, slowly following the ribs, until they hit the first break. Once her fingers pushed slightly, the young dwarf let out a pained hiss.

"Right there?" she asked, and the young prince nodded, gritting his teeth. She felt around it, before nodding.

"I am going to set it," she said quietly. "I need you to take a breath, and let it out slowly." He nodded, before doing as she asked. Just as soon as he released the breath, she pushed on the protruding bone, snapping it back in place with a slight crunch.

Kili barely kept from crying out, face twisting in pain. She did not continue until his breaths evened out slightly, before moving along to the next break.

The young prince noticed how she kept trying to push her long hair over her shoulder and out of the way, only for it to fall back in front of her face a few minutes later. She remained focused in her task, however, and within about ten minutes all six broken ribs were set.

She reached for the now dry bandages, before setting it in her lap. Kili watched as she struggled to tie them together with one hand, slightly surprised at the dexterity in her left fingers.

"A-are you left handed?" he asked, confusion in his face as he recalled her both shooting and wielding her sword right handed. She shook her head.

"I can use both hands, though my right is stronger," she replied, looking up at him. "Why?" Kili's gaze dropped down to her hand, which had managed to tie one strand, though it took her three times as long as it took him with both.

"Your left fingers are very dexterous," he replied, looking up at her curiously, though his face still held a pained expression. She nodded, glancing down as he reached out the long strand of bandages he had tied together to her.

"I pl-…used to play the violin," she replied quietly. Kili's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could respond she found the end of the bandage and pressed it up to his chest about two inches above the highest break."Hold that here."

Kili nodded, holding it in place as she scooted around him, drawing the bandage around his torso as best she could with one hand. As she came back around, she pulled it tight, before continuing on around. It took several minutes, but soon she reached the end of the bandage.

XXX

Kili's eyes had watched her as she had gone around, wary of twisting as she had warned him earlier.

He heard the pain in her voice as she had spoken about playing the violin, and couldn't help but wonder why. He caught sight of her eyes as she stopped, holding the end of the bandage towards him.

"Would you tie it?" she asked, and he nodded, taking the end of the bandage. He tied it off quickly, and she handed him his jerkin, before turning around. The young dwarf dressed as best he could, though it took a decent while before he had managed to get both his jerkin and his coat on without twisting.

His dark eyes watched her with curiosity as he dressed, noting how she had reached for the ends of her hair. She winced in pain with each attempt to raise her hands above her shoulder, left fingers tugging through the mass of tangles. She hissed loudly as they encountered a particularly stubborn knot, and Kili winced slightly as it tangled further when she tried to pull her fingers through.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, having finished dressing. She glanced up at him, frustration in her features.

"It won't stay out of my face," she replied, hissing again. "I can barely see what I am doing." She sighed again, before tilting her head and barely managing to gather it to one side of her face. She began to separate it, before attempting to braid it with only one hand.

Each time she attempted it, it just got more and more tangled. Her jaws clenched as her brow furrowed, and the young prince could tell she was getting more and more frustrated. Finally, she let out an explosive curse in Khuzdul, and released the now very tangled locks, swallowing thickly.

She-she's close to tears, Kili realized, watching as her shoulders slumped in defeat. She can't do it.

Kili remembered the pine cone incident from over a week ago quite clearly, where Cirashala had offered to help him get them out, and the confusion on her part that resulted. Though his brother wasn't aware of it, he had heard Fili's explanation to Cirashala about what helping with hair meant among dwarves, so he knew that she knew what it meant now, though she didn't then.

But, after watching her struggle, the young prince knew that she genuinely needed help.

"Cirashala?" he asked quietly, swallowing nervously. "D-do you need…help?" Her head shot up, wide eyes staring at him in shock.

"B-but Fili said—" she stuttered, face reddening, and Kili held up his hand, the latter flushing slightly as well.

"I-I know what he said," he replied quietly, eyes dropping toward his lap. "B-but it's my fault you can't do it. I was the one who broke your hand." She sighed, before looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"And you needed help when the pinecones got tangled in yours," she pointed out, causing the young dwarf to find a pine needle near his lap to be of particular interest.

"That's different," he replied, and she shook her head.

"No, it's not," she retorted. "You couldn't do it then yourself either." He looked up at her defensively.

"No, but there were others who could," he insisted, and she sighed again.

"But they wouldn't," she said quietly, looking at him. "That's why I offered in the first place." Kili flushed, averting his eyes. Cirashala's expression softened slightly as she saw the shame in his features.

"You were too embarrassed, weren't you?" she asked quietly. When the young dwarf didn't respond, she knew she was right, and seeing the tips of his ears redden confirmed that.

"But there is no one else but me to help you now," he said quietly after a moment. "And you-you really cannot do it yourself." He looked at her then, a serious expression in his gaze, and she glanced down where the tangled mess rested on her shoulder.

"I-it doesn't mean anything, does it?" she asked quietly, "If you were to help me?" Kili swallowed thickly, before nodding.

"You are my friend," he said slowly, careful to keep his eyes on hers, even as he felt the sudden urge to look away. "I-I just want to help."

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A response to guest reviewer- Lola: I apologize for the tediousness. I am in a bit of a bind in that I am waiting for Desolation of Smaug to come out for Beorn's house (it is such a beautiful set, from what little I have seen of it, that I really want to do it justice). I didn't want to leave my readers in hiatus, plus my estimate, based on the map of Middle-earth, shows them to be about 50 miles away from Beorn's (approximately). They are injured, and on foot, so I figured that would take them quite a while to get there. Plus, with the way the plot is going, this separation is going to be very, very important, especially for Kili's character development. If I had Beorn's, this would have gone a lot faster, but even with the photos and such I have seen of the set, it hasn't been enough for me to work with. But hopefully you will see the character development for Kili (it's not going to stay "quiet" for the two of them much longer) and see the reason for the separation soon. I have been a lot more tired, and very busy, over the past few weeks, so my chapters have been shorter, thus drawing my side plot out more :( But thanks for your review, and pointing things out. I will do what I can to speed it up.

A response to guest reviewer Ari: I am glad you liked it! :) He is very shy with girls for sure- but can you blame him, after the bullying he endured growing up? I am glad you are enjoying the updates and that it is getting more and more interesting. I have been worried about it being too slow, but it is encouraging that the interest is still there :D Thank you for the compliment :D

A response to guest reviewer Ri-chan: The issues that are present will be explained, starting a little bit in next chapter. Once you get some insight into Cira's upbringing, you will start to see why she is the way she is. And so will Kili :) As for reaching the company- there is actually a very important reason why they are separated for a couple weeks (story time) from the company- it is a pivotal point in the plot, especially with Kili's character arc. I haven't been writing as long chapters because I have been so busy, otherwise the separation wouldn't have been as many chapters. I really, really hope that my readers will understand by the time the reunion happens why I took so long to get there….As for Fili, yes it is hard. My grief when my grandfather died was pretty bad, but it is nothing like what he's going through right now for sure. Yes, he will see them, and I hope all the work I have done towards building up to this point will make the reunion super intense, because I want the readers to feel the emotions I am trying to express. If they feel the intense emotion of that scene, then I feel that I will have done my job :) So I only ask that you be patient with me on the separation, because I have quite a few points I want to happen that are very important to the story between now and the reunion.

A response to guest reviewer SMCB: I hope this was to your satisfaction :)

A response to guest reviewer Guest: Here you go :D

Thanks to all who review, favorite, and follow-you guys are so wonderful! :D :D :D