"Fili!" Arabelle called after him having to pick up her skirts to chase him, the fight with his uncle had clearly ruffled him as when he turned to meet her his eyes glistened with water "Are you ok?"

"Me?" Fili huffed in confusion "You are the one that just got out of a hospital bed."

"I saw your fight with Thorin." She clarified as she put a hand on his bearded cheek, his face turning into it she rubbed a thumb along the edge of his beard as he closed his eyes.

"Do not worry yourself with that Wooden-skulled fool." His arms slipped around her waist, slowly pulling her into him, Fili inhaling as he drew her into his fur coat she was like the first smell of rain in spring, fresh with the slightest hint of florals.

"Can we go somewhere quiet?" Fili looked around and Arabelle nodded "My room is close." Neither hesitated as Arabelle linked their hands, they did not speak on the walk up instead sharing quiet smiles as Fili walked so close he let go of her hand to instead hold her hips, they only parted on entering the room. Arabelle pushed the door shut behind them, taking a moment to steady herself.

"Belle we need to speak." Fili came up behind her, his hands on her shoulders he turned her to face him. The moonlight was soft on his skin, turning his eyes a deeper blue and his hair was darker in this light too. With a little smile on his face his fingers brushed against her cheek, he too had been inspecting her, the smile on his face acknowledgement of how much he enjoyed the view.

"No. No talking, not right now."

Just like that their bodies crashed together Arabelle slipping her hands under his coat making quick work of its removal. Fili was more than obliging when pulling his own under shirt off, revealing arms that were rippled with years of training, the defined muscles of his stomach cascaded down along with the hair on his chest, they travelled down under his pant line. Fili's hand snuck under Arabelle's chin to lift her gaze back to him, she could feel the redness on her cheeks and from the smirk on his face he knew exactly where her mind had wandered to. Though his mind had been in the same area as his fingers fiddled with her dress "I'm going to need some help." He said in defeat as the thin elven strings were too fine for his fingers and Arabelle giggled a little as she took control, though as he looked at her with hungry eyes she realised what she was about to reveal. Suddenly her mind became shy, what if he did not like what was underneath? His hands had wandered but he had not seen every roll and tuck, he had not physically seen the marks that stretched her body nor the scars that tore down her back.

"What is wrong Amrâlimê?" He whispered, so gentle and reassuring "Do you wish to stop?"

"No." Arabelle answered quickly "I just-"As her hands slid up her arms to prevent the dress from falling further it was as though Fili had read her mind, placing his hands over hers he helped as they slid down the sleeves, his breath hitched a little as her chest bounced out and yet he continued to pull the dress beyond where her own hands reached as he knelt down to the ground. Arabelle in that very moment swore she had never been so scared, her heart pounded against her chest walls as she stood there bare and exposed, Fili's eyes drew up her body and her breath hitched as his eyes found hers; adoration. That was all that was in them. He did not even need to say it for she could see it, he loved her body; he loved her.

"Amrâlimê." Fili drawled out as he pushed himself up to stand with her again.

"I have heard that word before." Arabelle admitted, though it was as if it were a memory.

"And you will hear it daily till the end of my time." Fili pushed back her hair to begin kissing at her neck, Arabelle had not even noticed that her face had split into an uncontrollable smile and as he pulled her to the bed she wondered if life could get any better. But as Fili's kisses began trailing down her stomach, she realised there was in fact a happiness yet to be achieved.

—

The sunlight was golden, as though it was made just for him it brushed over Fili's blonde hair Arabelle's eyes tracing the light which stream through it. He was so perfect as he peacefully slept on his stomach, sprawled half in the sheets and half out, his hand had stayed on her stomach the whole night and remained even now. She wished to stay in this moment, to stop all the world so that she might linger for just a little longer in this peace. Then Fili moved, only slightly stirring his beard twitching as he subconsciously curled up a little before sprawling out amongst the sheets again and Arabelle closed her eyes.

"It is just a throne Bilbo, Kili could always be heir." Arabelle had been shocked when Bilbo had told her of the fight between Fili and Thorin which occurred after she had been injured, even more shocked Bilbo would think so much of a throne.

"That is just it! It isn't just the throne Belle. He will be exiled. It is their rules Belle, an outsider cannot live under the mountain. He isn't just giving up his crown, he will be giving up-"

"Everything."

The conversation with Bilbo haunted her thoughts as she began to pull on her clothes, a part of her questioning if last night had been a mistake, she had known what was coming and yet she had let that selfish part of her win. For one perfect night she had everything she could ever want and now she would cut herself off.

"Amrâlimê?" Fili called out a word she could never understand, for he could never teach it to her, and she looked to the bed he now sat in, sleep still in his eyes as he rubbed them to focus on her finishing pulling a shirt on "Why are you dressed?"

"Because I am going hunting with Elladan and Elrohir." She spoke harshly for she feared if she spoke with anything less she would break.

"Hunting? But we are leaving, the company will be packed up in no time." Fili got out of bed, pulling the sheets around his hips it was not enough to cover him, her eyes lingered on his form, his toned arms that wrapped around her till she had fallen asleep

"You will be packed. I have decided to stay here." Arabelle watched as every feeling one could have came across his face and he began stammering.

"I don't understand" Confusion "Did Thorin say something?" Anger "Did I do something?" Hurt

"I told you. I have responsibilities and they lie here. And you have yours, with your family." Arabelle took a few steps back, Fili trying to reach her as he pleaded.

"You are my family, least I want you to be. Belle, I love you."

Arabelle cursed every creator in that moment, she cursed Aulë for making such a fine dwarf, she cursed Eru for giving him such a beautiful soul, she cursed everyone and everything.

"But I do not love you."