Gandalf watched as Halien lay down by the fire to dry off and sighed. Bilbo had gone over to the ponies and Balin had joined the others by the pool.
"Halien, what do you think of this company?" the wizard asked her as she rolled onto her side to look at him.
"These are the bravest, merriest, and most loyal dwarves I have ever met. I would see them as kin and it relieving that they seem to have finally accepted me. I feel like I have proven my worth many times over to them and as they have yet to turn me away or cast me out as my father had, then I believe they trust me as I have grown to trust them."
"And what do you think of Thorin?" Gandalf asked her, gauging her reaction.
Halien looked at him with interest. "Thorin is a wonderful leader. He has earned the respect and loyalty that the others in this company give him. He holds courage, honor, family, and loyalty above all else and would most definitely do anything to make sure that we all make it to Erebor alive and try to get us all home safely. He is a good man and a great king, even if he has yet to reclaim the throne that is rightfully his. I do not believe that Thorin will fall to the same sickness that overtook his father and grandfather before him. I believe in him wholeheartedly and hope that one day I can call him my king."
Gandalf smiled. "How do you feel about him?"
"Mithrandir?" Halien asked, sitting up.
"You and Thorin have seemed to grow closer these past months. You no longer fight, and you no longer look at each other with disdain; in fact, you smile in the presence of one another and seem much more relaxed and happy. I just want to make sure that whatever happens between you and Thorin does not cause you to falter in your tasks. Be mindful of each other."
Halien smiled, her clothes nearly dry. "I know you worry for Thorin, Mithrandir. He is a good and strong man; he will not falter from the task he has set before him."
"I worry for you as much as I do for him, Halien. You do not have a home to return to either, and you seem to ache for the chance to make one for yourself. You seem so lonely despite the company of others, but when you are with Thorin, you smile. Not like you smile around the rest of the company, but it is a smile that tells me you are beginning to fall in love with him. Just be careful, my dear. You must remember that he is a dwarf and you are an elf, and you need to be prepared that things may not work out as you may hope."
Halien watched as the dwarves noticed they were getting pruney, coming out of the water to lay on the ground, letting the sunshine down on them and dry them the good old-fashioned way. She pondered Gandalf's words, wondering if he was right. 'Am I falling for the little king?'
When night fell, they lit the fire and made camp, having spent the rest of the day in the spring. Halien made them dinner, using some of the meat from their packs and some bread and cheese. As they ate, they talked and shared stories. Thorin watched as the others enjoyed their meal and noticed that even Dwalin was warming up to the young elf maiden.
When they had all finished eating, they cleaned up and got themselves ready for bed, Fili took the first watch. While everyone slept, Fili found a spot where he could see everything. He sat for a few hours, with nothing to report.
Halien couldn't sleep, so she went to the pool, found a secluded spot near the waterfall, and slipped out of her clothes. She slid into the cool water, letting it wash over her, especially when she swam out from behind the waterfall. Feeling instantly calm, she began to swim around in the deeper parts of the pool, her strokes silent. She loved the way the water felt, the way it made her feel. She loved being in the water, being in its serene and peaceful beauty. She felt safe and secure in the water, having never felt danger.
As she swam through the water, she lost track of time. It was nearing the end of Fili's shift and Kili came to relieve him. When his brother went back to the camp, soon passing out with the others, Kili picked a spot on the large rock that overlooked the pool. He sat there for a while before he looked down and saw Halien swimming through the water. He watched her gracefully swim back and forth, then stopped to rest underneath the waterfall. She waded through to the other side of the waterfall. Kili was interested in what she was doing, so he left his post and walked over to the waterfall, making sure that he still had a clear view of everything.
Halien rested her head against the cool stone as she reached the edge. Kili came around the edge of the waterfall and leaned against the rock. "Couldn't sleep?"
Halien looked at Kili for a moment, her underclothes clinging to her skin. "No..."
"Is everything alright?" Kili asked. "You've been a little slower than usual."
"Slow? Since when do elves ever get slow?" Halien said, jokingly. "Everything is fine, I promise." Halien hoisted herself out of the water- Kili saw the scars on her back from past battles she had seen- and dried herself off, slipping back into her clothes and boots. Kili watched as she pulled the leather string that held her hair together and started to unbraid her hair. She pulled the braid out slowly, avoiding any tangles, and as she shook her hair out, Kili stared in wonder at her beautiful white hair as it hung in waves over her shoulder. Halien looked up at him.
"What?" she asked, standing.
Kili blushed and shook his head. "N-Nothing."
Halien walked over to him, smiled softly, and touched his cheek. "Thank you for everything you have done, Kili. I truly appreciated it and I hope that you would consider us friends as I have come to."
Kili smiled and saw the moon reflect off of her face. "I do, though I never thought to befriend an elf before," he replied, a smirk on his face. "I wonder what my mother would say to my best friend being an elf."
Halien smiled and walked past him, back to the camp. Kili resumed his post on the larger rock, watching as Halien went to her usual spot with the horses and ponies, curling up against Torwen, her long white hair like a blanket on her. She seemed to feel better after the swim, so she went right to sleep. Thorin was to relieve Kili and take the next watch, but as he stood, he noticed Halien shiver a little. He walked over to her and pulled her cloak from her pack, laying it on her. He made sure that it was tucked around her, covering her whole body. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a quick thought of how beautiful she was flickered through his mind, and he stood to relieve Kili. Kili had seen how Thorin had interacted with her and smiled. He was certain now more than before that his uncle was beginning to trust her.
