A/N: Helo, dearst readers, thank you for all your support! T.O.W.G. things may not be so easy for these two, unfortunately...
=^.^=
Next day found them in a better mood than it would if any of them had kept watch on their own individual camp along the night. Tilda made tea and put bread to warm on the grate, Kíli refilled the waterskins and saddled the horses, and soon they had the camp dismounted and packed to go. They worked together as if they hadn't done anything else in the last couple of years, and even Broda neighed in a friendly tone to the dwarf who spooked him the day before.
Half the day had passed with the horses at a good pace, the runaways chatting peacefully about anything and nothing in particular. It felt strange, yet comforting, that they knew each other but a long time had passed without much of a personal contact, so news and information were shared by their people and they could talk about the same topics without much effort on explaining what was it all about.
For instance, dynamics of the economy between Blue Mountains, Grey Havens and Evendim were compared with Erebor, Mirkwood and Dale, the latest set including the Iron Hills and the former considering the Shire; Kíli's accounts of his misfortunes of broken bones, sprains and childhood illnesses made Tilda laugh and prescribe limb immobilization, painkillers and poultices, just like her own accounts of aristocracy blunders made him laugh and offer tips on how to bear a long council meeting without seeming as bored as you really were.
They had won the top of a hill when Kíli noticed something to the East, and frowned.
"Hey, Tilda, for all you've been good company, I fear it's time for us to depart. If you don't head east from this point, you'll miss Lake Town."
"Wha…"
She started to question when her gaze fell upon the glistening town in the distance. There it was, her fake destination, unmistakable. She swallowed dry.
Kíli had already dismounted, tying Tripsy with a length of rope to a sturdy bush. The he rummaged his packs for some bread and a spiced salami. Tilda was still frozen on the spot.
"Come on, let us share a meal before we depart. Bilbo would call it elevensies. Did you know halflings have up to seven meals a day?" He turned to the statue on the horse. "Tilda? Are you all right?"
The woman seemed to come out of a trance at the sound of her name. Perturbed eyes darted from the town to the dwarf and back, settling then on her own hands on the reins. Slowly, she dismounted seeming more tired than the morning should grant.
"Aye. I mean, no."
She watched Kíli tie her horse to the same bush in silence, gathering up her courage. Too fast was he ready, looking at her, torn between curious and worried.
"Is it something you want to talk about? I have two ears to hear and one mouth to shut up. And I can keep my mouth stubbornly shut, you know."
"Kíli, I, ah… I'm not heading to Lake Town. Not at all."
He nodded at her statement, slowly. Things began to click in place.
"I see…"
She fidgeted with the clasp of her cloak, in only to look somewhere else than his piercing eyes.
"I didn't want to lie to you, but they… they cannot know…"
Her sobs came unwished by her and unexpected by him, who took some seconds to understand what was happening and take action.
"Hush, hush, it's all right… it's all right…"
He took a step closer and reached a thumb to her weeping face, trying to show empathy but also respect to her personal space. It was all it took for her to throw herself in his embrace and cry freely on his shoulder.
"Hush, calm down, calm down, it's all right…"
"No, it's not, Kíli, it's not…"
He should have known better, right from the start. A woman riding alone; actually, a princess without escort; evasiveness on her destination and reasons; a route that was definitely not the fastest or shortest one from Dale to Lake Town; and then…
"You intend to travel far, don't you?"
"Ho… how do you know?" She asked between sobs.
"Your stuff. Dried rations endure long but ain't as tasty as fresh food, so people tend to leave them for longer travels, not a two days journey. Even taking the long route you took, you'd reach Lake Town today, certainly. And your camp kitchen. It's very nice, but a bit cumbersome if someone's to ride just a couple of days."
His deep voice reasoning close to her ear helped Tilda to calm down, and she was able to inhale deep instead of just crying. Leather, pipe-weed and warmth. It was comforting.
"You're right. I intend to go far. Very far."
"How far? If I may be so bold to ask, of course."
"Of course you can. I mean, you're just asking, you're not judging me. Of course you can."
By now she was able to lift her head from his shoulder and wipe her eyes with a hand. Kíli produced a handkerchief from nowhere.
"Here. Take it."
"Wha… Thank you."
She wiped her face clean, thankful. A puffy face was bad enough even without snot all over it.
"Bilbo made such a fuss over a forgotten handkerchief once that I got used to have one handy ever since."
Tilda smiled at the mention of the Halfling. He had been the nicest person when the Company stayed at her house, even if compared to Dori, who insisted on serving tea for everyone for the short time they stayed, and Bombur, who took over the kitchen. Even Bofur had been too worried to be the good humoured fellow she came to know in the years after the Retaking. Kíli himself had been in too much pain for her to register if he was nice or not, only getting to know his true self after the Battle, and then he was again in pain, this time both physical and emotional. She tucked the handkerchief in her pocket.
"Thank you. I… I'll wash it in the next creek we find, if you allow me."
"That's fine, don't worry." He touched her cheek with two fingers, as if making sure it was dry. "Wanna talk?"
She looked down, perturbed.
"You don't have to, though. But if I know where you're going to, I may be able to help. I've travelled more than you, I believe."
"Aye. Aye, I'll talk to you. What sits heavy in my chest might get lighter if aired out."
He simply took her hand and led her to what little shadow the bushes could offer at the almost mid-day time. Tilda sat down, obediently, gathering her thoughts. Kíli went to fetch their waterskins and the forgotten bread and salami. The woman had her eyes lost in the distant New Lake Town when he came back and sat down beside her.
"Bread?"
He offered a loaf and she took it with a nod of thanks. Tilda ate it bit by bit, in silence, and Kíli let her to her thoughts whilst cutting the salami in thin slices. Pressure wouldn't do any good, he deemed.
His patience was rewarded at last.
"Do you… Does your people make marriage arrangements?" She asked, voice slow and low. "Make persons wed to tie alliances or such?"
He understood her predicament instantly and lifted his head from the salami task.
"Sometimes. Sometimes they are stupid enough to demand it, and sometimes people are stupid enough to agree. Only ever heard of it happening in royalty, and even so, seldom. But a dwarrowdam is never forced to marry."
Tilda nodded, agreeing with the mention of stupidity and wishing to be a dwarrowdam just for once. She noticed how his gaze fell to his own hands playing with the knife.
"I don't know how much it is usual amongst my people. All I know is that I… I…"
Kíli predicted more tears coming and acted on damage reduction.
"That you're not of the stupid kind?"
"Exactly!" She cried. "I can't, I won't, I'll never…"
"Shh, calm down, calm down… You're away from him now. Who is the crap? Say a name and I'll skin him alive for touching you without your consent."
"No, it's not like that… I didn't marry. Not yet. I'll never. Not to him. I won't!"
Resoluteness was back to her voice and the dwarf smiled, encouraging her brave spirit.
"Good! Now, what's your plan, if you're not going to Lake Town?"
He could see some doubt in her face, and she silenced for some minutes, fidgeting with her clasp. Tilda weighed her options. To travel alone was her original plan, but she didn't count on finding anyone in the wild. To be able to sleep with someone on watch had granted her rest with peace of mind, which would be impossible if alone. Kíli was perfectly respectful, but also fun to talk to, always a prank he perpetrated with his brother on the tip of his tongue to send away the boredom of riding for hours long. On top, he said he was going to cross the forest…
"How much can I trust you to keep my destination confidential?"
Kíli considered her question for a whole tenth of a second.
"Completely. As I said, I have two ears to hear and one mouth to keep shut. Whomever tried to impose marriage on you deserves only my wrath, not any information on you. Moreover, I don't intend to return to Erebor anytime soon. Or late, by the way. I'm gone for good."
Her relief got mixed up with curiosity.
"Why?"
"Your people is not the only one stupid enough to try to impose on others personal life."
"Oh?"
"Thorin conditioned my rising to king under the Blue Mountains to giving up Tauriel's memory and taking a wife. I'll do neither."
"Nor should you! You… she… she loved you to her death, how could you simply…"
Tilda was angry enough to be out of words. Which, coming from someone who never allowed a provocation to stay unanswered, was quite a lot.
"Exactly. I can't, and I won't. So if my non-returning to lands of mutual acquaintance is enough to earn your trust, you can trust me."
The woman bit her lower lip, considering things under the new light Kíli's revelation kindled. It was not hard to decide.
"I'll trust you. I'll trust you and also ask for your help. You said you'll take the Old Forest Road…"
"That might be." He interrupted. "I have no destination in mind, to tell you the truth."
"Oh. Sorry, I presumed…"
"All right, it was what I told you, actually. Anyway, how can I help you if I take the Forest Road?"
"I intend to cross the forest. Find a place to live amongst the woodsmen who live between the forest and he river. They say they're a rude people, but it's easy to dub as rude a people who lives far away and you don't really know." She smiled, sheepish. "Just as we dubbed dwarves as greedy and stubborn, for instance, when your people lived far away from us."
The example picked up his curiosity and he asked, with a smirk.
"Really? And my people living close to yours has changed your opinion? We creaturs of Mahal ain't greedy and stubborn anymore?"
"Of course it changed. Now I know dwarves are not that greedy as people deemed."
"And stubborn?"
"With a passion!"
They laughed, their mood getting better by the minute. Kíli shook his head at her sincerity and good humour and decided.
"I'll cross the forest with you. As I said, I have no destination in mind, as long as my path leads me away from Erebor."
Tilda smiled back, thankful.
"So, we have a deal, then."
"I think so." Then he added, face serious. "On one condition."
"What condition?" Inquired the woman, suddenly worried on what the dwarf would demand.
"First watch is mine."
"Dealt!"