Fili listened carefully to what Naerwyn had to say. He understood some of her reasoning. She'd never experienced as much danger as she had in the past few days. She had come close to death twice in the short time he'd known her, and the prospect of it made her guilty and regretful. Her father had warned her of the peril and she hadn't listened to him...She didn't like the idea of worrying her father. Or maybe she was simply disappointed in her own behavior and disobeying her father constantly. Fili worried that the elf intended to return to Lothlorien after all. His heart sank. Not that he blamed her, of course. It would be safer for her if she waited instead of risking her own life to ensure his survival. No man in his right mind would ask that of the woman he loved.

“You have reasons to be upset,” he replied, gazing into her eyes with a sympathetic expression. “You are homesick and you miss your family. You feel guilty for upsetting and worrying your father. You are afraid to die like anyone else. Why would I hold such sentiments against you, when they are natural under circumstances as ours? I was afraid to die myself, when the goblins captured us.” Fili cupped Naerwyn's cheek in his hand, stroking his thumb lightly across her skin. “And I feared for you, more than I can express.” The dwarf swallowed nervously. It pained him to say it, but... “I would not hold it against you...If you wanted to go to Lothlorien instead of Erebor. I don't want you to risk yourself for me. I will come for you as I promised, if I survive this journey.” He locked eyes with her and took her face into both of his hands. “...But if you stay, I will guard you to the best of my abilities. I will not allow any harm to come to you as long as breath remains in my lungs.”

~~~

Ammie gingerly took half of the stick Kili offered. “That's what I figured!” she said with a grin. “When you're small, the enemy assumes you are helpless. Right now, that's true for me...But it doesn't have to be true. I want to prove them wrong!” Kili was finally grinning from ear to ear and seeming exciting over the prospect of teaching her some new moves. Ammie was glad to see his spirits lifted, and mentally commended herself for having the initiative to approach him. “Please, teach me whatever you know! Ooh, I'm really excited!” Hopefully she would catch on quickly, and then Thorin could return to in time watch and be impressed!

Naerwyn listened quietly, looking into his soft blue eyes. When he put a hand to her cheek, she covered it with her own, leaning in to his touch. She knew he was right. She had valid reasons to become upset, she supposed. It wasn't as if they were going on a pleasure hike. And then he bared to her the ultimatum. Would she stay and continue on the quest to Erebor? Or would be go home to Lothlorien? Naerwyn looked genuinely thoughtful for a moment as she carefully weighed the options.

If she stayed, she risked further near death experiences. She would have to sleep on the ground with, at this point, no bedding of any kind. She was without food and she expected the others to hunt for their dinner. She didn't eat meat and would have to attempt to gather food for herself. She wondered if she remembered enough from her time with Haldir about identifying poisonous berries. She would also have to deal with the fact that more than half of the group hated her just for being what she was.

Then there was Lothlorien. What awaited her there didn't seem much better. An overbearing father. A mother who was powerless to ease her burden. The possibility of an arranged marriage to an elf she didn't care for. Constant nitpicking over everything she did or didn't do. An endless barrage of questions, comments, criticism. Suddenly, perishing on the road didn't sound like a bad idea.

Naerwyn loved her father and she adored her mother, but now the thought of going home was suffocating. Bouncing back and forth was mentally exhausting, but she was sure that she had her answer. Naerwyn looked to Fili and took a careful breath, "Galadriel told me to be strong. She told me to be brave. And so I shall. I will go to Erebor with you." She let out a tiny sigh and gently pulled his hands from her face. She pressed a kiss to the backs of his fingers on both hands and even dared to smirk a little, "Besides, if I went off home, who would keep you out of trouble?


Kili nodded, "Yes, exactly! They seem small and think easy prey! They expect to overpower you because you're smaller than they are! You have to prove them wrong!" His grin never diminished and he twirled the stick in hand like a sword to get himself used to the lack of weight, "Everything I know, you will know." He stepped up beside her and gave her a once over. He hummed in thought and nodded firmly, "Right! Let me see your best stance!"

Fili released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He'd been legitimately afraid of Naerwyn deciding to return to Lothlorien. Perhaps it would have been a better decision on her part, to choose otherwise. Perhaps even wishing for her to come along with him to Erebor and face more peril was incredibly selfish of him. But... Fili's stomach twisted uncomfortably at the very notion of Naerwyn leaving. He'd grown accustomed to her company. He relished it. Even if she returned to Lorien and promised to wait for him, her father could always override her decision and force her to marry Haldir anyway. No matter what his feelings, Fili would hesitate to steal a married woman from her husband. He would rather not be put into such a predicament to begin with. No, he was truly glad, beyond glad, that Naerwyn would remain.

The dwarf prince beamed, beside himself, and watched as Naerwyn kissed his hands. “You are strong,” he informed her emphatically. “Oh, I was so proud of you when I saw you fight! You are amazing, Naerwyn. Really. Do you know how amazing you are?” He tried to smother the giddiness rising up into his chest, but it was difficult. He chewed his lip to keep from smiling as broadly as he wished to. He was just so pleased that she'd opted to stay! “I'm certain that Uncle Thorin would try his best to keep me out of harm's way...But we both know how effective that would be.” He snorted, shaking his head.

Fili gently removed one hand from Naerwyn's in order to smooth her disheveled hair. His blue eyes scanned her lovely face, streaked with dried tears, and leaned for to steal her lips briefly. “You will not regret your decision, fair one,” he murmured. “For the remainder of our journey, I will protect you with all that I have.”

~~~

Ammie nodded excitedly and grinned. She truly wanted to learn whatever Kili had to teach her! It was a relief that she had someone like him to help, actually. She was too intimidated by Dwalin to ask him for training. And the gods forbid she ask Thorin! His majesty would distract her attention too much, and she'd feel twice as stupid if he scolded her. On top of everything, if he was to even touch her to readjust her position, her knees would give out and she would topple onto the floor. That was the sort of effect the dwarf king had on the hobbit.

“Stance, okay! ...I'll give it a try.” Ammie tried to remember how she'd seen the others stand before they attacked an enemy. She held the stick out in front of her, both hands curled around the very end, and imagined it was a sword. She slid her legs apart and bent her knees. Finally, she angled herself slightly to the right, since that was her dominant side. She probably looked silly, but...Seeing as she understood nothing of battle, she'd be silly regardless. The hobbit had to at least make an attempt.

Naerwyn smiled and blushed when Fili complimented her battle skills. Her blue eyes fell away from his and she shook his head, "I had no idea what I was doing. I acted on mere instinct. After a while, I became so caught up in the moment. I was high on adrenaline and for a moment, I thought I was in a dream." She sighed lightly, her smile faltering some, "Well, a nightmare, really. One I could not wake from."

She looked back up to him when he mentioned Thorin keeping him out of trouble. She smirked and shook her head lightly, "I mean no offense, but I think his hands are quite full of Hobbit at the moment."

She blushed some when he stole a kiss and she found herself simpering like a little girl. She looked up to him again and smiled when he spoke of protecting her. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she almost felt more tears behind her eyes. She took a deep breath to calm herself and wriggled in her spot on the soft grass. "Fili?" She almost looked a little nervous.


Kili watched her get into a stance. She was leaning to one side and her knees were bent awkwardly. She gripped the end of the stick like a sword, with all of her fingers wrapped around it. Her wrists would do all the work that way. He frowned and stepped up to her. He gently pushed her shoulders with his hands, "Back straight, don't lean. If you lean, your enemy has the advantage. One push and all of your weight goes in the direction you're leaning."

He came around the back of her and tapped the backs of her thighs very softly with the stick, "Ease up your legs and bring your feet a tad bit closer together. You are spread too wide. You cannot push off if your legs are too far apart."

Kili made another circle around her and stopped in front of her. He gripped his own stick like he would grip his sword, "Grip only with your forefinger and your thumb. The rest of your fingers are there for support only, not grip. If you grip too hard, your hands become stiff and your wrists will tire. Space your hands just a little further apart and hold it diagonally. The hilt should be at your left hip and the tip of the blade should be level with your right shoulder. You stand a better chance at blocking a blow when the sword stretched across your body. It acts as a shield as well as a weapon. Are you following me?"

Fili smirked. He doubted Naerwyn had subsisted off of adrenaline alone. She'd had some combat training; otherwise, she would have been just as lost as the poor hobbit while fleeing the goblins. Fili hadn't needed to protect the elf in the bowels of the mountains, even if he would have enjoyed showing off. “It was nightmarish, wasn't it?” he mused, although he was more preoccupied with combing his fingers through her hair. He drew them down through her platinum locks slowly, all the way to the ends. He marveled at how the individual strands glinted in the sunlight. “But I don't believe you. I know skill when I see it. I've been training with Balin and Dwalin my entire life, alongside my brother. Someone certainly trained you.”

The dwarf glanced up when she mentioned his uncle's preoccupancy with keeping Bilbo and Ammie safe. “Oh, indeed,” he laughed, “Hopeless Bilbo Baggins and Ammie Took. Poor Ammie. I doubt she understood what she was getting herself into. I truly believed Thorin would dislike her for inconveniencing the group, but he's reacted in quite the opposite way. I don't know if you've noticed, but they have a bit of a...” He couldn't think of an adequate word. “...Thing.”

Naerwyn beamed after the kiss, so Fili did as well. Her lifted spirits improved his own mood. Suddenly she began to wiggle about nervously. His fingers skimmed lightly down her cheek to her jaw. “Yes, Naerwyn?”

~~~


“I think so,” Ammie muttered. Her nose wrinkled in a look of intense concentration. She tried to follow all of Kili's instructions to the letter. She straightened her back and brought her feet a tad closer together. She understood how leaning or having one's legs spread too wide could result in a loss of balance. The question was more of if she'd remember in the heat of battle...Or if she could somehow perfect a stance in the first place.

The hobbit mimicked Kili, gripping her stick only with her index finger and thumb, with the other fingers curled just off the end in case she needed additional support. She slid her hands a little further apart, and then angled the stick so that it was diagonal across her body. Now that she thought of it, she noticed that a person tended to poise their weapon in the direction they wanted to swing. At this angle she could both slice to the right and parry an attack. Now, how to put it to use properly. “Now what?” she asked eagerly.

Her uncle was now looking on her lessons with thinly veiled interest. Bilbo helped himself to some of the food in Ammie's bag, out of impatience for dinner. He nibbled on a handful of dried fruit while taking Kili's words into account. Even eavesdropping would prove useful, if he was required to use Sting in the future (and he undoubtedly would, if the previous mishaps on their travels were any indication).

Naerwyn glanced up to him and gave him a half shrug, "Haldir showed me, a few times, how to control a bow. It was a long time ago, though. I was young then." She gave a half hearted shrug. It was almost laughable. She had described herself as being young once as if she were no longer. It was so very hard to tell an Elf's true age. Even one of half blood.

Naerwyn wriggled again, her eyes darting back and forth across the grass, "Would you..I mean to say, erm." She hadn't known why she was so hesitant, but suddenly, she felt very self conscious and feared his reaction to what she wanted to say. Finally, deciding that she should just spit it out, she met his eyes. "Kiss me."


Kili stood next to her and nodded. Her stand looked good, she gripped the stick correctly. He held his stick in the same fashion as her, his arms bent slightly. He thrust his arms forward until they straightened and held his position, "This is your first block position. Very effective against blow aimed for your legs."

Bending his elbows slightly, he turned the stick in the opposite direction. His hands were now level with his right hip and the tip with his left shoulder, "And the second block position. Following me?" He went back to the first position, "Position one," and to the second, "Position two."

Haldir, again. Fili did not like to think about the existing history between Naerwyn and Haldir. Even if she was not attracted to him, he was still Fili's competition and it annoyed him to think they had spent a fraction of their long lives interacting with each other when he'd had so little time with the elf himself. Well, Haldir would not have her around any longer! She would spend the rest of her life with Fili! Er, wait... Perhaps not.

Actually, it had only now occurred to the prince that Naerwyn was immortal and it would be impossible for her to stay with him for as long as she could exist. Fili would likely live till the age of 250, and he would become progressively older while the elf remained young and beautiful. The prospect of it made him frown, but he pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. Now was not the time to worry about the future. He had to survive the journey to Erebor before anything else, not to mention Smaug, before he could address that particular problem.

Fili tried not to laugh at Naerwyn's wriggling and shifting guys as she made her request. Why was she so nervous to ask him for a kiss, when she knew he would graciously comply. The blond dwarf smirked, suddenly trapping Naerwyn against the tree. He placed his hands on either side of her head, leaning closer and nuzzling his forehead gently against hers. “Why, my lady, what a marvelous idea,” he breathed, tilting his face and brushing his lips lightly across the elf's before she had a chance to react.

~~~

Ammie's brow furrowed as she tried to copy Kili's movements. “Position one,” she repeated, and imagined an invisible attacker going for her legs. She thrust her arms forward. This straightened the stick in front of her body. She visualized another swipe towards her torso, and turned the stick by bending her elbows like Kili had done. The stick was diagonal in front of her, her hands by her hip and the tip of the stick by her opposite shoulder. “Okay. I think I got it,” she said. She tried both positions a couple more times to commit them to memory.

“Maybe you should try attacking me,” the hobbit female mused, “So I can see the parries in action. Go easy on me, though! My reflexes are terrible.”

Naerwyn was a little startled when Fili trapped her against the tree and even gasped a little. She pressed herself tightly against the bark and watched him closely. Her eyes fell closed when he nuzzled his forehead against hers and she smiled. Her hands slid up to rest on his chest and she returned his kiss, moving her lips softly against his.

In that moment, Naerwyn forgot her troubles and set aside her despair. She felt safe with Fili and wanted nothing more than to be by his side forever. Now matter how long their forever was. She would be by his side until their end.

Kili nodded while he watched her, "Good, that's good." He started to show her the third position, but she requested that he try to attack. He didn't want to rush the lesson, but he figured that she might learn faster if she practiced in between.

He stood across from her and twirled the stick in one hand once. "Ready? Position one!" Kili swung the stick down toward her own. He kept in mind not to go too fast or two hard, lest he wanted to hurt her.

Ye gods, Naerwyn's kisses had improved again! Fili was quickly aroused by the sensation of the elf moving her lips in unison with his, her hands curling against his chest. He wanted to keep the kiss somewhat chaste, but the female made it increasingly difficult to do. They were alone and he had been so close to losing her--both in the mountains and to her fear of the journey. Fili pressed closer to her, pinning her to the tree, and deepened the kiss. He slid his tongue along Naerwyn's lower lip teasingly, one hand cupping her chin and tilting her head back.

Fili knew he ought to be getting back to the camp, lest his uncle or one of the others became suspicious and came to look for them. He didn't want to be caught being indecent with Naerwyn, and yet...

~~~

Ammie gave a little squeak as she attempted to block Kili's attack. Using position one, she managed to parry his swing, albeit it sloppily. She grinned, proud of herself even though it had been the first time and she'd known what was coming. At least she hadn't dropped her stick in the process! "Wonderful, I did it!" the hobbit rejoiced. "I thought for sure I'd lose my hold on the stick!" It would have been terrible embarrassing for Thorin to return and catch her messing up on something so simple. She would try to do well for the remainder of the lesson.

Naerwyn shivered slightly against Fili. His kisses were maddening and made every nerve in her body come alive with desire. She slid her hands up and wrapped her arms around his neck, arching her body to meld with his own as she was pinned tighter to the tree. She felt his tongue against her lip and gently parted her lips to allow him entrance. A tiny, wisp of a moan escaped her and her cheeks flushed a dark pink.


Kili grinned, his usual goofy smile, when she blocked the shot. Her form needed work, but he was proud of her! And of himself. It was a simple maneuver, but he had taught her properly, it seemed. He was proud of the two off them!

"Excellent work! You need to stiffen up, though. And don't be afraid to thrust up a little bit. You're defending, but you can easily turn the tables from a block and turn it into a strike! Alright? Again with a little more feeling. Position one!" Kili came down with his stick again, with the same amount of force as before, hoping she'd send back and equal or greater amount of force.

Fili felt Naerwyn's lips part against his. Her tiny moan immediate;y set his skin aflame. The prince slid his hand behind Naerwyn and cupped the back of her neck, his tongue delving deeply into her mouth. He sucked her tongue into his own mouth to wrestle with it. He kissed her heatedly for a while, until he had to stop and breathe. Their lips broke apart and he panted, stroking his thumb over her cheek and gazing down at her with unabated longing.

"You are so lovely," he breathed, and began pressing hungry kisses along her jaw. If she told him to stop, he would... But the dwarf wanted to see how far he could carry this 'interaction' of theirs.

~~~

Ammie listened to Kili's words and nodded. She'd been too weak with her block. If she held her ground and pushed back, she could always catch her opponent off guard and make them lose their balance instead. Kili had brought a good method to her attention.

The easiest way to improve her technique was to imagine an enemy attacking her instead of Kili. When the dwarf struck again, she once more twisted into position one...Except this time, when the sticks collided, she gave Kili a firm shove back. She wore a look of intense concentration on her face. The hobbit could never be described as fierce or remotely intimidating, but at least she appeared determined!

Naerwyn all but melted in his arms when his tongue slid along hers. She was completely gone at that point. She wouldn't have been able to repeat her own name if she'd been asked to. What was more, she didn't even care that some yards away, the others were setting up camp. They could have happened upon the two of them at any moment, but it didn't bother Naerwyn one bit.

She gasped lightly when their kiss was broken, gazing up at him. Her body involuntarily squirmed against his and she pressed her hips tightly against his own. She threaded her fingers into his hair when his lips trailed down her jaw. She gasped at the feeling of his beard against her skin and gripped his hair lightly.


Kili was surprised at her force and concentration when he came down on her. His body moved backwards with the force and he found himself grinning from ear to ear. "Wonderful, Ammie! Very good! You're picking this up very fast! You'll be a warrior in no time."

He moved to stand next to her again and held his sword in the rest position. "Are you ready? Position three." Kili held the stick up horizontally across his body. The hilt was level with his left shoulder and the tip with his right, "This position blocks strikes aimed at your torso and arms." He turned the sword to the opposite direction, "Position four. Following?"

Fili growled softly when Naerwyn slipped her fingers into his hair and tugged. Her body writhed against his, their hips grinding together and causing him to gasp. He gripped the collar of her coat and pulled it so that his lips could travel uninterrupted along the curve of her neck. He longed to be rid of their clothing altogether so he could feel her smooth, bare skin flush against his own. But could that happen now? They risked discovery by another member of the group at any moment. Apart from that, the elf woman had never before been intimate with a man. Fili could not rush Naerwyn's first coupling. They would need to relocate to somewhere less... Conspicuous...If he meant to continue.

"Naerwyn," he murmured against her soft skin, his hands roaming down her willowy body and grasping her hips. "If we go on like this for much longer... I will not be able to stop...Do you know what that means? You have to choose..." He nipped lightly at the base of her neck with a wistful sigh. "...What happens now..."

~~~

Ammie snorted at Kili's compliments. "Me? A warrior? Hardly! But if I can fend enemies off long enough to get away, I'll be satisfied!" Still, her cheeks flushed ever so slightly with a faint shade of pink. She derived immense pleasure from the dwarf's praise. She dared to think that one day she could fight alongside the rest of them without shame; not a helpless damsel, but an able woman! Hobbit or not!

Ammie watched Kili demonstrate positions three and four. They were the easiest so far. Both involved holding the stick directly horizontal in front of her body. "I see," she said, quirking an auburn brow. She tried the positions herself and then grinned. "I think I get it! Should I shove with every block position, or is it better to use that method only for specific ones?"

Bilbo could no longer concentrate on Ammie and Kili's lessons. He was lying upon his back on the grass. His stomach gurgled loudly. "Ugghh... I'm so hungry," he complained to no one in particular. The other dwarves were conversing with each other excitedly in Khuzdul some ways off. If Dwalin and Thorin didn't arrive soon with dinner, his innards would consume themselves! That or he would be forced to demolish Ammie's snack reserves singlehandedly...Somehow he doubted his niece would approve of that course of action.

Naerwyn writhed against him when his lips trailed down her neck. His kisses left fire in their wake and she found her mind a jumbled mess. As far as she was concerned, they were the only two people in the world and that thought comforted her. She gasped when she felt his hand peel away her collar, his lips pressed against the skin of her neck.

She squirmed against him when he spoke to her, not quite registering what he said at first. She had a very important decision to make. She licked her lips and took in a shaky breath. She knew what she had to do, but she was also very aware of what she wanted. She took another careful breath and pressed a kiss to Fili's cheek, "I trust you," she said quietly. Her hands, trembling awfully went to his chest and gripped the fur of his coat, "Take me."


Kili watched her and nodded with a smile, "Yes, that's it." He moved to stand in front of her and twirled the stick. He listened to her question and scrunched his nose up in thought, "Well, yes and no. Do not try to turn the tables while you are defending your head. You'll leave your chest unguarded for too long and you could risk taking a blow to the heart, effectively killing you. Your head is much too important to worry about a strike when someone is trying to strike it."

He twirled the stick again and grinned, "Now. Position three!" Kili brought the stick down toward her quickly. He dared it and used a little more strength than he had before, hoping not to catch her too off guard.

Fili inhaled sharply. Truthfully, he hadn't expected Naerwyn to agree. The mere prospect of her naked form writhing beneath his set his loins on fire. He wet his lips, blue eyes raking over her eagerly; the dwarf's anticipation was more than evident. "All right," he managed, albeit with effort. "We'll have to move someplace more...Sheltered. In case one of the others comes looking for us." Fili bent down suddenly and scooped Naerwyn into his arms. He nuzzled his forehead against hers before carrying her, bridal style, deeper into the brush of the forest.

~[Smutty time skip wee]~

Fili pulled on his coat quickly, smoothing down the fur trim around its neck and then his mussed hair. So as to avoid suspicion, he would gather firewood and return to the others before Naerwyn. If they asked after her, he would say she was feeling ill and wished not to be disturbed. She wanted to bathe in the river privately and the group would stay away as propriety commanded. Only Ammie would be allowed to join her, should she have the inclination.

Fili pressed a brief kiss to Naerwyn's soft lips, grinning as he stroked back tendrils of her now-disheveled platinum locks. "I will see you soon, my fair one... Do not be too long." With that, the prince whirled away in the direction of camp. His spirits danced high as the heavens. He hummed cheerfully, plucking up whatever fallen piece of wood or branch came into his path. Eventually he found his way back to the company and deposited an armful of firewood on the ground beside Bofur. "Thought we'd be needing this," he explained. He grinned perhaps too widely.

~~~

Ammie practiced the positions Kili had taught her a while longer. He would attack and yell out the position she needed, and then she would follow his command and parry. She thought she was doing a marvelous job for a beginner, but quietly instructed herself not to let it get to her head. She had much more to learn and Kili was helping her through the lesson. A real fight would be very different.

Gradually, Ammie became winded. She was already exhausted from the ordeal with the goblins, and had barely recovered from either dehydration or a concussion. She allowed the stick to fall from her hand and she dropped to the grassy ground, panting and mopping her brow with her sleeve.

"That's enough for tonight, I think," the hobbit said. She sighed. "Thank you, though, Kili. We'll have to continue training tomorrow. It's loads of fun...Even if I'm not very good."

Naerwyn watched Fili dress from her spot on the grass. She was much to tired to follow him just yet and just laid back, a satisfied grin on her kiss-swollen lips. She sat up when he finished and returned his chaste kiss, smiling sweetly, "I will see you soon, my prince."

Naerwyn watched him leave and slowly got to her feet. She gathered her forgotten clothes and walked the short distance to the river's edge. She laid her clothes out on a dry rock and waded slowly into the water. The water was cool and surprisingly deep, rising to her navel at it's deepest. She wasn't happy about not having bath oils and soaps to scrub with, but she supposed she should be thankful for the bath period. She gently washed away the sweat, grime, dirt, and any remnants of love making in the cool river water.


Kili was quite proud of Ammie's progress as he continued to practice the basic maneuvers with her. Her form was a little soft, still, and she looked hesitant sometimes when trying to turn his own force against him, but all in all, she was doing quite well.

He noticed, after a while, how tired she had become and began easing up on her. He wasn't surprised when she plopped down, winded and sweaty from practicing. He smiled and knelt down in front of her, "You did wonderful, Ammie, and I look forward to teaching you more. You earned a bit of rest before supper." He pat her arm and gathered their sticks. He put them with his belongings just as Fili returned to the camp. He noted the firewood, but there was something else present on Fili's face. He raised a brow and stepped over to his brother, "Where have you been?"

Thorin and Dwalin returned soon after Fili. Thorin had four rabbits clutched tightly in his hands and behind him, Dwalin brought up a small deer. It barely had any meat on it, but it would feed them. That was all that mattered. Thorin also had what appeared to be a wet sack hanging from his shoulder. He dumped the rabbits and the sack on the ground next to Bombur and gave him instructions on what to do with it all. Bifur and Bombur got right to work skinny and cleaning the animals.

Thorin took a moment to relax and glanced over to Ammie. She looked winded and sweaty, her face quite red. Concern washed over Thorin's features and he hurried over to her. He knelt down next to her, "Ammie, what is it? Are you alright?"

When Bilbo saw Thorin and Dwalin returning, he immediately flung himself towards them with the explicit purpose of helping Bifur and Bombur prepare the food. He figured that more hands meant that dinner would be finished sooner rather than later, so he set himself to skinning one of the animals not taken up by the dwarves. Thorin certainly would not be opposed to him assisting him; hobbits were skilled with anything edible. The company was sure to share similar sentiments. Anything that brought dinner on faster was wholly appreciated!

Ammie beamed at Kili's compliments. She watched him pick up the sticks they'd been using, and nodded to him curtly. They would continue tomorrow, she assured herself. She would train hard and then become less of a burden to the others—Ammie was determined to accomplish this feat! The dwarf walked away towards his belongings just as his brother reappeared at the camp. Ammie perked up with interest, squinting her eyes. Fili grinned dashingly at anyone who came his way. He was either in a terribly good mood or something wonderful had happened with Naerwyn to make him act in such a way. But what? Naerwyn still had not returned to camp, so she could hardly ask her.

Ammie heard Fili inform everyone that Naerwyn was bathing in the river, but just before Thorin approached her with concern knitted into his handsome features. She was momentarily distracted from the Fili situation, her lips peeling back into an enormous grin.

“Oh, I'm all right, Thorin,” she reassured him, picking herself up from the ground and dusting herself off. “I'm just tired because asked Kili to begin my lessons. While you were gone I practiced blocking maneuvers he taught me. He says I'm doing a good job so far!” The hobbit female's chest puffed out with pride.

Fili silently cursed as Kili moved towards him and asked where he'd been. He could hide his actions from anyone except his brother. His brother knew him better than everyone. “I was gathering firewood,” he said within earshot of the other dwarves. “Naerwyn's feeling ill after our bout with the goblins, so she is recovering by herself. I think she said she was going to bathe in the river.” Fili then jerked his head in the direction of a nearby tree and led his brother away.

Once he was certain neither of them would be overhead, and especially not by their uncle, Fili cleared his throat. “At least, that's what the others are allowed to know. What you might say, instead, is that I have a wife now.” His face hurt from smiling.

Kili listened to his brother explain where he was and nodded firmly. He didn't believe a damn word he said, but he nodded anyway. He followed Fili when he jerked his head toward some trees and his eyes widened when Fili mentioned now having a wife. Kili's breath caught in his throat and his mouth opened and closed like a fish while he struggled for something to say. A wife? What was he talking about?! "I..- ...Fili, I do not understand. Explain."


Thorin smiled when Ammie explained why she was so winded and sweaty. He stood along with her and pat her arm, "That is wonderful. I am glad that you're finally learning, but try not to over do it." He glanced down at her and chuckled quietly, "Supper will be ready soon. Perhaps you should go to the river and clean yourself up?" He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers and gave her a gentle nudge in the general direction of the river with his other hand. He moved slowly over to Bombur and the others, noting his nephews' strange behavior. He watched them sneak off a little ways for a private word. He glanced around and noted that the elf was missing. He grumbled irritably and huffed. Now what were they up to?

Fili sighed deeply. Leave it to his brother not to understand subtle innuendo. He did not want to blatantly state what he meant, lest someone wander closer and discern his words, so he tried to convey his message with a secretive look alone. "You know," he said, gesturing discreetly towards his belt. "What one does...With a wife." He felt as though he were spoon-feeding his naive brother the information, but perhaps it wasn't as obvious to someone with no experience in the area. Kili might have been attractive by human standards, save for his shortness, but by dwarf standards his lack of a full beard put women off. He'd never gotten the same amount of female attention as Fili. Not that it mattered too much, at the moment. Kili was young and he had time to find someone. "Physically," he finished in a hush voice, "Naerwyn and I...are married."

Ammie teamed with pleasure--Thorin approved of her beginning her lessons! She blushed as he drew the back of his knuckles across her cheek gently. It was terrible, she thought, how much she enjoyed Thorin touching her. Even the tiniest amount of physical contact made her heart race. "Yes, I suppose that's a good idea," she said, lowering her eyes shyly as he nudged her in the direction of the river. "After the events of the day I feel rather disgusting. Sweat, dirt, and all that. Hobbits are big on hygiene." She was excited for supper more than she cared to admit, as well. The sheer mention of it caused her stomach to growl quietly. She ate so much less in the wilderness than she did in the Shire! All this chaos ruined her daily meal regimen!

Ammie turned and headed for the stream the others described. It wasn't a great distance away, but far enough that she wouldn't risk the men seeing her naked if she disrobed. The hobbit caught a glimpse of the elf bathing downriver, on account of her glimmering pale hair, and grinned. She headed in Naerwyn's direction, calling, "There you are! I've decided to have a bath, too!" Ammie began undoing the buttons on her blouse with a frustrated sigh. "I bathed in Rivendell just two days ago, but I'm already filthy. And my hair feels so oily! Can't imagine how the men are all right with living like this week after week!"

Kili raised a brow and listened to what his brother said, but he was still a little lost. Even when Fili motioned to his belt, he didn't quite get what he was talking about. What did having a wife have to do with a man's belt? Nope, wasn't quite coming together. Kili's brow knit so tightly, he worried if it would cramp up.

When Fili leaned in and told him that, physically, he and Naerwyn were married, it finally clicked. He looked down toward Fili's belt. Of course!! Not the belt! What was hidden beneath it! His eyes went wide and he grabbed Fili's collar, "Wait a minute!! You did what?!"


Naerwyn was standing in the water, combing her fingers through her wet hair when Ammie arrived. She jumped a little and half turned. She smiled and continued to comb through her hair, "Yes, I don't understand it either. I suppose they are used to it."

She cupped some water in her hands and brought it to her neck. She rubbed the back, then the sides and that's when it dawned on her. She stifled a gasp and pulled her hair around to cover both sides of her neck. Fili had left love bites on her pale skin. They were slightly sore and were probably bright red. She worried they would turn purple. She hoped Ammie hadn't seen.

Fili gasped as Kili suddenly grabbed him by the collar and practically yelled out his surprise. "Shh-shh, not so loud," Fili hissed, prying his brother's hands off of his coat. "Yes, that's what happened! But don't announce it to the world! Uncle Thorin will flay me alive if he finds out!" He glanced towards said dwarf to make certain he wasn't paying attention to their conversation before continuing. "I was careful, though. There won't be any surprise children on the way to Erebor."

Fili took a couple of steps away from his brother and cleared his throat. "Uncle," he called, "Do you need me to do anything to help?" He didn't want to seem suspicious.

~~~

Ammie hadn't seen anything. She was too busy stripping off her blouse and shoving her trousers down her legs. She draped both garments neatly over a low-lying tree branch and then waded into the water. It was surprisingly cool and caused her to shiver...But certainly not as cold as she'd initially expected. The hobbit sank down to a sitting position in the stream and began scooping handfuls of water up to pour onto her hair. "I wonder if the others have rags I could use," she mused aloud. "I don't want a repeat of that goblin situation. The fewer people who know I'm a girl, the better."

She glanced over in Naerwyn's direction, a sly smirk creeping onto her face. She never had the opportunity to gossip anymore, so another female in the group would be refreshing for once. "How are things with Fili?" she teased.

Kili glanced at the others as well, making sure no one heard him. His cheeks reddened some, "Sorry, brother." He nodded lightly, "That is good. Then Uncle would be really mad." He snickered suddenly, "Someone hold the baby while I kill this orc!" He snickered and chuckled as he headed back behind his brother.

Thorin was just about finished skinning a rabbit when Fili approached him. He glanced up to him and paused in his work. He glanced around and spotted the small sack. He picked it up and tossed it to Fili, "Yes, Fili. Clean and prepare those, will you?" He returned to his work, but glanced up to Fili as he did so. "Where is the elf?"



Naerwyn shuddered at the mention of the goblins and shrugged, "Perhaps. But if they do, I imagine they're already soiled. They are men, after all."

Naerwyn glanced to Ammie when she asked about Fili. Her whole body froze and her face turned a very bright shade of red. Did she know? How could she know? Did Fili tell her? She dragged her fingers through her wet hair and sputtered, trying to think of a response that wouldn't admit or confirm anything to Ammie. She gave a shrug and looked over to her, "Oh, um. ...Fine. Everything is fine."

Fili laughed at his brother's joke. "Yes, well... Unfortunately you're not going to get to laugh at that situation. I'm sure Naerwyn is quite safe." He gave Kili a nudge with his elbow. "Which is a real shame, because I hear Oin's an excellent midwife!" The prince snorted and shook his head.

Fili caught the sack his uncle tossed to him. "Yessir." He opened it and glanced down at its contents. Fish. Many fish. Apparently Thorin and Dwalin had encountered another stream someplace further down the mountain. Their foraging abilities never ceased to amaze him. "'Naerwyn'," he replied after his uncle's next question, "Is taking a bath in the river. She wasn't feeling well, either. She'll be back when she's finished." He held up the sack and shook it a couple of times. "I'll ask Kili to help, too. Brother?"

Fili went to his belongings to retrieve a dagger and a skin of water. He plopped down onto the ground and removed a fish from the bag. He rinsed it off before beginning to gut it. Between the two of them, the brother's could prepare the fish in no time.

~~~

Ammie finished rinsing out her hair and then chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. Naerwyn had a point. Any spare fabric the men had would surely be filthy from use. She'd ask her uncle first, then. He'd be more likely to possess something clean.

Between Naerwyn's crimson face and Fili's high spirits earlier, Ammie now knew something must have happened between the prince and the elf! "Oooh," she squealed happily, "Something happened between you two, didn't it?! How wonderful! What was it?" Ammie kicked her feet around in the water with excitement. "I'm totally rooting for you! If Thorin tries to get in the way, I promise I'll take care of it!" Ammie grinned and winked playfully.

Kili snickered and giggled at his brother's joke about Oin. He watched Thorin toss Fili a sack, wondering what was inside of it. He jumped right in to help when Fili called for him and grabbed his own knife. He sat down across from his brother and began to clean and prepare the fish.


Thorin glanced up to Fili when he relayed the information about Naerwyn. "Huh," he began, "Fine then." He glanced to the sack of fish as he started the unpleasant task of gutting the rabbit in his hands, "She, uh....she eats fish, doesn't she? I figured she wouldn't eat rabbit, but...she might eat fish, yes?" Thorin sniffed haughtily and cleared his throat. He thought, for a moment, that he sounded too concerned, "Or do I have to drag my ass back out there and find something else?" There, that's better.

Naerwyn's blush only seemed to darken and she dearched through the water for a steady rock to sit on. Once she found one, she settled down on it and faced Ammie. She pulled her hair over one shoulder, forgetting the tell tale bites on her neck and dipped her hair into the water, "Nothing happened, Ammie. I came out here to be sick and Fili came to check on me. He was very sweet and then he went to collect firewood. Nothing more!"

When Thorin mentioned his consideration of Naerwyn's diet, Fili froze in the middle of gutting his second fish. He lifted his head slowly, blue eyes brewing with confusion. "Yes. She eats fish," Fili said. "I saw her eating it at breakfast in Rivendell." Why had his uncle bothered to capture something the elf could eat, if he didn't care? He imagined that Thorin would want her to fend for herself, or at least force Fili to provide her sustenance and not cause the rest of the group inconvenience. He glanced at Kili to ensure he was not the only one surprised by their uncle's behavior. "I'm sure berries and wild root vegetables would have been sufficient, though," he continued. "I'll ask Bilbo or Ammie how to identify them, later, to spare you effort in the future."

Ammie pursed her lips. What was Naerwyn keeping from her?! She was only trying to be friendly, after all! "I'm sorry," the hobbit apologized. "I didn't mean to ask you something that made you uncomfortable. I was only wondering if he'd kissed you, yet! If not, he's a great big idiot." She watched the elf sweep her hair to one shoulder and then turned bright red herself. She'd finally noticed the pink love bites littered along Naerwyn's neck. She quickly averted her wide hazel eyes and busied herself with washing the dirt off her body.