An Even Fifteen (Fili x reader)

(32) Sisters

You tried to hide your relief as the meal came to an end. Thorin stood from his seat at the table and called for Fili and Kili to come with him to discuss some royal business. Fili kissed your forehead tenderly before taking his leave, and you stood to retire to your rooms, thanking Dis for a lovely evening. You omitted the fact that it had wrung you of your last bit of courage, and you were more than ready to relax with the Rhosgobels. You didn't have to do anything to impress them. Except for, perhaps, bringing a carrot or two to share with them.

Your name called down the hall stopped you in your tracks. You tried not to sigh as you turned to find Tauriel making her way toward you on silent feet. She was tall as a tree, and twice as elegant in her elven finery. When she caught up to you, one side of her mouth lifted in a grimace-like attempt at a smile.

"Tauriel? What is it?"

"I wish to speak with you," she said. "Will you walk with me?"

You nodded and gestured for her to lead the way. It seemed as if you would not be joining your rabbits for a while longer.

Tauriel led the way out toward the balustrade at the entrance to Erebor. For all her apparent desire to speak with you, she was remarkably quiet. When you reached the balcony, and the guards on duty had shifted back to give the two of you the respect of privacy, Tauriel let her head hang back as she looked at the night sky.

"The halls of Erebor are so confining. I have always felt more at ease under the light of the stars," she mused.

You hummed noncommittally. "I have always found sunlight through the trees to be most calming, though the stars are a close second," you said, taking in the sky. "They are much clearer here than in Greenwood."

She turned to you. "Greenwood. Mirkwood. I miss them both."

"As do I," you said, recalling how close the Elvenking's domain was to your home. "You wanted to speak to me," you said, trying to turn the topic to something that would make you a little less homesick. "Was it regarding any particular subject?"

"Forgive me," she said, tilting her head regally and letting her gaze wander out into the night again. "I fear I am much distracted as of late. I did wish to speak with you about what lies ahead. For both of us, if I read the signs right."

"What do you mean?"

She smiled wryly-- a real smile. "I see the way Prince Fili looks at you. And I know you see the way Kili and I..."

"Yes," you said quietly. "I have seen that."

"Kili and I plan to marry soon, once the spring arrives."

"Oh." The thought of marriage, so soon, set you back for a moment.

Tauriel, though naturally aloof as the rest of her race, was not completely oblivious. She turned at your sound of surprise and let her eerily focused gaze rest on you. "I did not wish to alarm you. What Kili and I do has no bearing on what is expected of you and your Lionheart."

How strange it was to hear your name for Fili on the lips of an elf, even if those lips were smiling fondly. You huffed what might have been laughter if you were not quite so uncomfortable, leaning on the stone wall in front of you and bowing your head. "I think it does, Tauriel. We are both foreigners, not dwarf kind, enamored with the only two princes Erebor has. I think what either of us does most certainly affects what the other will do."

She was silent for a moment, then a sigh. An abrupt show of emotion from the reserved elf. "None of this is going how I planned. I seem at a loss for proper speech tonight." You shrugged as she hesitated, then waited for her to continue. "I wished to thank you for your honorable words at dinner."

You turned to her in surprise. She gestured helplessly with one hand before letting it fall back to her side. "I have not been..." she trailed off again, searching for words, "as kind to you as I might have been. In Dale, or during battle, or even here in these halls. My role has been soldier, then general, and the strength I am familiar with is harsh. Until recently, I have seen you as weak because you do not wield that kind of strength."

"I know I am not--" you said, thinking she had finished, but she held up a hand to stop you.

"You are strong. Just not in a way I knew to recognize until now. Your strength is quiet. It is your kindness, your willingness to sacrifice for others, including those you have no reason to care for." Her voice lowered at the end, as if she were ashamed of herself.

"Tauriel," you said, "I might not deserve such praise, but I thank you for it all the same."

She smiled, and this time it was tinged with no wryness. "You deserve it, I assure you. Your composure tonight before Dis had me envious. She makes me nervous."

You actually laughed. "You? Nervous? What next, will the Valar cease to speak in riddles?"

Her laugh was like windchimes dancing in the breeze. "I think we might be friends," she said with hope in her eyes. "And we ought to be. If there were any time for alliances, it would be now. These dwarves are formidable folk."

"I would be honored to have a friend such as you, Tauriel." You dipped in a sketch of a curtsy, which Tauriel returned with a soldier-like bow.

"After all," she said as she straightened, "we are to be sisters soon enough, I think."

"Sisters..." you trailed off, distracted by the infinite possibilities in that one word. "I have always wanted a sister."

"As have I," she said, and walked by your side down the halls of Erebor.

A/N: I know it's a shorter chapter, but it just felt so right to end it here, and the last chapter was a little longer than usual so I'm hoping you guys don't mind. What do you guys think of Tauriel? Opinions on the friendship? I think it will be good for you and Tauriel to have allies in the hall full of stubborn dwarves.

In other news, I have decided to enter this story into the Wattys 2016! I hope doing this will allow a few new people to find this story, and maybe I'll win something while I'm at it! There's nothing you readers have to do in regards to the contest, except continue reading this story, if you'd like. It does, however, mean that I'll likely be going through this chapter-by-chapter and polishing it up a bit. The story won't be changing at all, just making sure I have all my words in the right places and punctuation doing the right things.

Anyway, thank you all for reading and for the encouraging comments and votes I've been getting recently! They mean a lot, and it makes this process even more enjoyable. You guys are fabulous.If you did like this chapter, feel free to leave a comment or give it a vote! And don't worry, I've got some good stuff planned for the upcoming chapters!
--RA