Star-Crossed

Chapter 24

She smiled despite her shivering. Kili ran to her, arms open. She picked him up and twirled him around, her sopping hair casting water droplets to and fro as she spun. Beuren lowered the young lad into her chest and wrapped her arms around him. She planted several kisses on his face; this received many giggles and squeals from Kili. She set him down and started towards Thorin and Fili.

Kili ran ahead of her. Grinning, she climbed the small knoll that the others stood upon. She opened her arms to Fili and hugged him. He laughed as she mumbled something in his ear. When she let him go she looked at Thorin. Both were panting for breath.

“What’s wrong old man? Too fast for you?” A smile spread on Thorin’s lips. As fast as a lightning strike, he caught her hips and drew her closer, his lips crashing down on hers. She smiled through the kiss and let her arms drape around his neck. The passion in his kiss made her melt; she leaned into him, her body contouring to his.

“Ewww!” The boys protested. When Beuren broke away she smiled back at the King.

“I haven’t been kissed like that in a while.” She whispered, resting her forehead on his. “Amin mela ta iire lle miqula amin ve' tanya.” She whispered breathily. Even though he hadn’t a single clue what she’d just said, he smiled. He loved it when she did that, spoke to him in that elegant tongue with her velvety tone. She hugged him one last time, then looked at little Kili.

“What?” He asked, as if he was in trouble.

“Well, you brought us all the way out here, what did you want to do that had to be done outside?”

“I dunno.” He said with a shrug. Beuren smiled and looked up. With a sigh she looked around.

“Give me an idea.” She said.

“I dunno.” He said again.

“So you made us race out here for nothing?” Thorin questioned.

“Well I don’t remember what I wanted to do!” Kili said no small amount of sass in his voice.

“Can you try?” Fili.

“I. Don’t. Know.” Kili said again, crossing his arms over his small chest. Beuren laughed, she plopped down on the wet grass next to Kili and kept laughing.

“Well what do you want to do, mister Kili?” She asked, beaming at the young lad.

“What do you want to do?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Let’s play chase!”

“Except that.” She sighed. The sun started to come out. Within the next half hour the grass was dry and so were Fili and Beuren. Her and Thorin sat in the sun and watched the kids goof around down by the river, which was now clear as crystal. Fili was teaching his younger brother to skip stones on the water.

Beuren was laying her head in Thorin’s lap, one arm was resting on her stomach, the other wrapped around behind him, thumb tucked into his belt. Thorin was occupying himself by playing with her hair, combing through it and braiding it, then taking it out and starting over.

Kili finally skipped a stone on the quickly moving waters. He cheered, so did Fili. Then they started chasing one another. Wrestling around and laughing. Thorin tugged lightly on the elf’s hair. She opened her eyes and stared up at him, he nodded at the boys, and she sat up for a moment and watched. Giggling, she scooted closer to Thorin. They sat in silence for a moment, then (finally) Thorin gathered his courage.

“We should get married.” He said bluntly. Beuren stayed silent. He was unable to tell if it was a good silence or a bad silence. “Beuren?”

“Hm?”