Star-Crossed

Chapter 57

"Come on." She nodded towards the stairs. He followed her up the steps and into Kili's room. She looked behind her at Dwalin, nodding for him to see if they were followed. He checked the hall and the staircase, no one had tailed them. Shutting the door he looked back at Beuren. 

"Who the hell bound your leg?" She looked at the rough binding on Kili's thigh. 

"Fili, I thought he did rather good." 

"If he was blind I'd excuse it." She crouched before him, pushing the plate of food into his hands.

 "Eat. You look famished." She began rewrapping the young dwarf's wound. "You haven't felt anything weird right? Haven't heard any voices?" 

"What like you?" The door opened, Balin and Fili stepping inside. 

"Busy with Frerin, what the hell were you thinking?" Balin fussed, bringing the bedside lantern closer so she could see. 

"You are getting crumbs in your binding." 

"Forget about the crumbs in the binding-" Thorin's voice boomed as he forced his way into the room.

"I thought I did quite good..." Fili said, his tone mousey. 

"What were you thinking talking about my brother like that? Have you no respect?" 

"I was." She paused, there was no way that the White Counsel would ever condone her telling the truth about what had happened to her. Especially not without having something to back it up, solid proof. As if what happened to me wasn't proof enough, she thought. "I was ill." She lied. "Gandalf had to take me to the elves, well, elves smarter than those in Greenwood." Everyone seemed to buy it.

"Well, we're glad you're better." Kili said around a mouthful of roasted duck. 

"So I see." She watched him disapprovingly for a moment before rolling her eyes at his childness. "You on the other hand, I am very glad to see." She said, looking at Kili. "Especially after taking that arrow."

"How did you-"

"I was caught up, by Prince Legolas, and the guardswoman, Tauriel." Kili's cheeks pinkened. "What's the matter with you?" 

"Nothing, bit my tongue." Beuren watched him, he was a terrible liar. 

"Right, anyways, you all should return to the party, before the Master gets suspicious. Go. I will finish here, and we will rejoin you." The three older dwarves left, and Beuren looked back at Kili. 

"What?" She smacked the back of his head. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You just met her! You don't just fall in love with someone that you just met! And anyways, you can't I won't permit it." Beuren barked.

"Why because she's an elf?"

"Yes!" 

"So are you!"

"It's different!"

"How?" She paused, how could she explain to him that she was once Azog's girlfriend? Oh, to hell with it. 

"Fine, but if she breaks your heart don't come crying to me!" 

"How do you know she'll even fall for me?" Daft little dumbass, Beuren thought, she's chasing after you. 

"I don't." She said awkwardly. "I guess we'll just have to see." 

"What is wrong with you? Something is off here..." 

"It's nothing Kili, I've just had a trying couple of days." 

"As if we haven't?"

"Oh ho ho, you are taking a page right out of your uncle's book little one!" She jabbed her finger in his chest. "Don't push me." She threw the door open, nearly knocking Ori over as he made his way to his room just down the hall. 

"She's not happy, is she?" Ori said, watching nervously down the stairs. Kili hobbled towards him watching as his aunt stamped out of sight. 

"No, no she is not." 

"Maybe she just needs some flowers?" Kili looked at his friend. 

"Ori, we're in the middle of a lake. Where are we getting flowers?" There was an awkward silence between the pair of them. 

"Water lilies?" Kili blinked.

"How much have you had to drink?"

"Quite a bit." 

"Alright, come on, off to bed with you." Kili herded the youngest of their company to his room, making sure he got his boots off before he went to bed. "Lightweight." He murmured to himself as he neared his room.