Chapter 1

"If this is love, take it from me. I do not want it." Tauriel laid her head on Kíli's still chest as her tears continued to flow. Why did I say that? Her own injuries were grave and the despair she felt was overwhelming. She tightened her hand around his where she'd placed his promise stone and sent a silent prayer to Eru to give her flame to the one she was no longer afraid to admit she loved.

How had she even sent him from her? She knew what they'd done. What it meant for her, if not his people. Still, she'd refused him out of fear when he asked her to come with him; left him unknowing of the truth between them. Tauriel pushed herself up, her eyes closed. "Why does it hurt so much?"

"I raised you, gave you a position, and you betrayed me for a dwarf. I see now, I misspoke when I told you it was not real. There is no punishment greater than what your own heart has wrought. Could I take it away? No, nor would I if I could. You will fade. It is better that way. You have no place." Thranduil's condemnation was cold.

She opened her eyes to see her former King turn and leave. She would go to the halls of Mandos and await rebirth, or not. Few elflings were born these days. She honestly could not remember any elflings born in the Woodland realm in her lifetime. Where ever the Dwarves went, it was neither where the Elves nor the souls of men went. If she was fated to sit in the halls forever, she'd rather give her spirit to let the young dwarf live his life.

She leaned down and kissed him. Warmth passed between them. She felt his first ragged breaths a moment before his eyes blinked slowly open to look into hers. She smiled and laid her head on his chest. He'd returned to her. She let out a small gasp as she felt her fëa pass between them.

Kíli watched Tauriel's eyes dim as warmth filled him. Unconsciousness took him before he could contemplate what he'd just witnessed. Her voice echoed in his mind. "I know what it means now, amrâlimê. Live, meleth nîn. "

#

When Dwalin lead the pallbearers to retrieve the fallen heirs of Durin they found Kíli breathing raggedly and his arms wrapped around Tauriel. Dáin's healer looked over at Dwalin, an eyebrow quirked up.

"I checked the lad m'self. There's a great gaping hole through his chest." the old warrior approached his fallen prince and the elf maid. "Lass," he growled as went to pull her up by the arm. He paused as he caught sight of her lifeless eyes locked on Kíli's face. He closed her eyes and disentangled her from his prince.

The healer walked over and examined the wound. "The size and placement, along with the blood soaking the young prince's clothing and the ground around him, he should be dead." He shook his head. "I don't know what magic that elf used, but it cost her life." He looked up. "Unless there be some other miracles this day, get the young King to the healer's tents or her death will be in vain."

Kíli was placed on the stretcher and rushed down Ravenhill. Dwalin lead the others to where Fíli and then Thorin lay. Most of the Company still held their vigil by Thorin's side. Their fallen King and his heir were lifted onto the stretchers and all followed in silence. The procession past where Tauriel still lay in Kíli's blood. Dwalin picked her body up from the cold ground. "None of ye say a word. Whatever happened before she died Kíli lives."

#

Tauriel found herself standing in nothingness the stars distant and all around her. "Welcome child." The voice, like the stars, surrounded her.

"Who, where?" She spun around. The lack of anything grounding made her head spin. She saw no one.

"I am who you call Eru." The voice came from all directions. "Are you certain you wish to give up your fëa for one of my adopted children? Aulë's children are not even granted the place I have given to my Second Born."

"Does it matter?"

"You will share the fate of the Dwarves if you truly choose this. To sit in Mahal's Halls awaiting the remaking of the world, as the Dwarves say. Though you would not be the first to give up immortality, you would be the first to not receive the Gift of the Second Born in its place. You will no longer be of the Eldar."

The words made her spirit shudder. "Will I be reunited with Kíli if I follow this path?"

"Yes, child."

"If I decide not to?"

"He will pass and bide his time awaiting the remaking of the world and you will go to the Halls of Mandos."

"I will wait for him in. . ." she felt an odd mixture of calm and nervousness, "Ma-, The Halls of Mahal."

"Nay, child. You will start your life anew as one of Durin's Folk. You will sleep until the time Kíli awakes you."

#

Aulë paused in his work. He bowed his head to Eru. "My Lord?"

"My children often surprise me. This is the first one of yours that has done so. One of Durin's line has fallen in love with one the Eldar, she is now yours. Fashion her a new body. Keep her face." Eru caused Tauriel's likeness to appear in the bucket of water. "She will be sent by ship to Arda, and given to the Dwarves in Ered Luin to bring to their young King in Erebor."

Aulë bowed even lower. "I will do this time with your blessing what I had once presumed to do in secret."

"It is well you made them in love, rather than out of malice. That is the grace by which I allowed them to live, and makes this rare love between our children possible. She will remain stone until her husband revives her with a kiss."

"A son of Durin wed an elf?"

"In the most simple of terms; he lay with her."

#

Kíli lay in a cot in a private tent staring at the ceiling in a drugged haze. Well, relatively private. A curtain hid the bodies of three of the dead, or so he'd been told. The most surprising, was Tauriel's. He had heard Dwalin arguing with Dáin's people about it much to his shock. What had made the warrior honor the elf so?

Kíli wiped a tear. Three of the people he loved most were dead. Though, when he thought of Tauriel she didn't feel 'gone.' Was it only a dream that he had stood in the Halls of Mahal, greeted by Fíli, who he'd watched die and his father he'd never known? Had he then, in turn greeted his Uncle?

He remembered little of what had happened on Ravenhill after Bolg had driven the spike on his mace through him. Just the cold and looking into Tauriel's eyes as she died. Why could his heart not accept she was gone?

Kíli turned his face to the wall as he heard a healer shuffle in. "Don't be upsetting the lad, now. He's still in a bad way."

Old Óin by the sound of the voice, but, who was he talking too? He had heard no one else enter.

He heard a sigh.

"Don't be asking him any questions he can't answer with a nod or shake of his head. He can't be talking in his state. He's got precious little breath for breathing."

Kíli could hear the pair approach, now that he strained his ears. One had to be an elf. Not their king, questions? The prince? Why so quite then?

"Laddy, I know you're awake. The elf here, wants to ask you something in private." Kíli could hear the disapproving tone. "I'll be close by, ring the bell if you need me." He heard the old healer shuffle back out.

The silence seemed to drag. What in Mahal's name is he waiting for? Did he not hear Óin? Kíli snorted in annoyance and turned to glare at his visitor.

Legolas stood beside his cot, eyes cast down. He closed his eyes with a deep sigh. He opened his eyes and met Kíli's glare. "My father has denied Tauriel Elven rites, her banishment holds even in death."

Kíli frowned at the prince's words and looked to the curtain that hid the dead.

"Did you love her?"

Tears slipped down Kíli's face as he nodded.

"There is no proper way to ask this." Legolas sighed. "Did you lay with her?"

Kíli's eyes widened as he met the elf's gaze.

"There is a reason I ask, Dw...Forgive me, Kíli."

He bit his lip and nodded.

"I thought as much. Something about her had changed." Legolas smiled half-hearted. "She should have stayed with you then."

Kíli tilted his head and quirked an eyebrow.

"Though we do on occasion have grand ceremonies if the couple is of high standing, an Elven marriage is giving one's self to the other. Since you were mending from your wound and not dead, I would think she accepted your suit."

Kíli smiled at the memory as he wiped tears from his face. He started wheezing.

"I ask she be honored as your fallen wife."

He wrapped his arms around himself and let out an anguished cry.

Legolas placed a hand on Kíli's shoulder. "A Dwarven burial is better than burning her with filth."

Gasping for breath and his eyes rolling up, Kíli nodded. He could hear the healers rushing in as his vision faded.