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It had been a couple of months, and everything was going surprisingly well. The people of Laketown had come seeking help in funds to rebuild, and Thorin had been much more generous than Valadhiel had thought or hoped he would be. He was even patient with the Elvenking when he came seeking the white jewels he'd sought after for so long. His kin that were still in Ered Luin were on their way back home as well. Things had been going very well— perhaps too well.

Valadhiel still had a bad feeling that something terrible was bound to happen. After word spreading about The Lonely Mountain being reclaimed, after word being spread of her helping them, enemies were bound to hear about it. She was worried specifically over Azog The Defiler, Bolg the Halfbreed, and Night Fury the Black Dragon. She couldn't help but feel an unease. But, thus far, everything was going very well, smoothly, and peacefully.

     "Vala!"

     Valadhiel looked to her right when she heard her name and smiled. "Kili, Fili." She replied, and her eyes trailed to the figure approaching from behind them. Her heart leaped in her chest before racing when she saw King Thorin, and her smile grew. "Thorin."

     "Is it true that Durin made you an honorary dwarf?" Kili asked, and Fili followed with, "That's how it's said in the tale, right?", then Kili finished with, "That's what Balin said, anyways."

     Valadhiel chuckled before she nodded. "Yes, that is right. I was the only elf to get along with dwarves the way I did, and Durin and I were very close at one point." She replied, then she shook her head and looked down with a smile.

     "What?" Thorin asked curiously, looking at the elleth in amusement. "Is something funny?"

     "Oh, no." Valadhiel replied, then she explained. "Well, to some it would be. Durin and I were so close at one point in time that he wanted to marry me. That... is part of the reason he named me an honorary dwarf. It didn't work out, but he still told me that I was an honorary dwarf. He hoped that if I wouldn't be wed to him, then maybe to one of his kin." She blushed lightly.

"So how old are you?" Kili asked.

"Kili, you never ask a woman her age!" Fili scolded.

Valadhiel chuckled. "Well, let's see... Durin passed before the end of the First Age, placing him at about 2,395 years old." She rolled her eyes upward in thought, her lips moving as she counted the best she could in her head. "It's the Third Age... the year 2941..."

"You okay there?" Thorin asked, quirking a brow, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Possibly. Numbers aren't my strong suit." Valadhiel replied with a chuckle. She noticed the look on Thorin's face and playfully nudged him. "The Second Age lasted for 3,441 years in total. I am a thousand years younger than Durin is, so when Durin passed away I was 1,395. That plus 3,441 plus 2,941 is... oh dear, can we not talk about how old I am?"

"SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN?!" Kili shouted in disbelief.

"Yes, thank you, Kili." Valadhiel said with a laugh.

"Seven, the number of perfection." Thorin commented. He smiled at Valadhiel, a flirtatious sparkle in his eye. "Your name means Angelic, and you are perfect times four."

Valadhiel blushed again and chuckled. "Well, thank you for saying so, even though we both know that's not true." She replied as she looked at the Dwarven King.

"Well, you know what they say." Fili said. "Love is blind." He then took off down the hall before either one of them could give him a look.

     Kili burst out laughing before he followed after his brother. He wanted to go see what the other dwarves were up to, anyways— and leave the lovebirds alone for the time being. Especially since he was pretty sure that his uncle wanted to talk to Vala about something.

Thorin chuckled, shaking his head. "My nephews are crazy. They clearly get that from their mother."

"Maybe so, but... Balin has said a few interesting things about you when you were younger." Valadhiel replied with a slight smirk.

"I don't even want to know what he told you." Thorin said with a chuckle. "Want to go on a walk with me?"

"Well, I would never say no to a moment with you." Valadhiel replied with a smile. When Thorin reached his hand out to her, she took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. "I may enjoy forests, waterfalls, and the like, but this mountain isn't so bad. It's amazing, what Dwarves can do with stone." She commented as she looked around.

"Well, that means a lot coming from an elf." Thorin said, then he looked at her. "Though I do get the feeling that the dragon in you is more appreciative of it than the elf in you is." He stopped walking after he spoke.

"Maybe so." Valadhiel agreed with a chuckle. She then stopped as well, turning to look at him. "What is it?" She tilted her head curiously.

Thorin hesitated briefly before he shook his head, chuckling slightly. "Oh, nothing. Just getting lost in your beauty." He replied as he smiled at her, his eyes twinkling as he did so.

Valadhiel blushed slightly as she smiled at him. Oh, you flirt, you." She teased, playfully elbowing him.

Thorin chuckled. "At least I'm not a tease."

"A tease? What are you talking about?"

"Many times at Rivendell— you just don't know all you did to me."

"Oh." Valadhiel chuckled before smirking a little. "Would one of those times be when I fell into the pool of water? If I recall... someone was having trouble taking their eyes off me."

"Oh, you hush, Lizard." Thorin rolled his eyes playfully as he continued walking. When he was ahead of her he smirked.

Valadhiel feigned a shocked gasp. "Lizard? Lizard? And here I thought we had finally moved past that." She said with a pout.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, but don't think that's going to make me forget what you called me, Dwarf." Valadhiel replied, crossing her arms as she looked at him. She stopped when the Dwarven King stopped and turned, and she closed her eyes after his lips connected with hers.

Thorin smiled when she returned the kiss, then he pulled back and looked at her, his face still close to hers. "Forgive me now?"

Valadhiel smiled, shaking her head in amusement. "Yes, I forgive you now. How can I not?" She pecked his lips before resting her forehead against his.

"You two are so disgusting!"

Valadhiel and Thorin looked up before they both laughed when they saw Dwalin, Balin, Ori, Kili, Fili, and Bofur. "Oh? Are we?" Valadhiel questioned innocently, looking at the one who'd made the comment: Kili.

"Yeah, you are." Kili replied. He was, as usual, just being Kili.

"Oh, okay. I'll make sure to inform you that you are gross next time you hit on Tauriel." Valadhiel said nonchalantly, smirking at the young Dwarf.

"Oh, she's got you there, Kili." Fili commented.

"Wha— but—"

"You can't say anything, Kili." Ori told him. "We all already know that you like her. And we also know that she likes you."

"I doubt that." Kili murmured.

"Then why would she risk being banished just to help you?" Bofur asked, elbowing the youngster. "She likes ya, laddie."

"She really does." Valadhiel replied with a nod. "Trust me. Tauriel likes you more than she's ever liked someone."

     Kili nodded softly, then he spoke. "Not to change the subject, but who else is looking forward to the rest of our kin arriving? I can't wait for Mom to get here." He grinned.

     Thorin nodded his head. "You will see her get emotional for many, many reasons." He commented. "One because we're safe, secondly because it has been a long time since she's seen these halls."

     Valadhiel smiled as she listened, then she looked off into the distance. She saw the room where the gold had solidified onto the floor. The image of Smaug flashed through her mind— the image of the enraged dragon emerging from the liquified gold then running through the hall, shouting his promise of showing them revenge.

     "Vala?" Fili looked at her in concern. "Are you okay?"

     The other dwarves followed suit, turning their attention to Valadhiel.

     Without looking away from the golden hall, Valadhiel answered. "In time I will be. Though the emotional wounds will never fully heal... they never do. But, so is my lot in life as an immortal. I'd best accept it, otherwise, all I will feel is pain and torment all my days until I leave for The West."

"Wow, Lass..." Bofure said. "I've never heard you talk like that before."

"But it matches. The hurt seen in her eyes from time to time." Bilbo said quietly. He had noticed it many times. That was why she looked so old to him. She looked young, but her eyes... you could tell she had seen so, so much by the look in her eyes. She had old eyes like Gandalf did. But they still had that same spark just as Gandalf's did. She had a lot of spirit left in her, that was for certain.

Thorin wished he could do something or say something to help Valadhiel, but he had no idea what he could do or say other than take her hand into his and give it a loving squeeze.

     "Don't worry. In time I will be okay." Valadhiel said quietly. She smiled at Thorin and returned the squeeze before she let go. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go clear my head."

     "Of course." Thorin said as he let go of her hand. He watched as she walked down the hall.

     Valadhiel walked until she made it outside, then she shifted into her dragon form before taking to the sky. She had learned that this was the best way to clear her mind. Flying... it just made one forget all about their fears, their worries, their fate, the reality of things. Yes, she would have to go back to it eventually. But for now, for the time being, her mind wasn't a prison. For now she would have a moment's peace.

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