The coronation was probably the most formal event Kili had ever participated in. It seemed as though everyone in middle earth had crowded on the plain before Erebor's gate to see Thorin be crowned king.

There was one dwarf who was noticeably absent from the crowd that evening. Fili and Kili had been there to receive the first few waves of dwarves from the Blue Mountains who had arrived in early spring. Many of their relatives and friends had been among the first arrivals, including Gimli who happily joined his father and uncle in Erebor. But the one dwarrowdam who seemed to not be among the arrivals was their own mother. When wave after wave of dwarves arrived and Dis was not among them, Fili and Kili began to worry.

It was shortly before the coronation was to begin, moments after Fili had finished discussing the situation regarding Asphodel, and the boys had nearly finished getting into their royal robes, that there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Kili called as he worked on Fili's braids while the golden haired dwarf sat in front of him. Thorin entered and Kili blinked at his uncle's appearance. Thorin was wearing a long flowing king's robe, it's long train trailing behind him. It was a deep red color and made of the finest furs and silk. Underneath the robe, he wore a formal silk tunic decorated with gold trimmings.

"Uncle, you look quite kingly," Fili pointed out as he sat patiently waiting for Kili to finish his braids. Even Kili wore braids for this occasion.

"My lads," Thorin said and his tone made Kili pause. Thorin looked solemn and Kili knew immediately that something had gone wrong. He felt his stomach drop as he frowned.

"What is it, Uncle?" Kili asked innocently.

"I just got word about your mother," Thorin said. Those words made Kili's blood run cold. He let go of Fili's hair as the blonde quickly got to his feet.

"She's going to be in the next convoy, isn't she?" Fili asked.

"There was an ambush on her convoy as it passed over the misty mountains," Thorin said. "I'm afraid she didn't make it."

Kili exchanged looks with his brother and for a moment Thorin's words didn't quite register, "what?" he asked, "you… you mean she's dead?"

Thorin only nodded and Kili felt hot tears sting his eyes. He immediately felt rage well up within him, "we can't let them get away with it!" he exclaimed. "How dare they!"

"What shall be our response to this attack?" Fili demanded, his voice quivering with anger.

"There shall be no response," Thorin said with a sigh. "We just finished a massive battle. Our warriors are spread thin… I'm afraid we aren't in any condition to inflict the revenge on them that they deserve. I'm sorry, Lads."

"You mean we're just going to let them get away with it!" Fili exclaimed. "Uncle!"

"What will you have me do, Boy?" Thorin said harshly, "Dain's warriors were nearly spent in defense of this mountain. Our people are just starting to rebuild. And the Misty Mountains are teeming with goblin hordes so vast, they could overtake anything we could send to them. You know this."

Somehow, Kili knew Thorin was right, but he wasn't willing to let it go. Someone had to pay for this. He turned away, trying to compose himself, even as his mind searched for ways to solve this.

"I'm sorry to bring you this kind of news, Lads," Thorin said, coming forward to clasp Fili on the shoulder. "I had hoped this to be an enjoyable occasion. For you two at least."

Kili turned back towards Thorin, "not for you?"

"Just nervous, I suppose," Thorin responded. Kili studied his uncle. There was more than nervousness. There was a lot weighing his uncle down.

"I have a lot to make up to the two of you," Thorin said after a long pause. "I should have never have brought you along on this quest."

"We wouldn't have been left behind," Fili informed him.

"I made some shameful mistakes and you two suffered for it. Many have suffered for my mistakes. Many have died for my mistakes. I hope I can make it up somehow."

Kili only responded by coming over to his uncle and embracing him. Fili was quick to do the same and the three of stayed like that for a time.

The coronation went on without incident. Thorin, Fili, and Kili were all presented before an overwhelming crowd. Gandalf conducted the ceremony and it seemed as though all of middle earth was spread out on the plain before the gates of Erebor. As Kili stood over the parapets, watching Gandalf place the raven crown upon Thorin's head, and as his uncle gave many grand speeches about rebuilding the kingdom and calling all of the dwarves of erebor home, Kili began to feel the weight of his own crown. A modest silver crown sat firmly on his head while Fili wore a gold one. The two stood side by side with Thorin, accepting their place at his side.

And although everyone was in high spirits, everything they had gone through suddenly hit Kili hard. And the future seemed uncertain to him.

Later in the evening as he and his kin presided over the royal ball from their banquet table, watching their people make merry and dance as if there wasn't a care at all in their hearts, Kili felt forlorn and downtrodden. Who was he now? What was his role to be in this new kingdom he had helped to reclaim? What would they expect of him? And could he handle such burdens? He felt even more uncertain for his brother. But most of all, he couldn't shake the heartache he felt even at such an occasion. His mother, he'd promised he'd come back to her but it was she who failed to come to him.

And of course there was the other, more pressing heartache. Kili had searched the crowds for the one he'd hoped would be there. He'd seen her near the front row standing with her own kin, but since retiring to the ball, he hadn't seen her. His heart beat a million miles as he kept glancing at the door where guests came in and out.

"Brother, you've hardly touched your meal," Fili said as he sat besides Kili. "People are watching us."

"Let them watch," Kili said bitterly, glancing down at his untouched plate. "Asphodel isn't at the ball."

"She probably retired early," Fili informed him. "They are leaving in the morning."

This news hit Kili like a boulder. He let out a breath. Of course he knew it was coming, he knew she was leaving. But so soon… he'd hardly had the time to sort out his feelings. Feelings his brother had warned him against having.

"Forget about her," Fili said sternly. "You barely know her. What you think you feel… how can it be love?"

"I know what it is," Kili responded, turning to look his brother in the eye. "I've never felt so sure of it. After all we've been through. After what we've just lost… how can I…"

Kili trailed off when he noticed the sudden focused look in his brother's eyes. Fili's eyes were fixed on the door and the look on his face was of pure mesmerization.

"Brother?"

"They certainly know how to draw one's eyes," Fili murmured and when Kili turned, he too was mesmerized. Asphodel and Brenna stood in the doorway with Bilbo. While Bilbo quickly moved into the crowd, the girls remained, their eyes locking with the two princes across the room.

"She's stunning," Kili murmured. Asphodel was dressed in a flowing silk ball gown of deep greens. The form fitting gown swayed about her as she moved into the room, her curly red hair was intricately curled and braided around a gold, green jeweled hair piece, and a green broach accented her bare neck. She seemed to glow with radiance, especially when she looked right at Kili and smiled.

Beside her, Brenna wore a similarly intricate costume of royal purple, though she looked somewhat less enthusiastic about their presence.

Kili remembered his conversation with Fili and looked at him. "Will the people judge what they see?"

"You can count on it," his brother said sadly. "That's the price of royalty."

Kili looked beyond Fili to Thorin, who was enthralled in a conversation with Balin and Dwalin. Kili tried to quell his thoughts. They would see soon enough. And Thorin would know. But there she was, standing in the middle of the room, waiting for him, for any acknowledgement.

So Kili made his decision. "Let them see then," he said to Fili before excusing himself from the banquet table and hurrying to her.

"Prince Kili," Asphodel said as he moved across the room to stand before her. She bowed courteously. "I have never participated in such luxury."

"What? the master of Lake-town doesn't seem the type to be modest about his lavish lifestyle," Kili responded. "Surely he enjoyed entertaining."

"He did," Asphodel said. "But the most we could hope for is to tend him and his guests and keep their bellies full."

"Well I'm glad you are here now," Kili said. "I was afraid you weren't coming to the ball."

"I was afraid I wasn't either," Asphodel responded, a look of reservation crossing her face. "Brenna warned against it. We needn't bother, she said."

"I'm glad you convinced her otherwise," Kili responded. "You look beautiful."

Asphodel smiled widely and looked about herself. "Can you believe we found these gowns in our closet?" she said. "Brenna hemmed them for us. I never thought I'd wear such luxury. I'd feared we would be dressing too presumptuous."

"Presumptuous?" Kili reached over and took her hand on her arm as they cruised about the ball room. And as Fili warned, Kili caught many dwarves glancing in their direction as they walked. Brenna shot Asphodel a warning glare from where she stood in the far corner.

"We are servant girls, not royalty I am not worthy of such clothing."

"No," Kili corrected, "you are most certainly worthy. You aren't servants any longer, you must stop thinking as though you still are. I don't know about hobbit social structure much, but I happened to gather that your uncle is one of great status and I happen to know we will be sending him home with quite a bit of treasure. You might as well consider yourself in high status from now on." He focused on her now, gazing into her eyes just as music began to be played and guests began to move towards the dance floor. "Shall we dance?"

"Oh what will they say?" Asphodel protested.

"Who?"

"You're people. They are all watching. Their prince dancing with a hobbit, what will they think?"

"They'll think I've gone mad," Kili said with a chuckle. "But let them judge. I don't care." He led her to the dance floor and pulled her to him. Elegantly, they began to dance. They swayed across the dance floor as gracefully as other dancers moved around them. For Kili, time seemed to stop and the rest of the room melted away. All he could see was her. He was completely unaware of the fact that his uncle's attention had been drawn to him, and he was even more unaware of the look of alarm spreading across Thorin's face.

Kili was in a dream. He smiled at her and felt almost giddy when she returned it. Instantly, it was as if all the cares, all the heart aches, all the uncertainties didn't matter anymore. And as if to secure this feeling, as if to somehow keep it, he leaned in to lock his lips with hers. Closing his eyes, he savored her kiss, her touch, for a long precious moment, breaking the kiss only to press his forehead to hers lovingly.

"Is our love so wrong?" Asphodel said after a while. She gazed up at him, searching his eyes.

And suddenly all the pain and uncertainty came rushing back. He began to feel as if he was suffocating as he recalled what his brother had said. He looked at her with sorrow, "it's poor timing," he said.

"Poor timing?"

"You are leaving tomorrow. Back to the shire. Where you belong."

"I know…" the terrible sadness in her voice hurt him. "Then this… it's wrong. I shouldn't have come." She stopped dancing, moving back from him, tears trickling out of her eyes. "I'm sorry Kili." And she tore away from his arms and turned and ran out of the ballroom, leaving him devastated.

"Kili…" Thorin approached him now and he turned to him. He suddenly became aware that the music had stopped and all eyes were on him. But he wasn't going to back down.

"What do you have to say to me, Uncle?" Kili warned as Fili came over to stand beside Thorin as well. "What do you expect me to say?"

"How far has this gone?" Thorin demanded, his tone hard. By now, Bilbo and Brenna were there too. Everyone was watching. The company, the people.

Kili felt annoyed. "Far enough," he replied bitterly. He looked around at all the stunned faces. "What are you all staring at?" he demanded. "Haven't you ever seen a dwarf kiss a hobbit?"

"Brother…" Fili warned.

"No," Kili held up a hand. "We've come halfway across the world on a quest. When we left Ered Luin, I had hoped it would be an adventure. I soon found otherwise. It has brought nothing but misery and heartache. I've been hurt, brought to the brink of death. I've seen blood, death on a colossal scale. I've seen my uncle's will turn to madness over this blasted treasure horde. I've seen my brother suffer for this gold! For this kingdom, for all of you! And now you have the audacity to judge me for falling in love with a hobbit?"

"You have duties," Thorin began, "you are a prince."

"I have duties!" Kili exclaimed, fury spurning him on. Then a sudden idea hit him and he moved back, away from his uncle. "Very well, Uncle. I have duties. Then let me fulfill them. If being a prince matters for anything, let it count for this. It would appear that there is still pain I must suffer before this quest is finally put to rest."

With that, Kili turned and hurried out of the ballroom, running as fast as his legs could carry him. "Asphodel!" he shouted, running through the palace at top speeds, searching every nook and crevice for his love. He was determined now. He had a plan. He didn't know what the outcome would be. He didn't know if he'd only delay the inevitable, but it was something he would risk.

He finally found her standing in a room, an empty balcony overlooking the land below. The stars shone about her as she stared out, her back to him. He heard her silent sobs.

"Asphodel," his voice had her whirl around. Tears streamed down her face.

"I can't, Kili," she lamented. "I was so happy to be going to the shire. To finally see my long lost home, it was my greatest dream. But now… the thought of it causes more pain that the point of a blade. Why must we part?"

"We don't have to," he said. "Not yet. I'm going with you."

"What?" she gasped in astonishment. "To the shire? But your place is here."

"Not right now it isn't," Kili said. "I'm going to escort you back. It may delay the inevitable heartache, but at least I can be assured that you made it safe to the shire and that you will be happy."

Asphodel regarded him for a moment, "there are other reasons, aren't there," she asked. "Besides us."

"Yes," Kili said with a sigh, "earlier today I learned word that the convoy which was to deliver my mother here was ambushed and destroyed while crossing the misty mountains."

"Oh Kili," Asphodel moved over to him and gazed up at him with sympathy. "Your mother is dead then?"

Kili nodded sadly. "The path you will take to the shire is dangerous. There are still battles for me to fight. I will not let my mother's death be in vain. There is something that tells me our dangers are far from over. That Erebor is still in danger. My uncle won't act, we haven't the army to defend ourselves, the battle cost us so much. I'm going to escort you home and then I'm going to see to this threat."

"But you are only one!" Asphodel gasped. "You can't risk yourself!"

"I can," Kili insisted. "I am the second prince. Fili is the heir, not me. His job is to prepare for his future kingship. My job is to make sure his kingship comes. Now… will you have me on your quest home?"

At that, Asphodel was suddenly in his arms. He held her tight as he thought on what he had just agreed to do. He knew it was a spur of the moment plan, he knew it was reckless. He knew he could very well lead himself to death. But there was no going back now, and he was determined that no one would stop him. He had to do this. Not just for Asphodel, but for his kingdom. He would not let his mother's murder go unanswered.

Okay everyone this was my very first cheesy romance scene ever, I hope you like it!