Sigrid bends over the head of cabbage and with a practiced hand she peels off each layer and begins to chop them up. I watch carefully and do the same, watching Tilda out of the corner of my eye to make sure she's okay.
"Tauriel, that's not how it's done." Sigrid reaches over to my cabbage and peels off a layer "See? it should look like that every time you peel a layer." I have taken almost full custody of Bard's children watching after them as much as I can.
I have begun to take on some of the chores, to lighten the load on Bard's children. I oversee much of them, helping Bain chop wood and teaching Tilda how to milk a cow.
I've given Sigrid every use for leafy and green things in food, but every night I eat mutton with them. Until Bard comes home and I am dismissed. Helping keeps my mind off... Him.
"Tauriel!" I see him in the distance "Tauriel wait!" he reaches me and I slow.
"Kili." He nods and the awkward smile returns, "What do you want?" I ask.
"Come with me, please." Kili sounds hopeful "Please." I lean down a little ways towards him.
"Tauriel, come." Legolas "You are needed elsewhere." I drop Kili's gaze. His eyes tear up a little and he runs to his brother and two other dwarves. I turn to Legolas.
"Wait!" Kili calls, I turn immediately "Keep this as a promise." He says something in another tongue.
"I don't know what that means." I say.
"I think you do." He smiles the same goofy smile and I smile back.
"Tauriel." he whispers, low so that only I will hear.
"Kili." I whisper back.
"Tauriel!" Sigrid's voice brings me back "Are you feeling well?"
"Yes." I wrap my arms around my chest, holding myself together. Bard appears on foot in the nick of time, he thanks me and I am free to go.
I silently thank the gods on my way out and up the ladder to the roof so I can cry my broken self to sleep crawling with nightmares.