I saw this stunning artwork and immediately had my head spinning with ideas:
What if both Kili and Tauriel end up not staying in Erebor and instead decide to live a more nomadic lifestyle, just traveling all throughout middle earth for a while. Perhaps at some point on their journey they get caught by orcs, and a good portion of Taurielโsโ hair gets chopped off in the process. Kili goes psycho killer mode and after everything is said and done, he gets so incredibly upset about what happened (ya know, cuz dwarves and their hair).
While Tauriel is upset about the whole situation, she isnโt nearly as distraught as Kili, he feels so much shame for allowing it to happen and he openly mourns the loss. So, she lets him tenderly care for her hair, always brushing it and trying to figure out ways for it to grow back quickly. She even finds him at a quiet little stall one day in a human town talking to a merchant, trying to see if thereโs a serum for hair growth, or even a book on herbs and other plants to make your own concoction.
She lets him obsess over her hair growth and when it finally touches her shoulders, he eagerly puts braids back into her hair and carves wooden beads for the both of them to wear.
And after a while of traveling throughout middle earth, they continue to experience the fun moments, as well as the hardships together (both carry new scars, and are a little rough around the edges, but they will never be away from each others sides). After a while, Kili can see the longing on Taurielโs face for a more permanent home. He notices her always watching the families and kids running around, and he knew that if they ever wanted a pebble of their own, things needed to change. So, they decide to finally settle down somewhere, finding a nice secluded area in a forest, close enough to Erebor and Mirkwood for visits but far enough away for the piece and quiet, and especially away from judging eyes.
Together they both build a quaint little house, making sure itโs big enough for any little additions if they so desire. Kili works tirelessly to make the most comfortable place that he can for his partner.
After a while of settling into their place, Tauriel can begin to see Kili get antsy now and then. Sheโs aware that dwarves much prefer their mountains than forested areas, and while she couldnโt give Kili a mountain, she could try to give him something to do with his hands during their free time. And so when Kili goes off for a few months for his yearly trip to erebor, she asks for assistance from Beron to help build a forge to surprise Kili with when he returns.
So yeah, just had to write this one out and record it somewhere lol