'Galion you old rogue we are running out of drink.' Elros called as he stepped down the stairs. 'These empty barrels should have been sent off hours ago, the Bardsman will be waiting for them.'

'Say what you like about our ill-tempered king, he has excellent taste in wine. Come Elros try it!'

'I have the dwarves in my charge.' Elros replied.

'They're locked up.' Galion smirked taking the keys from Elros and hanging them on a hook embedded in a pillar. 'Where can they go?'

The two elves laughed and sat down at the table with two bottles of Dorwinion wine which fast became empty, neither of them noticed as the keys were silently lifted from the hook and disappeared up the stairs.

Elros remembered watching Galion's head fall down on the table accompanied by short snores and feeling that he should get back to his post lest Tauriel should find him in the cellars, but as he made to stand the cellars swirled around him. He slumped back down and put his head on the table, a quick rest was needed to regain his bearings…

The first he knew was the sound of barrels clunking and muffled cries of surprise it was distant but definitely there, maybe one of the guards had taken the initiative and sent the barrels down.

'WHERE IS THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS?' Tauriel's voice resounded in Elros's half conscious mind. Get up now his mind shouted but his body just would not move. Across the table Galion seemed to be having the same problem.

Tauriel rushed down the steps in time to the see the barrel hatch close firmly and Elros and Galion still only partly with it slumped on the table. Her instincts were to call out the guard immediately to the southern gate knowing the barrels would have to pass through there first. She turned to leave and then halted and addressed a nearby guard who had accompanied her down, 'Amiel put those two in the cells until I return.' There was still a chance the dwarves could be recaptured and in some respects she hoped for their sakes they were. Thranduil was not going to be pleased.

Thranduil already suspected something amiss. His senses were so finely attuned to his kingdom and the cells lay beneath his throne and heart of his kingdom, the minute one of the guards raised the alarm his suspicions were confirmed. He had sensed something moving around unseen throughout his kingdom and even his chambers which he instinctively ascribed with the presence of the dwarves. He had almost been disappointed when his Captain of the guard appeared when he asked 'I know you are there, why do you linger in the shadows?' Just lately she had grown bolder than he had known her before. Thranduil saw the look of exasperation on her face when he declared that other lands were not his concern, he felt her worry and then sadness when he told her not to give his son 'hope where there is none.' He had expected something amiss to occur as a result. Not that he expected Tauriel herself to make such an error but with her mind preoccupied she was unlikely to keep as close an eye on those who would. He sighed, picked up his sword and slipped on his dark red robe. 'And they wonder why I am so ill-tempered,' he mused.

Elros sat back straight with his head against the back wall of his cell which not two hours ago had contained one of the dwarves that had been entrusted to him. His head hurt. Elros had known Galion for a long time but he also knew Galion often played a dangerous game. Dorwinion was expensive enough, as the King frequently complained, without the store-master drinking his way through it. Thranduil had ways of knowing these things and yet when Galion removed the keys from him he did nothing but sit there and fall into the waiting trap. He couldn't even claim inexperience he had been one of the keepers of the keys for the past five centuries and was all too aware of the penalties of failure. Galion would be punished for stealing the kings wine, he would be punished for stealing the kings wine and losing the prisoners which, word had it, also meant he had lost Thranduil the chance of gaining the jewels he sought. As his mind wandered he found it strange that despite his predicament there was no sense of fear of the reprisal. Come to think of it he was not even sure what reprisal awaited him no-one during his time as keeper of the keys had ever been so loose minded as to lose the keys, the prisoners and be caught inebriated at the same time! Above him he heard the cackling snarls of an orc, no doubt soon to meet with the kings sword.

When Legolas and Tauriel returned Thranduil was pleased they did not do so empty-handed but neither was he so pleased at what they brought him. As his son held the orc with a knife to its throat, Thranduil found himself musing on shadow that grew in the dark as black as the oncoming wall of night and how all foul things given enough time would come forth. He moved to stand behind the orc leaving his son to do the questioning.

'You were tracking the company of thirteen dwarves, why?'

'Not thirteen, not any more. The young one, the black haired archer, we stuck him with a morgul shaft. The poison's in his blood, he'll be choking on it soon.' Thranduil watched Tauriel closely he had seen her eyes flicker at the mention of the dwarf.

'Answer the question filfth.' Her voice was cold, authoritative with a hint of venom. Now she was doing his job.

'I do not answer to dogs she-elf.' Tauriel's blade rang clear. Thranduil knew he could intervene then, but he wanted to test just how far his captain of the guard was willing to go.

'I would not antagonize her.' Legolas said with a smirk but as Thranduil watched Tauriel's eyes ignored his son.

'You like killing things orc? You like death? Then let me give it to you?' Thranduil had seen enough.

'Enough.' He voice was calm, collected and quiet as ever, but it stopped Tauriel like a lightening shot.

'Tauriel, leave. Leave now.' She glanced to Legolas whose gaze told her to go. Regaining her lost decorum she made to look indifferent but left on her toes burning with humiliation. Thranduil knew he would have to deal with this afterwards.

'I do not care about one dead dwarf, answer the question. You have nothing to fear. Tell us what you know and I will set you free.'

'What is Thorin Oakenshield to you?' Legolas reinforced.

'The dwarf runt will never be king…'

'King? There is no king under the mountain nor will there ever be. None would dare enter Erebor whilst the dragon lives.'

'You know nothing, your world will burn!' Thranduil moved quietly round the orc, ears pricked.

'What are you talking about? Speak!'

'Our time has come again. My master serves the One. Do you understand now elfling, death is upon you, the flames of war are upon you!' Thranduil had heard enough and cut the orc short leaving his son holding its head.

'Why did you do that? You promised to set him free.'

'And I did. I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders.' Thranduil stamped on the shaking body of the orc, a quick death was more than that creature deserved.

'There was more the orc could tell us.'

'There was nothing more he could tell me.' It was the truth after all Thranduil thought.

'What did he mean by the flames of war?'

'He means they intend to unleash a weapon so great it will destroy all the forids.' Thranduil muttered almost to himself as he stepped down the stairs, he now had much to think on. But before retreating entirely he gave his orders. 'I want the watch doubled at all borders all rivers all roads, nothing moves but I hear of it. No-one enters this kingdom and no-one leaves it.' He turned and moved off.

'What about the two guards?' Legolas called.

'Send them and Tauriel to me tomorrow and first light.'