Damn chains, Kili thought as he rattled irons. The chains lock his hands above his head. The blond haired elf had ordered that he be placed in the bonds after accusing Kili of touching Tauriel inappropriately, which was completely false.

This was a good three days ago and the bonds were still cold against his skin. Some elf magic seemed to keep them the temperature of ice. The only relief from the frozen bands was when he received a bowl of soup in the morning and the evening, at least they don't feed it to me, Kili thought.

Angrily he shook the chains again. "Quiet! Leave it alone!" everyone yelled.

"If you were in these you would understand!" Kili bellowed.

"If you hadn't touched the elf-maid then you wouldn't be in chains, 'Don't fancy elf-maids' do you" yelled Dwalin.

"I didn't touch her!" Kili yelled finally before letting his head fall against the stone.

Night quickly fell among the dungeons of Thranduil, the chill was starting to get intense. Kili coughed into his shoulder and brought his knees up to his chest to keep in the warmth. Kili closed his eyes and thought of the pleasant hearth at home, the smell of oak burning in the fireplace and the solid back of his chair. The warmth spread from his core and he no longer felt cold, slowly Kili drifted to sleep.

Only to be jerked awake by the sound of iron on iron as the door slowly opened, Tauriel stepped through. "I'm going to get those off of you" she said quickly. She reached for her belt and pulled out a black iron key.

To her surprise Kili resisted. "Stop." he said.

"What"

"I don't want to get you in trouble"

"I don't care The King won't notice"

"But the prince will," at this Tauriel stopped trying to reach his lock.

"What do you mean? I care for him like a brother not a lover"

"I know that, but he will notice and he will tell the King so if you don't give the excuse you will give him when he asks then I need you to stop and leave" Kili said rapidly.

Tauriel stood in shock, did this dwarf care about her success, her keeping a job. She thought for several minutes on something that would convince The King then it hit her. "Tell me where you are going and I will release the chains."

This was the time for Kili to be in shock. "No! Why should I tell you that?"

"Do you want to get out of those chains."

Kili thought for a moment. Thorin probably told Tranduil that the company was heading iron hills, maybe if The King hears it enough then he will let everyone go. "The Iron Hills" Kili disguised his voice to sound defeated. "We are going to the Iron Hills, famine has struck Ered Luin and we are in need of Dain's aid."

Tauriel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, but her features softened with the false news. "Long way to go for aid."

"No one else would help us," it burned a pit in Kili's stomach not telling her the truth.

"Fine. I will tell the King this, he should have enough heart in him to let everyone go because of that." She brought the key to his wrists and unlocked them.

Her hand brushed against Kili's and she felt to iciness of his fingers and quickly gathered them in her own. "Your hands are like ice" she breathed.

"I'll be fine" Kili said as she took some leather gloves from her pocket.

"Here"

Kili took them "Thank you" by the time he brought his head up Tauriel was gone.

First thing the next morning Tauriel came to her King.

He sat on his throne "Shouldn't you be preparing for todays patrols," he said in a bored tone.

"Yes my lord" she bowed quickly. "And I shall do that the moment I finish speaking with you."

"Well do speak, don't want to be keeping the spiders waiting."

"The dwarf the prince had put in chains old me the dwarves destination in exchange for release from the irons." Thranduil straightened in attention. "They are heading to the Iron Hills, famine has struck their home and are in need of aid."

Thranduil tapped his fingers in the armrest "Same story I heard from Oakenshield, did you know that?"

"And so hearing it again changes your mind? is was more of a question than a statement Tauriel was hoping for.

"No! The dwarf tricked you!" He turned to another guard. "This dwarf seems to fancy talking. Have him be bound hand and foot, Tell him the next trick he pulls and he will be isolated, another after that he will be gagged!" the turned to leave.

Words were trapped in Tauriel's throat. She wanted to yell 'Stop' or hit Thranduil or do ANYTHING to protest.

His icy hot gaze pierced her. "Don't you have a patrol to oversee?"

"Y-Yes my lord" she said as she bowed. And left.

Tauriel came back to the dungeons later that night. She peeked through the bars to see Kili's dark locks. He was forced to look at the wall at day with his bonds.

Guilty pooled in her stomach seeing him degraded like this. But he lied to you said a small voice in Tauriel's head. The words though still found it's way to her mouth "I'm sorry"

"It's fine, I shouldn't have let you try"

"I'm still sorry. Can I get you anything?"

"Tell me a story" he whispered "I have nothing to imagine but a blank wall''

Tauriel started telling the stories of her childhood.

I will start updating my other story soon, been really busy this summer.

This story was inspired by a picture by SongofPsyche45