He's back a week later, still done up in his human disguise. The bar keep waves at him again and he nods and takes his seat. Thranduil hasn't ever been out of his kingdom twice in such close proximity, he must admit that he's anxious. He tells himself that he's not worried about Dis, that he came back because he didn't get the chance to learn anything about the surrounding kingdoms on his last outing, that he just wanted to relax without the stigma of being king, but he knows that it's not true. He's looking around for her when a voice calls out behind him.

"Are you actually gonna drink this time, or are you just going to sit there and look pretty?" Thranduil flinched and looked over his shoulder and there was Dis, standing behind him, arms crossed over chest, an eyebrow cocked upward. He didn't respond at first, eyes drifting down to the scar on her jaw, then lower still over her collar bone and down toward her chest. The burns covered most of her exposed skin, and though she'd wrapped her arm and torso, she couldn't hide her face. He wanted to whisper the words that would hide them, make it look as if she'd never been hurt, but he couldn't. Not without revealing himself in the process. So, he settled for a nod and something grumbled under his breath about a pint. He watches her as she returns to the kitchens to draw his drink from an ancient barrel. Her head is held high, shoulders back and despite her squalid surroundings, she walks as if she were still the princess and there was still a mountain for her title to sit under. As his eyes follow her, he spots a flash of golden hair weaving between the legs of patrons, occasionally filling a mug or snatching up coins from tables. It's Vali. He knows this even before he hears her shrill little voice,, demanding one of the customers give her the three coins he shorted her. Thranduil's eyes narrow as he watches the exchange.

Vali, brave little soldier that she was, was verbally berating the guard, hand outstretched, waiting for her dues. The men a that table had already had too much to drink, that much was obvious. Their noses were red and their eyes were bleary with bad decisions and poor judgement. One of them laughed and roughly pushed the child down, trying to get back to his drinking. She looked stunned, but no less determined than she had been before. She rose and demanded loudly for him to pay her. That caught everyone's attention and no one's more than Dis. The dwarrowdam was watching her daughter now like a dragon watched its horde. The guard turned round once more and caught Vali across the face, the slap resounding round the small tavern. The child cried out and the man grabbed her by the front of her shirt, beer tainted breath causing her to wince. "Listen here, you halfling bastard-" Whatever the man was about to say had been cut off by the point of a dwarvish knife being pressed against his throat and Dis's foot pressed against his groin. He yelped and nearly toppled backwards, but she steadied him. How she'd moved so quickly was beyond Thranduil's comprehension. He too had drawn a blade, but even he hadn't gotten there as quickly as the child's mother.

Her eyes were alight with something akin to hellfire and if she hadn't had as much self restraint, Thranduil had no doubt she would have killed the man. She was a fearsome creature and despite his general dislike of the dwarves, in that moment, he held high respect for their princess. Dis looked half-wild hunched over the human he knife pressed against his throat, a single drop of blood seeping from the puncture. No one dared move. Despite her stature and status, everyone in the tavern felt the fear of the guard with the knife to his throat: This woman was dangerous and not to be trifled with. "If you ever so much as look at my daughter again, I will take you by the throat, drag you to Mordor and toss you into the fires of Mount Doom myself, Am. I. Clear?" He was surprised that she didn't add a 'peasant' to the end of her speech. The man didn't answer and Thranduil could see Dis growing impatient. Before she could do something rash, he gently grabbed her wrist.

"I think that's enough." The fire in her eyes was directed at him for a moment before settling slightly upon seeing a somewhat familiar face. "He's learned." Her eyes flicked back down to the pained face of the human for a moment before she stepped back, collecting herself.

"Escort him out."

"I would be my honor." Thranduil grabbed the recovering man by the back of his coat and dragged him to the door, dark thoughts clouding his mind. He could bring the man back to Mirkwood and have him drawn up on false charges. It would be his pleasure to let him rot in jail for a few decades. Then again, that would be lying and something not befitting of a king. A hundred different courses of action raced round and round in his head each one more violent than the last. How dare this mortal assault a member of the royal family? The Elven King tossed him into the dirt and watched him scamper away, but not before he slipped his change pouch off of his belt. Thranduil honestly didn't know why he cared so much about this child and her mother. Regardless of their former royal status, they were still dwarves, just barley above humans on the scale of racial importance. Still, he cared. Why on earth he did was beyond him, but it was too late for him to think about that now. He had to deliver the money and get back home before someone of importance noticed his absence.

This chapter was crappy, sorry guys. I know. It'll get better next time. We're gonna start on the shippy part of this fic XD.