Tauriel slipped through the army camp as quietly as she could, which was probably the right thing to do, though it didn't save her from meeting a few night watchers. One of them was Sellian, the young man she'd spent most of her life with. He nodded at her, gave her a warm smile, and mouthed, "Good luck!" Tauriel smiled back a bit nervously.

As she achieved the king's tent, she even found her laps trembling slightly, but told herself to be brave and asked the guard standing outside the tent if she could come in. He disappeared for a moment, appeared again and said with a smile in his voice:

"King Thranduil was awaiting for you, lady Tauriel!.. Welcome back," he added softer.

"Thank you, Celeidur," the elleth nodded and slipped into the tent before she could change her mind. However, the first thing she did seeing the king, was... She fell on her knees.

There were a lot of reasons for that, starting from the look that Thranduil gave her and finishing with the fact that in his company there were his daughter Silivren and the Commander in Chief of Mirkwood army, lord Feren.

"My king. My princess. My lord," she whispered, trying to make her voice not trembling so much.

"It's good to see you back here alive, stubborn little captain," Thranduil said slowly. "Stand up. And tell me, what made you return?"

Tauriel could feel her cheeks matching the colour of her bright red hair, but responded, for the king wanted her to respond now:

"Your words, sir. Your words about respect I forgot about and responsibility I didn't take for my own actions... I thought about them a lot, my king, and II- I am terribly sorry for everything I've done..."

"Ah, I see. What do you want from me now? You will very unlikely restore your position in less than three years, and being someone smaller than a captain I don't think your heart will bear."

"I do not dare to demand anything from you," Tauriel replied to this clear provocation, suggesting that he was just challenging her. He often did that to teach little kids behave themselves. "But I really hope that all of you can forgive me... And allow me to just come back. I will take any punishment, for I know that I deserved it."

"Here," Thranduil said after a very dangerous pause, and a smile that could be almost tender appeared on his lips, "here is the adult and responsible elleth I know. The elleth that is of course is allowed to come back home and will definitely take any punishment... Although not any."

"What is that?" Tauriel asked very quietly. She thought she new the answer.

Thranduil stood up from the place where he was sitting on a chair like on his throne before. His daughter looked like she tried desperately not to laugh for a moment, and lord Feren even had to shush her strictly to not scare the little captain even more. For a moment Tauriel was upset with Silivren's attitude to her, but then remembered the context of all the things happening.

"When I told you about a spanking, I really meant a spanking, pen-neth. I'm telling you the truth, I never ever expected such a childish behavior from you. And now I think that it has to be your punishment, for it is a very effective way to deal with little brats like my children. I'm going to give you a choice, however..."

But Tauriel knew that he was going to say something terrible next, so she quickly said:

"I will take a sp... Spanking, my king, if you tell me it's the right thing to do. But shall I be forgiven?.."

"Ah, silly girl. I forgave you," the king smiled, "the very moment you stepped here."