Kili convulsed with chills in his brother's arms and coughed harshly. His raspy barking was painful to the other occupant's ears. Fili offered him what meager amount of water they had. Alasse was startled and jumped back when Kili began hacking so loudly. As an elf, she didn't understand why he was so sick, or what made sickness become so terrible. "Alasse, come here!" Thranduil told her. Alasse obeyed and huddled on Thranduil's stiff lap.

"Ada, what is wrong with him?" Alasse asked curiously with concern.

"I'm not a healer." Thranduil shook his head.

"Why is he in so much misery?" Thranduil fought the urge not to roll his eyes.

"Mortals, iel." Thranduil said dryly. "They are frail, egotistical creatures. They are easily stricken down." Alasse shuddered. Thranduil was speaking out of spite, but he did not realize how his harsh words frightened his little girl.

"Pneumonia." Fili declared. "If those b-s would give us a decent share of water, I could at least get his fever down." Thranduil fixed his gaze on the torch on the wall, trying to pretend the dwarves were not in the same room with him.

"Do you think we could ask them for some, Ada?" Alasse looked up at him. She did not understand this 'sickness', but it was a dreadful sight. It reminded her of Fluffy, when she and Legolas had found him wounded and sick in the forest. The wolf had whimpered in pain, like Kili was doing now. Her heart ached seeing such sadness and she wanted to make the poor dwarf feel better.

"No!" Thranduil answered sharply. Alasse slightly drew back from him, startled at his angered voice and that he would so blatantly refuse to help someone in such obvious need. Thranduil sighed. "I'm sorry, Alasse. I didn't mean to frighten you. But our captors care nothing for us. All they care about are themselves. And they will not do any favors for us."

"But, you're a king, Ada. You could order them to!" Alasse insisted.

"I'm afraid it would not end well, iel nin." Thranduil replied. "We'll find a way out of this pretty mess. But until then, we must endure and keep our cunning."

"We can't help Kili?" Alasse moaned.

"We are not the ones who gave him his wretched illness." Thranduil said firmly. "We must look after ourselves."

"But, Ada, he's suffering! Look at him. It frightens me, Ada." Alasse pleaded.

"If it pains you to witness such torment, then do not watch." Thranduil said coldly. He was chained to the wall and forced to sit upright. He was hungry, sore, and worried. But, ever the proud elf he was, and still kept his head erect, so as to watch the dwarves tiptoe around his superiority.

"You are King Thranduil, of the Woodland Realm. Are you not?" Fili spoke up.

"What's it to you?" Thranduil snapped.

"We have heard of you, Your Majesty, from stories long ago." Fili stated. However, he did not mention which stories, or for what reason they had been shared. He already had a feeling the less he provoked his incredibly formidable elf, the better!

"Indeed." Thranduil pursed his lips. "Has your grand leader mentioned how I was swindled dealing with your filthy, selfish kind?" He asked venomously. Alasse stared up at her father, dumbfounded. He spoke so spitefully. She wasn't used to that, and she didn't understand why.

"Yes." Fili answered calmly, though not pleasantly. "Yes, we have been told of how King Thror dealt tradings with you." Fili knew who Thranduil was, and what he had done when Smaug came, but he chose not to bring up that wound. And, he felt it wise not to let the king know that he and Kili were Thorin Oakenshield's nephews! He had a sinking feeling it would not bide well.

"Ha!" Thranduil laughed darkly. "Tradings, you say! I was robbed! I had your supposedly grand craftsman create a necklace, precious and pure, for my wife. Thror agreed to it and we made a bargain. But apparently, luck was NOT in my favor. My wife was savagely murdered before the necklace was completed, so that she never got the chance to wear it. And when I finally came to claim it and bring it to my kingdom where it belonged as a remembrance to her, that thieving king, your kin! Your swine of a king withheld it from me!" Thranduil lashed out. He didn't know why he'd opened up in such detailed to the two members of this race that he hated. Perhaps it was all the frustration and worry wallowing inside with Thranduil's fear for what was going to happen to Alasse. But now that he'd spieled, he was trying to catch his breath.

Alasse had shrank back against the wall. "Ada, please! Please stop!" She cried, huddling. She didn't like to hear him yell like that.

"Yes, I am well aware of what happened." Fili said dismally. "But my brother and I were not alive then. I am truly sorry for the loss of your wife, and the gems. They were truly a precious gift."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Thranduil said in disgust. "And I do not accept your apologies. So do not waste your breath with insincere pleasantries."

"Our good friend, Balin, the king's adviser truly felt terrible for what happened." Fili continued. "He even tried to persuade King Thror to change his mind, as the necklace was rightfully yours. But Balin said that Thror was so consumed by the dragon sickness, that he wouldn't listen to reason about anything! And that from then on he refused to part with a single gem or jewel from under the mountain."

"I am beginning to think that dragon sickness has become a new excuse for dwarves to fall back on, when they are too stubborn and self-centered to fulfill their promises." Thranduil said smoothly, in no way hiding the malice out of his voice.

"But, Ada, Fili and Kili didn't do it!" Alasse spoke up.

"It does not matter, iel. All dwarves are alike. They're greedy, filthy, and filled with deceit."

"You are wrong." Fili said sternly.

"I beg your pardon?" Thranduil asked sarcastically.

"Thorin Oakenshield is nothing that you have described!" Fili spoke angrily on behalf of his uncle. "He has done his best to take care of his scattered and homeless people, after Smaug the terrible took our home in Erebor from us!" He added emphasis on the dragon's name, indicating to the Elven king that he knew perfectly well how Thranduil had arrived at the time only to turn his back on the dwarves in their moment of greatest need. "Thorin is courageous, wise, and the most selfless person I know, be he man or dwarf! He has bent over backwards, to insure that everything possible had been done to help his kin survive. He is a true leader."

"If that be true, how came it that he was not able to rid Thror of his dragon sickness?" Thranduil sneered. Fili's blue eyes burned indignantly. How dare this elf say such a thing!

"You know perfectly well that that was not possible." Fili snarled. "The dragon sickness is a terrible disease! A dark plague is what it is, slowly seeping in undetected, clouding one's judgement, corrupting their conscience, until one is so consumed by it, they are unable to see reason. It is a killer!"

"Indeed. That is the first thing you have said with any truth in it." Thranduil hissed. "It is a killer. I warned Thror what his greed would summon, but he would not listen."

Fili glared at him. "His people, however, did not deserve to suffer for his foolishness!"

"Well, then he should have taken better care of his own kind." Thranduil cocked his head smugly. Fili bit his tongue down hard.

"Oh, Ada! Please, please stop!" Alasse begged the both of them. "You're scaring me. I don't like what you're talking about. It's making you mad at each other." Fili's face softened sympathetically. This was not the proper conversation to debate with an innocent child present. Thranduil's sturdy shoulders sagged. He had not noticed till now how far away from him she sat against the wall. In his anger, he'd nearly forgotten she was there.

"I apologize, Your Highness." Fili said meekly.

"I'm sorry, iel nin." Thranduil said in a gentler tone. "I did not realize the effect my words could have on you."

"Ada, you shouldn't be mad at Fili and Kili. They are not the ones who stole the necklace!" Alasse insisted.

"Doesn't make any difference." Thranduil shook his head.

"King Thror should've given Ada the necklace. That was very bad for him to keep it." Alasse said firmly to Fili.

"I agree with you, lass." Fili nodded. "I do. He made some serious mistakes driven by his love for gold."

"Mistakes is putting it lightly." Thranduil narrowed his eyes. Fili did not want to give into the elf's prejudice, but that statement even he could not argue with, so he shrugged.

"But if Fili and Kili lived in Erebor, maybe now they could get it for you when they escape here!" Alasse smiled eagerly. Thranduil pffted.

"You've always been my little dreamer, penneth." Thranduil chuckled. "And just why would they ever do such a thing? Since when have dwarves ever shown regard for anyone but themselves?" Fili glowered at him, and cradled Kili's weak body closer to himself. Kili's convulsions had stopped and he was asleep again now, so he had been out the entire time of this conversation.

"Fili cares." Alasse said casually. "He's trying to help his brother get better."

"They're kin, Alasse." Thranduil said flatly.

"Ada, Fili is good." Alasse said. She would not give up. "He gave me his food to eat, remember?" She reminded him. Thranduil sighed. He was tired, hangry, bruised, worried, and frustrated. Fili's cheeks glowed warmly at the little princess. "If we escape, they could get the necklace back for you. Because they know the way to Erebor!"

"I also know the way to Erebor." Thranduil replied.

"But you don't live there. You would get lost in the palace." Alasse said. It made perfect sense to her young mind. The dwarves could go back home, get the necklace, give it rightfully back to her daddy and everything would be alright.

"I would not trust dwarves on any bargain." Thranduil said stubbornly.

"You would do that, wouldn't you?" Alasse smiled at Fili.

"If I could, little one." Fili sighed heavily. "But at the moment, we are still prisoners, my brother is very ill, and we have no way of getting back to Erebor unless someone rescues us."

"There. You see, Ada? Fili said yes." Alasse beamed. Thranduil grunted.

"Perhaps, if the great Elven king were to ask, as a favor, without threat of war, we could be persuaded." Fili suggested.

"I do not need to ask anything." Thranduil pursed his lips.

"But, Ada. It was Nana's necklace! Don't you want it back?" Alasse asked. Thranduil froze, and his anger started to slide off his shoulders. Was it truly possible, to get back the token he had had so lovingly created for his late beloved?

"Of course I do." He said, more softly. Tears were threatening to spill from his eyes but he refused to let them. But they were not lost on Fili.

Fili knew Thorin may not like this arrangement. Fili loved and worshiped his uncle, but the dwarf king could be so stubborn at times, just as stubborn as this stunning Elven king. But Thorin was not here right now. Kili was dreadfully sick. And Fili was more extroverted than Thorin, when it came to showing his merciful side. Which was why Balin said that Fili would make a fine king someday. He was persuasive and reasonable, and kind in negotiating. Thorin may chew him out for this, but would that really matter? If it could mean peace between the dwarves and the elves of Mirkwood? What could it hurt? It was worth a shot, wasn't it?!

"My lord, I give you my word," Fili spoke up, "if by some miracle, we make it out alive from this mess, I swear on my life, I will find a way to restore to you what was yours, what was taken from you. You have my word!"

"Why should I believe you?" Thranduil curled his lip coldly.

"You have a witness, of your own kind. Your daughter." Fili pointed out. "She heard every word exchanged between us. If I do not deliver as promised, she will be the witness to shed light on my word against yours. But I am a son of Durin, and we do not shirk our honor or duty. Well...not all of us." Fili quickly corrected himself.

"I will hold you to your word, dwarf." Thranduil said condescendingly. "Should you fail me after we made a bargain, I shall never have mercy on your kin again, even if they come to me on bended knee!" Fili nodded. He almost laughed. The picture of Thorin coming before arrogant Thranduil on bended knee amused him, because he knew that would never happen!

Thranduil studied the little man hard. It was obvious that he was no ordinary dwarf! He knew his history, he had excellent manners for such a scrawny creature, and even Thranduil had to silently hand it to him, Fili had remarkable skills with negotiations! And why did these thugs take him and Kili prisoner? The wheels were grinding now in Thranduil's head. The jerks had wanted him and Alasse, obviously for ransom, and had well thought out and executed their capture. They would never just randomly grab two insignificant dwarves. No, there was more to this than Fili was letting on. Much more. There was something about the blonde dwarf. A little put out by Thranduil's harsh words, yes. But he had not been deterred by it. The blonde had the courage of a lion, but the kindness of a leader. He had an almost kingly aura about him, even if he certainly didn't look it right now!

"Who are you?" Thranduil asked suspiciously.

"We are dwarves of Erebor." Fili answered simply, not mentioning just which dwarves of Erebor they really were.

"You are not a commoner." Thranduil cocked his head. "There's something about you."

"We are hunters. Traveling with our scattered people."

"An ordinary hunter would not have access to the king's stash of jewels." Thranduil pointed out. He was a king too, so he ought to know.

"Our leader Thorin is more than he appears." Fili said evasively. "He cares deeply about his own."

Thranduil could see the blonde was not going to give him a straight answer. And besides, he had more important things to worry about, like protecting his daughter! And on top of everything else going on, he had no wine to soothe his mental fatigue. That made him grumpy.

Kili started shivering and moaning in his sleep. Fili tried to warm him and comfort him, but it was so hard without the proper medical supplies and so little water. "Hush, Kili. I'm here. I've got you. I'll get you out of here somehow." Fili whispered sadly, kissing his brother's sweaty head of unruly hair.

Alasse watched thoughtfully. Fili was trying to comfort his little brother, just like Thranduil and especially Legolas had done to her so many times when she was scared or hurt. But Fili looked so sad, like he didn't know what to do. He actually looked scared, and that made her shudder. Grownups weren't supposed to look scared! Thranduil was never scared, of anything! At least, that's the way his little princess saw him. A harsh coughing fit wracked poor Kili's shaking frame and he could get no relief. Fili hugged him closer, stroking his hair and trying to shush him. He couldn't really do anything else in this hellhole.

Alasse glanced up at Thranduil, wondering what he would do or say. He merely watched, with a stone face. Alasse frowned at her father then slowly crawled over to the dwarves, expecting Thranduil to call her back. But, he didn't. She crouched beside Kili and tears filled her eyes seeing him in such physical turmoil. And he had scruffy, furry hair like her wolf, Fluffy. Seeing Kili like this made her miss Fluffy, and how she hated hearing the wild dog cry when he was in pain.

"Shh. Don't cry, Kili." She said softly, placing her small hand on his muscled arm. "It'll be alright. You're not alone. Fili's here." Alasse didn't know what else to say. She was just repeating what had been instilled in her by her family when they were hurting.

"I can't lose him..." Fili bit his lip, trying to hide his tears.

Alasse began to quietly sing, her favorite Elvish lullaby. The one that Legolas and her nursemaid Tatsu sang to her so often. Kili still shivered, but his whimpers died down and he began to drift off to sleep as the sweet, low words flew over him.


Dang! Thranduil is stubborn, isn't he? But he's also smart. Well, most of the time. Except when he acts rashly out of his arrogance! Yes, he knows Fili is hiding something important about his true identity.