No, Thranduil's mind raced. How the h- had this even happened? Why him? Why his family? Hadn't they suffered enough?

"Kili!" Fili urged his unconscious brother, lightly shaking his shoulders as he held him in his lap. "Come on, Kili. Wake up for me. Come on. Wake up, little brother." Kili made no response. His body was overly warm and his form felt so limp.

Thranduil glowered at them. "You will rule the day you get out of this, dwarf scum!" He snarled maliciously. Fili glanced up at him in surprise. "This who d- mess is on you! If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be here, and my daughter wouldn't be in danger! I swear, when I get out of this, you will pay dearly!"

Fili was not as hot-headed as Thorin or Dwalin. He was normally very calm and bore things quietly and meekly, like Balin. But this was going too far! "We are not the ones who formulated this affair and tried to take you captive. We had nothing to do with it! I do not even know how those dirt-bags found us or how they even knew where we would be." He said slowly, fighting to control his temper.

"I suppose now I can kiss goodbye any chance of the necklace being returned to me, now that everything is out in the open." Thranduil sneered cockily, holding his nose in the air. That did it for Fili! He didn't have time for this! His brother may be dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do.

"One dwarf hurts you, one dwarf swindles you and you label all of my race as untrustworthy and selfish." Fili said with gritted teeth. "What do you know about us? Nothing! You think all we care about is our jewels and treasure. That is not true! Maybe it is true of some of us, but not all! You would blame my brother and me for what our great-grandfather did to you. We weren't even alive when that happened!

'When Smaug invaded, Thror was so crazed with the dragon sickness that all he could think of was to save his treasure! While it was Thorin, his father, and the rest who tried to save our people and make them flee to safety. Thorin had to pull Thror away from the gold to save him! And Thorin did not leave the doors until he was sure everyone was out! He stayed behind to make sure we lost nobody! Now tell me, King Thranduil, was jewels all he was caring about in the face of danger, like his grandfather?'" Fili asked sadly with anger, but not harshly.

Thranduil said nothing. He looked away, scowling. Fili had put up a strong argument. But the proud king was not about to give in just yet! "And because of what you did...or did not do at that time, Thorin has labeled all elves, your kind as snobby and traitorous." Fili continued. "Frankly, I wouldn't know for sure, as we seem to try avoid any company with elves at all costs. But, I can see from meeting your daughter that not all elves are that bad." Fili said in a softer tone.

"Do not flatter me." Thranduil hissed, biting his lip.

"How can I possibly do that? I was referring to Princess Alasse. Not you!" Fili slightly grinned. Thranduil narrowed his eyes and finally faced the dwarf. Fili had not in any way defended Thror's foolish actions in the past. Explained the cause, yes, but even Fili had admitted that what Thror had done was not right. He'd admitted that his people were not perfect, to someone who hated them!

As loathed as he was to admit it, Fili will make a wise king someday, Thranduil thought.

"I gave you my word to return to you what was yours, did I not?" Fili asked, breaking into his knotted thoughts.

"Our witness is gone." Thranduil pursed his lips.

"I made you a promise, King Thranduil, and I have every intention of keeping it...even though you and yours will always look on us with contempt." Fili said firmly. Thranduil's face softened and he was fighting not to weep. At the moment, he didn't really care about those white gems. He'd only brought them up just now to stir up a fight with Fili and cut him down, to make himself feel more justified. The gems could wait. All Thranduil cared about right now, all he truly wanted was his daughter back!

"If you could do anything to help me now, it would be to save my daughter." He mumbled.

"I would, Your Majesty! But we cannot escape these chains. Trust me, we have tried."

"I will do whatever it takes to save my little girl." Thranduil said.

"And we will stand with you." Fili smiled warmly.

"Why? Why are you helping me, Master Fili?" Thranduil asked. That was the first time he'd addressed him properly.

"Ah. So you acknowledge I am someone other than 'dwarf scum'." Fili smiled broadly.

"Yeah. Sorry about that." Thranduil grumbled.

"Why am I helping you? I tell you, Thorin would be throwing a hissy fit right now if he knew! But...maybe it's because I care." Fili said.

"How is your bro-" Thranduil began to ask, but his heart jumped when they were startled by distant, shrill cries echoing through the walls. They were screams of pain, desperate cries for help. The color drained from Thranduil's face.

"Alasse!" He cried, and lunged forward, trying it ignore the excruciating pain the shackles caused around his wrists and ankles. "No! Alasse!" He wailed helplessly.

"W-what is it?" Kili sputtered groggily as he came to.

"Kili! You're awake!" Fili hugged him.

"Son of Durin, remember?" Kili chuckled, until he also heard a little girl screaming. "What in Durin's name?" He growled.

"They're hurting the princess!" Fili told him. Kili's eyes widened and he instantly jumped forward, but dizzily, painfully fell flat on his face, held back by chains and still groggy from being unconscious. "Kili!"

"Ugh..."

"What in Arda's name are they doing to her? Do either one of you fleabags happen to have a knife?" Thranduil asked desperately. Maybe if they had a spare blade, they could use it to pick the locks on their shackles.

"Nay, Your Majesty." Fili groaned. "I usually carry a heavy stash, but they were stolen from us when we were captured." They all grimaced as they heard the wails of a helpless child. "Mahal protect her." Fili shook his head angrily.

"I'll cut them to ribbons when I...get my hands on them! The filthy sons of an Orc!" Kili growled.

Alasse kept screaming, calling for her ada. "Alasse...oh, Valar, help my daughter!" Thranduil pleaded.