Ashes and Stones

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than the plot.

AN: And so it starts...

Thank you all for your wonderful response. :D

Chapter 3

"King Thrór, my congratulations to you for finding a beauty as rare as this," Thranduil greeted referring to the Arkenstone. Even in his distraught mind, Thranduil couldn't deject its beauty. It was truly one of its kind that paled the most precious of all jewels in the entire Arda.

However, the amusement lasted for only moments before Thranduil was brought back to his present. He lowered his head by an invisible amount but only enough to have it deemed as courtesy. He could feel the burning gaze of the dwarf upon him, his skin shivering with disgust at the very thought of bowing for the vile creature.

"And my halls are humbled by your presence, Elvenking." Thrór replied, his tone brimming with mockery, making Thranduil to grind his jaws even further. However, the king was not done. He added words as an afterthought, "Indeed it is a rarity to find something as bright and pure in this darkening world."

At that, Thranduil straightened up, his eyes suddenly flickering with a sudden jolt when he was met with a cold and hard gaze beneath bushy brows.

His heart skipped a beat. Thrór's tone suddenly lost its charm. As if a whole new layer had been added to its cheerfulness and the way he threw his words at the Woodland king, Thranduil could almost sense some purpose beneath them.

He vaguely wondered if Thrór knew why he was here. A cold gush of air went through him as he wondered if the dwarf king had anything to do with the cold blooded act carried out back in his home.

Despite it all, Thranduil remained calm. Even though his heart pounded with anxiety, every muscle in his being revolted at any form of composure, Thranduil managed to limit his reactions.

"Truly spoken," he answered. The flicker in his eyes faded away just as soon as it had appeared. Slowly, he nodded his head in acknowledgement of what Thrór would later deem it as his jest while a strained smile crept on his lips.

The other king remained still for moments longer. The gleam in his eyes was still visible. His face had no trace of his thoughts and it seemed like the older dwarf was actually analyzing Thranduil.

It made the Elvenking bristle with anger.

He knew about the insolence of dwarves. But he would not tolerate being treated as a hostile when it was he who had suffered much at their hands! With that, Thranduil straightened and met gazes level by level. He noticed the narrowing of eyes on Thrór's part. Perhaps the dwarf king hadn't anticipated the possibility of brazenness from the elves. But Thranduil didn't soften. He lifted his chin with much haughtiness and let the dare in him be known as he too studied the dwarf.

It wasn't that only he had something to hide.

The air around the, grew extremely humid with tension. Not a single word was spoken and not a single muscle was moved. It was as if both were dancing carefully around each other, studying, observing and waiting for the one who would crack first.

All of a sudden, Thrór drew back and let out a chuckle, startling Thranduil greatly if only for a moment.

"Ah so the lore of elven stubbornness is true," The king sounded like he jested. It would perhaps draw out laughter from others but for Thranduil all it managed to do was churn his insides with utter hatred for the other.

"As is that of dwarves, Your Grace," Thranduil replied promptly, smirking when his comment drew a smile on Thrór's face.

But even if the tension in the throne room lessened, the storm in Thranduil's heart did not. There was a little voice at the back of his head which warned him.

Could Thrór have guessed? Could he see through Thranduil's facade? The elf did all he could to keep himself neutral. He was careful not to spread words about the ambush to others. But did Thrór know nevertheless? Did he have spies? Or was it him that had the gruesome act committed?

His mind failed to grasp why Thrór behaved that way and before he could start assembling any logic, he found his eyes pulled towards another figure that walked towards him upon his king's gesture. When the person came forward, Thranduil's heart sped at an alarming rate while his eyes struggled not to widen too much.

It was another dwarf. One who was much younger in age and stronger in built. But what caught Thranduil's attention was his face. It was so familiar, as if ghost of a memory long haunting his mind.

Thranduil's heart started to beat wildly as a cold wave of anxiety ran down his spine.

Thranduil knew he had seen the dwarf somewhere. He didn't know why but he had a strong feeling that he had known this dwarf all along but no matter how hard he racked his rain, he couldn't for the love of Elbereth, place this face with his own haunting memory.

His jaws were strong and firm, his thick brown mane splayed smoothly about his broad shoulders and as he stood, chest swollen with pride, Thranduil felt the full intensity of those charcoal black orbs which seemed to grow brighter with a flame akin to his own as the younger one stared right at the Elvenking.

Thrnaduil waited for Thrór to introduce the newly cited person. However, when Thrór did nothing to introduce him, it was then that confusion started to build within the Elvenking's mind.

Could it be...?

He watched the younger one coldly as he came and stood before him. The chest he carried with him was filled with gestures of good faith undoubtedly and he silently stood by his king and kept on staring at Thranduil, a silent fire burning behind his eyes.

"A token of our gratitude. Accept this if you please," spoke the younger dwarf. His tone had every ounce of confidence as there was in his carriage. In fact, it was so regal and so proud that even the great Elvenking couldn't help but feel a shudder through his chest.

He smiled and reached forward, letting his eyes droop on the lid.

Suddenly his heart stopped entirely for a moment and his widened eyes fell upon the very lid in question.

There were symbols on them. Runes. He had seen those runes.

Terror filled him from within, chilling his blood as his mind whirled with a new and abrupt realization.

The same runes on the dagger...

Until then, whatever suspicion Thranduil had held now solidified into firm belief.

It was indeed Erebor behind the ambush. It was indeed Erebor who had killed Rúmil and it was Erebor for whom his own son was now lost!

He had heard someone speak but the sound was too faint in his ears where blood rushed like rapids. He couldn't think any more. His knees felt too weak and mouth soured by the bile which threatened to rise to his throat.

They had done it. They were the ones!

Anger bubbled in his heart as he desperately tried to keep his face neutral.

The vile creatures, the backstabbers! They couldn't even face those few elves honourably! And the insolence of them...mocking Thranduil, dangling their feat before him, shoving it to his face like a glorified achievement.

He suddenly flinched when the lid was closed and as Thranduil straightened himself, his flaming orbs regarded the young dwarf as another understanding washed him.

He now had an idea who this person was. Now he knew why there was a ghost of a face in this one's features. Thranduil was seeing none other but Thrór in the younger one.

The prince of Erebor. Heir to the king. Possibly son to the king? In fact, if this was Thráin, then why was he not introduced? Why did Thrór hide his identity? Why was Thrór protecting him? One did not need such protection unless he had something to do that might irk Thranduil. Something like...

Murder.

"Is His Highness spellbound by our gifts so much that he can hardly speak?"

Thranduil's attention was once more snapped back into the present as the booming voice of the other king echoed throughout the halls. There was that sickening tine again—playful, mocking and tempering his patience.

But Thranduil knew better. The dwarf was proud and he was a fool. He thought he would goad and taunt Thranduil till he broke down. But Thranduil wouldn't. He would crush these foul creatures.

His demeanour changed instantly. The storm in his heart grew eerily calm just as his mind cleared up, processing thoughts methodically with a lethal edge.

Biting down the harsh words that were at the tip of his tongue, Thranduil now answered in his own voice laced with honey and sharp as a sword, "I can hardly speak whenever I see beauty before me, Your Grace. And a rarity such as these always shall have me spellbound especially where it is least expected to be seen." Thrór's smug smile faltered at Thranduil's reply much to the elf's satisfaction.

He cast a lazy glance over to the younger dwarf who was now looking at him with some kind of odd emotion on his face. There was passion in his eyes but it was not so much of hatred as it was of amusement and admiration. And as Thranduil extended his smirk towards the other, the shine in his eyes grew even brighter.

With a cool smirk, the Elvenking now added, "After all, something as bright and pure in this darkening world."

At that, the shine in the young one's eyes increased just as the anger in Thrór's face.

Thranduil knew that look. He had not expected it but now that he had received a hint of it, he felt something churning in his mind. The dwarf was awed by him. He was young and just of age.

"But such humility goes to a waste if I do not savour the splendour of your halls," The Elvenking went on speaking. He had seen something that only a fool would be daring enough to waste. He saw an opportunity. A weak link in Erebor's strong armour. It was feeble but Thranduil could wear it down. "Please, may I be shown to my chamber? The journey was long and King Thrór isn't inhospitable enough to let his guests find their own way, I have heard."

The shadow in the dwarf kings face grew even thicker. He looked sharply at Thranduil, frustration and anger whirling in him as he was almost on the verge of throttling him then and there.

"Allow me to lead the way."

"Thorin!" Suddenly, the king's head snapped at the one whom he had least expected to speak.

Thranduil narrowed his eyes with satisfaction. His play had worked. He had a name and now a complete identity.

It wasn't the king's son, as he had thought initially. The son was missing, or hidden, adding one more puzzle piece to the whole ordeal.

It wasn't the son. No, this one was far more precious.

The grandson.

The Elvenking looked over to the older one as Thrór spoke something to the other in his native tongue. Thrór was not at all pleased at Thorin's proposal. If anything, Thranduil guessed that he was trying his best to dissuade his heir.

At that, the prince seemed to deflate and replied something to his kin, once casting a glance at Thranduil. Thrór bristled at that even though his face gave none of it away. He spoke something firmly at which, his heir finally stopped protesting and stepped back from the elf and joined the king who now came down from his throne.

There was no order in Thrór's tone—oh no! That was no order. It was something even sweeter which Thranduil knew all too well.

He himself had used it so many times over Legolas. Concern.

And the way Thrór almost jumped at Thranduil for even speaking flattering words, it was easily guessed how much loved the heir was. And how much of a leverage the grandson would be.

At last, the king gave in and Thorin gestured towards him, leading the way. Thranduil soon followed suit but while he turned, he revelled in the dangerous glare which Thrór threw towards him, promising nothing but death if Thranduil had any wrong intention.

However, all it did was strengthen Thranduil's assumption.

The son was missing, true. But the grandson...

Thranduil's eyes narrowed satisfactorily.

Thorin would be a much precious leverage.

In his halls, Thrór had been pacing restlessly ever since Thorin and Thranduil departed from there. He had never expected Thorin to volunteer, he had never even dreamed of his grandson having such brightness in his face and all for whom? The elf! The greedy creature who brought nothing but ruin and death!

He had hoped Thranduil to take the jewels. He had sorely believed that Thranduil would try and take the Arkenstone, which was why Thrór had him brought here in the first place!

But the damned elf! He had taken his grandson! But that was not all.

His frown deepened as his mind went back to when the chest was presented to Thranduil. Thrór had seen how surprised he became as he saw the lid, he had seen how Thranduil's eyes widened with shock and awe. It was as if he had never hoped to face the same thing once more in Erebor. It was as expected. The elf had clearly seen the chest, he had clearly seen its content and as Thrór had hoped, he failed to see the duplicate of the real chest he had had carefully crafted as soon as that news reached him.

The way he blanched had spoken volumes that any words could convey. Now, Thrór had no doubt in his mind. Thranduil was involved. And he would try and take whatever materialistic thing his greedy eyes fell upon. And he would do so by any means necessary.

Thorin.

He would use his grandson...

He stopped abruptly feeling anger and fear plummeting down in his chest with he started weaving together loose threads of his understanding.

The son of a bitch would use his grandson for his dirty purpose and if Thorin didn't comply then he would...

Thrór swallowed hard as terror chilled his bones.

He suddenly turned on his heels and addressed two guards beside his throne.

"Station near his chamber when he is least aware of it. I will have his companions be rested elsewhere." The guards bowed in acknowledgement.

Thrór would not tolerate any more bloodshed of his own kin. Once was enough.

"Guard him. If he tries anything," He ordered again with an intending tone, "then kill him."

AN: Confused? It's okay. My mind never works in a simple manner. However, I can tell you this much as of now: Thranduil's not the only one with a serious agenda. Thrór has some perfectly good reason to hate Thranduil as Thranduil hated Thrór. And you had thought it was the dwarves who are the only bad guys, right? ;) Hmmmm...or are they? Or are they not?

Anyway, I know this is a bit confusing. So feel free to ask me any question regarding this. And I will answer as best as I can without giving too much of the plot away. :)