Darkness cannot drive out darkness.

Only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate.

Only love can do that.

-MLK

The grand halls of the Woodland Realm were illuminated with the light of thousands candles, each flame dancing light across the trees that grew within the palace. Thorin now stood before the Elven King's throne, a scowl upon his face as he watched the Elf King float down the stairs in a pretentious manner. Thranduil, the King of the Elves, came to stand in front of Thorin but did not face him, instead he chose to look down upon his kingdom as he spoke.

"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon." With the last word, Thranduil turned to look over his shoulder at the dwarf, an arrogant smirk painted across his perfect face.

"I myself suspect a far more prosaic motive," he continued now circling Thorin, "attempted burglary or something of that ilk."

Thorin remained like hardened stone whilst the Elf King walked around him, speaking is such a way to get a reaction out of the dwarf. Thorin however remain vigilant and his face gave away nothing. Thranduil knew what the exiled king doing and decided to take a different approach. Leaning down to meet Thorin on eye level, he spoke "You have found a way in."

At Thranduil's correct assumption Thorin's gaze meet the silver haired elf's and his eyes betrayed him giving the Elven King what he was after. Standing up right, he resumed pacing as he continued.

"There are gems in the mountain that I desire. White gems of pure starlight, for their return I offer you my help." Thranduil said as he bowed humbly.

The darkness in Thorin bubbled at the thought of parting with any piece of the treasure of the mountain, especially to elven filth. A small smirk grew on Thorin's face, "I am listening.'

"I will let you go, provide you and your company with enough provisions to see you to your mountain and back, if you but return what is mine." Thranduil offered.

Thorin paused, mulling the elf's offer in his head. He knew what Balin would say, that any deal offered should be taken, but Thorin would not be manipulated by an elf especially the one before him now, not after the blind eye he turned on the dwarven people as they suffered after Smaug's attack, after he closed his borders and refused aid. No, in Thorin's mind there was no bargain that could be struck with Thranduil that wouldn't leave Thorin feeling uneasy.

"A favour for a favour." Thorin spoke as he lifted his head looking turning on his heel to put his back to the elf.

"You have my word, one king to another."

"I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honour his word should the end of all days be upon us!" As Thorin spoke his voice became stronger until it was a full shout.

"You who lack all honour! I have seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once, starving, homeless seeking your help. But you turned your back", Thorin now turned and staunched towards Thranduil, his anger boiling over, "on the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us!"

Thorin continued to curse out the Elf in khuzdul, while Thranduil's expression grew ugly and in a flurry of fabric he swept down to eye level with Thorin.

"Do not speak to me of dragon fire. I know its wrath and ruin." He inhaled aggressively and the skin on the left side of his face flickered.

"I have faced the great serpents of the North", Thranduil's left side of his face was now completely hollow, his eye clouded and dead.

Just as quickly as it appeared the broken skin reformed and the Elf King's face was perfect again. He closed his eyes, inhaled and stood straight once again. He turned his back to Thorin and steadily made his way back towards his throne.

"I warned your grandfather what his greed would summon," Thranduil paused and looked over his shoulder at Thorin, "what that stone would bring."

Thorin's face twisted without his control into an un-natural scowl, as a coy smile grew on the elf's face.

"So that's it," Thranduil spoke slyly, "You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule: The King's Jewel."

Thranduil now stood in front of the throne grown of trees and gracefully sat, "I think you will find that the Arkenstone is not just some gem, it is far more powerful and precious than you can imagine." Thranduil watched as confusion washed over Thorin's face.

"You grandfather never told you, did he? Well this shall make things interesting." The smirk on the elf's face grew and anger again surged through the dwarf king.

"Since you refuse my generous offer, you will stay here and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I'm patient. I can wait. The question, is can she?" Thranduil sneered down his nose at the shocked dwarf as he motioned with the wave of his hand for the guard to return Thorin to his friends.

Thorin was thrown into a cell next to Balin. As soon as the guard climbed the stairs and left the dungeons the white haired dwarf started questioning the leader of the company.

"I take it by our lovely accommodations that it did not go so well. Did he offer you a deal?"

Thorin was leaned up against the frame of the cell door, he sighed, knowing that his old friend would not approve of the way he handled negotiations with the Elven King, "He did."

"And?" Balin encouraged.

"I told him he could go sh kakhf ai-'d dr-rugnu! Him and all his kin!"

Balin's head dropped in defeat, "well that's that, then. A deal was our only hope."

Thorin's eyes drifted up the spiral dungeons, "not our only hope." He replied, remembering the lost fourteenth member of the company.

Eerika paced before the throne of Thror, waiting anxiously for her king to return to her. His abrupt departure had shocked and distressed the young woman of white, so much so that she couldn't bring herself to break the connection and return to her body. Hours passed and soon Eerika was sitting with her legs crossed before the throne, staring at the carved markings above that once held the Arkenstone, countless scenarios running through her head about what had happened to Thorin. She could feel his spirit, which meant he was alive however her magic could not go as far as to tell her what state of life he was in.

'Any fell fate could have fallen upon him' she thought in despair.

The loss of her first friend, Thror, was still fresh in her heart and now with the disappearance of her second ever friend, she felt more alone than ever. As her thoughts trailed from Thorin to Thror, guilt ran through her as she realised that with what had been recently happening, she hadn't taken the time to mourn her companion properly. Tears began to slide down her face as she remember the old grey dwarf as a warm and generous soul, teaching her the ways of the dwarves after he found her. She remembered the late nights in the stables with the war rams and their offspring and the candlelit lessons in the library in the earlier hours of the morning.

More tears fell and with a shallow breathe and a shaky voice she began to sing:

Take me away to the shining light
Over the waves peaceful at night
There among the stars glowing in the dark
You watch over me
Smiling down patiently

While you sleep, dream of me
I'll be keeping our memories
Living in my heart and soul
Waiting for the day
When we will be together again

The last haunting note echoed through the empty halls of Erebor, Eerika bowed her head as her last tears fell.

"That is a beautiful song Labdúna."

Eerika's head shot up and she quickly rose from the floor, her eyes wide in disbelief as she stared, wide eyed at Thorin, who stood before with a solemn expression on his face.

"But not sung for me I hope." An almost smile graced his lips.

Before her mind could catch up to her body, Eerika threw herself at her king, arms wrapping around his waist in a tight embrace as she let a fresh wave of tears fall. Thorin took a few moments to gather himself before he returned her gesture, holding her to his chest. Electricity shot through the pair at their intimate contact, neither of them dared to speak, each savouring the moment. Finally propriety caught up with Eerika and she quickly stepped out of the embraced, wiping her eyes before meeting Thorin's gaze.

"I fear it is my turn to apologise to you My King, I was out of place, again." Eerika said offering the dwarf a small smile.

"Nonsense Eerika, you have done nothing that I haven't welcomed." Thorin replied returning the young woman's smile, "There is no need to apologise for an embrace between friends."

Eerika blushed at his words and quickly ducked her head, her long white hair falling over her shoulders to create a curtain around her face, her heart hammered in her chest as his declaration of friendship rang in her head. A small chuckle broke from the dwarf as he watched the timid behaviour of the woman before him. He reached out and took her hand, causing Eerika to draw in a sharp breath and snap her head up to look at him. Her cerulean eyes met his grey ones and more tears threatened to spill over. Thorin watched as a single tear fell free from her eye and began its trail down the contour of her face. Slowly, Thorin raised his other hand to cup Eerika's face, using his thumb to gently stroke the tear away.

"No more tears Labdúna, I should see you smile again, not mourn the ghosts of the past. It does nothing to change the present." Thorin spoke softly as he let his hand linger on her face before finally letting it drop to his side.

He still held her hand and placed it again in the crook of his arm, meaning to lead her away from the throne.

"Walk with me?" He asked, gently pulling her forward, she quickly obliged his request and fell into step next her king.

"What happened before? One moment you were here and the next you were not, I haven't left this place since our last meeting," Eerika's voice trembled as she spoke, her emotions still running high. "I…I needed to know you were safe."

"Eerika, you do not need to fear for my safety, you of all people should understand that Durinfolk are a strong and mighty people. It takes more than an overgrown spider to take us down." Thorin replied proudly.

"Over grown spider?!" Eerika's head snapped to look at her king with an alarmed expression on her face.

The dwarven king smiled, amused at Eerika's anxious tone, "Aye, they were the size of large ponies. But they were no match for the company.

"So you have escaped The Greenwood?" Eerika asked with a hopeful tone in her voice.

Thorin's face darkened at Eerika's question, "No we have not. We have been taken prisoner by King Thranduil and he refuses to release us unless I promise to return the Gems of Starlight to him" Thorin spat.

Eerika noticed a shadow pass over Thorin's face at the mention of trading a part of his grandfather's treasure horde, " There are many gems in the mountain Thorin, surly it would not be such a loss to return them to the King in exchange of your company's release, the gems do belong to him." Eerika tried to reason.

"I know the vast wealth of the mountain Eerika, but that is not the point. I fail to see why he should be rewarded for helping us now when Smaug attacked he did nothing. When we came to his kingdom for aid, he did nothing. And after learning of the peril he put you through before you came into my grandfather's care, he is hardly deserving of any jewels." Thorin replied in a harsh tone.

Shame ran through Eerika as she was reminded of the lie she had told Thorin during one of their first meetings. Suddenly guilt ran through her as she felt responsible for playing a part in the company's prolonged capture. If she hadn't of told Thorin that Thranduil was the reason she ended up in Thror's care maybe he would have been more open to negotiations with the Elven King. Her heart beat sped as Thorin stopped the pair walking and took both her hands in his.

"He spoke of you, he knows you are in still in Erebor, I don't know how but he knew." Thorin said softly while Eerika tried to hide her surprise at Thorin's words, she had no idea how Thranduil could know her presence was still in the lost dwarven kingdom.

"I fear that if we are successful in retaking our home, that he will draw an army and march on the mountain, hoping to reclaim not only the Gems of Starlight but you as well by force." Thorin's grip on Eerika's hand increased in strength slightly as she continued to stare into his stormy eyes, "I won't let him have you Labdúna, and you have been a prisoner for far too long. Once Smaug has been defeated and the crown is mine, I will grant you your freedom and give you all the titles Erebor has to offer. You will not have to take orders from anyone anymore."

Eerika felt her eyes water again and soon tears streamed down her face once more. Unable to think of a viable response, she threw her arms around Thorin's neck and embraced him for a second time. Thorin recovered quicker than the first time and drew her tightly into his chest, burying his face in her ivory hair. A warm light began to filter through the imaginary kingdom, the sun was on the rise.

"The sun is rising Labdúna, you must return to yourself and get some rest. I do not want you weary when we are to meet in person so soon." Thorin spoke warmly, his breath dancing on the top of Eerika's head.

She withdrew herself from his arms, smiled brightly and bowed before him, "Yes my King, those are orders I do not mind so much following." She raised her head, smiling once more before placing a tender kiss on Thorin's bearded cheek and fading out of the dream.

Thorin stood in one of the stone corridors of the imaginary Erebor, eyes looking at the spot Eerika had just been. He smiled to himself and a light blush coloured his cheeks before he too faded back into reality.

A/N - Firstly credit for the song Eerika sings goes to Eurielle from Youtube, the title of the song is 'Carry Me.' Although I did switch the verses around for it to fit into the story better.

So that was the confrontation between the two kings, what did you think? There was also a few more hints into Eerika's origin in there as well. I hope you liked the quicker update, hopefully I will be able to do once a week uploads instead of once a month, but we will see how that goes.

I'm super excited that our pair are starting to develop an unique relationship, I can't wait to delve deeper into that. I also am looking forward to moving past the Mirkwood plot. Is it terrible that I already have chapters for Bilbo entering the mountain and the battle finished already? I was just struck with such inspiration for those two events I couldn't stop myself.

Anyways, after that long note, Thankyou to everyone who followed/favourited and to TheOtherWriterGirl, inperfection,LoverOfArchangels and JoanneSBlack for their reviews.

Until next time Ciao!