A/N: I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. This past semester was the busiest one that I will have so hopefully I'll be posting and updating more frequently! Please review! I hope you like it!

Also I think it deserves to be mentioned that the final Hobbit movie (BOTFA), might have definitely made me cry :(

Burning Ascent

"That's the spirit-one part brave, three parts fool."
-Christopher Paolini

Chapter Eight: Captivity

Iskra made a noise of frustration as she tried to smooth out the deep blue elven tunic she was wearing. Try as she might, Thranduil insisted that she wear what the elves provided, meaning she looked short and fat. The half-dragon sighed as she brushed her hair out, taking care to not upset the braids that Fili and Kili had gifted her.

She had not seen Thorin or any of the company for a week and she was getting anxious.

A knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts. Iskra rose with annoyance to answer. To her surprise, there was no one there. She shook her head as she closed the door. She did not think that elflings would be in the area where her rooms were.

She turned around and yelped, nearly burning the poor hobbit that appeared before her to a crisp.

"BILBO! How did you-?"

Bilbo smiled sheepishly at her and shrugged. Iskra's eyes wandered briefly to his pocket where she could feel an evil presence of tainted gold, but she shook her head.

"Don't show me, I don't want to see that thing," she gave him a serious look, "You should tell Gandalf about it, if you want my opinion."

"There's nothing wrong with it," Bilbo defended.

Iskra shrugged, "Far be it from me to judge you. I'm just giving you some…friendly advice."

"Why are they keeping you here and not in the dungeons with the others?"

Iskra perked up, "You've found the others?"

Bilbo nodded, "They're in the dungeons in separate cells for the most part."

Iskra raised an eyebrow, "Are they close to each other?"

"Somewhat. Thorin is further than the rest, but the others are next to each other or across from each other."

"Bilbo," Iskra started, "Can you find a way to get them out of here?"

"What about you?" Bilbo asked in surprise.

"Thranduil and I have been friends for a long time. He will not keep me here against my will. But our dwarves have a quest to finish, wouldn't you agree?"

Before Bilbo could answer, there was another knock at Iskra's door. She waited for Bilbo to disappear from the corner of her eye before opening to door to Legolas. She smiled gently at him.

"Father granted your request," he said, briefly hugging her.

Iskra nodded sharply and took time adjusting her appearance in the mirror before turning back to Legolas and the open door.

"Take me to them."

Iskra visited the cell of Fili and Kili first. The two immediately rushed to the bars, hugging her and kissing her face. She whispered urgently with them, reassuring them that she was ok and that the baby was fine.

Finally reassured, the two sat down and stared forlornly at her.

Unable to leave them without something to make them feel better, Iskra spoke, "Let me tell you two a story before I go."

She was rewarded with two pairs of shining eyes.

"Long ago, a woman fell in love with a beast. This beast was not evil, but none had ever viewed him as good either. He breathed fire and terrorized the skies every time he took flight, but the woman loved him despite his faults. However, she grew greedy as she lived with the beast. She learned of a legend, a legend that she would stopped at nothing to obtain. For the legend she had heard, would grant her immortality or at the very least an elongated life. The nature of Man caused her to betray herself and love. As her beastly lover lay sleeping, she carved out his heart and ate it. For it was said that having the heart of a dragon would grant eternal life and youth. Shortly after the gruesome act, she discovered that she carried a child—a half dragon baby that was a part of her lover and herself. After her baby came into the world, with the same molten amber eyes, the woman drove herself insane. Over many centuries, her daughter watched her wither away until she died. Her daughter was strong and vowed to never fall to the weakness of her mother's side—the nature of Man."

Fili and Kili's eyes were wide with delight and interest.

"I'll come visit you soon," she kissed them on the forehead one last time.

She moved on to other dwarves, assuring that they had been fed and had blankets. She finally approached Thorin's cell.

"You're unharmed."

Iskra bowed silently, eyes shining with emotion, "As are you."

"How is it that you are not a prisoner?" Thorin inquired, approaching the bars. He reached out and fiddled with a strand of her hair idly as he waited for her answer.

She hesitated, "Thranduil is an old friend."

The fingers in her hair stopped suddenly. A sharp pain across her left cheek left her blinking in confusion. She touched her cheek, tracing the open cut that Thorin's ring had left. The cut was shallow and, had it been from anyone else, would have healed almost instantly. However, as an infliction from her mate, it would scar over and never truly fade.

She stopped Legolas with a hand motion. The elf prince was shaking with fury. Iskra turned her eyes back to Thorin. He had turned white. He reached out slowly and touched the cut on her cheek.

"Iskra, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's ok, Thorin. You're on edge because of the restraints caused by time, not to mention that you don't like elves, especially Thranduil. I should not have provoked you, yet I don't think that I deserved to be hit."

Thorin stared at her, "I can never make this up to you."

"In time perhaps," Iskra started, "I need to go. I'll be back soon."

She leaned against the bars and kissed Thorin's cheek before turning to Legolas and leaving the dungeons. As she left, she could have sworn she heard Thorin speak one more time.

"I am so sorry."

"Legolas told me that you were injured during an…altercation with Thorin Oakenshield. He asked me to come down to tend to it."

Iskra sighed from where she was lounging in a chair, "Is that what he's calling it? I'm not worried about it."

Thranduil sat down in the chair next to her. His fingers were cold on her face when he lightly gripped her chin, turning her head to the side so he could see the damage his son reported to him. His face showed mild surprise when his search revealed a scar line across her cheek.

"This should have healed instantly," Thranduil sighed, "He is your One, your mate."

She shifted uncomfortably, "I won't deny it."

"Iskra, it is not my place to lecture you," Thranduil started, "Especially since you are my elder. But do you know what you ae doing? He will fall to the gold sickness."

"I can't do anything even if I wanted to. Dragons mate for life, you know this Thranduil," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"But you don't want to?"

Iskra shook her head, "No, he's special."

"He struck you."

She shrugged, "I don't condone what he did, but he's stressed. There's a time limit and he's stuck in a cell. He's responsible for the lives of everyone in the Company, not to mention that his sister's sons are among them."

"You adore those two," Thranduil observed.

"That's exactly what Thorin said," Iskra laughed, "You two are more alike than you would care to admit."

Thranduil made a face, "We have something else to discuss. Your…condition. You carry the heir of the entire mountain. Why does Oakenshield even allow you to continue travelling on this quest?"

"He might not know."

"You haven't told him? How can he not know?"

"He may be my One, but I am not his."

"Iskra, that's dangerous for both you and your unborn dragonet."

"King Thranduil!"

The two turned to the door to see an out of breath elf guard. She bowed briefly to her king and upon receiving a nod, gave her report.

"The dwarves are gone from the dungeons. Prince Legolas is in pursuit. I am going to take a squad and assist."

"Very well, Tauriel."

The elf nodded and took her leave. Thranduil looked back at Iskra, eyes narrowed. She shrugged innocently.

"I've been here the entire time talking to you. However, I do believe it is time for me to go."

"You're still going to help them? After he hit you?"

Iskra laughed. It was surprisingly light and musical.

"Thranduil, you know that it was only a scratch and the only reason it scarred was because dragons are strange. Scars are testaments to the might of a dragon and its family. You know this."

"It does not bother you that he struck you?"

Iskra's expression darkened, "I know from travelling with the Company that Thorin is not like that. He is already starting to show the symptoms of the gold sickness."

"I fear for you."

"I fear more for them."

A/N: What do you think? I hope you enjoyed it! Push that little button at the bottom and leave me a review!