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"Your people are straying into my lands, Bard."
The moment Thranduil spoke Bard sat up straighter in his seat. Although the Elvenking's expression showed only the usual indifference, his strained voice clearly conveyed a great displeasure.
"I apologize for the inconvenience," the King of Dale started, bowing his head just a little. Thranduil wouldn't like his next words, he was sure. "I'm afraid though, that there isn't much I can do about it. They are gathering wood and-"
"They are hunting," Thranduil interrupted him forcefully, his ringed hand closing into a fist. "My scouts found at least a dozen arrows embedded in trees and just as many traps hidden in the snow."
"I can assure you, my lord, that they aren't doing it for sport. Your aid was a great help and I am doing everything in my power to buy the necessary supplies for my people, but it is winter and food is scarce. We have only begun to restore Dale," reminded Bard, nodding his head at the bare stone walls and the simple table between them. Thranduil's facade didn't soften even a little bit. "I will gladly repay you for anything they took from your forest."
Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say, because Thranduil's lips thinned and his eyebrows scrunched up in anger.
"I do not need gold," he spoke slowly in a low, dangerous tone. "And I only warn once, so listen carefully, King Bard: those who cross my border from now on are unlikely to be seen ever again,” he paused, letting the information sink in. “As someone has said we are more dangerous than our western kin."
***
The sight of Alaskana outside the makeshift conference room surprised Thranduil and not pleasantly so.
"I thought I had made myself clear about your staying at home," he said in Avarin.
"I saw one of the trespassers," she explained, falling a step behind him just like Feren.
As soon as they were outside of the old town hall, Thranduil picked up his pace and pulled up his hood. The visit had been arranged in a hurry and with utmost discretion so instead of ceremonial greetings and farewells the elves were treated to mouths open in awe and the widened eyes of Dale’s inhabitants. The Elvenking's small escort was waiting just outside the town so as not to raise any more curiosity, and only when Thranduil almost reached them and the horses, did he dare to continue the conversation.
"And?"
"And I came to ask you for permission to-"
The Elvenking halted abruptly.
"Denied," Thranduil gritted out, before Alaskana could finish. He stared hard into the black eyes of the woman, the only feature visible behind the traditional elven helmet.
Without the need to be told, his guards started to ready the horses, turning slightly away from their lord and Alaskana.
"Understood?"
"They killed my young." She stared back at him. "How can I let them go unpunished? How can you expect it from me?"
"I can and I do, because I think very highly of you, Alaskana."
Thranduil mounted and gave others sign to do the same. Alaskana stood still beside him, stroking softly his stallion’s neck.
"So we will do nothing?"
"You will do nothing."
She perked up immediately.
"Acina needs a vacation from scouting the mountains, you may ask her to... guard the eastern border."
***
The man didn't seem too poor. His beard was trimmed, he wore tailor made skins and his weapons had no rust on them. Acina supposed he could be considered handsome by human standards too. She jumped down the tree soundlessly and snuck up a few meters behind him. This would be fun.
"What entices a man like you to come to the forest like this one?" she purred softly, half hiding behind a tree trunk. The man startled, turning to her quickly and drawing his long knife, but he didn't attack. His jaw dropped slightly open at the sight of her in a frilly white dress, feet wrapped only in a thin cloth against the cold.
"Go back to your people, it is not safe out here," she warned, but her expression was anything but serious. Mirthful sparks in her green eyes and a small smile lit up her whole face.
The man remained speechless, but he took a step towards her and like an enchanted child reached out his hand. The trap he had been setting up before her appearance lay on the snow, forgotten.
"Should I show you the way out?" She stepped away and he followed her. "Oh, you poor thing. I will show you the way out," she promised with a giggle and started to run.
“Wait, elf, wait!”
He chased after her, stumbling over tree roots and stones hidden under snow, and Acina had to watch her pace not to let him fall too far behind. Her own feet barely disturbed the white layer. She led him to the Forest River bank and pointed to the east.
"There is your town," she informed him, stepping onto the ice covered river, but his darkened eyes were fixated only on her. While his fascination was very much child-like, his thoughts were not.
"Do not fear, little fairy," he cooed, and seeing the ease with which she walked on the frozen water table, he slid down the bank and onto the ice too. It creaked in warning.
"I would never," she told him, batting her long eyelashes. Her fingers played idly with her long, chestnut hair. "Come and catch me," she encouraged with another giggle.
Extending her arms, she twirled in delight in the middle of the river and the man, having edged closer to her, threw himself at her. She took a quick step back and he fell on the ice, breaking it.
Water jumped out from beneath the ice, but the broken pieces soon fell into place again and the man was trapped. His eyes wide with panic, he pounded helplessly against the solid barrier, struggling against the slow current. Acina knelt down, plastering her face as close to his as she could, and laughed.
"Come! Look how he is turning blue!" she exclaimed to Alaskana who had been observing them since they neared the Forest River. A white doe stepped forth from the trees and trotted lightly along the bank, following the man's body.
"This was one of the killers of your young, was it not?"
The doe moved her head up and down in a yes.
"Great, one more to go. I may take some token next time, his knife looked nice," Acina mused, standing up and dusting her knees. Her elven skin didn't even redden on the frost.