c.2941 TA
After Bilbo left, Gandalf made himself verbally known to Thranduil and Bard. "You have impeccable timing as always, Mithrandir." Thranduil said. Gandalf met his gaze and nodded, and found it one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life this far.
"Well, I had been traveling in the Company of Thorin for a while and knew where they were headed. So after my business was done, I travelled this way hoping to brave the storm I felt might be brewing."
"And where were you before?" Thranduil asked.
"I had business with the White Council." Thranduil narrowed his eyes and Gandalf had trouble meeting his gaze once more. She said she was taking the blame. He reminded himself hoping it remained true.
"I hope to know what your business is later as I also hope it concerns the border of my realm." Thranduil said in Elvish so that Bard could not understand. Gandalf nodded once and then turned to Bard.
"Well, as it seems, dear Master Baggins has certainly done what most would not have, and there is a Dwarf army on our heels. I suggest we come up with a plan." Gandalf said.
"By all means," Bard began, "I am all ears."
"Good," Gandalf says, "this is what we will do."
*
The next day the Elvenking, Bard, Mithrandir, and a contingent of twenty warriors with them. The plan had been to talk to the Dwarves before their army arrived, and so far it was succeeding. Thorin was as thick headed as ever and cursed Bilbo and Gandalf and the Elves and now even the Men. He let them seethe back to their tents where they decided to re-plan. Erebor was under siege and there was an army on their way.
It was a couple days later when the Dwarven army arrived. Deciding it would be wise, one small group of Dwarves, including Dain, were escorted to a no man's land and there the same group that had gone up to the mountain before were awaiting the Dwarves.
"Long will I tarry, ere I start a war for gold." Thranduil commented to Bard when he saw the Dwarves approaching.
"You may not have a choice anymore." Bard replied. Gandalf was slightly hidden from view.
"It is our mountain!" Dain ended up yelling at everyone else. "We will inhabit it and give out its riches as we choose!"
"We have tarried hard to rebuild our cities which the dragon destroyed." Bard said. "We only wish for our fair share, and then we will leave."
"Then what of the Elves? They deserve no part in this!"
"The treasure I came to find is not here." Thranduil commented. Gandalf's heart sunk. "As it is, I am allied with Bard and I will stay with him until he receives what is his due. If there is reward in seeking to help him rebuild his town, then that must be your decision." Most everyone appeared surprised at his reply, and only Legolas knew just how desperately his father wished to know what happened to his daughter… well… besides his daughter.
"And what treasure were you hoping to find?" Dain asked scornfully. "What treasure is worth so much that a king would bring his army to find? Perhaps the whole of Erebor itself?"
Thranduil's eyes were quite dangerous by now. Bard was looking angry himself, Legolas was fingering his bow wondering how bad it would be if he should accidentally shoot Dain, and Gandalf tried to shrink into the crowd some.
"Does it matter?" Bard asked. "Either way, convince your kinsman to give up their gold, or find your way eternally blocked by two armies."
"They won't be blocking anything if they're all dead." Dain said and looked about to signal for the rest of his army when a cold, crisp voice interrupted them all.
"Fools, all of you!" Thranduil's eyes widened and his visage paled as did Legolas' and they turned toward the cloaked figure that was now striding toward them. "You would give away your lives for a simple pile of gold." Bilbo had heard that voice before… "I tell you now, if that is what you want, you will certainly get it. Whichever of your armies survives will be facing Goblins and Wargs that are descending on the mountain even as we speak."
Thranduil was standing quite in shock, as were all the other Elves there while everyone else simply appeared angry. "And who are you to tell us such?" Dain asked. "What authority do you speak from?"
Almiel threw her hood back, looking much like the Princess she actually was. "It should not matter. However, if you would like to die because of greed… or pride," the last word made Thranduil flinch knowing she had directed it at him, "then perhaps I should have remained silent. But while we all have a common enemy, Gandalf may have battle plans in his mind to prepare you to fight the coming war. After word, I shall care not if you decide to slice each other to smithereens."
"Who is this?" Bard asked incredulously, surprised at her audacity in the face of Kings and Lords and Wizards.
"What are you doing here?" Thranduil asked, quite coldly.
"I figured you might need some prompting."
"To do what?"
"The right thing, I trusted you before and you failed quite miserably." Thranduil's eyes flared and Gandalf shrank even further.
"How dare you? I did not start this war…"
"No, but in your seemingly never ending pride you would not stop it. What fear you must have…" Almiel trailed off. Thranduil would have killed anyone else by this point, and the look in his eyes made some people wonder if he actually would. Legolas shifted uncomfortably. Dain found it quite amusing, as well as the Dwarves with him. Bard edged closer to Gandalf and Bilbo was already almost behind him.
"Will he kill her?" Bard asked Gandalf. Gandalf, however, found himself trying not to chuckle. He shook his head slowly.
"Will you then tell me where you disappeared instead of doing as I told you?" Thranduil asked.
"I had business elsewhere that I already had your permission to do as I see fit." Thranduil narrowed his gaze and then he lit his eyes on Gandalf who immediately sobered.
"You went with him!" He said, resorting back to Sindarin. "You went to that cursed place! How dare you leave to do such a thing! How dare you make me think you were dead! You just left! I had specifically told you to stay! Why did you listen to some blockheaded Wizard who told you you could just leave without telling me?!"
He looked as if he would continue, but Almiel cut him off. "He told me no such thing. I did so myself. He sent word to me with the intention of asking you first, and I intercepted the message and left on my own. As you seemed unbearably stubborn at the time, I figured leaving would be the best move."
If looks could have killed, everyone on the battlefield would have been dead except for the King himself at that moment. Bard again asked Gandalf if she would be killed. Gandalf shook his head. "He would not dare."
"But why?" He asked, not seeing how this rather courageous King who had been willing to take on a dragon would lack the courage to kill the girl.
"Because," Almiel suddenly said, "I am his daughter." The pieces all clicked into place for everyone else, which made the Dwarves rather amused. Thranduil still stared at her, having met his match not in a dragon, or Sauron, or Dwarves, or even Bilbo though he had come close, but in his own daughter. Finally he bowed his head.
"You are right." He said softly. "My own child…" He said trailing off. He switched back to Common tongue after that. "We need to prepare, we have war on our doorstep." Almiel smiled. Gandalf breathed a relieved sigh.
Thranduil heard it as he turned to join the war council that was already starting. He walked next to Gandalf as they both headed toward it and whispered in his ear. "Don't think because I forgave her," he said, "means I have forgiven you." He then continued walking and sat down in front of the map while Gandalf paused in his step, fear slightly entering his eyes.
"Gandalf?" Bilbo asked.
"It is nothing, dear hobbit, nothing at all…" Gandalf said continuing on. I hope.
A/N: Yes, that meeting did not quite happen like that in the book... But I wanted Thranduil to find out where she had been before the battle. In the book Gandalf alone interrupted them. But now everyone's gathered together and preparing for war. Because Tolkien already covered the battle, mainly know that it happens in this story the same way it happened in the book. I am dealing mainly with events that include Almiel.