Legolas and his company were making good headway until they ran into heavy rains four days into their journey. At first, they had to ride through the downpour, but when it became tumultuous, they were forced to seek shelter in a cave several yards away from the trail they were using back to Gondor.
When they found the cave, Legolas sent scouts on ahead inside to search for any dangers, mainly Orcs. Once they returned with nothing to report, Legolas declared the cave safe for the night. They built a campfire and prepared their food. Alasse was not hungry, and neither was Elrond. They only ate because they knew they would need the nourishment later on.
"Legolas? Has anything in Aragorn's bed chamber been touched or rearranged from the time you did not find him in there?" Elrond asked.
"Faramir gave explicit orders that everything be left as it was, Sir." Legolas answered. "Just in case there may be some clue in there, though I can't imagine what that could be!"
"If I may suggest, my lord?" Bellethiel spoke up.
"Go ahead, Bellethiel." Legolas nodded.
"Let's look at what we do know." The captain said. "The king did not take his horse, his traveling companion. And, he did not take a squad of soldiers. Would anyone have noticed if he had snuck out in the middle of the night, outside his window?"
"Gondor is a big city, my lady!" Pippin interrupted. "Huge! It'd be easy to overlook something."
"The halfling is right." Gimli agreed. "Even with eyes as sharp as mine, I can't be looking everywhere at once."
"Well, when we return, we shall investigate closer." Legolas sighed. Gimli noticed Tatsu kneeling down to tend supper cooking over the fire. He trotted over.
"Here, let me help you with that. We dwarves do like a hearty meal, when we can get one that is." Gimli said, taking over checking the meat.
"Thank you, master dwarf. But I can manage." Tatsu nodded. "I've been at this for quite some time, you know."
"Ah, but never out in the wilderness, I take it?"
"No. Only once. But my princess is distressed over the mysterious disappearance of King Elessar. I could not bid her to travel the world without me to look after her, as I am accustomed!" Tatsu exclaimed.
"You've known the lassie for a long time?" Gimli cocked his head curiously.
"Ai. I've known her since she was born. It has been my honor to look after her." Tatsu beamed. "I love her as my own. And that's why it hurts me to see her like this."
"The princeling isn't taking the news too well either." Gimli sighed. "He and Aragorn are thick as thieves, the rascals. Well, I suppose it will be up to you and I to keep a sharp eye on the young in's won't it?" He smiled playfully.
"I guess we will." Tatsu nodded, smiling. Unlike most of her Woodland kin, she for one, enjoyed meeting new people, especially those who were different. She did not appreciate the circumstances that had brought this about, but she couldn't help feeling a bit eager at having another rare chance to see the world.
"I keep the pointy-eared lad in line. Without me constantly having to keep him out of trouble, he'd have been broken limb by limb a long time ago." Gimli boasted. Tatsu raised her eyebrows skeptically but couldn't help giggling.
"You forget, my friend, that elves are gifted with sharp hearing." Legolas chuckled as he stood behind his friends.
"Then you'd better learn to channel it, and not stick it where it ought not to be." Gimli huffed.
"I could say the same of you. It isn't every day I find you flirting with a lovely lady." Legolas teased. Tatsu blushed a deep red.
"Flirting?!" Gimli bellowed, much louder than he'd intended. He glared up at Legolas. "Who's flirting? I ain't flirting with nobody!" He growled defensively. "We dwarves don't flirt with no elves. I don't flirt with anybody! You just remember that, you...you...you butter-kneed, wet behind the ears, skinny princeling! Just you remember that." The Woodland elves were scowling at Gimli.
"Shall we teach him to shut his mouth, Your Highness?" They asked Legolas, readying their bows.
"Nah." Legolas shook his head with a grin. "Gimli is my friend. He knows I only irk him so because he is so fond of our companionship."
"Ha!" Gimli scoffed. Tatsu giggled seeing him so riled when it was obvious her prince was only teasing. "Companionship indeed! A fellow merely tries to be courteous, and what happens? The whole world is breathing down his neck, making up ridiculous rumors. Typical elvish humor." He pursed his lips.
"Ah, my dear Gimli. You wound me with your ungrateful attitude." Legolas pouted playfully.
"That you can count on!" Gimli squinted.
"Mr. Legolas tells me you have studied about healing and everything?" Pippin asked Alasse.
"Ai. I cannot do much. I didn't have much time to learn half of what I had hoped." Alasse hung her head. "But I hope it is an improvement and that I can do more to help, at least a little." She looked at the hobbit. "Have Sam, Frodo, and Merry been notified? I would not ask them to leave their peaceful home in the Shire, but they are Aragorn's friends and would want to know."
"Ai. I wrote to them as soon as it happened." Pippin nodded. "I am not sure what they will do, but I wish they were here, especially Merry."
"I miss them too. But they are safer in Hobbiton, especially because we do not yet know what exactly has happened."
"Lord Aragorn is very brave." Pippin said encouragingly. "Perhaps he just went fishin', and did not want to be disturbed?" He offered hopefully.
"I don't know, Pip." Alasse murmured sadly. "I just don't know."
"Eh. Why do you keep holding your belly like that?" Pippin asked with concern. Alasse didn't realize she was hugging her abdomen. "You've been doing that for four days! What is wrong? Are you sick?"
"No, Pip. Not the way you're thinking. Elves don't become sick." Alasse replied woefully.
"I hope it is not serious! What is it then?" Pippin scooted closer, worrying for his friend. Alasse looked at him thoughtfully.
"Well, you remember that several months ago, I was severely wounded?"
"Ai! I do remember! That was horrible." Pippin agreed.
"Well, when I am really worried about something, it still hurts." Alasse tried to explain calmly.
"Gosh, that's terrible." Pippin bit his lip. "Is it very bad?"
"No. Not at this moment. It was when I first learned about Aragorn though." Alasse said wistfully.
"Can Lord Elrond not fix it?"
"I don't think so." Alasse said.
"Well, I do hope it does not bother you too badly." Pippin said, touching her arm.
"Thanks, Pip. You'd better get some rest tonight after supper. Let's hope this rain has stopped by morning. And I heard that hobbits do not like missing out on a meal." She smiled.
"No. We do not!" Pippin shook his head vigorously.
Gimli was taking the first shift of the night watch. Tatsu came to his side. "Mind if I join you?" She asked.
"Not at all, my lady. But don't distract me from me duty. And don't tell the princeling!" Gimli smiled but spoke gruffly.
"Not a word!"Tatsu grinned and sat down next to him.
"The lassie all tucked in for the night?"
"Ai. But I am afraid sleep is the last thing on her mind. She is too worried about her beloved." Tatsu said.
"Ai. Young love. A mysterious and yet torturous thing." Gimli remarked.
"Some months ago, I walked the Halls of Erebor." Tatsu said. Gimli's eyes widened.
"Did you now?" He asked.
"Yes. They are quite exquisite, and so full of memory. You can tell the moment you walk inside." Tatsu said.
"And what was a fair elf such as yurself doing in my homeland?"
"My princess asked her father for us to visit the kings of Dale. While there, she and I paid homage to your relations in Erebor."
"Well, I am glad to know you had a pleasant visit." Gimli sighed. "We dwarves are not always welcoming to elves!"
"Nor are we. But Prince Legolas and his sister have shown us that it is possible. And I miss our old friend Tauriel. Always a spunky elleth. But her reaching out was the cause for her banishment."
"Well, I can say that lady elves are much easier to be nice to then the scurvy men elves of your lot." Gimli said.
"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Tatsu asked, chuckling.
"An insult to the male of your kind. But a compliment to the she-elves like you, lass." Gimli smiled warmly. Tatsu smiled back.
Alasse could not go into slumber as she rolled onto her side next to Pippin. He middle was hurting. Not unbearably, but uncomfortable enough that it was hard to find an easy lying position. She kept her hands tightly around her stomach, and prayed that it would not get worse. She didn't want another painful episode, and for it to scare everyone. She heard a familiar swish of a specific garment settle down next to her.
"Alasse." Elrond spoke quietly. Alasse grimaced and scrunched up her shoulders harder. "Are you alright, child?"
"Not until we find Aragorn." Alasse said firmly.
"Pippin told me you were feeling poorly." Elrond stated.
"I don't. Well, not really. He doesn't understand." Alasse sighed. "He's exaggerating a bit."
"You're hurting, aren't you?" Elrond asked seriously. "Don't lie to me about what I see, child." He frowned. Alasse bit her lip.
"Yes, but it's been much worse before. I'm just trying to endure it."
"I think I'd better take a look." Elrond said, about to turn her onto her back. Alasse shook her head and finally faced him.
"If you must know, it's all the same since we left home. And since you first arrived." She explained. "Nothing has changed."
"Mmm." Elrond grunted. "Well, you call to me if it becomes worse." He said. Alasse nodded. "At least let me give you something to help with the pain." Alasse didn't argue. Elrond gave her some herbs to chew on.
"Have you had any visions of foresight?" She asked him. "Anything to help us find Aragorn, or...if he's still alive?" Elrond's face dropped even lower.
"No, child. I have not. This one time in my life, what I would give to have a premonition. Good or bad, if only it will help us find my son!" Elrond declared sadly. "But he is beyond my sight." He said defeatedly. Alasse turned on her side facing him. She couldn't imagine how worried he, being Aragorn's father, must be!
"It doesn't comfort me much, but when I saw him in my mind, he...was still breathing." She offered quietly. Elrond looked down at her solemnly.
"And right now that is all we have to go by." He said dryly. Alasse tried to swallow back tears, and she could see the ancient elf lord's own beginning to mist over.
"Legolas will not give up." She said.
"And neither shall we." Elrond said determinedly. "Get some sleep, Alasse. You're going to need it."
"I cannot sleep." Alasse said. Elrond sighed. He himself had not slept since they'd left the Wood.
"Let me know if the pain becomes worse." He told her. Alasse nodded as Elrond rose to his feet.
"How are you faring, my dear?" Elrond asked Bellethiel. "I hear that you were very close to the young elleth we lost the last time we traveled together?" Bellethiel sighed heavily and did not face the healer.
"I am here, doing my job." She answered flatly. "But if you must know, it still hurts!" She gripped her chest. Elrond sympathetically patted her shoulder.
"You must truly find fulfillment then in your new commission or else you would not be here." He remarked.
"Duty calls, no matter what." Bellethiel said in a business tone. "But, you are right, serving under my king means a great deal to me. It is the only thing good in my life now, and the only way I have to cope. I swore I would look after our princess, and I will whatever it takes."
"A very noble strength."
"If I can be used to lighten the burden of another, especially now that I know personally, and very deeply how hurtful life can be, then I have found my purpose." Bellethiel said wistfully, but with tears.
"Thranduil was right to choose you as captain of his army." Elrond smiled encouragingly.
Legolas came to Alasse's side and sat down next to her. "Do you ache, sister?" He asked, noticing that she was hugging herself.
"You don't have to worry about it, Legolas. I am afraid that I shall feel this way until we find Aragorn. But trust me, it is bearable for now." Alasse assured him.
"I don't like seeing you this way." Legolas groaned.
"And I did not like seeing Aragorn being held captive, and beaten." Alasse cringed. "Oh, Legolas, where could he be? It's not like him to just leave without letting his friends at least know that he will be alright!"
"I do not know, my dear sister." Legolas gripped her hand. "How I wish I did!"
"What if we are too late, to save him? From whatever ill fate has befallen him?" Alasse looked up worriedly into Legolas's eyes, taking him right back to when she was very little and afraid of thunderstorms.
"Muinthel, we cannot allow ourselves to think like that." He said.