"Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,"
The procession went on until late afternoon when Legolas decided they would make camp for the night. They were on the edge of a forest, with a tiny cave cut into the side of the mountains. There was a stream close by, so they would have fresh water. The refugees from Rohan were treated for their injuries while the prisoners were heavily guarded. "How are they faring, Sir?" Tatsu asked Elrond as he made his way through the new patients.
"These poor people have been starving for nearly a week." Elrond said gruffly. "Mostly dehydration, some cuts and bruises. But some have sustained lashes. Including the children." Elrond scowled.
"The poor things!" Tatsu gasped. "What kind of animal would do such a thing?"
"Someone with no heart." Elrond hissed. "They need good food, warm blankets and clothing. Most of all, they need rest." Both elves noticed that Gimli was assisting injured men and telling the people stories of his adventures, mostly exaggerated. Bellethiel was showing some of the stronger children the horses, as they missed the steeds from their home. Pippin was trying to teach some of them games he'd learned from the Shire. Some of the children stared at him in curiosity. They'd never seen a hobbit before, and couldn't grasp exactly what kind of creature he was. Alasse and some of the other elves and men were handing out food, weapons, and blankets, even to the prisoners, minus the weapons part! Legolas was patrolling around, overseeing everything.
"Any serious injuries or illnesses, Lord Elrond?" He asked.
"Nothing that will not heal, Legolas." Elrond said with relief.
"Well met." Legolas approved.
The guards were on the alert, but Legolas had taken the next night watch. He felt a familiar presence seek him out. "Everything appears quiet, muinthel." He said softly. Alasse stepped next to him.
"Legolas," She hung her head. "This...this Bonwe scoundrel, whoever he is...one thing is certain." She looked up at Legolas anxiously. "He wants Aragorn gone!" Legolas nodded dismally. How could Aragorn have possibly gotten into this mess? It didn't make any sense. And his stomach knotted to picture Aragorn being tortured. And for what?
"If only we knew where he came from, who he really is." He added. "Do you suspect he has abducted Aragorn, to take the throne for himself?"
"Or for someone else, someone he obviously believes can run things better. Either he is the culprit, or the people he works for are." Alasse gulped. "It all fits, even though we haven't had the chance to check Estel's quarters yet." Her stomach was aching worse than it had been since they began this journey, when Legolas's arrival confirmed her vision. She gingerly rubbed her middle as she thought of Aragorn. She wanted to run to him, look on him, see him alive and well, and make sure he was alright.
"I'm afraid that is our best guess. It's all we have to go on." Legolas stated. "Wherever he is, I pray he is..." Legolas was about to say 'alright', until he remembered Alasse's vision, "alive."
"Me too." Alasse leaned her head on his shoulder. "I pray his people are not being enslaved as these poor families were!"
"If Gandalf is still in Minas Tirith, he would never let that happen! Yet...I fear the circumstances around Aragorn's disappearance may be more serious than we anticipated." Legolas said. He gripped her hand. "We'll figure this out." He promised.
"Mmm." She sadly smiled. She knew he was just as worried as she was. He noticed her slightly rigid posture.
"Are you alright?" He asked with concern.
"I haven't stopped hurting since the day you came back. It is a little stronger than it was then, but I believe that is because we are slowly putting the pieces together. I don't know." Alasse sighed sadly, leaning her head on him again. Legolas protectively wrapped his arms around her. Wherever Aragorn was, Legolas prayed he was faring better than Alasse had visualized!
Elrond had overheard everything, but what could he offer to the conversation? Nothing! Nothing that would change their dilemma. Great Eru, watch over my son Estel! He prayed. I cannot be with him, but I beg of You to preserve his life!
The long night passed without danger. Some of the prisoners had been protesting that this was so unfair, and uncalled for. While there were others were intimidated by the elves and their warriors and were afraid to complain, so they kept their mouths shut.
The next three days were the same, traveling, resting, tending the sick, keeping a sharp eye on everyone, and scouting for danger. So far, they'd had pretty good luck. If it could just hold, they might just be able to safely escort the people to Rohan quicker than they thought!
It was an hour past midnight of the fourth night. One of the wood elves was taking the night watch. He heard a low movement behind him. "My lady, where are you off to?" He asked curiously, and a little worriedly.
"I'm...just going to fetch some more water." Alasse said, holding a bucket.
"At this hour, alone, for all these people?" The soldier asked skeptically.
"Nay. It's for...one of the families." Alasse said.
"Let me accompany you."
"No, no. It's alright. The stream is very close by. If I need help, I will signal you." Alasse smiled feebly. "Besides, we have more than enough men here to rise up should any trouble come. I...won't be long." Alasse assured him.
"If something goes wrong, you shout for help, Your Highness. I mean that!"
"Thank you." Alasse smiled and turned on her heel. When she was sure he couldn't see her face, she grimaced tightly.
Fifteen minutes later, she had not returned from the stream. The elf guard grew worried, so he went to wake up Legolas. "Hir nin?" He spoke quietly, shaking Legolas's shoulder. Legolas sprawled onto his back, stretching. He rubbed his eyes and looked up.
"Ferowian, what is it? What's wrong?" He asked urgently.
"It's the princess, my lord."
"Alasse! What? What's wrong?" Legolas instantly sat up. If anything had happened to his little sister while he'd been dozing off...
"She went down to the stream, to fetch some more water she said. But that was fifteen minutes ago. She said she would not be long. She should've been back by now."
"Thank you, Ferowian. Wake up Lord Elrond, will you?" Legolas rose to his feet and sidled over to Alasse's bedroll. It wasn't packed up, so she wasn't sneaking off on her own. And her weapons were absent, so she must have been telling the truth. But, why wasn't she back?
"Legolas, what is going on?" Elrond inquired as he came beside him.
"Alasse hasn't returned from the creek. She said she'd be right back. I'm going down there to look. Will you come with me?" Legolas asked anxiously, hoping he didn't appear as worried as he felt.
"Of course." Elrond nodded.
"Shall I accompany you, my lord?" Ferowian offered.
"Thank you, but stand by, in case we do need your help." Legolas nodded to him.
The small creek was very close by, and the two elves heard no indication of intruders or predators. What they did hear was gasping and whimpering. They cantered quickly to the water. On the bank, lay Alasse. She was curled in a fetal position, writhing. "Alasse!" Legolas gasped, rushing over. "Alasse? Muinthel nin, what is wrong?" Legolas asked in dismay as he knelt next to her.
"I...it's...Leg...it's...Ara..." Alasse cried between shaky breaths.
"Have you been attacked?" Elrond panted, stooping next to her. Alasse shook her head, crouching into herself even tighter, crying and gasping hard. Elrond frowned worriedly then it dawned on him. "Is it your scar again, child?" He asked softly.
"Yes!" Alasse replied quickly, looking up hurtfully at Elrond. "Please help me!" She begged him.
"I will try, my dear." Elrond said sympathetically. He had not been present when Alasse had had her first vision of Aragorn's dire situation. Although Thranduil had described the ugly details to him, Elrond had still not seen firsthand just how severe these attacks were, not since the night in Gondor. With Legolas's help, Elrond slowly shifted Alasse onto her back. But she kept thrashing around. "Try to be still, child." Elrond told her, touching her wrist.
"I can't! It's too..." Alasse cried. Legolas held her head and gripped her shoulder, holding her down and rubbing her arm.
"Darling, please t-try." Legolas told her, his voice quivering. He was shaken at what he was witnessing, as if some invisible enemy was attacking his little sister and he couldn't see where it was or what it looked like so he could get it off of her. He didn't know what to do at all. He hated that feeling with a fiery passion. "Ohh, Alasse." He moaned softly, wishing he could do something, anything to help her feel better. He looked up helplessly at Elrond, appearing as lost as a frightened little elfling.
"Alasse, try to breathe." Elrond told her, gripping her wrist and pressing his other hand on her chest to calm her. Her felt her heart racing erratically. They had to get that under control quickly! "Come on, breathe with me." He said. Alasse wouldn't open her eyes to focus on him. They were scrunched tightly shut.
"Not again." She shook her head back and forth. Elrond grasped both her hands tightly.
"Alasse, look at me." He said. She fluttered her eyes open and looked up at him, but she tried to pull back from him. He held her hands even tighter. "No, no. You have to remain still."
"That...makes it worse!" How Alasse wished Thranduil was here! He'd been with her during every time this had happened before, and he knew where it came from and how difficult it had been on her. She missed him so badly right now! Maybe he had been just as scared as she was when it occurred, but still he had been her anchor through it, making her feel protected and just being at her side until it was over. He knew what it was like when she had an episode like this, and she wished he was here to help her through it. She wanted her daddy.
"Make it stop! Please, just make it stop!" Alasse implored Elrond. He strengthened his grip.
"Can't you help her?!" Legolas blurted helplessly, tears in his eyes. He hated seeing his baby sister like this, and feeling like he couldn't protect her from it. That was his job, but this...
"I am trying, penneth!" Elrond answered. He scooted closer on the ground to Alasse till he was sitting directly above her. He slightly pulled her forward, closer to himself. "Alasse, look at me, child!" He commanded. She obeyed with wide, frightened eyes. "Good. Now follow my breathing. Come on."
"I can't!" Alasse protested, squirming and unable to keep her body from thrashing. The indescribable pain was too much. Her abdomen hurt worse than heck, just as badly as the day the Orcs had attacked Mirkwood. Why was this happening again? Was Aragorn in worse trouble? Was he...being murdered at this very moment? Why? Alasse's guts felt like a bloody war inside her all their own. "Hurts...too much." She whimpered. Tears were in her eyes now. Legolas softly stroked her face.
"Legolas, hold down her ankles." Elrond said firmly. Legolas froze and gaped at him. "Now!" Elrond ordered. Legolas flinched and crawling to Alasse's legs, he firmly kept her ankles still on the ground. Legolas despised himself for doing it as it only seemed to make her more agitated. Her upper body jerked violently back and forth and she tried to slip her hands from Elrond's grasp. It wasn't that she wanted to refuse his comforting touch. But lying prone was more painful than moving around. "Alasse, stop! Stop fighting me! Lie still." Elrond told her sternly, his hold on her hands never breaking. "Don't fight against me, little one!"
"It's too...painful!" She cried desperately, hoping he'd show her some mercy. Her breathing was rapid and she couldn't seem to calm herself, even if she tried. "Oh, Valar! Please make it stop!" She cried out in an anguished voice.
"Legolas, you're going to have to keep her down." Elrond instructed. Legolas released her ankles, then he pressed down hard on her shoulders. Her legs flailed in protest, but at least her torso was firmly planted on the ground now. "Good, Legolas." Elrond approved. This was what he needed.
"Legolas...let me go...please!" Alasse begged her brother.
"I'm sorry, Tithen muinthel. I can't do that." Legolas said mournfully, his eyes glistening with tears.
"Please...it hurts so much." Alasse looked up painfully at him, as if he had betrayed her. Elrond held both her hands in his left, and with his right he rested his palm on her stomach, right over the scar. He chanted a healing spell in fierce vocal tones. Alasse wept and moaned pitifully.
"I'm sorry, sister." Legolas said defeatedly. It was all he could do to offer comfort. "Forgive me."
"Alasse, what do you see?" Elrond asked slowly, trying to divert her focus to the source of the pain instead of the pain itself. "Can you tell us what is happening in your mind right now?"
"Aragorn..." Alasse answered in a strangled voice. "He...he's...beaten...people...he betrayed...they think...betray...them. He...he's...trapped." Legolas cringed. He felt sick to his stomach about all of this. His dear friend Aragorn! How was it possible this was happening?
"Can you see where he is, child?" Elrond asked, trying to find out what he could before the vision left her. Alasse's breathing very slowly started to be less manic as she started to try to focus.
"It's...dark." She replied, still shaking. "Very dark. He's...chained up."
"Okay. Now, Alasse? I'm going to tell you again. Breathe with me." Elrond told her, more gently this time. He gingerly felt around on her stomach, checking for any injuries do to her hysterical thrashing. But the touch was so subtle she didn't notice it. This time, she made an effort to regain control of her breathing.
"Good, Alasse." Legolas spoke encouragingly. "You'll be alright, sister." He was beyond relieved that she was finally at least trying to settle down.
"That's it, Alasse. Good. Good." Elrond smiled, relieved she was gradually becoming calmer though still shaken up, and obviously still hurting. "Yes, that's right. Good. Keep breathing with me." Legolas let go of her, but he stroked her hair so she wouldn't feel alone.
As Alasse followed the healer's commands and she trembled less and less, she suddenly felt completely drained emotionally and physically. When she'd finally started breathing normally again, she closed her eyes and passed out in Legolas's lap. "The poor thing's exhausted." Elrond sighed. Legolas leaned down and kissed her head. Elrond unclasped her tunic and lifted her shirt so he could examine the scar below her ribs. Once again, it was raw, red, and throbbing. There was no blood, but every inch of flesh that had been stricken by that Orc spear was freshly reappearing. Legolas stared at the wound, horrified.
"What...what was that?" He asked shakily, beginning to tremble himself. He protectively hugged Alasse tighter to himself.
"The fatal blow that killed her before, penneth." Elrond said grimly.
"But...but it was supposed to be healed! You can't take it away?" Legolas asked tearfully. He would give anything to bear this if he could instead of her.
"No, young one." Elrond gazed at him sadly. "I tried. But while it fades, this scar remains. Why, I do not know. And I cannot explain this phenomenon either."
"Why?" Legolas looked up painfully at the sky. "Why? It's not fair."
"No, it is not." Elrond said. "I'm sorry." He kept his hands gently on the scar and whispered a spell over it as he poured a little of his strength into her body. Alasse did not flinch at the professional touch or jerk away.
"Will she be alright, Sir?" Legolas asked sadly.
"For now, yes." Elrond sighed. "We will let her rest."
"I...I've never seen her like that before. That was dreadful!" Legolas shuddered, still shivering.
"I know, Legolas." Elrond smiled sympathetically, stroking the younger elf's shoulder. "Thankfully, it hardly ever happens. Thranduil told me of how awful it was, but this was my first time really witnessing it for the first time. Thranduil's description was not exaggerated."
"So, you believe the vision to be true?" Legolas asked anxiously.
"We have to." Elrond groaned. "And with you calling for aid to search for Estel, and his vanishing...yes, I do believe it."
"Oh, Eru, what is happening?" Legolas wailed. "Aragorn...kidnapped? Sold? Betrayed? What in Arda's name is going on? And why?"
"I do not know, elfling." Elrond hung his head, fighting the urge to cry himself. "I just do not know!" He turned his attention back to his patient who was not conscious of his gentle ministrations. He carefully closed her clothes back up. "We must get her back to camp."
"I'll take her." Legolas said. He gently picked up and carried Alasse in his arms, bridal-style and it took him back to the endless times he'd done so with her as an elfling, when she'd been hurt or scared and had ran to his bed for refuge then he'd carry her back to her own room once she was peacefully sleeping. "I'm watching over you, Tithen muinthel." He murmured in her ear.
Ferowian gasped when he saw Legolas carrying the princess. "My lord! What has happened?" He sputtered. "Is she injured?"
"No, Ferowian." Legolas shook his head. That was true. She wasn't injured, in the normal sense of the word. "She just...worrying about King Elessar has been rough on her, and she needed some time away from everyone to release her worries."
"I see." The guard bowed. "Is there anything I can do?"
"You already have." Legolas smiled. "Thank you, mellon." He carried then gently tucked Alasse back into her bedroll, but shifted her so that she was in his lap.
"You need rest for the journey tomorrow." Elrond told him. "Sleep, Legolas. I'll look after your sister."
"No." Legolas shook his head glumly. "Are you sure moving on is wise? Will it not make her worse?"
"No, Legolas, it won't. This is not stress from the trek. It is much deeper, and beyond my understanding. Similar to your father's dragon fire scars, yet different."
"I had no idea. They kept telling me about it, but I didn't understand it. Until now." Legolas hung his head shamefully. "My poor Tithen muinthel. I wish I could go through it for her!"
"We all feel that way when we see someone we love suffer." Elrond murmured, sitting down next to them. "It's not pretty."
"What does this mean for Aragorn, Lord Elrond?" Legolas asked directly, his voice laced with more dread than he wanted to admit. Elrond gazed at him pensively.
"I do not know exactly. But, my heart tells me that it is nothing good! Not if Alasse is afflicted so severely when she gets these premonitions. All we can do is pray and reached Minas Tirith with all possible speed! I pray we are not too late!"
"Ai!" Legolas nodded. He stared down at Alasse, who seemed to sleeping peacefully. He tenderly stroked her hair and held her closely.
Alasse woke as the first rays of morning danced over them. She slowly opened her eyes to find Legolas leaning across her legs, his hands gripping hers. He was asleep. Alasse tried to shift her legs out and he stirred. "I'm here." He said, coming closer to her. She gazed at him thoughtfully. They both sadly smiled at each other, knowing that the worry in their hearts was shared, and also knowing that they would fight it together.