Okay, first, my Hobbit fanfic More Than Life is a completely separate story from this one, even though it includes Alasse.
Newsflash, everybody: I finally figured out why Alasse's wound has not fully healed and appears to be relapsing. Number one, it's fantasy. And the real reason? No spoilers! You MUST keep reading! This chapter is very important! Went down a little more drastic than I originally intended, but I hope it fits, seeing as Aragorn is in love with an immortal being, whom he brought back to life!
Will they find Aragorn? Reviews! Pretty please!
Alasse finally visited Eowyn who was heavy with child, but positively radiant with happiness, save for her worry for their dear friend and king. Alasse tried to distract herself from her scar's discomfort by showing Tatsu her maid around the beautiful White City, but her mind was far from the massive fortress and with its leader who should've been here to greet her. Observing the happy children running around free in the streets reminded Bellethiel of little Ruby from Rohan. She prayed for the dear child all the time. She promised herself that she would pay a visit to her again.
By evening, Tatsu sought out her king. "My lord Thranduil?" She curtsied.
"Tatsu." Thranduil nodded.
"My lord, I do not wish to worry you, but my princess appears weary." Tatsu explained cautiously. "She is actually pale, and perspiring, and is tense. Now, I understand she is deeply fearful for that sweet man that has captured her heart, but her physical signs of distress are concerning me." Thranduil stood.
"Thank you. Where is she?"
"Last she told me she was going to speak with Prince Legolas." Tatsu answered. Thranduil brushed passed her and marched out of his guest room.
"So, we are agreed then?" Legolas spoke, leaning over a table with his palms flat.
"Ai." Faramir nodded.
"We leave at first light." Legolas nodded.
"I suggest we all get a good-night's sleep." Elrond spoke up. Everyone agreed.
Legolas ran into his sister in one of the corridors. "I was just coming to find you." She said lowly. "Please tell me you have a plan!"
"It is not much to go by, but it is a plan." Legolas sighed, walking beside her. "Faramir and Pippin must stay here and keep the peace in Aragorn's absence, but Gimli, Elrond, and I shall venture to Harad, to the sections that still deal in...in..."
"Slave trading." Alasse muttered, her heart clenching at the thought of Aragorn being poked and bartered for as if he was an animal!
"Yes. We shall not rest until we find Aragorn, sister! Or at least what has become of him." Legolas assured her.
"But what if you're wrong? What if he has been taken to a completely different region of Middle Earth? What if..." Alasse sputtered. Legolas gripped her shoulder.
"We must trust our instincts, and not lose faith in the Valar." Legolas said solemnly. Alasse gazed into his eyes, and she could easily see the hidden doubt and fear her big brother was trying so hard to keep buried. She knew this was so hard for him too. Aragorn was his true gwador! How Legolas had managed to stay so level-headed all these tense weeks was unbelievable! Another trait she had admired and found heroic in her brother since childhood.
"Some of my men and the soldiers of Gondor along with Merry will make inquiries in nearby settlements." Legolas explained.
"What am I to do, Legolas?" Alasse asked, tears filling her eyes. "I have to do something!" Legolas placed his hands on her shoulders.
"You are to stay here and regain your strength." He told her. Alasse's eyes widened.
"You mean...I am not to come with you?" She whimpered, almost sobbing. They'd been together for the passed century, hunting, protecting, fighting, looking out for each other! And she had sorely missed it, more that words could express, when she'd returned to her father's halls. Legolas couldn't be serious!
"Oh, do not despair, love!" Legolas said kindly, his sad face betraying his personal struggle. His big brother heart broke at how crestfallen she appeared. He hated leaving her behind, after how much they had done together. "It is for your health that I fear! You have been succumbing to your wound more and more, ever since we arrived in Minas Tirith. I am very worried about you! You must stay here, and heal where you will have people to tend you, not in the wild, far away from civilization."
"Legolas..." Alasse bit her lip, "After being with Ada for nearly a year, without you, I had hoped and prayed we wouldn't be separated again! Please. I need to be with you!"
"Darling," Legolas tilted her chin with his hand, "if it was not for the unanswerable pain you are going through, I would let you come with me without a moment's hesitation! But I cannot. This once, I cannot in good conscience bring you with me. Please try to understand, darling." He brushed some hair from her tear-filled face.
"Legolas, I will lose it if I am forced to stay here! I have to be there when you find Aragorn."
"And he would be grief-stricken if he knew what you had done, in your state, to find him. Please, dearest Tithen muinthel, I am only asking this once, stay here." Legolas pleaded.
"Legolas..." Alasse was sobbing now, her frame shaking. She couldn't meet his eyes. Legolas choked down hard and wrapped her safely in his arms. He hated doing this to her, but it was for her own good. He couldn't bear the thought of her having another one of those horrible attacks under his charge, when he didn't even know what caused them, or how to comfort her through them! In a way, he was trying to protect himself, his sense of sanity as much as her own safety.
"We WILL find him and bring him back to you, darling. I swear by life or pain of death, I WILL! Please trust me on this." Legolas whispered in her ear sadly. He cupped her small face, making her face him. "Do I not have you trust?" He asked.
The words and that devastated look on his face was too much to bear. It hurt, like jagged knives stabbing her heart. "You have my trust, Legolas!" She wailed, hiding her face in his chest, weeping painfully. Legolas kissed her head and slowly glanced ahead. There, he saw his father standing there, stunned.
Thranduil did not know how to proceed. He had not expected Legolas to make such a decision. Thranduil wanted nothing more than to take both of his sad elflings in his strong arms and hug the life out of them! He almost did, but chose not to. This was a moment between brother and sister that needed to happen. Thranduil was now beginning to truly understand just how much Legolas and his sister really had missed each other, and needed each other while she'd been in the Woodland Realm. And to think he'd planned on forcing her to stay, away from her own brother when their bond was so deep covered him with shame. He had been cruel to attempt such a thing! All he'd wanted was to keep his baby girl safe. But he hadn't taken into account how much it would effect the relationship between her and Legolas! What a fool he'd been.
Legolas finally drew back a little. "I will say goodbye before we depart. You have my word." He whispered. Alasse backed away from him, her face red. Legolas threw her a pitying look then turned and walked down the hall. Alasse shook her head, her hand on her chest, still weeping. She had to be the one to see Aragorn when he was found! She didn't think she could bear staying behind, when she should be with them!
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Thranduil stepped up behind her and lovingly placed his arms around her, holding her closely, kissing her hair. He understood her feelings, to do whatever in Middle Earth it would take to save her true love! He also understood Legolas's reasoning and was proud of his son for making the right choice, even though it had hurt so. He had no words of comfort. All he could manage was to hold his baby girl close. Alasse couldn't speak. She hid her face in his bicep.
Early the next morning, Legolas hurried to Elrond's room. He knocked softly. "Enter." Was the elf lord's tired voice. Legolas opened the door, and found the healer staring out the window. He could see by the red-rimmed eyes and heavily hanging shoulders that Elrond had not slept at all during the night.
"Sir?" Legolas prodded gently as he marched closer.
"We are not heading to Harad, Legolas." Elrond said dryly. Legolas froze and blinked.
"W-what? Sir?" He sputtered. Elrond faced the elfling, his determined, hard expression leaving no place for argument.
"We have been misled. I have finally foreseen it, and the Lady Galadriel spoke to me last night." Elrond explained. "Harad is a red herring, what the enemy wants us to believe. Legolas, we must remain here and search for Aragorn! I have seen the truth in her words with my own eyes. Were we to travel to Harad, it would be a precious waste of time that we cannot afford to forfeit! Aragorn will die before we have realized our mistake, and by the time we have returned, it will be too late. We stay here, and search, 'deep, down below'."
Legolas was flabbergasted. What did all this mean? Was Aragorn closer within their grasp than they had imagined? Was it possible? He was both relieved, confused, excited, and worried. Was it not too late to save his friend?
"Did the Lady elaborate on 'deep, down below', Sir?" He finally spoke.
"No. That is up to us to solve."
Legolas raced back and summoned Faramir, Gimli, Gandalf, and the hobbits to the great hall. "We must take Elrond's word that this is NO farce!" He insisted. "It is possible we may be able to find Estel that much sooner, if we can solve the riddle of 'deep, down below'!"
"I do not like the sound of that particular riddle." Pippin gulped, remembering the mines of Moria, the bridge at Kahzahd-Dum, and King Thranduil's halls, how deep, dangerous, and so dark they were!
"Legolas? This is true?" Thranduil asked as he appeared with Alasse. Her eyes lit up with hope as she gazed at her brother.
"Elrond says Estel is not in Harad. We are to search here for him, if we hope to ever find him alive!" Legolas answered. "There is still hope! We may have a chance yet."
"Aah!" Alasse cried suddenly, doubling over and clutching her stomach hard. She started to lose her footing, gasping. Thranduil glanced down at her and alarmed, he firmly held her up by her arms.
"Alasse?" He spoke anxiously. She clung shakily to him. "Iell-nin, is it your..."
"Y-yes, Ada!" Alasse nodded quickly, helplessly. "It's...happening again. T-take me to my room, p-p-please!" She begged. "Hurry!"
"Come on." Thranduil agreed, leading her away. "Someone get Elrond!" He barked. As they reached the main corridor, Alasse dropped to her knees, breathing heavily.
"A-A-Ada!" She cried harshly in a strangled voice. Thranduil paled greatly and hovered over her.
"Alasse, come on. Let me take you to bed!" He told her anxiously. "Come on! I've got you."
"I-I-I cannot move!" Alasse wailed in panic, her limbs rigid and her torso shaking. "I can't walk, Ada! It hurts too much! The pain...is too great..." Thranduil quickly slipped his hands under her small, quivering body and fiercely marched up to her room. He carefully set her on the bed while she clung to him with white knuckles.
"Shh. I'm here, my love." He tried to speak calmly, tears filling his blue eyes. "Please don't cry, Tithen iel. Elrond is coming." Alasse looked up at him tearfully, still struggling for steady breath. Thranduil's heart constricted seeing the stricken look on her face.
"Ohhh, Ada…" She faced him desperately. "Ada...help me!"
When Elrond and Legolas burst into the room, Alasse was lying on the bed writhing in a fetal position. Thranduil was holding her hand, and stroking her face. Not only was she writhing, she was crying. Thranduil was trying to be strong for her, but he was crying too. "Elrond, help her! You've got to do something this time! You must!" Thranduil begged, his great form trembling with terror. Faramir, Gimli, and the hobbits all watched from outside the door, gaping with horror.
Elrond sat on the bed and gripped Alasse's tense arms. "Alasse? Can you hear me?" He asked firmly. Alasse moaned and panted, sweat pouring down her face, and white hot pain ripping through her, stealing her breath. "Alasse, I'm trying to help you!" Elrond spoke louder, trying to get her attention. Legolas flinched from his stern tone. Alasse helplessly looked up at the kind healer.
"L...Elrond...help me...take it away..." She pleaded between ragged breaths. Elrond carefully helped her onto her back. She instinctively tried to roll away from him but he gripped her arms and kept her firmly in place. Alasse thrashed underneath him, the pain was too much. This was worse than all the other times combined! And lying flat on her back made it worse! "Please, let me go!" She whimpered desperately to Elrond.
"I cannot, Alasse." Elrond shook his head sadly. She wailed and then started screaming.
"Help me, please! Somebody help me! Please make it stop!" She pleaded in agony.
"Elrond, do something!" Thranduil demanded with misty eyes. He was shaken to the core. "PLEASE! Do something!" At that moment, Gandalf entered and hurried to the bedside, hoping he could help. Legolas looked at him with pure fright, praying the wizard could ease his sister's unbearable suffering!
Thranduil staggered backwards and fled the room. He could NOT live through this again! Not again! He clutched his chest as he stumbled down the hall, tears blinding his eyes. He nearly ran over Tatsu who caught him by the arms, along with Bellethiel. "My lord Thranduil!" They both gasped. Pippin, Merry, and Faramir caught up to them and tried to help keep the king upright on his feet, but he collapsed in a faint.
"Alasse, look at me. Look at me!" Elrond commanded, gripping her chin to force her to face him. Alasse gazed at him as if she'd been slapped. Tears poured down her face and she could not catch her breath. "Alasse, breathe with me, child. You must! Come on, breathe." Elrond told her. Alasse tried, she tried, but the throbbing, searing, stabbing pain in her middle extinguished her strength to do so.
"I...I c-ca...I ca..." She gasped hoarsely. Her body screamed in agony. How could her being feel as if she was thrown into a forger's fire when there was no fire? How could her gut feel pierced when there was no blade to slash it? Why was this happening? WHY?!
Naneth! Oh, Naneth, please no more! I can't bear it! Just take me away with you. Please, please take me away with you! Make it all end! Alasse's mind cried out. Gandalf, as well as Elrond, could hear her pleas inside her mind and the healer gazed down at her heartbroken.
"Oh, little one, you must not give into the pain!" He sadly pleaded in Elvish as he entered her thoughts. "Do not let it take you away. You are strong, you're not alone. Do not give up!"
"I cannot! The pain...too great...Arag..."
"What is it this time? What are you seeing?" Elrond spoke aloud, hoping to focus her distressed mind on something else.
"Ara...Aragorn..." Alasse sputtered between ragged gasps. "H-h-he..."
Poor Legolas shuddered, anxiously running his hands through his silky hair, and pacing restlessly back and forth with tears in his eyes. He didn't know what to do! He'd prayed he'd never have to witness this again. His little sister was suffering, he didn't know how to help her, and it also meant that somewhere that only Eru Himself knew, Aragorn was also suffering immensely in horrible pain!
Alasse was gagging, struggling to breathe. She was sweating and crying like a woman in labor. Elrond rubbed her chest with his hands as he and Gandalf both heard her thoughts:
They could see Aragorn in that horrid dungeon she had described so often. He was still chained and dreadfully thin. Merlyn was beating him scornfully with punches and kicks. Aragorn's lithe framed flinched under the brutal touches, and he sagged against the wall to the floor, his skinny wrists just barely held up by the shackles. Then Merlyn drew Aragorn's own sword! He taunted him with words of mockery, then thrust the blade straight through Aragorn's heart, pinning him to the wall!
Elrond let out a breath of pain, struggling to keep focus. "Elrond!" Gandalf cried.
"I'm fine..." Elrond shook his head.
"No, look!" Legolas pointed out. Underneath his own hands, Elrond looked down and saw that Alasse's middle was red-stained! He quickly but carefully undid her bodice and pushed up her shirt. Legolas dropped to his knees. Alasse's scar was bleeding! It was not pouring out blood as when she had first received the lethal blow, but nonetheless, her scar was showing blood. Elrond pressed his hands firmly onto her stomach, trying to stop the bleeding, while Gandalf hovered his hand over her face and quietly, firmly chanted a spell over her. The bleeding slowed and Alasse's breathing became less ragged.
Then her head fell back and her eyes closed shut. "Alasse!" Legolas cried. "No, no! No, no, no, no! Not again...not again...please, please, Valar, not again! Elrond!" Elrond placed his hand on her chest and quietly listened.
"Don't despair, my friend. She is still with us." Elrond told Legolas who was trembling profusely. "The poor child's utterly spent. She needs lots of rest."
"Ohhh..." Legolas choked, his tense body slacking with relief. He came to the bed and cradled Alasse's head in his arms. Gandalf handed Elrond a cloth, which he used to wash the blood away.
"Will...will she be alright, Sir?" Legolas squeaked, shaken too dreadfully for words.
"I hope so, Legolas. I have never seen her scar act this way since she recovered." Elrond replied.
"What in Valar's name is causing this?" Legolas wailed.
"Legolas, when we entered her mind, we saw Aragorn at the hands of his captor...beaten, and then murdered." Gandalf explained. Legolas's red eyes widened with horror.
"Aragorn? Murdered?" He choked.
"We still have a chance, Legolas!" Gandalf encouraged him. "It may be a vision of a future day. Perhaps it has not occurred yet! We must hold to that."
"Legolas, go see to your father. I will look after Alasse." Elrond instructed firmly. Legolas didn't want to leave her, but he obeyed. Thranduil needed to know that Alasse was still breathing! As soon as Legolas was out of the room, Elrond pressed his hands closer into Alasse's abdomen and fervently chanted a powerful healing spell, praying that at last, this one would heal her wound, once and for all. Gandalf remained by his side. Elrond prayed and fought with all his heart. When he was finished and saw that the wound remained, he bandaged it and covered the young elleth up. "We wait." He said.
"Lord Elrond, Sir?" Sam spoke up timidly. "Sorry to bother you, b-but, the king...he...I think he's fainted!" Elrond stood up while Gandalf stayed with Alasse.
Thranduil was carried to his room. Legolas and Elrond watched him till he came to. He found himself on his bed. "Alasse!" He gasped, sitting up.
"Easy, my friend." Elrond told him.
"Elrond! Is...is she..."
"I'm here, Ada. And Alasse is still with us." Legolas spoke, touching his shoulder. Thranduil gazed at his son in disbelief.
"H-h-how is she?"
"Still unconscious. But she's alive!" Legolas smiled sadly.
"Take me to her!"
Legolas walked with his father to his sister's bedside. Gandalf walked out to give them some privacy. Thranduil sat on the bed, caressing Alasse's face. She was pale, but still breathing!
Thranduil gazed sorrowfully down at her, sleeping beside his legs. Was there no mercy? What in Eru's name could the Valar possibly have for forcing his little girl to suffer like this? Legolas gripped his father's arm.
"How is Miss Alasse?" Sam asked Gandalf.
"Weary, I'm afraid." Gandalf sighed. "But she is alive, so cheer up, lads! She needs some rest. And we have a king to save, now don't we?"
Merry and some of the Gondorian soldiers left the city to question citizens in other settlements nearby, if they'd seen two strangers, one 'wounded', and the other by the name of Merlyn or Bonwe. Pippin and Faramir went to address the people of the city that they had great hope that soon their king would be found! Sam and Frodo remained in the citadel, trying to comfort Legolas.
For the next three days, Alasse did not wake. She was still alive, but was in a coma. Thranduil was so shaken that he did not speak, nor leave her side for any reason. Legolas w as running back and forth, trying to gather information and checking on his family. He pleaded to the Valar to not put his sister or father through this again!
And her wound bled freely. Elrond frequently checked her scar, always to find the bandages with a bit of red stain on them. Thranduil was a shell. He didn't move, except to stroke his daughter's face, arm, or hair. Elrond and Gandalf tried everything in their power to wake her, and heal her wound, but nothing stopped it.
"She is dying, Elrond." Gandalf said sadly when they were alone. "The poor child is fading."
"He was the one to bring her back, when even I could not." Elrond murmured dejectedly. "He is her only hope! If he is still alive. Only Aragorn can save her now."
Please don't hate me! You have to keep reading!
