Gandalf found Thranduil standing outside on a balcony overlooking the city. Thranduil felt his presence, and taking a great breath, he prepared himself for what he assumed the wizard was going to tell him. "Are you alright, my friend?" Gandalf asked as he stood beside him.

"No." Thranduil answered lowly.

"All hope is not lost. She wants to see you." Gandalf smiled encouragingly at him. Thranduil stared at him, confused. Gandalf nodded. Thranduil hurried to his daughter's room.


Alasse was still lying in bed and there were still tears in her eyes. She glanced toward the door when she saw her father. "Ada." She smiled, reaching out her arm. Thranduil approached slowly and took her hand. "I'm sorry that I gave you a scare, again." Alasse murmured. She felt so badly for Thranduil. He'd been through so much. How he was standing beside her so composed right now blew her mind away! Thranduil tried to smile, but squared his shoulders instead. "Ada, please sit with me." Alasse told him. He sat down on the bed, not letting go of her hand. "Ada? First I want you to know that, in spite of everything, our differences and all, I love you. I love you so much!" She gripped both of his hands with hers and realized to her alarm that his normally strong, impenetrable hands were shaking!

"I..." Thranduil swallowed hard. He was absolutely sure she was trying to say goodbye, that he had to let her go, forever this time. His heart couldn't take it. He felt it withering inside him.

"Ada, you're shaking!" Alasse cried, struggling to sit up.

"No. I'm alright." Thranduil shrugged it off. Alasse grimaced at the pain on her stomach, but she sat up in the pillows in a reclining position.

"Ada, it's okay. I'm still here." She told him.

"I know." Thranduil sighed. Alasse shook her head and grabbed his chin, making him face her. So much like Calathiel. That was what her mother used to do when she was trying to really get Thranduil's attention, especially when he was being stubborn or was depressed.

"Ada, listen to me!"

"I am listening." Thranduil said.

"I am still here! You haven't lost me." Alasse wept, not sure how much stronger she could explain it to him. "You've been through so much. Lost so much. But there is also life. Legolas and I are still alive, and we still have you. Not many have that, especially after the War of the Ring. We're blessed, Ada."

"I know that."

Alasse winced. "Ada, I am so sorry! For all the grief I've caused you. I never meant to."

"Don't you ever say that!" Thranduil told her severely, making her jump. "You or Legolas! Grief...iel nin, you and Legolas are the best parts of me. Do not ever doubt that." He said more gently.

Alasse looked down at her stomach and rubbed the area where it still pained her greatly. "Ada, we do not know how this may turn out." She said. "I don't even understand why it happened! But...there is something I must do! Ada, I have no right to ask this of you, but I do not know who else to turn to. Please, help me find Aragorn!" Thranduil gaped at her. He shouldn't have been surprised at her request, but he was! He was so sure she was going to tell him that she had to leave Middle Earth and go in peace to her mother. "If...you cannot find it in your heart to do it for me, please, do it for the rest of Middle Earth. The world needs him. Please, Ada. For their sake at least, help me find him."

"Alasse..." Thranduil teared up harder. He grabbed her to his chest and kissed her hair. "You know I will!" He sobbed. Alasse relaxed into his embrace. My precious, beautiful daughter...you're just like your mother. Just like her!

"Thank you, Ada." Alasse smiled tearfully. When he finally let her breathe, she reached her hand up and traced the left side of his face, where his dragon scar was hidden. She remembered all too well when she had been little and seeing the scar had scared her badly, to the point she had avoided him completely. "Does it still hurt?" She asked softly.

"No, my love. Not so much anymore." Thranduil finally smiled. He kissed her hand tenderly. "Now lie back. You need to regain your strength."

Legolas walked in. "Legolas." Alasse smiled warmly. Legolas stood there, unsure of how to respond. "Please come join us, brother." Legolas's lip trembled as he obeyed meekly. He gripped Alasse's hand. "What's wrong?" Alasse frowned.

"How are you feeling, sister?" Legolas cleared his throat.

"Better, I suppose." Alasse sighed. Legolas looked as if he was about to break down. He was sure he was about to say goodbye to his sister. "Hey, it's okay, gwuindor. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me, my dear brother!" Legolas's eyes widened. Relief flooded his body.

"Terrific. Gimli and I were enjoying the quiet from your prattle." He teased with happy tears.

"Hey!" Alasse growled happily. "You'd better be nice to me, brother. Or I'll let Ada punish you however he sees fit!"

"My apologies." Legolas quickly repented.

"Legolas, I'll be okay. Eventually." Alasse promised.

"Don't scare us like that again!" Legolas vented.

"I will try, Legolas. Believe me, I will try!" Alasse told him. He held her wrists and kissed her hands. "Any news?"

"No." Legolas shook his head. "But we are not giving up!"

"No, we are not." Thranduil added. Alasse smiled fondly, as she lay there with her father and her brother each at her side.


Pippin, Sam, Frodo, Elrond, Gandalf, and Gimli were now in Alasse's room. They were all discussing their next step. "I suppose Merlyn wouldn't just hide Mr. Aragorn under the porch, now would he?" Pippin sighed.

"What do you mean?" Gimli asked, puffing on his pipe.

"When Merry and Pip were little, you could always count on them to hide under someone's porch after they'd riled the other hobbit farmers!" Frodo chuckled.

"It was also the best hiding spot for our stol-err...found treasures and such." Pippin said sheepishly.

"That's it!" Legolas suddenly yelped.

"What's it?" Gimli frowned.

"Pip, you just solved the riddle!" Legolas cheered, grabbing the hobbit and tossing him in the air like a child.

"Uhh...I did?" Pippin chuckled in bewilderment.

"He did?" Thranduil and Elrond asked at the same time.

"How, Legolas?" Merry asked.

"Legolas?" Alasse straightened up.

"Why did I not see it before?" Legolas sputtered, hyped and excited like an elfling on his begetting day, with Pippin perched on his shoulder. "Alasse, these visions of yours. You said Aragorn was in a dungeon of some sort, somewhere dark."

"Yes." Alasse groaned.

"This Merlyn has been hiding Aragorn within our grasp! Pippin, Gimli? You know as well as I do that outside Minas Tirith's gates, there are in the mountains paths, and many, many tunnels that lead directly under the city! No?"

"Yes." Gimli cocked his head.

"And inside those tunnels, under these very city streets, are catacombs, very old dungeons, and caves." Legolas said.

"WAIT! Legolas, are you saying that you believe Merlyn is holding Aragorn captive, literally under our very noses?!" Alasse blurted out, her heart pounding with hope.

"Alasse, settle." Thranduil told her, touching her shoulder, making sure she stayed in bed.

"Yes! Yes, I am, my dear sister!" Legolas beamed.

"It has to be." Gandalf agreed. "He could hold him long enough from the people, and make appearances as his alias without traveling great distances. Those tunnels are rarely explored or used anymore. Growing up in Minas Tirith, Merlyn would know of this."

"Deep, down below!" Elrond gasped, the reality hitting him. "Legolas, you must be right! I do believe you have hit on it!"

"It was not me, Lord Elrond. We owe it all to this small one." Legolas grinned at Pippin, ruffling his hair. "He gave us the remaining clue we needed and solved this bloody riddle!"

"You really believe it is possible?" Thranduil asked.

"Legolas is right, I am sure of it." Elrond nodded.

"Aragorn..." Alasse cried. "We still have a chance to save him!"

"He has been right under our feet the entire time!" Elrond exclaimed.