What will he say? You'll find out...
"You what?" Thranduil's heart sank. Alasse bolted to an upright sitting position. "No, no. Lie back down, iel. You need to let the healers look after you. Please!" Thranduil begged. He was still afraid for her.
"Ada, it's Aragorn! I understand now. That is why the pain was so much worse this time." Alasse said, her eyes wide with fear and awe.
"Your Highness?" Maerwen stared at her confused.
"Thank you, Maerwen." Alasse slightly winced. Her abdomen still burned and ached painfully, but its extremity had diminished considerably. "But I am alright now. I know what I must do." She started to shift off the table.
"What you must do is stay on that bed, and let Malfortion take a thorough look at you!" Thranduil interrupted her firmly. He had the look, and though she was anxious to get back on her feet and fly to Gondor, she could see that he still appeared petrified. For his sake, she would obey.
"Alright, Ada. But there is no more time to lose!" She told him. Malfortion had her lie back down and he examined her abdomen. The wound was still raw and red, and still pulsing but it was not nearly as badly as before. After monitoring her vitals, he let out a breath.
"My lady, I suggest that you take it easy for at least a couple hours to let yourself recover." He said. "You've been through quite an ordeal."
"Thank you, Malfortion." Alasse nodded, sitting up. That was just the loophole she needed. Alasse threw her legs over the bed and scurried out of the healing wing.
"Alasse, where are you going?" Thranduil called anxiously and followed closely after her.
"I have to go to him!" Alasse exclaimed marching frantically down the winding corridors.
"You can't! You must rest!" Thranduil yelled as they reached the path that led up to the throne.
"I don't have a choice, Father. I have to go back!" Alasse replied.
"You're not going back!" Thranduil declared sternly. Alasse froze in mid-step and whirled around to face him. It would be one thing for him to beg her not to go. But no. That tone of finality, leaving no place for argument, an order. She knew that tone. It was not the tone of Thranduil her father, but that of Thranduil the king.
"What are you talking about?" She asked suspiciously. "Of course I am. I'm ready."
"Alasse, child..." Thranduil began in exasperation. "I brought you back here so you would be safe!"
"I know that. But I've regained my strength and acquired new skills. Ada, Aragorn needs me! He needs our help. Don't you understand? His life is in danger! I have to go!"
Thranduil grimaced, flustered. "When are you going to understand?!" He blurted out harshly. "You can't go back out there to fight! And you won't! You must stay here." Alasse gasped, then her breath hitched when her brain finally grasped what was really going on.
"Father, you...you didn't bring me back so that I could recover my strength, did you?" She asked sadly. Thranduil gaped at her, horrified.
"Of course I did!" He replied defensively.
"But you weren't going to let me go, were you? You were going to keep me here, from now on!" Alasse cried. "That was really why you brought me back home, isn't it?"
"Yes." Thranduil nodded sullenly, staring at the ground. "Yes! That's why I brought you back."
"Ada!" Alasse gaped, tears filling her eyes, her heart pounding. "You were going to keep me from being with Legolas, my own brother, and doing together what we do best? You tried to keep me from...Aragorn!" Her eyes bulged with shock. "That's what all this is about, isn't it? You're trying to delay the inevitable."
"Partly." Thranduil mumbled. This time, it was he who couldn't meet her eyes.
"You know, don't you?" Alasse pressed. "You know we are connected! You know the bond we share. And you deliberately tried to keep me from him?"
"I...had to." Thranduil said, looking down guiltily.
"Ada...how could you?" Alasse wept in dismay.
"Because I was afraid! I didn't want to lose you again!" Thranduil bellowed, his loud voice coiled with hurt and anger. "You don't know what it is like! What it's like to lose your beloved, then...to lose your own child, before your very eyes! And to be able to do nothing...you don't know...you're my daughter, and I love you! You are precious to me, Alasse. I swear on my life, I was only trying to protect you! Is that such an unforgivable crime? Don't you understand?"
"Yes, I understand." Alasse sniffled. "You were so afraid of losing me again, that you decided to hide me from the world. You wouldn't even give me the chance to make my own choice about how to live my own life, when it was given back to me. Ada, the Valar didn't send me back to you, back to this earth, just so I could sit around looking pretty!" Alasse sputtered angrily. "I wasn't given back so that I could hide from the world. They sent me back to do my part to insure that peace and hope endure, to make this broken world a better place. To speak up for the defenseless! How can I do that if I recluse myself to a life of isolation? Tell me, Ada. Of what use am I, if I wither back in the shadows every time something goes wrong? That is not living."
"Alasse..." Thranduil swallowed painfully, but could find no words to counter her argument.
"I need some air." Alasse panted and spun sharply on her heel and hurried away, out of the palace.
Thranduil stood there, completely defeated. So, this was what it had come to. He'd let her go once, and she'd come back to him. But this time? He'd screwed up, badly. Oh, Valar, why hadn't he just up and told her the truth from the start? Why didn't he listen to Elrond? Because he was too stubborn and self righteous, and fearful to do the right thing! He thought he was doing the right thing, protecting his child. He'd rationalized his motives to justify the means. But had he known that it would hurt, so much...Thranduil the great Elven king felt absolutely wretched.
Elrond was right: Thranduil should've been upfront with his daughter about this when he'd made the decision. And now? He'd lost her! He'd betrayed and now lost his precious little girl! Forever! He was sure of it.
Thranduil is busted. Shall I wait until next week to post the next chapter?
