I don't want you to think Thranduil is being a weakling here. He's not! He's just trying to protect his daughter, and he's sure that any verbal protesting or resisting will only get her hurt. So, he's trying to remain as passive as is possible. Until he can come up with an escape plan.


As the cloaked hooligans had led the king and his daughter away, they'd blindfolded Thranduil. At first, he protested, until they threatened to stab Alasse if he didn't cooperate. They let the princess view the terrain because they believed with her being so young and small, she wouldn't remember the way back.

They'd crossed the Ford on Rivendell's borders and were being taken into the Misty Mountains from what Thranduil could smell and hear of it. He calmly whispered to Alasse in their native Elvish tongue. "Alasse?"

"Ada?" She squeaked frightfully.

"It's alright, iel nin. I've got you, and I won't let these sons of an Orc hurt you."

"Where are they taking us, Ada?"

"I do not know yet. But whatever happens, you must NOT mention Legolas, or home, or our good friends in Rivendell. It might make things worse!" Thranduil spoke seriously.

"Why don't you want me to talk about Legolas?" Alasse asked, confused.

"Because, these good-for-nothings might hurt him, Alasse! Do not speak his name! It is vital that you don't! Do you understand?" Thranduil asked urgently.

"Y-yes, Ada." Alasse nodded timidly, and her lower lip trembled. With the scary situation they were stuck in, Alasse wanted her father to comfort her, not scold her! More tears started to fill her eyes.

"I am sorry, little one. But it is very important that they do not know about us."

"I'll remember. Is Fluffy going to come and save us?" Alasse asked hopefully.

"I do not believe so." Thranduil muttered.

Fluffy was Alasse's pet wolf back home in Mirkwood. Alasse and Legolas had rescued him when he was a cub and they'd found him orphaned and injured in the woods. They'd brought him home and raised him. That had been a year ago, but currently, he was home in Mirkwood. He was large now, a full grown predator but he was ever watchful of Alasse, his little mistress. And Thranduil and Legolas absolutely trusted him to protect her if they weren't around.

Alasse sniffled when her father said no. She kept hoping that her companion and her brother would come save them. She prayed they would. Legolas and Fluffy were both very smart. Surely they would be able to rescue them!


It was long passed noon when the kidnapping party finally stopped. "I'm hungry, Ada." Alasse moaned in Elvish, holding her growling tummy.

"I know, iel. But I'm afraid you'll have to be patient." Thranduil sighed. He had no doubt that these hoodlums would most likely starve them, but he didn't want his little girl any more scared than she already was. He sat down with her in his arms even though he was still blindfolded.

"Get up!" One of the kidnappers barked, kicking him in the shoulder, knocking him onto his side.

"Hey! You leave my father alone, you bad man!" Alasse shook her fist at her father's assailant.

"Alasse..." Thranduil shushed her. He was worried about what they would do to her if she didn't behave! He couldn't bear it if they hurt her.

"Shut your little mouth, brat." The hooded figure muttered. Alasse glared at him.

"You're going to get in big trouble!" She warned him.

"Ohh!" The leader sneered. "Did you hear that, boys? She's going to tell on us!" The group laughed. Thranduil felt his face burning with indignation. He wrapped his hand around Alasse's waist and pulled her closely to himself.

"You'd better let us go." Alasse said.

"Alasse, Farn (enough)!" Thranduil warned her quietly. Alasse reluctantly obeyed. Her father sounded scared, and that scared her.

"Okay, princess." The leader chuckled. "We'll let you go."

"You will?" Alasse's eyes lit up.

"Don't listen to them, daughter! It's a trap!" Thranduil told her in Elvish.

"Of course...NOT!" The leader leered at her. She shrank back from his evil look and curled up next to Thranduil. He kept her firmly at his side.

"Ada, I want to go home." She sniffled.

"I'm here, Tithen iel." Thranduil whispered to her.

"Aww, she wants to go home." The leader shook his head. "Come on, Your Highness. We'll take you home!" He and two other men advanced toward her and pulled her from Thranduil's arms. He was still blindfolded and couldn't see from which direction they'd come.

"No!" Thranduil yelled. One of the men punched him from the side of the head.

"Ada!" Alasse shrieked. The men were dragging her to the edge of a cliff.

"Don't touch my daughter!" Thranduil bellowed. The leader nodded. Thranduil was jerked from behind by his arms and his blindfold removed. His stomach clenched when he saw them holding Alasse suspended in the air over a deep abyss. "DON'T touch my daughter!" Thranduil seethed, his eyes burning like Mount Doom.

"Ada!" Alasse was crying, flailing her legs wildly. "Help me!"

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Thranduil demanded, his blue eyes piercing like wild fire.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough." The leader smirked.

"Answer me, you filthy son of an Orc!" Thranduil yelled.

"Just how much is the princess worth to you?" The leader asked slowly. Thranduil gawked in rage at the man. Whoever this b- was, human or elf, he would pay before this was over! "Tell us just how much, mighty King Thranduil. How much is your precious little girl worth to you?" Alasse looked at her father helplessly. He said he'd keep her safe! Well, she certainly wasn't safe right now.

"I will die for her, if that is your wish. I don't care what you do to me." Thranduil snarled in the most menacing tone. "But stay the h- away from my daughter! Get...your...hands...off...her." He said slowly and dangerously. The leader was holding his sword at his side. If only he could get to it. If they would just take Alasse away from the edge of the cliff, he would easily swipe one of their blades off them and kill these b-s then take his daughter back home!

"So...you're willing to trade places with her, eh?"

"Yes." Thranduil said firmly. I'm sorry. Forgive me for this, iel nin.

"Oh, very well." The leader grumbled. His cronies carried the princess away from the edge of the cliff. "Let her go." The leader muttered. They threw Alasse roughly to the ground. "Let him go."

They released Thranduil and he dropped to his knees at her side. "Alasse, are you hurt, my love?" He asked worriedly.

"Oh, Ada!" She wailed, clasping her tiny arms around his neck. He held her for all that he was worth. Suddenly, he flinched and his arms went limp. "Ada?" Alasse looked up at him, confused. Thranduil dazedly stared straight ahead...before collapsing onto the dirt, on his side. "Ada!" Alasse screamed and scrambled onto his chest, shaking his shoulders. He was out cold. One of the kidnappers had slugged him across the head from behind with the hilt of his sword. "Ada! Ada, no! Wake up, wake up!" Alasse sobbed.

"Nice work, boys." The leader approved. "Time to move on. Gonna have to drag him."

"Ada! Ada, come on!" Alasse wailed desperately. Three men held her down and tied her small hands together. She screamed and kicked with all her might, then they tossed her into a burlap sack.