A/N – First, I would just like to say thank you to all who have reviewed. I must say that I am flattered by your responses. I didn't think it was anything special, and I actually was afraid to put the story up in the first place. This is the first fanfiction story I've ever written, so I'm grateful for any and all comments and ideas.
I just want to address a point that two people have brought up in their reviews. I've read many stories that have a girl or young woman mysteriously "drop" into Middle Earth, are confronted by things they've never seen and people they've never met, yet are perfectly okay with their situation almost immediately. Now, my story is no more realistic than any of these that I'm speaking of, but I am striving to make the characterizations and reactions more believable. Alyssa is 11. I just can't bring myself to see a child (or young woman, whatever) be perfectly okay with the prospect of never seeing her family again, of suddenly being introduced to beings that don't exist outside of literature, and who will unfailingly trust any male simply because of his looks. As far as seeing another side of Alyssa, well....read on!
Chapter 5: Meeting the King
"An hour?" Alyssa repeated faintly, sitting down on the edge of the chair. Legolas looked at her briefly before saying anything else. He did not understand her persistent reluctance. He was beginning to think that the presence of the other elves was not the real deterrent to the first, aborted meeting. At the very least, not the sole reason.
"Alyssa," Legolas said, kneeling in front of her so that they were at eye level to each other. He suppressed a sigh as she averted her eyes to the floor again. He wished Aragorn had come with him, she'd connected with the human so much better, but he was in the process of writing a letter to Elrond to be sent by messenger. Legolas knew he was going to have to deal with the child on his own for now. "My father simply wishes to meet you because you are to be a guest in his home for a short while. That is all." He stopped and studied her face again, trying to see what she was feeling. Alyssa gave no sign, only sitting quietly, studying her clasped hands. "Tell me what it is you fear," he said gently, "so that I may help you overcome it." She turned a slight pink at these words and ducked her head lower.
In truth, Alyssa could not put words to her fears, not to the King's son. She wasn't sure what she was afraid of, but she certainly didn't want to discuss it with Legolas. She was uncomfortable in his presence as she didn't quite yet accept his existence, and that was a difficult and confusing thing for her, especially since he was standing right before her very eyes. Finally at length, she shook her head.
"I'm okay," she said quietly. She forced herself to meet his gaze, and once again she felt the strange effect of his unfathomably old eyes. "I'm just tired. I think I'll rest a little while." She finished in a stronger voice, hoping that Legolas would be convinced. He was not, but he recognized her wish to be left alone...or at least for him to leave her alone.
"Would you like to see Aragorn when he is finished with his errand?" Legolas asked. Alyssa didn't answer right away, but eventually shook her head no. She needed time to think by herself. She knew she had not been acting like herself and she realized she had to sort her head out. "Very well. If you need anything, I am but just down the hall. I will come for you in a little less than an hour." Alyssa nodded, still studying her hands.
"Okay," she said quietly. Legolas turned to leave, and she didn't look up until he had gone, quietly closing the door behind him. Alyssa let out a long, despondent sigh and looked towards the window to the trees beyond. She felt oddly drawn to the window – a strange desire to look more closely at the high branches and listen to the wind in the leaves. She hoisted herself up on the ledge and drew her knees to her chest, leaning back against the frame. The sun was beginning its slow descent and now nestled in the highest boughs of the trees. The sky was turning a pale pinkish-orange, promising a dazzling sunset a little later. She closed her eyes as a gentle breeze teased her fiery red locks. It was so beautiful here. If she weren't so scared and unsure of what was going to happen to her, she imagined she could really love it here. There was a purity to this place that made her heart feel full of indescribable emotions.
Opening her eyes, she stared at the trees just feet from her window. She studied their leaves, the trunks and branches. She heard the wind sighing... whispering. Slowly, almost unnoticeably, the soft sounds drew together and all other sensations fell away. And then, just like what she did at home, she concentrated and tried to hear and understand the language of the trees. It was strange, but their speech was...clearer here somehow. More focused. For the first time she had the inkling that she was not imagining the whispers she heard. They actually were there, telling her of things she used to know, long-forgotten secrets that had lain dormant in her heart, but were being awakened again. Her eyes fell closed again and she simply listened, drawn in by the sounds that enveloped her, speaking to her and reminding her of things she used to know only in that place between asleep and awake...it was beautiful and comforting, strange, and yet familiar.
"Alyssa?" Legolas called softly. The girl didn't appear to hear him at all. She was sitting on the window ledge, with her face turned away, towards the trees. Legolas took a few steps closer to her, watching her carefully. She was completely lost in her own thoughts, and though he could not see the expression on her face, he would not be surprised if it was similar to what he'd observed in the woods on the way to the palace. He didn't know why she denied it, but he was sure she could hear the trees on a deeper level – something that was not usually found in a human. "Alyssa," he said again, in a louder voice. This time he did manage to penetrate her reverie and she quickly turned to look at him, confusion in her eyes. "It is time," he said by way of an explanation.
"It is?" Instead of dissipating her confusion, it seemed to thicken. Alyssa felt as though Legolas had just left her, and here he was saying that it was nearly an hour later....what have I been doing this whole time? She asked herself. Legolas looked at her for quite a few moments, fixing her with a stare that seemed to pierce through her soul. She was unable to hold his gaze and busied herself with jumping down from the ledge and smoothing her hair as well as she could.
"You were listening to the trees," he stated simply. She stopped what she was doing and slowly turned to look at him, pressing her lips into a thin line. He saw the look on her face and decided that this was not the most opportune moment to address the situation. He held up a hand and gestured for her to be silent before she voiced any of the denials he was sure were on her lips. "I do not understand your refusal to acknowledge this, but we will talk of it later. Come, my father awaits." Alyssa blanched noticeably, but seemed to steel her resolve and nodded slightly. Legolas opened the door for her, and she paused on the threshold, balling her fists tightly, fear pinching her features. Legolas hesitated for a fraction of a moment, and then held his hand out to her in a silent gesture of support just as Aragorn had done earlier that day. Alyssa looked at his hand, and then finally reached out and took it. His much larger hand enveloped her small, cold one and he gave her a gentle squeeze. She glanced up at him, and then looked away just as quickly. Taking a deep breath, she allowed him to urge her to motion.
* * * *
Legolas and Alyssa made their way though the halls and met up with Aragorn.
"We are on our way to the study," Legolas informed Aragorn. He looked down at Alyssa, who was watching her feet. Legolas caught Aragorn's eye and gave a small shrug. She'd become more and more withdrawn as they walked.
"We will come with you, Alyssa," Aragorn said comfortingly. "There is no reason to be frightened." Alyssa didn't answer, but nodded slightly. They reached the study and Legolas knocked.
"Enter," a voice said from inside. As Legolas pushed the door open Alyssa pulled away from him letting go of his hand, stood up straighter, and took a small breath. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it right. Now was the time for her to rely on that "stubbornly strong spirit" her mother swore came from her father's Irish side. To Aragorn's and Legolas' utter surprise, she walked in first, her gaze fixed firmly on the seated figure near the center of the room.
About halfway across the room, Alyssa slowed. She didn't know what to do, though she strove to keep the uncertainty out of her expression. She swallowed as she regarded the elf in cool silence, dimly registering that Legolas and Aragorn followed her in and that they took an unobtrusive seat off to the side. She was glad for that. Alyssa had found herself pathetically weak ever since all of this craziness started, and without any control over what happened to her. But she was in control now, and that gave her courage she'd lacked when she felt her life was out of her hands. And while she still had no idea of what was going to happen to her in the long run, she could control how she acted and what she said in the presence of Legolas' dad, and she was determined that she would. Thinking of him like that seemed to help. He was a king, yes. But he was also someone's father. The first one she couldn't relate to at all, the second – well, everyone had a dad.
She finally decided that if she was going to talk to this person, she wasn't going to do it from half way across a room and picked up her pace until she stood right on the other side of the ornately carved desk, holding the gaze of the elf who hardly looked older than Legolas. He remained quiet, silently studying her. Alyssa resisted the urge to drop her gaze and stared right back, realizing in the back of her mind that this might be considered rude. She gave a mental shrug and decided she didn't care. I wonder if I'm supposed to bow or something. Do kings shake hands? Why doesn't he say anything? Should I talk first? Well, why not?
"Hello, sir," she said, sticking out her right hand. "My name is Alyssa Sullivan. It's nice to meet you." Thranduil looked at her with something like amusement dancing across his features. Legolas and Aragorn glanced at each other, both finding the situation rather funny. Neither of them had thought Alyssa had it in her to be so direct and they were both wondering where this courage had come from. Unfamiliar with this form of greeting, Thranduil reached out his own right hand and could scarcely contain his surprise when she grasped his hand and gave it a quick, firm shake. A smile played on the king's face as he regarded the small red head.
"Hello, Alyssa. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. It was my intention to greet you properly when you first arrived, but that was not to be," he said deliberately, watching for her reaction. Legolas was watching also. He knew very well what his father was doing. Alyssa had taken a very strong position when she took the initiative in this meeting. Thranduil was testing her.
"Yes, well," Alyssa shifted slightly, a blush she couldn't stop creeping up her face. "I was very tired. By the way, your..." castle? house? palace? "...home is very beautiful. Thank you for letting me stay here." Thranduil and inclined his head slightly, accepting her segue gracefully.
"It is my pleasure. Please," he said, indicating a chair near where she stood. "Sit down." He waited as she made herself comfortable in the chair, noticing that her feet swung several inches above the ground. "Tell me, Alyssa Sullivan, how old are you?"
"Eleven, sir. But I'll be twelve in about a month," she said.
"Eleven – it has been so very long since there has been an eleven-year- old within these walls! I can scarcely remember that time. Though, I do hope that you do not find as much trouble as Legolas seemed wont to." A small sound of indignation from where Legolas and Aragorn sat drew Alyssa's attention, but not enough to make her lose her train of thought. Thranduil's statement about age confused her. Legolas didn't look a whole lot older than her big sister. It couldn't have been that long since an eleven year old had been here. She was tempted to ask him his age, but she'd been reprimanded by her mother for that before, and decided to keep her curiosity in check. I can ask Aragorn later, she decided.
"I promise to stay out of trouble," she said, very solemnly. She hadn't really understood all of what Thranduil said about Legolas getting in trouble – but she got the gist. Thranduil smiled openly at her for the first time.
"Ah, young one, such a promise to make for someone who has managed to get herself as thoroughly lost as you have!" Thranduil said. Alyssa's expression and demeanor changed as she bit her lower lip.
"Yeah, I know," she said softly. "I don't know how that happened. I really don't. Can you help me get home?" Alyssa was looking at the elf, sadness tempered by hope shining in her eyes. Thranduil felt his heart melt as he regarded the child before him.
"I will do all that I can for you, Alyssa. Already Aragorn has written a letter to Elrond, his father, asking him to request that Gandalf come here. Do you know who Gandalf is?" Alyssa nodded.
"Aragorn said he was a wizard, but..." she trailed off, once again finding herself up against a wall of disbelief. As far as she was concerned, the only wizards who existed were the ones in the books she read and the movies she saw.
"Yes, Alyssa? But what?" Thranduil prompted. She studied her hands, as was her custom when she was uncomfortable. Legolas noticed this, and wondered if she were going to sidestep his father as she'd sidestepped him during the conversation of kings versus presidents. Alyssa remained silent for a moment more, trying to force her eleven-year-old mind to organize its thoughts into a coherent sentence that would express her doubt without offending anyone. In the end, she decided that open directness was still the best way to go. It had gotten her this far without any bad consequences.
"It's just that, well, where I come from, none of you are real," she said in a rush, as if she were trying to get her words to outrun her doubt. She glanced up, and flushed as she saw Thranduil looking at her with a raised eyebrow and an expression she couldn't quite read. "I mean," she said, struggling to make herself clear. "I know you exist, you're right here, but there are no elves, wizards, or monsters where I live."
"Monsters?" Thranduil echoed.
"Orcs," Aragorn supplied from where he sat. "A troop of them came across our camp and made it necessary for us to shelter in a tree." Thranduil acknowledged Aragorn with a slight nod of his head, but he never removed his gaze from Alyssa.
"I – I just don't know what's going to happen to me, or who I..." She took a deep breath, trying to fight back tears, angrily wiping her hand across her eyes. No more crying! Stop it! She took another breath, not trusting herself to continue. With great compassion and empathy, Thranduil continued for her.
"Or who you can trust," he said simply. She silently nodded. Abruptly, Thranduil stood up and walked around his desk. He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his. Alyssa felt herself tense slightly at this sudden gesture, but she remained still, holding the eyes of the elf-king. "Alyssa Sullivan, know this: you can trust us. I extend the oath my son and Aragorn made to you when they first found you to myself – while you are with us we will do everything in our power to keep you safe from harm...and you have my word that I will do anything I can to help you find your way home." Thranduil spoke so sincerely that once again, Alyssa had the feeling that she knew she could trust him, though aside from his word and her strangely acute sense of his personality, she had no real reason to feel that way. Alyssa looked searchingly into his eyes for another moment, and Thranduil had the fleeting impression that she was looking more deeply into him than anyone ever had before.
Without saying a word, she threw her arms around his neck in a hug that was as heartfelt and pure as it was unexpected. The King froze for a fraction of a second, a look of surprise on his features. Aragorn glanced at Legolas with a raised eyebrow, and Legolas gave a small shrug in return. Thranduil slowly moved to wrap his arms around the girl, a smile creeping onto his face. He returned the hug, lightly stroking her red curls.
"Everything will end for the better, little one. Worry not. And in the meantime, you are safe here," he murmured to her. She pulled away and he gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "Now, while you are here, you are a guest in my home. If we can do anything to make your stay more comfortable, please let Legolas know." Alyssa nodded her understanding. Thranduil glanced over at Aragorn and Legolas who were watching the two of them with interest. "Alyssa, I am glad I had a chance to meet you today and now I would like to invite you to attend a gathering. We have some other visitors staying with us right now and there is a celebration going on in their honor in the Great Hall. It would please me greatly if you would join us – I think you will find it very entertaining."
A celebration in the Great Hall...there'll probably be so many people there, Alyssa silently debated with herself. On one hand, her natural curiosity was starting to creep back in now that some of the initial shock and fear of her situation had been assuaged. On the other, the thought of being with so many other beings was still a daunting proposition. Oh come on! Stop being such a sissy! She berated herself. Her heart and mind were not in agreement on the issue. She looked up and saw that the King was still waiting for a response.
"Will Aragorn and Legolas come?" She finally asked. Thranduil smiled and looked over at his son and the human.
"Well?" Thranduil asked them. The two friends stood.
"Of course!" Legolas exclaimed, pleased at the change in the little girl and wanting to do whatever he could to foster it. Alyssa took a deep breath. She'd been half wishing that their answer would be no – that way she'd have an example to follow in declining the invitation.
"Okay, I'll go," she said, trying to put enthusiasm into her answer. The three men heard her reluctance, though she tried to mask it, but they understood and were not offended. Alyssa had already changed a great deal from when Aragorn and Legolas found her in the forest the day before, and they could see that her real character was slowly starting to show itself. She needed time and understanding, and they would grant her that.
"Splendid!" Thranduil said, standing gracefully. "Why don't you three head down there. I have a small matter to attend to and I will join you shortly." Alyssa stood as well.
"Thank you, sir. For everything," she said. Thranduil looked down at her and extended his right hand, keeping a solemn expression on his face. Alyssa, however, saw the jest and smiled up at him. She shook his hand again, comforted even further by his display of humor. He turned to go, and Legolas and Aragorn came over to her. She slipped her hand in Aragorn's as they walked out of the room, more out of habit than need of support this time, though the support was still welcome.
"I am glad you decided to attend, Alyssa," Legolas said.
"So am I," Aragorn said, smiling. "I think it is time you had a little fun." Alyssa nodded in agreement, though she was starting to have doubts about the prudence of this decision. She still wasn't all that comfortable here...
"If you decide you want to leave," Legolas said, reading her silence accurately. "Just let us know." Alyssa nodded, unconsciously tightening her grip on Aragorn's hand as the sounds of laughter and conversation spilled into the hallway. This was your decision, too, she reminded herself. So stop worrying! Before she knew it, time for debate was up and Legolas and Aragorn were guiding her through the doors into the Great Hall.