The Dwarf Prince

Chapter 14: Back Home

Thranduil said nothing as he held on to his daughter as if he were trying to convince himself that she was really there and not just some hallucination.

 He had been worried and scared when he had found out about her disappearance. He still remembered the horror that went through him the morning after their last conversation. Thranduil had gone to his daughter's bedroom in search of her, hoping to make amends since she seemed so distraught the night before. But all Thranduil found was an empty room and the window wide open. Her things had been packed up, her clothes, her weapons and what not were all gone. There wasn't even a note.

For months, Thranduil worried. He sent troupes of his guards everywhere, hoping to find his daughter. He had even gone out on his elk with Legolas by his side and gone all over the place, searching for some sort of sign that his daughter was still alive. 

And now, she was right there in his arms.

***

Alithia felt very unsure of what to do. Instead of shouting, her father simply told her to have a bath and get dressed while he ordered for some bandages and some balm and ointment. She did as he told, still in a bit of a shock. Alithia, now in her usual white dress she wore at home after having a quick bath, observed him, wondering when her father would suddenly burst into a shout and start scolding her for running away. But he did nothing of that sort. 

When the medical supplies had arrived, Thranduil guided her to sit on her bed while he tended to her injuries, ones she didn't realise she had. And then the fussing began.

"Let me help you, Lith."

"Ada, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You've disappeared for months. Scared me half to death and you tell me you're fine? Hmmph!" he said, cleaning her cuts and lathering them with the ointment.

"What were you thinking? Running away like that. Did you not think of the consequences?" he continued. "You could have gotten hurt. You could have been imprisoned in some ungodly realm. You could have been kidnapped and sold to the slaves for all we know!"

Alithia opened her mouth to point out that the last one was a bit unrealistic but he raised up a finger to stop her, a sharp eyebrow raised to challenge her.

"You could have died!"  he said finally, shaking his head as he wrapped up her cuts with bandages. Alithia knew that despite the nagging, this was Thranduil's way of showing his love. He wasn't exactly the best at emotional confrontations, but he tried his best anyway.

"And all of this you risk for what, hmm?" he inquired.

Alithia rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Yeah, you're not going to like that part..." she trailed off, glancing at her father.

"So it is true then?" Thranduil sighed. Alithia's eyebrows rose. Had Legolas already told him?

"You're with the Dwarfs, aren't you?" he asked flatly, narrowing his eyes at her that she didn't think that any amount of explaining could possibly get her out of trouble.

"Well..." Alithia started. "Yes?"

"Alithia!" he scolded, getting up from his seat and glaring down at her. "So, you mean to say that you ran away to go on a journey with dwarves?" 

"Well-"

"And you left without saying anything! Not even a single note! Do you know how worried you made me? I spent months worrying and worrying, wondering if you were alive!" the Elven King stopped, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to calm himself down. 

"And all of this was to find out that you've been with dwarves this whole time?" his hand ran down his face as he gave his daughter a tired look.