Alithia was pacing around her room, finding absolutely no comfort that she was back home so soon. What was she going to tell her father? What excuse was she going to give? Would he be mad at her? Happy to see her? Angry that she ran away?
A knock from the other side of the door startled her out of her panicked thoughts and she spun around. Legolas entered her room. Within seconds, he engulfed his sister in a hug. Alithia froze before melting into the hug, realising how much she missed him.
"Thia, I thought we lost you," he said softly before breaking apart.
"I'm sorry, Las..." she replied sadly.
Legolas held her by her shoulders, looked at her lovingly with a small smile before his expression changed and he whacked her on the arm.
"Ow! What was that for?" she said indignantly, rubbing her arm as she teared herself from her brother's grasp.
"Why did you run away?!" he asked.
"I already told you. I'm part of their Company."
"You joined their Company? A Dwarf Company?"
"Yes, yes, I did. And it's too late to back out now because I already signed a contract," Alithia said, folding her arms across her chest.
"You signed a contract?!" Legolas groaned. "Why would you even do that? You just pledged your allegiance to them."
"What do you want me to say? I can't burn the contract, can I?" Alithia defended. "And besides, I told them that I'll help them, and I'm going to stick to my word."
"Alithia, don't tell me you're going back to them," Legolas said.
"I have to, Las," she reasoned. "I'm not going to back out when we're nearly there."
"Nearly where? What do the dwarves wish to accomplish?" he asked.
"Well, you see, I'm supposed to keep that a secret..." she started slowly.
Legolas made a 'hmph' sound as he rolled his eyes.
"I'd love to see you tell that to Adar," he said sarcastically.
"Speaking of which... Can't we keep my presence here between the two of us?" she pleaded. "Just don't mention I'm here, and I'll slip back out and continue on the quest."
"You and what Company? They're all in prison," Legolas said flatly.
"Can't you let them loose?" she pleaded.
"No," Legolas answered. "No one leaves that prison unless Adar allows it."
"But you know Ada won't free them!" she complained, trying to get Legolas on her side.
"Yes, and I highly doubt he's going to let you leave this place any time soon," Legolas deadpanned, shaking his head at his sister.
"Then let me leave before he hears of my presence," she pleaded.
"It's a little bit too late for that, my daughter."
Both siblings spun around. King Thranduil stood there at the doorway, his eyes trained on his daughter.
"Ada..." Alithia said softly, her eyes wide with shock.
"Legolas, please excuse us," Thranduil said, and Legolas nodded and left the room, but not before casting a worried look at his sister. Thranduil shut the door behind him and turned to his daughter. He scanned her appearance, noting that she had a few cuts and scratches on her arms and hands. Thranduil stepped up to her and wrapped his long arms around her, pulling her into a hug. Alithia instantly embraced the hug. The last time she had been in his arms was the night she had ran away, and that felt like a long time ago.
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.
"I thought you grew out of your rebellious phase," he added exasperatedly under his breath.
"So...you're mad?" Alithia asked with a grimace, chancing a glance up at her father.
"Am I mad?" he repeated incredulously and he spun around to face her, his longs robes and hair whipping to the side.
"I'm sorry, Ada," she said. "I know I worried you, and I know that what I did was wrong. I just... I just wanted my freedom!"
"I admit, I never actually took your feelings into account and I'm so sorry for that, but I agreed to help these dwarves with their quest," she continued, feeling the threat of tears coming to her eyes.
"I'm so sorry. I wish there was another reason to give you, but I don't have any. The only reason I can give you is that I wanted to go on an adventure and that I want to help these dwarves reclaim their home," she said, her voice going shaky as she now stared up at her father with teary eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Ada."
Thranduil's stern demeanor dropped upon seeing his daughter's tears and he sighed to himself, knowing that he couldn't possibly stay mad at her whenever she cried. He knew her feelings were genuine. Knew that she never faked tears to get out of trouble because if there was one thing that Thranduil knew about her, is that she feared rejection. She had always been very sensitive, much like her mother whose heart was so pure.
There was one incident, when she had only been a little elfling, where he had admonished her for misbehaving and had left her in her room to think about what she had done. He came back an hour later to find her curled up in a ball on her bed, crying her heart out. She had thought she had become too much for Thranduil to handle. She thought he had had enough of her.
And just like the small elfling she once was, she was sitting in front of him with that same look in her eyes. Thranduil sat back down beside her and wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest. Save for the few tears that left her eyes, she forced herself not to cry, choosing instead to hide her face in his robes. Thranduil rubbed her back, soothing her as she hugged him back tightly.
"I'm so sorry, Ada," she said shakily. "I really am."
"I know, Lith," he said softly, holding her in his arms. "I know."
***
After their conversation, Thranduil ordered his daughter to get some sleep, even going as far as to tuck her in and staying by her bedside until she eventually drifted off. When she awoke a few hours later, it was already way past midnight, and she got up, feeling very well rested.
And then she remembered: the Company were still locked up. She groaned. It now fell on her shoulders to help them escape. But how on earth was she supposed to do that? There was no way her father would allow it and she didn't exactly know the layout of the prisons down below because Thranduil had always kept her far away from it.
Wrapping herself in her emerald green cloak, she slowly crept out of her room. She made her way out of the living quarters of the royal family and walked to the main entrance, hiding in the shadows as she moved. From above her, she could hear merry laughter of elves echoing. They were no doubt celebrating Mereth-en-Gilith, also known as the Feast of Starlight. She would usually join the elves in their celebrations but knowing that the distraction of the feast could give her an advantage, she continued on her mission to free the dwarves.
After what seemed like forever, she finally reached the stairway leading to the dungeons. Alithia crept in but something or rather, someone had grabbed her arm to stop her. A small yelp of surprise escaped her and she turned to see Legolas.
"What are you doing down here?" he asked her suspiciously.
"I could ask you the same thing," she asked back.
"I'm on patrol, Thia," he answered. "I'm surprised you're even allowed to leave your room after the stunt you pulled. Now, why are you here?" he repeated. "And don't tell me that you're planning on freeing the dwarves because that is not going to happen," he added as an afterthought.
"But why?" she asked with a groan. "They're innocent."
"Innocent?" he repeated. "What did they do to you, sister? Brainwash you?"
"No, they did nothing of that sort. I'm just..." she trailed off, deciding that no good would come out of arguing with her brother. After all, it was her father that made the decisions around here.
"Can I just see them?" she asked. "Please?"
"Why are you so adamant on this anyway?" he asked.
"Because I want to see him."
Legolas' eyebrow rose, and Alithia's face heated up.
"Them," she quickly corrected, but Legolas knew better and let out a groan.
"First Tauriel and now you," he said, rolling his eyes. Alithia's eyebrows shot up.
"Tauriel?" she repeated.
"I'm afraid she's fallen for the dark haired scum," he said bitterly, shaking his head in disapproval. "I don't want you seeing them," he added.
"But, Las-"
"No, Thia," he interjected. "They are dwarves, sister. And you are of royal blood. Do you honestly think Adar would just let you pledge yourself to just about anyone?" he reasoned.
"That didn't stop you from liking Tauriel," Alithia said under her breath.
"What was that?" Legolas challenged.
"Nothing, nothing," she said quickly.
"Now, go back to your room," he said, waving her off.
"Please, Las," she tried. "It'll only be for a second. I just want to make sure they're fine."
"Oh, they're fine alright. They'll be staying in their cells for a century until Adar lets them out. Word has it that their leader insulted Adar," Legolas replied.
"A century?? But they don't have a century!" she said in disbelief. Legolas put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.
"Thia, you know I care about you. Just go back to your room and forget about them. It's for your own good," he said slowly. "Alright?"
Alithia sighed and nodded. "Alright, Las," she replied dutifully. Legolas patted her shoulder and saw to it that she turned round the corner and walked towards the direction of the royal family's living quarters. Once she was out of sight, Legolas resumed his patrolling.
Alithia, on the other hand, stayed in a vacant room nearby and waited. She was going to see Fili. She just had to wait for the right time.
***
"Alithia is here!" came a happy shout from one of the cells.
"She's come to free us!" "Unlock the cells, lass!"
Alithia shushed the Company, telling them to keep their voices down. She had just sneaked into the dungeons and the last thing she needed was for Legolas to come down to see what the commotion was about.
She walked along the curved pathway until she finally stopped in front of a particular cell, one that held the dwarf she wanted to see.
"Fee?" she asked quietly.
Fili was in the far corner of the small cell, and upon seeing her, he immediately rushed to the door of the cell.
"Thia!" he exclaimed excitedly, but then something happened. His smile dropped and he pulled back from the door, as if he had been electrocuted. The notion didn't escape Alithia's notice.
"Is...everything alright?" she asked. "I mean, I know you've been imprisoned, but..." she trailed off. Fili was avoiding her gaze.
"Fili?" she said.
"You should go," he said. Her eyebrows shot up.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You should leave, Alithia," he repeated.
"And why would I do that? I wanted to see if you're alright," she told him, eyebrows knitted in confusion as she observed him. Why was he acting so...hostile?
"You don't need to," he replied. "You don't need to check up on me anymore."
"Fili...what's wrong? You're acting weird."
"I can't be with you, Thia,"
Something struck Alithia like a bolt of lightning. "You can't be with me?" she repeated.
"It's not working out for us, and you should just leave me. Go. Stay with your people and live your life here," he said, and all this time, he couldn't muster the courage to look up at her.
"Where's this coming from?" she asked. "Did Thorin ask you to say this?" she asked, her eyes prickling with tears. He shook his head.
"I don't want to be with you anymore," he whispered shakily. Alithia shook her head, and as she blinked, a tear fell.
"Fee, whatever this is...whatever problem or emotions you're going through right now, we can talk it out, yeah? Just you and me-"
"No. There's no us anymore," he cut her off sharply. Fili stared at the ground, knowing that he couldn't possibly look up at her because he knew he would only see the hurt on her face. He was breaking her heart, that much he knew.
"Please, leave," he said softly. "It's for the best."
"I'm not going to," she said determinedly. "Not until we figure this out."
"W-why?" she asked, still bewildered at how their conversation took place.
"Because I don't love you," he said flatly. Fili chanced up a glance at her, just in time to see the utter heartbreak in her eyes, those startling blue eyes of hers that were all glossy with tears.
"But...I thought you did. After all these months...all this time..."
"There was nothing between us-"
"So what? I was just some one night fling? Somebody that was there just for your entertainment?" she asked, her voice thick with tears.
"Thia, please. Just...," he trailed off.
Alithia let out a humourless laugh. "Oh, I see. I was just the harlot of the group, right? Someone that could give you pleasure and be thrown away once you're satisfied?" Even as she said the words, she didn't believe it for a second. What they had was too real. It was too genuine to just be nothing.
"Or maybe," the voice in her head said. "The feelings were one-sided."
Alithia looked down at Fili, scanning him for any sign that he was just joking. That this was just some prank, and he was going to burst out in laughter and tell her it was all a lie. But she didn't find it.
"Alithia, just go. Be with your family and your people. You belong here, in Mirkwood. There's no future for us. I think we both know it," he reasoned.
"We were going to make it work," Alithia said, pathetically wiping away the tears that had fallen. "You told me to keep everything a secret from the Company and I did. You said we were going to find a way to make it work-"
"It can't work anymore, Alithia. It just can't," he said firmly, hating himself even more and more as he watched the woman he loved crying in front of him, knowing he was the reason for her tears.
A part of Fili wanted to hold her in his arms like how he did the previous night. But he knew he could never. Thorin had made it perfectly clear on the matter. He had to do what's best for his people and hopefully, she could understand that someday.
"Why, Fili?" she demanded softly, staring him straight in the eyes for an answer.
Fili hated what he was going to say. He knew he had to. It was the only way to get Alithia off his back.
"Because you're an elf."
There it was. The final card. Fili looked up at her and through his own glossy eyes, he could see the look of utter betrayal on her face.
"I thought you understood..." she said softly, tears falling down her face. "I thought that our races didn't matter..." she got up from her seat on the floor, looking down at him.
"How silly of me..." she whispered, shaking her head with a dead grin. "To think that you could love an elf like me."
And then she ran.
Fili could feel his own tears falling down as he slumped down onto the floor of the cell, putting his head in his hands. Now that the deed was done, he could move on and focus on becoming king. But it felt so wrong. From the cells beside him, he could hear murmurs from the other dwarves. There was no doubt that they had all been listening in on their conversation.
"Are you happy now, Uncle?" Fili shouted from his cell, his voice hoarse.
He brought his knees up to his chest and rested his head in his folded arms, letting the tears fall. The image of a crying Alithia stayed fresh in his mind. The shakiness of her voice and the hurt behind them rang loudly in his head. And oh, the complete and utter betrayal she felt, stung badly in his chest.
"Laddie, you couldn't wait till after she set us free?" said one of the dwarves in a nearby cell, but he didn't care. All he could think about was that he just hurt the one person he loved more than anything. And he had no one to blame but himself.
Author's note:
And Chapter 14 is done! This chapter has little connection to the movie, but hey, I gotta shove my oc in there somehow. Anyway, drama ensues! The lovers part! Excuse the bad writing, but there you have it, a chapter born out of my head while i'm busy stressing out about all my uni assignments. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I've been trying to find time to write and update this story. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this cringe-worthy chapter. Have a good week, my dear readers. And remember: Always Keep Fighting.
-Wyatt