Eclipse of Hearts ✔

Chapter 92. [Eldinòr]

Beforehand he had never expected this task would be so hard. He had to bring the princess to Mirkwood - that was all. From time to time he had postponed it. Much earlier he could have done the job, but time after time something had retained him. He knew he hung on to her. He didn't felt less love for her than for the rest of his crew. Maybe he felt even more, but he didn't want to think about that. It made it only harder. 
Her eyes flashed from left to right nervously. She clearly knew something was wrong and Eldinòr didn't know if he had to deny it. 
"We're going on shore."
Alyssae stared at Philae, then her eyes went to him, looking for help. He looked the other way. She would find out soon enough the man had always executed his orders, although his last command had left a sour taste in his mouth. It never had been his intention that filthy dwarf touched her and he regretted his lack of insight. The dwarf should have kept her a while, so Eldinòr could "rescue" her without being seen, separating her from Thorin. 
Alyssae's fear suffocated him when she grasped his hand when they went down the gangway. Actually he wanted to pull his hand away, for his betrayal would hurt her intensely. Did she try to persuade him? It wouldn't matter. He couldn't go back. He never could.  Still he didn't let go of her hand. He wanted to be her support, for it was probably the last time she wanted to touch him. When she would fall to pieces, someone else had to catch her.

They just reached the bridge when the gates opened. Thranduil walked toward them, followed by a large amount of armored elves. Eldinòr paid no attention to him, his eyes went over the other elves. She wasn't there. His grasp around Alyssae's hand tightened. 
"Good evening, Alyssae," Thranduil spoke when he stood before them. 
Alyssae didn't answer and Eldinòr cleared his throath. "Where is she?"
Thranduil looked him shortly in the eye. "Unfortunately she hasn't returned from the battlefield."
His throat became dry, he started to feel dizzy. Is he serious?  Did he dance to this man's piping for five hundred years to get her back, and now that bastard did this?! Had she died or had she deserted? "Well, than we'll leave." He pulled Alyssae back, on the gangway again. None of this should have happened if he had been better informed. He just did two steps when an arrow landed in the wood between his feet. 

"The next will hit your head," Thranduil warned. "There is no reason to end this deal. Soon you can go back to Erebor and take your dear sister in your arms, and you'll give me Alyssae, as you have promised."
Her fingers weakened. He was glad she no  longer wore weapons. 
Eldinòr suppressed a sigh. It no longer matter what he wanted. If he didn't give in, people would die. Later he had to find a way to make things right. If he was dead, there was no way he could help her.
"Why are you doing this?"
Although she whispered the words, it sounded like she was screaming. And yes, it tore his heart. It caused a lump in his throat, even tears in his eyes - but none of these things would change a thing. He decided to stay silent. She wouldn't understand. For five hundred years Thranduil had held his sister as a prisoner. He had wiped her memories and locked her up in this sick wood. This had been his price and Eldinòr had to admit he had no idea why. The scepter and Alyssae. That was all Thranduil wanted to trade his sister with, and Raphael and he had obeyed. And now everything might be in vain. He was too late, he had allowed himself to care about her, not wanting to let her go. 
He grabbed Alyssae's wrist and dragged her to Thranduil. He didn't look back when the man took her, neither when he climbed on the ship and grunted they would  set sail again. All he could do was hoping that Tauriel had indeed joined the side of the dwarfs.