Eclipse of Hearts ✔

Chapter 106. [Alyssae]

Even when Alyssae laid in bed again, she could hear the helpless screams of Aymara. She sighed deeply. Was there a possibility Aymara's words were based upon the truth? She knew the sister of her father had died, decades before she was born. Her father never had wanted to tell anything about it and the thought that her father had entrusted these things to Melline and not to her, hurt. Still she did not understand why Aymara had to bring her this message. Why couldn't her sister come herself? Then Alyssae could have read the truth in her eyes, instead of fretting until dawn, while she actually should enjoy her last night alone. 

Alyssae wished she could skip this day. The thought of Thranduil as her husband made her stomach hurt and she wondered how all this could have come this far. There had been ways out: she could have left with Eldinòr or hid herself in the forest. The memories of Thranduin and Fíli had stopped her from doing so and she tried to picture their fading faces to convince herself she was doing the right thing. Thranduin and Fíli both had paid an innumerable price to spare her life and now it was up to her to pay her debts, despite her doubts. There was indeed a chance - a very little chance - that she wouldn't exist anymore soon.
Alyssae rejected her doubts. Today she would marry Thranduil - the uncle of her former fiancé and perhaps even her own uncle. All she had to do was saying the marriage vows, not sacrificing any child hearts. She had months, maybe even years, to search for the truth.
The festivity would only start by night. Thranduil spent time with his family and friends and Alyssae would spent the day in loneliness. Although she had sent invitations, she didn't expect anyone to come. She didn't even want anyone to come. This was nothing but a concise formality, lacking any glimpse of joy. If she still had friends, they better stayed away as far as possible.

Alyssae was just dressed when someone knocked on the door. "Your firsts guests have arrived, princess."
She bit on her cheek, in panic wonderingwhom the elf was speaking of. Eldinòr? Melline?
"Who?" she asked with a trembling voice. 
"I am," it sounded shortly. "Open up."
Alyssae had the feeling she froze when she heard his cold voice. Her heart pounded painfully in her throat. What was he doing here? Had her message not been clear enough?
The fright of his unannounced arrival had nailed her to the ground. 
He repeated his command. 
Sick of fear she shoveled to the door, wondering whether he would grab her throat again. He didn't sound as if he planned to embrace her...
As soon as she had opened the door, she noticed the elf was gone. Thorin leaned with his shoulder against the door station, looking disparaging at her. He didn't enter the room, but tried to caught her glance with his abysmal blue eyes. 
In the silence Alyssae thought to hear her own heartbeat. Thranduin's heart, that perhaps told her that she shouldn't listen to Thorin's words - whatever he was about to say. 
"What are you doing here?"
Thorin did not answer her question, but kept staring at her with a mingling of anger and disbelief. "I want to see if you are able to marry someone else in my presence," he let her know eventually.  "I am curious whether whatever there was between us, meant anything to you"
"Have you read my letter?" she whispered. 
"Otherwise I wouldn't be here."
Alyssae didn't know what to say. It didn't look like he had understood any word of it. 
"It's just for a moment," she jabbered. "Then we will be together."
Thorin laughed scornfully. It felt like they were back on the ship of Eldinòr. "Oh, just for a moment. Well, that makes me feel much better. I really believed you found me more important than that piece of shit."
"I am not doing this for Thranduil," Alyssae grumbled. "We just have shared interests! Fíli, Dís... they will both come back!"
She hoped to see a smile on his face, but he shook his head, sadly. 
"You always blamed me for not being able to let go of the past." He looked away. "You clearly had no right to do so. You're no different. A hypocrite."