Alyssae closed the door of the dungeon. "I will marry you on one condition."
Thranduil laughed scornfully. "Let me guess. You want me to set them free?"
"Indeed."
He shook his head. "So that you can run away? I need more than only your word."
A frustrated sigh left her lips. 
"As soon as you have given me what I want, I will let you go. All three of you."
"And what is it you want?"
He wrapped an arm around her waist. "I don't think it's very appropriate to discuss such matters here."
Alyssae looked at him with mingled feelings. She had expected him to torture her and lock her up, but he treated her with conspicuous respect and she didn't know how to handle the situation.
"Do I have the permission to write Thorin?"
"Yes, as soon as we have discussed our wedding. Of course, he is very welcome."
His words made her angry of powerlessness, even more because there was not a single hint of epicaricacy  in his voice. This all felt businesslike, as if there was no room for personal feelings in his plan. 
"Aren't you afraid he will shoot an arrow through your head because you force me to do this?"
"I hope he is more reasonable. I assumed he had learned from his mistakes, but I see you are doubting him?"
Alyssae said no more word and persisted in doing so during the tour through his palace - her new home. While he tried to impress her, Alyssae was only looking for way-outs. One thing was sure: as soon as she saw the chance to free Bombur and Bofur, she would go as far from her as possible. 
Despite her fierce conviction, her determination would disappear before nightfall.

"Where is Legolas?" Alyssae wondered when dinner was served to them. 
Thranduil looked at her. The glance in his eyes became darker. "You lover killed him."
Alyssae was startled. Legolas had always been a fair person. "I'm so sorry."
The elf king didn't look at her. "In every war sacrifices has to be made."
Uncomfortable Alyssae stared at her plate, but her appetite was gone. How could someone react so lightly at the dead of his son? "But still... he was your only son and you have already lost your daughter."
"My daughter?"
Carefully Alyssae looked up, curious if there would be tears in his eyes. There was only a playful grin around his lips. "Eldinòr told me about her."
Thranduil chuckled softly and took a glass of wine. "I never had a daughter, Alyssae."
"But Eldinòr..."
She fell silent. He had lied to her, trying to hide the real nature of his relationship with Thranduil. She shove her plate away and stared at the wooden table top. Had he ever spoken a word of truth to her?
"Ah, Eldinòr. An extraordinary man, isn't he? His qualities came to light a long time ago and I made use of them eagerly."
Alyssae didn't want to think about Eldinòr. Ever memory of him hurt and suddenly there seemed plenty of them. She could feel his hands on her back when he gave her a massage and she even remembered the tender caress of his tongue. "Just tell me what you want," she said, trying to move her thoughts to the future instead of the past. 
Thranduil peeked at her plate. "Don't you want a little more food?"
"No."
He shrugged. "Then I will tell you what I want." His eyes drilled into hers as if they were two luminous  daggers. "I want a child from you."