Fallen Starlight [Book One]

Chapter Three

After sitting down on the log, Arirua realized that she had a perfect view of the stars that blanketed the sky. She smiled up at the twinkling, knowing what the flashes meant. Arirua laughed, breaking the silence that had settled between the three that had stayed awake. The dwarves looked at her with curious looks on their faces.

"What's so funny?" the blonde one asked.

"Nothing, master dwarf; it is nothing. The stars just have a sense of humor." she said cracking a smile.

"They have a what?" the brunette asked.

"A sense of humor. The twinkling that stars do, it is them communicating with the world below. Look, see that one there, just above our heads?" Kili and Fili looked up and nodded. "That is Amlugnir. And the one next to him is Amlugwen. Together they are called the Tail Chasers, for every night they are in a different position, but always across from the other. Amlugwen has never left Amlugnir's side and he has done the same for her." Arirua explained. "And there is Mallosdes right above those hills." she said, pointing. "Legend has it that she was put in the sky when she left this world so she could see the golden flowers bloom in the summer." she paused, thinking.

"You know a lot about the stars, Lady Arirua." Kili said.

"Yes, I do. My people know a great deal about the stars." she explained. "But they grow distant, the stars. They disapprove of this world, with all the war and heartache. They have begun to distance themselves and others have disappeared all together. Their lights have grown colder." Arirua said. The dwarves noticed how sad she looked; Fili nudged Kili when Arirua wasn't looking. Arirua shook her head, forcing herself back to reality. She smiled at them. "So, what brings you on this quest?"

"Thorin's our uncle." Fili explained. "As rightful heirs to the throne of Erebor, it is our duty to come. But we would never leave Thorin to do this alone. He raised us after our father died in battle, along with our mother. Besides our mother, Thorin is the only family we have left really. Thorin never married and our mother has no more siblings."

"We couldn't leave him to do this alone." Kili said, repeating what his brother had already said. "What brings you on this quest?" he asked, which surprised Arirua. Growing up in Rivendell, most of the elves had kept to themselves, never asking why she did things or what her opinion was, excluding Arwen and Elrond.

"Mithrandir. He called upon me, though I do not know why. Lord Elrond came to me and said that Mithrandir needed my help. I except even before Lord Elrond could explain what it was." Arirua explained. "I was excited. I have never been outside the walls of Rivendell alone. Arwen and I sometimes went with Elrond to the Greenwood but that was it. I was ready to see Middle Earth up close." The fire cracked, making the three of them to jump slightly. The embers had grown dim during their conversation.

"Pass that log over here would you?" Fili asked Arirua. Nodding, she reached for it with her left arm. When she was within a few inches, she let out a scream of pain, quickly recoiling her arm. She pulled her left arm close to her stomach and reached out with her right arm, grabbing the log and passing it to a concerned Fili.