"The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember that."
Fairies are one of the oldest race of beings in Arda -once they called Numenór home- but Arethusa watched as the sea claimed the island from the helm of a ship as the survivors fled to...
I loved a maid as white as winter with moonglow in her hair.
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IT was two full days after he first woke that Arethusa gathered the company in the library, Bilbo stood next to her almost snickering at the expressions that had overcome several of the dwarves' faces. "What's wrong, lass? Has something happened?" Bofur asked as he scratched his hat. Ori fiddled with his scarf nervously while Dori comforted the poor dwarf.
"Yes, something has happened." There was no precursor hint to what she would tell them yet it became apparent that her news would have to do with their king. Their faces all fell as the worst was assumed, but a small smile broke out on her lips, "Thorin has awakened, but I wish to advise you to speak carefully. His body is healing well, though I cannot easily fix what has been done to his mind." The tension in the room faded with the cries of joy that bounced off the stone walls. Kili and Fili were the first to rush away, the rest followed though Dwalin lingered behind and in a moment of pure impulse the grizzly dwarf wrapped his arms around the small fairy.
"Thank you, lass." Arethusa smiled into the embrace and when Dwalin turned to join the rest of the company the fairy looked to her side at Bilbo. They both took to a pair of chairs in front of a large fireplace and in a comfortable silence each picked up the book they had been reading.
The hobbit closed his book and peered into the dancing flames of the fire, "I'm thinking about returning to the Shire soon," Arethusa had begun to see the slight changes in her dear friend, he was homesick, missing the comforts of Bag End, and she could not blame him for that. "You will be missed."
The obscure sadness in her voice caused Bilbo to shift within his seat, he had always dreaded the strange sadness that came over the fairy when they parted ways. "I didn't say I wouldn't visit, now did I?" Arethusa shook her head amusedly but when Bilbo reached over the space between them and took her hand she smiled. "You are always welcome at Bag End."
A single tear was attempting to escape from her eye, she wiped it away before it could betray her. "And for that I am grateful."
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Arethusa brushed down the collar of the fur-trimmed cloak that hung from Thorin's shoulders, he stood hunched over, breathing ragged from the exertion of dressing for the feast. The fairy touched the stone she had tied into his hair with furrowed brows, "Are you sure you are ready for this, Thorin?" She worried that he had not rested enough since waking, that he had not healed enough to partake in the night's activities.
The dwarf king pulled her hand up to his lips, placing a short kiss on her knuckles, "Yes, I must do this Arethusa." Her eyes dropped to the floor, from beneath the skirts of her pale green gown bare feet could be seen. She worried too about her acceptance into the dwarven community now that Thorin had awakened, she thought it likely that those who were not a member of the company would shun her for her race despite being nobility and the one that had brought them through a turbulent month. "I understand, my King." The phrase felt funny rolling off her tongue, but Thorin was her king, if not of her being then of her heart.
