S T A R L I G H T

C H A P T E R 9

C H A P T E R 9 - There was a time when I thought I would know you forever

~Fall from grace for you~

Tauriel had helped dress her in a loose pink dress without sleeves, the auburn elf told her nothing about who picked it out but she knew it would have to be the king. She dried her hair, brushing it through, revealing waves of lighter hair then she had ever seen on her head. Her skin was clear of dirt a glowed in the light of the setting sun.

As much as she could hate some of the elves ways, she did like the new elleth she saw in the mirror.

The moment she stood from the bath, like the water dropped from her body, the scars disappeared again. But they were always there.

She had found herself on the balcony again, the wind had caught up blowing the curtains in the room. The door was locked, there was no escape. So she might as well enjoy it in any way she could.

Her rounded ear perked at the sound of a lock clicking over. Someone had entered. She pretended not to hear it and continued looking out.

"Asteraêa..." He whispered, stepping onto the balcony behind her. She turned around, face void of emotion. Tears came to his eyes. She had not changed in all these centuries. Behind the dirt and scraps of cloth she used as clothes she was still a queen, and she radiated that. "You are as beautiful as the day I lost you." He reminisced, stepping closer and reaching out for her with his hands, hoping to catch her face in his fingertips and bring her close to him, to never let her go.

"Stay where you are!" She shouted, turning defensive, her feet finding absolute balance in case he rushed at her. She still had no weapons, but his sword was still safely secured at his side.

As much as the elleth wished, she knew he was a better warrior, the way he fought her in the throne room was done with not only strength but speed and technique as well. Simbelmynë preferred her bow as her weapon of choice, and the king clearly preferred his sword and as their battle was one with swords, even then he had the upper hand.

The elven king watched her reaction, the way they showed no recognition when she looked at him. His whole world was shattering around him, but surely this wasn't true. The years they had spent with each other were honest and true, filled with love, she couldn't simply have forgotten all of that?

"Asteraêa, you must listen.."

"My name is Simbelmynë." She stood firm, still glancing back and forth from him and his sword. This king must have lost it, he was insane.

He had to accept it. Her memory was lost.

"You have lost memory..." He sounded broken, so raw of emotion in front of a total stranger. She could almost feel bad for him, but she rather care about how he knew of her lost memory.

"Who told you this? Was it your spy, Tauriel?" Simbelmynë grew angry.

"No... only the look in your eyes that is no longer existent." He explained with pity. She didn't want his pity.

Her teeth gritted, "do not talk to me in riddles. She told you!"

Simbelmynë did not know what to expect with the elven king, but the last thing she expected was for him to laugh as loud as he did. "You are truly lost to me aren't you? They thought it not enough you be ripped from my arms but to be taken from mind as well?!"

He was truly crazed. Perhaps even drunk.

The King went to the balcony, laughing as he did, slowly coming out of his craze and looking out to his kingdom.

"I love you more than anything, more than the stars in the sky, or the days I have and will live. I would travel to the ends of Middle Earth, sacrifice every soldier I have, died a thousand times. I would do it all for you... even if you have no knowledge of who I am."

"And who are you?" She finally asked, dreading the answer, heart beating out of her chest. Something about the way he spoke, struck something with her, it made her want to scream in frustration.

"Who I was, to you," he corrected her, "I used to be herven nin, melleth nin. It seems no longer that is the case..."

"Where are my friends?" His heart ached more, he told her the truth and yet she didn't even seem to care. She just cared about the dwarves. Had they manipulated her mind?

"The dungeons. Which is where they will remain."

She laughed viciously at him. "You expect me to believe you were my husband? I could never be with someone as cruel as you! They have done nothing!"

"They have done enough!" He yelled back at her, stepping closer as she did the same.

"You claim to love me in the past does not mean who I was ever felt the same! You, who has no heart, you are a monster!" She continued to scream at his, stepping back as he stepped forward, like a dance of war.

"You really don't remember anything do you? Not I, or our child? You call me a monster and yet forget the child you bore to me! Your son!"

She was confused. Simbelmynë had never told Tauriel about her son, but this elven king knew, and claimed she had forgotten him. A mother never forgets her child, she reminded herself. Her son. Not his, hers. But what if this was the father she could not recount?

"My son?" Her tone had changed, no longer yelling but instead whispering, as if her voice would crack at any moment and tears would fill her bright blue eyes.

The King stepped back. She remembered something. Even if it was not him, at least it was Legolas. That was better than anything, as much as it did break him. "You remember our tithen pen?"

"So tiny in my hands, his hair as light as mine with the eyes, brighter, of another..." Carefully she stepped closer, her hands shaking at her sides as she approached the much taller Ellon. His head dropped, staring deeply into hers as if it were the only sight worth looking at. Finally, she was close enough to see his eyes for the unnerving majesty they truly were. They were a bright, striking blue that made her heart feel full and her mind rest with ease. Like the stars, they were filled with memory.

Her hand reached out, finding his cheek, feeling his tears finally drop and kiss her flesh. Through her hand she could feel the pain he was feeling, the despair and confusion. He felt like someone who was being tortured.

"Our little green leaf." He replied, reaffirming he was telling the truth. She did remember her little green leaf.

His larger calloused hand reached for her face. She flinched wanting to get away but her body not contributing. He wiped a tear from her cheek.

She didn't even know she was crying.

"Where is he?" She stuttered with rapid breaths, "I want him." Simbelmynë hoped for the best, fearing the worst. What if he had passed to the undying lands already? Perhaps she were the lucky one to have lived and he had died. What if all her searching was for nothing all this time?

"I will take you to him."