S T A R L I G H T

C H A P T E R 4

C H A P T E R 4 - No memory, no love. Only loss and loneliness

~You are in everything~

Simbelmynë had felt as if she had been in this forest for years, even by elf standards.

"The path turns this way!" Thorin yelled at the company, turning and twisting around the forest, the company following suit.

Bilbo rushed up from behind the entire company, jogging up until he was side by side with the only elf in the company. She glanced down at the small hobbit before looking back ahead, hiding the small smile on her face. What a funny creature.

"Miss- Mynë!" He shouted, as if from his small stature she couldn't hear him. She simply looked at him with expectancy for him to continue. The Hobbit twiddled his thumbs nervously, "Beorn told us about where you came from."

"Is that so?"

They walked through the forest, following the path until they reach a corner. The company followed Dwalin as he shouted for them to turn to the left.

The Hobbit continued, "he told us about why you wanted to come on this quest."

"And? Do you find issue with my purpose?"

"No issue, I can only pity you," The Hobbit continued, sounding wiser than ever before, "is there anything you know for certain? Surely there must be something you remember."

She smiled slightly. "I don't remember much," Mynë spoke, her eyes looking up, gazing at the sunlight streaming through the tree line. It was so beautiful, the forrest, so peaceful and yet so terrifying. Her bright blue eyes followed the light as she continued to walk through the haunting forrest, it reminded her of the years she spent in the confines of orcs, chained, battered, staring up at the sunlight she could only dream to bask in. The only other thing she could look at were her empty arms, cradling something that was no longer there. The only thing she wished to find in this world, "A child. Still a babe, so tiny he could fit in my hands. His hair was like mine, spun of white gold, as little as he had. His eyes, however, unlike my own his were brighter blue, striking, I imagine them to be his fathers eyes. He is beautiful... yet only a dream."

Bilbo watched her eyes become clouded in thought, her mind taking her where she wished to truly be, away from the strange forest. Her bright blue eyes made contact with his once more after a moment, Bilbo looked up at her wondering how a brighter blue could possibly exist.

"I do not remember much else, although i doubt anything to be of much more importance."

"You don't remember his father, a husband?" Bilbo wondered aloud, taking in the dark forest, noticing the darkness beginning to blanket the trees.

"I wish I could, all I can see is white, silver, diamonds or gems perhaps, and red. Fire and blood." The blonde elleth sounded somber as she recalled her thoughts.

Thorin chuckled lowly, overhearing the two converse. Of course an elf would remember gems and jewellery...

 "I feel love, of course, love for the unknown and the unknowns love, but what is love without memory? Was it love deserving of memory? I do not know. The only truth is my child, love unconditional from him to I and I to him."

"Have you ever felt close to finding your child? I could not imagine losing something so great.." For some reason Bilbo's mind did not wander to any lost love, nor family, but rather the ring he kept close to him.

"Every green leaf in every tree in every forest of the whole of Middle Earth. I find him in everything. This forest I find him a thousand times over."

Throughout their conversation the dwarves had begun fussing, all complaining about one thing or another, the hobbit and elf begun to feel the same, their minds beginning to spin, gasping for breath as well as the rest of the company.

"Keep moving!" Thorin demanded the rest.

"We are!" Mynë called back, earning herself a glare from the king under the mountain to-be. He could be so foul tempered.

The track had led on for what seemed to be hours. Simbelmynë's scarred ears had become blocked, suddenly she could no longer hear what the rest of the company was saying. This forrest was confusing her. She had never felt more at home and yet completely lost to the world at the same time. The forrest was dark and deceptive, it felt surreal to be here, her mind spun of thoughts all of which made no sense at all.

A strand of white occupied her attention as the dwarves stumbled around the forrest, her fingers reaching out and touching it, it was sticky and a strange substance that sprung back, a vibration ran through it, echoing a strange sound before returning and vibrating in her finger tips. How strange.

"We've lost the sun!" Dwalin exclaimed in frustration.

Simbelmynë looked above at the trees, noticing how there seemed to be no inch of light streaming through the tree line.

"The sun." Bilbo stated, although his voice sounded strangely wavy and dreamlike. "We have to find.. the sun."

Shouting interrupted him, the dwarves were amongst themselves fighting.

"It is not wise to fight ones own company.." Simbelmynë droned on, sauntering past them holding her head in her hand, she felt as if she had drunk too much wine.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Ori asked, approaching the elf, him swaying with each step as well.

"Do you feel strange as well?"

"Yes. Dizzy." He replied shortly, head still spinning in circles.

"What do you-" She begun, only to be interrupted by Thorin exclaiming to all of them.

"Enough!" He growled, "Quiet! All of you! We are being watched."

The more he spoke the more it seemed the world stopped spinning and the headache she had was being cured. Her head turned looking for the smallest of the pack, "Where's Bilbo?" Mynë and Thorin shared a glance of both confusion and panic. Where could their little Hobbit friend had gone?

The dwarves begun to shout and talk loudly to one another, all looking up and down for Bilbo. "Stop!" Mynë shouted, scanning the perimeter, her bright eyes finding something unrecognisable in the distance, her eyes squinting, hand raised with a dagger, "what is that...?"

Suddenly, the force of something large fell atop of her, forcing her to the ground, it squirmed crushing her into the dirt and roots that littered the forrest floor. Something large stabbed her again and again, all whilst she could hear daggers being drawn and the dwarves yelling, fainter and fainter. The pain was immense, flowing through her body. Without sight as an ally Mynë blindly thrust the dagger hoping to hit whatever had her pinned. But it was no use.