Yours is the light by which my spirit's born: - you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.

is she? Where is that damnable fairy?" Bilbo looked on concerned as Thorin paced the open balcony of the abandoned library. Kili and Fili had told the hobbit of their revelation in regards to the fairy and truly he was not surprised, but Thorin had yet to learn and in her absence he paced.

From behind on of the dusty bookshelves appeared one of the unsavory persons employed by the Master. Bilbo believed his name was Alfrid, a hideous man with yellowish skin and not enough sense to correct the atrocious brow that spanned his entire forehead. "One of the Master's spies saw her leaving in the early hours of the morn, she was headed to Bard's home." As quick as he had come he disappeared back into the shadows like a spider.

"Thorin!" The hobbit had never seen so much determination in the dwarf's eyes as he fled from the room, gathering up a large coat and setting towards the door. "Where are you going?" Yet there was no reply though Bilbo had his suspicions, he only hope that Thorin would not cause too much trouble.

Arethusa had come across a small child who had cut her arm with a fishing hook. She had applied a salve to numb the area and cleaned the slim cut. Wrapping the girl's arm in a strip of cloth torn from her new cloak she smiled as she tied off the makeshift bandage. "There. Keep it wrapped and clean, and be careful." A woman, who Arethusa could only guess was the girl's mother rushed over a relieved expression fell over her worried features as she scooped the girl into her arms and said thanks.

"Arethusa!" Her face fell at the sound of her name from a voice she had no desire to hear at the moment. She looked back and saw Thorin walking in her direction. The fairy looked down before hastily moving into the crowded market, weaving through the lake people. Thorin would have lost sight of her if not for the gathered people that parted in his presence, the whole town was alight with gossip of the dwarves and what had occurred the previous night. He kept calm and once out of their sight, he ran until she was within his reach. She jerked around when his hand brushed over her wrist, yet she would not meet his gaze. "Arethusa, please, I would have you look upon me. You are my equal." She lifted her eyes but did not dare look upon his rugged face yet, her eyes were fixated on the scruff that was extending down the dwarf's neck. "I-I am sorry for my words and actions last night. I would take them back given the chance. Have you the heart to forgive me?"

Arethusa did look up at him then, her violet eyes were swimming with emotion. Almost hesitantly she reached forward and took one of his hands into hers. "I forgive you, Thorin, but I wish you would show your thanks to Bard." Her thumb trailed over a calloused portion of the back of his hand.

"When the mountain is ours I will thank him in the way only a king can." She could see the change in his eyes, they were kinder and bluer than they had been last night, and even his word choice had changed from mine to ours. Arethusa looked down at their touching hands while speaking, "You sound more yourself."

He took the basket from her hands and set it aside, "Aye, Kili and Fili are the cause of that, my Lady." Thorin looked down at her as her smile faded to a pursed frown. "I knew those two wouldn't be able to keep a secret." She cursed the two brothers in Sindarin though she did not mean a single word of it in truth.

Naturally, Thorin's curiosity had been piqued at the mention of his nephews and a secret that the fairy had told them. "Secret?" he questioned with a raised brow, a strange type of smirk pulling at his lips.

"Oh," her eyes widened in disbelief, there was no feasible way for her to escape the coming conversation now. She could only blame herself. "Forgive me, I thought they had spoken of my lineage."

Thorin had already pieced the puzzle together, he had his suspicions based on what Lord Elrond's sons had been told him Rivendell while he watched over her. "You are of noble birth, are you not?" Her eyes flashed up to meet his, he did not seem surprised by the knowledge.

Arethusa nodded, her voice was almost pained why she spoke. "My proper name would be Arethusa Luna Orendottir, Queen Regnant of Fairies, Daughter of Númenórë, Lady of Starlight, Bringer of Life, and Bearer of a Silmaril." Few of the town's people glanced in their direction, the ally they stood in was empty asides for old fishing nets and small cages.

"Why have you not spoke of this until now?" Thorin reached for both of her hands and held them gently as he had found himself thinking that he could easily break this small fairy if he was not wary though in truth he knew the thought to be ridiculous as when they had sparred in Rivendell she had easily held her ground.

"People treat you differently when they know. For me, there is only safety in anonymity." Her eyes did not leave his, Arethusa raised her hand to his cheek, fingers dancing down to his neck and the leather strip that the key to the mountain hung on. "Thorin, may I bestow upon you a kiss?" Somehow it felt as if their relationship had taken two steps back and it was only proper that she asked, her face was already flushed with color.

Thorin's hand was beneath her chin, "I would gladly accept such an offer." She had to push herself up, their lips touched, hesitant at first, and everything seemed righted once again. She gasped when his arm wrapped around her waist, dragging her against him, in response, her hands moved to rest on either side of his neck. At the clearing of a throat, they both parted with racing hearts, heavy breathing, and cheeks stained red. Dwalin stood at the ally's entrance, his arms crossed, yet the sight in front of him was not unforeseen. Arethusa reached for her basket and linked her arm through Thorin's as they walked towards the city's center, trailing just behind the bald dwarf.

The night was fading away, supper had long passed, Kili's leg had been redressed, and everyone seemed to be sound asleep with the exception of Thorin and Arethusa. They had been speaking quietly for hours. She hesitantly reached out, brushing her fingers over the silver strands of his hair. There appeared to be twice as many now as when they had set out for the quest months ago. A pang of despair engulfed her heart, it was a cruel reminder of his mortality, yet she had not aged a day for nearly a thousand years. Time could only ravish her eyes and as years passed the light within them faded little by little. Arethusa dropped her hand back into her lap only for Thorin to reach out and take it into his own.

The ring imprinted with a single rune, Thorin slipped off his own finger was large enough to fit around two of her own. It was bemusing in a strange way. "Mahal, you are so very small." The fairy glanced up at the words and worry crosses over the dwarf's face as he realized she could take offense to his words. "I do not mean for it to be an insult though I fear I will break you at times." She laughed and slid his ring from her fingers, placing it within his palm.

"I am not that fragile, Thorin." They each shared a quiet laugh. The dwarf king looped his arm around her waist and leaned forward, pressing his lips to her temple. "I know." Silence fell between them, but it was welcome. She could hear the steady beat of his heart and it assured her that this was real, she was not dreaming. It had taken thousands of years but she had finally found the one person she never wanted to live without. Arethusa hated to think of what his fate would be.

The fairy allowed tears to slip silently down her cheeks, her head turned away from Thorin's view though he could feel the soft shaking of her shoulders. He sat up, drawing the fairy against him, his hands lifted her face until he could look upon her tearstained face. "All that I have ever adored has turned to dust. I can't bear the thought of you leaving me as well." She had grown tired of watching so many die, her desire to remain in Middle Earth was fading, and all that tethered her to the land now was Bilbo and the company.

"Amrâlimê, look at me." She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut, but Thorin ran his calloused thumbs over her cheeks for several long moments until she opened her violet eyes and met his blue ones. "Amralizi." He breathed, the words brushed over her lips like the touch of a feather.

Her eyes widened, "I don't know what that means." At least, she tried to convince herself she did not know the meaning of the words he had spoken.

"I think you do." The ashen brown hair that had fallen in her face was taking the form of a curl, Thorin pushed it behind her pointed ear and pressed his forehead to hers. She cherished the feel of his nose brushing against hers and the feel of his breath against her parted lips.

Thorin let Arethusa curl her hand around his and bring it just under her chin. She was complacent and would gladly spend the rest of her days like this but the reality of the quest and Darkness loomed overhead. She could not forget the sickness that had taken the Greenwood or the signs that something truly evil was brewing, only waiting for the right time to reveal itself. Now what worried her the most was her heart and the things she knew a fairy would do because of it. "Thorin, I am frightened." She nervously bit her bottom lip and sat back clasping her hands within her lap.

"Of what?" The dwarf found himself reaching out to grasp her hands but she stood from the bed and paced at the side of the bed, not knowing how to answer the question. She was frightened by a good deal of things in the world, but that was not what she wished to tell him. Arethusa stopped in her tracks and turned towards the bed, her arms crossed. "My heart. I've never felt like this in all my years." The words were nothing more than a whisper, she felt almost pathetic saying the words as Thorin had spoken similar in Rivendell and she had come close to ridiculing him.

A faint smile tugged at Thorin's lips but he found he could not string together the words he wished to speak. She gasped when his hands gripped onto her waist and drug her into his chest. He remained propped up on the wooden headboard, one arm remained around her waist and when she rested her hand upon his chest he covered her small hand with his own. "Rest now, Arethusa. We are to leave in the morn." For once she listened and on this night, for the first time in many centuries, she fell into sleep with a smile.

Dwalin and Fili had searched all but one of the rooms for the fairy, Kili had woke sicker than he had been before and they worried. Fili poked his head into the room Thorin had been allotted, at first, he did not take notice of the small figure curled beneath blankets lying next to the dwarf. "Uncle Thorin, have you seen Aret-," two figures stirred, Thorin sat up with sleep still lingering in his eyes as he processed the question Fili had asked and next to him Arethusa was rousing from sleep too.

Fili turned back to Dwalin and opened the door further so he could peer into the room as well. "Found her." The younger of the two had a smug grin at the sight that was reflected in his voice while the old warrior could not say he was actually surprised.

"What is it?" Thorin gritted out, it was one thing Arethusa had learned about the dwarf on this quest, he was not fond of being woken in the mornings by others.

Fili shuffled on his feet, the smile was gone from his face within seconds and replaced by something much grimmer. "Kili, he's not doing well." Those were the only words the fairy needed to hear to spring into action. The sun had not yet risen, candelabras illuminated the halls of the Master of the Lake's abode, and the floorboards creaked in protest of anyone being up so early. The blond brother ushered Arethusa to his brother's bedside. When she laid her hand on his forehead it was slick with sweat and feverish, a deep frown crossed her fair features as she unbound the bandage on his leg and inspected the healing wound.

"I don't understand. I removed the poison, it is not infected." Thorin watched from the doorway as she fretted over his nephew, a light surrounded her when she began chanting the deep magic spells of the fairies. "Ambar aire uu-hith anar nulla urwa nu wilma quaame tulka." Thorin lost count how many times she had spoken the words yet Kili was not responding to the healing as he had done before. Fili kept a cool rag pressed to his brother's forehead. Whatever had latched itself onto Kili was killing him, she could tell by the way something within him fought against the healing. The fairy stumbled back, her shoulders slumped forward. "No, it can't be." She was speaking to herself so low that neither Thorin nor Fili could hear her, but she had begun speaking Sindarin unknowingly. "Morgul lhoer."

Arethusa turned to the dwarf king and silent pulled him from the room and into the hall. "Thorin, he cannot go with you. It will take much time for me to heal this now that I know truly what it is. We will rejoin you when he has healed." He nodded and left to make preparations for the trip across the Long Lake to the shores of the North where Dale and Erebor would lie before them.

The Master had made a large to do for the sending off of the dwarves. The entire town appeared to be gathered in the cold autumn air around where a row boat had been docked. Arethusa gripped onto Thorin's arm before he could step down into the boat. He turned to look at her as she pulled the silver chain of her necklace over her head. Whispers and sounds of awe came from the townsfolk at the sight of the gleaming white jewel. She laid it over the dwarf's head and smiled weakly as she slipped her hands beneath his hair to lift the black mane to conceal the chain. "Bring it back to me. Nalyë melmenya." Bilbo looked shocked at the gift she had just bestowed onto Thorin as the hobbit remained blissfully ignorant to the blossoming relationship that had formed between dwarf and fairy.

"You have my word, my Lady." He lowered his head and took Arethusa's hand to bring to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles before returning to the company. She had only just noticed Kili had joined them, wearing the armor and garb that had been gifted to them.

The young brother stepped towards the boat but Thorin stopped him with a firm hand against his breast plate. "Not you. We must travel with speed, you will slow us down." Arethusa could see Kili's heartbreak at the prospect of having to stay behind, but it would be for the best. He was not fit for travel when he could hardly stand on his own feet.

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you." Bilbo looked over at Arethusa, her hands were clasped in front of her and her head was lowered. The hobbit knew that she had been the one behind Kili's heartbreak by the glistening tears in her eyes. Oín had come to stand by her side and where Kili stood, leaning against a wooden post. Surely two healers would be better than one. The young dwarf looked up at the fairy, he truly was just a boy in the moment.

"I will carry him if I must!" She looked back over to the boat at Fili's cry but was drawn back to the sick dwarf when he reached out for her hand. Arethusa frowned when he leaned forward and nearly lost balance. Her heart was beating quickly from the fear that consumed her. She put her arms around Kili in a protective manner as Fili joined them. The music from the horns was a cacophony of noise that was blaring and obnoxious, but nearly as obnoxious as the Master's voice as be bid the dwarves farewell. The fairy looked around at the clapping people and watched the boat grow smaller on the horizon when she noticed Bofur standing only a couple feet away, he had missed the boat.

"Kili, Kili?" Arethusa brushed the hair that was clinging to his forehead away and looked at his eyes, they were hazy and unfocused. There was little time to spare before the Shadow World would claim him for a wraith. Fili and Oín supported Kili's weight between them and soon they had caught up to the Master and his minion. "Please, wait! Please! We need your help, my brother is sick!" Arethusa bit her lip at Fili's plea and was less than happy with the Master's reply.

"Sick?? Is it infectious? Get back! Alfrid, get them back!" Rage found itself pitted in her gut at the words, the Master shooed the dwarves away with flicks of his wrist, a handkerchief covering his mouth and double chin.

"Please, we need medicine." The fairy looked back to Oín, they would need more than just medicine if Kili was to live through this, but the Master turned his back and left Alfrid to send them off.

"Do I look like an apothecary? Haven't we given you enough? The Master's a busy man. He hasn't got time to worry about sick dwarves. Be gone. Will you go on? Clear off!" If looks could kill then Alfrid would have been dead given Arethusa's glare, her violet eyes were near murderous when she turned away and nodded for the group to follow.

"Come, let's go to Bard." The four dwarves looked hesitant but the fairy had hopes that the bargemen would help them, or at least, allow Arethusa a place to heal Kili. She looked back and frowned as Kili was barely able to stand on his own, the darkness was taking him quickly, the binding mark on her wrist burned. Óin was the one to knock on the wooden door.

When the door swung open, Bard looked down at them with a frown. "No. I'm done with dwarves. Go away." She could not really blame him for not wishing to help them again. The bargeman began to shut the door but Bofur stopped it with his foot. "No, no, no! No one will help us; Kili's sick. He's very sick." The man looked back to the sickly dwarf and over to where Arethusa stood, her eyes were anxious. "Please, Bard, help us."

Amrâlimê (Khuzdul): My Love.

Amralizi (Khuzdul): I love you.

Ambar aire uu-hith anar nulla urwa nu wilma quaame tulka. (Primitive Elvish): Cure the poison, release him from death.

Morgul lhoer (Sindarin): Morgul poison.

Nalyë melmenya (Quenya): You are my love.