By the Light of the Fire

The ashes still clung to the sparks of life, embers still glimmering as the cinders began to die. Dawn had approached in rapid form, and the world had begun to extinguish the darkness. The group still trapped in their slumber once more, believing the worst of the woods to be behind them, the end ever approaches rapidly.

Trapped in her own insanity, Ainsel's sleep offered no refuge. She dreamt vividly of Almasenor attacking a small town that she had began to inhabit, the residents taking up arms against the Half elf, instead of the Witch to rid their own of evil, claiming she had burdened them with this death, that Ainsel was no longer welcome and she should flee back into her woods. The world transformed in her dream, a burning forest, the trees ablaze with orange glow, Ainsel began calling out a name, but no sound would escape her lips. It was caught in her throat like she had lost her voice. She tried to scream, but to no avail. She tried to move her limbs, but the trees had her pinned to the fiery earth. She was consumed by the flames.

She awoke, screaming in terror, sweat dripping profusely from her almost translucent flesh.
No-one had awoken from their Dragon infested nightmares, yet. Or so she thought...

“She plagues your mind too?” Bilbo sat up from his sleeping bag propping himself on his elbows. This snapped Ainsel’s attention back to the world beyond the dead and dreaming. “The first time I saw her...” he stared into the fire, the orange embers illuminating his beautifully deep blue eyes.

She watched him, curiously. “Almasenor was scratching your name in blood, whispering terrible things, about you, about me, what she was going to do to you. It was terrifying” His face grew dark, the shadows playing tricks against his features. Ainsel signaled for him to continue, he looked as though he wasn’t finished recalling the horror.

“Next she tortured me in my dreams, crows were screaming, and she was cutting into my flesh, telling me I should resent the monstrosity, resent why I was entrapped there with her burrowing a blade into my flesh...”

“And did you?” Ainsel queried.

“Did I what?” He tilted his head. His hair was dancing in a shade of golden orange now, radiant, reflecting the dawns light.

“Resent the monstrosity, resent me?” It was a flat statement.

“Of course not! Why would I resent you? Why would she mean you? Granted you are a little rude, with I suppose good right to be... but you are no monster Ainsel!”

“But... I know she means me. I’m not an Elf, I’m not anything. I’m a runt. She is after me Bilbo...”
It sounded so beautiful, the way she said his name through normal conversation, not waking up, screaming his name. He crawled from his sleeping bag to sit closer to the fire. Ainsel began t shiver and he patted the warm earth beside him. She plodded over and dropped not so graciously, in a huff to the ground.

“I think... I think she made me watch your dreams somehow. I kept seeing you being poked with hot iron rods, crows clawing, pecking, ripping at your flesh, and then... then you disappeared into thin air! I couldn't find you and then she rounded on me!”

“I saw that too!” He shouted, earning exasperated, sleepy grunts from the sleeping Dwarves who resumed their snoring after a few seconds of silence. “Sorry” he whispered to no one in particular and carried on in a hushed tone. “When I... vanished, I broke free of the trees vines and roots, and she... she came after you with her staff, it was covered in blood, she was howling something at you... That you will pay for your father’s insolence?” Ainsel froze. He saw it? He saw what that evil Witch had done, what Ainsel heard escape her mouth.

“Ainsel?” The words lingered, she stared off into vacant sunrise, sick and psychologically wounded.

“Do you... do you know who your father was?” His hand rested on her arm, trying to comfort her and bring her back from the horizon. She purchased her sanity in the present once more.

“He...” the tears started... “He was a... Hobbit” the water leaked from her eyes like an uncontrollable tap

“How long have you known?” she wailed quietly.

“It woke me up, actually, so about... an hour. Don’t worry, I won’t tell the others. I know you resent me for what I am. I’m sorry Ainsel. Really, I am”

“I don’ resent you... I did. But I can’t, not now. You’re too good natured to be the cruel, evil creature I painted you all.... to be.”

“Ainsel...” his hand slowly and bravely moved down her arm, tickling the soft skin, leaving Goosebumps across her flesh as his fingers began to encircle hers. He was locked in the moment, torn by her aching expression. She was so confused, so fragile and so fierce.

He gulped. Not sure how to read her. Would she punch him? Would she fight him? Would she... embrace him? He had to know either way, he started slowly to gravitate towards her... was she moving in? His heart was in his head, he could feel every pulse his blood made, making him feel dizzy, giddy, sick... He picked up his free hand... this was it, his days of admiring her, would he have her?

She looked confused... What was he doing? Was this another form of comfort? Ainsel had never seen this sort of contact between people. But somehow instinct told her it wasn't what friends did, what people of a more intimate nature did. What was happening? Her head was screaming in protest, but her head, it was moving on its own, and everything she did to pull herself back, it didn't work? Was Bilbo a wizard of sorts? Was he putting a spell on her? Her eyes begged for an answer...

A crash made them both jump, Bilbo especially. He seemed to act in a daze, staring around absent of his mind, of... everything.

A can had been kicked over by Bombur, and he now began to rise from his sleeping bag, shouting curses, waking a few dwarfs next to him. He began to kick them and saying a simple word... “Breakfast” he was such a simple, yet humorous creature.

Bilbo scampered to his feet, not looking at Ainsel as he left to exit the clearing space and seek refuge in a solitary patch of earth, crowded by large trees. It was reminiscent of his nightmares. What was he doing?

His chest made a horrible throb. For someone who had spent his life alone, was the appeal to him that he had found a lone flower in all this chaos, someone to share his loneliness?

All the conflict swimming around in his consciousness began to wear him out and break him down! He collapsed on the floor, his hand clutching the hard earth, staring vacantly at the state of a very beautiful woman who resembled his beautiful companion, was this a trick? An illusion?

Her statue lay facing up towards the heavens, her face solemn and peaceful, he didn't notice the rest of her, just the face, dreaming under the trees, his eyes trailed over the statue now, a child of sorts lay beside her, it was only on closer inspection he noticed the lines in the handsome fellows face that suggested he was older, much older than a child.

Bilbo circled the statue, inspecting it, he gasped when he realised who these sleeping stone figures were... His hands begun to shake... What should he do? This was Ainsel's answer, here in this deep and abandoned part of the woods, here lay the answer in front of his eyes, not for his discovery.

He calmly composed himself and made his way back to camp. Ainsel's face was happy, smiling, joining in with conversation betwixt Bombur and Kili around a newly stoked fire.

“Ainsel?” He asked her attention and she granted it, her face showing new light, new personality he hadn’t seen before.

“I... I want to talk to you in private” His eyes were now darting everywhere, he couldn't keep his gaze fixed on her anymore. It hurt.

“Oh... okay!” she sprung to her feet hastily, brushing off the pine needles sticking into her dress and the dried mud.

He needed to do something to sooth her, so he took her hand gently and guided her towards the site of the statues. The Dwarves gave him a quizzical look and Kili began to make inappropriate comments to which several Dwarves cheered... Ainsel threw them a filthy look over her shoulder and threw them an Elvish insulting hand gesture and they all just laughed. All but Thorin of course.

Gandalf gave them a courteous smile, and continued blowing smoke rings as thought he knew nothing at all, of course he did....

“Ainsel, I want you to know I just found this by mistake, but please, know that I’m sorry...”

“Sorry for what?” She laughed at his serious expression, but soon her face was void of everything, she followed his gaze...

Her body went numb. Everything, was numb. Her mind, her senses. Everything. Numb...

The initial shock took over, followed by horror, followed by grief and then harrowing and haunting.

There lay the statue of her parents. The Witch was right. Their bodies still haunted these woods in a stone tomb encircling their body, taking their form. Sure enough a Halfling lay across Enwe, his head on her chest, their hands entwined. Ainsel then became very conscious of where her hand was, still encircled in Bilbo’s. She shook it free, she didn't stop to look at the pang of pain, eminent on his face.

She collapsed on her knees next to the statue. Crying.

All this time they had been here and she had never seen their bodies she assumed they had been swallowed by the earth... But here they were, painfully life like.

“My dear. Please don’t weep...” The voice was very mature, deep and also feminine. Ainsel lifted her head. A bright white aura surrounded the clearing, a beautiful figure emanating the light.

“Mother?!” Ainsel got to her feet, running for the light, only to fall through it and slam into the cold earth.

“I’m sorry my little gemstone, I wish with all my heart that I could hold you. I have waited here, in my stone prison for your arrival. I prayed everyday that you were safe, that you were alive...” Her voice had long since faded from Ainsel’s mind, but here it was, beautiful, as beautiful as the Elf that owned it.

“Mother, why did you not find me?” Ainsel began sobbing, staring at the light of her dead mother above her, tall and radiant, much unlike herself...

“Darling, I cannot leave this circle. I knew one day you would find me. You are still as beautiful as you ever were, and I’m certain you always will be. I am just sorry I have not been around to watch you claim a life of your own...” She looked towards Bilbo, he just stood there, stunned and shocked, far too much so to register what Enwe had said to him. All his baffled little brain could register was to speak... But what should he say?

“Your daughter is an admirable warrior and a beautiful woman” he bowed to her. Feeling slightly foolish, but her presence demanded courtesy.

“A warrior?” She questioned, a wry smile gracing her features. “I am very proud of the woman you have become Ainsel. I love you with all my heart.” This made Ainsel choke a sob of regret.

“I love you too. Please, stay with me!” She begged through clouded vision, blocked by a waterfall of hurt, spilling freely onto the earth.

“I cannot... As much as I wish I could, with everything I have. But we will meet again Ainsel my darling, we will meet over the sea and to the world beyond”

“Will I mother? I thought only elves go there?!” She gasped.

“Of course, you are a proud young elf, no matter what our selfish clansmen say, to be half elf is better to be no elf at all, and to be a noble and loyal Hobbit is honourable. My dear, do not seek woe in all that you are. For I do not, and neither does your father. He loved me, and I believe I did he...” Her voice trailed off She sounded sure

“But he poisoned you!” She spat.

“I like to think of it an encouragement dear, I am displeased that I met my end so soon but we were both poisoned by ill magic, but now I can pass on with a sigh of relief. I will never meet your father again, I believe he haunts these woods somewhere, but please promise me you will not go searching for him! My heart only hopes and it is heavy with burden. I need you safe darling, and I’m sure this fine young gentleman does too!” She pointed to Bilbo, who’s face flushed the same colour as the red berry he was rolling back and forth between his fingers, idly, trying to look inconspicuous.

“Mother, there is so much I want to say to you!” Ainsel protested. Enwe held up her hand firmly.

“Leave the mystery until we meet again, my little gemstone.” She leaned down, and kissed Ainsel on the forehead. Looking into her soft, crying eyes, Enwe began to sing her an old Elvish lullaby as she faded into the new days light, bursting through the trees, leaving Ainsel to weep uncontrollably on the soft brown earth.

Bilbo rushed over to her, crouching down next to her and cradling an arm around her, rocking her backwards and forwards, soothing her with gentle shushes....

She lunged at him, gripping his shirt tightly with her hands, pushing him back slightly and then pulling him into her... Her lips crashed on his, begging for him to respond, and he did, hungrily his hands moved up to the back of Ainsel's head, cradling her as he kissed her, one hand giving him balance on the floor as his body knelt on the earth. Her hands began to wind up naturally, draping round his neck as she pulled him down even more, their lips brushing hungrily against one another, until they pulled away for air. Ainsel's breath was hot and heavy, here eyelids lolling shut in a daze.

“I... I’m sorry” She whispered and she kept a strong grip around his neck, but he made no protest to move, his head rested on hers.

“Don’t be” His body began to vibrate with laughter. “I wasn't exactly complaining.” Her smile set his pulse off again. He leaned in and planted a soft trail of kisses from her mouth to her cheek. “What brought this on, if you don’t mind me asking?” it was the same sensation as feeling drunk...

“It felt right.” She said flatly.

He drew back from her a little, looking at her, staring at her eyes, her nose, her lips... He nodded in agreement. “Well this certainly changes things... but it’s a start” he mused.