"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...
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"PACK your things, after the map has been read we will set out. The wizard bids us leave before the White Council meets." Thorin's voice was gruff with emotion. Arethusa nodded and gathered her mended traveling clothes from the settee where they had been folded. The fairy sat on the edge of her bed, bringing her ankle up to unbind the bandages and trade them out for a thinner material so it would fit in her boots. When her bag was packed and weapons sat near on the bed's coverlet she ventured out to the open courtyard where the clash of metal on metal filled the air.
Fili had parried Dwalin's strike, ducking away. The other dwarves watched, arms crossed and gaze pensively. On the balcony above Bilbo was speaking to Elrond. The sparring match ended when a blade was at each of the dwarves' necks. Kili was the next to stand for his round, he looked over the dwarves, choosing none. "Arethusa." He grinned at her. She would not be able to say no. The company grumbled under their breath but she knew she could not back down, they had yet to see her abilities, proving herself now would mean further acceptance.
"Very well, Kili, but I hope you are ready to lose." She smirked and strode over to pick up two wooden staffs, tossing one of them to the young dwarf prince. Kili was still grinning as he tested the staff in hand, balancing it on his palm, spinning it once only the coordination was not there and the blunt weapon clattered on the stone ground.
His cheeks burned with embarrassment after picking up the staff again but he thwarted it by taunting Arethusa. "Afraid you might get hurt if we use real metal, fairy?" She glanced over to where the dwarves watched, they were completely engrossed and the match had not even begun. Thorin had his arms crossed, his chin tilted up, she could not tell if he wanted his nephew to win or her.
"No, dwarf, I fear you may get hurt." Their staffs touched with the dull sound of wood striking wood, the blow had jarred her once again. He was holding back, she almost frowned at the revelation, else that first encounter would have had her sprawled on the ground from the force. Arethusa jumped to the left to slap Kíli's side, but he parried the strike and followed up with one of his own, not missing a beat. She avoided being struck on the thigh by a margin of no more than a hair.
A shadow of a smirk tugged at his lips when he thought he had landed a blow and then a look of concentration reappeared on his young face. Arethusa's method of evasion to wear down her opponent was not effective against the young dwarf. After each of her feints, he responded, Arethusa felt the light slap of wood against her arm. She moved in a fury after that, so quick and light on her feet it appeared that she was flying with no wings.
Expecting to defend against another blow Kili did not react quickly enough before she had flicked the staff from his hands and crouched to the ground, kicking out in a sweeping arc that tripped the young dwarf. The fairy held the point of her staff to his neck and the point of his to his own gut. Fili was laughing at his brother. "Do you know what you do in times like this?" She questioned, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Kili remained on his back, breathing heavily. He shook his head and she moved away from the staffs, extending her hand. The young dwarf stood. "You rise and rise again. Until lambs become lions."
