The moon sighed as dark clouds passed over her face and obstructed her view of the earth. More and more, darkness, by way of Mordor, was clouding her vision. The stars tried to peek through the Smokey mass to see down below. They chattered among themselves about the blackness below, and the evil that was taking place. And slowly, they turned their gazes to the other shores. The blackness was not at all pleasant to look at, and what was underneath it was usually less appealing to see as well. Soon, all the stars ceased to watch the lands of middle earth, save one.
Bethel, a young star, if a star could ever be said to be young, ever kept her eye towards the Mordor, hoping to catch a glimpse of light. Stars see things differently than others, or rather, they see more. In lands they see rocks and trees, and all manners of creatures, but they can see hope, love, and despair, just as easily. The lands of middle earth had grown so dark that only a very small amount of hope flickered in a few dark corners. Bethel never ceased to watch, feeling certain that the stars would share in the fate of middle earth should it fall to darkness.
Such waiting, however takes its toll. Bethel had grown dimmer as Mordor grew darker. Stars can die. They fade, as the elves do, and disappear. Few fade though, and most take care not to meddle in the matters of earth-dwellers.
The other stars called to her, trying to persuade her to turn her gazes to better lands, but she did not. She watched faithfully, and grew dimmer.
One night, a wind came out of the west and blew all the clouds out of the sky. Bethel could see clearly and she saw utter darkness. The few lights of hope had become so dim, that they might have disappeared altogether. Bethel wept and felt her light dim as well.
She suddenly felt gentle warmth encircle her waist.
"Why do you cry, little star?"
Bethel looked up to see Elbereth wiping her tears.
"There is no hope left in Middle Earth." Bethel wept. "All shall fall to darkness and none shall escape, not even the stars. I have vainly searched for hope and found none. It would have been better if I turned my gaze and did not give way to my foolish desire for hope." Elbereth wiped Bethel's tears. She smiled.
"Little child, look there." Elbereth pointed towards the blackest part of Mordor. Bethel strained her eyes and saw, there in the side of Mount Doom, a light. It was tiny, but bright, and its light grew by the second. Bethel gasped.
"You have given hope to one who had none," Elebereth said. "He saw you shining and now look! He glows also, and others will follow."
Bethel felt her heart swell with happiness. She bent her head close to see this light bearer better. She could barely make out a small figure lying in a rocky copse on the side of the mountain. She left Elbereth's gentle embrace and floated to the ground. She could see the figure better now. It was a hobbit. Bethel moved quietly beside him. She could feel the light emanating from him warm her. She moved closer and lay beside him.
Sam felt a breeze whips over him. He pulled his blanket closer to him and shivered. Frodo and Gollum lay sleeping close by, Gollum a bit too close for Sam's liking. His presence bothered Sam. He always felt like Gollum was scheming behind his back. It was painful to see Frodo defend him, for sometimes Sam felt like he saw a familiar glint in Fordo's eyes, not unlike the one Gollum got when looking at the ring.
Sam keenly felt the presence of Mount Doom close by. The nearness of Sauron fortress constantly preyed on Sam's mind, and he frequently felt like losing all hope. Sometimes it felt like despair hung over him like a cloud, but Sam had found something that helped him get past it. On most nights the smoke from Mt. Doom obscured the sky, and no light could pass through. But the past few nights, Sam could see a star shining out from the black clouds. It twinkles and shone, as if defying all the powers of Mordor. Sam was sure he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Every night he would watch to see if the star would come out, and every night it did. This night, all the smoke cleared and he could see it even more clearly. He fell asleep watching it, feeling certain that it was whispering words of encouragement to him as he did.
The sound of light breathing woke Sam. He turned, expecting to see Frodo, but was surprised to see a woman lying next to him. Her hair was as dark as the night sky, and her skin was pale a glowed with an ethereal light. She wore white, so blinding and radiant that it appeared to be made up of a million small diamonds. Sam felt his heart beat wildly as he watched her reach out and touch his cheek. Her hands were cool and he felt his skin tingle at the touch.
"Hello." She said. Her voice was quiet, but musical. It reminded Sam of the sound of tinkling glass. He felt his mouth drop open and could scarcely think of what to say.
"Hello m'lady." He whispered. "Where did you come from?" he asked in awe. She smiled and sat up.
"From the sky." She answered. Sam looked at her, puzzled.
"Are you an elf?" he asked. She laughed.
"I am a star. You have been watching me." She said. Sam gaped at her. He looked up in the sky for the star that held his gaze for so many hopeless nights, but it was nowhere to be found. That star was now sitting here with him.
"Beggin' your pardon miss, its just, well, I've never met a star before." Sam said, blushing.
"Few have. We keep to ourselves and usually do not interest ourselves in the lives of those who live on the surface. Most have turned they gazes away from Middle Earth. It has become a dark place." The star said. Sam nodded sadly.
"And it'll get darker still, most likely, before it gets lighter." Sam said. He watched the Star, her face full of sympathy and affection. Her eyes seemed filled with light, like Galadriel, only so much brighter.
"If it's not to much trouble, That is, well," Sam blushed and looked away. "Might I ask what your name is?" The star smiled at his embarrassment.
"I am Bethel." She said, bowing slightly. Her dress shimmered with her movements and Sam was momentarily blinded by its brightness. He stood and introduced himself.
"Samwise," He answered, bowing as well.
"What brings a hobbit to the depths of Mordor, Samwise?" Bethel asked. Sam struggled for a moment on what to say, but the warmth of her presence reassured him that she could be trusted. After all, why would a star betray him to Sauron?
"To save Middle Earth, Lady Bethel." Sam answered. She nodded, not asking how a creature of such a small size could accomplish that. She looked at him with admiration and respect. Sam was surprised. She seemed to read his thoughts.
"I do not judge by size Samwise, light is a better tool for gauging worth." Bethel said. "I see you are filled with courage, loyalty, and hope. I am not surprised that you take on this quest, nor will I be surprised when you achieve it."
"You can see all that just by looking at me?" Sam asked in amazement. Bethel laughed and nodded.
"There is more to the creatures that walk the earth than even they realize." Bethel said. " You will have to be the light in dark places, Samwise, and keep hope from dying out." Sam gulped as he that of being responsible of such a task.
"That's a tall order, m'lady." He said. "It gets a might lonely out here. Even with Master Frodo, I feel very alone sometimes. I can't share in the burden he carries, and I feel sometimes that," Sam snuck a glance at his sleeping master. "That he and Gollum understand each other better than I do, and I can't help him none" Sam sat down, a few stray tears slipping down his cheek. Bethel sat down beside him.
"I am alone as well, for all the rest of my kin seek better shores to watch; it can be very lonely and the darkness makes me cold." Bethel said sadly. Sam noticed that she shivered.
"You get cold?" Sam asked. Bethel nodded.
"You feel the bite of winter chills and the blowing of icy wind, but I feel the frigid darkness of despair, and it is much colder than any wind that blows in Middle Earth." Bethel said. Sam pulled his blanket around her gleaming, white shoulders.
"Here." He said. Bethel smiled at him.
"Dearest Samwise, no garment of the earth can warm my chills." She said. Sam thought for a minute.
"What about my light?" He asked. "Will that warm you?"
"Yes, hope is the best warmth." She said. Sam took her hand. That tingling sensation he felt when she touched his cheek was stronger, and her hands felt cool. He felt them warm slightly. Bethel gave a sigh of contentment.
"Ah, if only I knew stars that shone as you do Sam." She said.
"Well, maybe we can keep each other warm." Sam suggested. He almost felt guilty for suggesting a thing like that to such a being as Bethel, but she looked touched by his words.
"That is very kind of you." She said. She curled up beside him, putting her arms around him and laying his head on her chest, her dark hair gently tickling his face.
Sam felt his mind calming as he lay in her arms. He felt his worries about Frodo, Gollum, and the ring slip away and be replaced by contentment. His last thoughts drifted to the Sky, and he dreamed of stars, all arrayed in radiant white robes with kind faces.