CHAPTER 6
"There it is! Dale!" shouted Hamar happily, turning round to face the group. As they joined him at the top of the hill, they were faced with a picturesque view of the city overlooking peacefully the valley and the mountain of Erebor, joined together by one lone bridge.
Quite a few days had gone by since the fight with the wargs, but the friendship between the men and the elf maiden had flourished in such a short time. Arahad had never been one to seek friendship in an elf, dismissing their attitude as being too arrogant to his liking most of the time. Until now, that is. She was different. Unlike any other maiden, elf or otherwise, that he had met before. It wasn't so much her outer beauty that struck him most, but more her behaviour, the way she spoke, which one could almost describe as regal. She seemed to possess an inner strength that was remarkable to behold and it wore off onto the four men as well.
Not to mention that she fought like a warrior. Due to her being of elf kind, she had regained her strength remarkably quickly so, after that incident with the wargs, they started practising fighting with her but it was soon obvious that she could overcome all of them without difficulty. They were impressed by her skills and quite taken in by her manner. Their friendship grew deeper with each passing day and when they travelled they rode around her. Protecting her. For they knew that even though she was physically strong, there was a deep emptiness in her heart that made her vulnerable.
For she had lost all memory of who she once was. She soon discovered that she had no answer to the questions the rangers asked her. Who was she? What had she been doing in Gundabad? Why had she gone there? Who had practised the magic on her to protect her? What was her name?
Nothing. A black void, a dark emptiness which for now seemed impossible to fill. There were just three things which could hold a key to her past. There was the first sword, which they had found in the hands of the soldier who had guarded the room where they had found her.
Then there was her own sword. Now this was an extremely beautiful blade. None of the men had ever seen anything like it before. It was made of one long piece of metal, from hand grip all the way through to the tip of the blade. It had cut out designs all along, similar to holes which let the light pass through when it was being handled. She swung it round with both grace and agility, holding it almost as if it was an extension of her own body. It had, in truth, a rather lethal looking shape…and in her hands it was deadly.
Finally there was the necklace. None of them had noticed it at first due to the high neckline of the dress she was wearing. It was a small but exquisite pendant made of a shiny white precious metal and a crystal clear gem which had been shaped very much like a star with pointed edges. It was in fact this very ornament that gave her a name.
Not knowing what her real name was, they tried at first to list as many female names as possible, hoping that maybe one of them could stir some hidden memory yet it was to no avail. Hamar came up with quite a few fancy ones which made them all laugh in merriment but Arahad noticed how she fell silent soon afterwards. Her pain was tangible and he felt deeply for her not being able to remember something that came so natural to the rest of them.
And so it was that when he saw her looking at the necklace and then up at the North Star one night, he couldn't stop himself from saying "Star!" She had looked at him, puzzled, and he repeated what he had just said with more conviction in his tone.
"Star. That is what you shall be called!"
She smiled, yet her brow furrowed for an instant, almost as if a fleeting memory had rushed uncontrolled through her mind.
"It's almost as if…" But she could not understand what she was feeling. Except for one thing. She liked it.
"Yes," she agreed, "my name shall be Star, for now."
Arahad watched her face glowing in the moonlight, happy like a child having been given a much longed for toy, and simply thought of how her beauty outshone all the other stars in the heavens.
Bard was definitely taken by surprise at seeing the group on his doorstep. He had watched them depart from Dale a couple of weeks back and he never expected to see them again so soon. It usually took them many months or even years for them to visit again so one can imagine his bewilderment when he set his eyes on their grinning faces as he opened his front door.
"Welcome back my friends! Do come in and make yourselves at home!" was his greeting as he made way for them to enter his dwelling which one must say was strikingly different from the dismal one he had possessed in Lake Town. It was much bigger and without any doubt more welcoming, mirroring all the other houses in the city. For considerable changes had taken place in Dale since the battle which brought the already dreary remains of the city to its knees. With their share of the treasure, which was exceedingly great, the people of Dale sought to rebuild the city and restore it to its former glory.
He was just about going to ask what had brought them back so soon, when he noticed the elf maiden and turned towards Arahad with a puzzled look on his face.
"Her name is Star," was Arahad's answer to his unspoken question and he proceeded to tell his long time friend all about the adventures that they had been through since they left Dale some weeks before.
By the end of this incredible story Bard was left visibly bewildered and also curious about what might have happened to the maiden all those years ago. They continued to recount the road they had taken and that after leaving Gundabad they felt that it was much safer to travel along the borders of the forest of Mirkwood instead of riding through it along the banks of the forest river.
"Yet that path could have taken you directly to the Elvenking's Halls. Didn't it cross your mind that the Mirkwood elves might have an answer to all your questions?" put in Bard.
"The forest is still dark and gloomy, not to mention that there could still be many perils or dangerous creatures lurking around its paths," said Odell.
"So we thought it wouldn't do anybody any good if we were eaten by giant spiders along the way," chuckled Hamar.
"And I still don't know what I was doing in that evil place." They all turned round to look at Star. "We could have been banished from the kingdom…and that was why we found ourselves there…" Her eyes held a blank expression as if she was really believing that this was the reason behind the plight that she and those doomed group of soldiers had found themselves in all those years ago.
"Nonsense!" She was startled back to reality by Arahad's assertion. "I don't believe it and, to tell you the truth, and I think that we all agree about this here, I am convinced that you weren't a common elf maiden either! Your clothes, your sword, the necklace and the way those brave soldiers protected you till their last… all of this is clear evidence that you are a high born elf, descending from an important family. This is what we must think about and you mustn't let darker thoughts invade your mind."
To this speech everybody agreed and she smiled at them in gratitude. She looked at his dark eyes with affection. He had a way to make her feel better…and it wasn't the first time she had felt this since they first met. All of them had been so kind to her. They had saved her from the horror and protected her in her vulnerability. She will always be grateful for what they have done and promised herself to try and pay them back one day.
Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly by Bard's youngest daughter rushing in as fast as her legs could carry her. "Pa, we must get ready! I don't want to be late for the feast and celebrations!" she exclaimed in merriment, "I have to put on my new dress and oh it's going to be so beautiful and incredible! There's going to be lots of food to eat and drink and children can play games while the grownups can dance and sing and be merry. And people are saying that Gandalf the wizard might come by and show us some of his amazing fireworks! They say that they are a sight to behold and nothing can be compared to them."
The child's eyes shone with excitement and anticipation at the coming festivities. Star felt her heart immediately warm up towards this sweet little girl. Her innocent and spontaneous childish chattering brightened the whole ambience of the room in an instant.
"Calm down my sweet Tilda," laughed Bard, "can't you see that we have guests?" Looking at Star he continued, "You must excuse her My Lady but it has been a long time since the former people of Lake Town have organised a feast of this proportion. This is the first one held over here in Dale and everyone has got involved and excited by it, and I dare say children and grownups alike!"
"But wait!" suddenly he looked up, visibly excited at the thought that had just crossed his mind. "Gandalf!" he exclaimed.
"What about him?" asked Tor.
"Don't you see?" replied Bard, "Gandalf could be the key to unravel this mystery. He is one of the Wise and has been through many adventures. He has travelled far and wide for countless years. I would not find it unusual that he knows something about what happened to Star. Or at least he might give us some sort of lead."
This unexpected news filled them with encouragement. They trusted the wizard completely and felt certain that he would be of some help. And with that comforting thought in their hearts they soon turned back to talk about the coming celebration.
The feast that everybody in the city was talking about wasn't a one day affair. It represented nothing less than the rebirth of the now prospering city of Dale. Since the Battle of the Five Armies the people had worked hard and tirelessly to achieve this. The surrounding walls had been rebuilt and most of the houses were now habitable and welcoming once again. Trees and flowers lined the streets and pathways, which became the playground for children's games and joyful laughter.
All this would never have been made possible without their share of the immense wealth of Erebor. Dwarf king Dain, son of Nain, was also much changed after the battle and the loss he had suffered made him more malleable and ready to divide his hoard with the brave who fought with honour and much valour.
That night Arahad and Bard were waiting patiently downstairs. Odell, Tor, Hamar and Bain, Bard's son, had already left to join the cheerful crowds around the city, most of them gathering in the main square.
Bard's daughters were helping Star get dressed for that night. The elfish gown she possessed was set aside for the moment to be replaced by more traditional clothes worn by the women of Dale. She now wore a white long sleeved blouse, tied with a lace ribbon in front, and a dark red knee length skirt. The dress was completed with a thick black belt and black knee-high boots. Tilda had spent a good hour making her hair in braids but before going down she covered half her head with a scarf, tying it with a knot at the back. This head piece hid her elf ears completely, thus making her no different than any other woman in Dale.
It could be said that as soon as he saw her coming downstairs, Arahad fell completely under her spell. She looked radiant to say the least. Although the clothes she wore were simple and without any ornaments or other embellishments, her skin was glowing and her eyes reflected the serenity she was feeling at that moment, possibly the first after her awakening from the deep sleep.
Arahad's attention towards her didn't go unnoticed by Bard who, as they were getting ready to go out of the front door, whispered "Be careful my dear friend" whilst putting a hand on his shoulder, making Arahad turn round. He knew exactly what Bard was referring to by these words, yet he feared that it was already too late now. Since he had first set eyes on her, Arahad felt that he had lost all control over his feelings. He wasn't a fool. He knew perfectly well she was an elf but he had already lost the will to fight this battle.
The evening and night went by in great joy, merriment and celebration. The friends enjoyed delicious food and drink. They played games with the children, sang songs of war, friendship and victory and danced all night long.
Arahad felt happy, the happiest he had been for a very long time. Standing next to Star, he ironically felt that he could really almost touch the heavens and stars with his fingers. Looking at her standing tall and proud, he inhaled deeply, trying to catch his breath from her beauty.
Almost as if sensing his eyes on her, she turned to look at him, smiling warmly. By all the gods in the heavens she was so lovely that without thinking, Arahad moved slowly closer until he managed to whisper "…so beautiful!" before betraying all his better judgement in one sweet kiss which also took both of them by surprise.
Star didn't fight this. She sensed that something was quickly growing between them yet she couldn't discern whether it was love or friendship. So she gave in. She wanted it too and felt happy at first until she started feeling something else awakening inside her. Without warning, a rush of deep warmth invaded all her senses, all through her body. It was a strong, indescribable sensation that was unleashed, leaving her breathless and wanting for air. She felt confused and unable to control this tingling sensation which increased in strength until it rang in her ears. She opened her eyes suddenly and found herself staring directly at a pair of clear blue eyes.
The Elvenking opened his eyes wide. What happened? What had awakened him so abruptly from his sleep? Sitting up he felt strangely disoriented, a sensation which was very unusual to him for he had never felt like this before. His breathing was coming back to normal when he slowly recalled those sweet blue grey eyes gazing at him. It was then that he felt a warm tear run down his cheek.
