Sephira was sitting on top of the rocks, her feet dangling over the edges and kicking lightly in the breeze. Her once carefully platebraided hair was now loose and wild, her curls blowing in the breeze. She couldnt see much of the view below, mostly she could see gold. Her hair blocked her gray eyed vision.

There was a feast tonight, in honor of some dwarf getting married. Everyone was invited, even the kiddos. But Sephira just didnt have her heart in the celebration. For one, Thorin and Dis had to wrestle her into the dress she wore now, and then Thorin had to pin down her squirming body so that Dis could work her unmanagable curls into the braid.

Fili and Kili had a field day as they watched the two adult dwarves try and get her ready, but once she was done and let go for presentation, they'd turned pink cheeked and silent as they took in how beautiful she looked. Sephira thought she looked down right ridiculous, and had left the party after the celebratory toast was given.

She hated wearing dresses, they only got in the way of her activities. She'd run outside, ditching the stupid little padded shoes that had been shoved onto her feet along the way. She'd found a spot in the side of the mountain she could reach and began to climb. And the climb up had been exhausting. Her legs and feet ached, her head was pouding and it felt as though she werent getting enough oxygen.

Somehow through the climb up, she'd gotten a large scratch on her arm that was staining the flowing sleeves of her dress. Sephira must have slipped when she made a jump, because there was a woud on her lower hip that was torn through and gushing blood. It made no sense. Sephira couldn't remember getting hurt, and the pain wasnt there, but the blood was there, and it was seeping into her white dress and ruining it.

Her heart was hammering, her head aching. And suddenly, she wasnt on the rocks anymore, she was in the middle of a field. The weapons field. Where Kili and Fili went to practice sword fighting, or, in Kili's case, his arrow shooting. Sephira would sit on the goal post and watch. But now it was empty. No breeze or familiar thunking of arrows as they hit their target. Just utter silence. Not so much as the leaves rustling or a blade of grass bending. Sephira just wanted to sit down and rest.

The dress was gone. So was the blood. She was wearing a dark brown tunic top with a belt knotted around her waist with a pair of darker trousers and leather boots. Her hair was still blowing around her though, as if a strong force was blowing around her. But it wasnt gold that she saw any more. It was black. Like all the lights had been turned out and the sun went away.

"Sephira?" a familiar voice called out to her, making her legs still as she tilted and twisted her head to try and see the face of who had spoken. It was Kili, there was no doubt about that. Sephira would recognize his voice anywhere. But his voice was rougher. Deeper. Older. He'd only turned twelve a few days ago, how was his voice so deep?

"Kili?" she responded, puzzled. But hearing her own voice only confused her more. She sounded older too. More mature. Adult like. What was going on? Why couldn't she see anything? Why was she in so much pain.

"Sephira, come on, we found the path." Kili said, his caloused hand grabbing her's. Path? What path? They were in the weapons field. There was no path. And who was we? Kili and Fili? Sephira plopped down on the ground, her legs unable to support her any more. Something heavy was on her back, and she leaned against it, surprised that it actually supported her.

"Thorin?" Kili called, panicked. Why was he so panicked? She was just sitting here. Nothing wrong with that...

"Why have we stopped movin-Sephira?" Concern colored Thorin's voice, and Sephira tried to squint through the darkness to see him. He sounded older too. Not that he wasnt already old, but he sounded more weighed down. Tired and like he carried a great weight on his shoulders.

"Sephira, open your eyes." Thorin ordered, rustling sounding in front of her. Open them? They were open. She was looking through her golden locks earlier. Her hair turned black.

"Your hair did not turn black, Sephira. You have closed your eyes." Thorin said patiently, a calloused hand was placed on her shoulder, and she slumped into it.

"Open your eyes, little bird." he continued, rough thumb running along her collar bone. Open my...

Thorin was crouched before her, concern covering his sweat and dirt covered face. His hair was a mess around him, a few twigs and leaves stuck in the dark locks. Over each of his shoulders, Sephira could see Fili and Kili staring on at her with worried expressions, and behind them the rest of their company. Little Bilbo was beside Kili, straining to see past Thorin's shoulder.

Somehow she had managed to find herself on the ground, muscles lax and unable to move as the packs she carried held her in an upright position. She didnt know what happened. Where were they? Last thing she remembered was entering Mirkwood and then...nothing. Now she was sitting on the ground getting worried looks from everyone else in the company.

"What happened?" she asked, blinking blearily at Thorin. She had a vague feeling of anger towards him, but she was too tired and confused and light headed to worry about it. It was Thorin after all. Her father figure. The leader of the company and soon to be actual father, once the journey was over and Fili, Kili and Sephira finished their courtship. She could forgive him, even if she didnt want to.

"We've strayed off the path a while ago. You were trying to lead us back to it before you..." Thorin stumbled at the end, his brows furrowing deeply. He didnt know how to explain it. Or he didnt want to explain it. Sephira was going for the second one, because she could see the glimmer of worry breaking through his steely blue eyes as he watched her.

"You started stumbling." Fili picked up slowly, his concern full blown as he watched her.

"Badly." Kili pipped up. He was fidgetting in his spot, his big obsidian eyes wide with fear and concern. "Kept mumbling about dresses getting in the way and Uncle Thorin and Dis making you wear one..." The dark haired dwarf paused for a moment, bitting his lip as he concidered continuing or not. And after a few minutes of pure silence, Fili spoke up and asked the question that Kili and Thorin were too scared to.

"What happened? You were so confident at first and then...well you went a bit mad." His voice was apologetic, a sad smile tugging at his lips. Sephira frowned, glancing all around at where they were. She didnt remember any of that. Not one bit.

She remembered teasing Bilbo as they entered the forest. She remembers walking for a bit between Fili and Kili. She remembered calling...something out to Bilbo to make sure the little hobbit kept up. But Sephira couldnt remember losing the path. She didnt remember taking charge and leading them in any direction, and she certainly didnt remember the moment that she forgot everything. But she did know what had caused the confusion. Of course she knew what had caused it. She'd been here before and was treated the same way. Damn woodland elves.

"It's the air." Sephira said, shaking her head slightly as if to clear away the fog. To gain back her memories.

"It makes you...confused. It's a defense mechanism the Elves use. A form of protection. They don't want us here."

Sephira was rewarded by quite a few blank looks, and she almost wanted to laugh at the comical expressions. But now was not an appropriate time to laugh, so she kept quiet as she looked at them all. Dwalin's face was scarily blank, his eyes hard and jaw clenched. He didnt like the sound of that. Defense mechanism. It made the Elves sound clever. Bofur just looked confused, not sure as to how Sephira knew something like that. The rest were either brooding- they didnt want to be lost or trapped here in the trees- or were confused and worried about her collapse. Bilbo managed to look all of them, while Thorin, Fili and Kili just looked concerned about her health. Though Thorin did look a bit angry as well.

"How do ye know that lass?" Bofur asked, readjusting his funny hat as he looked at her. Sephira tried to push herself up, but Thorin's hand on her shoulder prevented her, and she slumped back against the packs without arguement. She wouldnt have been able to stand anyways. The packs were too heavy and she was too weak. She was having difficulty breathing and her head was still swimming. Her muscles had a tremor running through them and she was sure she could fall asleep in a second given the chance.

"I have been here before, remember? I have had it happen to me before. It is just a silly little trick, and it will. not. work." each word was punctuated in a growl, her gray eyes flashing silver in her anger, and Bilbo stumbled back a small step, almost trodding on Kili's toes.

"Well we have found the path. What now?" Dwalin demanded, arms crossing. Sephira looked towards Thorin, her eyes imploring as she waited for an order. She prayed to whatever being may be up there that he did not make them go any further tonight, but knowing him, he would want to keep moving. The faster they were out of here the better. But as Thorin threw a gaze to the company, eyes lingering on his sister son's for a moment before he looked back to Sephira, he shook his head just slightly. They could travel no further tonight. They were tired and worn out. They would not be on their best watch, and he did not think Sephira could travel any more tonight.

"We will travel no more tonight. We rest here." he ordered, voice stern and cold. Leaderly. That of a king. His eyes stayed locked with Sephira's as he spoke next,

"Make camp, keep together; the light will be fading completely in a few minutes. But do not unpack much. We make for more travel first sign of light. Bomber, Bofur, you take first watch." Thorin stood, turning on his heels to look at his sister son's. They straightened out slightly, looking at him expectantly and awaiting orders. He graced them with a brief, tiny smile as he clapped them on the shoulders.

"Keep an eye on her." was all he said to Fili and Kili before he moved to make a spot on the ground for himself.

~I know, it's not much of an update. But it has been a long while since I last updated, and I am trying to get back into the swing of this story. Thank you to all that stuck with the story.~