Bring On The Wonder[Thorin Oakenshield]

Chapter Five: Harmless Conversation

The sun had set and darkness filled the sky. Bella and Bombur were busy over by the fire, preparing stew. Bella dug in the food supplies to find things to add to it. Bombur was adding meat to it and ever so often the woman caught the dwarf taking a couple of gulps. It was finally ready, the dwarves were already lined up to get their bowls along with the hobbit.. As the woman filled each bowl, she got one ready for Bombur and passed it to him and he wondered over and sat by his brother. She looked around to make sure everyone was eating when her eyes landed on the leader. He wasn't eating, he was sitting alone away from the others, smoking his pipe. Bella filled another bowl and walked over to where the dwarf was sitting. He didn't seem to notice her at first, until she cleared her throat and he removed his pipe from his lips and looked at her.

"Here. You need to eat." She insisted and he furrowed his brow.

"I'm not hungry." He grumbled, as he set his pipe down beside him and noticed she was still there.

"Either you eat it or I'll feed it to you myself." She threatened. He let a huff and took the bowl from her and held it in his hands and looked at it before looking back at her, and she smirked.

"What did you do to it?" Thorin questioned. Noticing it didn't look like the stuff Bombur usually made.

"I didn't poison it, if that's what your thinking. If you need proof, look at the others. There all perfectly alive and content." She stated. Thorin looked at the other dwarves and saw them all stuffing their faces with the woman's concoction and saw nothing appear to be going wrong with them. He slowly raised his spoonful to his lips and ate it and found it quite delicious and he took another. Bella felt quite proud of herself and she took a seat beside him. 

"Thank you. That was very good." Thorin admitted as he placed the bowl beside him.

"Your welcome. Now was that so hard." She teased and he rolled his eyes. "So what happened between you and wizard?" She questioned, getting right to the point. 

" He think's we should have kept going." Thorin stated. 

"And you didn't agree with him?" She pressed on.

" No. He wanted to seek refuge with the elves. He think's they can help us with the map.I for one will die before I ever ask the elves for help. " Thorin confessed. Bella looked at him, as if she understood why he argued about going to them. 

"Is he right though? Is there something on the map, that can only be read by elves?" She questioned.

"It doesn't matter. We'll just have to find another way." Thorin muttered

"What if there is no other way? You only have one chance to open the door into the mountain. Are you willing to let your pride get in the way of your only chance?" The dwarf thought about what the woman said. His first impression was that she was starting to sound like the wizard, but he was seeing that maybe she is right but he wasn't going to admit it. 

"What about you? Why are you really here?" Thorin challenged.

"I told you, when we were in the hobbit's home. I owed a promise to a friend." She reminded, not clarifying who this friend was. Thorin couldn't figure this woman out. She was so mysterious to him. Just when he thought she was going to open up to who she was, she always seemed to be hiding something else.

"Earlier, you mentioned you hadn't seen your people in a long time. I want to know why?" The dwarf dared to ask.She looked away from him, this was something she did not like telling anyone about. 

" That's something I don't wish to speak about. " She stated. Thorin starred into the bright red orange flames. He wanted to know who this strange woman was. He was about to ask her something else when the startled voice of his nephews were heard.

"TROLLS!" Fili and Kili yelled at the same time. Bella and Thorin jumped up from their spots with their weapons already drawn. The others looked around a mixture of fear and panic.

"Trolls?" Bella repeated. "Are you sure?" 

"Yes! They have our ponies. Bilbo is attempting to set them free." Kili informed.

"You left the hobbit to deal with the trolls?" Bella shrieked at the two brothers. Thorin let out a huff and rolled his eyes. He knew this hobbit was bad news. He was useless and always seemed to be in trouble. The woman started to dash into the forest, only to be yanked back by her clothing.

"Stay here." He ordered.

"You want me to stay here. While my friend is in serious danger. I don't think so." She argued. 

"I said stay here! We can handle this. You don't need to get hurt." He expressed. "All of you! Follow me!" Thorin yelled as he charged into the woods with the other's close behind him and the woman was left there with a decision to make.