Hiding Myself. A fem!Bilbo Bagginshield fanfic

Chapter 7

Most fanart that I show you guys above will most likely be from mistletoeandthorin2017 on Instagram. They've got a shit ton of Bagginshield and Richard Armitage stuff. ↖(^ω^)↗ Anyways, on with the story.

     After the Company of Thorin Oakenshield reached the bottom of the rock, Thorin refusing help despite his injuries, they began their way towards the Lonely Mountain. Bella Baggins winced at a jolt of the fake bandages wrapped around her chest. Bofur laid a hand on her shoulder gently.
     "You alright, laddie? "
     Bella nodded with a weak smile. "I'll be alright. "
     The dwarf nodded and hurried on beside his friends. Bella trudged on.
     They had just left the cover of a small forest when the hobbit felt a drop of water on her shoulder. She drew her thin shirt around her when the rain got heavier and soaked her to the skin. She looked up and saw Fili looking back at her. The young dwarf looked from her face to her soaked shirt, where her chest was showing through, back to her face. He walked over with Kili following.
     "Here. " Fili said, handing his cloak to her and fastening it around her shoulders.
     Kili grinned. "Mine if we talk a bit later at camp, Miss Boggins? " he asked, attempting to include a joke. Bella blanched and nodded. Kili wrapped an arm around her shoulder before he and Fili were called ahead by Thorin. Bella tugged Fili's cloak tighter around herself and trudged on.

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     Later that night Bella sat by the fire alone when Kili and Fili sat on either side of her. Kili grinned cheekily.
     "You alright? "
     She nodded slowly. "Yeah. "
     Fili looked into the fire as he spoke. "About earlier... Are you actually a girl, or am I assuming things? "
     "Yeah..... I am. " she muttered. "You're probably mad or something. "
     Kili spun his head around with a look of fake shock. "Mad? Why should we be mad at you? "
     "Because I lied about who I really was! "
     The young dwarfs chuckled. "Doesn't bother us. It might bother the others however.... " Kili trailed off.
     "Why? Because of superstitions? " she asked. Fili nodded.
     "Yeah. If you've kept this a secret for this long, we won't tell. "
     She looked up. "Seriously? Not even Thorin? I thought you would have to tell him about something like this. "
     Kili smiled and shock his head. "Nah. It's your secret, not ours. You must have a reason for not telling us the truth. "
     "I'm glad it was the two of you that figured it out first and not someone else. "
     Kili's smile turned into a grin and he laid an arm on Bella's shoulder.

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     Gandalf woke the Company the next morning early. Bella rubbed her eyes sleepily and glanced over. Oin, the Company healer, was sitting on the ground by Thorin. Bella heard the king's voice travel through the air in an obvious complaint. After dealing with the difficult dwarf Oin began to check on the rest of the group. Fili shot up when the healer approached Bella.
     For the first time since the encounter with Azog the hobbit realised she had gained a reasonable gash on her side just under her chest.
     "I think we can help, Oin. Anyways, this doesn't look bad. " Fili said, stepping in. Oin raised an eyebrow and tried to argue back. Bella held her breath in until Oin handed Fili extra bandages and went to help another dwarf.
     "That was close, wasn't it? " Kili joked. Bella nodded and followed the boys aside.

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     When the three returned to the group Thorin stood waiting, a bandage wrapped around his head. Kili grinned, tossing the leftover bandages back to Oin.
     "We must hurry. My friend's house is not far. He will provide shelter... if we are lucky. " Gandalf announced. Thorin turned around with a challenging look.
     "Lucky? What kind of person is he? "
     The wizard shrugged. "His own sort. "

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     Bella stood behind Kili staring at the man in front of them. Gandalf was busy explaining their adventure so far to the man, Beorn.
     "Thirteen dwarves? You certainly keep interesting company, Gandalf. "
     Gandalf nodded. "You could say that. Most people do. They are on their way to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their kingdom. "
     Beorn nodded and walked into his house. The Company, led by Gandalf, followed him in. The dwarves sat around a table and began eating the dinner offered to them. Beorn chuckled, poking Bella in the stomach.
     "Little bunny is trying to grow fat on milk and honey, aren't you? "
     Bella lowered her head and the honeycomb in her small hands. "Maybe.... "
     Beorn chuckled again before he grew serious and faced the dwarves. Bella, sitting on a higher chair than the rest, had a perfect view of the Company.
     "So.... You mean to reclaim Erebor? "
     Thorin nodded. "Of course. We mean to oust the dragon from his nest. It is ours, and we need to get it back. "
     Here, Gandalf spoke. "Our small company is meant to keep the suspicions of the dragon low, and our burglar to confuse him. He knows well the scent of dwarf, but not of hobbit. "
     "I know well the integrity of most of you, but I must admit that I'm surprised at one thing. " Beorn said.
     Thorin raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be? "
     "I had not thought that a Company such as yours would hire a woman as a burglar! " Beorn rumbled. Bella dropped her honeycomb in shock. Fili and Kili winced, looking over at their uncle.
     "What on earth are you talking about? " Thorin said, confused.
     "He's lost his mind! "
     "That's Bilbo there, that is! "
     The dwarves continued their protest while Bella sat silent in the corner.
     "He's not lying, Uncle. " Fili piped up. The entire Company turned to face the young dwarves.
     Kili nodded. "He really isn't. "
     Thorin turned to Bella and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her answer as to what was happening. "Well, Baggins. Are the boys and our host telling the truth? "
     The hobbit looked up for a second, nodded, and stared down. At her nod, the Company burst into uproar. Fili, Kili, and a few others sat where they were silently, but all sat back down and became silent when they saw the stormy glare on Thorin's face.
     "You lied. To us, to this Company. " he practically growled. The unspoken To me hung in the air.
     "I just wanted to go on an adventure and help-"
     She was interrupted by Thorin. "Do you not understand what your purpose in this Company was? You were hired to go into the Mountain and face the dragon to find a weakness or anything you could. I cannot allow a woman to be put in danger like that! " he roared. Bella stood up, face red.
     "The fact that I'm a woman has nothing to do with what I can or cannot do, Master Dwarf. "
     The Dwarven king shook his head and turned away. "You will return to the Shire. We will find another way to defeat the dragon. "
     "I will not. I can stay with this Company and continue on this dratted adventure like I have so far. "
     "Women are meant to be kept safe, not thrown to dragons. You will go home. That is final, Baggins. "
     Here, Gandalf spoke up. "I suppose you think I should take her back next time I head that way. " he suggested.
     "Of course. "
     "I have other business to attend to here, Thorin. It will be some time before I will be traveling West. "
     Beorn stood up and looked between Bella and Thorin. "I will keep her here, safe. But if she wants to follow this Company, I will not stop her. She is an adult and can so make her own decisions. "
     Thorin nodded. "Understood. "
     When the hobbit was safely tucked away Thorin walked outside to a corner of the garden.
     The burglar had gone from being a burden...... To a distraction.