Hiding Myself. A fem!Bilbo Bagginshield fanfic

Chapter 11

     Kili sat next to Bella Baggins, his arm around her slim shoulders. Fili stood on her other side watching the Company as they regained their senses. In the absence of Thorin, Bella supposed, he would be next in charge.
     Bella sniffed back a tear and stood up. "I'll be back. I think I dropped something... "
     Kili nodded and watched as his 'sister' crept away. She disappeared behind an oak tree not too far away. The youngest dwarf in the Company began to look for his weapons when shouts surrounded them. Elves popped out of thin air, led by a tall red-haired ellith and a blond male. The male, along with some of his comrades, rounded up the dazed dwarves. The redhead battled a straggling spider and picked up Kili's bow and quiver.
     "Give those back. " he commanded, trying to muster up his best Thorin stare and stature. She laughed quietly and herded him to the Company.
     "I do not have to listen to you, Dwarf. You have been caught, accept it. "
     The blond snorted. "Easily. I would almost thank the spiders. "
    "Easy, Legolas. We have no need to fear them, mellon nin. " (my friend.)  She said.
     Legolas rolled his eyes and gestured behind him. A group of elves tossed forward another prisoner and closed the circle.
     Bella, hidden by her ring, gasped quietly. Legolas turned but decided to ignore it. He chose instead to focus on the prisoner lifting himself to his feet. Bella immediately recognised the shorn beard and proud expression. He seemed roughed up and tired, but not beaten.
     Thorin. He was alive!
     "Thank Mahal. " she murmured.
     "Come on, Tauriel. We must hurry. I am sure my father would like to know of these dwarves on his lands. "
     Tauriel nodded. "Alright. "
    "Move, Oakenshield. We have little time. "
     Thorin sneered at the blond elf. "I hardly think I have to listen to your orders, son of Thranduil. "
     Legolas rolled his eyes again and pushed the Company forward. Without any weapons, they were helpless.
     Unbeknownst to the elven prince and his companion, Bella crept along behind them. She kept her eye on Thorin's back and an ear on Legolas and Tauriel.
     They arrived at a wooden hall, the home of the Elvenking. There he had long lived and governed over his people, the Wood-Elves. If they had a fault it was their isolated nature and their mistrust of strangers. However, they were elves, and those are Good People.
     The dwarves were further herded into cells below.... All but Thorin he was led by Legolas towards the throne room.
     King Thranduil sat on his throne and gazed at his son and the dwarf behind him. Thorin was limping and had spider webs in his hair, looking no less imposing for it.
     "What have we here? Is this the leader of the dwarves that interrupted my people at the feasting? " he said, his voice smooth like silk. Bella hid behind a post and watched. Legolas stepped back with a subdued look on his face.
     "We found them in the forest after a supposed fight with the spiders. This one was laying some ways away from the rest. "
     Thranduil smirked. "Welcome to my halls Thorin, son of Thrain. What would you and your comrades be doing so far from your home? I assume you came from the Blue Mountains. "
     Thorin raised his head and jutted his chin out proudly. "Our business here is our own. " he retorted. "We were merely trying to find food when we were attacked by spiders. "
     "I am not stupid, Thorin Oakenshield. I know that someone else was with you, someone who let you free from the webs. " he mused. The elven king's tone became harsh. "Who else is with you? Tell me! "
     Thorin looked down at his feet for a moment letting a look of love and worry cloud his features. "There were none else. " he murmured. Thranduil sneered and turned away, his cloak flourishing behind him.
     "Take him to the dungeons under high security until he confesses. We have time. "

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     Over the following weeks, Bella crept around the halls of the Elvenking, stealing whatever she could find to eat. She soon found all the dwarves but Thorin in a row. Kili was almost always trying to talk to Tauriel when she was near.
     "Hey. " he murmured. The ellith turned, unmistakable amusement on her face.
     "What do you want, Dwarf? "
     He grinned cheekily. "I have a name, you know. "
     "What is it then? " she asked, standing by his cell.
     "Kili. If being a prince counted, I'd use that, but it's too stuffy. "
     Tauriel smiled knowingly. "I know what that can do. Legolas used to be more relaxed....... "
     "And? " Kili whispered.
     "He's changed that's all. " she murmured. Changing the subject she turned her attention to the stone Kili tossed from hand to hand. "What's that? "
     "Do you believe in curses? "
     Her eyes rolled. "No. "
     "You'd be safe either way. It's just a runestone. "
     "What does it mean? "
     Kili smiled, his smile warming the elf up for some reason. "It's from my mother, a promise that I'll come back to her one day. "
     They spoke for awhile longer before Tauriel was forced to leave.
     Bella was amazed to see the two talk for days on end and grow closer each time. She was shocked to see Kili ignore every rule and principle he'd ever known.... All for an elf.

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     Bella snuck down a darker hallway to a cell at the end.
     "Thorin? " she whispered. The figure shuffled to the front. Bella quickly removed the ring.
     "Is that you, Baggins? "
     She smiled and sat in front of his cell. His eyes darted from her face to her hands, finding she looked distracted and too thin.
     "Yes. " she said, yawning. "I'm s-so... So tired. I haven't slept in forever. "
     Thorin gestured to the ground before his cell. He pushed his tattered cloak through the bars. "Sleep here. I will keep watch for the guards. They hardly come near here and I shall wake you of they come near. " he murmured, his voice calming to the hobbit. "Sleep, and regain your strength. "
     He smiled warmly when she snuggled into his cloak and her breath slowed into sleep. Thorin sat barely a few inches from Bella and watched her. She was leaning against the bars, a hand in his cell.
     Before he knew what he was doing, the Dwarven king had slipped her small hand into his own. Instead of pulling back he rubbed his thumb back and forth across his hand. In her sleep, Bella smiled sleepily.
    Mahal, he acted like a lovesick fool around her.

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     Bella started awake, the scent of Thorin's cloak surrounding her. She shrugged it off and tried to pull her hands together. She stopped when she realised her left hand was encased in Thorin's hand completely. The dwarf was asleep, his head resting against the bars of the cell. She smiled lovingly at him, at their hands.
     Reluctantly, she pulled her hand away from Thorin's and put his cloak back in the cell. She crept away and back to the upper levels. As she passed Kili's cell, she noticed Tauriel sitting by the edge asleep. Her hand was resting nearly on top of Kili's hand.
     "Tauriel! Mellon nin, wake up! " Legolas appeared around the corner.
     The red-haired ellith looked up tiredly. She got up and joined her friend, a wistful look directed at the sleeping Kili. The two left to walk upstairs.

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     Bella crept, once again, to the first dwarf's cell. She unlocked it with the keys she'd gained from the drunken elven guard. Fili stepped out of his cell and looked around.
     "Bella? What's going on? " he whispered. She grinned.
     "I'm springing all of you from this place. Come one. "
     When she freed Kili, the young dwarf nearly jumped her and hugged her close to him. She giggled and pulled away. The other dwarves were freed and led to an empty passageway.
     "Bella? Where's Thorin? " Bofur whispered.
     She gestured behind her. "Back here. I need all of you to stay here while I go get him. We need to create as little racket as possible. "
     The Company nodded and settled against the wall. The burglar crept ahead to Thorin's cell. The Dwarven king stepped up to the bars.
     "Come on, we're getting out of here. " she muttered. Thorin smiled warmly and stepped out, looking around. He stood in front of her and gazed down at her. She started when he laid a hand under her chin.
     "How on earth have you managed to save us again? "
     She raised an eyebrow. "I snuck around. "
     He chuckled softly. "Indeed. You are certainly something special. "
     "What do you mean? " she said. What on earth was he thinking? Thorin was acting odder tha-
     Oh.
     This was new.
     Unexpectedly, Thorin had pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. Bella stood in shock for a moment before returning the kiss. Her hands found their way to his cloak and grasped onto it. She felt his lips upturn in a smile against her own. His free hand rested on her hip lightly.
     Bella was confused at his forward actions, but not as confused as he was. He'd never actually kissed anyone before despite being as old as he was but, judging by Bella's reaction, he wasn't half-bad. His only wishes were that this meant as much to her as it did to him and that it wouldn't end.
     Unfortunately, like all good moments, it ended. Bella tore herself away at footsteps approaching. Thorin spun around and watched as Balin snuck around the corner.
     "Are we leaving anytime soon? " the older dwarf whispered. Thorin shook his head and began walking forward. Bella stumbled behind him, dazed.
     She led the Company through the halls, contemplating the recent events.
     Thorin Oakenshield, the dwarf known for being aloof and unloving had kissed her, a measly hobbit from the Shire.
     Was the entirety of Middle Earth about to flip on it's head?