Chapter 21 (Twenty-Øne)

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I hate myself for that title.... *sigh*
Enjoy chapter 21!

Bella Baggins stared out at the treasure room over Kili's arm. She buried her head back into her sleeve, leaning into the young dwarf. Beside them Fili sat, absentmindedly sharpening his signature knives. The brothers had been sitting at the edge of the enormous room since Thranduil and Bard had left with their armies.
Kili rummaged in his bag, pulling out a package of the journey-bread given to them by the Men of Laketown. The dwarf stuck his tongue out in disgust. Fili grimaced and took a piece. He handed his brother a leather bottle of water.
"Sister. Wake up, c'mon. " he murmured. Bella shifted in his arms and ignored him. Kili rolled his eyes and shook her shoulder lightly.
"What? " she slurred, her voice full of sleep.
He held the cram out towards her. "You need to eat, Bella. "
She frowned and grabbed the bread hesitantly. She held it in her small hands until Kili bumped her arm.
"What? "
Fili watched silently as his brother did his best to coax Bella to eat. As far as he knew, the hobbit hadn't eaten much since they had first entered the treasure room. He knew food was not as easy to get on their journey, but he knew that hobbits weren't supposed to be that thin. Bella's ribs could be seen through her shirt, for Mahal's sake! Hobbits were known for being plump and well-rounded, and Bella was far from that.
She just had to eat soon, or she'd just waste away!
"I know it's not exactly Bombur's stew or anything you have in the Shire, but you need to eat something. " he coaxed. "We'll get actual food as soon as we can get out of here. "
Bella took a small nibble and made a sickened face. Kili forced a grin, handing her the water. The hobbit slowly ate the biscuit as they sat there.
As soon as she finished, Bella ran off somewhere. She muttered something about 'gonna puke' before disappearing.
Kili sighed, burying his head in his knees. Fili moved to sit beside him. The brothers sat in silence as they watched the rest of the Company sift through the gold.
"What went wrong, Fi? Why is everything failing? " the dwarf murmured dejectedly.
Fili rubbed his brother's back to console him.
"I don't know, Ki. I just don't know. "
They watched as their uncle barked out orders to find the Arkenstone from his perch at the top of the pile. Balin shook his head but kept on working, his brother looking even angrier than normal.
Bella returned slowly, trudging along. She sat down in between the two dwarves and rubbed her arms for warmth. Kili pulled her into his arms and sighed.
When would this end?

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The Company was already assembled on the parapet when Bard and Thranduil could be seen approaching. Thorin glared at the elves in front as they drew near.
Bard was the first to speak when they rode up.
"Greetings. " the Man said. "Are you of a different opinion? "
Thorin sneered. "My mind has not changed with the rising and setting of a few suns. "
"I see. "
"I have made it clear that I will not agree to a parley while the Elvish host is still here. They have no part in this. "
Bella sighed, leaning her head against Kili's shoulder.
She hated this, all of this. She couldn't stand the darkness and the stench in the Mountain. They barely had any cram, but she couldn't even keep it down for more than five minutes. They were stuck in there, stuck with no hope to leave.
But to Bella, that wasn't even the real problem.
The Dwarven king they'd been following the whole time was gone. Bella could not recognise the dwarf she'd gotten to know... The dwarf she'd fallen in love with.
She came back to her senses when Thorin once again began yelling. Soon after, Thranduil and Bard left once more.
Bella sighed, trudging after Kili back into the darkness of the Mountain.
This was all so hopeless.
Then she remembered the stone wrapped in her pillow.

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Bella crept away from the sleeping Kili, prying his arm off of her. Holding her breath, the burglar grasped the Arkenstone in her pocket and dashed for the Gate.
On top of the Gate sat Bombur on guard. He was leaning back, fighting off sleep.
Bella climbed the ladder and walked up to the dwarf.
"Hello, Bella! Something wrong? " he asked.
She faked a smile. "Not really. I can't sleep tonight. I wouldn't mind being on guard tonight if you're tired. "
The dwarf sighed, nodding reluctantly after a moment. "I would like to get some sleep... Alright. Wake me if anything happens, okay? " he said. She nodded, watching him stumble away. Once he was out of sight she dropped a rope down the side of the Gate.
Shimmying down the rope, the hobbit finally reached the stony ground. In the distance, the lights of the elven-camp shone like beacons in the night. She made for these lights as quick as she could.
Her mission of stealth was foiled when she came across a stream in her path. The splash seemed to echo alerting the elves on guard nearby.
"What was that? " one exclaimed.
Bella slipped off the Ring, appearing in front of the stunned elves.
She bowed her head towards them as she spoke. "I am Bella Baggins, a companion of Thorin Oakenshield. "
The elves looked at her and then each other disbelievingly.
"And what would a companion of dwarves be doing here? "
"I wish to see your king. I have news that will interest him. "
The elves conversed quickly in their language before nodding and walking towards then camp. Bella followed them, hoping that what she was about to do would fix things and avoid unnecessary war.
She could only hope.

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