Hiding Myself. A fem!Bilbo Bagginshield fanfic

Chapter 22

So.... This chapter is going to include everyone's favourite scenes in BOTFA, as well as the 'I belong with my brother' moment.... yay.
The actual battle will most likely be chapter 23 or 24, so get ready for that.
Have a cute Bagginshield picture before all of the angst!
(Pls don't kill meh)
Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

     Bella Baggins crept past the treasure room and towards the hallway where the Company slept. Hearing a noise, she spun around.
     What she saw nearly broke her heart.
     Thorin.
     Oh Mahal.....
     The Dwarven king was standing in the treasure room, letting gold fall between his fingers. An odd smile was on his face, a smile that scared Bella.
     He was dressed, not in his usual furs and armour, but in a regal outfit, long cape dragging behind him. The armour he wore now was much more decorative than before. And on top of his silver-streaked hair sat a crown, two pieces sitting on the side of his face as if to hold it in place.
     Bella held back a sob and turned away, stumbling towards the sleeping Kili.
      He really had gone mad.

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     Two days later, Bella sat in an alcove off of the throne room. She tossed a random gem from hand to hand carelessly.
     None of the dwarves had managed to find her hiding spot.
     At least, not until now.
     She jumped at the sound of heavy boots echoing through the space. The gem was dropped back into her pocket when Thorin came into view, his expression livid.
     "What was that? " he hissed at her. She fought the urge to shrink back in fear.
     "N-Nothing. "
     He growled near silently. "What was that in your hand? "
     She paled, staring into his cold eyes. He thought she had the Arkenstone. He'd finally begun suspecting her of taking it.
     "It's nothing. " she said, a pleading tone you her voice. Then she felt the small object in her pocket.
     Of course.
     "You had something in your hand. What was it? " he repeated.
     Bella pulled her hand out of her pocket, forcing a smile. The dwarf stared at the small object in the hobbit's open palm.
     "Like I said, nothing really. "
     Thorin reached out towards the object. A small smile graced his features, something that made Bella smile for real.
     An acorn rested in her hand.
     "A poor prize... To take back to the Shire. " he whispered.
     "It's just an acorn I picked up in Beorn's garden. " she replied. "I was going to plant it in my garden at Bag End. To remember this. Those who made it, and those that did not. "
     He nodded, closing her fist around the small acorn. Bella looked up at the expression on Thorin's face. She did her best to memorize the way his eyes sparkled with a warmth she hadn't seen in a long time, the way his lips were upturned in a rare smile.
     In that single moment, Bella believed that the goldsickness had relinquished it's grip on the dwarf she loved.
     If only it could've lasted.

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     Ori raced into the throne room, Bofur on his heels. The hatted dwarf nodded encouragingly at Bella.
     The small hobbit stood beside the throne where Thorin sat. She looked utterly defeated, and the reason why was quite obvious to Ori. The Thorin Oakenshield she'd known was gone, leaving a gold-obsessed, haughty dwarf in his wake.
     "And? Any news? " Thorin barked, Bella cringing at his rough tone.
     Ori and Bofur bowed quickly. "Bard the Bowman is back, and the elves have joined him for another parley. "
     "What do I care for their 'parleys'? "
     "They say they are willing to make a new offer in light of new tidings. "
     Thorin smirked. "That will be Dain. They will have received news of him coming here. " a pause. "Call the Company to the parapet. We will settle this. "
     As Ori and Bofur dashed away, Thorin climbed down from the throne. The Dwarven king glanced behind him to Bella, his gaze lingering for just a moment before a gate shut behind his eyes.
     Bella sighed and followed the king.