Hiding Myself. A fem!Bilbo Bagginshield fanfic

Chapter 28

    
Thanks to everybody who's still with me and this story! Things are finally going good in Erebor ☆*･゜ﾟ･*(^O^)/*･゜ﾟ･*☆

     Legolas pushed the heavy stone door open, a small plate balanced delicately in his hand. He placed the plate on a table nearby.
     The elf smiled when he finally caught sight of the hobbit he'd been looking for. Bella Baggins knelt on the floor beside the bed, her head resting on her left arm and her other hand gripping the still hand of Thorin Oakenshield. Her golden-brown curls fell curtain-like around her face, shielding it from view.
    "Bella." he whispered, shaking her shoulder gently.
     The small woman grumbled something rather rude at him in return, followed by a 'go away'.
     Legolas smiled. "Wake up, Bella. You need to eat something."
     With a miffed groan, the hobbit stood up. She lingered by the dwarf king for a moment, eventually making her way over to the plate that had been brought up. Legolas sat across from her and watched semi-worriedly as she nibbled lightly on the toast and sausage. 
      "What's going on out there?" she asked, pushing the plate away.
     The elf prince shrugged. "Most of the dwarves and the Men of Dale have been helping to rebuild. The kitchen has been repaired, and Bombur has taken it over."
     Bella smiled. "That sounds like him." she said.
     The conversation was cut short by the bedroom door opening. Balin stepped inside. He nodded politely at Legolas and smiled upon seeing Bella.
     "How are you feeling, Bella?" the dwarf asked as he walked up. "Better than before, I hope."
     Bella nodded, waving goodbye to Legolas as the elf took the opportunity to slip out.
     "I'm alright. I wish I find something newer to wear." she admitted. "These rags have been through a lot."
     Balin nodded. "I think we might be able to find something around here."
     The dwarf walked over to a set of drawers beside the door. Bella watched as he selected royal blue coloured clothes and brought them over to her.
     "What are these?"
     "Thorin's old clothes. From before the dragon came." Balin explained, smiling. "There's not much else in the Mountain that could fit you, I'm afraid."
     Bella nodded. She picked the clothing up and made her way to the small washroom. Her old clothes were tossed into a messy pile, all but Kili's old cloak. The new pants had to be tightened in the waist with a makeshift belt, and the shirt covered her down to her knees. She giggled as she rolled the sleeves up and tied a piece of cloth around her waist.
     Somehow, the thought of her wearing Thorin's old clothes made her feel almost giddy. They did not fit very well, but Bella wasn't surprised. The bodies of young dwarves and middle-aged hobbits, though similar is size, were not close enough for the dwarven clothing to fit her perfectly.
     When she pulled the cloak on, she checked the pocket automatically.
     It wasn't there.
     The Ring.
     She frantically tore through her clothes to find the simple golden band.
     There, in her pocket. As she gazed at it, she felt a kind of relief, but not the kind of relief that set her free. Rather, it pulled her in closer.
     Then she looked over at Thorin and remembered how he had acted under the thrall of the gold. Was that what the Ring was doing to her?
     "No. I will not let that happen." she said.
     She stuffed the Ring in her pocket and prepared to leave the stuffy room. Before she left, she did one more thing.
     Bella hesitantly leaned down and brushed her lips against Thorin's cheek, a sort of kiss she hadn't planned.
     Then she darted out of the room as fast as she could.

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     Bella found the Gate easily, her friends and some new faces working around her. Off to the side, Bifur stood with Dwalin and Nori by piles of weapons. The thief grinned when he saw her, reminding Bella of his quieter brother.
     "Bella! It's nice to finally see you again!" Nori said. "What're you doing out here?"
     The hobbit shrugged. "I thought I could help."
     Bifur nodded and gestured to the smaller weapons around them. He picked up some burnt axes and walked over to a doorway.
     For the hours following, Bella helped the dwarves dispose of the ruined weapons. Other dwarves and some Men around them busied themselves by restoring the entrance. She shuddered upon realising that some  were at work moving the remains of the dwarves that had defended Erebor when it had been attacked.
     She turned her attention away and picked up another pile of charred arrows. She'd almost gotten to the door when hurried footsteps approached.
     "Bella! W-Wait!"
     Turning around revealed Bofur racing towards her as fast as he could. She felt an odd feeling of dread, as if he had unwanted news to bring her. A part of her brain told her that what she had been dreading was true, that Thorin had finally found his peace in death.
     "Is s-something wrong?" she asked, voice shaking.
     The hatted dwarf stopped in front of her to catch his breath. Then he straightened up, grinning. "I've been lookin' all over for you. Come on, we need to hurry. I spent too much time tryin' to find you."
     "Hurry? For what?"
     To her surprise, Bofur laughed. "I didn't even tell you what's happened! He's awake!"
     "What?" she whispered. "He..."
      "Thorin! He woke up not ten minutes ago, and he's been askin' for you!"
      Bella followed the dwarf as he began rushing back towards the Royal Quarters. She listened to Bofur as he told her what had happened while she had been gone.
     The door to Thorin's quarters was open, voices spilling out from within. Bella paused in the doorway.
     Dain whipped around when she stepped inside the room, so quiet was her approach. Balin merely smiled. He gestured at the door, and soon she was alone.
     Well, not quite alone.
     Bella took a few tentative steps into the room and stopped. Despite having imagined this scenario over and over, her mind was blank. Thorin simply watched her with a small smile. He'd been propped up on pillows and covered in blankets.
     "Bella."
     She moved forward when he spoke, stopping a few feet away. "Are you alright? We didn't think... I .. This is all my fault. Everything's a mess, if I hadn't taken the Arkenstone then none of this would've happened, I'm so sorry, it's my fault, I-"
     Thorin cut off her rambling with a smile. "I have already forgiven you for taking it, Bella. You did what should have been done at the beginning."
     "I'm sorry." she whispered, though she wasn't sure what she was apologising for. Slowly, she walked forward and stood at his side.
     For once, Bella was not bothered by the silence between them. She simply watched the reassuring signs that Thorin, her Thorin, still lived. He looked up at her with nothing but love for her and happiness to be alive shining in his eyes.
     And somehow, that was all she needed.

Hey guys!
This chapter is slightly shorter than the others but I liked the ending point.
The next chapters will be fluff and recovering from the Battle until the end, including some spunky Dís!
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!
There will be a short 'intermission' type story and a sequel after this one is done, to be published some time in the New Year (2018)!
Adios!