Hello! I just want to say that I am so happy that you have chosen to read this story, and I hope you like it a lot. I am currently writing two other fics (feel free to check them out) and at the end of this story (which is a long way off) I would like your input of how you like my writing style. I will ask one more time once I get to the last chapter, but I am also asking you now so that you can think about it as you are reading. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tolkien's characters, I only own my OC.
Bella and Bilbo were best friends. They had met in discipline in first grade after having been caught playing a prank on the teacher. They were always considered odd by most hobbit's standards, and the other children wouldn't play with them. Although they had different last names, they were related through Bilbo's mother whom Bella had been named after. Bella's mom was Bilbo's mom's sister. Unfortunately for Bella, no one knew who the father was, and her mom had died in a tragic accident when she was young. She lived with her grandparents for most of her life until one day, Bilbo's mother, Belladonna Took-Baggins, died. It devastated Bilbo's father so much that a week after his wife's death, he took his own life. Bilbo was so lost and confused about everything, and he felt that the only person in the world he had left was Bella. She moved in with him, and they began to treat each other as siblings. After a few years, the only way anyone could remember that they weren't brother and sister was by their last names. They lived in peace with each other, and made a vow that no matter what happened they would always stay by each other's side.
"Bilbo! Where is my bow? I've been looking for it all morning!" Bella came into the kitchen with a huff. "Did you hide it from me again?" She asked with annoyance. He just stood and looked down at the soup he was making, and tried not to smile as he shrugged.
"I don't know where it is, have you checked the back rooms?" He face lit up, and she hugged him.
"Thank you! I do remember leaving it there yesterday when I…" she trailed off, and quickly left the room before Bilbo could say anything else. He shook his head with a smile, and laughed quietly when he heard her shout.
"Yes! I found it! Perfect, I have time to practice now!" She ran into the room with her bow and a quiver full of arrows, and looked at Bilbo pleadingly. "May I go, please? I haven't practiced in a while, and maybe I can get another fish for us! Then you wouldn't have to go to the market today." Bilbo looked at her for a second before nodding. She made a joyful squeal and hugged him.
"Why are you acting like a toddler today? You came of age three years ago, and yet now you are acting as if you were just born three years ago." Bella smirked and put a hand on her hip.
"Do you want me to act like a grown-up?" Bilbo started to nod, but stopped.
"In some aspects. Act like a grown-up, just don't talk like one." She frowned, and punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"I'll try." They smiled at each other, and she hurried off to the front door.
"I'll be back in few hours!" she called, and Bilbo answered with an,
"Ok!" She ran down the path, and opened the gate.
"Finally! I get to be outside again!" She twirled around, and sighed. She then went running in the direction of the woods.
As the two dwarves walked through the woods, they were discussing what Gandalf had told them about hobbits, and especially their upcoming hosts for that night.
"So, hobbits are supposed to be gentle folk?" The dark haired one asked his brother, and the blonde nodded.
"Yes, they are not very rambunctious, and live peaceful lives." The younger dark haired one nodded.
"But what did he say about the Tooks?" The blonde hummed, and shook his head.
"Um, I think that they are the only ones who actually like adventures, and they leave the Shire a lot." The younger one nodded again.
"And our hosts are Tooks?" He asked, and the blonde sighed.
"Sort of. Mr. Baggins has some Took in him from his mother's side, and Ms. Took comes directly from that family." The dark haired dwarf nodded once more, and opened his mouth to ask another question, but stopped when he heard a twig snap.
"What was that?" he asked his brother, and they stopped walking.
"I don't know, get behind me." The younger dwarf obeyed, and stepped behind his older brother who had already pulled out his twin blades. They stood in silence until suddenly, three cougars jumped out at the blonde. He killed two of them, but before he had time to even slash at the third, it was already dead. When inspected, they found a hand-made arrow, well made too, sticking out of its neck.
"That was not me." The younger one said, holding his hands in the air with his bow on the ground. "But that was a good shot." They suddenly heard a girl's scream come from the opposite direction that the cougars had come from, and they took off in search of the person that had screamed.
Bella was coming back from her hunting, and was inspecting her fish when she heard talking. She slowly crept towards where it was coming from, when she saw four cougars approaching the two dwarves that were there. Three of them jumped out at the dwarves, and while the blonde one was killing two of them, Bella drew an arrow. She carefully aimed it at the throat of the third one, and shot. It hit dead on, and she briefly rejoiced. She was cut off as the missing fourth one bit down on her arm and dragged her backwards. She held on to her bow as the cat dragged her through the leaves, but couldn't hold in a scream as it bit down on her chest. Suddenly, an arrow that wasn't her own hit the creature in the shoulder. It let go, and she cried out in pain.
"Are you ok? Here, let me help you." The blonde haired dwarf helped her to sit up, and he gasped when he saw her arm and middle section. "You're bleeding like crazy! Do you need us to help you back to your home?" Bella shook her head, and groaned as she tried to stand.
"I think I will be ok. Thank you though…" she paused when she realized she didn't know his name.
"Fili. And this is my younger brother Kili. He was the one who shot the arrow." Fili smiled, and Bella half-smiled back.
"Thanks Kili. My name is Bella. Very nice to meet you. And I do have one request, could one of you please carry my bag of fish for me? I just caught them earlier, and I really should be getting them home." Fili picked up the bag, and Kili gasped.
"You caught all of those yourself?" He said disbelievingly. She nodded, and picked up her bow with her good arm.
"Ya, I was taught by my brother how to shoot moving targets." Kili nodded, and picked up her quiver of arrows.
"Really good shot by the way. Nice arrows also, did you make them yourself?" Bella nodded again, and began to walk in the direction of Bag End.
"Yup, just made those yesterday too. I had left them by the river to dry overnight, and I picked them up this morning." Kili nodded as he walked next to her.
"So, you are a hobbit?" He said after a few minutes of silence. She looked at him with confusion mixed in her pained features, and nodded slowly.
"Yes, I am. Have you never seen one before?" He shook his head, and she laughed. "Well then, am I a good first impression?" He nodded enthusiastically, and she laughed again.
"Very," he said with happiness. She looked back at the one called Fili, and did a nod back to him.
"What about you? Have you seen one before?" He shook his head, and she made a surprised laugh.
"This is really our first time outside of the Blue Mountains. We are just here for- well never mind." Bella raised an eyebrow at him, but her face quickly changed when she felt a sharp pain in her ribs.
"Ahh!" She cried out, and leaned over.
"Bella, are you going to be ok?" Kili dropped her quiver, and put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. She nodded, and stood up slowly.
"I, I think I will be, ok." She stood to catch her breath before nodding. "Ya, I'll be, fine." She took one step forward, and promptly fainted.