Bowties are Cool (Trollshaws)
She stared at the strange figure.
It was rude, no question about it, but Bella had to admit she was staring at the new arrival.
Of course, it would have been hard not to stare. Radagast the Brown, Gandalf's fellow Wizard, burst into their midst hollering about murder and foes – riding a sled pulled by the largest rabbits she had ever seen. His hat looked stranger than Bofur's, while his eyebrows went in two different directions. Then again, he did have… Well, to be frank, he had dried bird droppings in a cascade down one side of his head.
Bella shuddered.
Untidy was one thing – this fellow…
"Is he mad?" she whispered to Bofur, leaning towards the Dwarf. Thus far he proved to be friendly and engaging company while so many of the others continued to look at her with suspicious and annoyed glances.
"I'd think so," Bofur nodded, glancing around as Bifur poked him. Bella watched the more unstable Dwarf make a few signs and waited for Bofur to look back towards her. She lifted a brow and he shrugged. "My cousin thinks any Wizard is mad – this one just takes it a step…or several steps further."
"I can hardly argue," Bella shook her head, eyes once more fastening themselves on the strange new Wizard.
"Radagast," Gandalf huffed out in an amused tone. "What are you wearing around your neck?"
"Hmm?" Radagast ran his fingertips along his throat. "Oh, that's a bit of ribbon one of my birds found. She wants to take it back to her nest and I couldn't find anywhere else to put it, so I tied it around my neck in a bow. Should be easy enough to pull loose when we get home."
The two Wizards walked away from the group, still close but far enough away to speak without being overhead. Bella felt more than saw someone move up beside her. She glanced sideways, recognizing the blond hair and beard of the eldest of Thorin's nephews.
"A strange fellow," Fíli muttered.
"Agreed," Kíli replied, coming up on her other side.
Bella glanced from one to the other as the corners of her mouth quirked up into a tiny smile. "If this has to do with any more trolls, you boys can deal with them yourselves this time," she informed them in a frank, quiet voice. "I believe I've met my quota."
Kíli took a breath. "Are you going to tell Uncle?"
"I don't see any reason to go telling tales," she told him. "Your uncle doesn't like me anyway, so one more reason isn't going to hurt anything."
"Uncle Thorin just-" Fíli started but Bella interrupted him.
"He's got a lot on his mind," she nodded, "and too much pressure between leading his people and living up to expectations both past and present." Her nose wrinkled. "I disagree with how he's handling it, Yavanna only knows, but that's neither here nor here. Let it go."
The boys – for boys they certainly seemed – bowed and moved away. She caught Thorin watching them, a suspicious curiosity in his gaze. Bella sighed and turned back towards Bofur.
A howl split the air.
