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Chapter Seven

Kili wrapped his arms around Bella's waist holding her firmly against him. Bella knew she should care that they were in a room of Dwarves and that Kili's uncle was watching them but she could not bring herself to. She never wanted this moment to end, kissing Kili was nothing else she had ever experienced, but it had to end. Far too soon for Bella's liking Kili pulled back looking down at her with a grin that made her heart flutter.

"I think you and I need to talk," Kili told her, taking her hand and leading back outside. Bella found herself stood in the same spot she had with Thorin not too long before. "I take it the talk you had with Thorin before was about me?"

"It was," Bella responded, not telling him anything else.

"What exactly did my uncle say that brought on this change in your feelings towards me?"

"Oh, Kili," Bella said, stepping forward to put her hand on his face. Kili leaned into the gesture pushing his cheek further into her hand. "Nothing Thorin said made me feel this way. I think I had already began falling in love with you before I even agreed to leave Rivendell." Bella began pacing nervously as words spilled out of their own accord. "Thorin simply wanted to make me see that as his heirs you and Fili would be expected to get married and produce heirs. Once we reach Erebor and Thorin is king I imagine there will be no shortage of Dwarf women wanting to marry you or Fili. I couldn't bear the thought of seeing you with someone else so….. Why are you looking at me like that?" Bella had finally stopped her pacing and looked up into Kili's amused face.

"You're in love with me?" Kili asked and Bella looked at him stunned. Had she really said that? Bella nodded, looking down shyly making Kili grin. He closed the remaining distance between them, tipping Bella's head up to look at him. He dipped his head, claiming Bella's mouth for one long, slow kiss. "I am in love with you too, Isabella." Kili smiled, resting his forehead against hers.

A short while later Kili and Bella were laid side by side on the soft grass watching the stars. Kili had his arm wrapped around her with Bella's head resting on it. The pair were silent as they watched the clouds crawl slowly across the night sky. Kili startled Bella when he sat up suddenly, bringing her with him and turning to face her. "Is everything okay?" Bella asked.

"I want to give a braid," Kili told her. "To mark this. The beginning of our relationship."

Bella blushed looking down. This was a big deal, she knew that. It was a promise that there was no going back from. "Do you think you should talk to your uncle first?" Bella asked quietly. She knew Thorin had said they would have his blessing but she also told him they would approach him before taking a step like this. Kili nodded, and standing he made his way inside quickly. Most of the Dwarves were asleep when Kili stepped back inside. Gandalf sat off to the side with Bilbo and Fili. Thorin, Dwalin and Balin were sat in the corner conversing quietly. Their conversation died off as Kili approached. He leant forward whispering his request to his uncle, Balin and Dwalin heard of course, but if his uncle agreed everyone would know soon enough anyway. Thorin nodded with a smile and Kili made his way back to the door that Bella was waiting on the other side of so quick he almost broke into a run. Kili spared his brother a quick glance, smiling to let him know everything was okay before disappearing outside again.

Bella was sat exactly where he had left her. She turned to him with a smile as he dropped to his knees beside her. "We have my uncles blessing," he told her quietly. Bella didn't say anything in response, she simply reached up undoing the two braids at the front of her hair and running her fingers through it. Kili smiled and taking a section of her hair he began braiding it. He put two in her hair at either side of her head, starting just above her ear and meeting in the middle at the back where they merged into one that hung down the middle of her head. Bella smiled as she touched it gently.

Bella pulled a knife from her boot and cut a small section of fabric from her light blue undershirt. Stowing her knife back in its hiding place Bella turned to Kili, taking the section of hair just behind his right ear she weaved an intricate braid into his hair incorporating the cloth from her shirt. Bella leaned back smiling when she was done. Kili ran his fingers over it gently before turning to kneel up facing her. The pair knelt in front of each other, their hands joined on either side of them, their fronts pressed together and their foreheads touching. "We are promised to each other now, Bella," Kili told her quietly, his breath fanning over her face making her shudder. "Once we are safe and at home in Erebor I intend to make you my wife." Bella did not try to hide the smile that spread across her face. She raised her head, and taking the hint Kili kissed her again. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck deciding that this time she wasn't going to let him go for a while.


It was the middle of the night before Bella and Kili stepped back inside. The only person still sat up now was Gandalf who smiled at the young couple as they quietly made their way across the room holding hands. Thorin opened his eyes when he heard the door close, seeing Kili happy made him smile. He could only hope that they would all survive this quest. Bella and Kili settled down just a short distance from Fili, he laid on his back with Bella curled into him, her head resting on his shoulder.

Bella was woken by the sound of Bofur's voice above her. "Have you all seen this?" he asked. Bella kept her eyes shut as she heard several pairs of feet approach.

"Finally," Fili said and she could practically hear the smile in his voice. "I wondered how long it would take them."

"Should we wake them?" Ori asked.

"No," Thorin told them. "Let them get some more rest while they can." Sleep gripped Bella again as she settled back down on Kili's shoulder.

She was woken again a short while later by Kili dropping gentle kisses to her forehead. "Is it time to wake up so soon?"

"It is, my love," Kili whispered. "Thorin just came to wake us. Gandalf says the skin-changer who lives here is on his way back." The pair both packed away their things and walked into the other room hand in hand.

Thorin smiled at the pair as they sat down beside each other. The Dwarves all stared openly at the pair making Bella blush. Fili reached past Bella to slap his brother on the shoulder. "Congratulations!" he bellowed, then dropped a kiss to Bella's cheek turning her a brighter a shade of red. Kili laughed at her expression and Bella scowled. Everyone began offering their congratulations to the pair then. Conversation flowed easily, everyone was laughing at a joke Fili had made when the door to the house opened cutting off all conversation.

All eyes turned to the man who had just walked in. He towered over them and didn't look all too happy at finding them there. "Gandalf," he acknowledged the wizard with a gravelly voice.

"Beorn," Gandalf said, removing his pipe from his mouth.

"So, you are the one they call Oakenshield," Beorn asked Thorin a short while later as he poured Fili a drink. "Tell me why is Azog the defiler hunting you?"

"You know of Azog?" Thorin asked, turning his head slowly to look at Beorn. "How?"

"My people were the first to live in the mountains before the Orcs came down from the North. The defiler killed most of my family but some he enslaved," Beorn told them. Bella noticed the shackle in his wrist and a lump formed in her throat. Her time with Thorin and now meeting Beorn made her realise how lucky she had been to escape entirely unharmed the night he took her family from her. "Not for work, you understand but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."

Bella stood abruptly from where she sat between Kili and Fili. "I'm sorry," she whispered to Beorn. Whether she was apologizing for what had happened to him or for her sudden departure she wasn't sure but she needed to get out. She couldn't bear to listen to anymore tales of Azog. Bella did not look back as she made her way out Beorn's house and to the stream he had at the bottom of his garden.

"What is wrong with Lady Bella?" Beorn asked.

Kili stood with a pleading glance at his uncle. Thorin nodded permitting him to go after Bella. "You are not the only who lost their family to that filth," Kili heard Thorin explain as he headed the same way Bella had.

Bella dropped to her knees beside the water, tears running down her face. She was not exactly sure who she was crying for. She stripped off her leather vest and green shirt leaving her in just her under shirt, filling her hands with water she rinsed off her face washing away the tears. Bella heard Kili calling her name and a moment later he broke through the trees. When he realised she was not properly dressed he instantly turned blushing. "I just came to see if you were okay," Kili said, still facing away from her.

Bella quickly pulled her shirt over her head and slipped her arms back into her vest. "You can turned around now, Kili," she said as she laced up and fastened her vest.

Kili turned hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

Bella nodded after a moment. "It was just too much listening to Beorn talk about what Azog has done to his family. A few days ago that monster was dead as far as I knew and now not only is he alive but he is hunting us?! I just…." Bella's eyes filled with tears again but she blinked them back.

"It will be okay, Bella. Thorin will make sure Azog does not escape again."

Bella forced a small smile but Kili could tell she was not okay. He leaned down capturing her lips and Bella sighed. Kili seemed to know exactly what she needed. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck standing on her tiptoes, Kili grasped her waist to steady her. The pair were so caught up in each other they did not hear the footsteps approaching. "Is this what we are in for from now?" Fili asked leaning against the tree with a smile. The couple broke apart to look at him, Kili shamelessly smiled and Bella looked a little embarrassed. "You two sneaking off whenever the opportunity presents itself?"

Bella grinned and stepping from Kili's embrace to approach his brother. "I think that might just be the case, Fili" Bella said, turning back to Kili with a smile. "I just cannot seem to help myself around your brother." She patted Fili on the shoulder before disappearing back into the tree. Bella could hear Kili's laugh ring out behind her at the stunned expression on his brothers face.


A/N: Posted on 18/05/2015. All outfits are on my profile. I have not decided what I am going to do about Tauriel but I have narrowed it down to either writing her out completely and not having Kili get injured or have her be in love with Legolas and take pity on Bella and Kili and save him. What you think? Let me know. Violet x.