Chapter Five
As they came out of the troll's cave, they entered their camp. And it was Balin who took notice that Belle is not there. "Where's Belle?" asked Balin. "What do you mean where's Belle? She should be here at the camp!" said Thorin. "She's not here. I don't even see her belongings." said Balin, gravely. "No, no! She cannot be gone!" cried out Bilbo, now frantically running about the area looking for his sister. "She has left us." growled Thorin.
Bilbo shot a angry glance at Thorin. "I would have to say I wouldn't blame her, after the way you treated her." snapped Balin. "What did you do, Thorin?" asked Gandalf sternly. "She defied me! That's what she had done! I told her to stay behind, she refused to listen!" snapped Thorin. "Thorin, son of Thrain, she's a member of this Company too. And by rights you should have let her go and help you. Especially when it came to her brother in danger!" Gandalf lectures the dwarf.
Bilbo bowed his head. "Face it, she's gone. She will never be seen again." said Thorin coldly. Bilbo sighed. Maybe she should have stayed behind at Bag End, Bilbo thought.
"Somebody's coming!" called out Bofur, when they could hear sounds coming from the distance. Suddenly ahead of them, they could see a man dressed in brown robes and a funny hat, and driving a sled drawn by rabbits. It was Radagast, the Brown Wizard. While Gandalf spoken privately with the wizard, Bilbo sat down and resting, thinking of his sister. I wonder where Belle is right now? thought the hobbit.
Belle's POV:
I walked much further than I thought, as I stumbled upon a beautiful valley. This must be Rivendell, home of Lord Elrond! I thought to myself. I prayed they would take me in, since I have lost my way, and I will tell them I am a friend of Gandalf the Grey's. Its quite unusual for elves to see a hobbit arrive at their doorstep. Suddenly I heard singing and music in the distance. I never heard anything like this before. The music and singing is quite beautiful.
Suddenly three elves approached. The center elf, with dark brown hair approached me. "How interesting. A Halfling, in our forest? And whom might you be?" asked the brown haired elf. "My name is Belle, Belle Baggins! I am a friend of Gandalf the Grey's!" I replied. "Mithrandir! Yes, I know of him! But tell me why a Halfling is out in these parts?" asked the elf.
I answered him, informing the elf of my part with the Company, and my falling out with one of the dwarves, and most importantly of my brother too. The brown haired elf, Lindir gave me a serious look. "You should have never parted with your company, miss. There are creatures roaming about, you would have been killed. Come, you appear you need rest. Lord Elrond wouldn't mind having a guest." said the elf kindly as I followed him into the elven realm.
Once we entered the palace, and joined up with Lord Elrond, I explained my situation with the Elf Lord, (whom also given me the same exact lecture that Lindir had given me). After his talk with me, he arranged a room where I can stay, and he invited me to join him for dinner that night. I went to the room that is arranged for me, and decided to take a nap first before taking a bath. I slept for four hours, and when I woken up, three elves guided me to the bath house where I took my bath.
It felt nice to take a bath again, and the last time I remembered bathing was before leaving the Shire. After my bath, I changed into a beautiful light green and blue gown that was loaned to me by Lord Elrond's daughter, Arwen, herself. She altered the gown where it could fit me. If the Company only seen me now, and I end up making my brother cry, I thought to myself as I looked into the mirror.
After that, I was escorted out into the dining hall. To my surprise as I entered the dining hall, I not only saw Lord Elrond, but Gandalf, my brother, and the Company as well. Bilbo came charging over at me, and the look on his face, was like seeing knives coming out of his face. "Belle, why did you leave for?! What were you thinking?! You would have gotten yourself killed! I don't care if you were angry at Mr. Grumpy Pants over there, you still should have never left!" Bilbo snapped at me.
"Bilbo, I'm sorry-I am really truly am sorry!" I said to my brother. "And to think I almost gotten eaten by trolls! Where in the world were you? Out galloping the lands!" Bilbo continued. "Hey! I wasn't able to come and rescue you, Bilbo! You know why? Because that bone head over there wouldn't let me go help you!" I snapped back. "Belle, Bilbo. Not here, not right now. You can settle this later." said Gandalf. "No. We're going to settle this NOW!" I snapped. Bilbo closed his eyes and sighed.
"I'm sorry, Belle-I didn't know." said Bilbo quietly. "Come now, lets sit down and eat. The most important thing is that we see that you're in good hands now, and not out in the wild alone." said Gandalf. And so I took my place with Gandalf, Thorin and Elrond.
I really didn't want to sit next to Thorin at all, since after all, he started this whole mess in the begin with. Thorin not once glanced at me as I sat and listened to Elrond talking about Gandalf and Thorin's swords. "Oh and by the way, that reminds me Belle. You have a sword too, I have found in the lair as well." said Gandalf, and he handed me over the short sword. "Nice. Really nice! Thank you!" I said to Gandalf. The wizard nodded.
After sitting a while, I was feeling rather bored and restless. And so I decided to go outside on the balcony for some fresh air. Suddenly, Fili and Kili walked up behind me. "You really had us all worried for leaving us like that, you know. Why did you do that for?" asked Kili. "Why should I tell you this?" I said. "Belle, if you wish to talk about it, its okay. We won't tell anyone." said Fili. "Its your Uncle. That's why I left." I said sharply, and I walked away from the young dwarves.
No One's POV:
Meanwhile inside the palace, Thorin had finished talking with Elrond and Gandalf, and he walked away from the table. Balin took notice of Thorin walking away, and he approached Thorin. "Where are you going, laddie?" asked Balin, as he could see Thorin was heading towards the balcony area. "I'm going to talk to Belle." Thorin replied.
Balin smiled. "Good, I was hoping you would do that." said Balin, and he walked back to his table. Thorin stepped outside on the balcony, and he could see Belle sitting on a bench looking up at the stars. "Miss Baggins?" spoke up Thorin. Belle looked up, and she could see the dwarf approaching her. "I'm surprised you are speaking me. Well, I'm not going to speak to you. Go back with the others." said Belle, icily. "Belle… about that… I want to apologize for my actions towards you earlier." began Thorin.
"Is it because I'm a woman, you wouldn't let me fight for my brother? Is that what this is about? Why wouldn't you let me save my brother? Now he's angry with me, because I wasn't there to help him!" Belle snapped. Thorin remained silent for a brief moment. "Belle, I really meant what I've said." said Thorin, as he slipped his hand into Belle's. Don't do this to me, Thorin, not now! Belle thought. "Remember the night you had trouble sleeping, and I held you?" asked Thorin. "Yes, I haven't forgotten about that." said Belle.
"When I looked at you sleeping, you looked so beautiful-so peaceful, and radiant. I just couldn't allow to see you get hurt, I only wanted to protect you, Belle. You would have been in the same predicament as all of us." said Thorin.
Belle nodded. "Belle, this may be bold of me of saying this, but I have fallen for you. If something was to happen to you, I don't know what I'll do." said Thorin. Belle's eyes widened hearing this. Great heavens above, he feels the same way I do! This cannot be happening-wait, this is happening! Belle thought. "Will you forgive me for my actions, Belle?" said Thorin. Belle smiled. "I forgive you, Thorin." said Belle. "Now promise me you won't run off like that again." said Thorin. Belle laughed.
"I won't run off again, Thorin, I promise. I would never hear the end of it from my brother. In fact, I already have." said Belle. Thorin softly chuckled. "Come, lets go inside, and see what the others are doing." said Thorin. Belle nodded and stood up and they walked back inside. By the time they entered, they could see Bofur standing on a pillar as he began to sing. Thorin and Belle smiled as they stood nearby and listened.
Pretty soon the other dwarves joined in with Bofur. Belle took notice of Thorin starting to dance as well, and singing along with them.
There is an inn
a merry old inn
Beneath an old grey hil
And there they brew the beer
so brown
The Man in the Moon himself
down, one night to drink his fill
The ostler has a tipsy cat
That plays a five stringed fiddle
And up and down he runs his bow
Now squeaking high, purring low
Now sawing in the middle.
Suddenly, Thorin spun around and grabbed Belle and began dancing with her, as Bofur and the dwarves sang. Belle laughed. She never thought Thorin as much of a dancer, and she enjoyed this side of the dwarf, watching him laugh and sing merrily with the dwarves. When the song ended, the dwarves began tossing food at each other. "IN COMING!" called out Fili, as a piece of cake came towards Belle's direction. Belle grinned as she quickly ducked, and instead of the cake hitting her, the cake landed in Thorin's face.
Belle and the rest of the Company burst into laughter at this. Belle ducked intentionally so Thorin would get hit by the cake, instead of her. "You done that on purpose!" snapped Thorin, playfully. "Ha-ha! Ha-ha! Ha!" sang Belle. Fili and Kili grinned as they approached her. "That was quite clever, Miss Boggins! I would have done the same thing!" laughed Kili. "Thank you, Kili. And its Baggins. You always seem to miss pronounce my last name." said Belle. "Sorry-Baggins." Kili corrected.
Later, while Thorin, Balin and Bilbo joined Gandalf and Elrond to discuss about the map, Belle joined the other dwarves in another room, where they continued their little party. Nori discovered some musical instruments from another room, and the dwarves took the musical instruments and they began playing happy music and sang. Some would take turns dancing with Belle. An hour later, Thorin, Balin and Bilbo returned to the room. Thorin informed everyone they would leaving in a couple hours.
Suddenly, Fili brought forward a harp to Thorin, as they dwarves asked Thorin to join in with them, as they continued to play music. At first, Thorin declined, but then Thorin took the harp and sat down. When Thorin struck the harp, the music began, this time a much melancholy and slower tune.
Belle sat in between Balin and Thorin, as she watched and listened the dwarves, and her attention mainly focused on Thorin. Thorin shortly began to sing, shortly joined in by Fili and Kili, and after a little while, the rest of the dwarves joined in. As Thorin sang and played, he looked over at Belle, and tilted his head, giving her a small smile. Belle could feel her heart racing. And her feelings for the dwarf grew the more she watched him.
When the song ended, the dwarves put away their instruments, and talked quietly among themselves. Thorin then approaches Belle, and he sat beside her. "The song is beautiful Thorin." said Belle. Thorin smiled. "Thank you." said Thorin, as he pulled Belle into his arms. "Shall we continued where we left off from earlier?" asked Thorin. "I have no idea where we left off." said Belle. "To the part where I was about to ask your hand in courtship." said Thorin, smiling. "And I accept your offer, Thorin!" said Belle.
To Belle's surprise, Thorin leaned towards Belle, embracing her in a kiss. When the kiss broke, Thorin and Belle smiled at each other, as Thorin gently caressed Belle's cheek. Belle leaned her head towards Thorin, resting directly on his broad chest. "Now, you get some rest." whispered Thorin.
