A/N: Okay, so I'm both excited and depressed at the moment. Excited, because the DOS premier is tomorrow (which I will be watching online in my office, shh!) and depressed because I am in my office when I would sooooooo love to be there. I'd love to see that Book of NZ and all the exciting tweets and facebook updates from LA are just making me even more jealous. Also, I have to wait until Boxing Day (26th) before I can see it. Still, it's all getting real now and I know I'm going to love it when I see it. Tell you what, that Bard is looking hotter and hotter every time I see him, lol.

Anyway, thanks so much for your reviews, alerts and favourites. I hope you enjoy this chapter as I loved writing it.

As always, I don't any of it - if I did, I'd be walking on that red carpet arm in arm with Richard and Luke Evans - heaven!

Chapter 10

It took over two weeks to get through Mirkwood and Bella couldn't help but be thankful for the elves' presence. The forest was still as dark and gloomy as it was before, but the knowledge of their elven guides made the journey much more bearable. There was food and water, for a start. Bella recalled how hungry and thirsty the Company had been, leading them to stray from the path despite Gandalf and Beorn's warnings.

Eight elves had been assigned to lead them to the forest gate, Lindiriel being one of them, which Bella was very happy about. Between them, they carried enough supplies and had the knowledge of how to cross the river that had caused the Company so much grief. And whether it was elven magic or something else, they were not bothered by the spiders, to her relief. She never wanted to encounter those monsters again.

The elves could have travelled much faster but they adjusted their speed in order to accommodate Bella's small stature. One had even offered to carry her but she had refused, snorting indignantly. She was small, not disabled, and even though her legs were short, she had enough stamina to make the trek on her own two, furry feet! A glance at Gandalf told her he was highly amused at the situation.

Over the course of the journey, she and Lindiriel spent much time together and Bella knew she was going to miss the lovely elf when they parted company. It was so long since she had simply shared friendly gossip with another woman that it greatly eased her weary heart. She had come to know the rest of the elves, but she now shared a genuine friendship with Lindiriel and hoped that they would see each other again one day.

At last, they reached the forest gate and finally emerged into the sunlight. Bella took in a deep breath and turned her face to the sun and simply enjoyed its gentle warmth after so long.

Gandalf indicated that they were going to camp and wait here for Beorn's horses to arrive the next day, once he sent word of their arrival. The elves quickly went about setting up camp and they were quite a merry gathering that night as they sat around the campfire singing elven songs and encouraging Bella to sing some hobbit songs. She refused at first, her heart simply not up to trying to sing a joyful song when it felt the opposite, but she was eventually persuaded and was glad for it afterwards as the songs did cheer her up a little.

Late the next day, Beorn appeared in the distance, leading two ponies that were to transport them back to his house. The camp had been struck and the elves were ready to depart and head back into the forest.

Bella asked Lindiriel if she would go with her a little way from the rest and the two walked out of hearing distance.

"I just wanted to say goodbye privately and to thank you for being such a good friend," said Bella, a little tearfully at the thought of leaving yet another friend, albeit unexpected.

"It has been a pleasure and an honour to know you, Bella Baggins," replied Lindiriel. "I have greatly enjoyed learning about hobbits and of your adventures and I will miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Lindiriel," said Bella. "I fully expected not to like any elf from Mirkwood but it was impossible not to like you. I hope that we may meet again one day."

"I shall like that," smiled the elleth. "In the meantime, go with the blessings of the Valar and I pray that they will keep you safe on your journey."

"Thank you," said Bella, hugging her friend around the waist, a gesture returned whole heartedly. "Keep safe in the forest."

Lindiriel nodded as they pulled apart. "I also hope that you and your beloved Thorin find a way back to each other," she said with a gentle smile.

Bella's eyes widened in shock. She had never mentioned Thorin's name as the person she was grieving for. "How…how did you know? I never told you his name."

"Every time his name was mentioned by you, your face changed and I knew who it was you long for."

"Yes, well," said Bella, looking at the ground.

"Do not fret. I will not divulge your personal business to anyone," Lindiriel reassured her. "I just wish you all the best and I believe that if the love you shared was true, you will find a way to be together again."

"Thank you again though I do not hold the same hope," replied Bella.

"Never lose hope, Bella. One never knows what the Valar have in store for us."

With that, they walked back to others and prepared to greet Beorn for the next stage of her journey home.

"Little Bunny! It is good to see you safe and well," thundered Beorn with a grin on his face.

Bella wished he wouldn't call her that but no matter how many hints she had given him, he either didn't get them or just chose to ignore her. Mentally shrugging her shoulders, she went to greet him. It gave her a crick in her neck to look at him in the face as she only came to his waist, giant of a being that the skin-changer was.

"Thank you, Beorn. It is good to see you too," replied Bella with a smile. He'd always been amiable towards her, despite his apparently fearsome temper, and he had shown up at the battle and helped defeat their foes, so she could forgive his annoying use of her nick-name.

"Gandalf was most worried about you after the fight."

"Well, as you can see, I am in one piece," she replied.

"Thank you for agreeing to provide horses for us, Master Beorn," interrupted Gandalf.

"Oh, it is nothing, Gandalf. I will be pleased to hear what you have both been up to since I saw you last. I'd also like to know how the dwarves fare. When I left the mountain, Thorin had not yet awakened."

Gandalf, sensing Bella didn't want to talk about the Company answered. "Yes, yes, I will tell you what I know, but first we must say farewell to our fine elven guides who have most ably led us through the forest."

At that pronouncement, Gandalf and Bella said their final farewells to the elves, Bella giving Lindiriel one last hug. With some sadness, she waved to goodbye to her friend as they returned to the forest for their trek back home.

Once alone, they mounted their ponies, Beorn practically lifting Bella onto hers with one huge hand. He walked beside them as they rode, heading south towards his house.

Having been unconscious when he was in Erebor, Bella asked him to relate how it was he was there and what he did, which he was quite eager to recount.

For the next couple of hours, he related the tale of his journey to Erebor and how he arrived at the same time as the Eagles and proceeded to destroy as many orcs and goblins as he could. He was quite cheerful as he described in 'glorious' detail his slaughter of the orcs. Bella felt queasy at certain times by the graphic descriptions but didn't interrupt and the time passed relatively quickly.

It took them three days to reach Beorn's house. Luckily, Beorn didn't change shape in that time but, instead, stayed near their campfire with them and kept watch as he was accustomed to little sleep.

Finally, his compound came into view and Bella was looking forward to sleeping in relative comfort again, for a short while, anyway.

"Well, little bunny, here we are. Home sweet home. I trust you will enjoy your stay here and eat to your heart's content. I don't usually like visitors, but you I am fond of, and gladly welcome you any time you wish to visit me."

"Thank you Beorn. I am most honoured," replied Bella, cognizant of the honour the skin-changer had bestowed upon her. "I look forward to this visit."

With that, he led them through the gate and to his home, playing the gracious host.

Physically, Thorin was now fully recovered from the injuries he sustained in the Battle of the Five Armies, as it was now being dubbed. If he still had the occasional headache, it was a small price to pay for having survived. He had now assumed the full role as King, although he wouldn't truly feel like a king until his people were home.

His days were busy as he worked hard to get his mountain restored. His Company were his most trusted advisors and he regularly sought input into the work being carried out. Dain had returned to the Iron Hills but had left many of his men behind to assist in the rebuilding until the dwarves from Ered Luin arrived.

There was activity everywhere he looked. Within the mountain, teams of workers were in the process of cleaning and repairing the multitude of halls and rooms. In a mountain this size, it was no small job and would take months. Dori had been picked to oversee the work and was proving to be an invaluable asset.

Bofur, with Bifur's help, was overseeing the repairs and restorations of the mines and Gloin had control of the Treasury with Ori as his Record-keeper. Bombur, not surprisingly, had taken over the restoration of the kitchens and had recruited staff to provide meals to the workers. Oin, was appointed the Head Healer and with so much work going on everywhere, he was kept very busy as he treated injuries and illnesses and trained up others to assist.

Dwalin had been appointed as Captain of the Guard, and while waiting for their kin to arrive, was inventorying and stockpiling the weapons found within the mountain. Nori, with his talent for sneaking had been asked to assist Dwalin, probably because Thorin believed Dwalin could keep him in line. When the mountain was back to normal, he would probably make Nori his Chief Spy, as it was necessary for a king to know what was happening within his kingdom. He was already doing it, but on a much smaller scale.

Balin was, of course, his Chief Advisor. There was no-one he trusted more, other than Dwalin and his nephews. As his heir, Fili spent much time with Thorin as he worked and was becoming his main liaison with the men of Dale. He seemed to get on with the humans and was able to attend meetings when Thorin was unavailable. Likewise Kili, on a lesser scale as he was still recovering, was learning the running of the mountain. For some reason, he seemed to have an affinity with the elves and so Thorin had asked him to assist him when dealing with the elves that were working to restore the forests and fields and be his liaison in that area.

Some days Thorin was on the go all day with barely enough time to eat, much less think, until he returned to his bed at night, completely exhausted. Instead of getting a good night's sleep though, his night was filled with dreams and nightmares and he spent a large part of the dark hours awake and thinking of Bella.

The effect on him was becoming evident to his friends. His face was looking drawn and there were large bags under his eyes, which were dull and wearied. Fili and Kili were worried but when they tried to talk to him, Thorin changed the subject or walked away. Kili knew his uncle was suffering from missing Bella but after their talk, Thorin refused to speak of it again. Regardless, he kept on trying to convince his uncle to go after her and dealing with his inevitable displays of temper when he did.

Thorin himself knew he wasn't coping well but he felt it was his punishment for what he had done and so tried to ignore the comments and advice of his Company. If he lost his temper with them, well, they should leave the subject well enough alone.

Other than his personal life, the repair and restoration of Erebor was proceeding well and he felt a sense of satisfaction at the evidence of the hard work being done. Though still limited by numbers, dwarves were assisting in the rebuilding of Dale and, already, thousands of saplings had been planted by the elves, with many more still to be sown. Fields had been cleared and crops planted and with the elves' help; hopefully they would be ready for harvesting in a few months. Life was still difficult, but there was a sense of hope in the air, which Thorin had not felt for nearly two hundred years.

He had just been conferring with dwarves and elves outside the mountain about the new crops being sown and was walking back towards the main gate when a voice called out to him.

"Sire! Sire!"

Turning around, he saw a dwarf from the Iron Hills running towards him, his hand outstretched. Instantly, the two dwarves who had been guarding him stepped forward in a protective stance. Thorin didn't see a need for a personal guard but Dwalin had insisted on it, saying that, now he was King, he had to put up with the trappings of his position, good and bad, and that having bodyguards was one of them.

The dwarf halted his progress in the face of the two menacing guards. "Sire, I found something that I believe belongs to you."

Curious, Thorin called off the guards and stepped towards the panting dwarf. "What is it?"

"Sire, I have been working at the garbage pits and was clearing away ashes when I came across this hair bead. When I examined it, I saw that it bore the mark of your family line and knew that it must belong to you or your kin." He held out his hand which held a silver bead that glinted in the afternoon sun.

Thorin looked at the bead and sucked in his breath. It was the bead he had given to Bella, the bead that had fallen out of her hair when he had tried to kill her. In all that had happened since then, he had forgotten about it. It had been in the pocket of the coat he was wearing when he fought Azog and had been removed when his injuries were being treated. It would have been in no condition to keep so most probably was taken away to be burnt but the bead had survived as the fires were not hot enough to melt down the silver.

Trying to keep his hand from trembling, Thorin reached out and took the bead, examining it quickly to assure himself that it actually was the bead and quickly pocketed it. "Thank you for returning it, Master Dwarf. I had quite forgotten it was missing."

The dwarf inclined his head in acknowledgement of his King's gratitude and returned to his duties. His mind whirling, Thorin turned and strode back into the mountain, dismissing his guard as he returned to his bedchamber.

Locking the door, Thorin slumped down in the armchair near the fire that was kept blazing for him and took out the bead. With a shuddering sigh, he gazed at it before bringing it to his lips as he remembered the circumstances in which he had given it to Bella.

It was the last night they were to spend in Lake Town before heading off to continue the final and most dangerous, leg of their journey. Once they crossed the lake on the boats being loaned to them, they would make their way to the mountain in order to look for the hidden door and somehow defeat the dragon that had stolen their home.

It would also mean that Bella was going to put herself in danger in order to fulfil her part of the contract. Thorin's heart clenched at the thought of his lover confronting the dragon alone and had tried to talk Bella out of it but she had argued that this is what she had signed up for and that she would not go back on her word. She had then kissed him, trying to soothe his worry for her and as always, the touch of her lips caused the blaze of desire to burn hot again and for the next few hours, all thoughts of the dragon were pushed aside.

Thorin smiled as he made his way to her bedchamber after instructing the Company to get a good night's sleep, as who knew when they would get another one. He had ignored their good natured catcalls as he left the room soon after Bella. After their first night together, the Company had become aware of the nature of their new relationship and he and Bella were subject to their good-humoured teasing. In truth, he was so happy and in love that he couldn't be bothered scolding them, not even his nephews, who were inclined to make suggestive remarks when in their company. He knew they were happy for him and Kili was already teasing Bella, calling her 'Auntie', copping laughing smacks to the back of his head from her.

After a brief tap on the door, he entered the room, locking it behind him. Bella was sitting at the dresser, brushing out her hair which had grown considerably since leaving Bag End. She was wearing only a thin shift and he hungrily gazed at the womanly curves barely hidden by the material.

How he loved her! To him, she was perfection and he couldn't imagine ever being with anyone else. From the top of her honey blonde locks to the tips of her hairy feet, he loved every bit of her. Her sass excited him, her compassion warmed him; her passion thrilled him, her intelligence and courage awed him and her love completed him. From their difficult beginnings, caused mostly by him, he had to admit, they had come to find a love that was beyond any of his imaginings. She was part of the very air he breathed and he had to have her by his side for the rest of their lives. There might be some opposition by other dwarves at his taking a hobbit as his Queen but he had no power over who his heart chose as his 'One' as all dwarves knew, so any dissent would fade soon enough.

Bella saw him watching her and smiled at him in the mirror. Stepping forward, he stood behind her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her back into his chest as he bent down and kissed her cheek before moving to nibble on her sensitive earlobe. Her soft moan of pleasure made him smile. Letting it go, he looked at her in the mirror, his free hand gently stroking her cheek.

"How are you feeling, my love?" he asked.

"Nervous," she admitted. "And sad to leave our little haven." She reached up and pressed his hand to her cheek. "This last week has been the best of my life and I will miss the peace but I know we have a job to do and I promised I will help you get your home back."

"We will still be together, beloved, and I will do everything in my power to ensure you are safe. I could not lose you now, my Bella. Your love means everything to me."

"I do love you, Thorin," she replied wistfully.

"As I love you," he declared. He straightened and looked at her seriously. "Bella, may I braid your hair?"

The braiding of another's hair was an extremely intimate act between dwarves. It was only done between family members or between betrothed couples. The braid signified the status of the relationship and was a statement to others of this. Thorin had never braided another's hair that was not his siblings' or nephews' but he knew this was right. His whole being needed to show the world that Bella was his.

Bella knew some of the significance of braids after having spent so much time with the dwarves and nodded her head. With an intense look, Thorin took her hand and led her to the bed, sitting down behind her. Without speaking, he proceeded to brush her hair before taking a lock of it and braiding it into an intricate pattern which he secured with a silver hair bead that bore the symbol of the line of Durin. All male members of his family forged a bead in their early adulthood that was intended to be given to their betrothed if and when that event happened. He had forged this bead in Ered Luin, after the first one he made was lost when Erebor was sacked, never expecting to actually use it.

When he finished, he smoothed down Bella's hair as she took hold of the braid and studied the symbols.

"What does this mean?" she asked curiously.

"It is the symbol of my family line. I forged it in my youth and have waited all these years to give it to the woman I would have for my wife," he replied solemnly. Sure enough, Bella gave a small gasp and turned to face him.

"Y…your wife?" Her brown eyes were huge in her face.

With a tender smile, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly. "Yes, my wife. Bella, I love you and I would be honoured if you would consent to be my wife once we reclaim the mountain."

There was a sheen of tears in her eyes as she reached up and stroked his beard, sending a shaft of heat straight to his groin. "But I'm a hobbit. Don't you have to marry a dwarf woman?"

"I admit it has not happened before, but you are my 'One' and I could never marry another. My people will understand this and even if they don't, it wouldn't make any difference. I only want you."

A tear fell down her cheek, which he wiped away with his thumb. "Marry me."

"Are you sure?" she asked shakily.

"Completely. You are my other half. I never believed I would find you and now that I have, I will never let you go."

With a small cry of joy, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely for a few moments before pulling back and grinning at him. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. YES! I will marry you Thorin because I cannot imagine my life without you in it."

With a bark of laughter, Thorin pulled her to him and hugged her tightly, elation running through his every pore. "Mine. My Bella."

"Yes, yours. And you're mine."

"Always, my beloved. My treasure. My heart."

They kissed passionately, pouring all their love for each other into the act. Within seconds, the heat between them rose and their hands began grasping and pulling at clothing, eager to have nothing but skin touching skin.

Thorin nearly ripped her shift in his impatience and her hands were no less fervent in undoing the laces on his breeches and pushing them down his hips, his manhood springing out of its confinement. His breath caught when she took him in her hand and began rubbing up and down, her thumb brushing over the head. He withstood the exquisite torture for a few moments before pulling away, smiling at the pout on his beloved's face.

"I don't want to spend in your hand, my love, and that's what will happen if you continue," he said as he placed open-mouthed kisses along her throat and collar bone.

He kneaded her breasts before gently biting her nipple, eliciting a soft mewl of pleasure from her lips. He loved her breasts. They were so soft and large enough to fill his hands. Since the first night they had made love, he had become obsessed with their lushness and could quite happily have spent hours worshipping them. Bella enjoyed the attention, squirming beneath him as he lavished his devotion on her, her nails digging into his back.

"Thorin!" she pleaded, needing more.

Wanting nothing more than to please his lover, he kissed his way down her body, stopping at particularly sensitive spots to drive her closer to the edge. Finally, he was between her thighs, breathing in the heady scent of her desire before diving in and tasting her, his tongue dancing across her sensitive flesh.

Bella cried out as he drove her body to fever pitch, her hands unconsciously pulling on his hair as she writhed beneath him. Thorin suckled on her nub, his fingers inside her, but did not let her reach her peak, instead pulling away when he felt her getting close. Bella was whimpering, begging him to let her finish but he denied her.

Instead, with one last flick of his tongue, he moved up her body so that he rubbed her with his aching member, covering himself in her moisture.

"Please Thorin, I need you!"

Taking her mouth with his, Thorin surged inside her, both of them sighing loudly at the relief of finally being joined.

"Oh Mahal! You feel magnificent. So tight around me," he uttered hoarsely, trying not to spend himself straight away. The lure of her willing body made it difficult to control himself, but he wanted to feel her reach her peak around him before he finished.

"I love feeling you inside me," Bella replied breathlessly. "It's perfect."

"We're perfect together," he said before kissing her ardently as he pulled out and thrust back inside her, her slickness making the movement smooth and effortless.

Bella's legs wrapped around his hips and pulled him even further into her, drawing a strangled groan from him as he answered her unspoken wish and began thrusting into her body. Harsh gasps and moans were all that were heard as they made love, their bodies, slick with sweat, sliding against each other and inflaming their nerve endings, making the sensations even more intense.

Bella's cries got progressively longer as her body reached for the ultimate pleasure that only Thorin could give her. The sounds of her lust fuelled his and he sped up his movements so that the bed was literally rocking but neither noticed, so caught up in their love making were they.

Thorin could feel his orgasm getting dangerously close but he needed her to finish with him, so he plucked one nipple between his fingers which was enough to send her over the edge. With a loud moan, Bella stiffened beneath him as wave after wave of sensation washed over her. The rhythmic clenching of her body on his aching erection tipped him over and with a guttural roar, Thorin poured his essence into her, his entire body shuddering in reaction.

Finally, he collapsed on top of her, completely drained. In the haze of post-coital numbness, he still managed to worry about crushing her with his weight and moved to roll off, but she gripped him even tighter.

"No, stay," she whispered, still breathless from their shattering love-making.

"I don't want to crush you," he replied.

"You won't," she reassured him. "I just want to feel you for as long as possible as I don't know when we'll be able to be together like this again."

Thorin completely understood her reasoning. With Mahal's blessing, they would soon reclaim his – their - home and he could be with her like this every night for the rest of their lives but first there was a dragon to kill.

With a tender smile, he looked down at her beautiful face. "I will stay as long as you want me to, my heart. I love you and can't wait to make you my wife."

"And I can't wait to make you my husband. Promise you won't ever leave me?"

He kissed her lovingly before he answered. "I promise."

As Thorin came back to the present, he realised his face was wet with tears. Tears that he couldn't stop. Before long, he was sobbing into his hands, his body shaking from emotion.

"I broke my promise, Bella," he whispered brokenly. "I broke my promise to you."

When the storm of emotion finally passed, Thorin lay back against the armchair feeling drained and lifeless. His eyes moved down to the silver bead that was still clenched in his fist and he realised he couldn't carry on like this. It was killing him.

Missing Bella was killing him.

He needed her like he needed air. Without her, he was just a shell and he knew he could not be an effective king feeling the way he did. Kili was right – he needed to bring her home. Somehow, he had to win back her love and trust.

Leaving the mountain now would not be ideal but he would find a way around that. Was he willing to give up the throne if that was what it took to get Bella back?

It took a surprisingly short amount of time to realise that the answer was 'yes'. Bella was more important to him than anything, even his kingdom. She had been prepared to leave her home and live with him under the mountain so now he was prepared to leave the mountain he had yearned to reclaim for so long, in order to have her back in his arms. She was his 'One' and life without her was simply intolerable.

Feeling more at peace than he had since they entered mountain, Thorin drifted off into an exhausted sleep, a slight smile on his face.

A/N: Finally, progress!

Thanks once again to lizajay12 for her help in proof-reading this chapter.