Bejeweled
A/N: The final chapter of this fic…I will also be finishing Blessed of the Valar shortly as well. Finally got to watch the extended version of BOFA and a couple scenes had me laughing until I cried…especially the added scene with Bifur's axe piece…I'm still snorting in laughter even as I write this. Hope you've all enjoyed Belinda and aren't too angry with me for the ending because I didn't want to change things too drastically in this one…Blessed will have a very different ending I promise.
Chapter 14 – The End of an Adventure
A deep rumbling sound comes from the hills and all eyes turn in that direction as giant worms burst from the ground, mouths full of teeth gaping open. Belinda's eyes are wide with horror at the sight of them. Gandalf's whispered name does nothing to ease her fears, though Dain seems to be of a more sarcastic mind.
"Were Worms."
"Oh, come on!"
As Azog calls out his armies and they pour out of the holes left by the worms Dain turns his army to face them, calling on his men to turn and fight this new threat.
"The hordes of hell are upon us. Fight to the death!"
Thranduil's army stands still and remains unmoved as he does not give them the order to fight…which makes Gandalf and Belinda both quite angry. Up on the wall Fili speaks up only to have Thorin negate him.
"I'm going over the wall! Who's coming with me?"
"Stand down. No one is going out there until we see what Thranduil plans to do."
Belinda looks out at the unmoving elves as Dain's forces take their places with shields and pikes aimed at the advancing Orc army.
"The elves…will they not fight?"
As if hearing Bilbo's soft question, which he probably had with his elvish hearing, Thranduil gives the order and his elves run over the Dwarven barricade to attack the Orcs. Azog sends in these hideously deformed looking things to attack the Dwarven war machines and then turns half of his army to attack the city of Dale, thinking the women and children are there. Bard is immensely thankful that Belinda convinced Thorin to shelter them because it means they are safe inside the mountain. Belinda looks out at the battle and sees Dain head-butting fully armored Orcs and knocking them out.
"Ironfoot? More like Iron Skull…Good lord how does that not hurt?"
"We are Dwarves love…we have very thick skulls."
"Oh I'm well aware of that Thorin…"
The Dwarves share a laugh at her tone and realize she's referring to their stubbornness, which none of them can deny having of course. Thorin finally gives the signal and his Dwarves rush to the armory to outfit themselves for battle, Thorin puts a glittery shirt-vest over Belinda's head and speaks softly to her.
"This is made of silver-steel, called Mithril by my forbears. No blade can pierce it."
Belinda turns to look at the rest of the company, decked out in such fine armor and looking like the Dwarven warriors of old, and then down at herself with a sort of sarcastic humor.
"I look absurd. I'm not a warrior, I'm a Hobbit."
"It will protect you, and our child, should the battle turn against us. I want you to promise me you will stay in the mountain until the battle is over. Please My Love?"
"I can promise I will try…that is the best I can give you Thorin."
The two share a tender kiss before Thorin leads his company out into battle, Dain's men rallying around their king as the tide begins to turn in their favor again. The men of Lake Town are helping where they can and many of their women have joined them on the battlefield, refusing to stay behind and watch their men be killed if they can help. Belinda stands above the battle on the edge of the wall, watching the battle with keen eyes. She starts laughing as she watches Bofur take control of one of the Trolls the Orcs were using to crush the dwarves and starts using it to crush Orcs instead. When she watches Thorin mount one of the armored goats, with what appears to be Balin driving the last remaining war cart led by goats with three others on the cart with him, she holds her breath and prays they'll make it out alive. She watches the cart go careening through the Orc ranks, decapitating a bunch of the deformed things and killing swaths of Orcs as they go, and down into a ravine where she loses sight of them. Belinda sees three of the dwarves ride out of the ravine on the backs of the goats, but she doesn't see Balin's white hair and begins to worry. Then she realizes where the rest are heading and calls to Gandalf in worry.
"Gandalf! It's Thorin…"
"and Fili and Kili…and Dwalin. He's taking his best warriors."
"To do what?"
"To cut the head off the snake."
Bilbo looks up in shock as two familiar elves ride up to the mountain and call for Gandalf, who clearly recognizes the blonde.
"Gandalf!"
"Legolas, what brings you to Erebor?"
"There is a second army. Bolg leads a force of Gundabad Orcs. They are almost upon us."
"Gundabad…this was their plan all along. Azog engages our forces then Bolg sweeps in from the north."
Belinda interrupts Gandalf with a pertinent question, wondering exactly how they can tell where north is with everything covered by clouds and shadowed in shade.
"The North? Where is the North, exactly?"
"Ravenhill…"
"Ravenhill…Thorin is up there…and Fili and Kili…they're all up there."
Belinda notices the female elf turn to her with a horror filled look on her face as those words leave her mouth, and she shares her fear. She realizes suddenly that this was the one that spoke to Kili often while the dwarves were in Thranduil's dungeons, and saved him when they were attacked while escaping. Gandalf leaves the mountain and tries to convince Thranduil to send his men to Ravenhill to warn and aid Thorin but he refuses, so Belinda volunteers, much to Gandalf's chagrin.
"I'll go."
"Don't be ridiculous. You'll never make it."
"Why not?"
"Because they will see you coming and kill you."
"No they won't. They won't see me."
"It's out of the question. I won't allow it."
"I'm not asking you to allow it Gandalf. I'm telling you I am going to save the man I love, and I'm not going to let you stop me."
"I will go with her. I too have someone up there I wish to protect."
Belinda looks at the female elf, who introduces herself as Tauriel, and nods her agreement. Legolas closes his eyes for a moment before following the two females, determined to keep them both from getting killed on their way up the hill. They make their way to Ravenhill to warn Thorin and the others and as they find them she gasps out Thorin's name. He turns to her with surprise and sweeps her into his arms.
"Thorin!"
"Belinda? What are you doing up here?"
"You have to leave here…now. Azog has another army attacking from the north. This watchtower will be completely surrounded; there will be no way out."
Dwalin speaks up, growling out his words in frustration, but Thorin is able to see reason now and will not put his family in needless danger.
"We are so close. That Orc scum is in there. I say we push on."
"No…that's what he wants. He wants to draw us in…this is a trap."
They look towards where Fili and Kili had gone, Thorin's eyes widening in silent horror as he realizes what he's sent them into. He turns to Dwalin and gives a short order before starting to pull Belinda further away from danger.
"Find Fili and Kili, call them back."
"Thorin…are you sure about this?"
"Do it. We'll live to fight another day."
A loud thumping sound reaches their ears and they turn back and watch as Azog appears, dragging Fili with him. Fili yells at them to run before Azog stabs him in the back and drops him, where he lands in front of his horrified brother. Kili runs up towards where Azog is, killing anything that crosses his path as he goes. Tauriel immediately takes off towards Kili, Legolas right on her heels. Thorin stares in horror for a moment longer before he too heads to where his nephew was still fighting. Belinda just stares, unable to comprehend what just happened, though she turns to follow them but ends up having to fight, Dwalin apparently turned back when he realized the army was already here and saved Belinda's life…again. She starts throwing big rocks at the Orcs, knocking them down with precise hits to their temples, until Bolg runs past and hits her in the head, knocking her unconscious. Belinda does not wake for some time and by then…the battle is all but over. Kili has been killed and Tauriel mourns over his body, Legolas standing guard nearby as she grieves. Thorin has killed Azog, but been run through in the process and falls to the ground as Belinda rushes to his side, watching as the eagles fly in to save the survivors and finish off Azog's army.
"Belinda…my love."
"Don't move. Don't move. Lie still."
Thorin tries to speak to Bilbo, despite Belinda trying to get him to shush and save what's left of his strength.
"I'm glad you're here. I am glad I get to see your face…one last time."
"You're not going anywhere, Thorin. You're going to live."
"I am so sorry…that I have led you into such peril."
"No, no I'm glad to have shared in your perils, Thorin…each and every one of them. It is far more than any Baggins deserves."
"Farewell, my love. Go back to your books…and your armchair…plant your trees…watch them grow. Raise our child…in the peace of your Shire. If more people…valued home…above gold…this world would be a merrier place."
"No, no, no, no, no…Thorin…Hold on Thorin…the eagles…the eagles are here…Thorin…"
As Thorin breathes his last Belinda collapses against his side in tears, great heaving sobs that threaten to drown her in her sorrow, interspersed with pitiful whimpering sounds. Eventually Gandalf finds her there, and almost immediately starts sucking on his pipe, unable to find any words to comfort her in her grief. The remaining members of the company slowly gather around Thorin's fallen form, some limping, and all of them fall to their knees in respect to their fallen leader. They each place a hand on Belinda's shoulder, comforting her as best they can as she still cries over Thorin's body. Later they manage to carry the three bodies down with the help of Dain's men and prepare them to be interred in the side of the mountain. The horns of Dale call out a mournful cry as the funeral begins and nearly everyone is in tears for the fallen king and his Sister's sons. Thorin is laid on a stone slab with candles around him and Orcrist in his hands where they lay upon his chest. Fili and Kili are laid out in a similar fashion on either side of him and Belinda can't help but think they should be beside each other in death as they were in life. Gandalf, Radaghast, and Beorn even come in to pay their respects to the three which Belinda personally thinks is a great sign of respect from the skin changer. Balin and Belinda are the only ones openly weeping but the others look as though they are close themselves. They all stand upon a stone platform as Dain's men, and many others, stand nearby holding lit candles as they say goodbye to their king and princes. Gandalf calls out the death of Thorin and Balin raises his sword to the new king…Dain. The rest of the company follows Balin's example. Dain had asked Belinda what she wanted, respecting Thorin's naming of her as his future Queen and mother of his child. Belinda had told him what Thorin had said, about wanting her to raise their child in the peace of her homeland, and Dain agreed to take the crown of Erebor so that she could do exactly that.
"The King is dead."
"Long live the king!"
"Long live the king!"
Dain bowed his head low in respect before everyone left Belinda alone with Thorin's body to mourn in peace for a little longer. Eventually Thorin and his nephews would be laid to rest in stone caskets within a stone tomb in the side of the mountain. Later Balin tells her of the great feast that will be held that night in Thorin's honor, but Belinda only wants to return home now, and Gandalf is willing to take her there. She bids the company farewell and tells them they are free to drop by if they are ever in her part of the world again…and they needn't knock either.
She and Gandalf leave and eventually make it back to the borders of the Shire where Gandalf leaves Belinda with a warning about the dangers of magic rings. As Belinda returns to Bag End she sees Hobbits carrying her stuff away and finds that she's been presumed dead and her stuff auctioned off. She produces the contract to show she is indeed alive and who he says he is and goes inside. Eventually all of her belongings are returned, save the silverware she has to steal back from Lobelia but that was to be expected really. Her child is born, a happy little girl who grows up with slightly pointed ears, long dark hair, bright piercing blue eyes, and strength far greater than any Hobbit. The little girl has a strong thirst for adventure and her mother nurtures that trait, viciously defending her daughter from anyone who would dare insult her.
Years later, when the child is just barely a teenager, a party of Dwarves comes to the Shire and they are welcomed warmly by Belinda and her child. Belinda introduces each of them to her daughter and they all see the girl's father in her. They tell the girl many tales of her father and the homeland he reclaimed, and the love he had for her mother. The girl loves every word of it, and Belinda agrees to let her go to Erebor with the Dwarves. They promise to keep her safe, and they do. They teach her of Dwarf culture and history as they travel, and show her all of the places they visited during their journey with her mother. Once they arrive in Erebor the King, Dain, greets her warmly and welcomes her as the rightful heir of the kingdom. She learns from them for years until she is old enough, and wise enough, to be crowned Queen under the Mountain. Her mother is brought by Gandalf for the ceremony, joined by Thorin's sister Dis, and the two women watch with pride as the young Dwarf woman is crowned. Belinda eventually returns to the Shire, unable to leave her home for long without missing it terribly, and her daughter has her own path to follow now.
Belinda ends up raising her nephew, Frodo Baggins, after the tragic death of his parents. Belinda chooses to leave the Shire on her 111th birthday and heads for Rivendell. Frodo and several other Hobbits end up taking the One Ring to Rivendell and Belinda's daughter eventually sends Gloin and his son with a party of Dwarves to Elrond's council, and thus begins the next chapter of Middle Earth's history. When the grief stops being so hard to bear Belinda begins writing out the tale of her adventures with the company of Thorin Oakenshield and calls it 'There and Back Again, A Hobbit's Tale' though it eventually becomes known simply as…'The Hobbit'.
A/N: Thus ends the tale of Belinda Baggins. Hope you all enjoyed it. I know, I hated killing Thorin and the boys but this story needed that. Sorry. Blessed will end better I promise.