Chapter 5 is upp !
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It seemed Bell's fears were right. "We should tell Thorin." She urged but she knew it was useless. "No, no, there is no need to worry him. We thought that you could go and investigate, you know since you are the company's burglar." Fili declared, smiling brightly. Her eyes widened. They wanted what now? Kili, on the contrary, looked ready to protest but chose not to say anything.
Shaking her head, Bell hoped that she could stop this madness before it went too far. She then noticed a big uprooted tree. "Well it must have been something big to do this." She remarked, pointing at the tree. "That was exactly our thinking!" The Crown Prince praised. Her eyes narrowed as she saw a fire a bit further. "There's a fire there." She pointed out, before sneaking in that direction.
"Trolls." Kili spat distastefully as they spotted three grey disgusting trolls. "Go and free the ponies Bell. We'll be right behind you if you should need our help." Fili said, pushing her lightly. His brother growled something in the same language Oin and Gloin used in her house. The blond responded in the same growled tone and he apparently won the small disagreement. "If you need help, just hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a brown owl."
When the hobbit turned around to tell them she had no idea how to hoot like owls, they were already gone. She scowled and cursed them, hoping they would hear her.
She approached the ponies quietly. Praying to Yavanna that they make no sound, she tried to untie the rope. Quickly, she understood she would have to cut it, she cursed her lack of weapon. Very, very quietly, she stole a troll his knife, her heart nearly stopping when she was almost caught as a handkerchief. She twisted her nose in disgust at their conversation before returning to the ponies. She successfully cut the rope, but of course, her luck chose that moment to run out.
A pony neighed loudly, and she had only the time to think "Damn" before she felt the heavy gaze of three giant and hungry trolls.
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Kili was swearing a blue streak as he counted the ponies for the third time. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Bell appeared behind them. The prince didn't really agree with Fili, who was trying to get the lass solve their problem, but he said nothing in fear of his uncle's wrath.
When his brother tried to push her against three trolls on her own, he could no longer stay silent. "You can't send her against trolls alone! Have you lost your mind?!" Fili glared at him, forcing the words through gritted teeth. "Do you think it's making me happy? She'll be more silent than we could ever be and if something happens, we will be right behind her."
Kili said nothing more, worry gnawing him. Climbing on a tree nearby, he watched her curse them angrily and sighed. He wasn't doing a great job at endearing himself to her. He almost jumped after her when he saw her steal the knife of a troll and then cursed himself for not thinking of giving her a weapon.
He almost cried in anguish when the ponies made enough noise to attract the trolls' attention to his beautiful One. "Wha' is tha'?" One of them asked. "Can i' be eaten? I' made dinner run away." Another questioned. "Wha' are ya?" The last inquired. He could see Bell squirming under their gaze and heard her stumbling over her words. "I'm a burgl, a hobbit!" She stuttered. "A burglahobbit? Wha' is tha'? A' oversized squirrel?" The first one said, frowning in confusion, and taking her in his fist.
Not able to take it anymore, Kili jumped out of the tree, while Fili went to warn the rest of the company. He faced the trolls, drawing his sword. "Drop her!" He demanded, in his most Thorin-like voice. "You what?" The third asked. Cutting the foot of the second troll and hearing the squeak, he smirked darkly. "I said drop her!" He growled, threatening them. Suddenly he was throwing his sword down and being brought down by an armful of hobbit.
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Dwalin was sharpening his axes, Grasper and Keeper, when Fili stormed into camp, yelling. "Trolls! Trolls! They've got Bell!" And just like that, Dwalin was on his feet and running, driven by an intense feeling of having to protect her. He was not entirely sure why he felt like that towards the lass but had no time to ponder on it.
They arrived in time to see the poor girl being thrown at Kili like a rag doll. "He better not be touching her anywhere inappropriate." He thought before his step faltered for a second. "Okay, where the hell did this come from?!" He shook his head and his thoughts and concentrated on the fight.
It was fierce, everyone had everyone's back. Axes, swords, hammers, rocks and arrows were dancing together. He saw a troll turning to Bell, who was shooting arrows at them, taking her for the weak link. He picked her up and in a second, another troll and he were holding her by the limbs. Dwalin did not miss the way she bit her lip viciously to keep herself from screaming. "Drop you' arms or we'll rip he' off." They threatened. When the hobbit looked at them, eyes wide with terror and doubt, he struggled not to kill them this moment.
The dwarrows did as told and were put in sacks, a half of them over a fire. Then, the witty little hobbit lass, saved them all by stalling for time.
(Let's just forget that Dwalin had not understood that in the beginning and had threatened her.)
The ugly creatures were turned to stone with a little help from the wizard. Which all lead to this, right now, with Thorin trying to figure out what happened. "How, in Mahal's name, did you get caught by trolls, Halfling?!" The king yelled.
Dwalin wasn't blind, he saw how her gaze turned to the princes, who both looked like they were being condemned. She took a deep breath. "It was all my fault. Fili and Kili wanted to warn you but I wanted to prove myself and convinced them to let me go on my own. I take the full blame of what happened."
Once again, Dwalin did not miss the princes' bewildered faces, who were opening their mouths to protest but Bell turned to face them. "It is very kind of you to try to protect me, as I know you'll try to. But it truly is on me." She cut them off with a sad smile, that made Dwalin's eyes narrow.
"Stop! It's not true! We're to blame Uncle! We pushed Bell to face the trolls! I promise!" Kili protested loudly. Thorin was wearing a smug smirk. "It is very loyal of you to try and protect the burglar, my sister-son. But as she said, it is useless. As for you Halfling! I knew we should never have taken you with us. I told you'd be useless. Pity nobody listened. Next time you do something like this, I leave you behind. There will be no other warning." And he left, smugness evaporating from every of his pores.
For once not following his king, Dwalin walked to Fili, whose face expressed guilt. "What have you two idiots done?" He asked, glaring at him, arms crossed over his chest.
After Fili explained, the big tattooed dwarf was pinching his nose in exasperation. "So, what you're basically telling me is that you forced a lass, a lass to face Trolls of all things, just to escape Thorin's anger?" At the blond's timid nod, Dwalin exploded.
"Are you daft, just plain stupid?! How could you have done that? She could have died there, for Mahal's sake!" He hissed angrily and the prince's face became pinched. "Do you really think I do not know that? I feel awful! When she lied for us, I… We felt below orcs for what we've done." He whispered, pained.
"Well you obviously can be glad that she or anybody else from the company didn't die because of your bullshit." Dwalin roared before looking at Kili. He was desperately trying to make anyone listen to his side of the story. "Stop it Kili. It is great that you're trying to protect your friend, but she has to take responsibility for her acts." Dori snapped in a pinched tone, before walking away, leaving a lost and guilt-ridden dwarf behind him.
Taking Fili's arm, Dwalin dragged him to where Kili was sulking on his own. "You two are both idiots! I hope this will be a good lesson for you." The warrior said angrily. "You know? Please tell Uncle so he punishes us and leave Bell alone! Please?" Kili begged, with a hopeful voice. "It would not change anything. Whatever we say Thorin will think we're protecting Miss Baggins. The lass saved your arses this time. Make yourself useful and make it up to her." He advised before turning to search for the troll's cave with the company.
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Bell was wondering if she had done the right thing by lying to Thorin, but every time she thought about Kili's face when he thought she would put the blame on them, she couldn't help but she know she had no other choice. She would do anything to make that face go away, and a warm smile return.
Oakenshield's words had hurt but it had been merely a pinch next to what she was feeling now. They had gone through the cave and were now waiting for Gandalf to finish discussing with Radagast the Brown and neither Kili nor Fili had even glanced her way so long.
A howl resonated in the little forest they were in. "Wolves? Was that a wolf?" Little naïve Ori asked fearfully asked and Bell was painfully reminded of his innocence. "Wolf? That was no wolf lad." Bofur said, and her grip on her newfound sword was a tad tighter than needed.
And then, they were running. Running away from angry orcs and their hateful wargs. "This way you fools!" Gandalf shouted at them from a small outcrop and all jumped in the hole, trusting the wizard, if only a little. They were only Kili, Thorin and Bell left to fight the creatures. "Come Kili! Quick Burglar!" Thorin yelled before jumping in.
Bell saw with wide eyes as one of the warg rider shot at the dark-haired prince. The thought of Kili injured, or Yavanna forbid dying, because of that scum crossed her mind and her heart roared. Leaving her body to do what it screamed at her, she pushed Kili into the small passage, whimpered quietly as the arrow embedded itself in her shoulder before sliding after her friend.
A horn was heard and orc's screams of pain as well before one of them stumbled down the passage and rolled to Thorin's feet, dead. Their leader took the arrow out of his chest before spatting. "Elves!"
Taking a deep breath, she copied Thorin and pulled the arrow out of her shoulder, with a quiet grunt, when she wanted to scream in pain. "Are you crazy?! Do you want to die lass?" Oin snapped at her and she glared tiredly. "I'll be fine, let's follow Dwalin and the others." She said, leaving before he could answer.
She wore a red waistcoat that made the blood almost invisible, and she allowed no one to see she was injured. There was a little walk to Rivendell, but the hobbit didn't really admire the scenery or anything as much as she was trying to put a foot in front of the other. The dizziness came and left before repeating. Her head was spinning, her sides aching and her shoulder… she didn't even want to think about that. There was commotion around her, but she couldn't focus.
Chasing the dizziness with difficulty, she heard Oin say. "Lord Elrond, could we use your Halls of Healing. One of us got hurt while running from the orcs." The dwarves looked at each other trying to see who was injured. Bell stepped out of the circle of dwarrows and all eyes were on her, her shoulder and the blood.
Elrond's eyes widened. "Bell Baggins. What have you done this time? I swear you're trying to make my hair turn white. Lindir, take Bell and Master Dwarf to the Halls of Healing." Bell managed a weak chuckle at his worry and smiled reassuringly, before following Lindir, heavily relying on Oin to walk. As soon as her head hit the fluffy white pillow, her world turned dark.
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Hope you enjoyed it! Don't be too mad at Thorin, he'll come around. Are you feeling the parental!Dwalin/Bell coming? Because I certainly am. Already thinking like a father.
As for her injuries, well I always thought it was stupid to make Bilbo being held by trolls, I mean GIANT TROLLS, who don't really know what delicacy is, just to be okay and not hurt at all. I don't think it's really realistic. But that's just my point of view.
