Author's Note: I own nothing.

6 Letter Opener

The Company, with Gandalf's help, was quick to free themselves from their bindings and loose the dwarves tied to the spit. Fili helped Bella out of the bag she'd been shoved into and clapped her on the back.

"That was some quick thinking back there Miss Baggins." He commended and Bella smiled slightly pulling her skirts straight.

"He's right! Now think what she could do with a real weapon not just that brain of hers!" Bifur commented laughing. Bella raised an eyebrow at Fili who laughed. It was Oin who translated for her.

"He's right though, you could live up to your name yet!" He said smiling slightly. Bella frowned.

"My name?" She asked and Gloin nodded.

"Aye lass they must have named you after a deadly plant for a reason." He said straightening his braids. Bella laughed.

"It's a family name! My mother's name was Belladonna." Bella said a bit perplexed.

"A dangerous family then! Good!" Oin said. A whistle alerted the others to Dwalin who motioned them to follow him.

"Thorin and the Wizard found the troll hoard!" Dwalin boomed and the others all nodded, smiling and chuckling as if they hadn't almost been eaten not twenty minutes ago. Bella followed the dwarves down to a cave set into a small hillock. The entrance was covered with a ratty but carefully hung bit of cloth that would have blocked all sunlight from entering the cave. Unfortunately it also held in the smell of the Trolls. Bella hung back from the entrance with a frown waving her hand in front of her nose.

"I think I'll stay out here. I've had quite enough of Troll stink for today." She said settling down on a rock and pulling a small pipe out of one of the pouches on her belt. She quickly filled the bowl of the pipe from a small pouch inside her belt. She lit her pipe and puffed on it. Bofur sat down next to her.

"Another connoisseur I see." He said pulling out his own pipe. Bella laughed.

"I doubt you've had this before. Hobbits are very particular about who we trade our best leaf with. It's something we're very proud of." She said with a grin offering him the pipe. He raised an eyebrow and took a long puff. He coughed and blinked shaking his head and handing her back her pipe.

"That certainly isn't what I'm used to." He said, his voice strained. He put his own pipe away. Bella laughed again, taking another puff from her pipe. He coughed again and shook his head. "Talk about deadly plants." He said laughing.

"You'll be lightheaded for a bit, but you'll be fine." She said with a wicked grin. "Old Toby isn't for everyone, a bit strong but we Sire-folk have taken a long time to perfect it. And some still say it's not perfect yet." She said and took one more puff on her pipe. Gandalf laughed as he stepped out of the cave spotting Bella putting out her pipe.

"Bella come here." He called and she raised an eyebrow but stood and stepped over to the Wizard. He held out a sheath. It was small and dusty but the glint of silver beneath the filth was still clear. The hilt at the edge of the sheath fit well in Bella's hands. On her it would be a good sized sword, though it was little more than a dagger to most. "This is about your size."

"Gandalf I can't. I've never even held a sword in my life. I can't." She said and was swiftly ignored.

"It is elf-made. The blade will glow blue when Goblins or Orcs are around." He said, before she could argue again Nori popped his head through the trees.

"Something's coming on us quickly! Arm yourselves." He called out. Gandalf raced past Bella who pulled an inch or so of the blade of her sword out. It was somehow pristine and simply silver, though there was some sort of elvish script running down the blade. It wasn't one Bella recognized. She didn't have time to worry about it though as something barreled through the trees shrieking about fire and murder. Radagast, for this was the selfsame brown wizard they'd been discussing a few days ago, and Gandalf pulled away to discuss whatever had upset the brown wizard so. Thorin glanced at Bella.

"You'll need to learn to use that blade if you mean to keep it." He said.

"Hardly a blade. More of a letter opener really. A flower wielding a letter opener!" Bifur said with a laugh. "Smaug will tremble with fear!" He chuckled again. Bella rolled her eyes clearly understanding that she was being made fun of, though the joke passed her by.

"You're right it does look a bit like a letter opener." Balin said with a light laugh. Bella rolled her eyes at them. But Balin nodded. "She should know how to use it though. What do you say lass, lessons when we set up camp?" He suggested. Fili nodded.

"I'll teach her!" He suggested.

"No, you'll go easy on her." Thorin said. "Dwalin, you teach her. If anyone can it's you." Thorin said and Dwalin nodded. Bella was about to say that she preferred Fili teach her, since Dwalin still intimidated her a bit, when a low rumbling growl shook the trees. Everyone froze.

"What was that a wolf?" She asked her hand tightening on the hilt of her small sword.

"That was no wolf Miss Baggins." Bofur said and was proved right in moments when two Wargs attacked and were quickly defeated, left dead on the ground.

"Scouts! An Orc pack cannot be far behind." Thorin stated glancing at the others. With Radagast acting as distraction Gandalf lead the Dwarves away, or tried to. They ended up down a hole. Bella glanced around, what she had thought was just a cleft in the rock was actually a path. Dwalin seemed to have realized this too.

"I cannot see where it leads do we follow?" He called to the company as Thorin cast aside the arrow he'd identified as elven as though in disgust, stepping on the dead Orc as he went. He nodded though, glaring at Gandalf as he did. There was not enough room for them to walk more than one by one. Bella went in the middle, flanked in front by Fili and behind by Kili. When they reached the end of the path they came to a large opening that stood just opposite a wondrous sight. A series of buildings sat there, looking as though carved from ivory. Gandalf sighed in relief.

"The valley of Imaldris, though in the common tongue it's known by another name." He said.

"Rivendell!" Bella finished for him. It was far grander than her mothers stories had ever described. Her mother had visited here several times over her life but stories could only go so far in describing the wonder ahead of her. She didn't notice Thorin's glare at Gandalf nor their bickering as the company made their tired way down to the entrance of the elven home. They were quickly joined and welcomed by the Lord of Rivendell himself. Lord Elrond was welcoming to all of them, though the dwarves were slightly hostile until offered food. When he spotted Bella though a look of slight amusement came over the elf's face.

"I must say I did not expect to see another Hobbit for another age." He bowed slightly to her though his eyes flicked amusedly to Gandalf. Elrond regarded Bella for a moment. "You have a familiar look though I know we have never met before." He said and the amused glint in his eye grew as Fili and Kili made to step in front of Bella. She outmaneuvered them though.

"You may have met my mother when she was still Belladonna Took, Lord Elrond. She spoke quite highly of you, though her stories do not do the beauty of your home justice." Bella said with a slight curtsy. The amusement in Elrond's eyes turned to fondness in a moment.

"I did know your mother, I was sad to hear of her passing. What is your name Lóth hén?" He asked and she smiled though the Dwarves behind her were muttering mutinously.

"I am Belladonna Baggins, Lord Elrond. It is a pleasure to meet you." She said with a grin and another small curtsy.

"Welcome to Rivendell Miss Baggins, come rest calls. We can all discuss other matters on the morrow." The company was reluctantly led into Rivendell itself. Kili sidled up to Bella.

"What did he call you?" He muttered so the elves leading the way would not hear him.

"Lóth hén, it means flower child." Bella said with a slight grin. Thorin frowned.

"You speak elvish?" He asked and Bella nodded.

"Sindarin, but I can get by in Silvan as well, at least according to my mother. Quenya is still a bit difficult though." Bella said and Thorin raised an eyebrow. Balin elbowed him.

"Quite the diplomat that one." He muttered to Thorin. They were led to a small wing of rooms and met there by a fair skinned dark haired elf maid. She smiled.

"I am Arwen, these will be your rooms for your stay in Rivendell. There are separate rooms here." The dwarves all frowned but Bella thanked Arwen quite graciously and stepped to one of the doors as Arwen left with a smile. Thorin grabbed Bella's wrist.

"We should stay together." He said and Bella turned to him.

"Thorin, I mean this in the most respectful way, I have not had a bath in almost two weeks. I will meet you all back in the common room." She slipped his grip and vanished into the room, closing the door in his face. There were a few snickers from the group. Thorin snapped at them in Khuzdul.

"Silence! I want someone guarding this door. No telling what the elves have planned. We need a watch kept. Ori, you take first guard here, Dwalin you keep watch. The rest of you get some sleep. I don't want to be here any longer than we have to."