Author's Note: I own nothing.

9 In The Dark

Bella wasn't quite sure what had happened. One moment she was speaking to Bofur of her decision to leave, if Thorin really was the source of her Tuning he'd made it quite plain that he didn't want her here. She couldn't help but wonder if he knew. Maybe, but he'd said nothing of it. There were a few old stories about pairs connected by the Tuning separating but she'd never heard of someone rejecting the bond outright, and those stories usually ended in sincere romantic apologies and hard won reunions. The next moment the blade of her little sword was glowing blue, barely visible at the top of the sheath. Then the ground under them had completely given way and all fourteen of them had fallen into a terrifying nightmare. From what the creatures around them were shrieking this was Goblin Town, and if that was true none of them would be making it out of this alive. It was sheer luck that Bella had landed slightly away from the group and managed to slip into a shadow as the others were captured and dragged away. She thought the last dwarf to be taken, Nori, caught her eye as he was dragged away but he'd said nothing, which was probably for the best. She had no idea what to do now.

She drew her small sword which still glowed blue like a small star in the dark of night. She should go after the others, but one Hobbit against a town of goblins would be of little to no help. Her quibbling was interrupted by a snarling beast rushing at her. On instinct alone she swung out at him. They fought for a moment before it lunged again and sent both of them toppling over the side of the platform and down a crevasse. When Bella regained her senses she wasn't quite sure she'd even opened her eyes. Everything was dark. She was laying on something soft. She moved her hand in the dark and blinked.

Mushrooms. She'd landed on an exceedingly overgrown patch of mushrooms, it had likely saved her from cracking her skull open on the earth bellow. After a moment or two she realized there was a light in the darkness a few feet away. Blinking as her eyes adjusted to the near pitch blackness she realized that it was her little sword, just a few feet away from her, and beyond that were the sounds of pained whimpers. The goblin who'd rushed her, it was still alive though for how much longer Bella could not say. She stayed still, unsure what to do. After a few moments something else moved in the dark. Eyes milky blue and reflecting the tiny light let off by her sword made their way through the darkness pausing at the downed form of the goblin who whimpered again.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Precious, Goblinses is better than old bones, yes Precious! Much better than nothing!" It was a high voice but not one Bella could put a form to. It didn't sound like a goblin, and definitely wasn't a dwarf. The sound of a dragging body and a hoarse cry of pain from the goblin told Bella that whatever this thing was it was taking the dying goblin somewhere. The sounds had grown dim by the time Bella dared to move. She fumbled her swords hilt in the dark, the light from the blade seemed duller now, though as she moved forward it grew a bit brighter. She stepped forward and frowned. There was something under her foot. She stepped back, holding her sword like a torch. Where her foot had just been was a small circle of glinting gold. A ring. She frowned reaching down and picking it up. How odd to find something like this all the way down here. But as the light of her sword dimmed further she realized she had no time to examine the ring now. She slipped it into the small pocket on her vest and followed the faint sounds of dragging, letting her sword light her way.

She didn't necessarily have a plan. Going back up into Goblin town didn't seem like a good idea, so really the only way she could go was forward. She wasn't quite sure what to do when she reached the underground lake. She'd not expected the light of her sword to flicker out entirely either. The goblin, somewhere on the island ahead of her was dead. Then the creature appeared. It was small, smaller than a goblin for a certainty, its eyes were large, lamp like and blue. It seemed to fear her blade well enough so she kept that out in front of her as it spoke to itself, contemplating what the experience of eating a Hobbit would be like. To say the Bella would never enjoy a game of riddles again was a severe understatement, especially when the thing, Gollum she called it for the noise it made, attacked anyway despite having lost their game and promising to take her on a safe path out of the mountain. She fled in sheer terror. She tripped and fell the ring she'd found earlier slipping from her pocket. Without thinking she snatched it up, barely noticing when it slipped onto her finger. Gollum came barreling around the bend behind her and Bella scrambled to her feet. She blinked as Gollum's eyes slid right over her. He could not see her.

"Bagginses, it was looking for a way out!" It cried. "Only one way out from here." It hissed and raced down the tunnel. Not questioning her turn of luck she ran after it as quietly as she could. It reached a bend in the tunnels and Bella nearly cried with joy. Daylight. She'd nearly despaired of seeing it again. Between her and the exit though crouched the creature. She paused, once again unsure. But her choice was made as the Company raced past where the creature crouched hidden. They were all there, even Gandalf whom they'd left back in Rivendell. She hesitated. She could kill the creature here and now and have done with it but it wouldn't be right. Not when it could not see her to defend against her. Not when it was starting to bawl at the loss of its 'precious'. Pity won out and she gathered her skirt carefully and leapt over the creature which screamed howling in loss as she ran for the safe haven of daylight.