Author's Note: I own nothing.
21 Realm of Men
Bella had only been to a city of men once. The Company had stopped in Bree for the night before heading out on the East Road when they had first begun their journey. It had been a muddy, messy town, made up of a rag tag group of humans and held together by the comings and goings of rangers and trading parties. Had she not been distracted at the time they entered Lake Town she would have made a close comparison between the two places. The ramshackle city that had cropped up at the edge of the Long Lake had been tossed together by the survivors of the once great city of Dale. Their history was not a pretty one, but one of a people carving out their survival in the shadow of fear and death.
Many of what were now the dwellings in Lake Town had been the ships that had been in Dale's river harbor the day the dragon attacked. Some of the braver souls had gone through the parts of Dale that lay furthest away from the great gate of Erebor and taken what they could salvage to build this new settlement. It would have been clear to Bella that these were a people barely clinging to life, through no more than hope, if she had been able to truly take in the town as they entered. Unfortunately the Company entered Lake Town much as they had left the woodland realm, except this time they were covered in fish. By the time Bella was pulled out of her barrel she was certain she would never eat fish again. Thorin seemed to be stifling laughter as he pulled a small fish from her hair. They ran across a problem when a boy ran up to Bard as they sneaked through the town.
"Da! The house, it's being watched." The boy muttered. The company was hidden in what served as a back alley but if they didn't move quickly they would be discovered. Bard turned to them.
"We can get you in through the back way but it won't be pleasant." Bard said and then frowned. "Except you can't swim." He swore glancing at Bella. She shook her head.
"No, but I can pass unseen if I wish. No one will see me."
"I am sure you are skilled at many things little Mistress…" Bard began. Bella rolled her eyes, stepping behind Bombur, so Bard would not see her. She slid her hand into her pocket slipping on the ring and vanishing. Bombur stepped aside and Bard's eyes widened. He raised his hands. "I am not going to question it. If you are still here, stay between me and my son so we do not accidentally lock you out. Everyone else into the canal, you'll have to follow from below." Bard said stepping to the edge of the alley, his son staying slightly behind him. Thorin pulled the map to the mountain from his belt.
"Bella, take the map. I do not wish it to get more waterlogged than it has." He felt her hand on his and a gentle tug on the map. He released it and it vanished, blinking out of sight in an instant. He felt her hand squeeze his and then release it. He followed Ori into the water. The company tread water under the struts that made up the streets of Lake Town, following Bard and his son through the town. They waited under the house Bard and his child entered before hearing a knock from above. Dwalin was the first up and they all glanced at each other as they pulled each other out of what was clearly the privy of this small house. They glanced at each other silently agreeing that they would never speak of this again as they slipped upstairs. They made it upstairs and Thorin looked around frowning.
"Where is Bella?" He asked, glaring at Bard. All three of his children frowned at Thorin. Bard had three children, the oldest and youngest were daughters, the middle child a son. Bella appeared behind Dori and Bard's youngest daughter squeaked in surprise.
"I'm here." She said waving slightly at the young girl who blinked at her trying to figure out where she had come from. Bard opened a small cupboard and pulled out towels, handing them out to the dwarves and Bella.
"Bain and I will see what we have by way of clothes. I'm not sure we'll have much that will fit you well little Mistress." Bard said and his eldest daughter, who seemed far too familiar with this type of situation, shook her head.
"Not entirely true father, some of Tilda's old things may work, they're of a similar height. If you'll follow me little Mistress we can get you into something dry." Bella smiled gratefully and followed the girl through a curtain to what must have been the girl's room. The youngest trailed after them and both human girls began to search through a small trunk. Bella pulled off her pack and frowned. Much of what was left in it was ruined. That had been thanks to the river and the elvish dagger that had been thrown at her in the cellar of Thranduil's fortress. She pulled out her white corset, the one she'd worn in Rivendell, only to find a hole through the front. She sighed, at least she could use the laces she lamented to herself pulling them free of the ruined corset.
"Do you think this will fit?" The eldest asked holding up a brown skirt, it might be a little long but Bella smiled gratefully.
"We won't know until we try. Thank you for your help. My name is Bella, what is yours?" The eldest smiled.
"I'm Sigrid, and this is my little sister Tilda." She said with a smiled. Tilda was sitting on the bed staring at Bella. Bella raised an eyebrow at the child and Sigrid frowned. "Tilda it's not polite to stare."
"Are you a fairy?" Tilda asked undeterred by her sister. Bella laughed as Sigrid blushed and shook her head at her sister.
"I am so sorry little Mistress she is young and curious." Sigrid said fishing out a light green shirt and examining it with a slight frown before holding that out to Bella too.
"It is no trouble Miss Sigrid, curiosity is a wonderful trait, I would not be where I am today without it. I am no fairy though Miss Tilda, I am a Hobbit." Bella said beginning to remove her old vest and corset. She slipped her little ring out of her pocket held it tight in one hand. She also discovered to her relief she had the key to the hidden door there and slipped that on the chord she'd taken from her torn corset. Neither child asked about them as Bella tied the chord off and slipped it on like a necklace. It would only be until she was dressed. She could soon give the key back to Thorin, she slipped the ring into one of the pouches on her belt while both of the girls were distracted by the contents of the trunk.
"Can all Hobbits vanish like you do?" Tilda asked and Bella shook her head with a wry smile as she slipped on the fresh clothes.
"Oh no Miss, only me." Bella said a bit proud of that fact. The skirt was perhaps a bit long but with her belt fit quite well. The shirt was a bit tight, which was to be expected, as Tilda was but a child and had none of Bella's curves. Sigrid managed to find an older brown corset that was too small for her but fit Bella rather well.
"I do not believe we would have shoes that would fit you." Sigrid said and Bella shook her head.
"Hobbits do not wear shoes Miss, this is all I need." She said ensuring that Sting was in its place by side. Once she was presentable she headed back into the common area with a quick curtsy at the two children. The Company needed to decide their next move.