Chapter 5

Belladonna Baggins (Nee Took) was the eldest and most beloved daughter of Hobbiton's current Thain, Gerontius "The Old" Took. Before her majority and her marriage to her beloved husband Bungo Baggins, she had been a free spirit. Tooks were seen as a queer lot in the shire due to their familial reputation of adventuring. Adventuring was an odd and uncomfortable past time to other Hobbits and not looked on as respectable behavior.

Belladonna was the bravest and most adventurous of all the Tooks in Hobbiton and was good friends with the traveling wizard Gandalf the Gray. It was much to everyone's relief when she had married Bungo and settled down in their smial called Bags End which he had built for her. The two fiercely loved each other and Bungo was a gentle hobbit who was indulgent in his lovely wife's wild wanderings.

It had been nearly two decades now since the birth of there son Bilbo who was nearing his tweens and Bella was getting itchy feet, so she decided to go and visit her old friend Lord Elrond and his family in Rivendell. It had been many years since she last set eyes on them and she was well overdue for a visit.

She had sent the Lord prior warning in a letter weeks before her arrival. He was waiting for her in the front courtyard when she crossed over the bridge into the Valley on her pony.

Hopping off her tired steed, she skipped over to Lord Elrond on her furry feet and gave him a warm hug in greeting.

"Hello, my dear. It's wonderful to see you again after all this time." Said Elrond kindly. Almost 30 years ago, Gandalf had come to Rivendell with Bella in tow. It was the first time most of the elves had seen a Hobbit and the elders such as Elrond himself had thought they had long gone into extinction, so rare was it that they left Hobbiton. The pair of them had stuck as close a friendship like the one she shared with Gandalf during her stay. Since then they had exchanged the odd letter, but they had not seen each other in person since.

Lindir, Elrond's steward showed their small guest to her rooms where she could shower and rest after her travels.

After the supper hour, Elrond and Bella retreated to his private lounge attached to his office and caught each other up on the happening in their lives over the past 30 years or so. With her joyous and happy disposition, she told Elrond all about her husband and couldn't say enough about her son Bilbo. She was tickled pink that he took after his father in his looks since she found Bungo the most handsome of all hobbits in the shire.

Elrond told her how little has changed in Rivendell but how his daughter Arwen had recently returned from her stay in Lothlórien with Galadriel. He also mentioned that he had taken on a ward by the name of Emel. He never told Bella how Emel came to appear in middle earth but did mentioned that she was recently orphaned and suffering from the loss.

Bella's heart went out to the poor child and she was sympathetic to Elrond who was clearly at a loss. She didn't know what she would do if her bilbo was suffering so.

The conversation went well into the night before both retired to their rooms. Before saying good night, Bella was invited to winter over in Rivendell before returning to Hobbiton and she gladly accepted the offer.

Emel's POV:

It was a few days later that Emel first caught sight of the visitor. Emel had spent the past few nights hiding up high in one of the larger trees dotting the many gardens around the city. The leaves on this tree were large and the canopy so thick that not even elvish eyes could spot her among them.

Emel was tucked in tight against the trunk of the tree where she had fallen into a lethargic daze and time seemed to have no meaning to her in the thick of her melancholy. She was stirred by the sound of humming coming down the walkway towards her. Usually, Emel would pay no mind but it was a sweet and comely voice, so unlike the angelic voices of the elves.

The owner of this voice decided to settle in the grass at the base of Emel's hiding spot. From this vantage, Emel saw a woman of small stature with dark curly should length lock and a bright green dress with puffy short sleeves. Her skin was a golden brown from long exposure to sunlight and surprisingly large hairy feet with no shoes.

The short women continued to hum a happy tune while she took out a pipe and stuffed it with a dried leafy substance. Striking a match, the stranger lit the end and began to puff away enjoying the comforts of the late summer garden around them.

There was something about this woman which Emel took an immediate shine to. Compared to the rest of Rivendell, she seemed very real and tangible to Emel while the elves came across as supernatural and unattainable in their perfection which was very unnerving for someone raised by mortal men until now.

Bella's POV:

Eventually, Bella became aware of quite coughing above her. The smoke of her pipe-weed was irritating the lungs of a little stow away in the canopy above. She looked up and earthy brown eyes meet tired but curious purple eyes.

With a lot of friendly coaxing Bella lured the little girl out of the tree. It quickly became clear that Emel didn't understand any language that Bella spoke but using body language the two were able to introduce themselves to each other. Eventually, Bella tried to teach Emel some common (common being the language of men in middle earth the hobbits as well.) by pointing out the flowers in the garden and naming them. Emel would repeat after her and this is how the two spent the day together.

By supper time Emel had grown attached and refused to be separated from Bella. Lord Elrond was just glad to see a spark of life return to his ward's eyes.

At the dinner table, Emel presented her ring to Bella and Lord Elrond explained what it was and how it worked. She excepted the token with reverence and learned of Emel's magical heritage that night.

When it came time for bed Bella bathed together with Emel as though she was her little Bilbo and dressed the young girl in her sleeping gown. From that night on and every night after Emel Shared Bella's large bed like she used to do with papa Snape.

During the fall and winter months, Bella formed a strong maternal bond with Emel which saved her from fading completely. Using the power of the Ring of Understanding Bella taught her little shadow both common and Elvish while Bella herself learned Emel's native language of English. She loved Emel's British accent and secretly hoped she never lost it.

Soon winter turned to spring and the trees and flowers around Rivendell budded with new life. Bella's visit was all that she had hoped for and more, but she greatly began to miss her husband and child back in the shire. So, it was decided she would return home and Bella was provided with all the provisions she would need for her journey. The same pony she had ridden to Rivendell was packed up in the front courtyard ready to go. Emel had been inconsolable when she had been informed of Bella's pending departure. Now that Bella was saying her goodbyes, Emel clutched at Bella's traveling skirt soaking the material with her tears.

Gently Bella apologized and tried to soothe her little friend who had become so dear to her, but nothing would calm her down. Eventually, Elladan had to scoop her up and forcefully extract her from Bella's skirt. Bella felt guilt in leaving the child but Elrond told her not to worry and she hugs the rest of the Lord's family goodbye before seating herself on her pony and setting off for the bridge.

Bella didn't dare look back or she might lose her resolve at the sight or Emel so upset and turn around. Even then she could still hear Emel crying and calling out for her and it broke her heart to hear it making the first day of her trip home very depressing for the usually happy Hobbit.

A/N: So, I had some trouble deciding on how quickly Emel would grow and what was the age of maturity for the elves of middle earth. I looked it up online and on the site wiki/Elf_(Middle-earth) it said quote: "Physical puberty comes in around their fiftieth to one-hundredth year (by age fifty they reach their adult height), and by their first hundred years of life outside the womb all Elves are fully grown." So, right now at the age of 17, she would usually be a little bigger but since she got the shortness from her mortal father, she still looks like a toddler instead of a child.