Bella glanced at the final two dwarves who still needed to be freed. They appeared to be taking her small punishment in stride, just laying there waiting, occasionally exchanging a few muffled words.

"You really should let them out," Bilbo said. "I'm fine, truly. Well, a little more in need of a proper bath than I would like, but the worst I have are some bruises."

"They shouldn't have sent you in alone," she said.

"Well, in case you've forgotten," he said. "We signed up to be burglars. So they didn't choose the best situation to test my abilities. What's important is that we all survived." He paused. "And right now the only thing keeping me from pulling you into a hug is the thought of covering you in all that nasty snot that one troll blasted me with."

Bella whipped toward him. "What?"

"One of the trolls had a cold and I got caught in his handkerchief when he went for a giant sneeze," he answered. "Happy?"

Bella blinked, staring at her brother. "That was how you got caught? If you were freeing the ponies, why were you close enough to be grabbed?"

"I was trying to steal the troll's knife," Bilbo said in mild exasperation. "I'll be the first to admit, I shouldn't have left the knives you gave me at camp. But I was fully intending to make sure I would have a peaceful talk with your potential suitor. Lot of good that did me."

"So, you almost managed to perform a professional burglary," she said.

"Yes, if the troll hadn't had a cold, or if I had remembered to keep even one knife on me at all times, I have reason to believe that I would have been successful." He sighed. "But all I am right now is filthy, smelly, and wishing I could have a hot bath."

Bella softly chuckled. "I suppose if you are able rant about that, then you really are fine."

"Precisely, now go free the both of them," Bilbo said.

Bella went over to Kili first, removing her costume from his head.

Kili drew in a deep breath. "You are aware that it's a little difficult to breathe through piles of fabric, right?"

"But not impossible," Bella replied, untying the sack.

"Am I back in your good graces, or will there be more?"

"I'll have to think about it," she answered. Then she turned to Fili. She gave him a faint glower as she removed Gandalf's hat. Then nearly burst into laughter at a begging, kicked puppy face that nearly rivaled Kili's. She tossed the hat back at him. "It should be a crime that you and your brother can pull those faces. Dwarves should not be able to look like that!"

"How should we look then?" Fili asked, chuckling.

"Certainly not like cute, wide-eyed, innocent babies! Dwarflings may get away with it, but not grown or nearly grown dwarves!" she scolded.

"Does this by any chance mean I have a chance of being forgiven anytime soon?" Fili ventured.

"Maybe a little sooner than I thought," she admitted. "But only because no real harm came to my brother."

"I'd probably react worse if it was my brother to be put at risk," Fili said. He shifted, managing to look out from under the hat. "I really am sorry about that. I guess I just figured that since you were so well prepared, your brother was too."

Bella sighed. "I forgive you. I'm still angry, but you're forgiven." She took Gandalf's hat, plopped it on her own head and freed Fili from his sack.

He sat up and wrestled his upper body free but then he turned to her. His eyes shone with apology, tenderness, and love as he slipped his left hand around and behind her neck. With his right, he gently claimed the hat before he lowered his forehead to hers.

Bella let a ghost of a smile slip through as she closed her eyes. No, this wouldn't necessarily make everything better, but she also couldn't deny that it was really sweet. "This isn't changing anything," she said softly.

She heard the gentle smile in his voice. "It makes me feel better that you didn't stop me," he murmured.

"This may tip people off if you were hoping to keep it secret," she said, opening her eyes to look up at him.

"I think most of them are still busy," he said. "They probably wouldn't even notice if I was bold enough to steal a kiss."

"Oh, they would when I slapped you," she said.

"That's why I'm not ready to risk it just yet," he said, blue eyes now teasing.

A discreet clearing of the throat broke the moment. Bella looked up to see Gandalf smiling down at them. "If I may have my hat, Bella?"

"Just a moment," Fili said, twirling the brim through his hands. "What elvish secret should we ask of him?"

Bella smirked evilly. "Has there ever been a love story between an elf . . . and a dwarf?" The look of pure horror on Fili's face sent her into peals of laughter. "Worth it. All worth it," she gasped.

Gandalf chortled above them. "As of yet, Miss Baggins," he answered, "I do not believe that any such relationship has ever formed. Though as they say, there can be a first time for everything. And now, Master Fili, my hat."

Fili returned his hat with some disgruntlement. "Seriously?" he asked Bella.

"Don't worry, your punishment has now been paid in full," she told him. "Oh, the look on your face was priceless."

"Now who's being impossible," Fili muttered.

"Enough, you young lovebirds," Gandalf said cheerily. "We're heading off to see if we can find the cave these trolls were living in."

"I'll go get the ponies." She patted the still affronted dwarf. "At least I didn't suggest a hobbit and an elf," she said.

"You have no sense of mercy, do you?" he asked, wriggling the rest of the way out of the sack.

"Depends on your definition, fangon," she answered.

"You still haven't told me what that means," he said.

"And you, your pet name for me," she returned. Then she swept up her costume and skipped off back to the ponies. Yes, she may have forgiven him and had her anger banished by his priceless reaction, but she was still going to be keeping some secrets.

Bella returned with the eighteen ponies in tow only to find that the company had wandered farther into the woods. It took only minor tracking to find them all before a hole in the ground. A hole that rivaled any compost pile or retched alley in Bree. And that was just what was wafting up on the draft.

"Let me guess," she muttered. "The troll cave."

"Aye," Ori answered. "A few went inside along with Gandalf. Apparently they're hoping to find anything useful or salvageable."

"How are you after spending over half the night over a fire?" Bella asked.

"Achy," he admitted, "but I no longer have a chill in my bones."

"And for once, I am envious of that position," Bella said half-teasing.

Ori laughed a bit. "I'd imagine so since you are used to your fireplace."

"But," Kili said, coming up to them, "could you have played a convincing ghost if you were properly warm?"

Bella smacked him for that, prompting him to erupt into mirthful laughter.

"Bella," Fili called. He came from the mouth of the troll cave, carrying two items encased in dust and cobwebs. "I made some amazing finds." He held out what he was carrying. Two hobbit size swords. "I found a set of four, well, they're all similar enough."

Bella gingerly took one and drew it out a few inches. She wasn't necessarily familiar with smithing designs across the races, but by the smooth lines and sweeping curves of the blade, she'd be willing to guess elvish work. "I've never seen blades like this in Bree," she murmured. "I'd even dare to say it's still sharp."

"I showed them to Gandalf," Fili said. "He said they were forged in Gondolin during the First Age by elves, and that they will glow blue in the presence of goblins and orcs."

"Fine additions to an already impressive collection," Bella said, sheathing the blade again and holding it back out to Fili.

Fili smiled, laying the second blade in her hands before he gently pushed them back to her. "I already have two of those four, I wish you to have the other two."

Bella stared in awe, vaguely aware of Kili standing in open-mouthed shock.

"You couldn't have been bolder if you had forged those yourself," Kili said.

Bella looked between the brothers before realizing that even Ori was looking on in surprised interest. "I must have missed something."

"In our culture," Ori explained, "it is customary that a dwarf present gifts to the one he wishes to pursue through courtship. To show he is especially serious, he will forge an item that he knows the dwarf-maid will treasure and appreciate, forging a match that he himself will carry. In essence if the maid accepts the gift, she accepts the courtship."

Bella cocked an eyebrow at Fili. "A rather bold move considering the events of the past twenty-four hours."

Fili shifted. "It's not necessarily official, seeing as to how I didn't forge them," he said finally. He released a breath as he looked away. "You also haven't really said whether or not you accept them."

Bella smiled a little. "How about you hold onto them for a while," she said. "There are just a couple more things I would like to see before making a final decision concerning this proposal."

"Hm," Kili mused. "Not an acceptance, but not a refusal." He clapped his brother's shoulder. "There's hope for you yet." His smile then turned sly. "Maybe it would have helped if you cleaned them up beforehand."

"Shut up," Fili said, moving to grab his brother. But Kili was already dancing away, laughing. He huffed in frustration before taking the blades back. "I will be sure to have them cleaned up for if you decide to accept them," he said.

As he turned, Bella laid a hand on his upper back. "Your brother is right," she said. "This isn't an outright refusal. I just have a couple things I want to put to rest before I make a final decision."

Fili nodded. "I may just give them to you as a gift between friends anyway," he said softly. He turned his head just enough to meet her eyes. "You and your brother appreciate elvish things greater than the whole Company combined."

Bella smirked. "Wait until you use them in battle. Your opinion for elvish blades may change."

Fili offered a small smile before walking away.

"It's rare to see him express his emotions so openly," Ori murmured. "You best be careful, Miss. You quite literally hold his heart in your hands."

Bella took and slowly released a couple deep breaths. "I'm only just now realizing that. Unfortunately, I keep my heart closely guarded from those beyond my family."

"Nothing is wrong with that," Ori noted. "Nori is that way at times, and I am sure that it hasn't helped matters when you possibly don't have many understanding suitors back home."

"Yes," she confessed. "Nearly all of them wish to tame me, just as those of my mother's generation wished to tame her." She shook her head. "But Took ladies are not available for the taming."

"Not unless they wish their suitor to 'tame' them," Ori said with a small smile.

Bella glanced up at him. "Careful with that silver tongue of yours, Ori. It could get you in trouble one day."

"Certainly never heard that before," Ori said.

Bella shook her head as she laughed. She continued a little closer to the cave with the ponies. She spied Bilbo just at the mouth of the cave. Tying the ponies to a nearby tree, she met up with her brother. "Any word from down below?" she asked.

"The only one not to return is Gandalf," Bilbo said. "It doesn't appear that they found much of anything. Although Fili and Thorin came out with new blades."

"Fili showed me a couple, what did Thorin's look like?"

"A proper sword and not a mere knife. I didn't get much chance to look at it since he passed so quickly."

"Bilbo," Gandalf interrupted them as he half-crawled out of the cave.

Bella noted how the wizard had a new sword of his own. A long sword from the look of it. The hilt long enough for two hands if the wielder so wished it. He was also carrying . . . a hobbit sized sword.

"I believe that this is about your size," Gandalf continued, extending it to Bilbo.

Bilbo shook his head. "I can't take this."

"Why not?" Bella asked. "Maybe you'll be better with a sword than a knife."

"It is of elvish make," Gandalf added. "Which means that it'll glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby."

"I have never used a sword in my life," Bilbo protested.

"And I hope you never have to," Gandalf said. "But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one."

Bilbo slowly accepted the blade, drawing it out a little.

Bella gazed upon it in appreciation. Like the ones Fili had offered her, it had a smooth, clear form. "It's beautiful."

"I'm actually surprised that you haven't showed off your new knives to your brother yet," Gandalf said.

"Well, maybe the brother of the dwarf presenting me with the knives mentioned a courtship ritual that I don't feel quite ready for yet," Bella answered.

Bilbo stared at her. "You honestly said no to a set of knives similar to this one that you are nigh near drooling over?"

"I am not drooling," Bella said. "And I just want to make sure I'm not making a mistake if I were to accept Fili's proposal of courtship."

Gandalf opened his mouth to speak when–

"Something's coming," Thorin called.

Gandalf was instantly in leader-mode. "Stay together!" he called. "Hurry now, and arm yourselves."

Bella pulled out her fighting knives as her brother unsheathed the sword. She smiled softly. "It is really a beautiful blade," she told him.

"A deadly blade," he returned. "Come on, we need to be backup for them if nothing else."

Bella nodded following after him. A moment later, they all lay in wait as some unknown creature came barreling through the trees. The only comfort she could find was that Bilbo's blade wasn't glowing. She shifted into her waiting yet ready stance. Whatever monster came crashing into their midst, they would be dealing with thirteen dwarves, two hobbits, and one wizard, and as far as the dwarves and hobbits were concerned, they were running on no sleep. She wasn't sure about the others, but Bella had a feeling that she wasn't going to show much mercy in her tired state.

Author's Note: Oh, dear. What could possibly be making its appearance? Orcs are already ruled out, but do you guys have any theories or ideas? Or simply watched the films and thus already know what I have in mind?

Do you think that Fili and Kili were punished enough? I personally think so, and Bella does as well. And I'll admit to a wee bit of foreshadowing for Parts 2 and 3. Can you guess? Or are you willing to just sit back and wait?

I'm having a bit of fun with dwarvish courting traditions. I don't think I have come across any like this yet.

Now, this just might be from missing hanging out with my critiquing friends, but I am longing for reviews. Even if just a one or two word review: "Awesome" "Love it." I know that I have a lot of favorite-ers and followers for this story, but only one or two who consistently make my day with a review for each chapter. I appreciate the support that each follow and favorite represent, please believe me. But, I also appreciate the reviews whether long or short. I'll try this for a chapter and if it doesn't work, I won't do it again. If I get five new reviews for this story, whether on this chapter or one of the earlier ones, I'll post a chapter early. I am not holding the chapter for ransom. If I don't get those reviews, you'll just get the next chapter come next Monday. I just thought to give you an opportunity to give me encouragement to post an extra chapter. If this works, I can't promise that it will continue after the quarantine. This is simply for those who currently have extra time and would like to spend it reading a fan story. Again, if this doesn't work, I won't try this again. And, I probably wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't feeling a craving for some sort of interaction in the realm of my stories.

Okay, congrats if you stayed through to the end of that monster paragraph. Seriously though, I would love to hear your thoughts and reactions. Do you think Bella will eventually accept Fili's offer of courtship? If so, when/where do you think that will be? Do you prefer the book or the movie? Which do you think I will follow for the next chapter or two? Any theories as to what Fili's and Bella's petnames for each other mean?

Yeah, just tossing out possible review filler ideas. Anyway. Hope you all are staying safe. See ya.