Chapter Eight

When Thorin and Kili came in last into the tunnels, a orc corpse fell in following them. Thorin removed an arrow from the orc. "Elves!" spat Thorin. "Where does this tunnel lead? Should we follow it?" asked Dwalin. "Let follow it, of course!" piped up Bofur. Thorin picked up, Bernadette. "Is she going to be okay?" asked Bilbo. "We don't know, Bilbo." said Gandalf gravely, as they continued walking further into the tunnels. They shortly arrived in an area looking out a beautiful landscape of trees, green grass, and a large home centered in the valley. "The Hidden Valley of Imaladris, home of Lord Elrond!" said Gandalf. "Rivendell!" smiled Bilbo.

"Is this your plan all long? To seek refuge with our enemy?" snarled Thorin. "The only ill will you bring, Thorin, is among yourself." said Gandalf. "But they will stop us!" protested Thorin. "Of course they will, Thorin. But we must seek answers of your map, and Lord Elrond will help translate it for us. And Miss Baggins needs medical attention. If she continues in this condition, she will fade." said Gandalf. Thorin sighed. He realized Bernadette didn't look so good right now, as he held her. And they followed Gandalf into the Valley.

When they stood in the courtyard of the palace, they are greeted by Elrond' advisor, Lindir. "Mithrandir!" smiled Lindir. "Lindir, is Lord Elrond home?" asked Gandalf. "Lord Elrond isn't home." replied the dark haired elf. But no sooner as he said that, they hear sounds of horns. The sound of horns caused the dwarves to jump. "Take arms!" called out Thorin. "I never seen such a paranoid group of dwarves in all my life." grumbled Bilbo as Bofur, Dwalin and Bifur stood directly in front of him. Lord Elrond approaches Gandalf, and Gandalf introduces the company to the Elf Lord.

"Thorin, son of Thrain! You have your grandfather's bearing!" said Elrond. "Strange, I don't remember him mentioning you!" snarled Thorin. Elrond began to speak in his native tongue, in which Gloin thought he was insulting them. "Are you offering us insult?" growled the red headed dwarf. "No, Master Gloin! He's offering you food!" said Gandalf. "We will take Miss Baggins to our healing quarters. I'm afraid she is fading away from his quickly." said Elrond. "I will be carrying her." said Thorin. He didn't want Bernadette to be alone with the elves. And the thought of Bernadette dying, ached him.

And he realized they weren't on best of terms since the Troll camp.

And he had regretted of the harsh words he had said to her. The other dwarves made their way to the dining area, while Gandalf, Thorin, Bilbo and Elrond went to the healing chambers. Thorin placed Bernadette gently on the bed, while two elven healers came in, first examining Bernadette 's wounds. The first healer turned to them. "We do have good news. The poison as not effected her, and we'll be able to drain some of the poison in her, and she will survive. Right now, she is sleeping, and she'll wake shortly. We will bind her wound." said the first healer.

"Will she be able to walk?" asked Bilbo. "Not until a couple days, but someone must assist her to dinner, if she's hungry." said the first healer. "We will get a bath ready for her when she awakes." said Elrond. Thorin sighed in relief, happy at the fact that Bernadette wasn't dying. "Hobbits are amazing creatures, like I said before!" smiled Gandalf, who also delighted of Bernadette surviving her injury. "I never knew you had a sister, Bilbo." said Elrond. Bilbo smiled. "Long story, actually. If you don't mind me telling you sometime!" said the hobbit. "I don't mind at all. " said Elrond.

Bilbo was getting hungry, but he didn't want to leave his sister alone.

"Bilbo, I'll be with her. You just go on and go eat. She will be fine." said Thorin. Bilbo gave Thorin and suspicious glare. "Don't say anything mean to her, Thorin." warned Bilbo, and he left the room. Thorin sighed, as he sat down in a chair next to Bernadette's bed, looking at her. An hour passed, Bernadette woke up, finding herself in a soft bed, and she slowly sat up. "Ow!" spat out the hobbit maiden. "Be careful! They just stitched you up!" said a deep voice beside her. Bernadette turned, and there sat Thorin, looking at her. "Oh, its you." growled Bernadette, turning her head away from Thorin, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Bernadette, you had us all worried. We thought we lost you." said Thorin softly. "Oh? When did you decide you worry of me? Or even care? You didn't sound like that back at the Troll' camp!" snapped Bernadette. "Bernadette, about that-I take back the harsh words I said to you there. It was wrong for me to do so. I was only trying to protect you, Bernadette." said Thorin, as he stood up, walking over to her bed, sitting on the bed, wrapping his arm around her. "Get your hands off of me!" snapped Bernadette, pushing Thorin away from her.

"I wouldn't blame you being upset, Bernadette." said Thorin.

"Thorin! You said you wished Bilbo and I were never part of the company! And you also said that we were in the way! You have no idea how much that hurt me! Especially after everything looking good for the two of us! Here I am thinking that you loved and care for me! But the way you talked at the Troll's camp, showed me that you really don't!" snapped Bernadette. "Bernadette, if I never really cared for you, I would've left you out in the field of the orcs! I do care for you, Bernadette! I love you! And nothing is going to change that! Bernadette, I never meant to say those words to you, I allowed my anger and pride to get the best of me." said Thorin.

"Well, you shouldn't. You need to control that temper of yours, Thorin Oakenshield." said Bernadette. "Bernadette, forgive me. Please say you forgive me. If I lost you, I would never live with myself." said Thorin softly, placing his hand gently on Bernadette's cheek. Bernadette looked into Thorin's blue eyes. Bernadette felt moved of the soft emotions Thorin I expressing, and she never had seen this side of him before, not in a very, long time. "You love me?" said Bernadette softly. "Of course I love you, Bernie." smiled Thorin, pulling the hobbit woman close to him.

"I forgive you, Thorin. Just don't let it happen again." said Bernadette softly, resting her head on Thorin's chest. Suddenly two female elves entered the room. "Your bath is ready, Miss Baggins!" said the first female elf. "I'll wait right here for you, so I can escort you to dinner!" said Thorin, helping Bernadette out of bed. The two elves helped Bernadette walk to the bath house. When Bernadette climbed into the nice hot bath, she sighed. The water felt very good, especially on her injuries. "We used special healing salt in your bath, Miss Baggins that will help you injury more." explained the first female elf.

Bernadette smiled. She was quite amazed how the effects of the salt is working on her. After the bath, the two elves brought forth a beautiful green and white gown for her, and she put on the dress. Bernadette thought the gown was very beautiful, as she looked into the mirror. And Bernadette walked out of the bath house, and she entered the room, meeting up with Thorin. "How do I look, Thorin?" asked Bernadette, slowly spinning around. Thorin stood, looking at her, his mouth opened slightly in awe, as he looked upon Bernadette. She truly looked very beautiful, as her presence captivated him.

Her fair complexion radiated from her, and he was left speechless.

"Thorin, stop staring at me like that, and tell me what you think!" said Bernadette, breaking the silence. Thorin walked up to her, taking her hands gently, kissing them. "You look very beautiful, love! More beautiful than all the stars in the sky!" whispered Thorin. Bernadette blushed, and she kissed Thorin on the cheek. "Come, lets join the others for dinner, shall we?" said Thorin, extending his arm to her. "Yes. I am very hungry. Lets go!" said Bernadette, taking his arm, as Thorin escorted her into the dining hall.

As they entered, all the company smiled at them as they entered. "Wow! Miss Baggins, you clean up nicely!" chirped Fili. "You look like a princess!" smiled Bilbo. "I feel like one, with all this pampering I've been getting!" chuckled Bernadette, as she sat with Thorin, Gandalf and Elrond at their table. Elrond and Gandalf begin discussing Gandalf and Thorin's swords. Bernadette listened attentively as they spoke as she was eating. "Slow down Bernadette! You're not going to a race!" chuckled a voice behind her. Bernadette noticed it was her brother that spoken.

"I can't help it, Bilbo! I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything in a while, or seems like ages!" said Bernadette. Bilbo laughed.

"Apparently the dwarves don't like 'green food' as much as we do!" grinned Bilbo. Bernadette laughed. "I can tell." said Bernadette. "Excuse me! Coming, Bernadette?" said Thorin, standing up. Bernadette smiled, and she went with Thorin as they sat in another area of the dining hall. Bernadette could over hear Nori complaining about the music the elves are playing. "Change the tune, will you? It sounds like we're at a funeral!" said Nori. "Did somebody die?" asked Oin. "Well, it calls for one thing, lads!" smiled Bofur, as he jumped up on a pillar centered in the dining hall.

Bofur started to sing, joining in by the other dwarves, as Bofur danced about on the pillar:

There is an inn a merry old inn

Beneath an old grey hill

There they brew the beer so brown

The man in the moon himself came down

One night to drink his fill.

Bernadette smiled brightly as she saw Thorin standing up, dancing and singing with the others, and she saw her brother running to her, grabbing her by the hand, and the two hobbits dance around the room. Bernadette also took notice of Thorin snatching a harp from a male elf, playing it as they sang. Bernadette chuckled. "I hope he realizes that's an elvish harp he's playing!" laughed Bilbo. "I have a feeling he' going to be washing his hands all night!" chuckled Bernadette.

The ended with everyone throwing food at each other, and made a mess of the dining hall. Later, everyone was invited to sit in the Hall of Fire listening to stories and songs. Thorin sat impatiently, don't know how much more of the elvish culture he was going to take. Suddenly, Fili stood up. "Uncle Thorin, sing us something! Show the elves how good you are at the harp!" said Fili. Thorin rolled his eyes. "I'm not much in a singing mood." said Thorin. "Please?" said Bilbo and Bernadette, Fili and Kili together. Thorin sighed. "Very well." said Thorin.

He walked towards the front, and an elf brought forth a golden harp to him. Thorin sat down, placing the harp on his lap. Placing his large fingers on the strings, he started to play.

After playing instrumentally for a little while, Thorin started to sing. His beautiful baritone rising above the music. Bernadette smiled. She loved this side of Thorin. He looked so beautiful, and magnificent, and the vulnerability shining from him. She would forget this. Her heart started pounding, as she looked upon him. Lord Elrond and the elves watched the dwarf in amazement, noticing how amazingly skilled the dwarf is at the harp. They never seen a dwarf play a harp before, and they expected loud, off key tones coming from him, but instead, gentle beautiful music, and a voice, deep, like thunder rumbling softly.

When Thorin finished his song, everyone applauded. "Well job done, Master Thorin. You play the harp very well. I have to admit, much better than most of us elves!" said Elrond. Bernadette laughed at Lord Elrond's comment. "Thank you." said Thorin, with a bow. Bernadette ran to him. "Thorin, that is simply amazing. You don't mind giving me a private showing of that later?" asked Bernadette. Thorin smiled. "I don't mind at all." said Thorin. "Thorin, come. Lord Elrond wishes to speak to us. Bilbo, Balin, you are coming too!" said Gandalf.

After they left, Bernadette went to join the other dwarves in a makeshift camp they set up.