Arabelle had found little comfort since the dwarves departure, she had indeed gone hunting that first day with Elladan and Elrohir though no animals had been slain. Instead, she had ridden so far and fast, the two elves struggled to keep her in sight as she refused to slow until neither her nor horse had breath in them. It pained her as it reminded her of the race she had with Dwalin, Kili and Fili, how she had laughed so much as they chased her across the plains. In the days that followed she would walk the quiet halls and sit amongst the gardens, gardens which Bilbo would have loved, her eyes forever drifting to the mountains as she wondered where her friends were.
"Why are you so sad Belle?" A little boy came up beside her on the bench, his legs swinging off the edge.
"Because I had to say goodbye to someone I love." She looked down on the boy, so innocent as he fiddled with the wooden horse she had given him. Bofur had made it, she had been admiring it one night by the fire and he had handed it to her without a second thought; the kindness of dwarves so easily overlooked.
"Why'd you say goodbye?"
"Because…Sometimes, when you love someone you have to let them go."
"Why?"
"Because you love them and when you love someone you need to protect them, even if it is from you."
"Love sounds hard."
"You are not wrong Estel."
Arabelle had found herself in the library, a quiet reprieve from the constant pestering of elves and children, for she wished to be alone to wallow in her sorrows. Lord Elrond entered her sanctuary, aware of his presence as he slowly began trailing his fingers across the spines of books. The sheer number of books in the room was intimidating, the walls lined with shelves so high even the elves needed ladders to reach the top. Ori would love it here, reading the history texts she could imagine Balin comparing the different accounts of dwarves and elves. Lord Elrond found the book he had clearly been searching for before coming to sit across from her, he placed it on his lap as she continued to stare at her own pages.
"You have been on the same page for the last hour." He noted "You regret not joining the dwarves."
"They are going to their home where they belong…and I am where I belong."
"And yet something unsettles you, as it always has." Elrond began fiddling with his book, which was not a book but instead a beautifully carved box, hidden amongst the others so well Arabelle's curiosity had her peaking over her pages.
"I wish you to know that Rivendell is forever open to you, this was your father's home and yet I feel it is time you learn of your mothers." Elrond pulled out a small silver chain, a few charms on it, he handed it over to her. "These belonged to her."
"You have kept this from me?" Arabelle accused as she snatched the necklace from him bringing the charms up to inspect them.
"At your father's bequest I have not told you, but I see now the path that you must take, though it pains me to send you on one so dangerous." Elrond watched as she played with the charms, rolling them in her fingers as her eyes widened in recognition. Not charms. Beads. Beads with runes and carvings that she had seen in her friend's hair, that she had played with in Fili's hair; dwarven beads.
"My mother…"
"Was a dwarf of Erebor." Elrond confirmed "Wonderful lady, a kindness and capacity to love that few in this world show."
"Why did no one tell me? Why tell me now?" Arabelle's mind went crazy with a million other questions with only two escaping her lips.
"Your father was worried they would reject you as they had your mother, it served no purpose to tell you then, but things are different now. Darkness is stirring… I cannot tell you the road with the dwarves will be easy, much danger and death lie on the journey ahead and I wish you to stay here. But. You were born for this very path, of that much I am certain."
Arabelle had wasted no time in readying her horse, Elladan and Elrohir insisting on escorting her through the mountains they too prepared their horses in haste. The dwarves had a head start but on horseback they would catch up in a few days, Arabelle's mind continued to spin in a million directions but of one thing she was certain. She belonged with the dwarves; with Fili. Fixing up the final strap she prepared to mount when Gandalf busted into the stables, stopping the trio as he looked flustered.
"The company needs us now." Gandalf pulled Arabelle towards him, handing his staff over to her as he began moving objects and muttering to himself.
"We can have a horse ready in no time Mithrandir." Elladan replied to the wizard who huffed at him.
"We have no time for horses!" Gandalf shuffled to kick out some straw from under their feet.
"What are you doing?" Arabelle finally asked as the wizard came to be in front of her.
"Thorin's company has been captured by the Goblin King, I fear they are in great danger. We shall travel my way but I should warn you, it will not be easy and when we arrive I would have spent much of my energy, you will need to fight."
"Once again swooping into the rescue, we ought to start charging them." Arabelle shared a smile with Gandalf as she handed him back his staff.
"Hold on. And no matter what Do. Not. Let. Go."
Nothing. That is what it felt when Gandalf banged his staff to the ground, a blinding light had engulfed them, a rush of pure power shuttering through Arabelle's body and then; nothing. No light. No dark. No sound. No feeling. Fili. She steeled her mind with the thought of him, willing herself to focus on him, his little smile when Kili would make a fool of himself, the way he played with his father's bead when he was uncomfortable or how his eyes grew soft when he talked about his mother. Fili. Arabelle turned his name into a mantra, no sense of her own body as she willed her hands to grasp at the staff she could no longer feel and she panicked as she wondered if she was trapped here, in this void where there was no concept of time or place.
Bang! As sudden as Rivendell had disappeared a new space reappeared. A dark firelit cavern, they were underground and it was damp, not in feeling but smell and it was enough to have Arabelle on her knees emptying her stomach. She was thankful for her new hairstyle as it stopped the hair from falling into her breakfast which now laid out in-front of them. Them being the feet of a large Goblin whose pointed crown of bones marked him King he looked down at her in shock at the sudden entrance she looked back at him for a moment, her mind still reeling and processing what was happening.
"Fight!" Gandalf gave her mind the answer she had been looking for, drawing her sword she launched and knocked him off his throne and down a cliff she spun around knocking off three goblins from Thorin who she offered a hand too, though it was quickly rejected.
"Fight!" Gandalf reiterated and all the dwarves listened this time.
"What are you doing here?" Thorin questioned as they turned back-to-back fighting off the goblins that surrounded them.
"Long story but it appears saving you lot; again." Arabelle smiled a little before ducking as Thorin made a massive swing over her head, taking the time to scowl at her; Gandalf yelling at them all to follow.
"Belle! I didn't mean what I said. I didn't want you to actually stay there!" Kili had rushed to her, Arabelle not sure what he was talking about.
"Miss Belle why'd you go?" Ori sweet voice asked as they started to run, her heart shattered as she realised she had not even spared a note to the rest of the company.
"It's a long story…" She started to explain, taking a miss step she ended on a second level of poor wooden paths landing on her feet she looked up to see Balin and Dwalin had also fallen with her; she smiled but it was not returned.
"You left without word." Balin was mad at her, she had never seen him mad.
"Look it is a long story." Arabelle repeated as Dwalin swung his axe she had first thought it aimed at her until it embedded in a skull behind her, Dwalin's disapproving face close to hers he looked to her hair.
"What's this?" Dwalin picked up the poorly done braid which had a bead clasped to the bottom, though not given long to inspect it as she pushed him out of the way as a few goblins fell between them.
"That's the story!" She yelled back as she sliced down the goblins, they all began running to catch up with the others.
"Those are dwarven beads!" Dwalin shouted "What?" Balin looked confused as the three of them came to a corner where Oin and Gloin were fighting together, the others still above them. "I'm telling you she has dwarven beads in her hair. I'll have you for this!" Dwalin's offense was clear as they all continued to fight "Lass you can't just be wearing beads!"
"They belonged to my mother!" Arabelle defended herself, stunning the smaller group as she cut a rope to give them a small bridge to join the rest of the company "My mother was a dwarf."
"What she talking about wharfs for?" Oin missing his trumpet asked as they ran to join the others.
"She said her mother a dwarf!" Gloin loudly restated and now the whole company seemed to faulter, though not for long as Gandalf pushed a boulder down a narrow rocky path yelling at them all to make haste.
"A dwarf?" "That don't make sense?" "Makes sense enough to me, you seen the lass swing an axe." "I thought she was an elf?" "What does this mean?" "Wasn't her father from Rohan?" "Ranger you idiot." "What do the beads say?" "I didn't read them."
A running commentary continued down the path as Arabelle ran behind Gandalf, rolling her eyes a little she looked back to connect with Fili. "Fili I need to speak with you!" She yelled trying to slow down but Gandalf grabbed her as they swung around a corner, they all came to a grinding halt as the Goblin King blocked their path, Gandalf slicing his belly open but not looking as the wooden bridge began to crack before sending them hurtling down.
"Fili!" Arabelle had tried to reach him but he was too far away. Trying to avoid the debris that crashed around her instinct kicked in and she clenched her eyes shut and protected her head with her arms. As the dust settled she opened her eyes, surprised to see Thorin staring back, his back keeping the larger debris from crushing her, he took a bead in his hands inspected it before huffing and pushing the debris up and allowing them both to get out.
"We need the sun!" Gandalf led them for the final run out of the mountain, Fili with Kili far ahead Arabelle had chased them, calling for Fili he seemed to ignore her, however, eventually they all came to a stop allowing Arabelle to round herself to be in front of him.
"Fili. Stop. Please." She huffed out as she sucked in what felt like her first proper breath since Rivendell, he stood in front of her his face a blank mask for whatever emotion was underneath.
"Fili I'm sorry. I am so sorry." She began, realising the whole company stood behind him whispering amongst themselves as she tried to steady her breaths.
"I lied. Fili, I lied..." His mask remained "I just- Bilbo told me what you would have to give up for me" She gestured back to the company, Bilbo looking particularly alarmed as he appeared beside Kili.
"Bilbo? What did he say?" Fili's eyes narrowed a bit.
"Don't be mad at him." Arabelle pulled his attention back "I had a right to know. I know what it is like to lose your family, the grief it causes, it is a loneliness that I cannot describe. And I could not bring that pain upon you." She moved towards him, and he seemed to take a step back "Fili. Please, I love you."
No chance for an answer, or reprieve, as a loud howl echoed down to them, a warg pack descending.