Hiding Myself. A fem!Bilbo Bagginshield fanfic

Chapter 26

     The rustling of someone next to her startled Bella Baggins awake. She blinked, eyes adjusting to the dark light of the tent. The stench of blood and metal mixed with the darkness to create a sickening feeling.
     Bella looked over to see Legolas, sitting beside her makeshift bed. He smiled when he saw her.
     "You're awake. " he remarked. "How do you feel? "
     She sighed. Her head throbbed dully as if a drummer was pounding on it. The wound on her shoulder burned less than it had during the battle, but she supposed that was due to forgetting about it in the face of finding Azog, watching as he fought Thorin...
     Bella stared at Legolas. "Thorin. Where is he? " she asked, her tone quick.
     The elven prince gestured to the corner diagonally across from them. Bella stared at the motionless mound of blankets, confused.  That could not be Thorin.
     But it was. As the darkness lessened, she saw him. The Dwarven king's face was unearthly pale, the angry line across his face seeming worse than it really was. He looked peaceful as he rested in the tent. Bella could not recall ever seeing Thorin truly sleeping. He was always the last one to sleep and the first to wake in the mornings. Every night, she could see him sitting at the edge of their camp, alone.
     The rustle of the tent flaps pulled her back to reality. Beside her, Legolas stood up. Bella looked up to see the tall figure that had entered the tent.
     "Ada. " Legolas said. Thranduil nodded and turned to Bella.
     "How are you feeling, Mistress Baggins? " the Elvenking asked, his tone calm.
     Bella forced a weary smile. "I will be alright. Just a little sore,is all. "
     Tauriel dashed in behind the king, nodding to her friend. She smiled at Bella.
     "Has anything major happened in my absence, Legolas? " Thranduil questioned his son.
     "Nothing. "
     Bella looked over. "Will Thorin be alright? "
     "No. He has only worsened since the battle. " Thranduil replied. Seeing her crestfallen face, he continued. "But there is one thing that could be tried.... "
     Tauriel shook her head. "My lord... You cannot mean... "
     The elf king nodded. "It is our only choice. "
     "Ada. Are you sure that is the only option? Is there nothing else? " Legolas argued.
     Thranduil spun around. "It is either that, or he dies in a matter of hours. I doubt even Gandalf could do much better. " he hissed.
     Bella tugged on Legolas' sleeve. He looked down at her.
     "What is it Bella? "
     She gestured to Thranduil. "What are you talking about that's so bad? "
     Legolas sighed. "Oakenshield's wounds are very serious. Some of them, if not sealed, will continue to bleed. " the prince explained. "My father is saying that the only way to help is to... to burn the wounds shut. "
     "Burn them? H-How? " she said, face pale.
     Tauriel stepped forward. "We could use something like your sword, for instance. We have no thread for stitches, nor time. " she said. Bella glanced over at Sting laying forgotten beside her bed. She looked up.
     "It is the only way to save Thorin? "
     His nod confirmed it. She gulped handing her short sword, the very sword Thorin himself had made fun of for being 'ridiculous', to Tauriel. The she-elf darted out of the tent with the sword in one hand and a worried look on her face.
     Bella stared down at her lap. Such a thing as burning Thorin's wounds sounded ghastly. She could not imagine how horrible it would be for a fire-heated sword to be pressed innumerable times to Thorin's battered skin.
     "Can I leave while... while you do this? " she pleaded. Legolas shook his head in reply.
     "You are still injured, Bella. It would be far too dangerous to move you right now. "
     Tauriel reentered the tent, now holding a fiery red Sting and a pot full of hot coals. Bella sobbed and turned to Legolas. The elf sat just behind her and pulled her into his chest. Wrapping his arm around her, he ran his free hand through her hair. She blocked her ears from the sounds of Thranduil and Tauriel discussing and preparing for the burning of Thorin's wounds.
     Legolas began murmuring a soft elvish tune to comfort her. It sounded a bit like a lullaby, a calming and old sound.
     Then the screams began. Bella buried her head in Legolas' cloak as Thorin's tortured yells echoed through the small tent. Thranduil shouted something at Tauriel, the she-elf shouting back. Still, all Bella could hear was the screams as Thorin's wounds were burned shut with her sword. Legolas sang his song louder, a feeble attempt at drowning out the noise behind them.
     "Bella. It's over. " Legolas whispered. "Shhhhhh... It's alright. "
     She raised her head slowly. Behind them, Tauriel was laying Sting back down. The pot of coals had gone dim, and Thorin was once again lying under the mound of blankets. A burnt smell lingered in the air, all that remained.
     The tent flap rustled open once again. Balin and Dwalin raced in, Bofur at their heels. The two brothers stopped before Thranduil.
     "What's going on here, Master Elf? " Balin inquired. Beside him, Dwalin glared murder up at the Elvenking.
     Legolas stood up and stealthily moved to stand next to his father. As Thranduil explained the past events, Bofur walked over to Bella. He laid a rough hand on her shoulder.
     "You alright, lassie? " he asked, worry lacing his tone. The toymaker smiled at her softly.
     She nodded and wiped her cheeks of the tears that had been running down her face. "I-I'll be fine. " she mumbled. Bofur nodded and glanced at the inert form of Thorin across from him.
     "It'll all be alright, Bella. Don't give up hope. " the hatted dwarf reassured her.
     Bella watched as Thorin's chest rose and fell rhythmically under the blankets.
      Somehow, all seemed lost.