Hiding Myself. A fem!Bilbo Bagginshield fanfic

Epilogue

NOTE: This takes place about halfway through the sequel story (Currently in the works).

ONE YEAR LATER

    The second Yule after the reclaiming of Erebor was certainly much larger than the first. But this time, they had much more to celebrate.

    Thorin had quickly recovered, taking over his duties as king by the time the spring arrived. Dain and his men had left again for the Iron Hills as soon as the pass was clear. With the help of both the dwarves and the Mirkwood elves, Dale was quickly rebuilt enough for the Men to properly set a home there.

    Bella had begun working with Ori in the library. The rest of the Company had found work in other parts of the Mountain. Dwalin now commanded the guards, Balin helped Thorin with running the Mountain, Bifur and Bofur had started a toy shop, and Bombur was still head chef of the kitchens.

    On the day of the Yule feast, that’s where Bella was heading. She eased open the kitchen doors to see a chaotic mess inside. Dwarves were running around everywhere, flour had somehow got onto the ceiling, and Bombur was standing in the middle chopping vegetables while shouting orders at half a dozen helpers.

    Bella slipped through the mess towards Bombur, nearly colliding with two very familiar royal dwarves.

    Fili and Kili grinned, jokingly bowing, their giggles giving them away.

    “Are you ready for Yule, Auntie?” Fili asked, his eyes glittering with joy from the tease.

    She rolled her eyes at her ‘nephews’. Well, soon-to-be-nephews, anyways.

    “Almost. I just need to pick up my dress from Dori.”

    “We’ll come with you then! I need to ask Nori about something.” Kili said cheerfully. Bella smiled and followed the princes out of the bustling kitchens and towards Dori’s tailor shop.

    The silver-haired dwarf turned around when the little bell Nori had set up to alert him rang. “Ah, there you are Bella! I just finished the sash. Let me make sure it fits your properly.”

    Bella endured the flood of words, accepting the beautiful dress he handed her. She ducked into one of the dressing spaces set up to put it on.

    “Woah.”

    Fili and Kili stared when she walked towards them.

    This dress was much like the one she had worn the previous Yule. It was still the Durin blue colour, a small rendition of the crest at the bottom of the neckline. The fabric peeking through the cutout in the blue skirt was silver, as was the trim and the visible stitches. The silvery cloak that went with it barely touched the floor, sliding across it softly.

     Privately, Kili thought she seemed to glow in the light of the shop. When he shared this thought with his brother, Fili very much agreed. The brothers stayed uncharacteristically silent during the journey to their mother’s rooms.

    Dis fixed up Bella’s curls like she had before, fixed her sons’ outfits, and led the rest of the way to Thorin’s chambers. Dis and the boys stayed outside talking with Dain. The dwarf lord had returned briefly for the celebrations.

    Bella carefully opened the bedroom door and slipped in. Thorin was standing with his back to her, seeming to struggle with his cloak.

    “Here.” Bella said, moving in front of him and grabbing the cloak from his hands. “Let me help you with this or we’ll never get to the feast before they eat everything.”