Author's Note:Hello Hobbit Fans! I thank you all though for showing so much love!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit! All rights belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson. Anything you recognize from the books and movies belong to those two wonderful men.

Forgive any grammar mistakes that I have overlooked and I just hope that this is a readable chapter. I must be honest though, I am a little disappointed with this chapter because it seemed like I was racing through the events due to us being SO close to finding out what fate awaits Bellethiel when she meets the elves of Greenwood. Anyway...enjoy!

It had been days since I had last seen Beorn, and soon after, Gandalf goes missing as well. The company had been well taken care of, but even they were soon getting restless.

Thorin would be seen at the edge of the forest during the day, waiting and thinking who knows what, and some days he would be accompanied by Balin, Dwalin...or both. Many of the company were taking advantage of having a safe place to rest, but with their King on edge...it left many threading carefully.

I was one of those who was happy not to go further on this quest knowing that the moment we left...we would soon have to make our way through Mirkwood where there was a possibility of running into the elves that resided there.

Sometimes I would venture to the forest edge, I would take one of the horses to get as close as I would dare to go and I would see how much my home has changed.

A sickness lay upon the woods, nothing grew, everything was wilted...and the forest was not inviting. I would not stay by the forest very long for I would begin to feel ill standing there any longer then a minute.

Much has changed since I had last set eyes on my home...and I began to wonder how much my kin has changed as well.

"Blast it where is he!"

I looked toward the front to where Thorin was pacing, Balin soothing his long time friend. I stood up and made my way toward the two dwarves, hoping to calm the angered King.

"Beorn, from last I had seen, was patrolling the outskirts of his home. It would seem Azog and his men have gotten closer to his boarders after he returned from the Misty Mountains." I motioned to the head that was staked at the front of the house. "I am going to assume that Gandalf went out searching for the great bear and found just what he was looking for."

"Right you are Bellethiel." A low voice called out.

I looked to where the voice had come from and out came Gandalf with Beorn following close behind.

"Let us head back into the house and discuss what our next moves shall be." Gandalf gestured as he made his way back to the house.

Thorin gave me a quick look before following after the wizard and the skin changer.

That is something that has been different after out little spar, after our understanding at the bottom of the Misty Mountain. Thorin and I had exchanged small glances, not at the same time, but I have seen him staring when he thought I wasn't looking...and I know I sometimes stared as well. I did not understand why he would stare...but I knew my reason for taking my glances at Thorin.

I will admit that I have felt a small attraction for the dwarf king...I will not deny that. I knew what I was feeling due to what my sister had told me of her courting with Idhrenohtar, even my brother was in the process of courting a lovely elven maiden by the name of Valadhiel. I knew enough from what my siblings have told me to come to an understanding.

Through the short amount of free time we have had at Beorn, the feeling had gotten stronger. One night in particular stuck with me...the night I caught Thorin at his weakest.

I had woken up during the night when all was silent, except for the loud snoring coming from Bombur. I got up and wandered around the house for a bit, heading toward the kitchen area for a drink.

There was a faint glow coming from the dining area that left me curious...no one should be awake at this hour. Beorn had yet to return, the company was knocked out and even Gandalf was asleep.

I ventured toward the dining area and saw Thorin sitting with his back to me, his shoulders slumped and head bowed...I wondered if he fell asleep that way.

"Thorin?" I called out quietly, his head shot straight up as he turned to look at me.

The look he gave me was the same look I had seen back on the cliff...the moment after Balin had told us the story of what happened at the front gates of Moria. A person being lost in their own thoughts and memories.

"Might I ask what you are doing awake?" I questioned. "It is far to late for anyone to be awake."

"It is nothing that would concern you." Thorin mumbled, turning his back to me once more.

I sighed before going to get two mugs, filling them up with the milk Beorn had stocked up before heading back to the table and placing one of the mugs in front of Thorin.

"It may not be any of my concern, but maybe a drink could help." I stated, taking a seat across from the dwarf.

For a while Thorin just kept his eyes on the burning candle in front of him, back to being lost in his own thoughts and the silence settling between us.

"I had people looking to me once..." I stated, for some reason feeling the need to open up with my fear and worries. "placing their lives in my hands...and I was afraid of failing them as their leader. I was afraid of leading them to their death due to the decisions I make."

Thorin shifted his gaze from the candle to me as I held his gaze.

"My fear came true when I made the decision to return to the mountain...I lost my brother and a few of my comrades. My decision made them lose a home to return to, and for centuries I lived with that guilt...I kept on running." I said letting out a deep sigh. "But...it took a wizard, a halfling, and a company of dwarves to make me stop running and realize that my guilt was unneeded."

Thorin stayed silent, his gaze softening the more I talked before I placed my hand on the table right between us.

"You are a great leader Thorin, and you will be a greater King. Never doubt yourself about that." I stated, reaching across to place a hand lightly over his overlapping ones, feeling him tense at the sudden interaction. "You are a King I would gladly follow to my death."

Thorin let out a sigh before glancing down to my hand over his own.

"I worry about succumbing to the sickness that runs in my family...my father and his father, my grandfather, grew mad. Will I succumb to the same madness? Am I trying to reclaim my homeland for my people...or for my own greed." Thorin mumbled.

"I made a promise that I would not let you fall...you are not your father nor your grandfather. I see you, a King worried about his people, worried about reclaiming your home and nothing more. I see no sickness growing in you." I mumbled quietly. "Do not let that worry you Thorin."

He smiled a soft smile for a bit before slipping his hand from mine and reaching for the mug I had placed beside him, taking a sip.

The silence between us now was not tense, it was a peaceful silence as we just enjoyed each others company, drinking from our mugs, and every so often we would talk about our home...or what was our home, our families, and times when things were simple.

The small things he did just drew me to him, the way he interacted with his nephews and the protectiveness he showed with his kin. The gruffness of his voice sent shivers through my body and the leadership he showed as King was very...breathtaking? If that was the word I was looking for...and my respect for him grew the longer we journeyed together.

Thinking about Thorin and his company made me almost forget what awaited me in Mirkwood...almost.

"Bellethiel!"

I turned around to see Thorin waiting for me to join them back at the house, his striking blue eyes staring expectantly at me. His arms were cross with a scowl on his face, a look of impatience the longer I stood there staring at nothing.

"Are you coming?" Thorin questioned impatiently, grumbling just a bit.

I turned around and made my way to Thorin, and when I was in arms reach he had turned his back and made his way back to the house.

"I did not believe your story at first," Beorn mumbled out, now, all of us gathered around the table. "but the goblins residing in the Misty Mountain are enraged due to the death of their King. These lands are crawling with orcs and their numbers are growing...I'm afraid if you were to go on foot, you will never reach the forest alive."

We sat in silence, the words Beorn spoke hung in the air, our hopes at reaching the mountain in time dwindling down as the skin changer stood up and walked toward Thorin.

"I don't like dwarves, if Belle has not told you, they're greedy, and blind...blind to the lives they deem less worthy than their own." Beorn said seriously, glaring a bit. "But orcs I hate more. And I will not turn down friends of Bellethiel...even if they are dwarves. Whatever you need for your journey...I will provide it if I can."

The attitude of the dwarves quickly shifted as they went about packing what they had while Beorn had instructed some of his animals to retrieve what they needed before turning to me.

"Bellethiel...a word if you please." Beorn addressed, motioning for me to follow him outside to the garden.

"You are walking to your death." Beorn said glumly. "You were banished from Greenwood...you shouldn't go."

"I have to Beorn." I sighed sadly. "I cannot leave them...I started something the moment I left my home for them and this will fulfill the promise I made to my brother. No more running, hiding...I will finish what I started."

"You are very honorable...Oakenshield is very lucky to have someone like you apart of his company." Beorn chuckled. "And he is very lucky to have you."

"Beorn..." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, slightly irritated. "what is that supposed to mean?"

"The way you both glance at each other when you think no one is looking." Beorn stated, his smile teasing me. "I have noticed and I assume so has the wizard."

"I will not deny that there are feelings on my end...adoration Arbellason, one of the great eagles, had said. But I do not think a dwarf could have feelings of any sort for an elf, especially one that came from the Woodland realm. So it will not go any further." I stated.

"Even in your age, though you have seen many, you are still blind to the simple things." Beorn let out a hearty laugh, his hand patting my back causing me to stumble a bit at the sudden force.

"There's no talking you out of leading them through Mirkwood is there?" Beorn said after he calmed down.

"I am afraid not Beorn." I smiled watching one of the bees fly by.

"I shall lend you anything you need for your journey through the forest." Beorn smiled. "Let us head back inside and get your provisions together."

And that is how it went: Beorn gave us food to last us for weeks, water skins for each of us, bed rolls, and anything that we could need through Mirkwood.

Beorn had lent us ponies and horses and we rode all through the night...and through the day in hopes that Azog and his orcs would not catch up to us. But when we did stop to rest, it was to feed and water the horses and rest for a short while before returning back on our path.

I could see the edge of the forest coming into view in the horizon and I began to worry the closer we got. And for some reason I had urged my horse to go faster going past Gandalf and quickly lept off my horse to stand at the very entrance of the place I used to call home.

The company grew near as Gandalf came up beside me, looking around at the dying groaning forest.

"Gandalf..." I mumbled, feeling uneasy at the darkness that was seeping through the woods. "this used to be the elven gate..."

"I know..." Gandalf mumbled, turning back to the company. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood."

"No sign of the orcs, we have luck on our side." I heard Dwalin gruff out, the rustling of fabric indicating the company now dismounting their ponies.

A slight movement to my right caught my attention as I saw a black bear staring straight at us. I nudged Gandalf slightly and motioned to the bear up top the mountain.

"Set the ponies loose, let them return to their master." Gandalf's voice echoed as he turned to venture further into the forest.

"This forest...feels sick." Bilbo added in, coming to stand beside me. "As if a disease lies upon it."

"That is because, Bilbo... there is." I stated, walking further in, a slight tremble going through my body as I heard the branches of the trees begin to creak and groan.

"Is there no way around it?" Bilbo questioned to both Gandalf and myself.

"Not unless we go 200 miles North. Or twice that distance...South." Gandalf answered as I followed him close behind.

"What is going on here Gandalf..." I questioned sadly, looking at all the nature dying around us.

I watched as Gandalf moved toward one of the statues that used to stand as guard on our gates, the vines entangling around the statue, almost suffocating it and I cautiously stepped toward it.

Gandalf slowly reached out toward the vines and ripped part of it from the statue, revealing a red symbol in the shape of:

"An eye..." I whispered, taking a staggering step back. "In our time of peace...has our enemy returned Gandalf..."

"The High Fells..." Gandalf muttered, turning around, ignoring my comment. "so be it."

"Has He returned Gandalf!" I called back louder as he quickly made his way back to the entrance, following close to his heels.

"Not my horse! I need it!" Gandalf called to Nori, who was almost in the process of taking off the reigns from one of the horses.

"You're not leaving us." Bilbo stated.

"I would not do this, unless I had to." Gandalf stated. "You are in capable hands, I assure you."

Gandalf took a glance back at me before placing a hand upon Bilbo's shoulder. I turned to give them some privacy, my back to the company as I stared at the black void of the forest.

'What has happened since I left...' I thought, glaring at the diseased land.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor!" Gandalf called. "Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me."

I sighed before looking back to the company, another worry settling into the pit of my stomach...the worry of being unable to get the company through the forest safely.

"This is not the Greenwood of old, the very air of the forest is heavy with illusion that will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." Gandalf informed. "You must stay on the path and do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again. No matter what stay on the path! Listen to Bellethiel!"

"Come on, we must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day. It is our one chance to find the hidden door." Thorin called, the movement now close behind me. "Lead the way, Bellethiel."

I nodded without turning to give him a glance and began venturing further in, following the stone path carefully...kicking dead leaves from the trail to see clearer.

Deeper and deeper I took the company in, no signs of anything living, only the sound of the creaking wood and the occasional deathly clicking of some unknown beast. The forest caused me discomfort, my hand going to my sword at the slightest snapping of a twig...and the longer we stayed...the more on edge and delirious the company became.

And the nights we spent in the forest did not make our mood any better...

Our first night spooked everyone out, with the fire going we had attracted unwanted attention. Red eyes, gleaming...almost glaring at us hungrily stared back at me and every time I got closer to the glowing eyes it would quickly disappear and reappear in a different location.

"Belle?"

I turned around to the sound of my name being called and came to look down at the small hobbit who shifted uncomfortably at being away from the glowing fire.

"Is something the matter Bilbo?" I questioned curiously taking a step to stand before him.

Before he was able to answer, a large black moth came from behind and flew straight into Bilbo's face, causing him to let out a loud shriek in fright.

More from around began swarming the company as I covered my face to prevent the large creatures from flying into me. I looked through the group of moths and saw that they were flying around the blazing fire.

"Put out the fire!" I called out, swatting the insects away.

Our surrounding was suddenly engulfed in darkness, I could hear the company tripping over their belongings, the panic and yelling elevating due to being unable to see any of their kin.

"Silence!" I heard Thorin yell out, as the rest of the company quickly quieted down at the command of their king.

My eyes adjusted to the darkness as I searched for Thorin and made my way to stand beside him.

"Thorin." I called, making myself known before placing a hand on his shoulder, causing him to tense before relaxing a bit realizing it was just me. "If everyone can follow my voice you will be close to the rest of the company. I can see you just as easily as if it were bright out. I will be able to tell you when you are about to trip over anything or anyone."

I maneuvered the company close, calling out to anyone to get closer before everyone was finally close together, reaching out blindly in the dark for reassurance that their kin was safe.

"Uncle..." Kili's voice called out in fear as I saw him pointing in a direction.

I followed his gaze and saw more prominent glowing red eyes staring straight at the company, more popping up around us.

"What are they?" Dori questioned, looking around at the glaring red eyes.

"I do not know..." I replied honestly, looking beside me to Thorin, even though he would not know I was staring a bit longer then I should. "I suggest you all get some rest...I will take watch. We cannot light the fire and risk those insects returning."

I saw Thorin nod before taking a seat where he stood along with the rest who began to blindly reach for their pack for their bed rolls.

I walked away and sat a bit far from the group, but just enough that they were in reaching distance and sat staring into the forest, glaring at the red eyes that I could feel was glaring right back.

The more time spent inside this sickly forest was...suffocating. The company was uneasy, getting minimum sleep due to the eyes that kept on following us at night. And when the light was out, though we could not tell due to the closeness of the trees and little light coming through, we did not know what time of day it was...or how much days have passed. Our food supplies were dwindling to a point where I had decided to distribute my share to the company for I had no need for much food as was our water.