Ch 4

The last tree began to tip off the ledge Maggie looked at Gandalf who was whispering to something in his hand. Thorin spotted Azog and climbed off the tree to face him.

"Oh crap." Maggie muttered knowing this might not end well. She was surprised when Bilbo scampered down the trunk after him. Thorin was knocked down by Azog and his warg leaving Bilbo to defend him. "We just can't wait here." Maggie said swinging her leg to start her way back to solid ground.

"I could use some help here!" Dori yelled. He was hanging on to Gandalf's staff with Ori hanging onto his legs. "We're slipping, miss!" He yelled as Maggie balanced on the tree and channeled her power in that direction helping to suspend them in the air for a few moments.

"Maggie, let them go." Gandalf said as she spotted large eagles. Maggie shut off the flow of energy as an eagle caught the two on it's back.

Maggie spotted Azog who was advancing on Bilbo and zapped him causing him and his warg to fall a few paces back, due to his size her powers weren't affecting him like the others. Maggie tried again and this attempt was weaker. As the eagles continued to pick up members Gandalf told her to jump and she did landing on the back of an eagle. After flying for a short while the eagles put the members of the group down on a mountain top and Gandalf approached Thorin who was unconscious. Gandalf muttered a few words and the dwarf king didn't wake. Maggie who wasn't all to fond of the dwarf stepped up and knelt at his side and keeping her hands a few inches above his body she moved her hands over his head and chest giving off a bit of light in the process. The other members of the group stood back speechless as Thorin began to wake and pulled back as Maggie frowned.

"I wasn't trying-"

"Thank you." He mumbled standing up. Maggie stayed in the kneeling position for a few minutes not wanting to stumble as she stood.

"Are you ok?" Balin asked as Maggie remained where she was.

"Yes, I'm fine." She said slowly standing since half the group were watching her and the other half were watching Thorin finally accept Bilbo. Maggie staggered a bit but stood up and winced as she rubbed her left knee.

"Are you sure your ok, lassie?" Balin asked. Maggie nodded.

"My knee is just acting up, not a huge issue."

"Fili and Kili, help Maggie to were we will be camping." Thorin said not looking in her direction. Maggie's cheeks flushed when the two young dwarves reached her side.

"Put your arms around our necks." Fili said as Kili gave her a smile.

"I don't think-"

"Don't argue, lassie." Balin said as Maggie put her left arm around Fili's neck and her right around Kili.

"Your very light, nothing like a dwarf woman. Why don't you just carry her Fili?" Kili said as Fili glared at his brother.

"What would you know of dwarf women, Kili?" Dwalin asked with a laugh.

"I know enough. I've seen the woman that Thorin wants Fili to marry." Maggie was silent as they walked.

"Kili, your right. Do you mind if I just carry you?" Fili asked stopping.

"I'm sure I can make it from here."

"I insist." Kili took her quiver and sword then Fili put an arm under her knees and another on her back as he scooped her up. "Much quicker this way. You must eat like the elves." Fili said as he walked quicker to keep up with the group.

"Not all the time. I like meat just as much as the next person."

"You hardly look like it. Our mother would say you need a few good meals." Kili said as Gandalf stopped the group as he noticed a house in the distance.

"We wish you no ill will, Beorn." Gandalf says loudly as a large man appeared, he and Gandalf talk quietly.

"You can put me down. I think I'm ok to walk."

"Don't be so difficult." Kili said with a laugh.

"Trust me you are no burden to carry." Fili said with a small smile.

"Lassie, do you have a husband back where you are from?" Balin asked as Maggie frowned.

"I was engaged, but no I do not have a husband."

"So you are betrothed?" Balin asked with a smile.

"No, I was but it was not going well so we decided to break it off... well he decided to break it off." She said muttering the last part.

"Due to your boldness?" Thorin asked as Maggie was tempted to flip him off.

"He used to like that I was bold. We were planning a wedding and things just started to fall apart. He claimed he was turning into his father and he did everything he could to push me away. I don't want to talk about this anymore." She said with a frown.

"Come everyone, Beorn has opened his home to us." Gandalf said ushering the group inside. Fili put Maggie in a chair and she put her hands to her knee making it feel cold.

"What are you doing? Your making it cold in here." Gloin grumbled since he was sitting closest to Maggie.

"Sorry, just making sure my knee doesn't swell. Since there are no ice packs in Middle Earth." Beorn stood back with Gandalf as they watched the witch. Gandalf went around pointing out dwarves and lastly Bilbo and Maggie.

"I didn't mean to upset you earlier." Balin said feeling a bit guilty.

"I know you didn't mean to, I should just get over it." She said forcing herself to smile a bit. Beorn's wife went about putting together some food, Maggie attempted to get up and help but Gandalf insisted that she continue to rest.

"We need you ready to move." Thorin said as Maggie sat down. The group stayed in Beorn's house overnight. Maggie was given a room to sleep in, it previously belonged to Beorn's son. The others stayed in the large sitting room. Early in the day Bilbo was sent to check on Maggie. The witch appeared with Bilbo dressed in another set of elvish clothes and her hair was pulled into a bun keeping her hair off her face. She helped Beorn's wife put out more food and also helped her pack up some.

"What is that?" Gandalf said motioning to the back to Maggie's neck.

"It's a tattoo, people get them back where I'm from. I have two more, one on my right ankle and another on my lower back." She turned so Gandalf could look at her neck. "It's a pentagram." Maggie said as Gandalf backed away.

"That increases your power."

"Galadriel thought the same thing. My mother hated when I got it. She thought that tattoos are something men have and they are not for ladies."

Thorin really couldn't figure out the lone woman in their group. He looked over his nephews who were whispering together, he had seen the way that Fili watched her and he was not happy with his interest in Maggie. The group departed and headed towards the western edge of Mirkwood.

"What is Beorn?" Bilbo asked walking next to Maggie.

"He is a man who turns into a bear." Gandalf turned to watch Maggie a small smile on his lips.

"How did you know?"

"Beorn is mentioned in my books. Today was not the last time we will see him."

"So do people turn into bears where your from?" Bilbo asked as Maggie shook her head.

"Not like Beorn, some shamans who have powers similar to mine have totem animals that they use when they want to explore the world outside of their body so they let their spirit leave their body and it becomes their totem animal."

"Can you do that?" Bilbo asked as Maggie shook her head with a laugh.

"No, that is above my skill level. I always wanted to try it but I'm afraid I couldn't find my way back and you need to keep your body safe while you travel."

"What else can you do besides what we have seen?"

"I can light candles with my mind, I can read palms which is an interesting hobby of mine, I can throw up a shield to stop someone or something. I'm sure I can do a lot more here then I can back home."

"You read palms? What does that mean?" Gloin asked.

"Well I look at someone's palm and I study the lines. Each line symbolizes something. Would you like to volunteer?" Gloin looked hesitant so Bilbo extended his hand. "Very interesting. You have a nice long life line." She said pointing to one line. "Hmm.. no relationship lines so your a lifelong bachelor."

"How can you tell that all by someone's palm?" Gloin asked as Maggie put out her hand. He reluctantly put his hand in hers.

"See that line over here that's a relationship line. It runs deep and it's well pronounced because your married." Maggie held up her own palm.

"See I have one line here which is shallow and short, that was my past relationship."

"Hmm..." Gloin mumbled not able to come up with anything better to say.

"Fili, give Maggie your hand and see what it says?" Kili said with a laugh.

"No, you just her your hand." Thorin gave them both a glare.

"Enough of this foolishness." He said as Maggie frowned.

"We're just having a bit of fun."