Ch 21
The group took a short break and then continued on. Kili did not want to be levitated so Dwalin and Fili carried him between them. Liz kept pace next to her sister and struggled to keep moving.
"Oh I'm glad I wasn't traveling with you all too long. I'm not up to this." Liz said huffing and puffing as they reached the overlook.
"What is that?" Bilbo asked looking at the remnants.
"The desolation of Smaug." Balin said as Thorin continued walking.
When they reached the base of Erebor Thorin look out the map and began to look at it. Bilbo spotted the area right away and the group started up. Kili was becoming a burden so Maggie took him and Liz up to the landing and the three of them waited for the others. The others arrived as the sun was beginning to set. Thorin order Nori to examine then wall and Dwalin became impatient and began banging on the wall. They became frustrated as the sun went down and Thorin started to loose his cool. Bilbo was quick to grab the map and Maggie closed her eyes begging Thrain and Thror for help. Kili and Fili took her hands and Thorin watched as the witch began describing the doorway and the first light of the moon lit up the doorway. Thorin unlocked the door as the group sat in shock. Balin and Thorin were both teary eyed since they were the only two who had every resided in Erebor.
Thorin lead the way as Maggie used her abilities to light a few torches. Gloin read an inscription on the wall as the dwarves looked around in awe. Bombur went to work getting dinner together right outside the door as the others started to settle in. Maggie could sense the change in Thorin that she knew the others would not see. Right away he seemed colder but the others were so happy to be in their homeland they did not see. Liz fell asleep before dinner and slept through the dwarves loud chatter.
"Maggie, I know Fili won't ask but can you talk to our father?" Kili said waiting till his brother was over talking to Thorin to ask.
"I'll try, not today though. I don't think I could do it."
"No, not today. Maybe once we get settled. I don't remember him and I just think it would be nice to know a bit about him." Maggie nodded with a smile.
After dinner Balin and Thorin began to speak of the Erebor they remembered. It was early in raw morning when the everyone finally fell asleep, Dwalin took first watch. In the morning Thorin seemed more on edge, he shaped at Kili who asked a simple question. It was almost midway when Thorin announced that Bilbo need to go into the inner chamber to find the Arkenstone. Liz watched her sister tense.
"What about Smaug?" Maggie said as Fili frowned.
"This is why the hobbit was invited on this mission." Thorin gritted.
"I will bring you down to the chambers." Balin said as Maggie went to stand but Fili grabbed her arm.
"Do not push him." He whispered in her ear. Maggie forced herself to relax. She watched as Balin lead Bilbo away and she stood.
"Wait, something for good luck." Maggie undid her pentagram necklace that she had been wearing since her arrival in Middle Earth and quickly put it around Bilbo's neck. She pulled him into a hug. "If your in danger it will let me know." She whispered as Balin hid a smile.
"Thank you." Bilbo said softly. Maggie walked to the edge of the entrance and turned to Liz.
"Come on, let's get you in fighting form."
"Now?"
"Yes, get up." Maggie said with a grin.
"This I have to see." Nori muttered as the dwarves moved to watch the two sisters. Maggie was standing holding a wooden sword and with a flick of her wrist her sister was also holding one.
"Really?" Liz muttered.
"Yes, if the gladiators learned with wooden swords I'd say it's a good idea." Liz rolled her eyes.
"Well… I just want to be able to defend myself I don't want to look like a gladiator."
"Ok, charge me." Maggie said with one arm out. Liz took two steps and swung the sword and Maggie quickly blocked her and knocked the sword out of her hand.
"Liz, think of something or someone who really pisses you off and then come at me. Don't hold back." Maggie said as another sword appeared in Liz's hand. Liz charged again this time with both hands on the sword but Maggie deflected her and Liz managed to twist her ankle in the process.
"Maybe I'm not cut out for this shit!" Liz said throwing the wooden sword against some rocks. Maggie knelt down and put both hands on the sides of her sister ankle and muttered a few words then stood and extended her hand.
"I think that's enough for today." Maggie said as Liz took her sister's hand and slowly stood.
"You did well for your first time." Fili said to Liz who frowned.
"No, it sucked."
"Maybe you need another teacher." Kili said as Maggie gave him a look.
"She just needs to find her inner rage. What were you thinking of?" Liz flushed pink and muttered.
"Buckley." Maggie shook her head.
"You need to think of something better then your lazy ex-boyfriend."
"He made me plenty mad." Liz muttered. The group was starting to get restless when Maggie sat up and the mountain shook.
"Bilbo needs our help." She said standing and picking up the staff.
"No, give the hobbit time." Thorin said.
"His name is Bilbo and the Thorin I know would not hesitate to help." Balin said joining Maggie as she finished adjusting the belt which held her sword.
"I'm going to help him." Maggie said as Thorin stood. Liz stood up.
"I'm going too then."
"Liz, no you stay here. I can't worry about you and help Bilbo at the same time."
"We'll go. Oin, Kili, and Liz will stay here." Thorin said said brushed past Maggie.
"Fili, you need to learn to control your wife." He growled. Liz pouted as she sat back down.
"You do that too? I thought Kili was the only one." Oin said with a laugh. Liz, Kili, and Oin watched the others gather their weapons and head down the pathway to the inner chambers.
"This blows." Liz said digging through her bag and pulling out a book.
"Your following your sister's advice and reading the book?" Oin asked as Liz nodded.
"This is not easy to read but maybe she'll stop saying I was named after their character when I can give reasons why I'm nothing like her."
"What happened so far?" Kili asked moving so he could stretch a bit.
"Well….the book is about the Bennet family, mostly Elizabeth and Jane the oldest of the five sisters. I haven't gotten to anything good yet." Oin and Kili continued to ask her questions so Liz put down the book and talked with them. Most of the questions were about life where she and Maggie grew up and they even explained a bit about dwarf culture to her.
"I think Uncle Thorin will want you to stay in Erebor." Kili blurted out as Oin gave him a glare.
"Why? Doesn't he have a wife?"
"No, well… now that my brother is married only 3 of us have wives. Gloin and Bombur are the other two."
"I'm sure now that Thorin will be kind dwarf woman will be throwing themselves at him." Oin chuckled.
"That has happened in the past but Thorin never got over that woman he loved once. Don't you tell him that we told you or it'll be our heads." Kili said as Liz nodded.
"Is that why he didn't want Fili to be with Maggie?"
"Maybe, plus your sister is the one person in the company that challenges him. No one gets away with that except mother." Liz nodded.
"Do you think your mom will accept Maggie?" Kili nodded.
"Mother will see how happy Fili is and I have no doubt that she'll love Maggie after she hears about how she stood up to Thorin. Plus mother wasn't too fond of the dwarf woman uncle wanted him to marry." Liz's eyes widened.
"Oh, why is that?"
"She's from the Iron Hills and mother thought that she wasn't good enough for Fili. Uncle just thought about the alliance with Dain Ironfoot and wanted to keep him happy since it was his daughter."
"Kona is a fighter so she is not going to be happy with the news that Fili married someone else." Oin said as Liz smirked.
"If she comes to Erebor I want to be there because Maggie has been in quiet a few brawls about men."
"Does that happen a lot where your from?" Kili asked.
"Sometimes, Maggie started fighting young mostly to keep me out of trouble so it only made sense that it continued. It's been years since she got into a fight over a guy though. The first time she was 12 and the boy asked her to be his girlfriend after and she said no because he was too much trouble." Liz said laughing.