Ch 25
For three days Maggie followed Oin's orders and rested. Liz finally visited her on the third day.
"I finished the book and I'm in no way like Lydia." Maggie smirked.
"I know, your more like Marianne in Sense and Sensibility."
"I'm not reading that one. So I still don't think I was named after Elizabeth Bennet. I'm not that strong willed."
"You can be at times."
"Anyway, I figured you'd be out and about by now."
"I feel a lot better and my burns aren't as bad, Oin is actually surprised at how quickly I'm healing. He wouldn't have believed what they looked like when it first happened."
"Mags, I want you to send Bard a message. Tell him that I'm thinking about him."
"Ok, how do you want me to send it? Dream pillow, fire message,…"
"It doesn't matter."
"Let me look into it but I'll pass it along. What else have you been up to besides reading?"
"Just setting up my room. The dwarves are hard at work, I've been joining them for dinner. Thorin seems different." Maggie nodded.
"Why?" Liz asked softly.
"Gold sickness, it's common in the line of Durin. Thror, Thorin's grandfather was consumed by it that's why the dragon came."
"So the same thing could happen to Fili and Kili?"
"No, that will not be their fate." Maggie said quickly but deep inside she was scared.
"When can you be up and about?"
"I'm getting tired of waiting for the ok so I'm going to dinner." Liz nodded.
"Can I see?" Maggie nodded and began to unwrap her wounds.
"That's it?" Liz asked looking at the burn that went from her shoulder to two inches above her elbow.
"When it first happened it was all the way to my wrist and much, much worst. Being here with Fili is helping, we're stronger together."
"Well…. it's almost time." Maggie waved her hand over her burn and new wrappings covered the burn.
"Let me get dressed." Maggie had been wearing a tank top and loose pajama pants. She walked into the bathroom and came our two minutes later her hair pulled back in a single braid and she was wearing a long sleeved blue dress.
"Now I feel under dressed." Liz said motioning to her simple dress. Maggie moved her hands and Liz's dress to a fancier charcoal grey with a low-cut neck line. The sisters walked towards the make-shift dining hall which was actually a storage room off of the kitchens. Kili was already sitting at the table as was Dwalin and Ori.
"Look who is gracing us with her presence! What will my brother think?"
"It's about time don't you think. My arm is feeling much better, in a few days I'll be back to my old self." The others started to arrive. Oin gave Maggie a lecture about not resting, Fili arrived last.
"This is where you are, I went back to check on you."
"No more sitting around doing nothing." She said with a smile. Dinner went by quickly.
"Since your able I think tomorrow you should start your lessons. If that is ok with you and Balin?" The old dwarf nodded.
"I can't wait." Maggie said as Liz rolled her eyes.
"She's going to be a handful, all sorts of questions." Liz said as Balin smiled.
"We'll get along well then. When I used to teach Fili and Kili they were not so attentive." Maggie grinned.
"Well… I'm glad I don't need to do anything like that-"
"I wouldn't speak so soon. You still have to learn to protect yourself and there are a few other things you should learn." Liz rolled her eyes a bit.
"I can teach you to use a bow, at least until Maggie's back in fighting form." Kili offered.
"Yes, that's a good idea." Thorin said as Liz's eyes widened.
"A bow? I tried that and-" Liz stopped since Maggie kicked her under the table.
"In Mirkwood?" Kili asked as Liz nodded.
"I didn't do so well."
"She was too distracted." Maggie said with a smirk as Liz glared at her sister.
"I think I could spare a lesson or two and I know Dwalin would be more then up to helping out." Thorin said as Fili gave Maggie a knowing look.
"Dwalin?" Liz asked nervously, he was the only dwarf that she was intimidated by.
"Are you scared, lassie? If I could teach these two rascals I'm sure I can deal." Dwalin said gruffly.
"Thorin, I-I'm sure your far to busy to spend some time teaching me." Liz said her cheeks flushed.
"It will be no problem. We are all going to be working on our trainings while we continue to work. Why don't you start lessons with Kili tomorrow while your sister is in her lessons?" Kili nodded as Oin shrugged.
"Your wound is just about healed." Bilbo who was sitting listening to everything felt left out.
"You can join us, Bilbo." Kili said as the hobbit nodded. After dinner Thorin, Fili, Balin, and Gloin went back to their inventory.
"Mags, you should read. We can all sit down in that room-"
"What are you going to read?" Kili asked.
"The Notebook!" Liz said excitedly.
"Well… Lizzie, if anyone else is going to join us I'm sure they don't want to listen to a love story."
"I wouldn't mind." Bilbo said with a small smile.
"I'll go since I have nothing better to do." Kili said and the group of four walked to area Liz suggested. Maggie used her powers to bring her copy of the book to her hands. She looked up to see Dori and Ori joining them.
"So this story is set year and years before we were born. It was the same time period our grandparents met." Maggie started reading the story as the others sat around listening. It was over an hour later when a grin crossed Maggie's face as Fili stood in the doorway.
"Come on, we're only halfway through the chapter." Liz whined as Maggie started to close the book.
"Yes, we need to find out what happened." Kili said as Fili chuckled and sat next to Maggie on a couch. At the end of the chapter everyone wanted to hear more so Maggie continued. She looked up to see Gloin and Balin in the doorway listening as well. When she finished that chapter Maggie assured the group she'd continue to read the following night.
"I quiet like this story."
"It's my favorite movie to watch back home." Liz said with a dreamy look on her face.
"Our grandparents met in a romantic way too. Joe enlisted in the military following his four older brothers but he wasn't allowed on active duty so he was stationed down south. He had met Peg before he left for training but he didn't have an opportunity to tell her how he felt, for months he thought on it till one day he left the base and took a train home. He told her how he felt and a few days later they were married and he had to return to his post or risk jail time." Maggie said quickly.
"Almost like you two then." Bilbo said turning red realizing he said that out loud.
"Yes, almost." Fili said with a grin. The group started to disband going their separate ways but Liz remained with Bilbo and Kili.
"I really never thought I'd see the day, as much as I miss our home I'm glad my sister and your brother are together." Liz said a bit teary eyed.
"I'm glad uncle allowed them to marry, Fili was ready to leave if he didn't accept her." Liz smiled.
"Your uncle has a similar disposition as our grandfather. It's so early, I just can't sleep." Liz said noticing everyone else was gone.
"Let's start your training then."
"Mind if I join you?" Bilbo said as they started to walk to the makeshift training area.
"Bilbo, I have to say you have gotten along well with your blade."
"It's name is Sting."