A/N: Some language and some mild smuttyness. Nothing too graphic but if that's not your thing, you may want to skip this one. There's not much action in this chapter, well not THAT kind of action but more character interactions and development. I hope you enjoy it! Happy New Year! See y'all in 2020.

Khuzdul words:

Gulmalûm: tiny sparkle

Chapter Fourteen: Of catching a break...

Riley was getting nervous. Bilbo had been gone for some time now and considering the orc pack was still out there, Riley didn't like it one bit. The company had taken cover behind some rocks and Riley was impatiently pacing back and forth, mumbling to himself, ocassioanlly looking around to see if Bilbo was there. Maggie watched her brother for a while and wondered if perhaps something had changed. Since their own adventure in the goblin tunnels with Gollum, Riley and Bilbo seemed closer.

"Master Riley, calm yourself." Thorin said. "Master Baggins will be alright."

"Calm yourself." Riley mumbled. "Do you know how patronizing you sound sometimes?"

Maggie rolled her eyes. Usually, getting snappy with Thorin was her job, but it seemed now that roles were reversed. To her and everyone's relief though, small footsteps came running and soon Bilbo Baggins came into view. Maggie caught a relived expression on her brother's face and she too relaxed. Bilbo however, seemed nervous and it didn't take a genius to figure out that it means bad news.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked, worriedly.

"Too close." Bilbo said. "Couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, wondering what could possibly be worse than a pack of orcs, who would hunt them until the edge of the world if they could. The company gathered around them, waiting for Bilbo to explain himself. It was getting colder outside and night would soon be upon them, if they couldn't find anywhere for shelter, they would be open game for the orcs and everything else that hunted them.

"Have the wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked, strengthening the grip of his axe.

"Not yet, but they will." Bilbo explained "We have another problem."

"Another problem." Riley groaned Fan-fucking tastic."

Gandalf spoke next. "Did they see you?"

"No, not that's not it."

Gandalf mused. "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse, excellent burglar-material."

Maggie knew that Gandalf wasn't an idiot. In fact, she was certain that the wizard was well aware of the new danger Bilbo mentioned. While her and Riley had promised each other to forget everything they knew about the events from the stories, there was one particular event Maggie would never put out of her mind. Because they'd been so busy running for their lives and fighting both orcs and goblins, Maggie had almost forgotten who lived in the forest close to Mirkwood. She was surprised really, that her brother didn't, but then again he seemed too busy to worry about Bilbo. Gandalf's attempt to cheer up the gloomy situation seemed to have worked and the dwarfs cheered at Bilbo's stealthy skills.

"Will you just listen!" Bilbo snapped. He'd had enough. "I'm trying to tell you that there is something else out there!"

Silence fell again and the mood instantly dropped. "What form did it take? Like a bear" Gandalf asked, his voice had gone from merry to serious.

This surprised, "Yes. But...but bigger. Much bigger."

Nobody seemed to quite know about this new information Gandalf revealed. At the mention of a bear though, Maggie and Riley exchanged glances and Maggie knew then that her brother had caught on.

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked, unimpressed. "I say we double back!"

"And be run down by a pack of orcs?" Thorin replied, all the other dwarfs agreed that Bofur's idea was indeed terrible. They debated amongst each other for a while, deliberating what to do about this new situation they found themselves in, until Gandalf once again interrupted the silence.

"There is a house." said the wizard. "It's not far from here, where we might take refuge."

"Whose house?" Thorin asked wearily as he stepped forward. "Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither." Gandalf said. "He will help us or he will kill us."

"Yep." Riley sighed. "Just another day in Middle-Earth."

"What choice do we have?" Thorin asked

"None." Gandalf said and his eyes fell on Maggie, knowing very well that she knew exactly of whoms he spoke.

You know who he is. Gandalf's voice echoed in her mind. It was a statement rather than a question and Maggie simply nodded.

Yes, Maggie replied. Beorn.

As she silently thought the name, a deafening roar interrupted their meeting, The peace was never long-lived and soon they were running again, with Gandalf in the lead and the rest of the company following suit. They ran through meadows and into another forest, Maggie was sure she heard the orcs behind them and wondered why they hadn't caught up with them yet, when the same inhumane roar echoed over the forest. Suddenly, the orcs were not what scared her anymore.

"Quickly!" Gandalf commanded. "This way!"

Maggie felt her brother grab her hand as they ran, with every last bit of their energy. She didn't even know how her legs could carry her anymore, she was so tired. The forest seemed to go on forever, its vastness stretching everywhere until finally, in the distance she hinted something that seemed like a house in a meadow clearing. Maggie didn't exactly have time to admire its beauty because the creature she knew was Beorn roared again. To everyone's surprise, Bombur had taken the lead and was the first one to reach inside the walls of the house. When Maggie heard the roar again, her curiosity got the better of her and she stopped to turn around. She almost wished she hadn't because from within the trees came an enormous black bear, heading straight for the company.

"Maggie! Don't just stand there!" It was Kili who grabbed her hand and they ran through the gardens of the house until they reached a large wooden door. Unfortunately for them, the door was also locked. The dwarfs pushed with all their strength, until finally the door opened and they stumbled inside, but the giant bear's head got caught in the doorway, snapping at them, desperate to get in until finally, the dwarfs managed to close and lock the door behind them.

"What...is that?" Ori asked when they knew they were safe.

"That is our host." Gandalf said and the dwarfs turned around to him, not knowing how to respond.

The next thing that happened surprised everyone even more, because it wasn't Gandalf who spoke up. It was Maggie. "His name is Beorn, isn't that right Gandalf?"

"Aye." Gandalf didn't seem too happy about Maggie revealing that information."And he's a skin changer. Sometimes, he's a huge black bear and sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable but the man can be reasoned with. However, he's not overfond of dwarves."

Maggie noticed Thorin's eyes on her, as if he was wondering how she knew about Beorn at all. She realised she would have some explaining to do eventually, but surely revealing such a small thing couldn't be that much of a big deal. Ori stood at the door, peeking through its cracks and announced that the bear was leaving but Dori protectively pulled him away from there.

"It's not natural!" Dori said, clearly afraid. "He's under some dark spell!"

"Don't be a fool!" Gandalf snapped. "He's under no enchantment but his own!"

"After everything you've seen, Master Dori, this surprises you?" Maggie asked

Dori didn't replied and walked off in a huff.

"Now get some sleep, all of you." Gandalf commanded. "You'll be safe here tonight. I hope."

Night fell on the house in the woods, and soon the dwarves settled in for a long and well earned sleep. As per usual, Bombur snored loudly, but everyone were too exhausted to be bothered by it. Even Gandalf was sleeping, which up until that point Maggie thought wizard's didn't need.

"Ow!"

The scars on Maggie back and neck stung as Thorin dabbed them with cotton. He used some kind of herbal ointment Oin had prepared, which stung every time it touched her skin. Maggie wasn't sure what exactly the herbs were, but at a guess she assumed they were Middle-Earth's version of antiseptic cream. Maggie didn't know how many scars covered her back, but the ones from the goblin whips weren't what troubled her. It was the sharp, deep cuts of the orc blade on her neck and the one on her arm. It had stopped bleeding (just about) but the wound was still fresh, just as fresh as the memory of what had happened back in the woods. Every time Maggie closed her eyes, she saw the orc with his blade, ready to commit acts that were far too awful to think about. Thankfully, Maggie thought, things hadn't got that far.

"Fuck!"

"Hold. Still." Thorin commanded, getting annoyed. Trying to dress Maggie's wounds, turned out to be a different challenge altogether. The Son of Thrain held Maggie down with a steady hand on her shoulder and every time she flinched, breathed out a frustrated sigh.

"I know it is painful, love." Thorin said "But they do have to be cleaned and dressed. Otherwise they will not heal."

Carefully, Thorin dabbed another of the scars with the ointment. The scar from the orc blade lay fresh against Maggie's skin. Even with Oin's healing, Thorin knew it would take some time before these scars disappeared. Thorin's face suddenly fell, wishing he'd been able to get to her sooner during the attack. He clearly remembered the instant rage when he saw the orc harming Maggie. It was in that moment Thorin realised how he felt about her and how much he would do anything to protect her. So far though, he hadn't done a very god job of it.

"Son of a bitch!" Maggie cursed

Thorin muttered. "Women in your world, have a way with words."

"Yes well, women in my world never have to run from orcs!" Maggie snapped, and then regretted it. She was in pain and she was tired but Thorin was helping her. He didn't deserve to be a punching bag for her emotions.

"Did that thing...do anything." Thorin asked in a whisper.

"No." Maggie shook her head "Granted, it wasn't pleasant, but he didn't..hurt me in that way."

They remained silent for a while as Thorin continued to see to Maggie's scars. Maggie stopped swearing eventually and a few minutes later it was over.

"There." Thorin put the ointment away. "All done." Maggie got off the pile of hay, grateful for the experience to be over and Maggie looked down at a bucket of water, that mirrored her reflections. She stared at it reflection for a while, feeling like she was looking at a different person entirely. She certainly wasn't the same woman who had been magically taken from Earth. Now, she'd seen battle and faced the consequences of them. The scars were hideous things and Maggie hated the sight of them.

"Scars are a reminder of strength." Thorin said calmly as sat next to her. "They hurt, but they're nothing to be ashamed of." He placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder, next his soft lips on her neck with steady hands on her waist. She was his and he wanted to show her everything that entailed. As Thorin's lips gently brushed Maggie's skin, she felt her stomach do loops. The dwarf-king looked up at her, his hands running through her hair and kissed her. Within seconds it turned into passion, as he lifted her up and placed her onto the sticky hay beneath them.

"Thorin, they'll hear.."

"...let them hear." he said and then teased. "I didn't take you for being prudish."

Maggie playfully punched him. "Shut the fuck up."

"Now, is that a way to speak to your king?"

"Oh you're my king, is it?"

"Mhm." Thorin pulled Maggie to him so that her legs were wrapped around. "In fact." He leaned in over Maggie and whispered in her ear. "I plan on making you, my queen."

Maggie's nails dug into Thorin's skin as he whispered those words. After that, any pretence of patience or self-control was lost on them. To Thorin's surprise, Maggie took control and straddled herself on-top of him. The look on the dwarf king's face was enough to know she had him where she wanted him.

"By Mahal…you're breathtaking." Thorin whispered and then suddenly, he sat up and kissed Maggie. "Let's go somewhere else. It's too crowded in here."

Maggie shook her head and teasingly pulled away from Thorin. "No. I think we should wait." she told him and then stifled a yawn. "Besides, I'm really bloody tired." As she said, Maggie realised how true it was. She was completely and utterly fatigued, every bit of her energy had been drained and all she wanted to do was sleep. She wanted to sleep without worrying about being eaten by some ungodly creature, or having to run from orcs again. Just once, she wanted to sleep without having nightmares of the necromancer and the awful things he would do to her.

Thorin sighed, admitting defeat and pulled Maggie off from him, gently laying her down next to him and pulled her close. He wrapped his arms around her as she rested his head against his chest. She listened to his steady heartbeat and relaxed as Thorin stroke her hair.

"How did you know about beast?" Thorin asked, after some deliberation.

"Hmm?" Maggie yawned, it became more difficult to keep her eyes open. She curled up closer to Thorin's warm body. "Just stories... I heard as a kid.." Maggie mumbled and then fell asleep, close to him, where everything was safe.

Thorin kept an eye on her for a moment, stroking her hair and admired her. "Sleep well, Gulmalûm." he gently placed a kiss on her forehead before finally allowing himself to relax and fall into a deep slumber.

"Struggling to sleep, Master Baggins?"

Bilbo wasn't sure how long Riley had been awake, but he quickly put the ring away. The ring puzzled Bilbo and also scared him a was such a small thing but yet Gollum was clearly obsessed with it. Perhaps he ought to tell Gandalf about it, but knowing the wizard, he would probably tell him it wasn't his to keep. In a way, Bilbo supposed it was true. He had taken it from Gollum but then, there was no telling where Gollum might have got it from. Bilbo relaxed when he saw Riley. For a brief moment he thought maybe it was one of the other dwarves but they were all fast asleep. Even Thorin was sleeping soundly next to Maggie and Bilbo smiled at how the two of them were so clearly smitten with each other. He'd seen them earlier. Not that he'd been spying on them but it was difficult to miss. They'd been teasing each other playfully and from what Bilbo knew of Thorin Oakenshield, he was surprised that he hadn't just had Maggie there. Bilbo shook his head then, thinking he was being rude. Their romance was none of his business and he certainly shouldn't be spying on them. It wasn't proper and his mother would have been disappointed.

"It's a bit difficult to sleep with Bombur's snoring." Bilbo said, which was partially true.

Riley came and sat next to him. Out of all the people in their strange company, Bilbo had found a close friend in Riley. He enjoyed his company as a friend and when he wasn't around, Bilbo had lately found himself searching for Riley and even missed him when he wasn't there. It was ridiculous really, Bilbo had plenty of friends before but none quite like him.

"He snores like my Uncle Rhys." Riley mused. "Every Christmas, we always draw straws about who gets the guest bedroom closest to him."

"Who usually wins?" Bilbo asked

"Definitely not me."

Bilbo chuckled and to his surprised shift a bit closer to Riley. They were strange, him and his sister. Strange but kind and Bilbo was quite taken with both of them. For siblings, they were very close but also very independent at the same time. As a brother himself, Bilbo knew that if anyone was courting his sister they way Thorin did Maggie, he would not handle it with such grace. It showed immense trust and Bilbo figured that Riley respected Thorin a lot too. Such as Bilbo had come to do as well. Riley remained silent for a while and Bilbo found himself admiring him he. He was rather handsome, he had the same dark hair as his sister, although his was much shorter. Riley was only a bit taller than Maggie, perhaps around 5"6 or 5'7 and sometimes the dwarves teased him about being shorter than the average man. It was a sign of endearment though and respect.

"Is anything bothering you?" Bilbo asked.

"Sometimes, I can't silence my thoughts." Riley replied. "I keep thinking about the same scenarios, over and over again. My therapist calls it compulsive over-thinking. Bit of a family trait I fear."

"Your therapist?" Bilbo had never heard such a strange word before. "What's a therapist?"

Riley chuckled. "In our world, a therapist is somebody who is trained in psychology, which is like understanding how the mind works." he explained. "They help people who are facing different problems. Sometimes it's past trauma or panic anxiety, like my sister has. They help you figure out different coping mechanisms so that you can deal with it better."

Riley knew that once, or if, they ever got back to their world, both he and Maggie were going to need a serious amount of therapy to deal with everything that had happened and things that were yet to come. "If Dr. Ludwig could see me now."

"Isn't that what friends are for?" Bilbo asked "Sometimes I also find a bit of Old Toby helps with that. I know Gandalf keeps some."

Riley smiled. For hobbits, it seemed like things were always very straightforward, but Bilbo was learning that life was a lot more complicated. "Yes, but sometimes you need somebody impartial who won't judge you for all the weird shit in your head."

Bilbo silenced for a while. While Riley and Maggie were close, there were some things that perhaps you couldn't always tell a sister.

"I'll never judge you." Bilbo said, a bit quicker than he anticipated. "If you like, I could be that friend."

Riley wasn't sure when, but somehow he realised the hobbit's hand now gently rested on his. "I would like that." Riley nodded. "Very much."

"Maggie," Thorin whispered in her ear.

It was dawn when Maggie woke up. She'd had a good night's sleep and for the first time in a long while, felt rested. The first rays of sunshine peered through the stables and the animals were awake. While the smell wasn't very pleasant, the animals were adorable, and Maggie made a note to herself to come back and say hello. Thorin had woken her up, his warm breath on her neck and he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Maggie turned around to him and greeted him with a kiss on the lips. When she pulled away from Thorin, he saw a glint of mischief in his eyes and she had a feeling her day was about to start, unlike the others.

"Come with me." Thorin told her. He grabbed her hand and they quietly left the stables.

The air outside was crisp and it smelled of early autumn. Maggie looked around her and was able to truly admire the scenery of Beorn's house. It was absolutely beautiful. The house was surrounded by meadow and forest as far as the eye could see. There were wild horses galloping in fields and other farmland animals gracing around them. Despite the terrifying nature of their host, it was peaceful there. Thorin, Maggie noticed, was eager and she walked with him a few paces away from the house. It was still in sight but they finally had privacy. Without warning Thorin pulled Maggie in for a kiss, one of many they had shared of late. His insistent mouth was parting her trembling lips, sending wild tremors along her nerves, inflicting sensations she had never known she was capable of feeling. Then, she kissed him back again, the kiss getting deeper than the forest that surrounded them.

"Someone is in a good mood?" Maggie teased

"How can I not be?" Thorin asked, "We have a moment to ourselves and I plan on taking advantage of that. I have waited long enough to be alone with you."

Maggie felt a spark of playfulness light up inside her. There was no doubt that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, but she wasn't about to give to him that easily. "Well that's great, except there's just one small thing."

Thorin raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "And what, pray tell, is that?"

"If you want me, Thorin Oakenshield, you're going to have to catch me first."

In a second Maggie was off. She ran across the grass, between the trees, feeling the coolness of the night air on her skin. Thorin ran after her and naturally, he was much faster and within a few moments, he had caught up with Maggie. He grabbed her waist and pulled her close to him, unwilling to let go. Long had she been on Thorin's mind and now that all the fighting and bad blood was behind them, he was not going to give that up.

"I think I've won." Thorin said. "And now I'm going to claim my prize."

"Do your worst, king under the mountain."

Thorin replied to the challenge by kissing Maggie, deeply. He then picked her up, carried her for a short while before laying her down on the grass beneath them. He positioned himself onto of Maggie, his eyes meeting hers and he pressed her hands down to the grass, as though he was her prisoner. She had forgotten how good it felt to be touched by someone. Especially someone whom she loved. Maggie gently ran her fingers under Thorin's tunic and down his back. For a brief moment, Maggie thought she felt him shiver.

"Are you sure you want this?" Thorin whispered. "I cannot guarantee that I will be able to control myself."

"I don't want you to control yourself." Maggie replied "I just want you. All of you. Unless of course you're scared because in which case-"

Thorin interrupted her by running his hand up her thighs, reaching for that particular warm and soft spot between her legs. Maggie gasped, butterflies stirring inside her. A mischievous grin appeared on Thorin's face as he kissed her neck, wandering down and Maggie let out another gasp of ecstasy, allowing the moment to consume her.

By the time Thorin and Maggie rejoined the others in Beorn's house, breakfast was already served. The others were heartily enjoyed their meals and Riley noticed Thorin's hands holding Maggie's and they saw down at the table. Maggie sat next to Thorin and he wrapped his arms around her. Across the table, Maggie met Riley's eyes and he only grinned and raised an eyebrow at his sister. Margaret Spencer, Riley thought amused, you harlot. Though nobody else said anything of it, they all knew what had happened, especially as Thorin's mood had greatly improved. They talked through the breakfast, their spirits lifted. Every now and again, Riley caught Thorin teasing his sister, playing with her hair, placing a kiss on her cheek, gently nibbling her ear and Riley smiled when she saw how she blushed. It was though Thorin Oakenshield was a completely different dwarf. Someone whose heart wasn't as cold as stone, after all. Maggie had had a few boyfriends in her life, but this was the first time that Riley saw her sister truly love someone and it brought Riley immense joy.

"So you are the one they call Oakenshield?" Beorn asked he poured milk into a jug much larger than could fit Maggie's hand.

Beorn was terrifying. Maggie didn't think (or rather she didn't hope) he would hurt them. All the same, she wouldn't want to piss him off. She put her hand on Thorin's knee and he squeezed, reminding her that everything was okay.

"Tell me," said Beorn "Why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

"You know of Azog?" Thorin asked "How?"

Beorn paused for a while. "My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the orcs came down from the north."

Maggie remembered this. "They hurt your people?" she asked

Beorn's eyes met hers and he nodded. "The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved." He raised his arm and Maggie saw the shackles that were still on his wrists. She shuddered, and couldn't imagine having to survive something so terrible.

"Not for work you understand. But for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them. Seemed to amuse him."

Maggie noticed how Beorn's eyes fell on her scars. "You've known his torture too."

Maggie nodded and for a moment, she saw a hint of empathy in his eyes. One of the dwarves asked if the were others like him. "Once there were many, now there is only one."

As Maggie watched Beorn and they listened to his story, she felt bad for him. His people had suffered through so much pain that was still visible in his eyes. She was grateful that he hadn't decided to kill them and was surprised at how willing he was to listen to their story. Perhaps, Maggie thought, they'd find an unlikely ally in Beorn.

"You need to reach the mountain, before the last days of autumn?" Beorn asked and sat down

Gandalf nodded. "Before Durin's day."

"You are running out of time."

"No shit Sherlock." Riley mumbled. Maggie was sure Beorn had heard him but chose to ignore it. She glanced at her brother and realised he was sitting close to Bilbo. For a brief moment, Maggie could swear she saw Bilbo reach for his hand under the table but quickly pulled it away when Gandalf spoke.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." the wizard said.

"A darkness lies upon that forest." Beorn cautioned. "Fell things creep beneath those trees. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We will take the elven road." Gandalf assured him. "That path is still safe."

"The wood elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin!"

Mirkwood, Maggie knew, was the home of King Thranduil and his son Legolas. She knew Beorn was right, the Mirkwood elves weren't exactly known for being friendly or even likeable. The thought of Legolgas excited her, but she also knew that this was not the same Legolas who would later join the fellowship.

"They are less wise, and more dangerous. But it matters not." Beorn said

Thorin turned to Beorn. "What do you mean?"

"These lands are crawling with orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive."

Maggie's heart sank again, maybe things wouldn't go the way they hoped after all. Beorn stood up again, his huge figure looming over them and Maggie once more felt terrified as he spoke.

"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." he said but Maggie knew he was wrong. This was not true of the dwarves she had come to known since their arrival in Middle-Earth.

"You're wrong." Maggie said.

Everyone's eyes were on her now and she briefly regretted speaking so quickly. She saw the warning eyes of Gandalf but she stood up. "Dwarfs aren't greedy. Certainly not these dwarfs. They care about people and all they want is to take back their home. You of all people should know what the feels like? To lose the only home you've known and to be banished into the wilderness."

"Maggie!" Riley hissed "Are you crazy?:

Beorn fell silent and seemed to ponder Maggie's words. Her heart was racing fast and she sat down. Beorn walked around, grabbing a small mouse in his hand and then walked up to Thorin.

"I hate dwarves." he said again. "But orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

To everyone's relief, Maggie's words had worked and Beorn had agreed to help supply the company with everything they needed. They had some time before they needed to set off and everyone went about their business, doing their best to get ready for the journey ahead. Riley found Thorin in the stables, Dori and Ori had been there too but quickly left as they realised it wasn't there queue. Riley certainly wasn't the type of person to threaten anyone or cause trouble and tension unnecessarily, but on this occasion he felt he would be much of a brother if he didn't speak with Thorin about his sister.

"Thorin," Riley said. "A word if you will?"

Thorin turned around to Riley. He knew exactly what words Riley wanted to have and the dwarf king found it admirable. Since their arrival in Middle-Earth, the two of them had gotten along well and Thorin saw a friend in Riley, as well as a fine warrior. He appreciated the fact that wanted his sister to be safe, although when it came to battle, there was no doubt Thorin was the stronger of the too.

"Look, I'm not one for big speeches, I like keeping things short and sweet." Riley started

"Indeed, " Thorin noticed. "So I've noticed."

Thorin was no idiot. He saw how Riley interacted with Bilbo and knew they cared for each other, perhaps more than they were willing to admit. He only wondered how long it would take for them to accept it. They certainly wouldn't face any judgement from Thorin and if anyone else in the company gave them grief about it,Thorin would make it his personal mission to shut it down.

"What? I mean...nevermind. Look the thing is, my sister is reserved. She is slow to trust and open up but she loves you and she never truly loved anyone before. Now, I like you and you're my friend but if you hurt my sister, Thorin Oakenshield. I will hurt you."

Thorin put a friendly arm on Riley's shoulder. "Master Riley, I swear on my soul, that no harm will come to your sister either by my doing, or otherwise."

Riley relaxed. Part of him had assumed that Thorin would get defensive. Luckily, that wasn't the case. "Good, we understand each other then." Riley began to walk out from the stable but turned back Thorin. "By the way, she's extremely ticklish. Something that might work in your favour."

"Maggie..is there a reason why Uncle is in a particularly good mood today? I haven't seen him smile like that in a very long time."

Maggie was helping Ori stock up their supplies with food and making sure everything was in order before leaving. Thorin had made it very clear that they should be leaving as soon as possible. Wandering through the depths of Mirkwood was unwise at the best of times, but even more so during the dark. Maggie wasn't looking forward to it, but nonetheless, it had to be done. She filled a drinking vessel with water and put in the pocket of her bag.

"I don't know why you're asking me, Fili." Maggie said

"You are terrible at lying." Fili put his arm around Maggie as they walked. "So, I take you and Uncle finally saw sense and got your frustrations...taken care of?"

"Fili!"

"What?" he teased "Oh come on, we heard you."

"What?!"

"I'm yours my king." Fili teased in a mocking voice.

Maggie's cheeks pinked and she wanted the Earth to swallow her up. "Oh Christ.."

Kili joined in. "So, when do we start calling you Aunty?"

Maggie pushed Fili away, but knew it was useless. The teasing, she had a feeling, was something she was going to have to get used to. "Shut up!"

"I need to take notes from you guys." Riley said as he joined them. "You're great at this."

"Well, we've had years of practice." Fili said. "Come on, we should get the ponies ready."

Kili and Fili were off and Maggie sighed, looking at her brother who just raised an eyebrow and gave her a cheeky smile as he linked arms with her. Maggie knew of course, this peace wouldn't last too long..

To be continued…

Another long chapter, sorry about that. I hope you like it though, let me know what you think!