Disclaimer: The Hobbit (movies/book) is owned by J.R.R Tolkien and Peter Jackson respectively. The song at the end is called "Heavily", which is featured in Joss Whedon's adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing".

A/N: Here we are, Thorin's burial. This was a tough chapter to write because I wanted to talk about things leading up to the burial. I know in the movie Bard is outside with his family but I've changed a few things. I've added a couple of bits from the book as well, which I hope you guys will enjoy! One more chapter to go after this!

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Of Last Goodbyes

There were few people Riley had met in his life, that installed such instant fear in him as Lady Dis, daughter of Thrain. To say that she was an intimidating dwarrowdam, was a grave understatement. To put in Riley's own words, she was fucking terrifying and scared the living daylight out of him. She definitely resembled Thorin, he thought, with her raven hair and the icy blue eyes. She also had an authoritative air about her and Riley could easily imagine her and Thorin having plenty of arguments in their youth.

They all stood gathered in the Great Hall, the Company in the front with Elrond, Tauriel and Legolas on the left side of the line. Bilbo and Riley stood on the right and Dain was in front of them, with two of his guards. Riley couldn't help but feel like he was at Tudor court and they were receiving a royal visitor from another European country.

"Ah Lady Dis, long years have passed since these halls were blessed with your presence."

"Oh please, cousin. Spare me your pleasantries."

"Mother!"

Dis ignored Dain's annoyed huffs and when he stepped aside, Fili and Kili both ran up to their mother who embraced them in a long hug. For a moment, Riley forgot that the two brothers were great warriors, because when he saw Fili and Kili hug their mum, he realized they were just two young dwarves who had lost the man that raised them as a father. It must have been a long time since Fili and Kili last saw their mother and Riley swore he even saw Dis shed silent tears. When she let go of her sons and composed herself, Fili and Kili stepped aside and revealed Maggie who was standing behind them. From the expressions in his sister's eyes, Riley could tell that Maggie was also terrified. Rightfully so, Dis was Thorin's sister. Maggie did her best to remain calm when Dis marched up to her, until she was barely an inch from Maggie's face. The dwarrowdam studied her carefully, as if trying to decide what to make of her. Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, Dis pulled Maggie in for a hug. Riley noticed Fili and Kili exchange shocked glances. Just like her brother, it seemed as though Lady Dis was known for being slow to trust. Yet, Riley knew her acceptance of Maggie was instant.

"Have you eaten?" Dis asked, her voice filled with concern.

Maggie shook her head and appeared to be at a loss for words. It was rare Riley saw his sister speechless. Dis turned to the rest of the Company and almost instantly, some of the dwarves took a step back.

"That simply won't do." Dis said "Where is Bombur?"

"He is preparing a feast to be held in the great hall, my lady." Bifur said carefully "It will be ready shortly."

"Good. In the meanwhile, let's walk child. We have much to discuss."

Dis put her arms around Maggie as they began to walk. When she quickly looked at Riley, he mouthed the words "good luck" at her before the turned left into one of the many corridors. As soon as Dis was out of sight, there was a collective sigh of relief amongst the group and Dain immediately began giving orders about what to do. Even though the battle was over, the dwarves were still on alert and tried to find some sort of structure in their daily life. The life the Company had on the road, Riley realised, was vastly different from the life they were actually used to under the mountain.

"I hear you're going away." Kili asked as he appeared on Riley's right side, a short moment later.

"Who told you?" Riley asked "Wait...did you guys eavesdrop again?"

"So distrustful, little brother." Fili replied as he appeared on Riley's left. "If you must know though, it was Balin who told us. You're leaving for Dunedain?"

Hearing the slight mischievousness in Fili's voice gave Riley a huge sense of relief. Not only was he glad that Fili and Kili were actually talking to him, but that they seemed more like their normal selves. It gave him hope that eventually, things would begin to go back to normal, whatever that meant.

"Yes." Riley said. "The Dunedain rangers are my family and if I'm ever going to understand my father and what our part in all of this is, I have to see them."

"Have you told Maggie?" Fili asked.

Riley shook his head. "Not yet, she's not going to be happy, but I hope she'll understand."

"Who's going with you?" Kili asked "You can't go alone."

"Bard and Legolas have offered to come with me. Although, honestly, I'm a little scared about the whole thing. I'm not sure what to expect and this is all completely different from what we originally set out to do."

"What about Maggie?" Fili asked "Where will she go?"

"Rivendell." Riley replied. "I think it's the best place for her, at least for the remainder of the pregnancy."

They walked in silence for some time, each of them thinking things through. None of them said it, but all three of them could feel that things were changing. They weren't sure if it was for better or for worse, but things would be different from now on. One quest had ended, but another one was only just beginning. Kili trusted Bard and Legolas, but a part of him felt like he should be there too. Of course, he was happy to see his mother again and he had missed her dearly, but something inside Kili spoke to him and he couldn't quite explain it. He just knew that he still had a part to play.

"I'll come too." Kili said after a while. "I don't know how, but I think I'm supposed to. Besides, I've seen how reckless that elf is with his bow and arrows."

"Your mum is going to absolutely hate it." Riley said, with a chuckle. "What will you tell her?"

"We'll tell her it's what we need to do." Fili told him "Kili needs follow you to Dunedain and Maggie should have someone familiar in Rivendell."

"Fili...are you sure? I can't ask that of you."

"You're not asking either of us. We've made up our minds." Fili insisted. "You and Maggie are our family now and it's the least we can do after everything you have done for us."

Tears began to well up behind Riley eyes and he quickly dried them away. Despite everything that had happened, he was grateful to have found something that resembled family.

After having spent the evening observing Maggie and her brother, one thing became exceedingly obvious to Dis. Thorin's Company saw them as family and perhaps more than that; kin. It could only mean that Thorin himself had come to view them as such. Knowing her brother, Dis assumed that Thorin must have accepted them as part of his family long before he realised they were. Dis had known most of the Company for decades, some over a century and she knew they were slow to trust. Particularly Gloin and Dwalin who were perhaps more stubborn than her brother had been. Then there were her sons, who seemed particularly taken with the odd pair. Dis had heard Fili refer to Riley as "little brother"and both him and Kili doted on Maggie as though she were a princess. Over dinner, her sons had recounted tales of their adventures to her and how Riley had gone on adventures of his own with Gandalf the Grey and had apparently become quite the skilled swordsman. Riley remained polite when Dis asked him question and she could tell he was scared of her, but he had good manners. When it came to Maggie, Dis really felt for her. Losing a lover while pregnant was not easy. The fact that the baby was Thorin's son, as well as half-human made matters all the more complicated. Dis would certainly have words with Oin about the progress of her pregnancy and how the bay was doing. Under other circumstances, Dis would be unimpressed but the truth was, seeing how the Company cared for Maggie and Riley, was enough for her.

She wasn't too keen on the presence of not just one, but three elves within the mountain. It was clear that Kili was smitten with Tauriel and Dis wasn't sure she approved of it, her dislike for elves was a trait she shared with both her brother's. As for the other two elves, she understood that Legolas was a recent ally despite being Thranduil's son. It seemed strange to Dis, yet nobody questioned his loyalty. Then, there was Lord Elrond of Rivendell and he was the enigma in the group. It made sense to Dis that Legoas and even Tauriel were there but she was uncertain of Elrond's place. She knew that the Company had spent some time in Rivendell and had offered sanctuary within his halls, for which she remained grateful. Yet, something about the elf-Lord's presence unsettled her and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Sometimes, she caught his eyes linger for only a moment or two on Maggie and Dis couldn't help but wonder if there was perhaps something unspoken she had missed out on.

Dis remembered when Thorin had first mentioned the quest to her and how excited he had been at the thought of finally reclaiming what was rightfully theirs. She'd been cautious and wary at first, because she recognized the passion that could so easily turn into the same madness and mania which had destroyed their father and grandfather. While Thorin was a fair leader and kind brother, he had a habit of doing things in the heat of the moment. He was driven by his passion and his emotions. He'd always had a strong sense of what was right and what was wrong. Meanwhile, Frerin had been the more careful of the two brothers. Frerin never did anything without considering all the possible consequences, a trait which often drove Thorin mad and the two would have many arguments which Dis would find ways to stop. Dis sighed at the thought of Frerin and realised it had been a long time since she had thought of him. When news came of Thorin's death, Dis had been heartbroken and she was still in pain, but she had also been prepared. A part of her knew that there was a small chance the quest would no go without sacrifice. Grief was a recent companion of Dis and she had grown used to its presence. After the loss of a father, mother and two brothers, she had ways of coping with it. Ways to make herself stronger and make sure she would be there for sons when they needed her. Dis knew how hard it was to raise children alone and if it weren't for Thorin's help when Fili and Kili were young, she wasn't sure how she would manage. She owed it to her brother to be there for her nephew, as much as she was able to. Whether or not Maggie would accept her help, was a different matter entirely.

Dis' gaze wandered across the table and fell on the remaining two newcomers to Erebor; Bard the Dragon Slayer and Bilbo Baggins of the Shire. From what Dis had heard, Bard was a hero and yet he didn't seem to view himself as such. If it wasn't for him, Smaug would still be alive and the dwarves certainly wouldn't be able to return to the mountain, yet Bard remained humble about it. Finally, there was Bilbo who was another enigma to Dis. She knew little of Shirefolk btu what she did know, was that it was rare they strayed far from home. They also rare interacted with those were not hobbits, yet Bilbo sat at the dinner table, happily conversing with Bifur and complimenting Bombur on his cooking. He laughed at Bofur's daft sense of humor and made sure Maggie was actually eating instead of just picking at her plates. It was clear the Company loved him as well. As strange as it was, Dis was left with no choice other than to accept her new found extended family and if it was one thing she had learned over the years it was that family was not only those with whom you shared blood.

"Mother, can we talk?" Kili asked

Sometime after dinner when Bombur was clearing up in the kitchen, her sons had come to find Dis in the room that used to be her study. Even though everything was covered in dust and there was still a vague lingering scent of dragon, the room was remarkably. She remembered having spent many evenings there in her youth, reading books on Arda history while Thorin would pace back and forth impatiently, complaining about something annoying Frerin had done or how their father didn't understand him. They were fond memories and Dis realised how she missed her brothers. Dis turned to her sons who entered the room, Fili held his hands behind his back and Kili gaze wandered around the room.

"What are you going to tell me that I won't like?" Dis asked, with her arms crossed.

She raised an eyebrow while she waited for a reply A moment of silence fell between them as Dis studied her sons, trying to figure out what to expect from their nervous expressions. Fili spoke first.

"Maggie and Riley have been through a lot." he began, "This world is not their own, despite their heritage. They know very little of their own kin and the path they are supposed to take. Riley has decided that going to Dunedain is the only way for him to connect with his family and find out what the Valar really wants with them. They thought that accompanying us on our quest was it and obviously things have changed, but I think they both feel as though their work here is not yet done. Maggie has decided to take residence in Rivendell and I have decided that I, along with Oin and Dwalin will go with her."

"In Rivendell!? With that surly elf-lord?" Dis screeched, a bit louder than she'd intended "Absolutely not! I will not allow it! She should be here, where her child can be born within our walls. It is where he belongs, with his people. Married or not, the child is Thorin's son and a prince of this kingdom."

"I don't disagree, mother." Fili said calmly. He walked up to her and gently took her hands. "But please understand that this place might not be the best for her. For one thing, she is human and not used to being underground for an extended amount of time. The baby is also half human and Oin isn't sure if this environment is good for her, given the circumstances. We are not asking you to allow it, but to try and understand it."

"Hmph...I suppose that makes sense." Dis huffed "What about Dale? Isn't that good enough? It would certainly be closer and there are humans in Dale."

"Dale is still a mess." Kili explained "It will take time to rebuild. It is no place for a pregnant woman. Rivendell is familiar to her and she will be with her kin. Strong magic protects those borders and no harm will come to her there. Lord Elrond has also said you are more than welcome to visit, anytime you'd like."

Dis sighed, admitting defeat. Another thing became very clear to her and that was how much her sons had grown since she had last seen them. When they'd left her in Ered Luin, Fili and Kili were both very much young and their hearts filled with passion. Something had changed them on this journey and they were no longer her dwarflings who would cause so much mischief and drive her insane. Although, she was still certain they caused mischief whenever given a chance. It was admirable, Dis thought, for them to stay loyal to Maggie and Riley even though the quest was over. She assumed her sons felt indebted to them after their help on the quest and where Maggie was concerned, Thorin had raised Fili and Kili and perhaps they felt it was their duty to help her.

"I do not like parting from you again." she admitted after a while "But at least I know you will be safe this time, although the path to Dunedain is long and I don't know what lives in those woods."

"We will be fine, mother." Kili said

Both Kili and Fili hugged their mother, relieved that the conversation had gone much better than originally predicted. Just like Thorin, Dis could have a bit of a temper and there had been many times when her and Thorin had fallen out over small things.

"Your uncle must have truly loved her." Dis realised.

Fili nodded. "He did. You should have seen his face when he found out she was pregnant. I have never seen such joy in his eyes. I miss him, mother."

"And I." Kili added

"As do I." Dis said "But we may take solace that he is now with Mahal, in the great halls of our forefathers."

At least, Dis thought, that was something which would help her sleep at night.

The next few days passed and soon they reached the end of the mourning people. As the day of Thorin's burial approached, a strange sort of silence fell over Erebor. Mostly, everyone went about their business and carried on with preparations. The burial itself would take place in the early evening and the people of Dale had also been notified.

Maggie sat on a chair in her bedroom and combed her hair in front of a mirror. She saw the dark circles under her eyes and wished she was able to cover them with makeup. It was unfortunate that she couldn't hide her emotions with make-up too. She had been prepared for this day for a week and yet she wasn't prepared at all. Months ago, she'd been living a normal life in London with a job and friends she loved. Her family had never been a perfect one, but she'd loved them nonetheless. Their dad's death all those years ago had brought them closer together and Maggie thought she had a pretty good idea of what she wanted with life. Then, one that miserable day in Wales, something extraordinary happened and her and Riley found themselves in Middle-Earth with Thorin Oakenshield and Company. The strangest thing to Maggie, was how quickly everything had become normal and how much she loved these dwarves. At first, she'd hated the idea of having to trek across Middle-Earth to Erebor on some quest she was supposed to be a part of. Now, she wouldn't hesitate to do it all over again in a single heartbeat. The Company was their family, some of them literally and she owed them so much.

A couple of days earlier, Riley and Maggie had talked about their future. At first, they'd both assumed the Valar would send them home after their part was fulfilled but seeing as things had changed and they were still in Middle-Earth, they needed a plan. Riley had told her about his plans to travel north into Dunedain and while Maggie didn't like the idea of parting ways with her brother again, she knew he had to go and she understood why. They had both been close with their dad, but Riley even more so than Maggie. She hoped that the Dunedain Rangers would be able to help him and that they could understand more about their past and the man their father had once been. She was happy that Riley wouldn't be going alone and that he would have Bard, Legolas, Kili and Tauriel with him. She had no idea what awaited them in the wild, but Legolas seemed to think the road ahead would be unsafe, especially after the Necromancer.

As for herself, Maggie could feel herself changing with the unborn child inside her. She still felt the loss of Thorin as every day passed and every day the pain grew stronger. She wasn't sure if it would ever truly go away and sometimes, Maggie didn't know how she would be able to survive it. She knew she had to, of course, because of her baby. Bard's words still echoed at the back of her mind and he was right. If she couldn't be strong for herself, then she had to at least try and be strong for her and Thorin's son. The idea of motherhood terrified Maggie and she had no idea how to be a mother. What would she tell her child when he was old enough to understand that he didn't have a father? How would she explain everything to him, when there was so much she couldn't understand herself

Lady Dis had made it clear that Maggie's choice to stay in Rivendell was something that displeased her, but even so, she had accepted it. No doubt thanks to Fili and Kili who had taken Maggie's side. Even though Dis had been nothing but kind to Maggie, she still terrified her and certainly wouldn't want to offend her. Dis had already had her sons taken away from her once and now they were leaving her again, just as they were burying her second brother. Still, Maggie was happy that Fili would be joining her in Rivendell along with Oin and to her surprise, even Dwalin. Dwalin had always been the one closest to Thorin and had almost acted as his bodyguard. Maggie guessed that maybe since Thorin's passing, Dwalin felt his duty now lay with the baby.

In the distance, the sound of a horn snapped Maggie out of her thoughts and a knock on the door made her jolt a bit. She closed her eyes, inhaled and then exhaled a deep breath.

"Ah, Lady Maragret." came a familiar and kind voice from the doorway. "I thought you might want some company."

"Gandalf!"

Maggie hadn't seen Gandalf since that day on Ravenhills. Shortly after the return to Erebor, the wizard had taken his leave without telling anyone where he was going. It had caused some turmoil in the group and some of the company thought it was rude, but Maggie and Riley had both figured there was a reason behind it, as always. Perhaps, Maggie thought, even the great Istari needed time and space to grieve and process difficult emotions. She wondered if Gandalf felt guilty, because he had been the one to urge Thorin to reclaim Erebor in the first place. There was no need for such guilt, Maggie knew, because nobody blamed Gandalf.

After Gandalf released Maggie from his embrace, he leaned on his staff and looked at her with those familiar warm eyes. There was a hint of sadness in them, Maggie noticed, even though he didn't cry.

"I'm not ready for this, Gandalf." Maggie whispered and felt a knot form in her stomach. "I'm not sure if I can say goodbye because if I do, it'll really mean that he's gone."

"My dear child," Gandalf said "Saying farewell is never easy, but death is not the end. It is but another path. One that we all must take eventually. But, just because someone has passed, it does not mean they stop being with us. Thorin will always watch over you and your son. Not to mention, you have a whole company of dwarves who have made it their mission to protect you and as will I. You are not alone in this. Come now, it is time."

Gandalf put an arm around Maggie and they left her room together. As they reached the Great Hall, several dwarves, elves and men had gathered in two lines, leaving space for a path through the room which lead to the burial chamber. The procession to the burial room was lead by Dis, Fili, Kili, Gandalf, Dain and Maggie. Behind them followed Riley, Bilbo and the company. At the end of the procession line was Legolas, Tauriel, Elrond and Bard. Dwalin, Bofur, Bifur and Ori carried torches in with them to the burial chamber. The chamber itself was a large room made out of stone. There were other tombs in the chamber from kings of old. Thorin had been placed in the centre of the chamber, atop a stone table, dressed in his finest clothing. The Arkenstone lay on his chest, its bright light casting a reflection around the room.

For a while, Maggie stood frozen in the doorway to the burial chamber and felt her heart beat in her chest. It was the first time she had seen Thorin since Ravenhills and suddenly all the pain and heartache she had been able to keep steady came rushing back to her. Gandalf gently squeezed her shoulder guided her carefully the room as Balin and Dori took her by the end. The mourning was intimate and intense and almost too much to handle. As Maggie watched the dwarves gather around Thorin's tomb, she felt her breathing become more shallow and tears welled up in her eyes. She looked around her and while most of the dwarves remained silent, she saw her brother crying and Bilbo struggling to breathe. Fili and Kili stood on each side of her, Fili with buried his head into Maggie's shoulder and Kili squeezed her hand. Bombur was comforting Nori at the far side of the room and even Balin was crying.

Suddenly, the sound of familiar footsteps reached Maggie and when she turned around, she was surprised to see Thranduil appear in the doorway. The other dwarves were also surprised and nobody quite knew how to react. Thranduil was dressed elegantly in silver robes, and a purple cloak over his shoulder, with his blonde hair cascading down his back. A spark of anger made itself known in Maggie's chest.

"What's he doing here?" Maggie asked "He is neither friend nor family."

"I mean no harm, Lady Margaret." Thranduil replied. "I come to pay my respects to the King and to return what is rightfully his."

The dwarves stepped aside as Thranduil marched up to Thorin's tomb. Maggie watched in awe as Thranduil carefully placed Orchrist on Thorin's chest. He whispered words in Elvish, bowed his head in respect and as he turned to walk away, his gaze met Maggie's before the elf-king joined his son at the back of the chamber. Maggie's eyes met Legolas who gave her a nod and when Maggie turned back to the tomb, she let out a heavy sigh. Seeing Thorin in front of her made everything seem more real, his body was lifeless and cold but it was still him. The same dwarf whom she had once had with such fire and then somehow found herself in love with. Maggie could have happily imagined a life with him at his side as they raised their son and watched Thorin rebuild the kingdom that was once lost to them. Yet, that would never happen and Maggie would never get to see that smile again or feel his lips on hers or hear him laugh. He would never get to hold his newborn son or watch him grow. Maggie would have to do it all alone.

As she struggled to hold back the grief, tears flowed steadily and silently down immobile face. Maggie felt Riley's arms wrap behind her and she cried into her shoulders.

"It's okay, Maggie." he hushed her "I've got you. You're not alone."

Maggie knew she wasn't alone but she also knew it would be a long while before it was okay. She wasn't sure how much time had passed when they finally left chamber and sealed its doors behind them, but when they did they all gathered in the King's Hall, where Beorn and Radagast had also joined them. Dain stood in the by the throne and Gandalf held the crown over his head.

"The King is dead!" the wizard called out "Long live the King!"

"Long live the King!" The crowd joined in and Gandalf placed the crown on Dain's head.

Thorin Oakenshield was no longer the King Under the Mountain.

Pardon, goddess of the night,

Those that slew your virgin knight,

For the which, with songs of woe

Round and round her tomb they go.

Midnight, assist our moan.

Help us to sigh and groan

Heavily, heavily.

Graves, yawn and yield your dead,

Till death be utterèd,

Heavily

To be continued…

Another not super-interesting chapter but a lot happened. I decided I wanted to have Thranduil place Orchrist on Thorin's body because it happens in the book and is pretty significant as the story goes. We have one more chapter to go and then it's the end of this fic. What did you think? Are you excited for the sequel?