Disclaimer: I don't own any familiar characters, and or anything pertaining to the world of the Hobbit. All, but my ocs, are owned by J.R.R Tolkien (who probably hates us for doing this to his work).
Chapter 7
For the second time in a row, Magdalen woke to distant voice calling to her. Her eye fluttered readjusting to the dim, warm light of the room around her, part of her hoped she'd wake up to find herself back in her apartment. Felicity and Emma would be in the kitchen making pancakes like they did on Sunday mornings, nursing hangovers. Emma blabbing about all the hilarious adventures they drunkenly went on the night before. When Magdalen opened her eyes, she wasn't welcomed by the familiarity of her room, but rather the one she had tried to escape. The one where she had an encounter with Oin. Oin. She thought. It all had been real, a fictional side character from her childhood told her that she was in fact in a fictional kingdom.
I'm dead. Surely she was dead, maybe that car had hit her. Or perhaps that strange man killed her; a shiver wondered up her spine. Magdalen had always wondered what happened after people died, she never pictured this. She hadn't gone to church in a while, but she was confident the bible never mentioned that heaven took the form of Middle Earth. It all had been too much. Magdalen felt the bile burn at the back of her throat. A glass of water sat beside her on the bedside table, her hand clamped around the clay cup. Hurriedly she chugged back the water, feeling the lukewarm water settling in her stomach.
Magdalen rolled her neck listening to the pop and cracks. Her fingers pressed into the sore muscle trying to find some relief. Her heavy eyes caught sight of a copper tube in the corner of the room; she didn't recall one being there when she fell asleep. Magdalen cautiously rose from the bed she had been given. She moved toward the tub finding it had been filled and recently as the water was still warm against her skin. Her hand glided across the water; it felt pleasant and calming. Three loud knocks interrupted her serenity; her eyes snapped toward the door as it crept open revealing a tiny woman.
Magdalen froze watching the women walk toward her now empty bed. Magdalen observed the girl; she looked no older than herself. The girl laid out hemp of green fabric on her bed. She was a few inches shorter than herself and had curves that filled out her dress. She wore medieval clothing similar to what Oin had wore the previous night. A short red skirt covered her hips and legs and showed off fur lined durable boots, with a dark corset decorated with a pale blue embroidery covered a white blouse that clothed her arm. Her red hair was lovely laying halfway down her back in a fishtail braid. The girl spotted Magdalen, turning to Magdalen to reveal her face. Her nose, like Oin, was angular but much thinner than Oin's had been. The girl's skin was dark and highlighted her copper hair. Her cheeks were round and dusted with a pink tint. Her face framed by two sideburns that grew into two tendrils set into their own braids. Magdalen saw caught off guard by the light bread that was established along either side of her face.
The girl smiled looking relieved, "There you are, I was worried you might have slipped away again."
Magdalen froze in her spot, unsure what to say to the girl. Hi, I'm in a fictional place and aren't sure you are real. Oh by the way I'm pretty sure I'm dead, wasn't the best way to start a conversation.
The girl sensing Magdalen's hesitation carried on the conversation not offended by her quietness. "You caused a lot of commotion yesterday, nothing that exciting has happened around here in a while. You were all people could talk about." The girl laughed plucking color jars from the cabinet, collecting them in her arm. She came close to Magdalen setting the pots on a small table beside the tub.
"I am Dearmra, daughter of Halmra and apprentice to Oin." Deamra announced proudly, are all dwarves so proud of their heritage? Dwarves. Oh my god was she a dwarf. Magdalen wondered. Was it rude to ask if someone was a dwarf? Magdalen wasn't sure of social etiquette in this world. Not wanting to offend the nice girl she resided to just telling her name.
"I'm Magdalen Kathan," Magdalen held out her hand to Deamra, who stared at the open hand.
Deamra scrunched her nose tilting her head. "What are you doing?" She question, Magdalen's hand faltered for a moment.
"Um, you are supposed to shake it," Magdalen explained slowly like she was talking to a child. Deamra took Magdalen small hand in her large one, shaking it lightly holding onto for a moment too long.
"If I may ask Miss Magdalen, why are we shaking hands?" Magdalen let out a small laugh taking her hand back from Deamra.
"It's what people do when they first meet where I come from." Deamra nodded not knowing this strange custom, she only seen people shake hands when sealing a deal not when meeting them.
"Magdalen, that's a unique name I have never heard of such a name." Demra commenting gathering two small towels in her hand. Magdalen wasn't sure whether to take it as a compliment or be offended, so she chose not to comment on it.
"You can call me Maggie, everyone does."
Deamra smiled "Maggie, I like it."
Turning back to her bed Deamra messed with the green fabric she had laid out. Magdalen watch the girl, "Miss Maggie let's get you washed up, and then we'll get you ready to meet with the royal council" Deamra moved closer to Magdalen, who pressed her back into the lip of the copper tube, held a hand out to stop Deamra from moving closer.
"Now wait a minute- why am I meeting with the royal council" the words sounded ridiculous in her mouth," and I can wash myself!" She added quickly batting the girl away.
Deamra blinked, Oin was right this girl was indeed odd. "You punched the crown prince, although Oin did come to your defense, the King still insisted on seeing you before deciding what to do with you."
"What to do with me?" That sentences scared her infinitely. Deamra nodded her head avoiding Magdalen's startling gaze.
Deamra reached out taking her hand and began to undo the bandages on her hand when Magdalen let out a loud gasp quickly cover her mouth with her uninjured hand. "I punched a Prince!" Magdalen yelled horrified by the sudden flood of memories from the night before.
Deamra sheepishly nodded "Aye, according to Oin you left quite the bruise too."
Magdalen felt panic flood her soul, "Are they going to kill me, is that what the King meant by seeing 'What to do with me?" Maggie hurriedly spat out, Deamra laughed rolling the bloodied bandages up before tossing them to the side.
"No the King and his family are fair and just people, they will not hurt you in any means," Deamra reassured her gently patting her arm. Magdalen nodded though her anxieties remained.
Deamra had helped Magdalen remove the bandages around her torso and head. But Magdalen had convinced Deamra to let her bath alone, a point Magdalen refused to budge on. Deamra had caved telling her to be quick, keeping the royal family waiting was ill-advised. After a short time of soaking in the warm water, Magdalen had begun to think over the details from The Hobbit her grandfather read to her as a child. While she had loved the story as a kid, her love for it died out as she grew older. Magdalen didn't know if knowing any of the details would help her.
When her grandfather became sicker in his old age and stopped speaking she would occasionally read his favorite story to him. Adding in the small details that he had used to flourish the story in his own way, she would see his eyes burn brighter when she did. But she hadn't picked up the story in since her grandfather's death. She had kept his copy of the book, which he had written in, but found it far too painful to pick up.
She knew she was in Erebor, so that meant the events of The Hobbit had passed. She wasn't sure how close the events of the Lord of the Rings were. And she hardly knew anything about that story. Magdalen let out a sigh bringing a handful of water to run over her face.
Magdalen played with her necklace that rested on the base of her neck thinking back on her grandfather; she hadn't taken it off since her grandfather gave it to her on her sixteenth birthday. It was a beautiful little trinket he had told her it had been in his family for generations and had given it to her mother when she turned sixteen. Interact silver knotted in angular markings forming a small oval shape guarding a shining green emerald. She cherished it with all of her heart. Her fingers fiddled over the silver markings when Deamra knocked on the door, asking if she was decent. Magdalen carefully climbed from the tub her feet touching the unforgiving cold floor, quickly wrapping a towel around her body yelling Deamra to come in.
Magdalen picked up her leggings, bra, and shirt that were disregarded in a pile by the tub. She moved behind the dressing curtain that Deamra had brought in.
"What are you doing?" Deamra asked gathering the green fabric in her hands.
Magdalen looked down at her clothing then back up to Deamra, "I was going to put my clothes back on…"
Deamra shook her head snatching the dirty clothes from out of her hand. "You can't meet the royal family in bloodied and torn clothes." She scolded tossing the clothes into a basket. Deamra had a point; this King guy already had a wrong impression of her. She didn't need to add to that by looking half dead.
"Here I brought you one of my dresses, it might be too big, but it will have to do." She held out a forest green dress, taking it in her hand Magdalen realized how heavy the fabric was. Magdalen stood in the middle of the room, her arm holding her towel to her body looking down at the dress.
Maggie blushed looking down at the dress in her arms. "Thank you Deamra… Umm, can I have my bra back."
Deamra was right; the dress didn't fit her well, but it would have to do for now. The top of the dress kept falling off her shoulder, causing the V neckline to show more than she felt comfortable with. The sleeves opened around her wrist and were decorated with a thick line of fur. Deamra gave Magdalen her belt to keep the dress on her; the skirt was short showing off the brown tights Deamra had bought for her. The boots, however, didn't fit her and hurt her feet. Magdalen insisted that going barefoot would be fine much to Deamra's dismay. Looking in the mirror, Magdalen felt odd like she was playing dress up and wiggled in the fabric. It felt soft against her dry cracking skin and allowed her skin to breathe despite how heavy it had clasped in her arms.
"You look beautiful," Deamra commented running her fingers through Magdalen's short blonde locks untangling the knots that had taken root in her hair. Magdalen hummed uncomfortable at the sight in the hand-mirror, she felt like she was in a fever dream. A very real fever dream. The door behind them swung open to reveal a familiar figure. There was the man who had kept her from falling to her untimely death. He was just as mean looking as she had remembered, his face set in a death glare just as it had been the night before. Looking at him now she saw details she had missed in the haze of adrenaline. A tattoo,, and fading, decorated the top of his bald head. His hair dark and harsh looking, it was choppy like he had cut it with one of the many intimidating weapons that were on his person. Deamra let out a quiet squeak hearing the door bounce against the wall and standing straight to meet the mean dwarf's gaze.
"The King requests your presence, girl" The man gruffed crossing his trunk-like arms over one another.
Magdalen gulped, the man was undoubtedly someone she didn't wish to mess with. Magdalen looked at Deamra with fear in her eyes; the girl gave her a soft reassuring smile touching her freshly wrapped hand.
"Go you don't want to keep the King waiting, I will be right here when you get back I promise." Maggie swallowed her terror standing straight as she walked toward the dwarf, not letting him see any fear in her eyes. The man scrutinized her every move, ready to attack if she had even made the slightest wrong movement. Once Magdalen was close, the dwarf turned walking out the door gesturing her to follow. Magdalen turned to look at Deamra one last time; she gave her a wave watching as Magdalen stepped into the hall. Deamra said a silent pray to Aulë that he may watch over her new friend.
As soon as Magdalen stepped into the hall, she was flanked by two dwarves on either side of her like she was a cow needing herding. The grumpy dwarf brought out iron cuffs and reached for her arms. Magdalen backed herself into another dwarf, shielding her body away from grump, as she named him in her minds.
"What do you think you are doing!"
The grumpy growled, "You attacked someone last night."
Magdalen huffed as the dwarf took her arms in a tight grip, clasping the irons around her wrist. She winced as his grip dug into one of her cuts. The man must have seen this, and quickly let go of her arm turning away from her. He spoke to the guards in a language she did not recognize before heading down the hallway. He called over his shoulder for her to keep up. The guards pushed her forward; she snapped at them not to touch her. Magdalen shot them a dark gaze; the guards were unfazed by her empty threats once again pushing her forward to follow close behind the dwarf. He led her down long winding halls, and up flights of steps, only to go down some more steps at the next turn. It wasn't until the third flight of stairs she realized what he was doing. The tricky dwarf has making sure she didn't know where she was, giving her no hope of escape. Magdalen rolled her eyes at his strategy, the dwarf had seen this looking smug as he led on. Their small company came to a halt in front of a substantial double sided door. The bald dwarf veered as the four that had been guarding her marched to stand on either side of the door.
"You will only speak when spoken too, and you will show the proper respect you hear me." Her eyes widened as the dwarf pointed a thick dirty finger in her face. She brought up her cuffed hands pushing the fat finger out of her face standing tall to meet his stance. She was taller than him by a couple of inches she looked down at the man. It was his turn to widen his eyes before narrowing them. They were only inches apart Magdalen could feel the anger rolling off of him. He looked as if he were going to say something when the doors opened revealing a shorter white-haired dwarf.
"Dwalin!" Called the new dwarf, he marched over toward the man. Apparently, his name was Dwalin, but Magdalen thought grumpy suited him far better. "There you are we have been waiting,"
The white-haired man told him before looking over to Magdalen. The man smiled at her taking her hand before bowing to touch his forehead to her hand. Magdalen quickly snatched her hand away from the gesture, not sure what to make of it. Why has no one around here heard of a handshake? Dwalin, looking very offended, huffed crossing his arms over one another in a power move. The other man, however, took no grief in her gesture and just offered her a smile. The man was smaller than Dwalin and herself by an inch or two, he wore ruby red robes and a black belt that sat underneath his enormous gut. His nose was large and pointed like Dwalin's. His bushy eyebrows matched his long white bread, in an odd way he reminded her of Santa Claus.
"I am Balin, brother of Dwalin, son of Fundin, and advisor to the King." Balin introduced himself to Magdalen; he was far jollier than Dwalin, who looked like someone pissed in his cereal...Every morning. Magdalen bowed her head. Balin eyed the chain around her wrist before looking at Dwalin.
"Take the irons off the Lass," Balin demanded to his brother.
Magdalen's lip turned up; she liked Balin. "She is not some animal, take them off her!"
Dwalin looked like he was going to argue but instead opted just to take off her chains. Balin smiled satisfied at her freed hand. He placed his hand on her shoulder pushing her toward the door.
"Come come; the royal council will be waiting for you." Balin nodded at the two guards to open up the doors.
"Remember girl I am right here, one wrong move and a bruised hand will be the least of your worries." Dwalin threatened over her shoulder, Balin weaved his hand at his brother's threat, but that did not make Magdalen feel at easy. She swallowed, her body tensed as the door revealed a large chamber. Balin gingerly guided her into the room.
It was breathtaking, a tall ceiling above her held a chandelier covered in rubies and gems. The walls were supported by large wooden beams covered in blue markings that highlighted the brown color scheme of the room. A long table faced her, four dwarves sat on the other side, a woman dwarf whispered in hushed tones to an older dwarf man who sat in the center. On the far side of the table sat a young man, looking to be in his late twenties. His dark hair hung in his face as he chomped on a juicy red apple that made Magdalen's stomach pang with hunger. He was very handsome, and unlike the other dwarves, he barely had a beard which revealed his sharp jawline. His nose was smaller than the other dwarves she had met and matched the woman beside him. He wore a blue tunic with two leather arm bracers. His dark eyes caught sight of her and lit up. A smug smile grew across his lips as he took in the view of her. The woman beside of him must have been his mother, Magdalen decided as she had dark hair like his. She too had only the scruff on her sharp jaw. Two long sideburns braid delicately on either side of her face. Her midnight locks were braided in a fantastic fashion, one braid hung over her forehead holding a beautiful silver charm at the end. She was beautiful and looked regal sitting there like a Queen. She studied Magdalen closely, making her feel uneasy.
Magdalen noticed out of the corner of her eye a familiar face among the strangers. Standing against one of the pillars in the corner, a brass ear trumpet settled in his ear was Oin. He smiled kindly at the girl giving her a wink. Balin moved from her side, Dwalin hanging behind her ready to kill her at the first chance he got. Balin moved to the bottom of the two men turning to face her, locking his hand behind him.
"Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain son of Thror, King of Erebor," Balin introduced the man glaring at her in the middle of the table. He too had dark hair, a strike of silver stood out against the dark locks. His eyes were a brilliant shade of blue and felt icy against her skin. If looks could kill, she would be dead by now.
"Prince Kili, son of Nili, and his mother Lady Dis, Princess of Erebor."Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the woman roll her eyes at Balin's grandstanding, and the boy he concealed a smile.
"And Crown Prince Fili of Erebor, brother of Kili and son of Nili" Balin moved to reveal the last guy. Magdalen inwardly flinched upon seeing him; Prince Fili had been the victim of her fist it had seemed. A large bruise formed under his right eye, which highlighted his long nose. Making it look far more significant than it really was. His hair was golden and filled with long braids. His mustache was braided on either side of his mouth. He wasn't as handsome as Kili was, but he certainly wasn't unattractive. He looked as regal as Thorin and Dis, his back was straight, and his head held high. He didn't look at her with such viciousness in his blue eyes like Thorin had, nor did he didn't smile like Kili. But instead, he studied her, a dark look narrowed in his eyes the longer he looked at Magdalen. She felt her skin began to itch underneath the gaze of everyone in the room.
Thorin, Fili, Kili? She thought to herself, she knew those names and had heard them a hundred times before. Though it had been a long time ago, she knew the ending of The Hobbit by heart. Magdalen had remembered Thorin and his nephews. She did remember that the line of Durin dying, and Bilbo weeping over Thorin. She remembered Fili and Kili dying for each other, an act of brotherly love. It had always been the one thing her grandfather complained about. He would mumble about how it wasn't right, or something was off. But Susan and Magdalen always shrugged it off; their grandfather was an eccentric man. If this wasn't a fever dream, they shouldn't have been alive. Erebor was reclaimed, they should have died in battle. Their cousin or something should be ruling the Lonely Mountain.
Magdalen felt her knees grow weak. "How is this possible." She whispered.
Balin cleared his throat breaking Magdalen from her thoughts; she found all eyes were on her once again. Oin nodded his head toward the table, as they waited on edge to introduce herself.
"I'm Magdalen Kathan." Her voice quivered as she spoke through her person remained still as a stone. Her voice betraying her. They all sat as if waiting for her to say more. "Umm daughter of Robin" she added lamely.
A pregnant pause filled the tense air around them. Her hand felt fidgety, resisting the urge to run straight out the doors knowing Dwalin would fulfill his promise to her if she did. She caught the eyes of the King; his stare sent straight chills down her spine. She did her best to cover her fear but knew he had already seen it since the moment she walked into the room. It was Lady Dis who broke the silence first.
"Tell us, Miss Magdalen, where do you hail from?" She questioned. She had a matter-of-fact- voice that commanded the attention of everyone in the room.
"Avalon, New York," Magdalen replied knowing they wouldn't know where that was. Dis scrunched her nose at the name of her home, "I'm afraid I don't know where that is my dear." Magdalen sighed, her heart panged at the sound of her home.
"It's far from here I'm afraid," She muttered unsure how to explain to them she wasn't from Middle Earth at all. Thorin slammed his hand on the table making Magdalen jump back into Dwalin's chest, who merely pushed her forward again.
"Enough of the nicest Dis, why did you assault Prince Fili." Lady Dis growled King Thorin's direction yelling at him at his rude interruption. Kili sat enjoying as the drama unfolded in front of him, Prince Fili hadn't moved his eye's from her since she had entered. Her eyes darted to his and then back at King Thorins.
"He took me off guard; I thought he was going to attack me." Magdalen exclaimed Dis yelled as soon as the words flew from her mouth "I told you so," Lady Dis nodded in Thorin direction who pointedly ignored Lady Dis's comment.
"Why were you in my room in the first place were you trying to seduce me or kill me." It was Prince Fili who spoke this time, standing up leaning against the table.
Lady Dis gasped at the assumptions. "Honestly, it's like I raised Orcs!" She huffed rolling her eyes.
Magdalen narrowed her eyes taking a step closer to the table; she heard the clutter of armor ready to pounce on her if she made a move for the table. She pointed a finger at the Prince "Listen here bub! I wasn't trying to do either. Don't consider yourself so luck. One minute I'm in my apartment eating mac and cheese the next I wake up sore, covered in my own blood in a strange place. You would have done the same thing if you were me. I had to run; I thought I had been kidnapped by some crazy person way into LARPing or something. I hide in your room; I wasn't trying to seduce you or kill you. I was trying to find a way out!" The breath left her body; she could feel her face becoming red and hot.
The Prince narrowed his eyes at her, "My name isn't Bub, I am a Prince, and you will address me as such. You will do well to hold your tongue before your king." He exclaimed he was becoming redder by the minute.
They entered into a staring competition neither one backing down. "He is not my king," She mutter just loud enough so everyone could hear. "Then who is your king?" Thorin asked a sharpness clearly in his voice. Magdalen broke her gaze from the Prince to look at Thorin; it was indeed him. None of this made sense he and the two princes were supposed to be dead, something was off.
"There are no Kings where I am from." She spoke plainly, "No Kings?" Question Kili who had been sitting back this whole time. She nodded her head; Prince Fili laughed "She must be mad." She threw a daggered glare at the Crowned Prince.
"My king, if I may," Oin broke in before Magdalen ripped Prince Fili to shreds. "The girl does have a serious head wound, and she may not be speaking her true mind right now," Oin explained her odd behavior to the royal council.
Magdalen clenched her fist, calming the firestorm in her belly. Her hand mindlessly drifted to her necklace. Prince Fili noticed her fingers rubbing over the chain around her neck. The emerald jewel shined underneath the light, a fire burst in his blue eyes.
"What is that you are holding?" He barked causing Thorin to stare at the necklace in her hands; he gasped moving from behind the table, his chair screeching behind him. He came to stand right in front of her, Prince Fili following in his wake. Magdalen staggered back as the two men approached her, she noticed that the King was taller than her by a good few inches. But the Prince was too was taller than her, though wasn't as tall as his uncle.
"Show us what you are holding," The King demanded, Magdalen's hand curled into a fist around the jewelry. She bit the inside of her mouth holding back some nasty comments she had for the King and his Prince.
"Well," the Prince waited. Behind them, Lady Dis voiced her protests to Balin loudly so the two could hear her but was ignored. Magdalen slowly took her hand away from the necklace letting it rest on the skin of her chest. Thorin's eyebrow shot up in surprise, Fili leaned forward to take a closer look at the necklace. "Thief!" Fili announced to the room, Magdalen's hand shot back to necklace turning her body away from the two. She heard Dwalin move behind her, looking over her shoulder she found him right behind his hand on the blade around his belt.
"I am not!" Maggie yelled back; Lady Dis stood up moving toward her brother and son.
"What is the meaning of this, Thorin." While Fili now stood too close to Magdalen for comfort, Thorin froze in place looking back to his advisor to the girl before him.
"That is a jewel from Erebor, which you stole! Is that why you came close to Erebor to steal from us" Prince Fili explained tugging on the pendant, his face only inches from her. She took note of the small scar that had healed on his cheek, and how intensely blue his eyes were. She felt his hot breath on her; she shivered at his closeness. Magdalen tried backup feeling the chain of her necklace dig into her skin, falling over when Prine Fili let go of her necklace. Her blank expression morphed as she regained her balance.
She pushed her finger into the Prince's chest, "I am no thief, my grandfather gave this to me when I was sixteen. And I didn't come here willingly, in fact, I still not sure that any of this is real. I am not some master thief; I'm a horrible liar."
Prince Fili opened his mouth but was quieted by Thorin. "Fili, enough" Thorin barked. The little jerk glared at her one last time before he moved behind Thorin. Magdalen's eyes never left his moving figure. Thorin came closer to Magdalen, though not as close as Fili had.
"You said your grandfather gave this to you." Thorin gestured to the necklace in question. Magdalen nodded her hand covering it making sure no one else tried to from her.
"Prince Fili was right that is, in fact, a jewel of Erebor, how did you grandfather come across it." He said calmly.
Magdalen thought for a moment; she didn't know the story of the necklace only that it had been her mother's at one point and that was all she needed to know.
"I don't know, my grandfather gave it, because it was my mothers. I don't know it's history other than that." Prince Fili snorted behind Thorin not believing Magdalen's story. Though he quickly quieted seeing the icy glare of his mother, dropping his gaze to the floor. "And did you grandfather hail from this Avalon, as you do?" Thorin asked.
"No, he immigrated from somewhere in Scotland when he was twenty." She said knowing they wouldn't know where Scotland was. "Scotland? Avalon? These places sound made up." Thorin spoke suspiciously.
"And Erebor does not?" Magdalen remarked earning a huff from the King. The King looked over her once as if assessing her; he turned making his return to his spot at the table.
"Tell us what you remember before you came here." Thorin command as he and Fili once again took their seats.
Magdalen sighed having to retell her story, but she did so from the very beginning. She told them how she was hungry, and she went to the store for food, how she was nearly hit by a car and the strange man with the golden hand. How the windows broke and the flash of light, And she that woke up in the room covered in blood, fearing for her life. Everyone in the room stared at her like she was crazy, she didn't blame them. She sounded crazy as she retold her story, but it was her truth.
No one spoke, all eyes were on her.
Until Kili piped up taking the eyes of Magdalen. "What is Mac and Cheese?" Magdalen let out a small laugh opening her mouth to answer the Prince.
"You claim… You are from a different world?" Fili questioned his face riddled with confusion. Magdalen blinked that was what she was saying, but it sounded even stranger hearing it.
"I guess if you want to put it that way…" She muttered, and it was Thorin who continued the questioning.
"Yet you seemed to be aware of our kingdom and Middle Earth." He was suspicious. Magdalen hesitated, she already sounded crazy what was one more than to add to that.
Magdalen thought about her words carefully."In my world, all of this is in a book, called The Hobbit my grandfather read it to my sister and me as children."
A loud silence fell over the room; Magdalen could hear her heart pounding she prayed that no else could hear it too. A tidal wave of sound erupted the four dwarves. Thorin and Dis begin the main argument as they stood facing each other like two unmoving mountains. She heard Fili calling her mad, and that she must be sick in the mind. And Kili still wondered aloud what Mac and Cheese was. They were definitely going to send her away now; she would have nowhere go to. Magdalen knew how to throw a punch, sure, but that wasn't going to help with the creature's that lay just outside the mountain. She recalled the stories of The Hobbits, thinking of all the orcs and trolls they encountered. The company had barely made it out with the help of Gandalf so many times; she had no wizard to save her at the last minute.
Wait, she yelled in her mind. Gandalf. As a child, her grandfather told fond stories of the wizard, none that were found in any Tolkien literature. Gandalf had been her grandfather's favorite character; he always told her when she was afraid of the dark think of Gandalf that he would always be there to help.
"I can prove it!" She yelled the room in the midst of the chaos. No one listened as they continued to argue amongst themselves. "I can prove it!" Magdalen lurched forward, Dwalin had no time to stop her as she slammed her fist on the table before the king once again fell silent, and all eyes were on her.
"How," Thorin asked, his eyes narrowing at her.
"Gandalf the Grey, he can prove I'm telling the truth." She got out as fast as she could.
Thorin sat back upon hearing the name of the wizard. She wasn't certain Gandalf could prove that she was from another world, but at least it would give her a little time to create a backup plan if he could not.
"Gandalf will be in attendance of the Durin's Day for the marking of the sixth year since we have claimed the mountain, Uncle," Kili spoke up from beside his mother.
Thorin looked to Fili "What do you say we do?" He asked though no in need of an answer, he wanted to see how his nephew would respond. Magdalen stared at Fili, his blue eyes searching her. She stood her ground before the royal council, all the while keeping her head held high. That was something very few brave souls could do. He had seen grown men stand before his uncle sniveling like cowards for much fewer offenses. He had lost his temper around the girl, but he was very protective of the mountain. He had nearly lost his family because it, he wasn't going to let anyone hurt it. He had been the one who had allowed her in, and that caused him much grief.
"Let her stay here, until next Durin's Day, and we shall see if Gandalf can vouch for the girl," Fili said sternly.
Thorin nodded somewhat proud of his nephew diplomacy. "Then that is what we shall do. Miss Magdalen guards will be watching you at all times, do not think of trying anything. One step out of line and I will send you away from Erebor with nothing more than the clothes on your back, and no wizard to vouch for you." Thorin snapped, Magdalen breathed not realizing she had been holding. "You are not to breathe a word about your story, to anyone outside of this room, is that understood?"
Magdalen nodded slowly."Mr. Dwalin escort her back to her room." Fili commanded, watching as Dwalin took the girl by her hand dragging her from the room. She glared at him the whole way out.
"Will I be staying as a prisoner or a guest?" She questioned she watched Fili clinch his hand.
Near her room, Dwalin turned to her a serious look on her face "You have got some balls. I will give you that Lassie." He spoke as they stopped in front of the door. Magdalen smiled at Dwalin's comment, that was a close as he could get to a compliment she believed. Nodding her head, she ducked into the room.
"I like her," Kili chirped with a mouth full of food. Thorin glared at his young nephew who continued to compliment the girl's fire and sass. Dis had left soon after the girl was escorted back to her chamber citing that she didn't wish to be near two hotheads. Thorin finished his plate stomping out of the room muttering that he had 'kingly' things to do, Balin following after him. Kili figured that meant brooding in his study for the rest of the day, as he knew Thorin had no meetings to attend that afternoon. Leaving Kili and Fili alone to finish their breakfasts.
Fili glared in his brother's direction " She was disrespectful, and a little mad if you ask me." He muttered stabbing into sausage.
Kili grinned, "That's why I like her, brother." He winked before chugging his ale.
Fili rolled his eyes, "You shouldn't laugh, this isn't one of your jokes. The girl had an Erebor jewel, she tricked us, Kili." He sneered.
"So Miss Magdalen knew that you and I were going to ride ahead of our advisors taking that specific route. Threw herself out of a tree to gain all of those bruises and cuts. Knew that we would be so noble to take her back to Erebor. Stole a small necklace from our treasury, and then ran back up to the royal wing to punch you in the face. I must say we certainly have an evil genius on our hands, it seems." Kili jested picking away at his plate. Fili sighed miffed that his brother had a point, he knew she couldn't have stolen a jewel but seeing that necklace around her thin neck made him angry. Thinking she had taken advantage of their kindness.
"Her story does not excuse how she behaved." Fili acknowledged, "Either does it excuse your or uncle's behavior." Kili replied standing up to leave the room, turning to his brother before he went.
"I think the girl will lighten things up around here; it has been far too dreary." With that he was gone. Fili couldn't help but agree with that, that girl was stuck here for the foreseeable future. Things were certainly going to change.