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 10

Magdalen decided that she would lock herself away in the library if she could. Hours passed as Ori and Magdalen discussed the books held within the walls of the library. Ori showed Magdalen his personal journals and drawing he had collected over the years. The pictures were amazingly detailed and almost lifelike.

"What is this one?" She held up the yellowed paper looking at the scene draw onto the paper. A dwarf, dawning beautiful furs and clothes, held out a small stone to a crowd of people. Two men each taller than the latter flanked him on either side. Ori took the paper, studying his own drawing.

"That," his finger hovered over the dwarf, "is Thorin after we reclaimed Erebor." He smiled at the distant memory.

"And that is King Bard and Thranduil." He pointed to the men on either side of Thorin. Magdalen's eyebrows knitted. "What are they doing?"

"Elves and dwarves have been at odds for a long time, but none more than Thranduil King of Mirkwood, and Thorin. Thranduil turned his back on us when Smaug took our home. After the Battle of the Five Armies was fought and the dead were buried, the elves of Mirkwood and the dwarves of Erebor came together. Thorin and Thranduil put aside their difference and forged peace between the two people. After his coronation, Thorin, Bard, and Thranduil stood in front of their people in unity and destroyed what had driven them apart for so long, the Arkenstone."

Thorin had destroyed the Arkenstone. In the book the Arkenstone, the treasure of Erebor was the whole purpose of their quest. So how could Thorin have destroyed it? Her grandfather had always complained that Tolkien had made the dwarves out to be greedy treasure hoarders. As a child Magdalen hated Thorin, she had always thought him to be the bad guy of the book. She believed it was his fault that Fili and Kili had died, because of his own greed. Her grandfather thought otherwise of the King of the Lonely Mountian; he always told Magdalen that 'the longing for the things we lose, can drive us from the path that is set before us.' She could almost laugh at how true his words were now. Her grandfather was always saddened by the death of the Line of Durin.

"Why did he destroy it? Wasn't that the whole point of your quest?" Ori blinked, taken back by Magdalen's question.

"W-well we had lost our home, Thorin his kingdom. Thorin's grandfather suffered from gold sickness and believed the Arkenstone to be a divine sign of his rule. When we reclaimed our home the sickness began to spread in him; he lost sight of our quest. The battle began and the orc, Azog the defilers, were at our door. Our hobbit stole the Arkenstone to save Thorin from himself. It was when Thorin watched Fili almost died; Thorin snapped out of it. After the battle was won Thorin promised Bard and Thranduil that he would destroy it, and put their difference behind them."

Magdalen stared down at the drawing. How could the story she knew so well, be so different. And how could her grandfather be so right about Thorin? Magdalen saw a swell of pride in Ori's mirky eyes, his fingers tracing over the page.

"Tell me more about your journey."

"Well, Thorin-" Magdalen held up her hand quieting the shy dwarf quickly.

"I've had enough of the line of Durin today, tell me about your journey Ori." Ori was flushed but began to a stuttery tale about his time in the wilds, not wanting to disappoint the woman who was willingly eager to listen to his story.

Time passed quickly in the library. Lunch had come and gone; the pair sat quietly sharing Ori's sandwich, sharing small anecdotes from their childhoods. Magdalen found herself enjoying the work Ori had put her to. She scrolled down the isles putting away and retrieving books, keeping notes of the titles in a small journal Ori had given her.

It had reminded her of the work she had done at Red Rabbit. Though Ori was a vastly different boss than Miss Jean, while Miss Jean was brash and a hard woman, who told you when things needed to be done. Ori was soft and only suggested jobs to her, never forcing her to do anything that would strain her injuries. Magdalen found the young dwarf endearing and kind. He was unlike the other dwarves she had come across in her time in Erebor; he was indeed not anything like Fili and Thorin, which she appreciated.

Magdalen fell in love with the library, part of her never wanted to leave. This place felt familiar and safe. She spent most of her life around books, her grandfather loved books and filled their tiny farmhouse to the brim with them. Books of every genre and subject could be found in their home. She had lived a thousand lives and read about hundreds of adventures. After that she got a job at the Red Rabbit, she spent most of her time in school sorting books and keeping a record of them. This work wasn't anything new to her.

Magdalen hummed a song as she went about her business, her right arm filled with books. She pressed the spines of books into the top of the shelf. The spines of the books were uneven next to each other and were made up of different colors. The ladder beneath her moved slightly as she stretched her hand out sliding the book into its place. She heard the shuffling behind her but ignored it assuming it was Ori with new books for her to sort through. She felt the ladder jiggle under her. Magdalen clutched to the wooden side, her eyes looking down at the ground. Deamra's red face smiled up at her, her arms resting on her hips like a scolding mother.

"You get out of the healer's wing for one day, and I find you climbing ladders?" Deamra laughed, concern filled her green eyes, watching as Magdalen made her way down.

Magdalen felt her foot touch the ground; she turned to face Deamra. "I'm not a china doll; I'm not going to break."

"Magdalen you've still got stitches, I'm just worried. I am your healer, it's my job." Deamra shook her head at the girl's stubbornness. Sometimes she forgot Magdalen wasn't a dwarf; she certainly acted like one.

"And you're a great one, I mean look at me. Good as new." Magdalen spun, Deamra sighed at her friend.

"Flattery will get you nowhere. Come on. I'm sure you're hungry you've spent all day in here." Deamra gave Magdalen a pointed look following her as Magdalen gathered the remaining books onto the small cart Ori had provided for her.

"How did you know I was here?" Magdalen questioned brushing the dust that had gathered on her skirt.

"A little bird told me you were here; I figured you might want to eat something other than some breakfast." Deamra smiled stepping to push the cart of books beside Magdalen.

Magdalen wanted to laugh at Deamra; she reminded her so much of Felicity that it hurt her heart. Deamra was kind, caring, and a bit of a mother hen like Felicity. Deamra could have been doing a number of other things. Instead, she chose to help a crazy girl from another world. Magdalen watched Deamra out of the corner of her eye; she felt grateful for her. Deamra had been nothing but a good friend and a loyal companion since she woke up all those days ago.

"Does this 'little bird' happened to be a dark-haired prince?" Magdalen wondered sarcastically. Deamra hummed but ignored the question continuing with her own conversation.

"I also heard that you had quite the exciting morning." Deamra poked at Magdalen, so she had talked to Kili.

"Let me guess the same 'little bird' tweeted that in your ear as well?" Deamra shrugged her eyes watching the books they pasted with faux interest.

"Maybe... He is quite the gossip you know."

She raised her eyebrow nodding at Deamra."So I've figured."

"Are you going to tell me how this morning went? To be invited to eat with the royal family is a tremendous honor." Deamra nudged at Magdalen, wanting her to spill the tea on all things royal gossip. Magdalen sniggered at her friend. Was every dwarf such a gossip?

"And here I thought Kili was the gossip." Magdalen nudged Deamra back.

Deamra pouted her lip at Magdalen, who rolled her eyes and continued to laugh at Deamra. "Well, I had breakfast with Dis and Kili. It was nothing special. Dis was very kind, and Kili was, well Kili. And it was nice until Fili showed up."

"What did you do?" Deamra stopped the cart abruptly, staring at Magdalen wearily. Magdalen's mouth gape, her hand held to her chest.

"Why do you assume I started something, he was the one making jabs at me the whole time."

It was Deamra's turn to laugh, "Though I've only known you a short time, I have learned you are about as stubborn as any dwarf I've ever met."

Pushing the cart over the last hill, they had arrived at the space Ori had set up. Magdalen took the cart pushing to rest at the bay of one of the clear tables near the railing overlooking the library. Magdalen winked at Deamra taking the trolley from her hands.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." She called over her shoulder, pushing the cart along the side of one of the tables.

Deamra glowered at the human girl beside her. "You shouldn't." She murmured.

Magdalen began gathering the books stacked on the table on to the cart; she gave Deamra a knowing look.

"He is a jerk, you know."

"But he is the crown prince." Deamra protested, her hands knotted over one another. She was happy to be Magdalen's friend, but she wasn't sure the anxiety Magdalen gave her was worth it.

"Doesn't make him any less of a jerk," Magdalen grunted heaving the books atop one another, making sure they stayed in their new position. She did not look up to meet the dwarf girl's gaze.

Deamra's traced over a few books; she spoke aloud watching her friend's reaction as she said.

"He is very handsome, you know."

Magdalen's spine straightened at the statement. The book in her hands snapped shut; she turned to lean against one of the tables. Magdalen wagged the book in her hand at Deamra."Once again him being handsome doesn't make him any less of a jerk."

A bright smile grew across Deamra's thick lips; she leaned onto the table opposite of the one Magdalen occupied.

"So you do think he is handsome."

Magdalen pushed herself off the table, and let out a laugh.

"You are impossible." Deamra, still smiling, shrugging at her statement.

Silence fell between the friends, Magdalen's mind wondered to Fili. She turned back to the books. Magdalen scoffed at the idea, even if Fili was handsome it didn't excuse his behavior. Jack was handsome, and he had been a jerk. It took Magdalen a while to see pasted his facade, but she eventually learned her lesson. Magdalen wasn't going to let prince, king, or anyone treat her like that again. She didn't deserve that; she knew that now.

Magdalen would never voice it, but it had hurt hearing what Fili and Thorin thought of her. Tolkien had never written about how cynical the eldest prince was; it would have been nice to know that information. While she had never really cared for Thorin in the books, she had grown to like the story of the two princes so devoted to their family that they were willing to sacrifice everything for it, even if their uncle was a jerk. When Susan and Magdalen were younger, they would play as the two brothers fighting monsters, protecting their home and grandfather from the awful Smaug, which was played by Griffin, their very fat and very lazy basset hound. Susan always played Fili, while Magdalen played the part of the younger brother. They adored the brothers because they saw so much of themselves in them. Susan and Magdalen promised to be there to end as the brothers had been. Guess there are some promises you can't keep.

A loud yelp broke her from her thoughts; she turned to see Ori staring at Deamra. Ori, the poor dear, blushed profusely rambling a soft greeting to the dwarf woman. He bowed, his books slipping from his grasp onto the floor. Magdalen watched in pure delight when Deamra and Ori reached for the books at the same time, effective knocking their heads together. Good thing dwarves had thick skulls. Both muttered a soft apology to one another. Deamra stood up straight handing Ori his books back. Ori, in turn, took Deamra's hand pressing it into his forehead. Deamra's face was as red as a fire hydrant; Magdalen bit her tongue to keep from laughing.

"I'm sorry for intruding, Master Dwarf, but I've come to collect Magdalen for dinner." Ori looked at Deamra like she had just recited Shakespeare to him.

Ori turned his head away quickly when Deamra met his gaze. "Oh of c-course!" Ori blushed standing awkwardly between the girls.

He bowed his head in Magdalen's direction. "Thank you for your help today Miss Magdalen."

Magdalen flashed the shy dwarf a smile, bowing her head toward him.

"Would you mind if I come and help you tomorrow, Ori?"

Ori blushed "Of course, Miss Magdalen. I always welcome help."

"Then I will see you then." Magdalen waved wildly, Deamra dragging her by the arm down the ramp.

Magdalen turned to Deamra once they were out of earshot. "Do you always get that red when a dwarf looks at you like that."

Deamra furrowed her eyebrows moving past Magdalen. "I don't know what you mean." She turned her nose up and kept walking. "Master Ori is a well-respected dwarf, Maggie. He didn't look at me any different than he looked at you."

Magdalen rolled her eyes, dropping her shoulders. She ran to keep up with Deamra. "I've spent the whole day with him, and not once did he look at me like I was a five-course meal."

Deamra made an odd face, her cheeks still burning bright. "I'm checking your head when we get back. I am most certainly not a meal." Deamra huffed. Magdalen's laughter echoed through the library as they reached the doors.

Ori stood at the top observing the strange human and her friend leave. He gave a small wave to them watching until the pair left through the doors. His heart lurched when the dwarf woman looked up at him one last time. He couldn't control himself as a smile grew across his lips.

Deamra had done a better job of keeping Magdalen from the prying eyes of other dwarves than Kili, who paraded around like a peacock, had. Deamra was keenly aware of Magdalen's cagey behavior around her kin. So they slipped by the narrow halls and abandoned corridors unseen by the public. Magdalen enjoyed the quiet walk listening to the cacophony of voices echoing in the mountain. They made their way back to the healer's wing.

Magdalen hadn't realized how tired she was until she reached her small bed. She laid her back into the mattress, while it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world it gave her back some relief. Magdalen sighed closing her eyes for a moment, letting the dazing feeling of rest wash over her body. Magdalen could hear Deamra shuffle around her room, but she paid her no mind. Until the warming scent of baked goods hit her, Magdalen peeled any eye open to see Deamra picking through a large basket. She sat up, her stomach growling at the smell.

Deamra turned to hand her a plate. Magdalen hungrily picked at the bread, breathing a satisfied breath out when the warm of the fresh bread ran past her chest.

"Mra where did you get this? It's delicious." Magdalen asked through a mouthful of bread.

"Mra?" Deamra titled her head testing the strange name.

Magdalen nodding bitting into another large chunk of bread."Yeah, I thought it would be a good nickname for you."

Deamra nodded smiling as she sat next to Magdalen with her plate."I like it."

"My mother is a baker; she runs a bakery in the marketplace. She made you a basket, to welcome you to Erebor." She pointed to the basket; Magdalen could now see it was filled to the brim with assorted breads and baked goods.

"That was kind of her, tell her thank you for me." Deamra nodded digging into her plate. Magdalen sat there, staring down her bread.

"Your mother is a baker; I've never really pictured dwarves baking before." Magdalen laughed at the image of Dwalin baking in her mind.

Deamra shook her head, "Dwarves are a strong people, made from stone. We do a great many things, and we do them proudly."

"Pride seems to be a recurring theme among dwarves," Magdalen observed.

"Yes, it is. We are a very proud race, and sometimes that leads us astray." Deamra noted sadly; she dropped her plate into her lap.

"Do you know why I became a healer?" Deamra asked suddenly. Magdalen shook her head.

"My father was a healer in Erebor before Smaug came. He was a great dwarf and was well respected among the people of Erebor. My mother and father got married and had my elder brother. Da would follow the armies into battle and heal anyone who could be saved. When Smaug came, and my family left the mountain my father was so disheartened; his kin had lived in the mountain for generations. It was hard for him to leave. In Ered Luin, he helped the race of men with healing and took work where he could. After I was born my da and I were inseparable. He took me everywhere with him." Her eyes began to water.

"He was my first teacher; I learned everything about healing from him. He would help anyone in need, even those who could not pay him. I remember once on our way home; he saw a man on the streets bleeding and took him back to the shop stitched him up and sent him on his way. The men never even said thank you, but Da helped him with a smile on his face anyway."

Her breathing became rigged. "There was an orc raid in the middle of the night, he kissed my mother, brother, and I and left. I begged him not to leave me, but he told me it was his duty to help others, and duty always comes first." Tears freely rolled down her plump cheeks; Magdalen wrapped her arms around Deamra.

"I never saw him again, but I couldn't let him go. So I became a healer, for him." Deamra brushed away her tears facing Magdalen as she released her from her hug.

"Magdalen, you are my duty and friend. Please don't let your opinion of one dwarf warp your perception of my kin. There are wonderful dwarves, like my father." Deamra laid her hand on top of Magdalen's free one.

Magdalen nodded in defeat. She felt shame rush through her; the weight was heavy on her shoulders. She was being childish, though Thorin and Fili had been awful to her that did not mean she did not have allies in the mountain. Magdalen had taken for granted Deamra and Dis's hospitality. Ori and Kili's friendship.

Before Magdalen could apologize, there was a soft knock at her door. Magdalen felt her muscles tense; no one had visited her this time of night. Deamra stood handing Magdalen her plate, before moving to the door.

"Oh hello, Mr. Balin." Magdalen turned to see the friendly face of Balin. Deamra stood aside bowing to the man, as she let the elder dwarf enter the room. Magdalen stood from her bed, straightening out her mess dress. Balin stepped into the room observing the small space with a judgemental eye. Magdalen shift slightly uncomfortable by his sudden presence, it couldn't be anything good.

"Ms. Deamra, Ms. Magdalen." The gentle dwarf bowed.

Magdalen tilted her head, worry filled her mind. Balin seemed like a nice enough dwarf, but she still felt cautious with the dwarves."Balin, what can I do for you?" She got right to the question.

Balin smiled at her bluntness; her brazen attitude hadn't seemed to fade since she arrived in Erebor. "Yes, you have been requested. I'm here to escort you."

Magdalen eyed the man before tearing away to look at Deamra with a pleading look. Deamra placed a hand on Magdalen's shoulder giving in a small squeeze.

"Go on, Maggie. I will see you tomorrow." Magdalen sighed feeling Deamra's grip slip away; she stepped toward Balin taking his extended arm. Magdalen looked back at Deamra as Balin guided them down the hallway

"What is up with you dwarves, galavanting me all across Erebor and not telling me where we are going?" Magdalen inquired breaking the small silence between the two. Balin eyed her out of the corner of his view, a gentle smile hidden under his large downward pointed nose.

"We just like to keep you on your toes, lass." Balin quipped winking at Magdalen. She was taken back by this; she didn't imagine him to have a sense of humor. Though she knew he wasn't like his grumpy brother.

"Yes, I got that from Dwalin after he took me through this maze the other day."

Balin's lip tugged into a lopsided grin. "Forgive my brother, dear. He is old and set in his ways. He means no harm." Balin said defending his brother.

Magdalen bowed her head, Deamra's world echoing in her mind. So she left it at that, following Balin as he led her down an unfamiliar hall. Two guards sat stationed at the door they had arrived at, Balin nodded to them letting go of Magdalen's arm opening the door. Magdalen eyed the two guards who stood like statues their eyes unmoving from the wall across from them.

Balin cleared his throat, leaned out from the door tipping his head telling Magdalen to follow him. She looked back at the guards before slipping through the door.

Through the door was an apartment. The space was smaller than Fili and Dis's, but still had the same grander to it. While there was no balcony, there was the same chandelier above them made out of gems akin to starlights. The distinct architecture of Erebor decorated the room, stone faces of dwarves carved into the pillars watching over the place. Magdalen stepped into the room, her hand brushing over the cold stone of the walls pressing into the smooth rock of blue that was veined into the walls. She looked back Balin who smiled at her hands clamped around his thick belt.

Magdalen wondered her eyes were taking in the room around her. It was laid out like the Lady of Erebor's had been. There was a small dining space was to her right, a stone hearth in front of her surrounded by comfortable chairs. A bookcase covered the far walled, filled with dull colored books. Magdalen turned to the smiling dwarf.

"What is this place?"

"It's your room; I've been preparing it for you all day. Do you like it?"A familiar feminine voice came from one of the doors on the other side of the room. Magdalen's head snapped looking over at the Lady of Erebor.

"It's mine?" Magdalen looked at Dis in awe. Dis grinned, showing off her bright smile.

"Of course, I couldn't keep my guest in the healer's wing for your stay." Dis laughed.

Before Magdalen could open her mouth, the woman continued on her speech, stepping from the doorway toward Magdalen and Balin."Tomorrow Mrs. Jarium will be by to tailor some clothes for you. We'll get you into some clothes that fit."

Magdalen's eyes widen looking back at a very amused Balin, who gave her a wink before stepping toward the princess.

"Lady Dis," Balin bowed his head to Dis catching her eye as he looked back at a shocked Magdalen.

Dis's thick eyebrows knitted together, her hands clasped over her chest. Her blue eyes widened with panic, and she pouted her lip."What's wrong. Oh, you hate it don't you?"

"No this is lovely, Dis. It- I don't know how to thank you." Magdalen felt her chest tighten. She felt her eyes begin to burn; she quickly tried to calm her breathing.

Dis wrapped her arms around Magdalen pulling her into a tight hug. Dis whispered into her ear. "You are welcome, my dear."

With one last squeeze Dis let her go. Dis began to talk to Balin about Magdalen's schedule and the details of her day, and fittings. Balin listened attentively, nodding as Dis sputtered. Magdalen explored the space around her. She wandered down the hall Dis had come from, two stoned pillars stood guard of the hallway. Blue runes that had shown up in her travels through Erebor decorated the walls. There were two doors down the small hall. Opening the closet one she a bedroom, it was the size of the room she had been staying in. The frame of the bed was made of the same oak the rest of her furniture was. The ornate designs cover the edges of the wood; four gems were grown into the wood. A blue canopy draped from the ceiling over the top of the bed. Magdalen ran her hand over the blanket, sighing at how soft the fabric felt under her skin. There wasn't much space for anything other than the bed, not that Magdalen was complaining. The bed looked welcoming, and she couldn't wait to break it in.

"I'm glad you like it," Dis said softly behind her. Magdalen traced over the carving of the bedframe, sitting back on the soft cloud.

"What will Thorin think of this." Anxiety settled in her stomach; she didn't fear him in any means. But he was ultimately held her fate in his hands, at any moment he could throw her out to the wolves.

Dis came to sit beside Magdalen, and she gave her a pointed look."As I said this morning, you are my guest, and I will have you treated as such."

"Thorin may be the king, but I am his sister. He won't admit it, but he does listen to me." That did not stop Magdalen from worrying. Magdalen wrapped her hand around her necklace.

Dis stood from the bed, turning to face Magdalen. Straightening her dress Dis fell back into her princess role, her back straightening and her head held high. Dis brushed her hand over Magdalen's face, holding her chin in between her thumb.

"Magdalen, I promise you that you will be safe here. You are under my protection." Dis patted Magdalen cheek, knocking her forehead against Magdalen's.

"You have a long day tomorrow, get some sleep," Dis commanded softly, exhausting the light from the wall. Magdalen watched the door shut behind Dis, listening as the apartment door closed. Magdalen sighed as her back hit the pillows, she didn't fight the sleep that overtook her. Snuggling into the covers, she drifted off into the most peaceful sleep she had gotten in a long time.

Happy Valentine's Day lovelies!

Hope you all have a great day