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 17
Author's Note: Hi guys I've been in the mood to write lately. So I've uploaded both chapters 16 and 17, be sure to read the previous chapter before reading this one! Hope you guys like it :)
"One more round!" Magdalen yelled whipping away the warm liquid that dribbled down her chin. Glaring at the dwarf in front of her darkly, she was ready for the fight. Magdalen was prepared to win.
Kili grunted meeting her dark glare. "You think you can handle another round with me." He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his mouth.
The dwarves that had gathered around leaned in with anticipation. Magdalen placed her palms on the table grabbing the mug from the bar holding it up to Kili.
"I can drink you under the table, Princey!" The dwarves erupted in cheers slapping money into one another hand's, taking bets on the pair as they had been all night.
Climbing on top of the bar Kili and Magdalen clanged their mugs together slamming the glass to their lips, drowning their lungs in the sweet ale. Magdalen's throat burned, and she felt her nostrils itch as some of her liquid snaked its way over her face. But she kept drinking not intending to lose to Kili. She and Kilismashed their cups down. Kili felt the tightness of his stomach grinning at Magdalen as a loud bleach rose in his throat. The crowd roared slapping his back as his finished; he gave a small bow to his audience below him. Magdalen held up her hand closing her mouth before exploding her long bleach into the atmosphere of the bar. The entire bar quieted before celebrating the girl's obvious win; the dwarves swept her off the bar passing her over their heads. She giggled throwing her hands in the air in victory.
When the dwarves had finally sat her down, Kili greeted her with a surrender. "I know when to give up." He laughed escorting her to a small table at the edge of the lively tavern.
The Mighty Bear was tucked away far from the hassle of the primary market. Kili insisted that after a long day of meetings and preparations for the upcoming festival, he was in desperate need of a drink. June was a busy time for the royal family as her visits and encounters with them had become scarce. So she spent much of her time between Dwalin, OIR, and Deamra. Dwalin had been pleased with her improvement in the recent months and had even let began training her with a real sword. While she was nowhere near abilities of his other soldiers, she was getting there slowly but surely. She wasn't well equipped with weapons but her hand to hand combat training soared. Magdalen had even managed knocked Kili down a time or two.
Magdalen couldn't help but agree with Kili, she hadn't drunk in months and looked forward to a night of booze and relaxation. He also insisted that they go to the Mighty Bear, as it was the only place where no one hassled him. So Kili led them through the busy streets doing their best to avoid the crowd of dwarves that filled them. The Might Bear was carved into the stone of the mountain with only a small wooden door and runes to indicate that it was a bar at all. After their little competition the crowd had dissipated Kili and Magdalen settled into their chairs, smiling still lingering.
"I'm too grab us some food, I am starving," Kili said standing up from the table.
"You're always starving; I'm not sure how you aren't a thousand pounds." Magdalen teased.
Kili puffed his chest holding a superhero position. "I'm still a growing dwarf; I need to eat if I'm going to keep beating you in training." Magdalen rolled her eyes breaking the bread that sat at their table throwing it at Kili.
"Keep dreaming, little prince." Kili pouted his lip; he hated Magdalen's nickname for him.
Magdalen laughed watching as Kili turned way from their table back toward the bar. She ate the tough piece of bread that sat at the table, a shadow blocked the light in front of her. Magdalen looked up to see the face of a man; his square jaw was set with a long thin beard. He was bald; his cheeks were inked with dwarvish runes. A light scar ran along his forehead into his bald head. The lines of his face spoke of hard years he had spent, but the rest of his face was somewhat youthful. He looked a bit older than Kili but not as old as Oin.
"Hello," Magdalen greeted him.
The dwarf smiled showing a golden tooth in the front of his teeth. "What is a lovely lady like you doing here?" He slurred.
His breath his her face, she flinched at the amount of alcohol that played on his breath.
"Just waiting on Prince Kili." She said dropping Kili's name hoping he would get the idea to leave her alone.
The dwarf swayed back and forth leaning onto the chair Kili had occupied before sitting in it.
"He shouldn't leave such a pretty lady by herself, why don't I keep you company?" His smile reminded her of a slimy rat.
He leaned his face into her space; Magdalen reared back hitting her head against the stone wall. Her eyes searched the tavern hoping someone would notice her situation, but no one seemed to look in her direction.
Magdalen narrowed her eyes "I am fine, leave me alone." She barked in the man's face.
The man howled slapping his knee, "Firey little human. Will you burn me if I touch you?" He wandered reaching out to touching the side of her face with his sausage-like fingers. The calloused fingers grazed over her cheek and scar. She felt sick.
Magdalen was horrified, she had dealt with creeps before in college, but none had been so bold. Dwalin's training kick in, she took out the small dagger that rested on her hip bringing the point to the thick neck of the man. "Touch me like that again, you ugly bastard." She gritted. Her teeth gnashing together.
He froze dropping his fingers immediately. His bright drunk eyes suddenly became darker. He let out a small growl, in one fast move the dwarf swung his hand send her dagger flying. His arms gripping the back of her chair and the table trapping her in her spot. His body towered over her.
"I'd watch that pretty mouth of your's girl," The man inched closer to her face, panic raced through her veins. Her fist cliched preparing to strike at any moment.
"Before someone puts you in your place." His breath was wet against her face. She swallowed the bile that burned her throat.
Magdalen jerked from her spot her fist connecting with the man jaw, a burst of painful energy shot through her hand. She held the fist to her chest letting out a howl of pain. The man stumbled back over a table, gaining the attention of a few dwarves this time. He sat in a puddle of ale staggering to regain his balance. He looked up and snarl appeared on his face like he was a wild animal. Magdalen saw flames dance in his eyes as he railed toward her dragging her up by the throat. Magdalen gasped for air clawing at the man's thick arms drawing blood. With all of his force, he turned to throw her into a pile on the ground.
"Have a feisty spirit whore? I can see why the prince keeps you around." He laughed, picking up discarded her dagger holding it to her cheek.
"If I ruin that pretty little face of yours may be the prince will give you up. And then maybe you and I can have our fun, right whore?" He pulled her up holding her against him, t Magdalen smashed his foot as hard as she could to no avail.
He held her in her spot, his large ugly nose digging into her hair. She squirmed letting out a yell for Kili, though in her gut she knew he couldn't hear her. She felt his wet lips drag across her skin, letting out one last scream she dug her elbow into his ample gut. He yelled in pain letting go of her for one moment, "You Bi-" He swung her dagger slicing at Magdalen's arm. Magdalen hissed in pain covering her arm with her hand.
"Magdalen!" Kili yelled from the corner of her eye. She saw Kili race toward the man, connecting his fist with the side of the man's head. Everything happened in a blur; the two wrestled on the floor. A few dwarves stood up running over to stop the fight, pushing Magdalen to the back of the growing crowd blocking Magdalen's view of Kili.
"What is happening here!" An angry voice boomed behind the crowd of dwarves. A silence fell over the crowd; nothing dared moved or breathed.
No one spoke Magdalen watched as a few dwarves in the back of the crowd shifted nervously "I will ask one last time what is happening here?" The voice came closer, the sound of an unsheathed sword filled the eerily silent space around them.
"I-I was defending myself, sire." Magdalen heard the man stuttered before continuing. "The whore tried to steal from me; I was just trying to teach her a lesson."
"What!" It was Magdalen's turn to yell.
She pushed her way through the dwarves to the front of the crowd finding an angry Fili with his sword at the man's neck, and a bloodied Kili staring at the man as he could kill him at any moment. Kili blinked shaking his head before moving to Magdalen's side. Fili's eyes didn't move from the man; Magdalen felt unsettled by the fury she saw behind his hard blue eyes. Her voice faltered seeing Fili's face. His sword pressed into the man's fat neck; he winced cowering into himself.
"It's unwise not to lie to your Prince. "Fili spat his eyes narrowing at the man," or call a guest of the crown a 'Human Whore' again Mister Thyum," Fili growled.
"I beg you, sire, I didn't know she was with you." Thyum whimpered his hands folding over another shaking them at his prince.
"Liar!" Magdalen barked her fist shaking, Kili's hand covering one of her shoulders to hold her back.
"You knew I came in here with Kili; you knew I was here with him!" Her voice gave out a little as angry boiled in her stomach; she felt as if she were going to puke.
"Magdalen enough," Fili ordered glancing at Magdalen for a moment, looking her over for injuries. His eyes trained on her blood-soaked sleeve, his head snapped back to the man.
"Melran, Dalaran take him to the cells," Fili commanded two dwarves emerged from the crowd dragging Thyum away kicking and screaming. Silence filled the air, Fili tore his gaze away from the man as he disappeared back to the crowd, "Go about your business." Fili barked a dangerous edge in his voice. Soon the quiet bar became a bustling one once again.
"You two," He hissed. "Follow me, and not one word."
He turned back walking out of the bar. Magdalen glanced at Kili, who sighed letting his head drop before following his brother. They walked for a while not speaking one word to one another until they were in a place she did not recognize. He led them to a small walkway overlooking a gentle waterfall and pond. The walls echoed with the sounds of the water below. Fili's shoulders tensed he came to a stop, he ran his fingers through his golden hair. Beside her, Kili stared the ground not moving to meet her gaze.
"How could you have been so stupid to bring her there Kili," Fili begged to turn to face them, anger meted from his eyes only to be replaced with concern and disappointment. "A tavern is no place for a lady."
"I've been to-" Fili held his hand up.
"Not one word Magdalen." Fili snapped not breaking his gaze.
"You will report this to Uncle, and mother now. Explain to them everything that has happened here." Kili shook his head never meeting his brothers gaze.
"Go, now" Fili commanded watching his brother turn to leave, Magdalen following in his wake.
"Not you Magdalen," Fili called out making her freeze. Kili nodded shrugging before heading away from the pair in defeat.
There was a pregnant pause before Magdalen broke the silence.
"You could have been a little nicer," Magdalen said quietly watching the water drip into the pool below them.
"He put you in danger by taking you there. And you still defend him. You, humans, have a strange sense of loyalty." Fili snipped leaning against the rail.
"Kili never meant to put me in harm's way; he would never do that. I'm an adult I can handle myself." Magdalen stood close to him. Fili brought his eyes up looking at Magdalen.
"It certainly looked like you could handle yourself as that man held you by your throat," Fili growled edging closer to Magdalen.
Magdalen 's hand, unconsciously, touched the sore skin of her neck. Her breath hitched at the ghost grip the man still had on her. Fili's hard eyes melted, he looked away from the girl. "I know plenty women who know how to take care of themselves, that doesn't mean they don't ask for help sometimes." He commented.
"You think I wanted that guy all over me? I didn't ask him over there he came up to me; he attacked me." Magdalen hissed.
Fili clenched his jaw; he saw the terrified look in her eyes. He knew she was only snapping at him because she was frustrated. Fili saw the blood soaking through her tunic; he changed the subject.
"Come Master Oin will need to tend to that wound."
Magdalen looked down at her arm; she took a deep breath in nodding at Fili. He walked beside in peace.
"What do you mean Magdalen was attacked!" Dwalin roared standing up from his chair.
Dis stared at her youngest son, a horrified look morphing on her face. She stood up coming to his side.
"What happened, Kili," Dis asked as calmly as she could.
Dwalin following behind Dis closely. He wouldn't admit it, but he had come to enjoy the girl's company. She sparked a protective instinct inside of him that he hadn't felt in a long time. Kili began to recount what had happened in the Mighty Bear, about the dwarf's intrusion of Magdalen's space. Kili became anger as the story went on; he paused when he thought of the names he had heard the dwarf calling her.
"What did he call her," Dis tried to egg her son on.
Kili sighed looking away from his mother meeting the eyes of his uncle. " He called her a human whore."
Thorin watched as his sister and friend crowded his nephew, his hands shook slightly. Dwalin growled pacing around the room. Balin, who had been seated next to his brother, tried to calm him down. Dis began a streamline of question getting at the information about the dwarf who had tried to take Magdalen's honor.
"Fili sent him to the dungeons, he is with Magdalen right now," Kili told his mother.
Dis turned to Thorin, a mother bear's rage in her eyes. "What are you going to do. You can't let a dwarf dishonor my guest like that!" She yelled silencing everyone, the room pulsated with angry energy.
Thorin clenched his fisted. He didn't like or trust the girl by any means, but he was king. He wouldn't allow someone in his kingdom to be treated as such, especially not a woman. Women were rare among dwarves, though the number had increased when dwarves families began to migrate back to Erebor. In dwarven culture woman were seen as just as strong as their male counterparts. They were to be treasured and honored, nurtured into an intelligent, independent woman who carried families if they chose to do so. For a dwarf to dishonor a woman of any race was a great offense.
"Gather the council, and have the dwarf escorted to the chamber." He commanded Dwalin, his kingly tone taking over.
"Kili go get your brother, and Miss Magdalen, right away." Kili nodded.
Dis looked to her brother, admiration in her eyes. "You are doing the right thing." She patted his shoulder. Thorin grunted calling for Balin to follow him as he exited his private study, anger rolled off him.
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"What am I going to say?" Magdalen tried to keep up with the brother as they led her to the council's chambers.
"You're going to tell them what that Rukhsul did to you," Kili spoke profoundly.
Magdalen had never seen Kili angry, and she wasn't sure she liked it. Fili remained quietly beside them; he had not spoken since she had snapped at him. Oin had filled the silence fussing over the girl, congratulating her for fighting for herself. And reassuring her that it was nothing more than a scratch, she couldn't imagine what Deamra's reaction was going to be when news hit her Magdalen was hurt. She was sure to find out the next morning when Deamra came to visit.
They stopped in front of familiar doors. "I will go in first you two wait out here," Fili ordered heading into the council room.
Kili stared at Magdalen shame and guilt-riddled his eyes. Magdalen punched his arm, Kili covered the spot her fist had touched. She pointed her finger in his face "Don't you dare if bad for me, I don't need pity. I need my friend." She held onto his arm.
"Magdalen this is my fault, I shouldn't have left you." Kili dropped his eyes looking away in shame.
Magdalen stood in front of him."Kili this is no one's fault but Thyum. He is the one who attacked me."
Kili wrapped his arms around Magdalen crushing her into a hug. Magdalen tapped his arms, "You are my family Maggie. You are my namad. If something happened to you, I would never forgive myself." Kili held her at arm's length, squeezing her gently.
Magdalen blinked away a tear as the door in front of them opened. Magdalen straightened her spine holding her head and she gracefully walked through the door. Fili stood on the other side of the door, joining Kili's side as they came into the room. In front of her seven dwarves sitting around in a semi circle staring as she walked in. Balin sat to the right of Thorin, and she caught sight of Lord Amrus who, like the other dwarves, looked to Thorin. Dis sat to Thorin's right her eyes on Magdalen and her sons. In the center sat Thorin his eyes glued on the side of the table where Thyum stood. Chains wrapped around his wrist his eyestrain of the floor. Dwalin stood over him, his eyes trained on Thyum ready to strike him where he stood. Dwalin's hand held Thyum by his neck.
Thorin stood from his spot at the table. "Thyum, son of Rheum, you stand accused of violating and assaulting Magdalen Kathan, guest of the crown."
Thyum tried to shove Dwalin off him, only for Dwalin to hold him in his place. Magdalen's chest felt tight. "How do you plead?" Thorin's voice boomed in the room.
"That whore came onto me! Tried to steal from me, I swear my majesty." Thyum roared. Dwalin kicked the dwarf.
"Call her a whore again!" Dwalin threatened Thyum pulling his sword to his neck. Thyum whimpered loudly.
"Dwalin enough!"Thorin held up his hand to stop him.
Magdalen reached for Kili's hand gripping it tightly. Thorin looked from Thyum to Fili, "So you claim my heir lies to me?" The dwarves around Thorin began to grumble.
Thyum's face paled "N-no, my king." He stuttered.
"You have dishonored a guest of the crown. You claim my own kin to me! You are disgraceful!" He shouted quieting everyone
"You will serve three months in the dungeons, and your beard will be cut." Thorin moved from behind the table toward Fili, who took out a dagger handing it to Thorin. Thorin nodded stopping in front of Magdalen, holing the blade out to her.
"Take his pride, he does not deserve it," Thorin spoke softly to her, the opposite of how he had treated her all those nights ago.
Magdalen looked between the dagger and Thorin carefully taking the cold steel in her hands. Thorin stepped back giving her the path to Thyum, who stared at her like a caged animal. Magdalen swallowed thickly. Dwalin kicked his leg bring Thyum to his knees in front of her.
"Take the end of his beard and cut under his chin," Dwalin instructed quietly behind Thyum.
Thyum twisted and pleaded with his king. He growled at her, bitting at her hand as she grabbed the end of his beard. Magdalen felt her face become stone; she inhaled pushing away the thoughts of her churning stomach. Her finger twisted around the hair pulling it tightly, her face hovering above her.
"You will regret this." He whispered so only she could hear.
His eyes widened in horror as Magdalen hatched at the beard. She could feel her breathing become erratic. Finishing the job Magdalen stood up holding the beard in her fist.
"Touch me or any other woman again; it won't be just your pathetic beard I hold in my hands."Her tone sent chills to all in the room.
She let the beard fall beside her, marching out of the room.
"Take him away," Fili commanded watching after the girl.