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 18

Since Magdalen's run in she hadn't been felt alone, and it was starting to annoy her. Magdalen had always enjoyed time to herself, even back in her world. She enjoyed the moments when she could think, breathe. While Magdalen appreciated that she had people devoted to her safety and well being, Magdalen hated being babied. When Deamra caught wind of what happened Magdalen thought she would never leave her alone again. Deamra fussed for hours that she was going to lock Magdalen away in a room and throw away the key. At least that way trouble couldn't find her that way. When Deamra wasn't watching her every moment, she was with Kili or Ori. Her heart had warmed when the two boys had become protective of her. Especially Or, sweet Or who had offered to walk her back to her apartment after her days in the library. She couldn't imagine the young scribe in a battle, but she saw in his eyes that he would be more than willing to raise a fist to anyone who looked at her the wrong way. Magdalen had never had a brother before she liked to think he would have Kili's charm and Or's heart.

Dwalin had taken the incident to heart, while it had left Magdalen stirred at first she had moved passed it. Dwalin had not. He took it as a reason to train her harder than before. She had graduated from a wooden sword to a short sword; the metal felt heavy in her hands. She had been excited to finally train like one of Dwalin's warriors, in her mind she looked like an action star. While in reality, she was a sweaty mess trying to keep her balance as Dwalin delivered another hard blow. Her blonde hair that had grown to touch her shoulders clung to her beet red face. Very sexy, she thought sarcastically wiping her face walking through her apartment sluggishly. She sighed slipping into the warm water that she had requested before she had left for training. She didn't have much time to relax into the water before Kili came to collect her for breakfast, so Magdalen quickly worked the soap into her skin.

Dis, like Deamra, had sent herself into a tizzy worrying about Magdalen's well being. The princess had already been very attentive to Magdalen, but as of late Dis made sure Magdalen was always by her side. She had insisted on taking Magdalen on her state business, Kili said it was a great sign of respect to be seen at the side of the princess. But Magdalen only found it nerve-racking. Dis had the grace and dignity of a queen. She listened to the people of Erebor and always knew what to say to any ailing citizens. Magdalen stumbled and stuttered becoming red when an any of the dwarves asked about where she was from. Her political skills not up to par with her written skills that were for sure.

Kili soon came up barging through her door like a bull in a china shop. She shook her head at the prince, he may have been a fantastic archer, but Kili wasn't the lightest on his feet. Magdalen laced up her boots walking out of her room to find Kili draped over her couch throwing a ball above his head. Magdalen cleared her throat Kili tilted his head letting the ball smack the side of his face. Kili stood up shoving the ball into his pocket.

"Having fun?" Magdalen raised an eyebrow.

Kili walked to her door waiting for Magdalen to follow.

"Shut up," He mumbled, Magdalen tried to hide her smile as she followed the embarrassed prince.

Breakfast was always an exciting affair with the Durin clan. This morning they were graced with no only Fili's presence but Thorin himself. She had never seen Thorin at breakfast with his family; she had asked Kili one night why he didn't eat with Dis. He replied that Thorin woke before dawn and began working, he had already eaten long before any of them awoke. Magdalen would admit she appreciated his dedication to his kingdom. She remembered kings from her history classes in high school who cared nothing for their people. It was nice to know Thorin didn't gloom around his royal study. He nodded head acknowledging her when she and Kili entered Dis' chamber.

Fili didn't speak much to her since the Mighty Bear, not that he spoke to her much before. Their silence heightened the tension between them. While he never spoke directly to her; he still glared at her when she entered a room as he did every morning at breakfast. Part of her missed the moments they had shared; she missed arguing with him. That part of her was the crazy part of herself.

"Miss Hailor will be by tomorrow for your fittings," Dis eyeing Magdalen's plate making sure she had enough to eat.

"Fittings, for what?" Magdalen knitted her eyebrows her.

Dis set down her fork, pouring herself another glass of orange juice."For your dress for the Festival of Forge, she needs to finish up on some detail on that dress. And then your Durin's Day gown, I already have some ideas for that."

Magdalen shook her head, wiping away the crumbs of toast that littered her tunic."I can't accept that Dis, you've already given me so much. I'll just wear one of the dresses I have."

"You can't wear a work dress to Durin's Day, it would look bad on me for making you wear something so plain," Dis stated as if it is evident that she couldn't do such a horrid thing.

"No use in arguing with her, girl," Thorin warned surprising everyone at the table. Fili and Kili blinked at their uncle. Magdalen stared at the king, had he just willingly spoke to her. Dis suppressed a grin looking back at the girl.

"He's right. Just think of it as my going away gift for you. That way you can keep something to remember your time here." Dis said gently.

Magdalen didn't' know if a dress would come through the rabbit hole with her, but Thorin no use in arguing with Princess Dis of Erebor.

"I will save you one dance on Durin's Day, I mean I will have to disappoint a fair maiden. But you will be well worth it." Kili spoke up winking to Magdalen, who sat beside him.

Magdalen felt the sudden weight of Thorin glare, his words echoing in her head. She ignored it."How kind of you, Kili." Magdalen teased.

Dis sighed dreamily. Fili turned to face his mom, rolling his eyes.

"Know you've done it, Kee." His voice rumbled.

Kili broke his smug grin looking at his brother than mother. "Oh no." He groaned.

Even Thorin let out a small groan rolling his head back.

Magdalen looked between the Durin's men and the daydreaming Dis.

"What?" Magdalen questioned.

"I met my Nili on Durin's Day." She smiled thinking of a distant memory.

The three men let out a collective groan. Dis blinked away her dreaming look smacking Thorin's arm.

"Amad likes to tell this story every year." Kili leaned into Magdalen. " ." He emphasized.

"The boys make fun of me, but I love remembering that first night I meet their Adad." She said pointedly to her boys, who looked anywhere but their mother.

"Well, I would love to hear it, Dis." Magdalen flashed a smile at the woman.

Dis clasped her hands together with a gleeful look resting on her face ignoring the mummers of Durin's boys.

"I had known Nili since I was a child. Nili trained alongside Frein and Dwalin; I always had my eyes set on him. Especially when he and Frein trained with their shirts off." Dis let out a giddy laugh.

Kili and Fili begged Dis to stop. Thorin ran a hand over his face letting out a deep breath. Dis continued waving their protests off.

"Anyway, I had always known I was going to marry him. But he never looked at me as anything more than Frein and Thorin's little sister. I was a princess and was expected to marry for political advantage. The Durin's Day before we were forced out of the mountain a young lord came to Erebor asking for my hand. I spent the whole night listening to that pompous arogn-"

"Dis, we still do trading with Lord Regram," Thorin grunted his head still resting in his hand.

"Listening to Lord Regram all night." Dis refrained herself. "I slipped away from the festival. Nili found me later Frein had sent him to look for me. I refused to go back, not wanting to spend another second in that infuriating man's presence. So he took me to one of the waterfalls, we spent the rest of the night talking and dancing. He escorted me back to my apartment when he bid me good night I couldn't take it anymore. I ran after him and kissed him."

"Blah," Kili said childishly.

"That was beautiful Dis." Magdalen smiles as the women ended her story.
Dis patted her hand "That was the night I knew for certain he was my one."

"Your one?" Magdalen

Kili laughed "A dwarves one is a childish story Amad's tell their dwarflings. It is your other half made by Mahal."

"It is not childish; your father was my one," Dis said firmly.

Dis turned to Magdalen, leaning on the table. "Tell me did you have any men trying to court you."
Magdalen laughed, "Where I'm from we just call it dating, I had a couple of boyfriends before I came here."
"Boyfriends? You were courting more than one man at a time."Fili spoke directly to her for the first time in days; he looked appalled at the idea.
Magdalen shook her head ignoring his gaze "No, in my world you can date whoever you like for as long as you like. Not all relationships end with marriage. My last boyfriend's name was Jack; we dated for about a year. I broke up with him a couple of days before I came here."

Thorin, Dis, and Fili all stared at her like she grew a third head.
"Why did you break up with him?" Kili asked intrigued by the concept of dating.
Magdalen stuttered for a moment, she had thought about Jack in a long time."Well there we lots of reasons, I guess. He wasn't the nicest guy ever; he was always talking over me. We always did what he wanted, never what I wanted. My friends didn't like how he treated me; I didn't take their warning soon enough." Magdalen laughed remembering the night Emma threatened to beat him with her shoes after she watched him flirt with another girl at a party.
Fili didn't seem to find the matter amusing at all. "Women are treasures in dwarves culture. And they should be treated as such. No man should ever treat a woman like something so disposable."
Magdalen, Thorin, and Dis were taken back by Filis words. Even now Fili looked taken back by his sudden mutterings. Kili, however, did not. He sat glancing at his older brothers Redding face with a smug grin.

Thorin came to his nephews recuse "Fili, come there are a few meetings Balin needs to go over with you." Thorin stood up from his chair grunting a goodbye to his sister and nephew. Fili looked flustered following after his uncle.

"Tell me more about this dating?" Kili asked.

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"I yield." Cried Kili, Magdalen's knee digging into his chest.

She eased the pressure, standing up her hand reach out to Kili to pull him up. Kili took it standing to brush the dust off of his tunic. Or had been called away to record a meeting for the council, so Magdalen had been resided to spend the day with Kili. Unfortunately today Kili thought it would be an excellent idea to train. He had been teasing her for weeks that he could take her down in a fight, today she had proven him wrong.

"I let you win." Magdalen patted his shoulder, before poking his chest."I'm sure you did, just like you let me win the last five rounds."

"See you're starting to catch on," Kili jested dusting off his clothes. Dwalin looked on with pride in his eyes as he watched the girl. In the months she had been working with him, she had vastly improved since she first tumbled into the ring with him.

"I'm afraid my student is just better than you, young Prince," Dwalin called out to Kili.

"I know you've gotten old, but I was once your student too." Kili shook his head, Dwalin walking to meet the duo. "I haven't forgotten, but it seems you've forgotten all the moves I taught you." Dwalin teased.

"I've beaten everyone!" Magdalen exclaimed dramatically standing like a superhero in front of the two. Kili laughed, and Dwalin rolled his eyes, "You beat Kili twice, not faced the fiercest warrior. Don't get too big for your breeches now."

"Well maybe if you let me face anyone else, I could gloat more," Maggie said with a slight pout in her voice.

"You faced anyone else, and they would beat you to a plum, it's better that you stick with Kili." A voice said from behind Dwalin. Magdalen turned to find Fili's 'shit-eating' grin. She narrowed her eyes, her hip popping her side clenching her hands around her hip. Wasn't he supposed to be in a meeting why is he stalking around the training arena? He was certainly looked like he was supposed to be in a council meeting. He wore a fine Durin blue overcoat, grey fur touched his neck and was trimmed around the end of the sleeves. The blue makes his eyes stand out, she thought to herself. Stop that!

"And what is that suppose to mean? I can handle myself against anyone." Magdalen snapped.

"You can handle yourself against Kili, who was holding back." Fili quipped.

Dwalin watched as the girl approached Fili, her nostrils flared and a red color rose in her face. "Fine do you wanna go, bub" Magdalen growled poking her finger into Fili's hard chest.

Fili's eyes narrowed at the name; it had been the same name she called him the day after she had punched him.

"Fine let's go the," He paused stepping closer to Magdalen.

He took notice of the tiny freckles that dotted her slim face. Pushing the odd thoughts aside and continued "And I won't be holding back."

A rush of heat blow through her abdomen. He turned to throw his coat off to reveal his grey tunic.

Kili watched in awe the exchange between the two. Kili looked at Dwalin who shrugged his shoulder moving out of the ring, Kili following suit. Magdalen rolled her head losing her neck, unsheathing her sword she stood in the stance Dwalin had drilled into her mind. The sword felt balanced in her hands, holding the sword out in front of her; she readied herself for Fili's attack.

Staring at the golden-haired prince "Bring it on, Princey" Magdalen hissed her knuckles tighten around the thin hilt.

Fili grinned nodding his head, examining his sword nonchalantly swinging it around his hand. He cracked his neck, taking his stance.

"Very well."

Magdalen sprung forward making the first move. She felt all the anger she had repressed for months boil in her veins. Fili met her attack, the force of his block sent her stumbling back onto the ground. He chuckled at her, "Can't even stand."

Magdalen looked over to Kili and Dwalin. Kili smiled at her reassuringly; Magdalen closed her eyes standing up retaking her stance. She saw one of the corner of her eye Dwalin raises his chin, his eyes set with a small pride. Fili bared his teeth swinging his sword toward her. Magdalen managed to dodge his attack.

"One minute you don't acknowledge my existence," Her sword swang ringing when it clashed with Fili's. Fili absorbed her attacked, his sword locking itself in a battle with hers.

"The next you're threatening your brother, because he wasn't watching me." Fili and Magdalen were inches from each other, their noses brushing lightly. Their swords sliding against each other, sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

"You talk too much," Fili hooked his sword around her sword sending it flying out of her hand. Magdalen watched in shock as her sword gilded across the floor. Fili took his opportunity he kicked her in the stomach. Cling. Her sword rung as it hit the floor. Magdalen groaned as Fili knelt beside her, smiling at her like the bastard he was.

"That's not fair." Magdalen moaned lying on her back; she held her hands holding her sore stomach.

"A real fight will never be fair, Dushin-Mizim, "Fili whispered into her ears, his lips grazing the edge of her ear and sending her body into a frenzy.

"Fili," A voice barked from above them.

Fili shot up his back straight and his dagger at his side. Magdalen slowly got to her knees. She took a deep breath, collecting herself. She narrowed her eyes taking the opportunity to kick Fili's weaker leg from out from under him, twisting his hand behind his back forcing her knee into his spine. Fili yelled out in surprise colliding with the floor with a powerful force.

"You really should watch your back, Prince." Magdalen hissed into Fili's ear.

"That is enough!" The voice called again this time gaining both of their attention. Magdalen dropped Fili's arm looking up to see a not so happy Thorin. Fili stood beside her wiggling his wrist nursing it in his other hand.

"What is going on here?"

Fili rolled his shoulders his chin pointed up, "We were sparring, Uncle." Magdalen lifted her eyes to meet the azure eyes of Thorin. He mimicked Dwalin's stance, his thick arms folded over his broad chest. Dwalin, though still stoned face, hide a hint of amusement under his wildly thick eyebrows.

"I can see that, irakdashat." Thorin huffed looking between his nephew and the girl. Thorin marches over where Fili stood.

"And why has my advisor called me out of my chamber to inform me the Crown Prince has skipped out on two meetings." His voice low and dangerous.

Magdalen stared at the ground feeling Fili's tension pour from his body. Fili shuffled "I'm sorry uncle I got distracted." He muttered.

"I can see that." Thorin hissed his eyes looking to Magdalen.

Magdalen groaned great another reason for Thorin to hate her.

"Meet Balin by the mines. We will speak on this later." Thorin turned back marching out of the room.

Fili slid his sword back into his belt. His eyes met hers for a moment. He looked as if he wanted to speak to her, say something anything. Instead, he turned following after his uncle.

Magdalen felt her lips sting; she could taste the iron in her mouth. She quickly wiped it away. Arrogant Prince. She huffed picking up her sword. Kili swarmed her congratulated her on a fight well fought. But Magdalen wasn't listening though; her mind couldn't stray from the question. What did Dushin-Mizim mean?