Disclaimer: I looked under my bed last night, but the rights to The Hobbit still weren't there! Maybe tonight...

Chapter 13: Training and a meeting

"Pick it up and try again." Marie could tell by his tone that Dwalin was forcing himself to be patient. She bent down to retrieve the wooden training sword before he lost his hold on the quickly dwindling virtue.

Bilbo stood across from her, shoulders heaving as he panted, sweat dripping from his ringlets. She took a small amount of pleasure in knowing that he seemed to be as exhausted as she was. Her hands stung and her arms ached from sparring with her little Hobbit friend. Neither were doing very well if she was going to be honest with herself.

Her hand had healed much quicker than Oin had anticipated, leaving only a faint scar and dull ache when she had woken up the morning after officially joining the company. She knew that she had Elowyn to thank for the speedy recovery. Dwalin had insisted that, since she was healed, the two unprotected members of the company would start training that very morning.

"Do it again!" Dwalin barked at them, causing her to jump before rushing back to face off against Bilbo, wooden sword raised as she had been shown.

Breathing deeply she moved toward him, swinging the sword down as quickly as she could. Sharp vibrations were sent up her arms, followed by a pins and needles feeling as Bilbo blocked with his own weapon. She jumped back quickly, just in time to escape the swipe he took at her side, stumbling slightly.

A sharp crack rang through the air around them as Bilbo's sword was struck from his hands, clattering across the floor.

"That's enough." Dwalin told them both, apparently at the end of his short rope. "You both have a long way to go before either of you can do anything against a real enemy. We'll do it again tomorrow morning."

Marie sagged to the floor in relief as he marched off, every muscle in her body stinging and burning. She sat for a long moment, relishing the feeling of the cool breeze blowing against her heated skin. Her moment of peace was interrupted by a gentle hand enveloping hers, leaving what felt like a cup in it's place as she was released. She opened her eyes to find a cool cup of water resting in her hand, dark eyes surveying her as Kili sat next to her on the marbled floor.

"Thank you." She told him before drinking deeply.

"You're welcome." He replied. "You did well. Truly!" He argued when she shot him a look of disbelief. "Dwalin is a notoriously difficult teacher to please, he's also a harsh one. He taught Fili and me everything we know."

She smiled at him, pleased to have company for a moment. "I'm in good hands then! It is difficult." She felt determination well up within her. "But it is absolutely necessary that I learn to defend myself and the others. You all have been so kind to me and taken such good care of me. I don't want to be a burden. You all are the closest thing to a family that I have."

"You aren't a burden." He told her softly, tenderness lightening his eyes to the color of rich chocolate. He reached a hand out to brush some of her hair behind one of her ears, his hand lingering against the side of her face for a moment longer than she assumed was proper. Although she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.

"Dwalin told me you were done with your sword practice." Marie and Kili jerked away from each other, surprised by Fili's sudden appearance. The blonde prince looked from his brother to Marie, one eyebrow raised and mischief sparkling in his blue eyes. "I thought that we could work on your dagger throwing?"

"Yes." She told him quickly, ignoring Kili's frustrated huff directed at his brother as she stood. She looked down, brushing imaginary dust from off of her leggings as she tried to regain control of her pounding heart.

What had just happened?

The moment between them had tied her stomach into knots, and made it feel as though her heart had tried to escape from the cage of her chest. While both feelings had made her slightly light-headed she didn't mind, although they left her feeling unsure of herself. She snuck a quick look at the darker of the two brothers. If he had felt the same fluttering feelings, he wasn't showing it. Maybe it was just her then...

She turned toward Fili, focusing as she pulled one of her daggers from her boot where she had been told to keep it at all times after the debacle with Aegnor. She smiled at the memory of the conversation her friends had had with her that very morning.

"Now lass, of course we believe that it was an honest misunderstanding." Bofur had told her comfortingly. "We just want to make sure that you're able to hold someone off in the future. At least until one of us can get to you and help."

Fili had nodded in agreement as he finished tying the dagger sheath to her boot. "This way you'll always have a weapon on hand."

"If you can't reach it you'll have to go for the sorry sod's eyes." Gloin had growled out. "Or give him a good swift knee to the groin."

Bifur had muttered something that she hadn't been able to understand. Though if the blushes that flushed everyone else's faces was anything to go on, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was.

She just hoped it wouldn't come to her gouging someone's eyes out.

/

Kili huffed again, getting up from the floor to move to a nearby bench.

His brother, heir to the Lonely Mountain, seemed to have some kind of unsaid grudge against him. He had been thoroughly enjoying his moment with Marie, before his meddling brother had interrupted them and ruined it.

He watched from his seat as his brother took more than the usual amount of time to show their pretty friend how to grip the small dagger, his hand straying to different parts of her small body to position her correctly, standing far too closely the entire time.

Fili cast a smirking glance over his shoulder as he guided her arm back to throw the dagger, still much to close for Kili's comfort, although Marie didn't seem to notice as she focused on what his brother almost whispered into her ear. His brother could be the most infuriating person in all of Middle Earth if he tried hard enough. The only thing that kept his fist from flying into the side of a blonde head was the knowledge that the only reason his brother was all over Marie was in order to get such a reaction from him.

So he opted, instead, to completely ignore his annoying brother. He turned his attention back to Marie as her dagger flew through the air, missing it's target entirely and clattering along the floor.

"Try again." Fili told her gently, as she went to retrieve it from where it had flown. Apparently, Fili had forgotten his teasing as he focused on directing her properly in her exercise.

It took a few tries before the blade flew true and stuck into the very edge of the target. Much to Marie's obvious delight as she bounced in place, seeking him out in order to share an elated smile with him.

"Very nice." A deep voice spoke out, startling the trio. Thorin stood behind him, arms crossed as his gaze traveled over each of them. "You're done for the day Marie. All of you be back in our room in 10 minutes, I have something to discuss with the company."

/

Thorin stood before his company, waiting for everyone to give him their attention before he made his announcement.

"Ahem." Balin cleared his throat from next to him, effectively gaining the rowdy group's attention. Thorin nodded his thanks to his advisor and friend before turning to address everyone.

This was the one part of being a leader that he absolutely despised. He could already feel the knots tying his stomach together as he every pair of eyes turned to him. He took a deep, calming breath before speaking. "I have met with Lord Elrond to show him the map. It would appear that we will find the door into the Lonely Mountain on Durin's day. The moon runes say it will be shown to us by the last light of that day."

"Durin's day?" Dwalin asked. "That gives us just about 6 moons to reach it."

Thorin nodded. It should be more than enough time, as long as they didn't have any major setbacks or delays.

"Excuse me." Marie spoke up from where she sat wedged between his nephews. She waited until she had his permission before continuing. "When exactly IS Durin's day?"

"Durin's day is the final day of Autumn, the final moon before the first day of the new year on the Dwarvish calendar." He explained, pleased that she seemed to have an interest in their culture. She had approached Balin on many occasions, he knew, in order to ask about various matters of Dwarven politics. He had also heard Ori tell her tales from their long history.

At first he had been strictly and stubbornly against her delving into the matters and past of his people. They had been fooled and betrayed too many times to count, and looked down on by the race of Men since Erebor was lost.

It had been Bifur who approached him, pleading her case and asking to teach her a few words of Khuzdul. He had been shocked at first, completely against the idea of this mysterious outsider without a past learning their secret language. Then Bifur had told him about her kind words and the attention she gave the injured toy maker, although she could not understand when he tried to reciprocate it.

And of course there was Kili to consider. Thorin was concerned about the close relationship his nephew seemed to be cultivating with the young woman. Dwarves only love once, everyone knew that. If he looked closely enough he could see the same besotted look in his youngest nephew's eyes that he had seen in his sister's before she married her One. He knew in his heart that if Marie returned Kili's feelings, he would not stand in their way. They would certainly have a difficult road ahead of them, but he would stand behind them.

"We will leave in a week's time." He informed them. "Lord Elrond has offered to replace the provisions that we lost with the ponies, we just need to wait while they are gathered."

There was a low murmur among the group, each nodding as they discussed plans for their departure. He caught sight of Kili's attentive gaze glued to Marie as she animatedly told him something.

If he were to decide on his own, they would leave that very night. Being around so many Elves made him nervous.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Sorry it's shorter than usual.

I wanted to try from Thorin's point of view, please let me know how I did with it! I don't know anything about fighting or training at all, so I'm sorry if I got something wrong with the training part. I like the idea of Thorin having a bit of stage fright as well. ;)

Please review and let me know what you all think, I appreciate all of the lovely reviews that I've received so far! Next chapter should be up next Sunday. I overcame my writer's block and the chapters seem to be pouring out!