AN: I do not own the Shamer Chronicles, they belong to Lene Kaaberbøl.

This was just something that popped into my head one day, so I wanted to write it down..

This is my first fanfic, and English isn't my native language, so please feel free to tell me if I have any typos etc...and I would be happy for some constructive feedback!

The story is set some years after the final war.

Okay..on to the story...

I sat down at the damp ground and looked out over the landscape of my home. I hugged my knees as the tears came streaming down my face. Tears I thought I was finished with. Crying over the loss of my father, and the longing of having a father in my life as any other girl my age had.

I allowed my head to rest on the tree behind me as I thought back to the reason why I was sitting here all alone...

The trees swayed gently in the cold autumn breeze as I made my way home from the market. Suddenly I heard some angry voices some distance away. My curiosity had the best of me, so I made my way over to the house where I heard the voices from. As I came around the corner and in view of the house I could easily hear what was being said between a boy around Mellies age and his father.

"But dad, please, I promise I'll come home when the other boys are going, you can even talk to one of their dads if you want to, but just please let me go!"

"I've said no, and a no is a no. I want you to help me around the house, and learn how to fight with swords like any other boy your age should be able to!"

"But I don't like fighting with swords, I don't like violence!" said the boy with tears in his eyes. I recognized him as one of the boys that Millie was always with.

"I've told you to stop saying that, I want you to be a man, not a weak boy that wants to be with girls all the time", said the father. The father, Ivor, owns one of the inns that travelers can stay at a night or two during their stay here in Bjørkeby. I've never liked the man much, as I see him as a man that has no respect for me, my mum or any other girls or boys he saw were weaker than him.

The boy apparently saw that there was no way around what his dad told him. He turned around from his dad, ran into the house and closed the door.

Afraid of being noticed I backed away silently and continued on my way home.

"Hi Dina, how was it at the market?" Asked Rosa as I came in through the door.

"It was fine, the usual," I said. Troubled with the scene between the boy and his father, I told Rosa about what happened.

"I just feel so sad for that boy, all he wanted was to be with his friends, but Ivor just had to be so mean and deny him just one normal evening where he can be with his friends! Almost each time I see him, I see him working around the house, Millie doesn't work as much as him, and they are the same age!"I told Rosa angrily, finally being able to voice my thoughts on what I had seen.

"But he's a boy, you know as well as me that boys need to work more than girls" Rosa answered me back as she started finding the ingredients to dinner as mum was outside in the garden with Millie.

"That's not the issue, I don't like the way the father threats the boy, he wants him to learn how to use a sword, when the boy clearly doesn't want to! He's just like Nico, he doesn't like violence, and he still has to learn sword fighting, also like Nico" I was starting to get angry at Rosa for not siding with me.

"He doesn't beat him, or make him a slave like my brother did, so I don't think the boy has it that bad!" Rosa shot back at me. Her hands where balled into fists, and I knew I should back away and end the conversation before it got out of hand, but I wanted to fight for the boy and the way he was treated.

"Exactly! That wasn't your father, so you're not the right person to talk about child caring either!" I knew I that what I said wasn't fair, but I was far too angry to take it back.

"And how would you know any better, you never grew up with a father, he's dead!" As soon as Rosas words left her mouth I felt slapped, and I felt the tears starting to pool over. I didn't want to be in the same room as Rosa anymore, so I turned around and ran as fast as I could out the door and up the hill.

The longing for my father was unbearable, all I wanted to do was to lie down and go to sleep while my father was singing my lullaby and stroking my hair. My own flute I learned how to make from Azuan lay against my hip as I hugged my knees. I wanted to play a melody so I could be in the shadow land and talk to my dad, and make him sing for me like he did those years ago when we were going to save Davin and Nico from the prison.

Suddenly I heard footsteps behind me and I turned around to look who it was.

"I heard what happened, Rosa wants to apologize. She knows that what she said was completely unfair to you," Tano said as he came toward me.

"I can't bear to go home right now, I just want to see my father and hear him sing my lullaby," I cried and hid my face in my hands.

I felt Tano's big warm hands slip around me, and the tears I thought I was finished with spilled over again as I held tightly on to Tano's shoulders.

Tano set us down on the ground, and made soothing circles on my back as I wept on his tunic. He didn't say anything as he held me, but his mere presence made it better, as it always does.

We sat like that for a while. How long I didn't know, but I slowly started to get tired and completely drained of all energy. The thought of playing a melody so I could talk to my father came to my mind again, and I turned around so I could look at Tano's face.

"Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Always, you know that Dina," Said Tano.

"I want you to look after me while I play a melody so I can talk to my father again, and see if he can sing to me my lullaby."

"I'll always watch over you"

Taking comfort in Tano's words I took my flute out of its shelter and put it to my lips. The melody was a sad one, filled with longing and grieving. When I saw the shadows and strings of the shadow land, I called out to my father, and let the longing lead me to where I wanted to be.

"Dina, my daughter, why are you so sad?"

"I wish I could be here with you, I miss you so!" The tears started to flow again as I could finally see my father and hear his voice.

"I want to go to sleep hearing you singing my lullaby," I finally put out the words that had followed me since the fight with Rosa.

"I'll always want to sing you your lullaby, but Dina, I won't be able to do that each night," my father told me with sorrow written in his face.

"But, please, can't you just do it this one time?" I asked with longing in my voice. Seeing my father and hearing his voice filled me with a new longing, but it also brought me peace, the feeling of being near him, if even in the shadow land.

As the words of my lullaby left my fathers mouth, I felt myself relax even more. I didn't hear the third verse before I fell asleep.

The shadow land slowly disappeared as Dina's hands went limp against her body.

...

As Dina slept peacefully in Tanos arms, he allowed himself to think the thoughts of being a father together with Dina. He knew he loved her, and their relationship was slowly building, he just had to be more forward with his messages. He wondered if Dina ever would want to start a family life with him; having kids, building a house of their own...

He picked up the flute as it had fallen to the ground when Dina fell asleep and kissed her forehead. He lifted her gently from the ground and headed towards the house. As he got closer he could see Rosa, Davin and Mellusina waiting for him.

"Is she okay? What happened?" several hushed whispers met him at the door.

"Yes, she's just tired and misses her dad," I whispered back to ease them off their worries.

"I feel so terrible for telling her that! I should have known she misses her dad," Rosa said with regret in her voice.

"It's okay, sometimes you say words you don't mean, she'll forgive you tomorrow, but now I want to go and get her to bed."

The others stayed behind as I got to the room she and Rosa shared. I pulled the covers away and laid her as gently as I could so I didn't wake her up and pulled the covers over. Wanting to comfort her in any way I could, I lay down beside her and held her. Stroking her hair I vowed to my self that I would give Dina all the love she would need.

A/N: What do you think? Have any comments? Then please take time to review!

-Zheeba-