The sound of something being unsheathed, and the point of a very sharp dagger had Tanir freezing in his place, still staring at the dwarves that were sitting very close to where he now stood. His wife in front of him holding a dagger between them, staring up at him with those almost dead eyes. He nearly scoffed, she thought he would stop because she threatened him with a dagger? Very few had noticed the issue between the couple right now, and Tanir knew more would in a moment if she didn't fucking move. He noticed a couple dwarves stir and watch with very hard gazes, sensing something wrong.

"Tanir," Alodie's voice was low, her gaze hard. "Don't." Tanir's eyes flared- he would not take being spoken to as such! His hand acted of it's own accord before he could stop it. Before he could wait until they were home, the resounding slap echoed. She dared not react, not here. The shuffling of boots was enough at the time that only those witness to the slap would have heard it.

The Master cleared his throat, "Lord Tanir, is your wife giving you trouble again?" He laughed, trying to shake off his awkwardness. "When is she not, Master?" Tanir smiled his thin lipped smile, as Alodie moved to the side, no longer hiding the dwarves from her husband's gaze. The dagger had slipped into a sheath inside Alodie's gown, as she curtsied. "My apologies." She lied, before turning on her heel at the push of Tanir, and his hissed "Home. Now." She walked head high ignoring the looks people gave her.

Dori laid his hand upon Nori's shoulder, and the tight clench of the younger dwarf's hands released, his eyes following after the woman, her blonde hair bouncing behind her. Fuck. His eyes watched as Thorin seemed intent to ignore the scene, in the best interest of keeping on good terms with the Master. Nori's head swiveled back, but she had already left. He faced forward again ignoring the burning look that Dwalin gave him. Not here, not now. He closed his eyes ignoring the feeling in his belly, that he knew was not just the result of seeing a woman be hurt. He knew those eyes, he knew that face- knew her. Yet he couldn't say that.

The Master cleared his throat once more "What is the meaning of this?" He gestured to the dwarves, very put out. He had been having good drink.

"We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire."

8 years earlier

Squeals of giggles followed the young girl as she ran from her brother's tickling fingers. "Alwold!" She pleaded, giggling unwillingly as his tickling fingers found her, leaving her without breath as they succeeded in their task. She fought against the tickles, and broke herself free trying to regain her breath. The two shared many a similar features from their blonde hair, their pale blue eyes, or their face shapes, some would think the two twins and not siblings four years apart in age.

Alwold made to tickle her again, and her giggly squeal and pull back had him laughing too. "Silly sister. That's what you get for interfering again." "She wasn't going to take you to bed anyway, brother." The two laughed ignoring the snigger of Miriril from where she sat upon a rock near them.

"I am going to get a drink, you two want one?" Alwold shook his head, and Miriril muttered a quick 'No, thank you.' to her step sister. Skipping through the traders near the Iron Hills, Alodie made her way back to her father's wagon, her eyes following a dwarf that her father hadn't noticed yet. His hair was in a rather odd style, three points- but who was Alodie to judge? Dwarves often had eccentric styles as it was. Her eyes widened as she watched his hand slip into her father's pocket. He pulled out a coin bag, before waltzing off as if naught had happened. Narrowing her eyes, the girl moved quietly but quickly after the thief. She followed him around corners, and before she almost lost him reached out and snagged his wrist. He pulled a dagger on her, which she jumped to miss, never letting go of his wrist.

Despite being of the race of men, at Six and ten years old, Alodie daughter of Carandoldir had not yet finished her growing and as such stood barely taller than the dwarf. His reddish hair reached her forehead, as she glared down at him, much more icy eyes glaring back at her. "That's not yours." She said lightly, as if it were not obvious. The theif gave a grin before chucking the bag of coins back at her. "Aye, true." He said before giving a wink and disappearing around the dark corner, lost from Alodie's sight. She opened the bag to check the contents remained, and groaned slightly. Of course he'd still take a couple of coins.

She made her way back to her father, placing the coin back in his pocket, feigning a hug. The man placed his arm around his daughter, smiling down at her. "Go get your brother and sister." Step-sister, her mind almost repeated on habit, before she shook the thought from her head. Miriril was her sister, as much as Alwold was her brother, now.

A/n: Wow I haven't been here for a while. Please R&R for me please, I would apprecate it as this story will pretty much be written on whim and I'm not expecting it to flow very well but hey, I had an idea and I will roll with it. I only own my ocs, anything you recognise chances are Tolkien owns it. :D