Fili rolled over in the warm bed he shared with his brother, he had been dreaming of fighting beside his uncle and being crowned the champion of battle. His face itched somewhat from the rough pillow cases which adorned Thorin's large bed, but that was not what had awoken the youngling. The whispered yells of his uncles angered voice floated in from the half opened door, for a moment he thought Kili had gotten himself into trouble but a soft gurgled snort from the toddler beside him proved that to be untrue.

Quietly the child slipped from his bed, creeping on the tip of his toes so as not to wake the black haired Kili, as he slowly made his way into the hall he could hear Balin's voice calmly replying to his uncles slowly disintegrating yells from his vantage point he could clearly see both Balin and Thorin. The older of the two Dwarves held a bundle of blue-grey cloth against his chest and seemed to be protecting it from Thorin's intense gaze.

"What would you have me do Thorin?" He whispered scoldingly "Leave her in the cold to die?"

Thorin heaved a heavy sigh as he could not argue with Balin's kind heart, but he would not relent, who would care for it, be responsible for its actions surely Balin did not believe any among their kind would want the offspring of an elf let alone the abomination the older dwarf held so closely to his heart.

"You are right Balin, but she is an elf, what are we supposed to do with her?" His gravelled voice asked hoarsely. "She has no one, she will be ostracized, outcast."

"She has you now," Balin smiled, placing the bundle in Thorin's unsuspecting arms.

Thorin made a panicked noise in the back of his throat as he tried to steady the tiny babe, careful not to upset the child.

"You care for your sister's sons often enough, adding a little girl shouldn't be that much more of a task for you my lad," The elder chuckled patting Thorin's back.

Thorin stared up the dwarf with a feigned frown, it was as his uncle was gently bouncing the bundle that Fili found his curiosity had gotten the better of him and hoping he would not get in trouble as he stepped into the lowlight.

"Uncle?"

Thorin's eyes darted to the child as Fili came closer, Orbs of light blue looked up at the bundle of similar coloured cloth and Thorin leant down so that the little dwarf could see the strange baby.

Fili's eyes widened at the tiny creature with platinum curls and freckled cheeks, her pink pouted lips so small and delicate and pointed ears that made her look like a little pixie, she was so tiny and delicate.

"It's so little," He whispered in surprise, reaching out expertly to take the infant from his uncle holding her in the way he had held Kili when he was a Dwarfling.

"She's a baby Fili, did you expect her to be anything but small," Balin smiled as he placed the parchment he had found in her wrap on the table and stood beside the boy.

"Kili was never this small," He whispered looking at the elder. "What is she?"

Balin balked before patting the youngling on the back. "She is a halfblood of hobbit and elf,"

"Does she have a name?" Fili asked bouncing her slightly, It amazed Thorin and Balin at how little he cared about her mixed blood.

"The letter didn't say," Thorin whispered smiling softly as he sat back in the armchair behind him, glowing with a sense of pride as his nephew held the baby with such expertise.

"You should name her then," Fili smiled up at his uncle.

Thorin was surprised for a little while at being given the honour of naming something so precious, He scowled somewhat as he tried thinking up a name for the tiny baby, the letter she had been left with said she was a half-blood of elf and hobbit and strictly speaking the child shouldn't have lived.

Although Thorin held a grudge towards the elves he could not find it in his heart to hold the child accountable and Balin's idea seemed less and less ridiculous the more he thought on it. Girls names swam around his head but none seemed to fit the tiny child, Dis was a strong name but didn't seem suitable, not to mention his sister might be insulted if he named it after and Gertrude Didn't appeal either.

"What about Anneslyne?" Thorin asked after what seemed an age of completive silence in which both Balin and Fili had grown tired "for the great jewels of the water," He added patting the child's head.

"I like it, it's a pretty name uncle," His nephew yawned staring up at the Dwarven lord.

Thorin smiled as he pulled his nephew and the baby onto his lap, adjusting them so the baby was curled up in one arm and Fili against the other. Anneslyne's tiny eyes opened in time to catch a glimpse of Thorin's proud smile as he nodded, her toothless mouth cracked open as she sniffled and made a sad gurgling sound. Tears welled in the infants deep blue eyes as she threatened to cry.

"Shhh.. ." Thorin cooed bouncing the baby gently. "It's alright…Anneslyne ...Anneslyne I got you,"

The tears in her eyes slowly faded away as she looked at him his deep gravelly voice calmed the little creature with ease, Thorin found it quiet unsettling for an infant to have such comprehensive eyes, eyes the colour of the night sky when the lights played in the north. Fili reached out to the child patting her wrapped toes as he smiled lopsidedly.

"Hello Anneslyne, I'm Fili," He said quietly, grinning widely as the baby gurgled and fidgeted unexplainable excitedly.

"I think it's time you were asleep," Thorin murmured with a happy sigh.

"I think it would be time for all of us to be asleep," Balin nodded, Smiling with pride and surprise at Thorin's sudden fatherly instinct towards the orphaned baby.

Thorin walked Fili into the room they shared, Holding Anneslyne awkwardly as he tucked the young dwarf in next to his brother. The black haired toddler breathed deeply as he cuddled into Fili's side evidently not even noticing his brother's absence.

-That boy could sleep through an earthquake- Thorin thought as he lay in the bed next to them an arm outstretched so that Fili could nestle himself in the safety of his uncles shadow.

He placed Anneslyne in the crook of his shoulder so that the baby was resting against his chest, her deep eyes watched him as he watched her the two quietly observing one another in the late night chill before she slowly fell asleep her delicate hand outstretched as she grasped his beard for comfort while she slept.

Thorin chuckled as the babe finally fell asleep, her odd behaviour was more than amusing and he couldn't help wonder what type of person she would grow into, and what troubles she would cause him as she grew.

Anneslyne turned in her window bay bed in one of Bilbo's wonderfully decorated guest rooms as the dawn slowly approached. Her dark blue eyes opened with an almost audible flick of her long lashes as she watched the dark sky outside. She lay in the bed for a small while unsure of the time until the bright golden sun peaked over the rise and begin to tiptoe over the ridge, hair by hair, casting long thin fingers of light over the green pastures and grassy rooftops of the shire. The night sky was beginning to show signs of lighter purple and the stars had begun to fade ever so slightly as the half-blood rose from her lusciously pillowed bed.

Her bare feet crept along the floor to the form of her uncle, whose lined face was peacefully still as she gently roused him. Anneslyne was the lightest of sleepers which was why she was on dawn watch a hint of sunlight woke her right up. Thorin's right hand grabbed her wrist a little forcefully as he startled awake but as he recognised her loose curls and pale nightshift he calmed considerably and released her hand. In the low cut night shirt it was easy for him to see the extent of her bruised neck and chest, He reached out placing a hand over a bright bruise on her throat the same size and shape of a dwarves hand, the dark mark was almost a perfect match to his own; Which disturbed him.

"Thorin, it's Time to go," she whispered ignoring Thorin's clear distain for the injuries his kin had caused her.

The Dwarf lord nodded before sitting up in his bed as Anneslyne moved to the sleeping company members on the floor, it was pleasant for each to be awoken with a little shake and cheerful good morning from the strange beauty before they began to get ready.

Kili and Fili grumbled as she leant over them, whispering a soft and threatening

"Get up before I kick you"

Which she only reserved for them. Usually the brothers were the first she woke up mostly because she couldn't wriggle out from between them without resorting to strength or even violent ends. Fili's day blue eyes cracked open a sliver as he smiled lopsidedly. The sight of his untamed bed head and sleep beard made her chuckle.

"Morning m'lady," He teased, Smirking when Kili grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her into the makeshift cloak bed.

"Oh for gods sakes," She grumbled as the two cuddled her in the warmth of their teasing, if not suffocating affection. Even though she was the youngest she was no doubt the most mature when it came to her duty

"Let me go, I have to go into the other room and wake the others," she hissed.

Kili chuckled a "nope" as the two dug their prickly chins into the sides of her neck, which hurt a lot more than the two had meant it to, she was still bruised and raw from her beatings and the brothers were quiet forgetful when it came to these things. The little woman growled trying to free herself from her den brothers as Thorin, who was already fully clothed and armoured grasped her outstretched hand and pulled her free.

"Let her do her job," he grumbled with a fleeting smirk before dumping his nephew's things onto them.

Anneslyne smiled at the sounds of her brothers indignant groans as she slunk down the wonderfully furnished hall almost laughing outright when she heard Fili's horror at having Kili's socks dumped onto his face; she washed their clothes sometimes when she did her own so she knew how foul the garments would have been. The young half-blood crept into one of the darker guest rooms with no windows and woke up the rest of their party silently. Ori was a little groggy and confused when he woke up so she had to sit with him a minuet to remind the youngest of where he was before returning to her room to get ready.

Thorin and most of the others were already standing in the drawing room when she came out a few minutes later, The sun had just fully breached over the hills in the distance as she stepped through the arched doorway when Balin rounded on her cheerfully.

"Come along Anneslyne, you and I must away before the rest," The elder said brightly before leading her into the early morning.

It was only after the two had passed the second little round door on their way into the valley that Anneslyne asked Balin what they were doing, setting off before the others.

"Well my dear, you came here on foot did you not," Balin smiled as they rounded one of the many bends that lead to the market place.

"I bartered most of my way here by wagon," The girl admitted softly.

"Well walking by foot to the mountain just won't do," He nodded firmly and Anneslyne realised he was under the intention of buying her a pony and was glad for it. She was not ridding double with Fili or Kili ever again.

Once in the early workings of the market place Anneslyne was again overrun with the desire to live in a place this beautiful and joyous, the baker seemed to be just opening up shop and the delicious smells of melting butter and baking bread were beginning to warm the chilled air, A young woman with dark springy curls was starting to put her cheese wares up for the day; Bree, Cheddar and huge wheels of Bulfass. She nodded to those who passed her awkwardly, Their cheerful cries of "good morning" and "Hello" made her feel a little daunted although Balin seemed to enjoy the happy atmosphere and greeted each with a cheery "Mornin'."

When they arrived at the livestock auctions she was almost overwhelmed by how kind all the hobbits were, she'd even been offered a free sample of some smoked cod which she had shared with Balin and in truth it had tasted very good.

The selection in rideable pony's wasn't really varied, Most were work horses built toughly with long days of ploughing fields and carting goods a few too old to pull a wheel barrow let alone carry a person.

The mount they chose was a young piebald which was used to having a little fat hobbit sitting on it, so the half-blood would have been easy cargo for the creature.

"Her name's Dalphine," smiled the old hobbit as he handed Anneslyne the reigns. "Good strong horse, little stubborn sometimes, but a good lass," he added as Balin paid him.

"Hello Dalphine," Anneslyne cooed as she stroked the piebald's long nose. The little pony looked at her with brown eyes that almost begged to be galloping through fields.

Balin lead the way further down the valley and towards the east woods where Thorin had agreed to meet them, they spent most of the journey in silence although Anneslyne respected Balin greatly they did not have much to talk about which they had not already or which they hadn't deemed the other ready to hear.

Balin and the others had pegged the ponies nearby in the woods and had walked the rest of the way to Bilbo's house, but apparently it was all for naught: the tales she had grown up on had been too much for the homely man and he had refused the offer of wealth to be safe with his ornaments. Although it did not surprise her she was a little disappointed he was not going to accompany them.

The two rounded the corner with Dalphine in tow in time to see the others arriving from the northern pass. Fili and Kili raced over wide smiles plastered over their silly faces.

"Anneslyne do you think Bilbo will come?" Kili asked immediately.

"What? No of course not…why?" She countered suspiciously walking her pony closer to the others.

Fili looked at her almost crestfallen.

"You don't think he'll show?" he asked in his pleasantly deep voice. " not even a little?"

"No," She stated again looking at Kili "Why do you both keep asking me that,"

"We'll that'd be b'cause of the money involved," Bifur smirked jingling his pouch of coins.

Anneslyne stared at them with a small pout, her opinions on gambolling varied but for the most part she thought it was a stupid waste of good coin, her brothers of course disagreed.