Chapter 1:

Daughter of Thieves

It was early morning when he entered the house of wood and stone. Beorn glanced around, making sure everything was in it's place. The fire burned brightly and the animals were the same as when he had left. He knelt down and patted one of his goats on the head. He glanced over the bed his daughter peacefully slept in. A couple of dogs slept protectively in front of her bed. Yes, everything was where they belonged.

His eyes caught a glimpse of the wooden chest he had placed in the corner. The blue bag Atalie's parents had left behind for was inside. Hidden away from her thoughts and memory.

His mind wandered back to the time Atalie was a child, a time before that was even her name. It was a simpler time. Her questions were easier to answer and she didn't press for answers then, the way she did now. His thoughts turned his visit with Gandalf the night she came into his care.

…...

"As you can see Beorn, the child cannot return to those of her own kin. While many will recognize her innocence, there are those who will not." Gandalf lamented, Beorn nodded in agreement. Mortel men could be kind but there were always those with hardened hearts who would seek revenge. Gandalf had only been there a half hour but had managed to tell Beorn the story of Alissa's parents.

Alissa's parents met during a bizarre in Rohan. Her mother was selling trinkets while her father was stealing from other merchants. He attempted to steal from Alissa's mother but she caught him and threatened to reveal him as a thief. Her father flattered her with compliments and thus began their relationship. When Alissa's brother was born, times became very hard. No one was buying the trinkets Alissa's parents had made which turned them back to her father's life of thievery. When they successfully stole from a couple of Rohan nobles, they found life would never be the same. Alissa was born while they were on the run. That was all she knew.

"I knew her father before his thieving days." Gandalf repeated. "When he married and began to have children I started to keep a closer eye on him in case something like this should happen. Not many would take kindly to the daughter of a thief and murderer, I fear."

"Murderer?" Beorn asked,leaning in to hear that tale.

"That crime happened rather recently." Gandalf told him. The wizard refused to go into any further detail about who her father had murdered or why.

"Will you take her with you?" Beorn questioned, wondering what the girl's fate would be.

"A life on the road is not one a child needs." The wizard answered swiftly. "However, I believe, she could benefit from the stability and concealment your lifestyle could give her. It seems to me, it is to you she has come, and with you she shall remain."

"I have nothing here that is prepared for a child nor have I experience to care for one."

"She is in need of protection and care; both of which you can provide her. Change her name, for her parents' enemies may know it. Beorn, become her father."

Beorn looked back at the sleeping girl. She was innocent of the crimes her parents had committed and had been helplessly dragged into this most unfortunate situation. He was also, the one her parents had given her to. Where else would she go if he didn't take her in?

"I will return in a week's time." Gandalf told Beorn. "If, by then, you still wish for her to go to another home. I will find one for her."

Once Gandalf left, Beorn grabbed his knife, a piece of wood and began to carve.

~Day 1~

Alissa stirred as morning crept in through the windows. She snuggled into the bed a little longer until she felt the sun beams dance across her eye lashes. Her eyes squinted at first. The soft buzzing of Beorn's big bees filled her ears. She turned in towards the house, rubbed her eyes and then peeked around unfamiliar room.

She first glanced at the animals, Beorn kept within his walls, then to the large wooden table and to the fireplace behind it. She didn't see anyone there so she sat up. It was then, Beorn entered the room. Alissa let out a small squeak and hid under the covers.

"Do not fear little one." he said glancing down at the small, slightly moving bump she had formed under the covers. "I have something for you." He sat on the side of the bed. She stayed hidden for a moment before her curiosity got the better of her and she peeked out from under the covers.

She could see the kind the look in Beorn's eyes and glanced down to the wooden figurine in his hand.

"It's a bear." she gleefully said as she emerged from the blankets. Beorn handed her the figurine and smiled at her enthusiasm. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He patted the girl's arm before he stood. "Are you hungry?" he asked as he walked over to the kitchen area. Alissa happily held the wooden bear to her as she slid down the side of the bed and followed him into the kitchen. Beorn began to pull out some honey cake, cream as well as some berries and fruits.

Alissa found that she was quite small for Beorn's house, though it was the perfect size for the tall man. She managed to pull part of the bench out from under the table but was unable to climb up onto it. She tugged on Beorn's pants, he looked down to see her extending her arms. He put a plate down on the table before he picked the girl up and put her on the bench.

She continued to hold the wooden bear close to her as she watched Beorn finish setting the table.

"What kinds of food do you like?" he asked, unsure of what to put on her plate first.

"Berries!" she exclaimed, her eyes lit up as she realized some of the food was for her. Beorn put some of the berries on her plate and pushed it towards her. She happily picked up one of the blueberries and popped it into her mouth, then another and another. Soon her whole plate was empty.

"Can I have some more?" She asked, pushing the plate towards him. He nodded and put some more berries and fruit on the plate.

"When was the last time you ate something?" Beorn asked. The girl must have been famished with how quickly she ate. He placed the now full plate in front of her.

"A few days ago." Alissa answered before guzzling down more food. "Mommy brought us some berries as we hid in the forest." This troubled Beorn. Even in his hesitation in allowing her to stay here, he could, at least guarantee she would be fed, clothed and have a roof over her head. Alissa's parents had only managed to do one of those things.

"Eek." Alissa shrieked. Beorn was brought out of his thoughts. He looked down to see one of the white mice that had come to nest in his house was piter-patering by the child's plate. Instinctively Alissa swiped at it, causing it to roll.

"Careful." Beorn instructed as he picked the white mouse up. He handled it with care. "Be gentle with the animals." She couldn't stay here if she didn't learn to not harm the animals that chosen his home as their own. Alissa leaned and watched as Beorn smoothly placed the mouse back down and watched it scamper away in peace. It was strange to Alissa, her parents never acted like that in regards to mice. Why did her new friend?

Once breakfast was finished, and dishes were placed in the sink, Beorn got to work caring for his animals while Alissa played nearby. It didn't take Beorn long to discover that the child had a pattern. She would play with the little wooden bear he had carved for about 10 minutes. Then she would explore the house but the moment one the animals made a noise, she became frightened and was right back at Beorn's side, usually hugging his leg. She would then talk with him for a moment, usually asking a question about the chore he was doing, before going back to playing with her wooden bear. She stayed in that pattern until Beorn went outside to care for the horses and bees.

"Stay inside the gate." he instructed, not wanting her to wander far.

"I will." She said as she followed him, like a duckling would its mother. She watched in curiosity as he spoke to, fed and brushed one of his horses.

"Can I help?" Alissa asked timidly. Her parents, while they loved her, often pushed her away when they were trying to get things done. They knew that as a thief things must be done quickly or they risk the chance of being caught. To her delight Beorn handed her one of the brushes and showed her how to gently brush the horse. Beorn couldn't help but smile at the gleam in the girl's eyes.

"I like your horses." the young girl happily chirped. He glanced down at her, a smile formed on his lips. "Are all your animals this nice?"

"You will find if you are gentle and kind to the animals, they will be kind and gentle to you." he told her.

~Day 2~

"Why did the orcs kill my family?" Alissa questioned randomly while Beorn milked one of the goats. At her tender young age, she simply could not understand why anyone would try to hurt her or those she loved. "We weren't hurting anyone. We were just trying to get to Laketown to do some trade." This is what Alissa truly believed, though, Beorn knew better than to believe that. Still, it was not the child's fault that her parents had turned to a life of burglary and murder.

"Orcs kill without reason." Beorn answered. "They are foul, evil creatures without feeling. You would do well to remember that."

"How do you know?" the child asked. Beorn's memory flickered to the murder of his people, his captivity and the torture he managed to endure.

"They also killed my family." he answered. She didn't need to know the details of his capture.

"Oh, is that why you're alone?" Alissa questioned her eyes watched him. Beorn nodded.

"Yes that is why."he answered, looking down.

She stayed close to him the rest of the day, asking questions and played.

~Day 3~

The cool evening wind was blowing. Beorn rocked in the rocking chair as he watched Alissa play outside. He had hoped he could get her last amount of energy used up for the night, so they both could get some sleep.

They hadn't been outside long before Beorn sensed an orc pack close by.

"My child," He stood and hastened towards her. "Come to me."

"What's wrong?" the small girl asked startled by Beorn's sudden action. He swiftly picked her up and put her inside the house.

"Stay in here." he instructed. The Orcs were getting closer. "Do you understand? Don't go outside!" Alissa simply nodded and Beorn put a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to let her know everything would be alright. He stood back up and closed her inside the house.

Alissa quickly climbed up to a window and looked outside to see Beorn in his bear form, leaving the gates. She squinted her eyes in confusion but just got down from the window. She looked around the house, unsure of what to do without her caregiver. Fear that he would leave her there and not come back began to fill her.

One of Beorn's dogs sensed the girl's fear and walked up to her. He nestled his head in her hand and gave it a little lick as if to comfort the girl. The small girl looked to the dog and gently petted his head before she fell to her knees and hugged him.

It was dark when Beorn returned to his house in man form. He found Alissa and couple of the dogs curled up and asleep on his bed. Beorn smiled at the sight. After securing the house he laid down next to her and the dog and closed his eyes. It was quiet for a minute before he felt the little girl move. His eyes opened and looked down to her.

"Hello." he greeted, wondering what she would need.

"Are you a bear?" she asked sleepily. His eyes widened surprised by her question.

"Sometimes." he answered, figuring she had seen him transform. "But I will not harm you in either form." Alissa simply smiled and nuzzled into him before she fell back to sleep.

~Day 4~

Beorn was outside chopping wood for the fire. Alissa continued to follow him like a chick. He would hold his great ax up before swiftly slicing the wood in two. Alissa watched him a while before she looked over to the wood pile that had begun to form. She walked over to it and began to pick at one of the pieces at the bottom.

"Alissa, please don't do that." Beorn noticed her action. It wasn't a huge pile but there was enough wood to hurt her, should it come tumbling down on top of her. Alissa backed off for a few minutes before she returned to the wood pile and began to pull at that same piece of wood, causing the woodpile to shake.

"Stop!" he shouted to her, not in anger but in fear that the pile of wood would fall and crush her. Alissa jumped back at his projected voice. She hadn't heard him yell before. Her face scrunched up and tears began to fill her eyes. She began to sob. Beorn put his ax down, walked to her and knelt down. His arms wrapped around her in comfort. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued to cry while he said a soft "shhhh" to calm her. After a few minutes of crying, she sniffled.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded and continued to sniffle. "I'm sorry I scared you but you have to mind me. I don't want you getting hurt." Alissa continued to sniffle but nodded again. A second later, Alissa gave him a huge goofy grin and said, "OK." before dashing away to play.

'Children are confusing.' he decided after her quick change in temperament. He stood back up and began to chop more wood.

~Day 5~

By day five of her stay with him, Beorn found he had grown into his role of caregiver to Alissa quite well. She no longer swiped at the bees or mice and she was no longer afraid of the sounds the multiple animals made. She had only been with him a few short days but she seemed to adapt to his lifestyle quickly.

"I have to go into the forest for some wood." Beorn told the small girl. "Would you like to come with me?" Where she had been good at staying so close to him, he knew she'd say yes. Her head bobbed up and down, excitedly. Beorn grabbed his great ax and the two of them made their way through the gate walked the area between them and the forest.

They didn't go too far in the forests, just far enough for Beorn to find a few dead trees, to haul back to the house.

"Stay close." he called out while Alissa pranced around the wood. She continued to play until she heard some twigs snap and footsteps. It was then she ran to Beorn and hid behind him. Beorn looked down at the girl hiding behind him before he looked back to see Radagast the Brown, emerge from the trees.

"Ah, Beorn." Radagast greeted his friend. Beorn returned the greeting while Alissa continued to hide.

"Hello. Who is this?" Radagast questioned nodding down towards the girl with a smile.

"Atalie." Beorn answered his friend, as he looked down to the child hiding behind his legs. "Her family was slaughtered by orcs and has been in my care the last few days." Radagast looked from his friend to the young girl. Sympathy filled his large blue eyes.

"Oh, I am sorry, my dear." Radagast told her, a kind look rested in his eyes.

"It seems she's a little shy." Beorn commented, unable to get the girl to come out of hiding. It was then they heard some birds chirp. Radagast lifted his hat up and out sprung two birds in flight. Alissa's eyes brightened and she let out a giggle.

"Do you like the birds?" Radagast smiled. "I suppose they can be rather silly. Would you like one to sit on your finger?" Beorn watched as Alissa shyly came out from behind him. She nodded and Radagast whistled the birds back to him. They swiftly followed his call. Radagast helped the child lifted her pointer finger up and a bird gently fluttered onto her finger.

The smile on Alissa's lips widened. She turned back to Beorn and happily beamed up at him. Beorn smiled down at her, pleased with her joy.

Little time was spent with Radagast but it would not be the last time Alissas would see him. Beorn tied the large logs together and readied them to be moved down to the house. He called Alissa to him and they made the trip back home.

"What are you making?" the young girl asked as she watched Beorn, carve the large pieces of wood. She didn't like that he would not let her help him carve but he knew better than to give the four-year-old a knife.

"If you are to stay here, you're going to need a bed of your own." he answered, not looking away from the carving he was working on.

"Are you my daddy now?" Alissa asked, innocently. Beorn looked down to her, his thoughts wandered as he decided what to tell her. She was quiet a pleasant child. She was a little chatter box and she could be quite disobedient at times, still what could he expect from a child her age? She seemed to find joy in his daily tasks and tried to help where he would allow her. A few adjustments would need to be made to accommodate her but nothing he considered a problem.

"This is your home." Beorn told her with a smile. A big goofy grin formed on her lips, glad to know he would not turn her away. "I am your father now."

'Change her name...' Gandalf's words came into his mind. Alissa hugged his leg in joy.

"Now little one you must listen to me. Your name is Atalie now, do you understand?" Beorn told her.

"Ok but why?"

...

Beorn was brought out of his memories as he heard Atalie begin to stir. The whine of a dog was heard as he lifted his head up and looked at the girl. She merely turned and continued her rest. The dog turned back to Beorn, panted and walked up to him, excited to see his master.

Beorn's lips curved into a smile as he rubbed the dog's head. Much time had passed since Atalie came to live in his house;16 years to be exact. The skin changer stood and made his way toward the kitchen. Dawn was approaching and his child would soon awaken for breakfast and to begin her chores.

It took some time to get the girl to answer to Atalie as opposed to Alissa. Still, she seemed to have forgotten her former name and hadn't mentioned it in many years. After about six months time, she also seemed to forget she had once had a father that was not him.

Beorn began to set the table when he heard the girl get up from the bed and walk up the stairs to him.

"Good morning father." Atalie greeted with a smile. Her brown hair was in a side ponytail, going down her right shoulder. Her clothes were similar to Beorn's, though much smaller and a little more feminine. Her once pale skin was now tanned from the time she spent out in the sun, helping her father take care of the animals and garden.

"Good morning, child." he greeted.

"There are things I must do in the forest this morning." Beorn told her as they ate.

"Do you want me to come?" Atalie questioned. Beorn shook his head. Today he wanted to patrol the land in his bear form. Atalie figured what his plans were quite quickly.

"No," he answered. "Can you take care of things here while I'm gone?"

"Of course." Atalie answered. Beorn had never been one to trust strangers that manage to roam close to their home. When Atalie came to live with him, he had become more distrustful of those he did not know. Still, Beorn had taught Atalie well and knew she could defend herself if she needed to. The dogs and horses would also protect her if need be. Of course, he would to, in either bear or man form.

"You'll stay within the gate?" he questioned, making sure she would not venture into the forest. He trusted her, but there were many dangers in the forest. He simply didn't want her in a position where she'd get hurt or need to protect herself.

"Don't worry, father. I have many things to do around here." she answered as one of the bees buzzed by her face. "I won't wander off."

~Author's Note~

Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks to everyone who are following/favoring my story. A special thanks to those who reviewed!

DeLacus: Thanks for the review! I hope you'll find this chapter interesting as well. :)

Rousdower: Thanks for the review! It should be a pretty fun story if I can write it the way I have it in my head. :)

Xxyangxx2006: I'm glad you find it interesting! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. Thanks for the review! :)

Lady Kat Stark:Thanks for the reivew! I'm glad you like the idea. Thanks for your compliment. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)

DD: Thanks for the reivew! I'm glad you're enjoying the story and hope you will continue to do so.

I think that's everyone. The fun really begins in the next chapter so I hope you'll stick around to check it out. Should be a lot more action! Feel free to leave a review if you have time and are so inclined. Constructive criticism is always welcomed. Thanks!-Lin