Merry Christmas, I know it's a little late, but I wish it to you all never the less. I managed to get my weight load in chocolate so I'm set for a few days (*cough* greedy cow).
Here is the next installment, bit of a filler really, but I hope you enjoy it anyhow.
Cheers for the f/f: avatarange, basketball4444, Dady433, bluebell8833 & nachobeats823.
Also thank you to Dhalmi93 for your ever-encouraging kind words! X
I do not own Tolkein's and Jackson's magical work, just Todd.
Chapter 6 – A (not so) Lonely Soul.
Herself and Ori must have sat there talking about the world for hours. She had made sure to answer as many questions as she felt comfortable with. He was extremely intrigued by her. Yet he never once pushed her. He understood by the way she reacted to the questions which ones she would answer and which ones she would cover with questions of her own. He listened and took note. Unbeknownst to her, he had been taking a keen note in his memory of every thing she was letting slip about her and her heritage. By the time Todd had finished telling him about her time in the North and what kinds of flora and fauna she came across, they were both very hungry. She had taken to explaining to him what the types of plants looked like, and he would sketch them, then she would tell him all she knew on them. He had quite the nice collection of information, and she could tell that he was generally pleased for her to be telling him.
This warmed her, he didn't think she was lying, cheating or warping him. She was so happy to have someone really listening to her. When she was with Lord Elrond and Rhianine she had a feeling sometimes it was all just a bunch of niceties, yet here they were talking of a shared interest, and enjoying themselves which made it all the more rewarding for her. She could help the calm spread through her mind as she watched him taking it all in with an open mind. So much so that she was actually cracking small smiles here and there. Ori must have noticed also, for when ever his innocent and interested questions and comments made her smile, his own cheeks blushed bright pink.
"Oh" She jumped, her fingers pointing to a past sketch. "I just remembered, this leaf also acts brilliantly against the sting of the common nettle. So much so that my Mother called it a Patch Leaf, for it did better for patching you up than any healer could."
"I shall remember that one, for I am always the unlucky Dwarrow to get stung!" Ori chuckled lightly, taking note then. "Your Mother was very knowledgeable."
"She was always the smarter one of my parents!" She chuckled.
"What about your Father?" He asked, innocently once again. She tensed, and then took a deep breath.
"He was a wonderful Father, his knowledge was for different things!" She nodded, looking to Ori with a proud smile on her face. The likes of which made Ori nod with her.
"Ori?" Came a voice from somewhere behind them. Todd tensed immediately, her whole body turning to the sound of oncoming steps. Ori watched with a tensed stature also, unsure of the reaction him being with Todd would create. "Ori, you in there?"
From where they were sat a few large bushes shielded them, so Ori had to call to the voice, before the owner of it finally emerged. It was Bofur, his hat flopping as he walked over to them from around the foliage. Todd flinched slightly as his eyes fell from Ori to her.
"Your Brothers are worried to death lad." He stated. "What in the name of Mahal are you up to?"
"Lady Todd is teaching me about plants from the North" He stuttered nervously. Todd shuffled back so that she was resting on her knees, as if she was ready to bolt at the earliest sign of anger. Yet, when she sniffed a little, she couldn't sense any anger. Unless her senses weren't working as well any more now that she was her second self again. She looked on confused as Bofur sat down. His eyes softened as he peered over at the many sketches and blots of runic text. Ori pointed to the Patch Leaf and smiled. "Look, this could help a great deal!"
"You know quite a lot there lass?" He asked, after reading over a few of their pages. She noticed that his lips move silently when he read. His beard shaking as he did. He had soft brown hair; two big thick braids on either side of his head ran down to his shoulders before bouncing back out a little, like a curl. His beard did the same, yet it wasn't braided. His hat was something else too, Todd had this urge to pluck it from him and put it on her own head. Yet she could never do such a thing, it would be completely inappropriate, yet the though made her smile slightly.
"I guess, I've spent enough time around them is all!" She muttered quietly, after hesitating a little with her thoughts. "You don't mind do you?"
"Well, I'm sure some of this will be a great help some day!" He stated, not really answering her question, which in turn, answered it fully. He wasn't completely happy with it, so she nodded in silent understanding. She internally berated the dwarf for coming and ruining her time with the scholar. She thought back to his warm eyes when she was her other self, outside the troll hoard, she had felt a little more welcome then. Such a shame, she thought. When people thought her only to be a passing fox, they showed sides to them no other person could ever see. She has had people telling her their problems and fears to her as if she could talk and help. Its because they expected nothing back. In her second skin they expected lies and deceit.
"Well, I came to find you to tell you its time for more salad!" Bofur sighed. "Seen as you missed lunch, you could do with coming back now lad!"
Ori nodded and closed his book and packed away his quill and ink back into his little bound case of sorts. He went to stand and then looked back to his companion of sorts. He smiled and held his hand out for her to take. Todd stared at it, and so did Bofur. Her eyes questioned him, yet when he offered her a brighter smile she reached out to take it.
"It was lovely spending time with you, Lady Todd!" He stated confidently as he shook her hand. Bofur looked on, torn between chuckling at the gesture and gawking at the trust Ori had placed in her so quickly. Ori had always been the shy form of the company, his words stuttering and his cheeks blushing. He was a follower, yet here he was, making friends with a Rebhane. Bofur was shocked to say the least, yet something in him told him not to be angry. He looked at her and saw no harm, or any threat at all, if anything he saw someone in need of friendship and companionship, a lonely soul. Her eyes took a lighter hue and her lips twisted to a grin at his actions.
Ori then stood and started wandered back to where he had appeared earlier that morning. Todd watched also, her hand still outstretched ever so slightly. Bofur stood before her and eyed her. Something in her told her that he was going to warn her away, or tell her off. Then she looked into his eyes and saw confusion there. Maybe this was her chance, to say something to prove to him she was ok, safe, in fact.
"It was nice to have someone to talk to, even if it was about plants!" She started almost too quiet for him to hear. "Thank you for not begrudging me that!"
She saw him stare at her for a second, and then he caught himself. He flashed her a quick grin, his eyes shimmering for a second before he scuttled off. Leaving her in the grassy clearing on her own and completely and utterly starving. She wandered then, if there was any chance of her finding food and taking it back to her room. She reveled in her calm mind, the itching appearing only once Ori and Bofur had left her, which confused her also.
The next day went on much the same as the first. She awoke to a breakfast with the Lady Rhianine and Lord Elrond and his family. They spoke more freely this time around, Lord Elrond talked about his beautiful Daughter Arwen, then the Brothers moved on to hunting and weaponry. Elrohir and Elladan were very free when teasing her of her announced skill with twin daggers.
She took great time in explaining to the handsome twins her style of fighting. She had never really needed to use it when she was with her Parents. Yet since that time, she had to call upon the skills they taught her often. When travelling in her first skin became too hard, be it lack of food, or generally discomfort from cold, she would change to her second skin and move into more populated areas. This bought with it challenges, yet only when people started asking the right, or wrong, questions. She had been within a village of men once, north of Bree, where a man had tried to cut her braid out, she had reacted so fast he had barely lifted his dagger before he was flat out on his arse seeing stars. The two elvish lads were pretty flummoxed, neither really believing that the tiny wisp of a girl could cause a grown man any harm at all, let alone knocking them on their hinds.
"Brother, I think Lady Todd is spinning a web there!" Elrohir nudged his brother.
"Ahh yes, for I see no way it could possibly be true, she is so tiny!" Elladan concurred.
Todd let her brows furrow and shuffled in her chair slightly. Rhianine coughed and sent the brothers a slightly frustrated look. Whilst Lord Elrond just sat and carried on eating his breakfast as if the conversation was a little bit too adolescent for him. Todd looked to the twins and glared a little at them.
"Of course I can knock someone back on their behind!" She spoke, trying to be polite; she couldn't very well utter words like arse in front of someone like Lord Elrond or Rhianine.
"I highly doubt that little one!"
"I'm not that little, you are just extremely tall!" Todd huffed. "I am quite skilled with my daggers too, I can assure you!"
"I will have to see it to believe it." Elladan chipped in.
"Please, Lady Todd I'm sure is extremely talented, but she does not need you doubting her!" Rhianine finally spoke, she had been bristling as the conversation turned to a debate. Todd nodded dramatically to the two Elvish lads with a slight smirk.
Todd gained the confidence in the end to ask them for a sparring session the next day. The brothers had jumped at the opportunity and stated that they would even practice the night before. Rhianine had insisted that she take it easy, but in all honesty, Todd was excited to have an excuse to use her daggers again. She missed their weight and feel in her palms. Lord Elrond had dismissed her politely towards the end, and she thanked them with a warm smile and a delicate bow.
After breakfast, in which she managed to take with her two sweet rolls, she made her way back to the grassy clearing of the secret garden. She couldn't stay away; the sun was soaring above her and the warmth and serenity of the garden as calling to her. Upon arriving she smiled as Ori waved to her gently. He was already sat on the floor with his book open and the quill and inkpot ready to go, this made Todd flash a small smile. His cheeks flushed slightly with her arrival. She had had a feeling that he might have come back, he wasn't like the rest of his company, in the sense that all they wanted to do was grumble about their hosts and spar with each other. Ori had a little something more about him, a thirst for knowledge and Todd thought that was a very commendable feature to have.
They had jumped straight into discussing the different types of mushrooms then. Their conversation pretty much flowed on from where they left off the day before. Ori had expressed his interest in mushrooms, for he wanted to be able to help contribute to evening meals within camp. He had stated a few times that the chef, Bombur, ran out a few times of ingredients. Therefore Todd managed to teach him all the different types of food he could find to eat, if the need for foraging arose.
They were well into midday, with the sun coming directly overhead but the time Todd pulled out the sweet breads she had taken. Ori had thanked her profusely, and she had to tell him not to worry about it to make him stop. The lad was so polite and nervy, Todd really was at a loss, she was used to it at all. It had been so long since people were thanking her or asking her politely for things with pleases. Her smiles were definitely more frequent than the day before. The stony façade that she tried to keep, mainly by hiding behind her nerves and hair, had falling a little at the wayside, and her usual self was coming to show. She was half cursing herself and have praising herself. She did worry, if maybe she had let him in too quick. What happened when they part ways again? Why was she still here? She had not ties to this place as much as the Company did, but it was the 'where to go next?' question that stopped her from just up and leaving. Here she had found comfort and, dare she say it, a friend.
Todd smiled this time, when Bofur came and silently sat and listened for an hour or so. She had known that someone would come and fetch the scholar, and she was certainly glad it was him. She couldn't help but get a wash of nerves at his arrival. As if maybe today he wasn't going to accept everything like yesterday. Yet he sat down between them both and took to having a read over all she had taught him again. After deeming all the information very handy for his Brother, he set to smoking his pipe and letting the two chat aimlessly.
"How about you Master Bofur, are you a scholar also?" Todd asked, after battling with her confidence and nerves in trying to add him to the conversation.
"Ahh no, I'm a miner by trade, a toy maker at heart!" He smiled warmly, his eyes floating to somewhere over her head.
A toy maker, Todd thought. Miner she understood, for mining was the most popular trade of the Dwarven men. Yet toy making suited him, with his soft eyes and warm smile. She imagined him working with all manners of toys, and children from around Middle Earth wanting his work. From carvings of warriors to mechanical flying dragons.
"I think that suits you best, toy maker" She nodded. "I can imagine you create fine toys!"
"Thank you lass!" He said, looking between a smiling Ori and pleased Todd. "What about you?"
"I have been travelling for years, I worked under my father as a jeweler though, before that." She admitted. "We made this together!"
She fished out a silver chain from around her neck, its length long enough for the pendant to be hidden within her undershirt. The pendant shone brightly in the afternoon light, it was a flat nest of interweaving silver streams, a single droplet of moonstone sat in the middle reflecting the orange hue of the sun. Ori and Bofur both looked intently to it, for its craftsmanship was beautiful.
"A very fine piece that!" Ori breathed.
"Aye, it is" Bofur agreed. "What made you join your Father and his craft?"
"It was just natural?" She half questioned and stated. "We lived in a small village, and he needed help with expanding, people wanted to start trading with other towns and villages you see, so I stayed behind and began the silversmithing, whilst Father went about trading our jewellery." She explained.
"Must have been pretty good at it, if people wanted to trade with him from other towns?" Ori suggested, a hint of curiosity in this voice.
"Oh of course, he was the finest jeweler in Erebor before the fire drake swept down from the north, that he has assured me!" Todd smiled proudly, her nerves cracking slightly as her fondness and affection for her Father overwhelmed her.
"Erebor?" Bofur asked, his mind playing catch up. Todd looked to him, she thought she had mentioned her Fathers heritage to them all, yet when she thought about it, she had stated her Dwarvish heritage to her King in a huff and rage at his stubborn unwillingness to listen and trust her, way back when they first arrived.
"Oh yes, my father Balgiar set the finest of gems on the finest chains. He once told me that he made a Dwarrodam swoon at the sight of a family of sapphire stones he had set into a woven starlight chain." Todd chuckled slightly as she remembered her Fathers rosy cheeks and deep rumbling laughter as he told her the story.
"That's a mean feat!" Ori chirped.
"Thats unbelievable, so you're a Halfling?" Bofur interrupted, obviously still struggling over her mixed race. "Half Rebhane, half dwarf?"
"Yes, a whelp if you really must" Todd smirked at her usual nickname. Ori and Bofur both frowned at the use of the derogatory word.
"Well it explains why you're such a wee lass, when your fox self was so large." He stated, rubbing his chin. Todd watched as his forehead wrinkled a little, his eyes washing over her. The feeling altogether not as threatening as it normally was.
"It's about time you both were leaving for your super though, do you mind if I walk back with you, then part for my room?" She asked, jumping so far away from the subject that she felt the need to shuffle on the grass. Hopeful that maybe they wouldn't mind her tagging along, and that today she would find her way back without getting lost. She saw Ori nod his head, but her eyes fell to Bofur. She watched as he contemplated the idea. Finally though his eyes softened once again.
"Of course!"
They wandered in silence, but it didn't bother Todd, she was just happy to have the companionship. Once she separated from Ori and Bofur, she looked around till she spotted the familiar hallway. She bound down it and flew straight into her room, the healing room. It hadn't changed once again, apart from the tray and meal left for her on the table next to her bed. She sighed with relief and took to tucking in. After finishing her meal she made sure the tray was neatly placed upon one of the tables nearest the door.
It still amazed her that they had left her within this healing room. Her mind slipped to the conclusion that it was solely there for the purpose of housing injured guests, for there certainly have been no elves within it since she had arrived. Maybe, she thought, elves didn't get ill like other's did.
Settling back down onto her bed, she slipped her long tunic off and sat around with just her undershirt on. Its big baggy sleeves and airy fabric was the most comfortable feeling ever with the breeze that was currently whipping around the sunset lit room. She pulled out her whetstone and twin blades and took to sharpening them for the sparring match she was to have with Elrohir and Elladan the next day.
She had just started on her second dagger when a loud knock came to her door, startling her and making her jump from her bed and tense. She called out to the door in welcome, and watched as the door flew open and in strode her King and the wizard.
"Good Evening little one!" Gandalf spoke. She nodded to him in reply and then waited for him to continue. "I hope you do not mind our intrusion"
"Not at all, how can I help you?" She politely countered, bowing her head to her King as he nodded curtly back to her.
"Just a few questions, I told him to wait till tomorrow, yet…" he sent a rather tired and exasperated look to Todd. "…what a King wants my dear!"
"You spent the last two days with a few of my company yes?" Thorin asked, stepping forward, completely forgoing any notion of introductions and small talk before launching into the thick of his queries.
"Yes." She figured that the shorter the answer the less he could get mad at for her beating around the bush, per say. She had worried about being caught conversing with Ori, and now Bofur, but she really didn't see what all the fuss was about, she wasn't poisoning them or spewing lies to them.
"You were teaching Ori how to forage for provisions, yes?" He continued.
"Yes"
"Why?" He asked then, stepping a little closer. Todd wrapped her arms over her chest, in a manner that showed she was not afraid of him, yet her face showed that her nerves were getting to her a little.
"He seemed interested, so I offered to share some of my knowledge." She reasoned. That really was the crux of it; she didn't harbor any secret agendas.
"That was it?" Thorin asked again. Todd nodded to him, looking between him and Gandalf, the latter shifted his weight onto his staff and sighed lightly. "I thought I told you to stay away, if I was not mistaken…"
"She is not a danger to your Company Thorin, she has skills and knowledge that could help I am sure of it." Gandalf voice cut across him then, strong and wise. "It would be wise to follow mine and Lord Elrond's council!"
"I don't understand Gandalf?" Todd asked, deciding the whole situation was extremely uncomfortably confusing. Thorin should follow Lord Elrond and Gandalf's council on what? What matter, concerning her, could her King have asked about?
"I have been struck with an idea, one that will benefit the Company and yourself" He riddled, not really giving anything away. Todd raised her brows to him.
"Yes?" She insisted. Thorin looked her up and down as her attitude flared at the mystic wizard, almost appraising her abrupt tone.
"Yes indeed" Gandalf mumbled, before carrying on. "I have decided that you will be the fifteenth member of Thorin Oakenshield's Company, under the title of 'scout'!"
"Scout?" Todd repeated, letting his words sink in a little.
"Yes, you will check for dangers, protect the Company and keep an eye on our Journey to the Lonely Mountain"
"I have not agreed to this yet, however…" Thorin added, Todd could tell by the forced look in her Kings face that he had been weathered down to this idea by the wizard. "... I need to see some of the fight you have in you!"
"You wish to see me sparring?" Todd asked. Her mind was racing. Did she really want to let them hire her? She thought. A huge part of her longed to be able to see Erebor restored, for the honor of her Father. He would have wanted nothing more than to see it once more. She owed him that much. Yet there was no way she would ever be completely accepted into the Company. Yes she had made a connection with the young scholar, and dare say, the toy maker. Yet that was it. The rest were narrow-minded fools who could not spare her the time to prove herself trustworthy let alone anything more. Maybe she could change that though; maybe by helping on this quest she would open their minds and change their hearts. It was an absurd thought, but it lightened her mind a little. Already, just by being with Ori, and to some extent Bofur, for two days had taken the ache and constant itch from the back of her mind, it only now showed itself in the dark of night instead of constantly. That had to count towards something. "I actually had a session organized with Elrond's sons tomorrow, they wish to spar with me also, if you wanted to watch?"
"Perfect, we can all watch." Gandalf clapped from where he was leaning against a wall. "Thorin, you can see her skill tomorrow after breakfast!"
I'm going to start rambling at the bottom of these chapters now, don't want to be the annoying arse at the beginning that just gets in the way with unnecessary word vomit.
My thought for the patch leaf was from that of a Doc Leaf. I mean, there supposed to work, but it never did for me.
I was hoping to get some views on Todds character so far, so I can check that I am portraying her the way I want to? It would be awesome to hear what you think! In future chapters you will get more of a sense of her strength, she is no weakling used to people saving her all the time, so there will be some action.
Cheers Pals!
