Happy New Year little chickens!

I hope you all had wonderful celebrations. Here is the next chapter. It's a filler, me getting used to the Companies interactions, so please correct me if anything is wrong or rubbish.

Cheers for the f/f: bluebell8833, bookworm182 & kurokazeryuu

Dhalmi93 – Your reviews make my day! I was getting a little worried that no one was really liking it, but you make me smile. I want this to be a slow burn, its so stupid when people insert OC's that are just accepted and loved straight away, Todd needs to earn it! Thank you again.

HobbitGirl330 – Thank you! Your review the same as Dhalmi93's came at the perfect time to cheer me up! Hope this is ok for you.

I only own Todd!

Cheers x

Chapter 9 - A Family Affair

Todd was completely and utterly beside herself. She was dead certain after their spar that her King would be angry with her and cast her away from the Company. After he had stormed off Balin had rushed after him and Gandalf had all but grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along with him to find them.

The wizard wasn't happy, he wasn't happy at all. He had muttered under his breath over and over about him slicing her arm. Apparently it was bad manners and the wizard was not having any of it. Todd smirked a little at Gandalf obvious anger and shook her head. It hadn't hurt that much, of course it had come at a shock. She had wiped at the blood with her sleeve and it had stopped bleeding since, not bothering her in the slightest, the mark would be nothing more than a scar by the next day. Yet never once when learning and sparring with her Father had be actually harmed her, and by the looks of the others within the Company, they were pretty shocked too. Although she did spot Dwalin and the ginger one, Gloin she thought, sharing amused grins.

They rounded a corner and came to a walkway where Balin was giving Thorin what looked to be an ear full. Her King was stood with his head hunched down on his neck, staring intently at the floor. Balin muttered something that made him shoot his head up, and then they caught eyes. Blue steel, against shinning emerald.

"Thorin Oakenshield, you stubborn Dwarf!" Gandalf all but shouted, his booming voice echoing off the walls. "What were you thinking actually harming little Todd like that?"

Thorin didn't even flinch, he just kept on staring. Staring straight at her, the intense look in his eyes made her feel extremely uncomfortable. Maybe he was thinking of something to shout at her, a way of warning her away from the quest, and his Company. Yet it never came, her heart was beating manically in her chest, she could have sworn they could all hear it. Then she watched as clouded emotions flew across the Kings face, and his next words hit her like a brick.

"She can join us!" He muttered.

"What?" Todd stuttered back to him, her eyebrows shooting off her forehead in shock.

"On one condition!" Thorin stated, pulling back his overly regal and stubborn persona once again. He pulled his shoulders back and stood tall, looking down one her. All the confusion and emotion void from his features. He was back to being stone. Todd nodded her head frantically.

"Anything!" She breathed.

"You keep out of the way, if you become a burden, there will be problems, understand?" He snapped.

She could take that. She could take that indeed, there was no way she was going to be a burden to any of them, she was going to protect them, work with them and gain their trust and friendship. She was going to help them reclaim Erebor, her Fathers home. Her heart leapt into the air and hummed with happiness, then she looked to Balin and Thorin, realizing that they wanted to hear her answer to his condition.

"Of course, I will do what ever it takes!" Todd chirped, making Balin try to stifle a grin.

She had never been so relieved in her whole life. She hadn't even realized that she had been holding such a deep breath. She thought that it must have been the unique circumstances. For so long she had been trying to find somewhere safe, never really settling down. Her parents were her home, and now that they were, not with her, home was lost in the wind. With her home gone, the itching in the back of her mind had grown, but now maybe that would all change. She had been at the point of giving up and doing god knows what. She hadn't thought of a plan, yet the trolls came and she was thrust into the path of the Company. It took all that she had not to just shout her thanks to Yavanna and Aule, for it must have been divine intervention.

Not only had she been looking for a new home, she then ran into a company of dwarves that were to be reclaiming a home that they had lost. All of them homeless, and seeking a home.

"I just hope I can offer you enough strength and help to see the job done!" Todd bowed her head a little, her messy red curls flopping down over her face and emerald eyes shinning, to her King as he nodded his head along with her.

"Yes, well I hope so too, for your sake!"

"With that finally settled I feel we should get back to the others." Gandalf spoke sternly now. He wanted to move things along so that the King couldn't change his mind, or say something insulting or rude.

Todd followed him, after bowing once again to her King, before being led back to the group. She tugged at his sleeve, causing him to turn to her as they walked.

"Thank you!" She smiled, even though he had been an insufferably mystic wizard, he had helped her, in his own way.

"That is quite alright little one!" He said as they reached everyone else. They were all stood around chatting animatedly, some were whispering whilst others were down right shouting their view and opinions on Todd's fighting skills out for all to hear. She thought she caught a few say her form was strong and stealthy, which made her mentally applaud herself. There were a few grumbles about her style being dirty and unfair though, but she didn't care, as long as it saved her from harm, what did it matter really.

She headed straight for Bilbo, Bofur and Ori, the three noticing her arrival and smiling to her. Ori was practically bouncing on his feet. Striding across the grass to them she held her head high as a few gazes were sent her way. Water of a ducks back, she thought.

"That was pretty amazing, Lady Todd!" Ori smiled.

"Thank you" She nodded coming to a halt before them all. She seemed to be thanking a lot of people recently.

"It's been a while since anyone has bested our leader lass!" Bofur grinned, the reality of the woman before him thrashing Thorin's royal arse was extremely amusing to him. Bilbo had chuckled and stated that he never thought he would see the day. "Doubt he will ever forget it though!"

"Well it seemed to do the trick!" She beamed to them. "He has allowed me to join you, as such!"

"Really?" Bilbo and Ori smiled to her, Bilbo looking somewhat relieved and she really did understand the feeling. He was just glad to have someone else that wasn't a complete insufferable dwarf, someone more to his level, even though she had Dwarvish blood in her, he saw her more as an outsider like himself.

"Yes, although I have been told to stay out the way, I will probably just tail you all at a safe distance!" She countered, letting her eyes fall to her feet, feeling like she had gotten ahead of herself for a moment in her excitement.

She heard the Durin brothers start to whisper to each other, looking up she saw a mixture of shock and apprehension to their faces. They were confused as to how a woman would ever had been allowed on this quest, let alone one of her kind. They didn't hate the lass, not at all, but they were wary enough of her. The thought of having to keep an eye on her, in case she tried anything, like the elders had mentioned earlier, didn't sit well with them.

Something was telling Bofur also that he didn't have to worry about her, he knew deep down that she wasn't an evil creature, but the others were so distrusting of her. Bofur regarded her once again, letting his eyes sweep over her. She was ever so slight, her rounded face and eyes looking young, yet the lines and depths of them telling a different story. She had the palest skin, freckles spluttered across her. She was strong, that anyone in the Company could agree with, but she didn't look travel hardy like them.

He was probably right in saying, that the company were not too keen on the idea of her coming along with them, yet they would be glad to have her in times of fighting and crisis. Her skills could help them keep safe and in one piece. He was just going to have to keep a sterner look out for his valuables, and the valuables of the rest of the group.

"Master Bilbo?" Todd asked, breaking them from all their separate thoughts and whispers. Bilbo looked to Todd with soft eyes. "How about I show you some stances with your sword?"

"Aye, that's a good idea that!" Kili added, clapping Bilbo on his back. "We will stick near and offer help too if you fancy."

Todd flashed them all a quick grin, before pulling the reluctant and rather speechless Bilbo with her. Once reaching a large enough space for them to maneuver around, she span round and placed her hands on each of the Hobbits shoulders. She smiled down to him as he just kind of stared wide eyes back to her. She realized then just how short she was, she was only maybe an inch taller than he was, both of them being the shortest in the company. It didn't matter though, she thought, even the smallest people can make a difference in the fates of the world.

"I want to make sure that you know enough, so that it gives me enough time to come to your aid, ok?" She nodded her head with finality, like he didn't really have a say in the matter anyway.

"I really don't think that's necessary, I don't want to get in the way!" He stuttered, wide eyes staring into hers.

"Poppycock!" She stated, making him flinch slightly, but a smile falling across his features. "You and I both know that the others are warriors, we are not!"

"Well you seemed pretty good to me!" Bilbo snorted, shuffling on his feet.

"Yes well, I learnt from necessity, where as the Company have trained for many more years than we have, and seen battle." She countered. "Let me look out for you Master Bilbo!"

Todd chuckled, glancing back over to the rest of the company. Eyes falling on Bofur, she watched the way he was strong in his training, his mattock flying around as he sparred with his cousin Bifur. Each brother, cousin and family member were surrounded with each other. It was heart warming to know that the quest was such a family orientated one. Therefore it made it even more apparent to Todd that she needed to look out for them all, she would have no one lose their kin if she could help it. Bilbo smiled brightly to her then. His eyes crinkling up and a small chuckle escaping him, he had kind of guessed her thoughts and it warmed his heart to know what she thought so highly of them all already, even though they hadn't done enough to earn it.

Bilbo's smile suited him, Todd thought, it was warm and welcoming, and reflected the kind soul that Todd thought him to be. She hoped that they would get along well.

"Ok, so why don't we start with your stance!" Todd said, pulling away and spreading her feet shoulders width apart and then sliding her weaker foot back a few inches. "If you move you feet apart… yeah like that!" She called as he mimicked her actions. "Now slide your weaker foot back."

"Weaker foot?" He questioned, looking at both of his feet with equal confusion.

Todd regarded him for a second. He had obviously never really thought about his leading foot, his strongest would be the foot that you lead with, the first foot to tread when walking. Yet she supposed, the more you thought about it, the harder it was to decide. So she forced his hand, or feet so to say. He looked back up to her form his large hardy feet, in time to see her take a menacing quick step towards him. He squeaked, his face blanching and his eyes squeezed shut for a second and took a step back.

"There!" She smiled, patting his shoulder. "That's your leading foot." She pointed to the foot he had left further forward. She chuckled lightly at his breathless and shocked face. "I promise I wont do that again!"

"I should hope so too!"

"My apologies Master Bilbo!" She breathed, before launching herself into teaching him the basic stances he would need to protect himself. She wanted to make sure that if push came to shove and they were, Mahal forbid, set upon by bandits, Orcs or any other foul creature, that he could use these skills to protect himself, give Todd enough time to dash to his side. She wasn't going to let Bilbo fight alone, not when the rest had brothers and cousins to stand by their sides. By the end of the day, he was starting to remember each stance well and Todd thought that maybe, she could introduce some steps with his sword. Yet for now, it was a good start.

Breaking for dinner was another awkward affair. She had been pulled into her seat by Bilbo, who then pulled Bofur down on her other side. The usual suspects, as she decided she would call them, all seated themselves around the three. Bombur, Fili, Kili, Ori and Bifur all sat chuckling at each others jokes and tales from long since past times. She listened mainly, not wanting to join in at this time for she didn't know whether her own past or stories would interest any of them.

"Don't they have any chips?" She heard Ori ask from in front of her. She smiled to him, his thoughts mirroring her own.

"Are you not a fan of green food Master Ori?" She asked.

"Not really, we haven't had any fresh meat since we got here!" He stated. "I miss meat!"

"I have to admit, I miss the taste of meat too!" She breathed, her eyes roaming over the many bowls of salad before them.

They chatted about their favorite foods then until Bofur had jumped up from besides her, standing first on his chair, then onto the table. His big boots sent plates, bowls and salad leaves flying in every direction. Todd laughed and let a massive grin stick to her face as she watched him spin in a circle comically, the rest of the company equally as enthralled and cheerful.

"There's only one thing for it lads!" He shouted, catching the attention also of the top table, which held Elrond, Thorin, Gandalf and Balin. A very somber table in comparison Todd thought.

"There's…an…" Todd held her breath in mirth as Bofur drew out the first two words before diving into his tune about a merry old in.

"Inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old inn,

Beneath an old grey hill,

And there they brew a beer so brown,

That the man in the moon himself came down

one night to dink his fill…"

By this point the whole company was cheering and singing along. Ori had jumped at the opportunity to throw the salad leaves that he so hated with a passion around and into the air, showering down upon Todd and making her smile split across her face. Never before had she been involved in such a fun and enjoyable moment. Everyone around her was laughing, smiles dancing across their features. It warmed her heart and she couldn't help but think back to her Father. He would have loved every second, of every moment with this Company.

She could see her Father as clear as day, sat with the elder dwarves, chatting about and letting their cheeks redden with happiness and due to wine. A vision of her Mother sat across his lap, laughing and joking around with them filled her heart and it took all she could to not let a tear slip. Shaking her head she took to grabbing a handful of salad and throwing it at Bilbo, who was extremely flustered and exasperated by the companies antics.

It was such a raucous occasion, that Todd really couldn't concentrate on eating. The wine was flowing through all the company's cups, each of them sported rather rosy cheeks by the time they all departed for their rooms. After Bilbo, Balin, Thorin Gandalf and Lord Elrond had disappeared for a meeting, Ori had been adamant that Todd join them back in their room for dried meat and to wait for their Kings next word. So she did, reluctantly though, she followed them all into their room and out onto a balcony. She couldn't help but stifle a giggle when she realized that instead of using their room, that was filled with many many beds, they had set up camp on the balcony. She even spotted Oin and Gloin chopping a delicate wooden table up and stuffing it into a pile for a fire.

"Here Todd!" She heard Kili shout from where he was sat on a bench with his brother. They scooted up so that there was enough space for her and she sat, stiff and trying to take up as less space as possible.

"Relax" Kili nudged her. "Were not that bad are we?"

"Yeah, look its fine see!" Fili added, gesturing to the rest of the company who were all in their own little conversations and not paying her any mind at all. She let out a deep breath and smiled in thanks to them. She had thought that maybe this was too much, a push on their personal time together, for they were like a massive family almost.

"I don't want to get in the way is all!" She shrugged.

"Nah, don't worry about it!" Kili stated. "They will get used to you, old dwarves can take ages to get used to change you see."

"Don't I know it, my Father freaked out when I started wearing trousers instead of the dress's I grew up in!"

"Really?" Kili asked, his brows arching and a smile tugging at his lips.

"Oh yeah, he and my Mother had this massive argument about how I would never find a husband dressed in trousers!" She rolled her eyes and tapped her legs. "I told him I would wear dress tunics over trousers as a compromise"

"Seems fair though, you are a lady!" Fili nodded, a slight smirk to his features.

"What does it matter, I don't need to impress anyone anyway." She shrugged.

"Oh, your one of them?" Kili sighed. Todd let her eyes search him them, one of them what's? She thought. He was sitting with his legs crossed on the bench, his brother to his other side sharpening his daggers with a whet stone, but listening and joining in with Kili's mischievous grin never the less. Todd could tell then, with that one look that they were indeed brothers.

"What do you mean?" She followed.

"You know, one of those dwarrodams that thinks they don't need a dwarf!" He explained. "One that wishes to take the world on alone!"

Todd let her brows knit together. That wasn't the case at all, she had always thought about how lovely it would be to have someone that loved her for who she was, she dreamt about it sometimes. She was just a realist, if you would. She understood that she was extremely undesirable. She did well to get friends when her history was revealed, let alone a husband.

"Oh well, I suppose I just know that no one would see me as desirable, so what's the point in setting my self up for disappointment?" She asked, her eyes serious. Kili and Fili were a little taken a back at first; the silence that followed started to get a little awkward in the end. With the Brothers feeling a little bit bad at bringing it up, and Todd just thinking over their statement in her head over and over. Finally though Kili decided to jump to something else.

"Did you like our song, Bilbo had a hand in making it with us the other night!"

"Oh you made it up?" Todd breathed, sitting up straight but turning to them a little. Her hands were neatly folded on her lap, fiddling with one of her silver woven rings. "I loved it!"

"It gets a bit boring on the road sometimes you see, but you would know that!" Kili joked. Todd nodded her head with a comical flip of her eyes.

"My Father and I used to make songs up when we travelled too." She let out. They did, the last few were quite memorable and topical she thought. Her Father had been writing a song of the lonely mountain ever since the desolation had happened, every now and again he would bring out his book and write a little more. Maybe it was meant to be that she ran into this company, she thought, she could show them her Fathers song.

"You Father sounds like a brilliant Dwarf!" Fili stated.

"That he most definitely was" She smiled brightly to him, making both Kili and him blush a little, yet she didn't even notice.

AN: Dudes! I'm so excited to get out of Rivendell its unreal! I have some PLANS.

I really want to make their relationships with each other feel right, she can't just turn up and everyone love her, so she needs to earn their trust and their affection. Yet we shall see how things go, there are obviously those who are more accepting than others, but that doesn't mean that they are trusting and affectionate. I hope that this was put across in this chapter.

Also I wanted to create a sense of purpose of Todd, other than the obvious 'yeah lets get erebor back for my pa!'. She sees that it's a really close family centered company, with brothers cousins, uncles and nephews. She understands that and wants to protect it, she knows whats its like to loose family and doesn't want that to happen to them either. Plus she see's Bilbo with out that comfort and becomes mother hen, any way AJ shut up!

See you next time.