Good day!
I'm sorry if this is a little late, I moved back to Uni so I busy with stuff and thangs! This is an important chapter, it took me ages to think it all over and let it settle in my mind, so I hope you like it.
Cheers for the f/f: Soaring Hawk1, AnimiaCorn, Nevrane & 1
Dhalmi93 – Heyyy again! Thank you, I'm getting excited because the Storm Giants scene and the Goblin Tunnels are soon. I'm literally bouncing with excitement at what I have planned. Cheers for keeping up with your lovely reviews too my chicken!
AnimiaCorn – Ahhh thank you! I know, I get really upset when I look for fics with Bofur, there aren't enough at all! I hope this good too, bit of a history lesson with some ground work for future scenes! Im trying to keep updates four days apart, so you wont have to wait too long I hope! Thanks again my chicken.
I only own Little Todd.
Chapter 11 – Tales of Old.
The next morning they were all packed, ready and were gone with the light of the dawn still guiding them. Todd had been one of the first to rise, her sleep being, like she predicted, completely fitful. She had risen a few times in the night with a hot sweat on and her breathing a little out of kilter, but after sorting herself out she just rolled over and tried again.
Everyone else was still asleep when she awoke so she took to making sure that the fire was put out properly. She cast her eyes around the sleeping dwarves and noticed Nori still sat perched against a rock. His hand on the hilt of his weapon and his eyes shut tight. His tri-star hairstyle was looking a little disheveled too. He must have fallen asleep during his watch she concluded. She looked from him back to their King. Thorin would be mad if he realized that Nori had fallen asleep and failed to keep watch.
She shuffled over to him as quiet as she could and she coughed slightly as she neared him. She watched as he squeezed his eyes tighter shut and took a deep breath. He hadn't woken, and looking back over to the rest of the Company, she realized that they would be waking any minute. The sun was starting to peek over the horizon, bringing with it the grunts and snuffles of the waking dwarves. But not Nori.
She took a deep breath and tapped her boot against his, and the reaction was immediate. He launched forward and pulled his weapon out, Todd had jumped back but stayed close enough to hold her hands up and apologize, tell him it was nothing to worry about. His wild eyes caught hers and he glared to her.
"I'm sorry, it's just…" She began, pointing over her shoulder to the waking dwarves. "Didn't think you'd want to be found sleeping on watch!"
Nori let his eyes snap to the dwarves behind her and he sighed a breath of relief when he realized none of them had noticed him sleeping. He looked back up to the Foxwoman. He regarded her for a few minutes; she was stood with her hands clasped before her looking sheepish, but with a small smile. Her hair was even more wild than usual and she had a tired look in her nervous eyes, yet nothing about her screamed threat in that instance, so he relaxed.
"Thank you!" He huffed before getting up and wandering away.
Todd saw that as a step in the right direction, he hadn't shouted at her or growled in anger at her. When she took her place next to a now groggy but awake Bilbo he couldn't help but see her good mood. She sat beside him and waited as Bombur handed out bread and dried meats. She took it gracefully and thanked him with a smile.
"What's got you so chipper!" Bilbo asked, bumping his shoulder against her own. He had taken an instant like to the half-breed. Her manners and her personality were really very easy going and lifting to be around. A shame, he thought, that the others hadn't given her the chance to sway them yet. Although there was one particular dwarf that he thought he might have to watch out for soon enough.
"I have already completed one good deed Master Bilbo, I have a good feeling about today!" She chirped.
"Well I shall have to stick close to you then, maybe your mood will rub off on me!" He muttered.
"Don't be such a grump, I reckon we will reach mid way up those foot hills today"
"When I look all that way, I really can't see how I will ever make it, but I've made it this far I suppose."
"What a positive attitude…" She snorted. Bofur and Kili plopped themselves down facing Bilbo and Todd and started on their breakfast also.
"Positive attitude?" Kili asked. Todd chuckled and pointed to Bilbo with a stern look.
"This young Hobbit is being moody about our long journey to the foot hills!"
"Ohh it wont take us too long!" Bofur stated, eyeing the distance. "Reckon we'll get half way up by the time we need to rest!"
"See, that's what I said!" Todd smiled brightly to him. Bofur nodded and turned back to his bread. His mind was replaying the moment when he had woken up just in time to watch Todd wake Nori, so he didn't get caught sleeping on the watch. He had almost chuckled when Nori jumped out of his skin at the fact that it had been her. He had thought that maybe she would get a growl or even shouted at, but the middle Ri brother had realized her kind gesture and mumbled thanks before rushing off. He hadn't thought she would do it. It was a brave move, she could have gotten hurt if she had tried to wake him any differently. Sometimes waking those who have seen battle can shock them into funny fits of rage. Yet it was a very admirable and pleasant thing to do for him never the less.
Todd had been the first up, Bofur being the second, so he had watched her with one eye open as she wandered around the camp and quenched the flickering embers of the fire. Her hair had fallen out of the knot she had put it in the night before, and was running down her back in messy wild red curls. He couldn't help but admire her hair; it really was special, in the dwarven sense. It was long and thick and of a beautiful color that dwarrodams would die for. As he looked to her now, he wondered if her father would have ever expressed how beautiful she was. Bofur shook his head and furrowed his brows at the thoughts that had rushed through his head.
"So what do you think?" Todd turned to him, her eyes flashing emerald to his warm brown. He jumped a little, flustered at being caught not listening to what she, Kili and Bilbo were obviously discussing thinking he was listening.
"Uhm.." He began, a hard and annoyed expression settled on his features as he cursed himself and his mind. Todd obviously saw and took offence. "I don't know!"
"Oh sorry…" she mumbled. Bofur kind of just sat there frozen as a hurt expression fell over her eyes and she looked down to her feet quickly. Bilbo leaned forward and gave Bofur a funny look. Sucking in a deep breath and putting on a fake smile, Todd stood then and mumbled about grabbing her bag and setting off ahead to look for more game to eat later. The three of them watched in silence as she whispered her plans to their King, bowed to him and then disappeared into the trees ahead of them. Bilbo was the first to move.
"Why did you say that?" He sighed.
"What?" Bofur asked, really not knowing what he had done.
"I thought you liked her, why couldn't she walk with us?" Kili asked, his eyes looking a little affronted. Bofur's words and Todd reactions clicked in his head then, she had asked him if he minded whether she walked with them, and he had basically dismissed her.
"I didn't realize, lad!" he countered, mentally cursing and berating himself. She probably thought him worse than the elderly dwarves of the company. His eyes fell to where she had disappeared into the woods. He felt bad, very bad actually. He liked the lass, didn't wish any harm on her at all. If he hadn't of been caught of guard by such, troublesome, thoughts they he would have welcomed her to walk with them with a smile. But he hadn't, and he might of just ruined the chance to be do so with her. "I wasn't listening…"
"I hope she wasn't too offended…" Kili mumbled. "It felt like she was warming up a little, don't you think?"
"She has, she converses with us easier now, and she jokes too!" Bilbo smiled.
"Aye, she has a sharp wit about her!" Kili sniggered. "Did you hear the name she used for the wood elves?" he followed on, a cheeky grin spread across his face at the memory.
"Yes, I did!" Bilbo scolded, his mind wandering back to their conversation the previous night. "I told her what I thought of her foul language and all!"
"What did she call them lad?" Bofur asked Kili. Kili leaned over and whispered in his ear and Bofur let out a bark of laughter once hearing the words 'tree –shaggers'. Bilbo flushed a bright pink and shook his head.
"Her Father would be turning in his grave!" Bilbo stated.
"Doubt it!" Bofur joked.
"What?" Bilbo asked, his eyes growing confused.
"Her Father was a Dwarf of Erebor right?" Bofur said pulling at his hat to straighten it. "He would have hated them just as much as Thorin does!"
"Oh, right" Bilbo said, looking to their leader. "Lets hope we don't run into any then"
"Nah, we would give em a good arse kicking!" Kili sniggered. "Todd would too by the sounds of it"
"I will apologize later." Bofur announced then. Bilbo and Kili nodded their heads at his comment, Kili sporting a cheeky grin but for a reason Bofur could not ascertain.
Todd was striding through the undergrowth of the wooded area she was in. Her hands brushing over the taller grasses and mumbling about Mahal knows what. Once letting her King know of her plans she grabbed her pack and made for the woods. She had been utterly embarrassed by her stupid question. Of course they didn't really want to walk with her for the day, why did she even ask? She knew why though, Bilbo had been so welcoming, but that didn't mean that Bofur and Kili would be. She understood them sitting close to her, because Bilbo was there, and they were good friends she supposed.
She had gotten way ahead of herself and was really annoyed that she had let herself go there. She had wished for Bofur to say 'of course' and then they could have chatted, she could have learnt of his and Kili's homes and their past. She thought that after their brief time together with Ori in Rivendell would have been a start, he had even willingly come again the second day. But once again, she was alone.
She nodded her head and took a deep breath. Her hands brushed the tassels on the hilts of her daggers and that calmed her a little. She hated to admit it, but she wanted nothing more than to be liked by the Company, it was such a childish and selfish want. But she wanted it never the less. It would be nice to fit in and be a companion to them all, each and every one of them. She felt like such a needy infant, but it had been so long since she had people to share her life with.
After a while of scolding herself and punishing herself she cleared her head and decided to do what she had set out early to achieve. Hunting. Much like the day before she crept as slowly as possible, hoping that her easterly direction could push her in the path of some more hares. Three had been more than enough for one meal, so if she could get six then they could cut down and get three meals out of them. Bombur would be so pleased if she came back with a bundle of game, she smiled at the image of his pink cheeks and large grin.
It took her an hour before she came across the first hare. Her nose picked it up, noting that she was walking head on to the wind, anything ahead of her she could smell before seeing. Striking the target right in the eye again she set off in search of the next. Once she had her fourth tied to her belt she was happy, knowing she had something of significance to take back with her.
She must have been walking for another hour before she started to feel the itch inside her head grow more intense. Shaking her head she started walking faster, till she was practically jogging. She urged and begged for her mind to be distracted, she thought of old faces, names and places, yet nothing was working. The itching turned to scratching and she stopped dead on her feet. Staring ahead her eyes went blank, unseeing, but still open. Her fingers started twitching and her toes curled. Images were starting to appear in her head she had never seen before. A dark dirty flame, flickering in the darkness. Its flames would lick further up in beats, then she realized it was in tune with her ever increasing heart rate. The flames were jumping now, jumping with her heartbeats.
This was a panic attack, she had had one before, but her Father was there with her, guiding her through it and taking her mind off the itch. She tried her hardest to calm her breathing, thinking that was the key, yet the air was completely ripped from her, hands falling to her sides and her knees going weak when an eye flashed through her vision. The black of the pupil coughing and spluttering a language she had not ever heard before, but she knew it wasn't good.
Then it was gone. In its place a soft whisper from a familiar voice.
All that we have to decide is what to do with the time given us, be it waste away in darkness, or thrive and love in light.
Her Mother had said the exact same words to her when she had told her of the itch. Her Mother had looked to Todd with sad and defeated eyes, but she had kissed her daughters head and twiddled her hair never the less, giving words of advice that would continue to help shape her daughter for many many years to come.
Her senses woke up then, and she became aware of everything. The scent of oncoming rain, the rustling of leaves and grass, the chirping of birds and then the rush of something foul in the distance.
She dropped low instantly and let out a low curse as two loathsome Orcs crossed her path further up and carried on running straight in the direction of the Company. They were two rather small and ugly Orcs, she guessed minions of fouler creatures, but they only carried with them two blunt looking blades. How could she let herself be so distracted and weak, as to not sense their closeness? Their low guttural language reached her ears and they pinned to follow it. She watched carefully then lept form her spot after them. Her hands pulling her daggers free and running with them slicing through the air as she went. She needed to intercept them before they got anywhere near the Company she had promised to protect.
Rushing behind them it was easy to catch them up, with her agile body and their stumbling ill-mannered run. They were just approaching the edge of the woods, the Companies raucous laughter flowing on the breeze, and getting louder.
She searched for them as she ran, spotting a certain hat bobbing up and down through the trees she spurred herself on. Just as the Orcs were screeching and raising their weapons at the edge of the woods she threw herself into a spinning throw. Both Daggers leaving her hands one after the other, her eyes watching the red tassels slicing through the air towards their marks.
The orcs crashed through the undergrowth and she heard the Company shout to each other, their words frantic, but before they had a chance to do anything her daggers found their marks in the back of the foul creatures necks, and they fell to the floor dead, right at the foot of Ori and Thorin.
She rushed forwards then and paused behind them. The whole company was staring at her, Thorins eyes wide and Ori trembling a little as Dori and Nori burst into action to make sure their youngest Brother was ok. Dwalin clapping Thorin on the shoulder to break him from his frozen state.
"Sorry!" She mumbled, before reaching to retrieve her daggers.
"Wait!" Ori called, pulling away from his Brothers. "I'll do it!"
He rushed over then and pulled her daggers from the dead Orcs and took to wiping away the sticky black blood on a spare cloth he pulled from his pocket. Everyone just watched in silence as thier scholar took to such a public show of admiration and care. Todd realized and her cheeks turned bright pink. Her Father had taught her that handling another's weapon is a sign of affection, be it romantically or platonically, it means that they care. Its also a sign of trust, to let someone else take your weapon, showing them that they feel comfortable to be without defense around them. So to be stood there, sweating a little, with Ori wiping at her daggers had her a little breathless to say the least.
Once he had finished, he held them out to her with a sheepish smile to his face.
"There you are!" He muttered.
"Thank you Master Ori!" She breathed, and held the hilts to her heart like she always did, sent a short thought to her parents and then sheathed them to her hips once again. "I'm sorry I was a little late!"
With that Bofur and Bilbo started laughing, the others cracking small smiles, but she was confused, generally thinking she should have killed them sooner to stop any distraction to the Companies journey to the foothills. Bilbo jumped right over to her and pulled on her hand so she was practically stuck to his side.
"They looked like lone assailants!" She heard Balin start, muttering to their King.
"Indeed, they hold no real threat either, not now!" Balin snorted. Thorin looked to his old friend and advisor and they shared a deep look before nodding to each other.
"You stay with us now girl!" Thorin called from the front, as he ushered his men to carry on. "No wandering off!"
She nodded to him for her place stuck to Bilbo and he nodded back, an almost unperceivable smile to his lips. Yet as soon as she saw it, it was gone, the Kings back was turned and they were off.
When they stopped that night, Bilbo had made it clear that Todd was to stay close to him. She chuckled at that, thinking that he needed her close so that she could protect him from any more Orc attacks. Yet really he wanted her to be save within the Company and not on the outskirts like she had been in the day. They chatted about the smallest things, Bilbo really just telling her about his home. Yet when it came to dinner, Bombur gave Todd her share first and Bofur and Kili had both sat down next to her and Bilbo.
She was nervous when Bofur first came to sit beside her, after his clear rejection of her that morning. She was extremely aware of him beside her. How his legs had brushed her crossed ones when he sat and how his shoulder was leaning a little against hers. After a few minutes of awkward silence between them, the rest of the company carrying on. He shuffled and then cleared his throat.
"I want to apologize!" He stated, quietly so no one else could hear. Yet Todd felt Bilbo stiffen and then lean a little closer to her so he could listen. "I did not mean to push you away this morning!"
"Its ok, I understand" Todd countered, not wanted him to apologize for putting out her over keenness.
"No, I was so lost in my thoughts that I missed your question, then the answer I blindly gave was unjust…" He bumbled, the sentence flying out his lips so fast she had to concentrate to listen. Todd heavy shoulder lightened a little and a small smile started in the corners of her lips. "I think also, after today that you will not be allowed to walk anywhere but at out Hobbits side, so no I do not mind if you walk with us!"
"Hey!" Bilbo snorted from her other side. She looked up and spotted Biblo spluttering.
"He is right lass, you should stick close now!" Came a voice from in front of them, she had been so busy watching Bofur then Bilbo, she missed when the Ri Brothers had settled themselves to sit facing them, the fire to their backs. Dori, who had spoken first, gave her a sheepish smile. "I want to thank you, for saving my little Ori!"
"Aye, that's twice you has saved him!" Nori pipped up. His eyes looking a little reluctant, but he was thanking her never the less, especially after she had saved him from getting in trouble that morning as well. It seemed, that she was not so much the nasty creature they all thought she was. It was only apparent now, after being in her close company and her putting herself in harms way yet again for his little Brother. He watched as her face brightened at their words, the pure happiness and relief he saw made him regret his earlier horrid thoughts about her. He always thought he was a good sense of character, and now he was there, face to face with her and actually looking, he couldn't sense any ill will in her at all.
Todd looked to the three brothers with her heart in her mouth. Had they just thanked her? Her brain was processing the moment a lot slower than everyone else, as it sank in though, a smile spread across her face. Hopefully this was another opening for her to make a good impression. Maybe this was another way of making more friends out of the company. With her feelings of gladness and happiness swirling in her mind, reflected in her eyes and smile she shook her head politely.
"Don't worry about it, I wouldn't let anything harm any of you!" She spoke clearly with fondness in her eyes, which the elder two Ri brothers were surprised to see, after the way that some of them had been completely ignoring her and offering her foul comments.
"Well, thank you lass we are in your debt!" Nori spoke, bowing his head to her. Upon seeing the movement her eyes flew wide and she immediately moved to bow her head lower, a sign of respect and to show that she understood that she was below him and that he shouldn't be bowing.
"A good throw you have on you though!" Nori pipped up as he rested back on his hands, legs stretched out in front of him. An extremely comfortable aura seeping form him now all the awkwardness of thanks you's were done. Dori bristled at his lazy demeanor and Todd couldn't help by relax herself and grin at them. The night had pulled in fast with out anyone really noticing. They had set up camp quickly with the foot hills only half a day away, yet everyone was glad when Thorin had shouted to set up camp and get as much rest as possible. Todds game was left to be saved for the mountain pass, seen as she wasn't aloud to wander off with out them to hunt now.
"My Father taught me that there's no shame in striking foes in the back, if it saves friends!" She smiled.
"Aye, no shame at all!" Dori replied, eyeing her then. Sensing a fierce loyalty and wondering if anyone else had noticed, for he only just had, it was the same loyalty he held towards the Company and their leader.
"Why ever did you have to be taught such things by your Father?" Ori asked innocently, his questions never ceasing to challenge her. She looked to him, the smile fading from her face a little.
"Oh… well it is not safe being something like me." She countered. "People are nice enough until they realize what I am, then its just a matter of getting out alive."
"You are nothing like the stories Lady Todd!" Ori stated loudly, making her blush.
"No, those creatures were fell beasts, their fur was as black as the darkness that consumed them!" She started, feeling the usual suspects all lean in to listen to the story that was inevitably going to follow. She paused though, and thanked Aule for their patience and the opportunity to explain her race's past.
"Will you tell us what happened?" Bilbo asked. She tuned to him and nodded slowly.
"I don't know…" She mumbled, looking around to the faces surrounding her. Would they really want to hear it. The story of her kin that is, and those who betrayed them. Yet a part of her wanted to be able to let it out, to see how it settles on the Company. Maybe it would help, help them understand who she was and what she stood for.
"Well, I want to hear it!" Ori pipped up, and encouraging smile on his lips.
"Right, so... uhm where do I start…" she mumbled. "Ahh ok, so there were four leaders when our race awoke on the shores of the Sea of Rhun by the hand of Yavanna. Nastas, Crevan, Devoss and Refr were their names. When Melkor returned to Angband in the first age, his mind was set on Beleriand and therefore needed spies. He promised Nastas and Devoss power and corrupted them, darkened them until they were no longer wise and bright creatures. Crevan and Refr remained in the forest of Rhun whilst Nastas and Devoss set out to spy and slander their way through Arda."
The whole company by this point were listening, their now empty bowls left unattended on the floors, their eyes trained on the solemn Foxwoman. Her tale was clear and insightful. Information not even Ori their scholar had ever heard was being spoken, and it fell heavily upon them. Yet still she spoke and still they listened. From beside Todd, Bofur had his eyes trained on hers. He watched as they settled on the ground before her, shimmering in the fire and with emotions he could barely understand.
"After the battle for Beleriand, Melkor realized that having Yavanna's presence in the East was unnerving, thinking her to be using her brighter creations to spy on him. Therefore he set Nastas and Devoss against Crevan and Refr. Crevan was slain by the fell beasts, for he did not recognize them and believed them to be in need of aid, only to be tricked and murdered while he back was turned. Refr was not so easily tricked, he fought and killed Devoss, leaving Nastas to flee back to Angband."
She fell silent then, thinking over the story of her kin, her past. Her Mother had hesitated whilst telling her that story when she was growing up, but taught her of it, even from a small babe. It was ingrained into her heart that she was of the bright creations, and that gave her pride to know that she was kin of those who were strong enough not to fall to darkness.
Thorin, who had been pulled from his reverie by Balin to listen had stood and moved closer, his mind wanted to understand all that she was, in a way to fully determine if he had made the right decision. After her tale had ended he was torn. Torn between believing the words of Balgair's blood, but skeptical of the words of the Rebhane.
"Which is your kin?" Bilbo asked. Todd looked to him, as she took a deep breath and pulled at her braid subconsciously. "Nastas or Refr?"
"Lisita my Mother was a descendant of the second daughter of Refr." She stated, not sure how they would take the news. So she blurted her next sentence in the hope to finally sway them, persuade to them she was not evil. "Never once have my Kin, my blood, fallen to darkness, that I can swear to you all now!"
"That's quite a story there!" She heard Dwalin mumble.
"I speak truths Master Dwalin, I swear!" She blurted once again. "I would never deceive you."
"How can we believe you?" He grumbled then, coming to stand next to a scowling Thorin. "What proof do you have?"
"Ask Gandalf, he knows the truth!" She countered, glaring a little at his lack of trust towards her.
"If he knew, why hadn't he told us?" Thorin demanded.
"It was not his place to tell it." Todd stated, and it really wasn't. It was hers and hers alone to tell. For all she knew, she was the last of Refr's kin, she had never once met another. There had been whispers that Nastas' kin were still being used as spies, yet she had never seen sight of them, only heard mumbling by other creatures.
"I reserve judgment till a time in which he can confirm your tales." Thorin sneered almost, turning and walking back to the other side of the fire.
AN: Eyyyyyyy! I hope that wasn't too confusing or rushed. I felt a little like it was too much in one chapter, but I wanted to make sure I got it all sorted and it just seemed to flow while I was writing it, so sorry if its a bit too much.
Also, I made it pretty much all up, and the knowledge is from back when I read The Silmarillion, so here's hoping I haven't left any holes. I had this crazy idea ages and ages ago. I wanted to write it that way, because I want Todd to have the hate and confusion of generations to be settled on her shoulders, to make her wary of others and for others to be wary of her. But she isn't evil, obviously. Yet theres that itch in the back of her head. Maybe that's what Nastas and Devoss had while being corrupted. But who knows… apart from me MWAHA
Anyhoooo, till next time little chickens x
