Hey! The girls have been there for 10 years but are still only 12-13 by dwarf standards. So they haven't developed or matured physically yet! They're only starting to mature

Chapter 4-This is Home

Nori threw a pillow at the sleeping lump.

"C'mon Daisy wake up!"

"..mmpf...dontwanna...mmm..to...mfing...early...!"

The dwarf chuckled and threw another pillow. A messy mop of long blonde hair tumbled out from under the duvet and a stray hand searched for her glasses. She smacked and searched the side table, only to mutter a low curse in Khuzd Dhul, Nori whistled.

"Who taught you that?!"

"You did. Now give me my glasses."

Nori laughed again and placed them into her outstretched palm. She snatched her hand away under the covers and put on her glasses. Nori chuckled and placed the cup of tea, he had been holding, onto the side table.

"Right Petal oot the bed!"

"Don't wanna!"

"You leave me no choice."

The thief seized the covers and pulled them off so that the nine-teen year old now lay on the bare bed in nothing but her nightdress. She shivered and glared at Nori.

"Hey!"

"Out the bed."

"Fine fine!"

She pouted and then sat up. Nori chuckled and sat down next to the girl. He put an arm round her and she leant her head on his shoulder. The thief kissed the top of her head and leaned his own head on hers.

"What are you doing today? Going tae see Anne?"

"Wasn't gonna."

The dwarf hmmed and Daisy looked at him.

"What?"

"Nothing just think that you should go out and see her."

Daisy huffed and sat up in her bed.

"Well I might."

She leaned over Nori's knees and picked up her tea. Sipping it quietly she studied Nori's features. He looked awful mysterious.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"There's something I can tell."

The dwarf tried to look innocent. Daisy huffed and took a swig of her tea.

"Fine keep your secrets!"

Nori chuckled and got up.

"I'll see you later!"

…

Anne huffed as Dwalin shoved her from the house. He and Balin had been awfully shifty all morning. They were up to something.

"Hey Anne."

She turned to see her best friend swaggering through the crowds towards her. Anne met her halfway and glared back towards the house.

"Dwalin and Balin are being real odd!"

"So's Dori, Ori and Nori! They kept telling me to come and see you...so here I am!"

She chuckled and linked her friends arm. The two walked back up through the market.

"So is something happening today that we should know about?"

"I dunno."

"HEY KIDS!"

The pair looked round to see the heads of Fili and Kili bobbing towards them. The princes wore smug grins and seemed to act as if they knew something amazing. Anne ignored them and continued to study the jewellery at the stall they were at, Daisy grinned and waved them over.

"What are you monkeys doing?"

Kili grinned deviously while Fili chuckled.

"We've been sent to occupy you...apparently."

Anne chuckled and studied a nice necklace which held a dwarven charm on it.

"Oh goodie!...How much is this?"

The man behind the stall looked down at the small girl.

"28 silver coins."

Daisy's jaw dropped.

"28?! It's only worth about 16 silver!"

Kili took the piece from Anne and looked at it before handing it to Fili.

"Actually only around 12."

The man glared at them and snatched the necklace back.

"It's still 28, and don't push me dwarves I ain't one for haggling!"

Daisy walked away from the stall muttering something rude, Anne followed her and the pair went off towards where they saw Bombur on his cake stall. As they reached the fat dwarf, they heard Fili and Kili jogging to catch up to them.

"Hello there, you come for sum cakes then."

Anne gave the plump dwarf a small smile and Daisy scanned the variety of cream cakes, tarts and biscuits.

"Yes my dear Bombur Anne and I have come to flavour all these beauties before your customers!"

Bombur chuckled and Fili leaned on the stall and studied the cakes whilst Kili leaned his elbow on Anne's shoulder. The fat dwarf picked out four sticky buns that oozed toffee sauce and chocolate and bagged them up for the kids.

"Here ye go, have 'em on the house!"

Daisy ran behind the stall and planted a light kiss on his cheek. The rest laughed as the dwarf blushed furiously.

"Thanks Bombur!"

As they left the stall they heard him calling.

"See y'all later!"

They walked and ate their cakes, talking about sparring, the annoying stall man and various other pointless things. The afternoon seemed to have flown by and soon the cool breeze of the evening floated through Ered Luin.

"Oh Mahal! Look at the time!"

Anne and Daisy frowned at the two brothers. Kili grabbed their hands and pulled them back towards Dwalin and Balin's house.

"Fee, Kee what the? Where are we going?"

Fili grinned.

"You'll see!"

They stopped outside the door and Kili and Fili grinned.

"Close your eyes!"

"Why?"

"Just close them"

To add the brother's covered their eyes with their hands. They heard the door creak open and slowly they were lead into the house. Daisy frowned and Anne huffed.

"What's going on?"

"Hello? Fili, Kili?"

"1, 2, 3...open your eyes!"

The pair opened their eyes to the brightly lit room.

"SURPRISE!"

Around them stood all their closest friend. There was Dis, Dwalin, Balin, Bofur, Bifur, Bombur...even Thorin was there (and he was smiling). Anne looked confused while Daisy was fighting tears.

"What's all this for?"

Dis grinned and hugged the two.

"It's for your 10 year anniversary...we wanted to show you both how much we love you."

Anne ran and hugged Dwalin and Balin. The warrior was crying lightly into her hair whilst his brother held the girl tightly. Daisy had lost all composure and was sobbing as the Ri brothers hugged her. Thorin smiled and gave the both a long hug, he also whispered to both of them and they both smiled.

"Here you go Daisy. It's from all of us."

Ori handed her a pair of tan fingerless gloves. Daisy beamed and put them on.

"So this is what you've been knitting?"

Ori blushed and nodded as the girl wrapped her arms round hi neck and hugged him. Anne smiled and then gasped when Fili handed her a small box with a green ribbon on it.

"From everyone."

Anne undid the ribbon and opened the box. A few tears rolled down her face as she looked down at the necklace. It was the same one she'd been looking at earlier.

"Oh Fee you paid for it?"

The blonde prince exchanged a glance with his brother.

"We split it equally!"

Kili came up behind the brunette girl and put the necklace round her neck clipping it at the back. Dwalin wiped his eyes and smiled.

"Suites you lass."

"Thanks Dwalin."

Bofur and Bifur had made them small hand-carved flutes. Over the past few years they'd been teaching the girls how to play and said that they'd earned themselves one of their own. Dori sobbed happily sipping his chamomile when Daisy came and sat on the arm of his seat and planted a kiss on his head. Bombur and Dis then came through bearing plates loaded with all the girls favourite foods.

"Wow mum didn't know HOW much you'd made!"

"Yes Dis this will last for weeks!"

"Do we look like we care?"

Everyone laughed and sat around Balin and Dwalin's living room each with their own plate of food. Daisy on the arm of Dori's chair, Anne sat between Thorin and Oin. The room was full of chatter and laughter and the night rolled on by. Soon it was late and everyone started leaving. Anne gave her friends long hugs and thanked them before closing the door. Dwalin had fallen asleep on his chair and Balin sat in his armchair smoking quietly. Touching the necklace round her neck, Anne smiled and picked up her new flute. She scooped up a cinnamon biscuit and nibbled on it, before sitting by the fire and playing a tune that she'd been taught.

Well what did y'all think? Next chapter has got some more family fluff in it, The calm before the storm let's say. Please review TTFN xx