Dornessiti (Hobbit Short Story)

Chapter 4

(A/N: There's a few little bits that some people might find upsetting in this, just to warn you)
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"I'm afraid it'll only be a simple meal," said Thorin, putting a saucepan on the hob "I can't really cook that well."
"Th-That's okay, b-but I can d-do it," said Hazel, pulling a chair over to the counter and clambering up onto it. Thorin frowned.
"What?"
"I-i-it's m-my j-job, i-i-i c-can c-cook d-dinner f-for y-you," she said, looking completely serious. Thorin came to his senses and shook his head, moving the cooking knife she was about to pick up.
"No little one, you don't have to do that. You can help me if you like," he offered. Hazel frowned.
"O-Oh, s-so its n-not m-my job?" She asked, looking up at Thorin with confused little eyes.
"No Hazel. I won't make you do chores or anything like that while you're so little, maybe when you get older I'll ask you to do the occasional job but not for the time being. Okay?" He comforted. Hazel nodded.
"C-Can I h-help y-you c-cook?" She asked. Thorin smiled gently down at her.
"Of course you can."
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Dinner was cooked and eaten, though Thorin noted that Hazel ate little over of a third of her meal. He hoped it was just nerves, he'd keep an eye on how much she ate over the next week or so. She was much skinnier than Fili and Kili had been at her age so he hoped that under his care she'd fill out a little more. They washed up the dishes together and Thorin put them away, turning back to see Hazel playing with the bubbles. Carefully, he scooped up a few bubbles and put them on the end of Hazel's nose. The tiny girl giggled, crossing her eyes to try and see them. Thorin chuckled, putting a little in her hair. Hazel grinned, suddenly picking up a large handful and throwing it at Thorin. It hit him square in the face, leaving the bemused dwarf spluttering.
"On that note," said Thorin, wiping bubbles out of his eyes "I think it's time we ran you a bath."
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The laughter was wiped off of Hazel's face and she scrambled away, running up the stairs to her room. Thorin wiped the bubbles off himself with a tea towel and followed her, looking worried.
"Hazel?" He said, peering around her bedroom door to see her curled up in the corner.
"P-p-please I-i'll b-b-be g-good, I-I p-promise," stuttered the terrified girl, clinging to the blue teddy in her hands.
"Hazel? What's wrong little princess?" Said Thorin softly, going over to her and sitting on the floor in front of her.
Tears began to run down Hazel's little face, bunching herself up tighter.
"D-d-d-don't d-d-drown m-m-me p-please, I-i-i'll b-be g-good M-Mr Th-Thorin," she wept. The worried look on Thorin's face increased.
"Oh Hazel," He murmured "I'm not going to hurt you, I promised you that. You're just going to have a bath to clean yourself up, you don't have to put your head under the water at all. If you wash your hair it'll just be a little water."
Hazel just stared at him for a moment before nodding reluctantly, still looking terrified. Thorin leant forward cautiously, wiping away her tears.
"I promise never to hurt you Hazel, you're my daughter and I'd never lay a finger on you. I promise dornessiti," He said in his gentlest voice. Hazel gave a tiny flickering smile, nodding. He smiled reassuringly back.
"I'll go run you a nice little bath then Hazel, I might even have a rubber duck somewhere."
With that Thorin got up, going into the bathroom and turning on the taps, oh the wonders of dwarvish technology. He ran Hazel a bath, making sure it was just the right temperature and full of bubbles. He even managed to find an old rubber duck in the cupboard. Hazel came in after a little while, still clutching Mr Teddy tightly. She gave a cute little smile when she saw the bubbles and the rubber duck.
"I thought you'd need a friend to keep you company," Thorin smiled, looking at the faded yellow duck floating among mountains of bubbles. Hazel gave another little smile, putting her blue teddy on a pile of towels.
"Th-Thank y-you."
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Thorin left her to it, confident she was grown up enough to take care of herself, but he left the bathroom door ajar just in case. Come to think of it, she was very grown up for her age. He thought it over as he pulled out one of his old shirts, glimpsing a woman's nightdress at the bottom of the drawer. Thorin shut it quickly and grabbed a pair of scissors, cutting the sleeves off the shirt and trimming the bottom.
"I suppose it'll do," he said to himself. Hazel only had the clothes she had been wearing when he met her in the orphanage, so the shirt would have to do as a makeshift nightdress.
"M-Mr Thorin, I-I'm d-done," called a voice from the bathroom a little while later. He went over, holding the rudimentary nightdress.
"Is it okay for me to come in?" He asked.
"Y-Yes," Hazel answered. He went in to find her cocooned in a large towel, her teddy sat next to her wrapped in a dry flannel. Thorin smiled.
"I'm sorry, it's the best I can do for tonight. We'll get you a proper one tomorrow," he said, putting the nightdress down beside her.
"Y-You d-don't have t-to get m-me a-anything," said Hazel quietly.
"I told you Hazel, I want to, plus you can't keep going around in those old clothes of yours," Thorin said, regretting how forceful he sounded. Hazel didn't seem to notice, smiling.
"Th-Thank y-you," she said. Thorin gave a relieved smile.
"Get dressed now little one," he said, leaving the room.
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Hazel got dressed but didn't come out of the bathroom.
"Hazel?" Thorin called after about ten minutes, sounding worried.
"I-i-i d-dont w-want t-to c-come o-out," came her quiet, scared voice from the bathroom. Thorin frowned.
"Why not Hazel?" He asked.
"C-cause y-you w-w-wont w-want m-me a-anymore," she said almost inaudibly. Worry stirred in Thorin's gut, mixing with confusion.
"What do you mean little one?"
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After a few moments, the bathroom door clicked open. Hazel shuffled out, staring at her feet, clutching her teddy bear in one hand. Thorin stared at the tiny girl. Her arms were covered in bruises, scars and burns, overlapping one another to the point her skin was barely visible. There must have been hundreds. Hazel sniffled.
"Y-y-you d-don't w-want m-m-me a-any m-more d-do y-you," she whispered quietly. Thorin swallowed his shock and crouched down to her. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest. She flinched at first, but hugged him back, burying her face in his shirt. He spoke to her in his softest, gentlest voice.
"Oh Hazel, I don't care what's happened to you, I don't care what you look like. You're my little girl, and that's all that matters. You are still beautiful, scars or not. I once... loved someone who had scars just like you, and she was beautiful and kind and... you're no different Hazel. Just because you have scars doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you."
His words comforted Hazel a little and she hugged him tighter, managing one of her adorable smiles. Thorin lifted her into his arms and stood up, still holding her close.
"I love you just the way you are my little princess," He whispered truthfully. Hazel laid her head on his shoulder, beginning to look sleepy.
"L-Love you t-too... d-daddy," she murmured. A grin spread across Thorin's face and he looked down at his daughter.
"What did you just say?" He asked. Hazel tensed up, looking panicked.
"S-S-Sorry M-Mr Th-Thorin," she apologised. Thorin's smile was replaced by confusion.
"I-I d-didn't m-mean t-t-to, I-I'm s-sorry," she stuttered, still panicking. Thorin rubbed her back gently, rocking her like a little baby and hushing her softly.
"Oh Hazel, I'm not mad at you dornessiti, I'm proud. I didn't expect you to call me daddy so soon, and I honestly don't mind if you want to or not."
Hazel looked up at him hopefully.
"S-s-so I-i c-can call y-you d-daddy a-and y-y-you w-wont b-be m-mad?" She asked. Thorin gave her a soft smile.
"Of course not."
Hazel grinned, laying her head down on his shoulder and yawning.
"You getting tired little one?" Asked Thorin.
"Y-Yes d-daddy," she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes. Thorin took her to her room and laid her down on her bed, tucking her in gently. Hazel snuggled into the blankets, holding her two teddies tightly.
"N-Night n-night d-daddy," murmured Hazel. Thorin leant down, hesitating for a moment before pressing a gentle kiss to his daughter's forehead.
"Goodnight dornessiti."