Dornessiti (Hobbit Short Story)

Chapter 7

A/N: I'm putting a warning in for this chapter, as it delves into Hazel's past. I won't go into too much detail but I thought I'd warn you anyway
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It'd been a week since he and Hazel had dinner at Dis's, and all seemed to be going well. Hazel played through the days, having tea parties with her teddy bears as Thorin sat working at his desk. She was never out of his sight, never far away from the dwarf's protective blue eyed gaze.
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Late that night, a scream woke Thorin. His eyes snapped open and he sat up, pushing his hair out of his face. Sleepily, he lit a candle, trundled out of the room and into Hazel's. In the dim light, he could see his terrified daughters face. She was on the floor, one of her legs still tangled in her sheets and her teddies clutched tightly to her chest. Her little face was tear stained and her breath came in sobs, the sight breaking Thorin's heart more by the second. Hazel's eyes were wide, fixed on her adoptive father's face. Thorin lit a couple of candles in the room before going over to Hazel, who immediately scrambled away from him.
"Hazel," he whispered softly "It's okay little princess. It's just me, your daddy."
Hazel just flinched at the word 'daddy', sniffling and shaking.
"Oh dornessiti, I'm not going to hurt you," Thorin comforted. He could feel his heart aching as tears ran down his little girls face.
"I-I-I'm s-sorry for w-waking you, s-sir, I-it was m-my fault. Y-y-you can g-go back t-to s-s-sleep, I-I'll be quiet I-I p-p-promise," Hazel whimpered. Thorin sighed softly and sat on the floor in front of his little girl, growing more and more worried by the second.
"Don't apologise for having a nightmare, little one, it's okay. I'm here to help you Hazel, I'm not going to go back to bed knowing you're here on your own."
Hazel just stared at him for a moment, trying to force back the tears that flowed from her eyes.
"Do you want to talk about it princess?" Offered Thorin warily. The tiny, shivering girl just sniffled and shuddered, a blanket over her narrow shoulders and a teddy clutched to her chest.
"I-I was d-dreaming a-about d-daddy," she murmured. Thorin raised an eyebrow.
"You were dreaming about me?" He asked. Hazel shook her head.
"N-No, I-I d-dreamed a-about m-my o-old d-daddy," she sniffled. Thorin could see her shaking more as she spoke. He stretched his arms out to Hazel. Warily, she got up and crept towards her daddy.
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As she went to settle herself on his lap, he stopped her.
"Hazel, why are there bloodstains on your back?" He asked worriedly. Hazel sniffled.
"O-Old d-daddy m-made them," she admitted quietly. Thorin thought for a moment before whispering quietly:
"Can I see?"
Hazel immediately scrambled away, backing into the wall.
"Y-You w-won't w-want m-me a-anymore," she sniffled, beginning to cry again.
"I've told you many times Hazel, I'm never getting  rid of you. You're my little girl, my dornessiti, your home is here now, not that orphanage."
Slowly, shakily, Hazel turned her back to him and lifted up the back of her shirt. The sight that greeted Thorin's eyes shattered his heart into shards of stone.
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Her back, like her arms, was overlapped with scars and wounds. Most seemed to be from a blade or belt, her once flawless skin marred by violence. A few seemed to be burns, the outline of a poker etched onto her body. There were far more than on her arms, from her shoulders all the way to the waistband of her trousers, never once ceasing. One of the wounds had opened up again, red raw and bleeding in places.
"Oh Hazel," whispered Thorin breathlessly, feeling the sting of tears pricking his eyes and choking his throat. Hazel began to sniffle again and Thorin turned her around gently, embracing her.
"Shh, princess, it's okay. Stay here a minute, I'm just going to get some bandages," he hushed, kissing her forehead and standing. Hazel looked up at her daddy, still clutching her teddies tight. Thorin gave her a comforting smile before leaving the room.
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Rummaging around in the semi-dark bathroom, Thorin couldn't get the image of Hazel's scars out of his mind. It made him angry, almost furious, that someone could do that to such a sweet, innocent little girl. No wonder she was always so timid, so scared. As he thought, Thorin silently swore to himself that Hazel would never be struck again, never be hit or ill treated and be protected by him as long as he lived. Thorin knew what it was like to be thrashed, and he had barely been able to take the pain as an adult, the thought of a child suffering such pain brought tears of anger to his eyes. Finally, he found the box of bandages and salves Oin had given him and headed back to Hazel.
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"There," whispered Thorin, tying the bandage off "All fixed."
"Th-Thank y-you d-daddy," murmured Hazel. Thorin scooped her up carefully, going to lay her back down in bed.
"N-No," Hazel whimpered quietly. Her father frowned a little.
"What's wrong princess?" He asked. Hazel sniffled, snuggling close to his chest and clinging to him.
"P-Please d-don't l-leave m-me."
At her words, Thorin held her close to his chest. He rocked her soothingly, hushing her softly as he held her.
"D-Daddy?" Hazel asked quietly.
"Yes princess?"
"C-Can I s-stay w-with you?"
She looked up at him with pleading, tearful little eyes, still clinging tightly to his nightshirt. Thorin kissed her forehead softly.
"Of course dornessiti."
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Cradling her, the dwarf took his daughter back to his own room. He laid her down carefully on his bed, making sure she was on her side so she wasn't laying on her freshly bandaged back. Hazel gave a tiny, flickering smile, clutching her teddies close to his chest. Thorin laid down beside her and drew the covers over both of them, making sure his little girl was well tucked in.
"Goodnight princess," he whispered softly. Hazel hesitated for a moment before snuggling closely to him. Thorin put an arm over her protectively, smiling as she laid her little head against his chest.
"G-Goodnight daddy."
Thorin leant down and kissed the top of his head.
"Sweet dreams, little princess."