Hello!

Thanks for trying this story out! I'm not from an English speaking country so, it might not be perfectly written.
The name for my OC is actually a males name... But, I honestly think it fits on a female too!
Oh! And the lines "You is kind. You is smart. You is important" were kind of taken from the book and movie "The Help". Which I do not own!
I don't own the characters from the hobbit, I only own my OC.

Hope you'll enjoy it!

The Hobbit: An unexpected journey

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit, I only own Nàin.

Chapter 1

Her heart ached as the wind slowly stroked her face with a warm hand. Cries were heard from inside the house as she with slow steps walked down the small wooden stairs that led away from the house. As Nàin, a beautiful Dwarven woman, reached the gate of the small insignificant garden, something that looked more like a dump than a nice garden with flowers in it, the cries from inside became louder until the small child had reached the front door.

"You can't leave!" she cried, running down the stairs and grabbing a hold of Nàin's skirts.

She stopped in her tracks when she heard the small child's cries, her hand was resting on the small gate as she turned around to look at the child she had grown so fond of. For five years, Nàin had taken care of her and even though she was a child of Men, Nàin couldn't help but love her like she was her own. It was bad to do so, but she couldn't help it. Maybeline really had captured her heart unlike all the other children Nàin had taken care of through the years.

"Sssch… little girl," said Nàin, letting her hand fall down from the gate at the same time as she crouched down in front of Maybeline.

Footsteps were heard coming down from the house and Nàin quickly gave the mother a glare. Through the years, she had seen some awful things happen to children in this poor village of Men – having worked in an orphanage and as a nanny to many children – but this was the worst job she had had. Her mother did not approve of the child at all. If Maybeline did want some attention from her own mother, she would get yelled at or hit. Exactly why Maybeline's mother did this to her, Nàin had never figured out. Instead, Nàin did her best to care for the child, learning her more than she should know for her age in order for her to handle herself in the future.

She hated having to leave her behind. More than gladly, Nàin would've taken her with her and had her as her own child. Though, that wouldn't work out. She was going on a quest. A dangerous quest.

"I would've stayed longer, had it not been for my kin needing me," said Nàin, tears threatening to show themselves. Placing her hands on the child's cheeks, she dried away the tears that were rolling down Maybeline's cheeks like a waterfall with a soft yet painful smile.

"Is it because of the letter you got?" asked Maybeline quietly.

Nàin nodded, a sweet smile still on her face. "It was very important."

"I hate it," whispered Maybeline, earning a soft and short chuckle from Nàin.

"Don't forget what I taught you, alright?" said she, her hands falling down to the child's shoulders and holding them as tight as possible without hurting the child.

With a sad nod, Maybeline started to recite the words that Nàin had told her since the day she had come to this family: "You is smart… you is kind… you is impo-ortant."

The small hesitation at the hard word made Nàin smile a softly at her before she embraced Maybeline, clutching her as tight as possible against her chest.

"Yes…" whispered Nàin into Maybeline's ear. "That's right."

"Don't go, mummy, please," sobbed Maybeline, her hands holding a tight grip on Nàin's dress, refusing to let go until Nàin with slow and soft movements, pried the child's hands away from her.

It felt like a stab to the heart when Maybeline called Nàin her mummy. This wasn't how it was supposed to be when you were a simple nanny.

The mother took a grip of Maybeline's hand with force before placing a pouch of money in Nàin's hand.

"This would suffice for your services," said the mother harshly.

She wanted to say more, Nàin, she really did. But she knew it would only start a fight between her and the mother and that wasn't what she wanted Maybeline to remember. Instead, she looked one last time at the crying child before turning around and opening the gate.

..::**::..

It had been two days since she had left Maybeline on her own, since she had left the village where she had lived for 20 years. She was deep in thoughts as she walked through the woods on her way to the meeting point. Her thoughts mostly consisted of Maybeline though also about the people she was about to meet. Not only had she not met a Dwarf for 20 years, but there was one special person there that she had left quite broken hearted those 20 years ago. She was ashamed of it and she wanted nothing but to fix their broken relationship. Though, how was she going to do that? Of course, she had feelings, very strong ones, towards him as well. But the main problem was that she had rejected him that day and she wasn't sure how he was going to react to her now.

Her thoughts wandered to Thorin, the leader of the company she was going to travel with. Deep down she was excited to see him again as he was like a father to her. Thorin had always taken her in when she needed a place to sleep, and after her father's death, he had become her guardian.

Suddenly, a sign caught Nàin's eye and she realised that she was walking on what seemed like an overgrown road. The sign itself was made out of wood a long time ago and the letter were hard to read.

"Brandywine Bridge, 2km."

Confusion took over Nàin as she had been sure that she had been walking towards the Shire. With a thud, her backpack fell to the ground and Nàin crouched in front of it. A bird started singing above her as she searched through her backpack in order to find the map that had come with the letter of Thorin.

The song the bird was singing was not a love song, though. It was a song that signalled that the sun was on its way down. Perhaps the bird sung it in order to inform his fellow friends to get back to their nests in order to be safe from predators.

Nàin realised this at the same time as she found the map. With narrowed eyes and a serious look on her face, Nàin searched the map for Brandywine Bridge, knowing she was going to be late. When she found it she smiled and placed her finger over the name. It was on the same road as the one that led to the Shire, meaning she was indeed still on her way there and not lost.

Placing, the map back in the backpack and once again grabbing it, she started walking again while thinking to herself.

"Oh, Durin! I really am going to be late!"

Thanks for reading! :)