Cursed with Shadows (Hobbit Fanfiction)

Chapter Two: Young One

Ever since that abnormal night, Belle watched over her daughter closely just in case anything else occurred. And as time passed, sure enough it did.

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*Three years later*

Allison - 3 years old.

Belle's P.O.V

I could feel the sun's heat begin to burn into the back of my neck as I continued weed the garden. The herb garden was split into two sections which lead straight down to the stream below. Nearly all the herbs were common and only very few were rare. Due to this, I would sometimes travel to find such herbs that are needed, leaving behind my daughter for a few days at a time. I never liked leaving her, but I did what was required.

The house was now fully fixed. A new roof with no leeks sanded down windows and doors with no moss clinging to them and the stoned walls patched up and secure.

Hearing the sounds of birds and insects hum around me, calmed me down a little. It has been stressful recently. The demand for tonics and medicine has been low thus the income. Sometimes I would stay up all night grinding herbs just so that I can put food on the table.

But I shouldn't be grumbling about it, business has improved slightly since the beginning. Back then, no one would buy my products, especially from an outsider. Some days I would just starve, giving what little of food I had to my daughter, who needed it more than I did. It wasn't till the Baggins's, god bless their souls, noticed us struggling that they tried to spread a good word around the place. But even then, only few had the actual courage to come and try my products.

Stubborn hobbits, they always think that something new and different is something that is dangerous and should be ignored.

As I wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead, a small giggle made me look up. A smile reached my lips as I watched my little doe, Allison, twirling around. Her tiny figure skipped down the pathway in-between the two gardens.

Her dark red curls, a trait I think she inherited from her great grandmother, bounced gracefully against her shoulders as she continued to talk to one of her imaginary friends she calls, Tricksters.

Apparently, they are these creatures that are no bigger than your thumb and have enormous ears, sharp teeth and have a snot like a pig. Little Allison claims that these tricksters cause all mayhem that happens here, weather it is a sudden door slam or a plate being dropped, they are the cause behind it. I think it is just a small excuse to get out of trouble when she accidently breaks something, which happens a lot. Allison is the rather clumsily sort, the kind of people who possess more thumbs than fingers.

Tricksters are just the beginning when it comes to the amount of imaginary friends she has. Allison hardly has any friends, well none except for one, little Bilbo Baggins. The other hobbit children tend to ignore her. I don't know why. She is kind, cheerful and at this time is the same height as them. Daeron suggested that the reason behind it may be because of her pointed ears or her small hairless feet, but I don't see what wrong with them!

I stood up, releasing myself from all the aches and pains of staying in one potion for too long. Gathering all the dead weeds that were scattered around, I placed them into a basket, so then i could throw out the plants and place them with the rest of the compost which was stationed around the back of the cottage.

"Allison," I called out watching as her small head turn towards me and her smile brightens. Waving goodbye to her nonexistent friends, she runs to me as fast as her little legs could carry her, wobbling in places. As she did, she exclaimed with a cheerful grin,