XXIV. Royal Blue

Things were escalating, Thorin was growing short-tempered at anything that went wrong or at anything that moved. Work hours were stricter with only ten minutes of lunch and four hours of sleep. Everyone was exhausted and hungry and depressed, nothing was going to plan it seemed.

Lucien had chosen to sit close by to Fili and Kili instead of the tyrant above. The two appeared to enjoy his company as they chatted every chance they could, it was better than nothing.

He often kept an eye on the anxious hobbit, watching as he half-heartedly searched through the treasures. It was clear this secret was eating away at him slowly but quickly. Lucien tried to take it but Bilbo told him it wasn't a good idea, he was with Thorin all day and night, he would surely find out. The wizard had to agree with him on the one.

The people of Dale were always on Lucien's mind, the ever-changing weather outside was a concern and so was the cold. Were there enough buildings to house the people? Were Bard and his children alright? Was Carson already gone? He wanted to know. Those kids were the sweetest things and Lucien couldn't help but want to shelter them from everything in the world.

Thinking of things like that gave him a headache.

Something had to be done and if it wasn't going to Thorin's family, it was going to have to be the wizard he was choosing to protect more than his own nephews. Surely this wouldn't turn out terrible, Lucien huffed as he stalked in the direction of their shared room.

He stood there, looking out over the vast forests and hills and meadows below, hands behind his back, back straight. That feeling flowing off of him made Lucien nervous, it made him uncomfortable. What was he thinking? Was his inner-self trying to break free? Sometimes Lucien thought he could see the real him, especially when his eyes were bright and clear, he looked guilty and like he wanted to say more than he actually did. Lucien wanted to cry out, tell him he was being unfair and that he was loved but something always pulled him back, maybe it was the fear of losing everything he had. So, should he really do it now?

As he watched the dwarf king, the insecurity came back and the want to turn back now was strong. So, he really was weak. Lucien frowned.

"Something on your mind?" Of course, he knew he was standing there, he wasn't exactly quiet.

The wizard sighed, lowering his head. He should say it. He should. "Your company is exhausted, Thorin." It was short but it was something and sometimes that was good.

His head turned, though he did not face the wizard. "So?"

"So?" Lucien scoffed, "They are your friends and you are treating them like slaves!" The tone in his voice caught Thorin's attention, it was desperate and helpless and downright melancholic. "They are starving and tired and it is all because of you, Thorin Oakenshield."

The dwarf peered over his shoulder, eyeing the fuming wizard behind him. Hair messy, cheeks red, eyes black and bloodshot. It was the first time he had noticed all these things, though he supposed it was because he didn't exactly look at him or the others.

"It must be found." Was his only argument and it only infuriated Lucien more.

"I don't care what must be found," The wizard growled, "You think you are any different from your Grandfather? You are exactly like him."

That struck a chord, "You never knew my Grandfather!"

"Oh, I knew him! He was a mean, cold-hearted, greedy little person and it was all because of that crown and stone."

"You know nothing of what you speak!" The dwarf stepped forward.

"Your avarice will get you nowhere. You will end up just like him!"

"That is not true!" Thorin tried to remain calm and compose himself but his temper had heightened quite considerably in the passing weeks. And now his wizard was going against him? "Where is this coming from?" He breathed.

Lucien gave him an incredulous glare, "Remember that promise, Thorin? The one where you told me all those things, how you would protect me from everything, including yourself? It has been broken and this whole thing has been building up for a while now. I feel as though I am more of a pet than a real person."

"No, you are more than that, Lucien," The dwarf sighed, now knowing what he had been putting his wizard through. "You are my treasure. I want to give you everything and I still want to keep you safe. I just now realize I have been doing it in the wrong way."

His apology was small and Lucien did not want to give in but he was weak. He tried to stay strong, giving the dwarf no reaction. "Yes, you have." He crossed his arms over himself, "I just want this to stop. I want you back to how you were."

"I was terrible to you before."

"You are terrible to me now. At least then you took care of your family and me."

Thorin nodded, "Let me make it up to you."

Lucien stared sceptically, "How?"

He thought for a moment, one hand slipping into his coat pocket to see if the item was still there. It was. "Come." Thorin breezed passed the wizard and out the door. Lucien was shocked and quickly followed after him, this was most unlike him.

They strolled by the dining area, the treasure room, even the throne room until the came upon a place Lucien had never set foot in. A large room filled with old faded books with stone staircases and large detailed portraits of respectable and royal dwarves of old. It was grand and smelled of parchment and knowledge. It was a beauty a scholar could marvel at for weeks, reading till their heart's content.

Lucien was in awe.

"You like to read, yes?" Thorin questioned, a smirk already forming across his features as he gazed up at the amazed wizard.

Lucien grinned and nodded, "It's wonderful." Although it was not enough for him to forgive the dwarf, it was enough to surprise and excite him.

Thorin pointed to one of the paintings hanging on the far wall. A dwarf with blonde hair to his shoulders and a braided beard laying over his chest, even through a portrait it was clear he had royal blood in him. "My brother, Frerin," He announced, "He was younger than I but probably more intelligent than any dwarf I knew. This was his place, amongst these books." Thorin motioned to another, "My little sister, Dis. Beauty like no other. She is our princess and always will be." She was, in fact, very stunning. Draped in jewels, long chestnut curls and a short beard covering her chin. It was clear where Kili got his looks from.

"They're lovely," Lucien breathed, looking over the others. Thrain II, Thror, Fror, Gror, Dain I and Nain. All sitting mighty and proud, as if nothing could take them down. Nothing but a dragon that could breathe fire. "Why have you brought me here?" The wizard turned to the dwarf.

Thorin sighed, "I wanted you to meet my family," He smiled half-heartedly, "But seeing as they are mostly gone that is not possible, so this is the best I could do." He took a seat at one of the many tables, in front of the cold fireplace and in clear view of everything around them. The wizard smiled fondly and sat next to him. "Not everything turns out how we want them to and I have many mistakes to know this to be true, yet I keep making the same ones. I try not to be like my father or his father before that and here I am, treating my family horribly. My father wasn't horrible he was just raised by a sick man."

Lucien listened carefully. When was the last time Thorin had opened up to him? When he gave him that promise weeks before?

"I'm not sure how I'm going to fix this." Thorin looked to the ground.

"All you need to do is put people first, over objects."

"And what if the thoughts come back? The ones of greed and cruelty. I try to push them away but they always seem to swallow my rationality and make me look like the monster I tried so hard not to be."

Lucien reached over, grabbing the dwarf's hand in his. "It is hard, Thorin, and it probably always will be but you have to try for the people you love and for the people that love you. I will help and so will the others. You just need to also help yourself. Sometimes you don't even act like yourself anymore and it scares me."

Thorin gave the wizard's hand a squeeze, "I am sorry, my treasure." He uttered before reaching into his pocket, "I have something for you."

His eyes, they were dark. A royal blue.