Another Love

XXII. Stay

It was the middle of the night when Lucien woke to rain hitting against the windows in his room and the howling wind pushing against the glass. All he could think about were the people in Dale and if there was still people outside in this weather, if Carson was still suffering and if Bain and his sisters were shivering with cold. It hurt his heart to think about it too long.

Bard appeared in his thoughts every now and then and it was with sadness that he couldn't visit the man. Was he waiting? Lucien hoped he wasn't.

The wizard sat up from the large bed and climbed down the steps. The floor was cold and hard but he ignored it as he glanced at the windows, outside to the dark world, before leaving through the door.

The halls were lonely and numbing to every part of the body, it sent a chill down Lucien's spine as he wandered. The darkness was always unwelcoming and rather ominous in Lucien's opinion, it brought his mind back to the calamitous period of his life that lasted longer than he would have liked. It made him weak.

Passing doors and pillars and windows, Lucien had no idea where he was or where he was going but he wasn't thinking about that at all. He paid no attention to his surroundings or the weather that was raging on outside, only getting colder by the minute. His feet were numb and so were his hands, his nose and cheeks red with the biting air.

He stopped. Finding himself standing before a door twenty times larger than his own height. Gold lined the frame, twisting and turning with jewels shining in the dance of the lanterns, warm and inviting.

Lucien stood for a moment, just marvelling at a particularly beautiful sapphire gem turned mellow and bright. Something swayed within him and the gem itself, clouding his thoughts unwillingly. Lucien didn't know what to make of its enchanting call. It drew him in as he grabbed ahold of the handle and slowly opened the tall door.

It groaned in protest but moved, all the same, echoing throughout the enormous hall.

The wizard's eyes found the ceiling, carved in designs thought to be impossible to make at such a high reach, then to the walls and tapestries hung with care, and finally to the bridge connecting to a platform at the centre of the room. The throne room in all its glory was just as magical and grand as Lucien remembered, nothing had changed, although the lack of people certainly had.

Something caught the wizard's eye. A small figure, standing at the end of the other side of the bridge, back facing him. The king's chair stood proudly on its pedestal as if it had been waiting for on particular person. Lucien knew the dwarf heard him enter.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Thorin spoke, his deep voice bouncing off every corner and echoing through Lucien's chest. Lucien slowly crossed the bridge and to his side.  "I used to spend a lot my time in this hall. My grandfather sat in the throne while my father and I remained by his side...I hated it, but it was my duty." He continued, crossing his hands behind his back. "I took everything for granted. I was the king's firstborn grandson and I was ungrateful." Thorin sighed, lowering his head in shame.

"...You can't go back, Thorin. And if you did, your heart would only break again because there was nothing you could have done." The wizard spoke calmly, now also gazing upon the late king Thror's place of power.

"Sometimes I wonder if I could have done more. If only I had known, all of this could have been stopped."

Lucien sighed, "Sometimes things happen for a reason. And although this reason is of heartache and sorrow for a great deal of people, there is still time for things to be set right."

"And what right is that?"

The wizard kneeled.

"For you to be true to who you are. To be a king of the people, not of the gold or the silver or the jewels. That is not who you are Thorin. You are kind and just and everything a great king should be. But if you use your power for self-gain and give in to the sickness, war will follow and death to many will be inevitable." Thorin had never heard such wise words come from the wizard before, it confused him but he listened, "I know you can push passed it and you will. You have friends that still care about you and two wonderful nephews who love you. Their mother, and your sister, is out there waiting for your return or to be sent back home, here, where she belongs. Remember that." The dwarf nodded, thinking over his words. He spoke the truth and he didn't know he needed to hear it.

Thorin frowned, his eyes suddenly growing heavy, as did his kingly clothes. "I am tired." He uttered to himself and Lucien as well. 

"Then let's get you to bed."

The wizard stood from the ground and the pair left the hall together. Lucien now had a destination in mind. It was a short walk back to the room and all was silent, other than the howling wind and pounding rain.

Thorin had realized how exhausted he really was, how drained his body felt after the search had finally slipped his mind for a moment. Perhaps he should take time away from it more often, but that would mean halting hunt. What if they were close to finding the stone? What if it was right under their noses? He couldn't let things stop.

"Here." Thorin eyed the familiar bed and thought nothing of it as he took off his coat and shoes and got into the side that wasn't unmade. "Goodnight Thorin," Lucien whispered from the doorframe.

"Stay." Came the dwarf king's demand, freezing the wizard in his place. "Where else are you going to sleep?" He rhetorically asked, he gave Lucien the room after all.

Hesitantly, Lucien hopped into the other side, Thorin seeming to not care at all that he was sharing with someone. The wizard found it odd but brushed it off.

The two soon fell asleep to the comforting company of one another.