XX. A Promise

Thorin was sick. It was obviously clear with the way he acted and the way he treated his friends. He dressed as a king and, although he was, it didn't feel as if he had earned it.

The dwarf greeted his nephews with a hug, told them what they were trying to find and sent them to work, the going for Bofur and Oin. For the most part, he ignored Lucien, only sending him a small nod before turning back to the glittering treasure and his exhausted company below.

Lucien was not told directly to help them but he did anyway, it was only fair.

The rest were happy to see the wizard, he was safe, familiar and understanding. It was much better with him around.

They barely slept, they barely ate and when they did it was on the hard ground in a cold room. Comfort was not known to them anymore and it seemed neither was happiness. Thorin worked them too hard each day, searching for the one thing his mind was set on, his sick mind.

It was late into the afternoon when Thorin called for Lucien, the first time he had even thought of speaking to him in two, or so, days, they could not tell.

The wizard stepped over a pile of diamonds, not even sparing a glance and climbed the stairs to the platform the King stood upon, hands behind his back and posture tall. He stood like a King but acted like a tyrant.

As soon as the wizard stood a good five feet from the dwarf, Thorin turned to face him. His appearance was different when up close. The dark circles under his eyes, pale skin and sunken face were much more obvious. His eyes were darker, more royal in its shade of blue and the whites of his orbs were slightly red with lack of sleep. Lucien was immensely concerned for his friends well being now, why wouldn't he be? He looked awful.

"Did you need something, Thorin?" Lucien questioned, hands growing sweaty with what he could only describe as nervousness.

Thorin hummed, "Follow me." Lucien frowned and did just that, walking down various hallways, carved and structurally beautiful. He didn't realise how large Erebor really was, even if it was in a mountain the size on an entire town and more.

The wizard wondered what was happening and if he should have told someone he was leaving the treasure room. He wasn't exactly afraid of Thorin, just what of he may do while under this sickness, what he may say and how it will affect him later if he ever gets better. This was a difficult situation but Lucien would say he was more afraid of the treasure and what it may do to a person than the person themself.

Doors lined the corridor, all closed and all never having being opened in years. Lucien wondered how Thorin knew where he was going after all this time.

"Here." The dwarf stopped outside one door, one at the very end of the hall and the only one with double doors. The windows allowing the setting sun of the day to shine in like beams of soft light. The handles looked to be made out of gold and the wood was dark and the stone around it weaved into patterns of vines. It took a while for the wizard to push past the intricate detail to see Thorin was waiting for him to actually open them.

Lucien grabbed onto the handles, his heart beating in his ears erratically, and pushed open the doors to reveal what was inside. It was bright and it was warm.

A large bed elevated by a stone podium was on the far wall, two, almost, floor to ceiling windows on either side. Royal blue rugs covered the ground and many tables and chairs were placed around. A fireplace, that was already lit, was to the right of the room with two doors on each side and to the left of the room was an alcove of many windows that made the area seem much bigger than it already was. It was a bedroom fit for a king and it was gorgeous.

"This will be your room." Thorin frightened the poor wizard who was still gazing around in awe.

What did he say? "My room?" Lucien made sure he had heard correctly.

"Yes." The dwarf nodded and walked further into the room, "There are a bathroom and a closet and everything else in here yours."

It was hard to believe. Why would he give Lucien this room when it was obviously fit for himself, a King, someone who is royal?

Lucien frowned, "I don't understand."

"What is it that you do not understand?"

"Shouldn't this be your room?"

Thorin shook his head, "I do not need to sleep. I will be too busy with other matters." But wasn't this 'dragon sickness' supposed to make you want/need everything in sight? Why would he give away something like this?

"Um, ok." Lucien tried to smile.

With that, the dwarf bowed his head and left, presumably back to his treasure. This let Lucien explore. Inspecting the bathroom, he found it was pristine if not a little dusty, dark in colours and heavy in stone and marble. The closet was large and mostly filled to the brim with clothes of the pst king, jewellery still hanging from hooks and laying on shelves, various different crowns put up high and still as bewitching as they probably once were. Everything was preserved by the darkness and the colours have yet to have faded.

This made absolutely no sense.

Lucien sighed and lay back onto the bed, it wasn't the cleanest but it was extremely comfortable so there were no complaints of any kind from the wizard. The sunset over the land and it brought in the orange and yellows of the outside world, gliding over the walls like travelling fire. It brought back those memories, putting those screams to no rest and the heat to nod end. Lucien shut his eyes tightly and covered his face with his arms, trying to block everything out. Why did memories have to haunt him so?

Back, amongst the piles of gold, there were many questions of Lucien's whereabouts. Kili was rather vocal about his concern for his friend and Fili and Bilbo were right beside him. The rest were silent as they dug but there was still worry present. Yes, their wizard was brave, intelligent and could take care of himself but he did not know this place, what the treasure could do to a person. Or maybe he did, he was certainly old enough but who was to know? It was better to be safe than sorry.

"Where is he?!" Kili called to his Uncle as he had just reentered the room ten minutes ago and had yet to answer.

Thorin glared, "He is fine. Get back to work." It did not tell them anything or what they wanted to hear. This whole ordeal was a mistake and they were only now just realising that.

That night, the company was able to head to bed a little earlier than usual. Say around eleven at night. They were exhausted but that was normal now and it would be that way until they found the stone Thorin wanted so terribly.

The dwarf King was left on his ledge, unmoving though changing every minute as his thoughts and greed slowly got to him. And that was when he descended the stairs.

Meanwhile, Lucien was fast asleep in the same position he was in almost four hours ago. The fire was slowly dying and the room was growing colder but Lucien was comfortable enough to remain within his dream which more like a nightmare of the past. It was all real and there was nothing to be done, it would be scarred into the wizard's mind for eternity.

A sudden flash of red tore through his racing terror and it jolted Lucien from the hold it had on him, rising from his place on the bed to a hunched over one where it felt as though he was about to puke up his guts. The pain, oh how it hurt.

Finding it hard to breathe, Lucien collapsed to the ground and sloppily fell from the steps of the podium. Something grasped his heart and he knew exactly what it was. The hands that played him like a puppet, pulling his strings, making do anything it pleased. Nothing had ever made him feel so trapped like he couldn't do anything without asking for permission or thinking what they may say or do. Nothing but one.

The door creaked open, the hinges squeaking slightly in the silence and light poured in from the lamps hanging throughout the hallway. It touched the ground, then the rug then found its way to Lucien's shaking body on the ground.

The air was suddenly easier to find at that moment, filling the wizard's lungs from corner to corner and expanding his chest, away from the crushing grip. A tear fell, only one, the rest were washed away in the glimpse of the person standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing on the ground?" A deep caring voice asked as the dark figure walked closer.

A huff of short laughter left the wizard's lips, though it was anything but humorous. "Nightmare." He picked himself and plopped back down onto the bed, breathing in deeply, like the way it felt.

Thorin followed his lead and sat down in front of him. Lucien inspected the dwarf. He fidgeted with his hands, his crown was gone and none of his jewellery was present. Where were his gold chains and heavy rings? Nowhere in sight now.

"I have something for you." Thorin cleared his throat, looking up to meet the wizard's dark eyes, his own seeming much brighter for some reason.

Lucien cocked his head to the side, "But you have already given me so much."

Thorin shook his head, "Not enough," He mumbled and Lucien found it odd.

"What is it?"

The dwarf bit his tongue and reached into his coat pocket, fiddling with the item in his hand and brought it down to inspect it slowly. The wizard frowned and moved his head to the other side, discreetly trying to see what it was.

"A promise," Thorin whispered softly.

Lucien rose an eyebrow, "You're giving me a promise?" He had never really had one of those before, not one such as this anyway, usually they were unspoken oaths of loyalty.

He nodded, "Aye," Thorin held out his hand, not the one with the object inside but the other, telling the wizard he wanted his own hand in his and so he gave it to him. Lucien raised his right hand and rested on top of the dwarf's hand. "I promise to remain by your side for as long as I can, Lucien. If I get too difficult to handle, you must tell me. If I have harmed or scared you in any way, which I hope will never happen, you must leave me..." He sighed, "I promise to take care of you and make sure you are safe because that is now my job as it was once yours." Blue met black and something cold was slid onto Lucien's right ring finger, "Things have changed, I know this, and I am sorry if I ever made you feel terrible but that will be no more."

Lucien teared up once again and peered down at the ring now wrapped around his finger. An emerald jewel with two smaller green gems embedded into a black gold band. It was extravagant and simple and beautiful all at once. A promise huh?

The wizard was speechless. This had never happened to the wizard in his many many years.

"Do you accept this promise, Lucien the Green?"

Lucien gave a teary chuckle, "I do, Thorin Oakenshield."