The group of five parked their boat on the sandy side's of the mountain, and began their walk up the hill's and mountains. It didn't take long before the Lonely Mountain was seen in the distance, the Dwarves quickly quickening their pace.
When they reached Erebor, and stood upon it's bridge. It only took one look at each other, before they took off sprinting through the busted out gates, Veryan calmly following the eager men.
He made it inside just as the Dwarves scurried off deeper into the castle, the Heterochromia male keeping his calm pace as he marveled at the Dwarven architecture. It was quite impressive and marvelous how Dwarven craft is far more different than Elven or Human.
Veryan followed the four down huge flight's of stairs, being stopped by a shout. Veryan, as well as the Dwarven men stopped and looked at Bilbo, who came running to them, shouting for them to stop.
He stopped short way's in front of them, looking frantic "You need to leave. We all need to leave"
Veryan raised his eyebrow's at the words, yet said nothing in response. "We only just got here" Bofur replied, looking perplexed himself.
Bilbo lightly shook his head "I've tried talking, but he won't listen"
"What do you mean, laddie?" Oin asked Bilbo, still not understanding the situation. "Thorin!-" Bilbo shouted frustrated.
When he saw Oin jump back in surprise he quited down "-Thorin. Thorin. He's been down there for days. He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He's not been himself. Not at all"
"Not even with you presence?" Veryan asked, whispering. Bilbo scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion, but either way shook his head. "It's this place. Ahem. I think a sickness lies on it"
Veryan and Bilbo didn't get a further discussion, as Fili took Kili by the arm, and dragged the other away. Bilbo frantically tried to stop the brother duo, but it was futile as the two didn't listen, leading the group further into the mountain.
Veryan did nothing to stop the two as well, seeing it as not his job to keep the young brother's from their home. But even he knew something was wrong when he finally laid his eye's upon the mountain's and mountain's of gold on the ground. His breathed hitched and his posture went ragged. He could feel it. Smaug's overbearing voice and eyes present in the huge hall. He was sure what Bilbo said about the sickness was correct.
He was stood frozen in his spot, as Thorin walked out from one of the pillar's, turning to look up at them. "Gold. Gold beyond measure. Beyond sorrow and grief. Behold the great treasure hoard of Thror" the Dwarven king threw a ruby Fili's way, who cought it with ease "Welcome my sister-sons, to the Kingdom of Erebor"
Bilbo looked on in concern at the king he has found himself loving, before turning to the Wizard, seeing him frozen in his spot. Rather than shaking him, he took the other by the hand and lead him to where the rest were, hoping the happy reunion would loosen the male up.
It was only when Veryan heard the happy cheer's of the Dwarves did his breathing return to normal and body loosen up. A couple of Dwarves came to hug him, like Bombur, Bifur and Balin, but the smile he gave each and everyone of them didn't reach his eyes.
He didn't feel safe in the Kingdom Thorin ran. Not like this. The feeling of fear finally returning to him. Not the fear of a phobia, or a fear of losing someone you care about. But a fear for his life. He has heard all about dragon-sickness after the attack on Dale, and how king Thror would of done anything to keep his jewels safe, that includes killing anyone who came in contact with it without him knowing or overseeing what was done with the jewel.
When everyone were distracted Veryan grabbed onto Bilbo's forearm. The hobbit looked up at the Human, and his eyebrows emedietly creased when he saw the other's troubled face. Veryan kneeled down and leaned in close to Bilbo. "Please listen to me, Master Bilbo. This, is no ordinary sickness. Dragon-sickness has run in the Durin family before, and now it has infected Thorin. Keep distance from him and make sure to never have one of his gold piece's in your hands. No matter how much he might love you, or you love him, there is no way to stop Thorin from doing what he doesn't intend. Please, don't do anything to risk your life"
It took sometime for Bilbo to nod, let alone speak. Scarlet finally settled onto his face when he registered the information Veryan gave him. He coughed and leaned in closer himself "That will be taken into consideration. And where are you heading of to?"
Veryan let a chuckle slip. He wondered how Bilbo could tell these things. "The people of Lake-Town will surely take refuge in the city of Dale. I am the only one who can help out the wounded"
Bilbo nodded, looking troubled. He looked up to meet Veryan's eyes once again and smiled "Than of you go. I-We. We will keep Thorin in check"
The Heterochromia male snorted at the slip up, but was all in all satisfied by that answer. He stood up and slightly bowed his head to Bilbo, turning to walk away, when a gentle hand gripped his. He turned around and looked down at Kili, Fili standing to the side of him.
"Your leaving?" Kili stated as he let go of Veryan's hand. Veryan sighed, but nodded "I must. The people of Lake-Town could really use my assistants"
Fili nodded, dropping a hand onto his brother's shoulder "Make sure they are okay"
Veryan smiled and put his right hand again'st his heart, before moving it twords the brother's. Kili trying to follow Veryan as close as he could.
Fili was left confused as the Human Wizard turned to leave, the only thing behind Veryan heard was Kili explaining what just happened and the happy chattering of the Dwarves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before he left the castle completely, Balin stopped Veryan and told him to take on of the horse's they have saved for their journey, saying they wont be needing the animal's anymore.
Veryan thanked Balin, and with a final wave of his hand, Veryan took of into the city of Dale with his brown stallion, ready to help if needed.
The people of Lake-Town did nothing but watch him ride into the abandoned city, knowing him all to well to stop. Veryan stopped the stallion as he reached the center of the city, jumping off. A kind young lady came up to him, offering to take the stallion off of his hands for the time he will be staying here, and the Heterochromia male let her take the brown horse away with a smile.
Alfrid, looking as horrible as he did when Veryan last saw him, came stumbling to him. "You! What makes a scum like yourself step into the town of Master B-"
Veryan rolled his eyes and scoffed, shoving Alfrid's face away from his, his breath smelling as bad as it did last time. He made a move to find Bard himself, when the Human came jogging to him himself. "Veryan" Bard greeted, a cheery smile present on his face.
Alfrid stumbled to Bard "I tried to stop him sir, but he-" Alfrid was once again cut off. Bard turned to him, and lightly pushed him away "I would like for you to start night watch right about now"
Veryan smirked at the displeased male, but Alfrid did nothing else, choosing to follow Bard's word. When the male was finally gone out of eye's reach, Bard turned to Veryan going in for a hug, which the Wizard didn't stop, choosing to hug the other back.
"Am i glad to see you, my friend. I never did thank you for saving mine and my son's life's back there" Bard spoke to Veryan in gratitude as they pulled away from the hug.
Veryan smiled and shook his head "It was the least i could do. I came here to help, actually. I have only ever treated my own wounds, but i don't think it would be all that hard treating your people as well"
Bard's eyes lit up, as a genuine smile placed itself onto the male's face once again. "I cannot even put my gratitude into words. Thank you, Veryan"
Veryan scoffed, turning to walk away "Please, don't thank me. I'm just doing something i was trained to do"
Bard smiled at the obvious lie, and before the male could walk away completely he shouted after him "Those people you saved, their resting in one of the houses! When your done, do give them a visit!"
"Will do!" Veryan shouted back, and entered the first house he saw people in. The first batch of people were patient enough with him, waiting on him as he figured out how to heal another instead of himself. But by the second group of people he got the hang of it, finding it not so different than healing himself.
Time flew by, as the young male walked house to house, healing and checking up on people. It soon turned dark, and he finally managed to heal just about everyone it the city. Everyone, except a group of people he was yet to visit.
It was the furthest house from the other's, being situated just opposite of where Bard will be staying with his own family. Veryan stopped in front of the group's door and knocked, not feeling all that nervous.
The door opened very slowly, so the person answering had the time to comprehend who the person in front of them was. The woman from before had answered the door for him. Now that he wasn't panicking of getting these people to safety, he could take in their appearance. The woman looked to be fair, eye bags present under her eyes. Her hair was a chestnut brown, that glowed from the light coming from the house. Her eye's were a stormy grey, and her grey dress was fitted to her comfortably.
The woman's eyes shot open, as if she just saw a ghost. Veryan chuckled nervously "Hello there"
That seemed to snap the woman out of her trance, as she swung the door fully open and jumped into Veryan's arms, holding onto the male for deer life. She began to cry as Veryan just stood there, rubbing circle's into the woman's back, not really knowing what to do.
"Honey, what is-" a gruff male's voice spoke. The man from before came out of the house and his eye's fell open as well. The man was just a bit taller than Veryan, having short dirty blonde hair and light green eye's. He was quite a fit man, wearing a plain brown shirt and brow pants.
A tear dropped from his own eye as he smiled at Veryan, the woman having pulled away as well by now.
"Well, this was quite a warm welcome" Veryan joked as he made sure the woman was settled onto her own feet. The woman chuckled and wiped away the tears from her cheeks "Sorry, young man. Please, come inside"
Veryan did just that, entering the, for the most part, intact building. The three kids, that were seated at a table, came bolting from their seats and at Veryan, making the Heterochromia male drop as the kid's held onto him tightly.
"Oh my! I'm very sorry about them!" The woman went into a panic, going to pick up one of the children, when Veryan swatted a hand into her direction "Oh no need ma'am. I'm quite fine, besides, their just kids. No harm done"
"If you say so, young man" the man nodded his direction, pulling his wife back to lean into him.
The kids all sat up from their little hugging session and looked up at Veryan, all adoring bright smiles "You were so cool out there!" "You saved us!" "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Veryan shook his head whilst he chuckled he shushed the kids "Kids, kids. I came here to chat about you, not about me. What are your names?"
The woman and man's daughter perked up "Oh, i'm Agnes, and these here are my adoptive siblings, Harriet and Chester. That over there is our mama Diana, and our papa Albert. We also have a baby brother named Archie, but he's sleeping right now"
Veryan gasped in surprise, and looked over at the parents "You adopted them?"
Diana nodded, taking a seat at the table as she spoke "Me and Albert couldn't just leave these three to fend for themselves. I knew their mother very well, and it pained me to see them without her, so we chose to except them into our little family. They agreed to it pretty quickly too, not wanting little Archie to grow up without parents"
Chester nodded, and quickly turned to Veryan. "But don't worry! We are very happy with Mr. and Ms. Burton."
Veryan chuckled and stood up, shaking his head "Man everything's still a mess in my head"
Agnes took him by the hand and made him sit on one of the dining table chair's "Then we'll explain everything in detail for you!"
Veryan would be lying if he said the little one's didn't take up the whole evening telling him the story of how they got adopted by the generous Burton's.