Thorin did not seem to be suspicious at all about Lucien and Bilbo's little trip into town. The dwarf found the wizard where he left him, book in hand and the fire roaring, nothing had changed and he had nothing to worry about. Yet Lucien was still nervous whenever he was around, that was just in his nature though.
The next morning Lucien was awake at the same time as the sun, not able to sleep with what he knew would happen when morning came and who would visit. He found Bilbo in the dining hall, eyes wide and hands shaking. It looked like this situation was effecting the hobbit much greater and Lucien felt rather guilty.
Lucien sat beside him. "Everything will be fine, Bilbo."
"I appreciate that, Lucien, but I just have the worst feeling." He confessed.
The wizard sighed, "I understand. I feel it too." That fluttering in his stomach and the invisible pressure on his throat as he chocked out breaths, it was distinct and inevitable.
Before either of them could utter another word, Dwalin came running in with urgency, "An army has arrived!" He yelled, "Thorin!"
In a matter of minutes, the entire company was atop the wall blocking the large doorway. Thranduil and his army with Bard and his people were marching towards them and it was intimidating, to say the least.
Lucien stood behind Thorin, Bilbo at his side in fear but also strength. The hobbit was strong, Lucien knew, and it was only a matter of time before he spoke up for himself.
He could see Bard and Thranduil, both wearing different expressions but both determined, all the same, this was what they wanted and the two were as stubborn as they came. Lucien could only worry for everyone he cared for, inside he was on both sides but right now he had to choose and that was the worst of all.
Thorin fired the first arrow in a warning. "I will put the next one between your eyes." And he received shouts of agreement from the dwarves around him, cheering their leader on. It made the wizard frown, why did dwarves have to be so headstrong?
The elves beyond raised their own bows, arrows at the ready. The synchronization was so amazing it was hard to believe they were all unique and different from each other and not one they portrayed themselves so hard to be.
Thranduil held out an arm and his army stood down.
"We've come to tell you the payment of your debt has been offered and accepted."
"What payment? I gave you nothing. You have nothing." Thorin questioned sceptically.
Bard took out the stone from his coat, the object shining in the gloomy light of the morning like a beacon of hope and of destruction. It bore little power but was made so important in the eyes of the dwarves.
"We have this." The man cautiously spoke.
"They have the Arkenstone. Thieves!" Kili was the one to yell, "How came you by the heirloom of our house? That stone belongs to the king."
"The King may have it, with our goodwill." Bard hid the stone from sight once again, "But first, he must honour his word."
"They're taking us for fools. This is a ruse and a filthy lie. The Arkenstone is in this Mountain, it is a trick!"
Lucien opened his mouth, ready to take the blame, ready to disappoint the dwarf and the others with what he had done. Of course, he would keep Bilbo out of it and be sure to paint him as the good and loyal creature Thorin thought he was to him.
That was until Bilbo stepped forward. "I-it's no trick. The stone is real. I gave it to them." It subtly infuriated Lucien, it should have been him to confess.
Thorin turned, his face holding disbelief, betrayal and, beyond all, fury. Stupid little hobbit. "You?"
"I took it as my fourteenth share." He side-eyed the wizard, mentally telling him he should stay quiet. Lucien knew he could take this though, he didn't fear it.
"You would steal from me?"
Bilbo scoffed, "Steel from you? No, no. I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one. I'm willing to let it stand against my claim."
"Against your claim? Your claim? You have no claim over me, you miserable rat!"
"Thorin." Lucien couldn't help but growl, wanting him to take a step back.
"I was going to give it to you. Many times I wanted to, but..."
"But what, thief?"
"You are changed, Thorin. The Dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word, would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin." What Bilbo was saying was all true and although Lucien didn't know Thorin then he knew Thorin before all this, he was changed and it wasn't for the better.
The dwarf king glared, "Do not speak to me of loyalty. Throw him from the rampart!" The dwarves didn't move. Fili was grabbed by his uncle harshly, pulling him towards the supposed traitor.
Lucien couldn't take the abuse of the others, he tore the younger dwarf from Thorin's grip. He held himself back from lashing out, he really did. Lucien hated to use his powers. This was why people underestimated him so.
"Did you not hear me?! I will do it myself." Thorin takes Bilbo, "I curse you!" This causes havoc to ensue as everyone yelled and protested with all their might, though feeling hopeless against the tyrant.
"No!" Fili shouted in despair.
"Cursed be the wizard that forced you on this company!"
Lucien shook with his hidden anger, having not experienced this type of heated emotion he didn't know how to control it like all the rest. It bubbled in his chest and tore at his throat.
He wanted to yell and so he did.
The force of his voice shocked those around him, staring at the faint glow surrounding their tall friend, confused about what was going on inside his head. Eyes closed, fists at his sides and trembling. Had the wizard finally snapped?
"I want the hobbit to be let go," Lucien demanded, his tone seeming deeper, demonic almost and soon the only one between him and Bilbo was Thorin. The dwarf didn't know if he should be fearful or not, this was his wizard.
"He is a traitor-"
"He is not a traitor, Thorin Oakenshield!" Lucien interrupted, his anger growing.
"If you don't like my burglar, then please don't damage him." Gandalf was suddenly heard from below, marching between the elf soldiers, "Return him to me. You're not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain, are you, *Thorin, son of Thrain?"
Lucien hadn't been so happy to see the old wizard in all his years and he quickly receded back into his shell. The shock was replaced with the fact that Gandalf had arrived and maybe everything would be okay.
Lucien the Green knew better, however.
"Never again will I have dealings with wizards! Or Shire rats!"
Bilbo was guided over to the edge, a rope tied around the structure and he was quick to climb down and join Gandalf at his side. Bard was relieved but there was one thing up there he still wanted.
"Give us the wizard, Thorin." The man spoke.
Thorin, feeling rather threatened by this, at the fact he may lose what was his, told them, "I will not. He is mine." As if he was property. As if he was some piece of treasure.
Bard was not having this. He told Lucien not to follow Thorin, told him he was manipulative and did not love him. Lucien had told him they were not together and now he was sitting there as if he was not a person at all? Having the dwarf control him when he could make his own decisions just fine. "He is not yours!"
Thorin raised an eyebrow in question, "Are you sure of that?"
The wizard did not like this one bit, two grown men fighting over him? It wasn't right. He didn't know what to do, how to approach the situation. His mind was telling him to be quiet, that things would go smoother without input, it was what he was told to do. The action of not speaking when not spoken directly to or when an argument was taking place was forced into the poor boy, it something he subconsciously did now even after all those years passing.
"What?"
The dwarf appeared exceptionally smug, not noticing Lucien inner turmoil at all. In fact, no one did. "He is my husband to be after all."
"No!" Bard yelled. Disbelief and hate written across his face.
Thranduil seemed to be infuriated as well, though it was hard to understand what his benefit for that was. "Give us the wizard!"
"Thorin!" Gandalf called.
"Leave!" Kili demanded of them, "He is not going anywhere." War scared him but he was not losing Lucien too.
"The wizard is ours!" Ori yelled, receiving a rather hard hit to the hit from his brother.
"You will not take him!"
Bard couldn't believe it, after everything he told him. He gazed upon the wizard his eyes pleading him to come down and just stand by his side where he belonged. He was not a dwarf and he shouldn't be fighting with them. "Lucien, please."
Lucien gave the man a grimace, hoping he would see this was not what he really wanted but what was best for everyone, in his mind anyway. No one would understand his reasoning so he never told anyone and wished it to stay that way. "I'm sorry."
Thorin smirked, "You see? He belongs to me and only me." The dwarf turned his gaze over to the horizon, catching the glimpse of something over the hill. He knew what it was and he knew what it meant. "I will have war!"
Authors Note
Sorry, it's not that great! I am not the best at writing actions scenes as you can already probably tell so bear with me on the next chapter, it's going to be very sloppy and all over the place, I'm sure.
Also, why do people have a problem with Lucien being gay on Webnovel?? They also can't tell that he's gay?! Shouldn't that be obvious in the first five chapters????