if anyone is tracking the years, we are in 2791 TA at the end of this chapter. also, this chapter is full of what has happened

Ch 4 As Years Passed

The trip outside went surprisingly well and Lapis told them as long as they continued to behave, they could go out every few days. It was nearing the beginning of winter and the cold was setting in, snow was on the horizon and the need to sleep was starting to creep up on Lapis. Her three hatchlings however, were still going strong. It seemed they had reached their peak for hibernation the past winter and were not going to sleep through the months as before. Seeing the problem, Lapis tried to think of everything she usually did before winter that helped put her to sleep for months. Over eating was the main one, packing herself full of whatever animals were around and then burrowing in a cave, or in the past ten years, treasure.

In one of her discussions with Smaug about food, he revealed that he didn't need to eat all the time, that the gold provided him with what he needed, magically. This was a subject that was intriguing to Lapis since it was another fact that led her to believe she wasn't a full dragon. Otherwise, she wouldn't shift into a woman, sleep during winter, or need to eat more as a human. But between the books and Smaug, there was no answer, other than the other dragon smelt dark magic on her. That winter, ten years after Smaug conquered Erebor, Lapis did not go to sleep for the months as before. It had been difficult, and more than once she had gone hungry to the point of starvation to stay awake. The three dragonlings helped of course, by running rampant and demanding her attention, and Lapis would watch from her nest to make sure they didn't annoy Smaug too much.

The great dragon only offered her simple advice, learn how to draw what was needed from the treasure around them. Nothing more was said, and Lapis had been left staring at his pile he spoke through with frustration. The years climbed forward, the winters became easier to stay awake during after the first year and more so after the third when she learned how to feel the energy coming off the gems and gold. It was after another three years did she realize how large she had grown as a dragon when she shifted and Smaug made an appearance, blowing smoke in her face after she had landed on his pile while teaching her children how to shift midair. Keahi had rammed her side and caused Lapis into a spinning fall that ended her hitting Smaug's mountain. It was when she was looking in his eyes did she notice that their size difference wasn't as great as before.

Thankfully, just over twenty years after the attack, the hatchlings were turning twenty and had outgrown their childlike ways, for the most part, and settled into their personalities. Keahi was brash, like the fire he had learned to shoot last year, protective, and stubborn, essentially, he was a mini version of Thorin in personality and appearance, but different colors. Tarin was stubborn also, but calmer, she stuck more to the ground and watched instead of involving herself now, sharing traits of her mother and father. Meio shared the personality of her siblings, ebbing between wild and calm, but just as stubborn and protective as the other two. Tarin hadn't shown any abilities like Keahi and Meio showed an affinity to water, but neither could cast any elements from their belly. Lapis was unsure of why, how, or maybe it wasn't their time like how she hadn't shown any abilities until she had been attacked in Dale.

Their growth had reached what the people in Dale called a teen, after childhood but before adulthood. As humans, they were around the same height as Lapis but as dragons, they were already much larger than she had been that young. She could only assume it was from being surrounded by gold as Smaug had mentioned it being beneficial to them. Either way, they were still children and Lapis wasn't going to have them blindsided by the world as she had been, not that she had gone far, but having no knowledge of anything outside of what was in her head from whatever or whomever told her things, was not ideal. Not to mention none of her hatchlings had the same experience, thankfully. So now, Lapis was going to start teaching them more. How to read, write, learn whatever was in the library that she could understand. Smaug had already tried to help, telling her babies that everything in Middle Earth was lesser than them.

In the twentieth years of Smaug's attack, discontent was sowing amongst certain dwarves that had settled in Dunland. Thror had finally gotten restless enough and sick of being a cast out, told his son that he was taking a trip to see about finding wealth. No one could sway his mind.

"I am leaving Thrain, and that is final. I'm sick of being poor and desperate, to see those who think they are greater than us spit at our feet. No more! I leave tomorrow with Nár, nothing you can say will change my mind." The old King stood and paced, the lines of stress deepening on his face.

"There is nothing I can do to change your mind?" At the blank stare he received, Thrain sighed and dragged a hand over his face before sitting down. "Do what you will then, if what I think is of no consequence."

Thror hesitated and looked back to his son, though he could see the weariness, his mind was too clouded to think of much else than his plan. He approached the table next to Thrain and set a few items down. "I leave on the morrow, but I leave you this, my Ring passed down from Durin and the map of the Lonely Mountain. Perhaps one day, should I fail, we will see our home again." Without another word, Thror left the shack with his back straight with pride.

After a few minutes, Thrain spoke again. "I know you're in here, come out."

From the shadows stepped Thorin who was hiding behind one of the posts in the back. "How did you know I was here?"

"You always hid when you were younger and I told you to leave, I know how to find you in a room."

Silence fell between them with only the sound of the wind breaking through the haphazard building. Thorin finally broke the din with the question Thrain knew was coming.

"Are you going to let him leave?"

"I haven't much choice. He is still the leader of our people, even if he doesn't want the title anymore."

"That is exactly it, he is supposed to be King but he is running because we have to work now to keep our people fed and housed." It came out in a fierce whisper and anger burned in Thorin's eyes.

Thrain sighed again, feeling as though he had age 100 years in the twenty that had passed. "His mind was not well when we escaped, I'm honestly impressed he survived this long without disappearing in the dark of night. At the very least," he picked up the ring with its red stone and held it up, "He is still in capacity of sound thought enough to leave this behind."

"Sell it, it could bring much needed resources to our people." Thorin was seething, was he the only one who cared about their survival?

The large, scarred hand wrapped around the ring before tucking it into his coat along with the map Thorin hadn't noticed. They would go into the rock safe along with the Key to the secret entry to Erebor. One day they would get their home back, but it wouldn't be now and he had to keep certain items safe until their return. "We cannot sell the Ring, it shows our bloodline and our right to the seat of Durin. Run along now Thorin, I need to attend to some details."

Thorin's anger almost blinded him at the child-like dismissal, as though he hadn't been through the same ventures as his father. He stormed out, slamming the door, leaning into the wild wind that was sweeping down from the mountains. There was one last storm for spring approaching and he had to make sure that his people were attended to before the snow set in soon. Without noticing, Frerin and Balin came to flank either side of him in support and helped him the rest of the day with whatever Thorin deemed important. They had head him shout at Thrain before leaving in a rage, though they didn't know what it was about, both knew all they could do was to be there for him.

For a year, no news was heard from or about Thror and his only companion. Granted, no one really knew where he had gone but for the first part of his journey, Thror had sent communication saying he was alive but nothing else. It was when Nár came stumbling back into camp, covered in grime, did they know something had happened. He was taken by Gatik who saw him first to Thrain's hut and set by the fire to warm up and given food. Thrain, Thorin, Frerin, Gatik, and Balin stood or sat around the dwarf, waiting for whatever news he had about Thror. Finally, after food and drink, Nár spoke.

"I was sent back with a message. Moria was taken over by Orcs, they killed the King." Dead silence filled the hut as everyone was too stunned to say anything and Nár continued. "He was tortured after walking into Moria without me, tossed back out on the steps as trash with the name of an Orc branded onto his face. Azog. It was his voice that called out to me that he was the new ruler and anyone who came in to attempt thievery would meet the same or similar fate. They would let me retrieve his head as prove and threw me a pouch of coins as a fee." The words were spit out, the insulting action was recognized by everyone who was listening. "When I looked back, a few Orcs had come from the gate and were chopping the King into pieces and throwing him to the crows."

There were no words to be said and no one moved. Finally, Balin helped Nár to his feet and led him out, intent on taking care of the dwarf who had delivered terrible news. Gatik left after him, intent to make plans of retaliation to the Orc nation. Thorin and Frerin waited a few more minutes, trying to get a response from Thrain on what they should do now but nothing was said. Soon, they left also and Thrain sat down in the chair facing the fire.

For seven days and nights Thrain sat in silence, not eating or sleeping. After the seventh day, he stood and found Gatik with Thorin, proclaiming to them and all that head that his atrocity wouldn't stand and would be answered. They were going to war.


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