Sorry everyone, I haven't been feeling well. Hopefully this will hold over well until I can get going on the next chapter. I am a bit sad no one has been able to guess what the gemstones from her tears are yet.

Ch 25 Advice

Thrain had given him the afternoon off with little complaint, more so when Thorin asked for permission to go to Dale. He had proven more than once that he was willing and had followed the new rules set forth by his father and speaking to him that day showed his maturity further. A set of guards was required for his journey and Thorin bit his tongue at the words hovering one his tongue, merely nodding in agreement before inclining his head and leaving. The two soldiers accompanying him were the same two who followed him during the day when his father had punished him, easing him a bit more since he knew their behavior bit a better than most of the others.

Frerin had caught wind of Thorin's spontaneous trip to Dale and received permission from his father and tutor to join for 'academic reasons'. To which Thorin raised an eyebrow at his brother when he was told this. Nonetheless, Frerin provided noise as they walked to Dale and he was thankful since Thorin knew from previous experience his guards weren't the most talkative of dwarves. He led the way through the city and to the library, stopping their escort at the doors.

"There is no need for you to come in, I don't want your presence disturbing the others."

The two looked at the other before one spoke. "We were given strict instruction not to leave either of you alone."

Thorin rolled his eyes internally, "We aren't going to leave and wreak havoc on the city. We do, however, need quiet and not the hovering nuisance of you two over our shoulders."

Neither budged from the doorway and he resisted growling at them. Behind him, Frerin placed a hand on his back to draw his attention. Looking back, Thorin saw Bede walking up to them, the old scholar frowning at the group blocking his doors.

"This is a place of study, what is going on?"

Before Thorin could open his mouth, the same soldier spoke first. "We are royal escorts for our Princes and are required to stay with them at all times outside of Erebor."

Frerin slid between them and Thorin, seeing the growing anger on his brother's face at the guard's impudence. The other saw the look also and cast a weary look at his partner. Bede stared down the two before sliding his eyes over to the brothers, calculating why Thorin had reappeared.

"Be that as it may, this is my library and hall; also you are not in Erebor. If they have come to learn and your presence will impede that, you will stay outside. No one who comes here is meant to feel uncomfortable and you will be doing just that, as you are now. Now, Prince Thorin, feel free to take the room down the hall to the left and use whatever materials you need. And take your brother." Bede watched them leave and blocked the way of the two guards. He knew they could easily push him out of the way, but he was counting on whatever manners the dwarves had to not cause a fight between the two cities. "I was serious in every aspect about you coming into my library. If you insist on coming in, you will go no further than these doors and you can see if one of your charges decides to run. If I hear any noise, any indication you are causing trouble for my patrons, I will lock the doors. Am I understood?" He received two sharp nods. "Shut the door behind you and stand to the side then, we will be a while."

Robes swirled around him as the scholar stalked off to the room he had directed Thorin to, looking back at the guards to make sure they had stayed before shutting and bolting the door. Bede turned and stared down the young dwarfs. "Do you cause trouble everywhere you go?"

"If only you knew." Frerin muttered and Thorin threw a glare at him.

"Not intentionally," he said while moving his eyes to the door. "Are we sure they wont eavesdrop?"

"The door is rather thick, but if they tried they might hear something." The scholar took a seat in his armchair and looked at him expectantly, "I assume there was something you wanted to speak to me about amid all this?"

"Yes." Thorin picked up a wooded chair, jerking his head for Frerin to do the same, and positioning himself in front of Bede. "I wanted to talk to you about Lapis."

"Your dragon." Bede's eyes lit up, "I've wanted to see her again and ask some questions. She is very intriguing."

A smile pulled at his lips, "Yes she is. We are in a bit of a predicament and need advice from someone else who knew about her."

He looked at Thorin with worry, "I don't know how I could help, I know less about her and dragons than you do."

"She's been hiding in my rooms, Master Bede, eventually she will be found and that is an event I'd rather avoid since I would have no explanation of where or how she had gotten there. That is my main concern and top question, should we introduce her to my people soon? And how would we go about doing so, such as a traveler from the East or relative of someone from Dale?"

"There are too many variables with that situation, Prince Thorin; too many loose ends. Remember the events from the last time you were here, what if something happened again and she let loose while in the presence of your people? How would you explain the fact she can shoot ice as a weapon? What about her appearance and the scales on her face? Have you thought about any of this?"

There was silence until Frerin spoke, "He is right. We already were wondering if she could pass off a story by lying."

Thorin frowned. "So, there is no way for her to be introduced to any society, is that what you are saying?"

Bede leaned back and stroked his short beard, there was something else amiss that they weren't speaking of concerning her. "What else is the reason you want to integrate her into society? You could have contacted the elves for help, perhaps not Thranduil but there are others who could help her learn."

They looked at each other, asking help from the Elves hadn't come across their minds as dwarves usually stick to their own. There was a Lord Elrond, on the other side of the Misty Mountains, that Thorin knew of from his father talking to his grandfather. But could he send Lapis away so far and for who knows how long? What of his baby she carried? He looked at the scholar saw the man waiting expectantly.

"She is with child."

Grey brows shot up as Bede looked between them. "You will most likely have more problems with her than just teaching her to lie. Have either of you been around an expecting mother?" They shook their heads, there hadn't been any dwarrow close to them other than their mother and she was sick when pregnant with Dis. "I am more against it more than before now, there is no way you could send her here without putting someone in danger; whether it be her or the people of Dale. Emotions range out of control at times when women are carrying a baby, I can't imagine the disaster if she became upset."

A great sigh came from Thorin, "How am I supposed to hide a dragon and a child? They can't stay forever in my rooms."

"That is something you will have to figure out, come up with different scenarios. If she were able to be around more people, men or dwarves, and not be attacked, it would help her greatly. Does she know how to read? Perhaps start giving her lessons as you were given and hopefully, in time, she will be able to join you."

He had many things to think about. A great many things had been pointed out and Thorin couldn't help but think he had wasted all this time with her that could have been spent teaching her to live outside in the world. Shame came over him and a hand rested on his shoulder. He turned to see Frerin watching him in sympathy.

"There is no blame to be put on you, Thorin. This is a predicament no one has been through before, all we can do now is start the change."

"We?"

"Well of course, who else will keep you on track and from constantly putting Lapis on her back."

Thorin was amused more than upset now and he punched Frerin on the arm. "She isn't always on her back."

"More than I needed to know."

Bede watched the exchange before standing, "You can borrow any books you would like to start her education. Might I suggest keeping it simple, teach her to read and write first before more in depth lessons."

The brothers stood also and Thorin bowed his head in thanks. He was glad he had met the scholar, he was wise and having the ear of an older generation did much for them. "Will you help me select the books properly today?"

"Of course, come along." The door was unlocked and Bede stepped out and looked to the right, pleased to see the soldiers still standing by the entrance. He moved to one side to allow the two princes to pass him. "The books you seek are towards the back along the right side of the wall Prince Frerin, and Prince Thorin, if you would follow me I will pull the texts you require."

Frerin looked into the vast hall filled with tomes and scattered furniture, wondering what section of literature he had been sent to and walked off with a single backwards glance to Thorin. His brother and the man left in a separate direction with Bede in the lead and he lost sight of them as they both turned a corner around a bookstack. Weaving his own way through the room, Frerin eyed the leather cover in interest. None of them had titles, only stamps along the spines that meant nothing to him. Choosing one at random, he flipped to a random page and began reading.