Heart
of the Lion
Author: wanderingsmith
may 2014
Summary: "Elrond.. I heard Elrond speaking with Gandalf. He said
.. that the old king, Thorin's grandfather, was mad. That his
father was too."
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: I ain't got no money, and nobody'd be daft enough to
pay me for this. As it is thought, so let it be said; you make the
toys, I play with 'em.
AN: after seeing the extended edition with Elrond's speech
about madness.. and Bilbo hearing it. and the extended of
Thranduil in Erebor, and Thorin's head spinning to his
grandfather
lotr.wikia posts balin as all of 7 years old when Smaug
attacked. I find that a little hard to believe in PJ's version
of Middle-Earth. so I'm also re-aging Balin. Let's say to 17
years *older* than Thorin instead of younger!
They'd left Beorn's House a couple hours before and Balin was slowly
riding his horse through the column, looking to catch any worried
faces and chat or cheer them, as seemed best. When he came up on
their hobbit, he seemed one of the ones that needed it so he slowed,
only having a moment to unsurprisingly follow his fixed frown to
Thorin, before the other opened the conversation himself.
"Balin?"
"Aye lad?"
"Elrond.. I heard Elrond speaking with Gandalf. He said .. that the
old king, Thorin's grandfather, was mad. That his father was too."
Balin answered even as he blinked in surprise, not at all having
expected *that* to be a worry for the hobbit, "..Aye."
"..And ...Thorin?"
Ah. Well that did rather explain the worry. Balin sighed, eyes
automatically turning to the tall dwarf at the head of their column.
"As a boy, before the fall of Erebor... I know he saw what his
grandfather was. I saw him almost disagree with the old man in the
throne room, even though he was barely a stripling; mature for his
age, assuredly, but still he was only allowed to lead the guard
because he was a prince. And I know he saw the old man during some
of his completely mad moments, lost in the shine of his gold. I
have.. I've never seen that madness for riches in Thorin. His
father.. Thráin was a different sort. I am not so certain that he
did not simply fall to the grief of losing so many friends and
family in too short a time."
"But Thorin has lost..."
"Aye." Registering the utter sadness infusing the words, Balin
turned to look at the hobbit, seeing shadowy regret as he once again
stared ahead at the leader of their company, along with something
more active than pity; the same need to help that had kept him with
them when he could have turned back, probably. "Lad, I make no claim
that the boy will defeat the curse of the line of Durin. I can only
pray to Mahal."
Balin continued to watch the other shrewdly, thinking of Thorin's
change after the hobbit saved him.
None of the things dwarves had tried had made a difference to the
old king, or Thráin. But this hobbit did not follow dwarf ways. He
did not treat Thorin as a king, or even a dwarf, did not blindly
*expect* love of gold, or stolid strength. And Thorin was beginning
to respond to that odd assumption of complete equality with moments
of shocking, to a dwarf, openness. And a need for Bilbo's presence
that had not gone unnoticed by anyone in the company.
Perhaps... perhaps this seemingly soft and innocent creature, who
was yet willing to face a warg-riding orc and walk across half of
Middle-Earth, could give his king something he needed.
Would it be enough to defeat madness? Would the hobbit be willing to
stay at Thorin's side to even try it? Balin had seen too much not to
try something new and cared too much for the royal family not to
lend his weight if it was needed.
"Lad. Bilbo." He waited until Bilbo looked at him, "Thorin is a
different dwarf than his kin were, has lived a very different life
than a prince has for many generations, for better or ill. It may be
that he will be spared. Or," he reached over to put a hand on a
small shoulder, "It might be that having a friend with a pure and
mighty heart who does not let him start down a dark road, is what
will save us."
"Me? But.. Balin, I-"
Balin shook his head, smiling to try to gentle the worry growing in
Bilbo's eyes, "Lad, don't.. try not to worry on it. You are already
doing all you can by being yourself. If you would help us, help
*him*, simply keep your eyes open. If you do see him slipping..."
Trailing off, he finally shook his head sadly, "I'm afraid I can't
tell you anything of what to do to help. But you've proven yourself
a resourceful fellow. Trust in yourself, in every hobbit part of
yourself. Do not try to be anything else."
And continue to care for my king as you already do.
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