Chapter Text
Tim fiddled with the golden trinket as he walked across the hallways of the palace. Tim did not want to be in the palace with them, but he had no choice as Dick Grayson, the First Prince of Gotham, requested Tim to make something for the droughts in Eastern Outskirts of the Gotham Kingdom.
Argh, why did Tim become the Royal Mage? He knew it was a disaster waiting to happen.
Well, at least the pay was insanely high.
Tim’s heart pounded as he got closer to Dick’s office.
Tim knocked on the door, waiting for Dick to reply curtly, “Come in!”
Tim walked in the office, feeling like he was entering a tomb. His face didn’t show it, he was diplomatically blank and pleasant in the respectful way his mother had drilled into his head.
Dick was working on several official looking papers. His office was rather messy, with papers and feathers everywhere. Dick was wearing a regal looking robe with slits for his wings, black with dark blue accents.
“I’ve gotten an enchanted item to help the droughts in the Eastern Outskirts like you requested,” Tim announced, pulling out a golden ball that was accented with more gold. It was polished to be extremely shiny, with studded jewels.
Dick placed down the papers he was working on, his wings stretching, “Oh, really? That fast? Thanks Timmy, you’re a lifesaver! How does it work?”
Tim fidgeted with the ball, “It’s like a seed. You plant it, and overnight a well will form. The well will always be filled with fresh water. For the best results, you should wait for a full moon, but it’ll work fine either way.”
Dick took the ball from Tim, examining it, pupils slightly growing, “It’s very… bejeweled.”
Tim shrugged, “Eh, everything from me is like that. What can I say? I’m a good crafter.”
Tim tried to seem nonchalant, but everything in him was screaming to take back the golden ball, that it was his, his hoard, why is he giving it, hi-
“Tim, you good? You looked murderous for a second. I didn’t mean that as an insult.”
Tim shook his head, trying to shake off the thoughts, “Oh, sorry. Just drifted off for a second.”
Dick chuckled, tossing a bag, probably filled with coins from the sound of it, to Tim, “Well, here’s for the building costs and a little extra. Maybe buy yourself a new cloak?”
Tim flinched looking down at his black cloak,. The cloak was oversized and looked ragged. But Tim needed that.
See, Tim was a dragon.
And no one knew.
And Tim would like to keep it like that, even if he had to wear an ill fitting cloak to cover the lumps his wings formed. Everyone thought that it was one of Tim’s quirks of wearing a much too large cloak everywhere he went.
Tim forced a polite smile, “Thank you, but I don’t think I will.”
Dick rolled his eyes, “Of course you won’t. I swear Tim, you'd look a lot better if you weren’t wearing a lump of fabric. But anyways, I have something else for you.”
Tim’s eyebrows furrowed. What else could Dick need him for?
Dick grabbed a stack of books lying on his desk, “A merchant gave us these books for a certain Royal Mage.”
Tim’s face brightened as he remembered, “Oh, yes, I did buy some books. I don’t know why they would give them to the palace, I specified my tower.”
Dick smiled, “Well, most assume the Royal Mage would live in the Royal Palace.”
As Tim leaned over to grab the books, Dick casually put an arm over Tim’s shoulder, “You know, you always have a room at the Wayne Palace.”
Tim smiled stiffly as he shrugged off Dick’s shoulder, “Thank you but I will have to decline yet again.”
Dick sighed as he leaned against his desk, “One day we’ll make you stay.”
Tim gave an apologetic smile and began to walk to the door, because Tim was ready to leave ten minutes ago.
Dick smiled brightly, “Oh, are you going already? I’ll come with you to the exit. Looks like you need a hand with all those books!”
Dick ignored Tim’s protests, grabbed the top part of the stack Tim was carrying and marched out of the office, not waiting for Tim.
Tim scrambled to catch up, to be met with Dick’s sly grin. Dick bumped Tim’s shoulder with his wing, “Quit pouting. I needed a break and you needed someone to help you carry all these books. It’s a win-win.”
Tim ignored Dick with a huff.
Dick smiled, “Now that I’m thinking about it, why did you get all these magic books? Most of these don’t even seem English and have illustrations and diagrams of dragons.”
Dick hissed the last part as if they had personally offended him. And they probably had. Dick and the rest of the Waynes were avians. Gotham was their territory. The idea of another hybrid, even another avian, in their territory, was a repulsive and angering thought.
And Tim? He was a dragon, probably considered the most dangerous hybrid, in their territory.
And that wasn’t even the worst part…
And now Tim had a book, no, several books, on a natural threat to avians. This was worse than being found with a book on witchcraft and demons.
Argh, this is why he wanted the merchant to give the books to his tower! He didn’t want to deal with all these questions.
Ok, just get the truth and modify it a little to make the most convincing lie.
Tim rambled, “Oh, you know, that thing, uh, I, uh was thinking about making a magic item for one of you, but I was worried how being a hybrid would affect that.”
Dick raised an eyebrow, “So you got a book on dragons.”
Tim nodded, even though the stack of books practically covered his face, “Um, yeah. Dragons are considered the hybrid with the most magic in them, so if I figured out how to use magic on dragons, avians should be a breeze.”
That was not how magic worked at all. Tim really hoped Dick barely knew any magic. Plus, the books were not about magic either.
Dick nodded slowly, “Huh. That makes sense. What do you plan on making?”
Tim exhaled, relieved that Dick bought the lie, “Uh, I haven’t really thought of the details yet.”
“Oh.”
An uncomfortable silence filled the hallway. Well, uncomfortable for Tim. Dick was smiling and humming a quiet song.
As they finally approached the exit, Dick handed the books to Tim.
“Well, bye Tim!” Dick ruffled his hair, causing Tim to flinch.
Tim mumbled a good bye, having a hard time with the books engulfing his face. Tim began to walk to his tower, arms already weak from the books. This was going to be a long walk.