I cried a little when I wrote this chapter... I felt so bad making them both go through what they're going to go through. This chapter is more of a song chapter, and the featured song is called "Oh, Death" by Jen Titus. Anyway, I own nothing recognizable as Tolkien's works or characters. I only own Elva, Isil, and Aerin. Reviews welcome. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 8: Oh, Death.

The dream skipped ahead what was most likely a few years, for now Bofur's wife was heavily pregnant. A Dwarf's gestation period was different from a Human's, lasting about four years. During this time, Rona had become sickly looking. Her skin was pale, her eyes dull, her hair limp, and her face gaunt. The pregnancy was taking its toll, but she would not accept the doctor's proposal to remove the baby. Even after hours of pleading from Bofur. Rona was sleeping restfully in the bedroom and Bofur sat by her side, holding her hand and dabbing a damp cloth over her forehead. She was in labour. Elva stood at the door and watched. The walls around her heart trembling as they threatened to break at the heart rending sight. It wasn't hard to tell that Bofur had gotten no sleep for a long while. His eyes were bloodshot with large bags under them, and his clothes were unkempt and wrinkled. Another person walked through the door. And subsequently Elva as well. She huffed in annoyance. It was getting very irritating. The person who had walked in was wearing doctor's clothes. He made his way over to the bed and examined Rona. Bofur either didn't notice his presence or ignored him. After a moment he turned to Bofur.

"You'll have to leave the room." The doctor ordered.

"I'm staying." The Dwarf replied stubbornly, his voice laced with exhaustion.

"If you desire to." The doctor grimaced. "But I cannot guarantee anything."

"I understand." Bofur nodded. "Do whatever you can."

The doctor nodded in return and helped Rona begin her delivery. Bofur sat by her head for the next five hours as the doctor worked. Elva could barely stand being in the room with the dying woman. Her agonizing screams rent the air in two as she gave birth. She was drenched in sweat and all but entirely spent from exhaustion. There was no way she would be able to push the child out. Finally the doctor was forced to cut open her womb and remove the child. It was a little girl. She was still born. The delivery was too much for Rona's body to handle.

"I love you." She whispered to Bofur weakly.

With that, Rona let out a sigh, and breathed her last. The doctor covered her face, wrapped the child in a cloth, and set her beside her mother. He gave Bofur a gentle squeeze on his shoulder, then left. The distraught Dwarf knelt by his wife's bedside. One hand on her arm and one on his daughter. Tears fell silently as he wept for his loss. And Elva felt her heart being torn in two. She willed Bofur to wake up from his dream and release the both of them. Suddenly, Elva felt the sensation of falling. The scene changed suddenly and she found herself in a forrest somewhere. The wolf woman blinked in confusion as she looked around. Looking at herself, she was still mostly see through. That meant the dreams were not over. Looking to her left she noticed Bofur. Great, he still hadn't woken up yet. Elva paused. The Dwarf was misty looking as well. He was looking around wildly. But he couldn't see her next to him. The wolf woman froze in horror. This was her mind. Her memories. And she knew what memory they were in right then.

A lilting giggle floated through the forest in Valinor around them. Elva trembled and screamed at herself to wake up. There was no way she could let Bofur see what was about to happen. Two women walked through the forest together, arm in arm. One was tall with long, golden hair that she let flow loosely down her back. Her skin was as pale as the moonlight. And her eyes were a warm, chocolate brown. The other woman only reached the first's shoulder. It was Elva as she had been millenia before. Her hair was pulled up in an intricate braid. And her stormy grey eyes were bright and happy. The pair chatted animatedly as they walked, and finally they were close enough to hear their words. The real Elva glanced at Bofur. He watched what was going on in rapt attention, although there was still heavy confusion in his eyes.

"Come now, mine sister." Isil laughed. "I know what infatuation looks like. I see it every spring when the animals come from their hibernation. Who is he?"

"It is not infatuation." Elva replied indignantly.

"Then what is it?" Isil asked.

"I... I am not certain." Elva admitted.

"Do you harbour feelings for this man?" Her sister prompted.

"I believe so." The wolf woman nodded slowly.

"Well, who is he?" The doe woman asked again.

"You would think me foolish." Elva shook her head. "I think me foolish."

"No, sister." Isisl chided lightly. "You know I would think no such thing. You are supportive of Aiwendil and I. I shall be supportive of you and whomever you find attraction to."

"Mairon." Elva whispered, glancing around as though afraid he might suddenly appear.

"Oh, that is wonderful!" Isil cried happily, grasping her sister's hands and spinning around. "He certainly is handsome."

"He is." Elva agreed, slightly breathless from the sudden spin. "We have been speaking more and more frequently after our services to Aulë have been completed for the day. I... I know it sounds silly, but I think he has feelings for me as well. He brought me flowers he had crafted from gold and silver."

"That sounds of attraction to mine ears." Isil grinned widely.

"What should I do?" The wolf woman asked urgently.

Her sister kept silent for a few moments as she thought.

"It seems to me as though you simply ought to continue how you are now." She replied. "This path seems to be taking care of itself."

"I hope so." Elva grinned.

The scene changed once again and Elva and Bofur then stood somewhere in the forest of Mirkwood. The wolf woman tried in vain to wake up before it was too late. But nothing would work. Somehow Bofur's consciousness had entered her mind in return though he was still in slumber. And until he woke up, they were forced to remain in Elva' darkest memory. A great, honey coloured wolf tread silently through the forest. It was Elva in her wolf form. Her ears were pinned back and her eyes were hard. Her heart beat with murderous intent.

-Oh, Death, оh Death, oh Death,

Won't you spare me over til another year-

It had been millennia since she had her sister had spoken back in Valinor. Elva and Mairon had become more than simply friends not long after Elva and her sister had their talk. During that time, he had slowly begun to warp her mind and heart. He turned her against her sister and brother. Her heart grew dark and resentful. But she could not see that Mairon was poisoning her soul, and she refused the councils of her siblings. Her heart was bound to his through dark magic already. Had she been in her own right mind, Elva would have left him and his ways far behind her. She would have been able to see that he was, had been, evil for ages before. She believed that he had truly meant to repent after Melkor's defeat, but was afraid of his punishment. So she kept his hiding place secret from all and continued to visit him. Finally, the day had come for Mairon to enact his plot. Elva was searching for her sister, but not to speak with her as they used to.

-But what is this, that I can't see

with ice cold hands taking hold of me-

Elva could not see what Mairon had done to change her heart and twist it to his own darkness. All she saw was what he poisoned her thoughts to see. The Valar had given each of them with an important task when they were sent to Arda. Aerin was to nurture the Elves with his wisdom and knowledge. Isil was sent to care for the flora and fauna of the land with Aiwendil. But what of Elva? Mairon made her believe that her job was not nearly as important as her siblings. She was simply meant to be a guardian over the Dwarves of Middle Earth. How was that a great task? They could look after themselves. They had done so for centuries before she had gotten there. Perhaps the Valar favoured Aerin and Isil over her.

-When God is gone and the Devil takes hold,

who will have mercy on your soul-

It had taken less time to twist Elva's mind than Mairon had thought. That was good for him, for now his plans could be put into motion sooner than he had hoped. He was able to, metaphorically, kill two birds with one stone with this one simple plan. Isil would be killed, leaving the lands of Arda with only half the protection it should have had, making it far easier to worm his way into the land and control it. Elva would be punished for her sister's murder and stripped of her power, leaving the Dwarves without their guardian. Then he only had to strive for the Elves. They would certainly be the hardest to conquer. But without the threat of the siblings, it would be much easier.

-No wealth, no ruin, no silver, no gold

Nothing satisfies me but your soul-

Elva found her sister singing by a stream in the wood. The animals that had flocked around her were silenced at the wolf woman's aproach. They could feel the murder in her heart. Isil refused to believe poorly of her sister. She refused to believe anyone could be so far gone as to be unworthy of repentance. Isil smiled at Elva and stood up.

"Hello, sister." She greeted warmly. "What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Unfortunately, I do not come on pleasant business." Elva replied.

-Oh, Death,

Well I am Death, none can excel,

I'll open the door to heaven or hell.-

"That is unfortunate." Isil agreed. "What is the matter? Mayhaps I can assist you with it."

"I fear there is no help you can afford me." Elva shook her head. "None that you would give so willingly, at least."

"Oh?" Her sister questioned, becoming wary. "And why is that?"

"Blood is required." Elva replied.

With that she lunged for her sister. Isil's eyes widened in shock and horror as she realized what was happening. Then Elva's jaws clamped around her throat, and her life was extinguished.

-Oh, Death, оh Death,

my name is Death and the end ïs here...-

Elva stood over the body of her sister, her blood dripping from the wolf woman's jaws. All the animals had fled in terror. Suddenly, dark laughter filled the surrounding area and Elva looked for the source. Mairon stood across from her, on the other side of the stream. The wolf woman looked at him in confusion. It looked like him, but it did not feel like him. There was a black aura around his being. Something that she had never noticed before. Then she realized that she was afraid of him. that had never been an emotion Elva had associated with Mairon. With trembling, she looked at her feet and reeled back in horror at what she had done. Mairon had finally released her from his black hold.

"What have I done?" Elva whispered.

"You've murdered your sister in cold blood." Mairon grinned.

"What did you do to me?" The wolf woman demanded.

"Me?" He laughed. "I simply made you see me as I wanted you to see me. You let your hate fester against your sister, and you killed her."

"Because of you!" Elva snapped. "She's dead because of your hold over me!"

Elva lunged at Mairon and tried to tear out his throat as well. He disappeared and reappeared behind her. Elva skidded to a halt and whipped around, snarling in rage. The Maiar laughed one last time and completely disappeared. Thunder rumbled overhead and the rains began to pour from the skies. Nature wept for the loss of Isil. And Elva wept with them. She lifted her head and gave a long, mournful howl. Suddenly, in the clearing, Aulë, Yavanna, Nienna, and Manwë appeared. Yavanna knelt next to Isil's body in sorrow and glared daggers at Elva. She had never been fond of Aulë's Dwarves, afraid they would destroy her trees, nor of Elva who guarded them. And Isil's murder had solidified that. Elva was shamed and looked at the ground, accepting Yavanna's disdainful glare.

"What is the meaning of this act?" Manwë demanded, though not unkindly.

"Mairon held my heart under his black powers." Elva explained sorrowfully. "He poisoned my thoughts against Isil, and sent me here to murder her. I succeeded in his quest."

Suddenly, a great, tawny owl alighted next to Isil's body as well. It shifted into the form of her brother, Aerin. The owl man cried out in grief and clutched Isil close to himself. He looked up at Elva, and hatred was in his eyes.

"You did this!" He accused her.

"Yes." Whispered Elva in agreement.

"We told you time and again that Sauron was dark in heart and spirit!" Aerin growled. "Yet time and again you refused our council. And look at the consequence!"

"You were in partnership with Sauron?" Aulë asked her softly.

"Yes." Elva whispered again.

"Yet you did not alert anyone to him?" Yavanna snapped.

"No." Elva shook her head.

"Why not?" Yavanna demanded. "He worked with Melkor to destroy everything that Ilúvatar created!"

"I told you!" Elva growled back. "He held my heart in a darkness I could not see!"

"You were told of his black heart!" Yavanna shouted.

"Enough!" Manwë ordered them.

Elva flinched back and Yavanna fell silent.

"There must be a price to be paid for your wrongdoing." The king of the Valar continued, looking at Elva.
"And what of Mairon?" Elva snapped. "He is as guilty as I, if not more so."

"He shall pay for his own crimes." Manwë replied. "You shall pay for yours."

"How just you are." Elva mocked.

"A life for a life!" Yavanna exclaimed. "I say she pay for her crime with her life as Isil paid with hers for no fault of her own."

"Aulë, what say you?" Manwë asked.

"I do not wish her to lose her life." The Vala replied.

"So you would have her go free?" Yavanna demanded.

"I said no such thing." Aulë shook his head. "I simply said death is too harsh. My punishment would be for her to be stripped of her honour as Maiar until she can earn restoration."

"Nienna?" Manwë turned to the Vala who had been silent the whole time.

"I agree with Aulë." She nodded, tears in her eyes. "I feel her grief at what happened. Is that not punishment enough? Let her live."

I had to do a whole bunch of research to try and make the history of this chapter flow... I still feel a little iffy on it. Manwë is the king of the Valar and the greatest in authority (though not in power, that was Melkor). Yavanna, the wife of Aulë, and the one responsible for the growth of plants and fruits in Arda. Aulë, husband to Yavanna, and great smith. He created the Dwarves, though Iluvatar gave them life. And Nienna, known as The Lady of Mercy. She grieves for all the pains of Arda. She is the only female Vala without a spouse. (Ulmo and Melkor do not have spouses either). So yeah, feedback here would be very much appreciated. :)