The featured song in this chapter is "Brave" by Josh Groban... his voice is like a eargasm. I could listen to it all day... Again, I do not own anything recognizable as Tolkien's works or characters. I only own Elva, Isil, and Aerin. Reviews are welcomed, enjoy! :)

Chapter 10: King Under the Mountain.

The others had fallen asleep quickly. Their journey into the mountains had exhausted them. Elva was thankful for the silence. It allowed her to gather her thoughts and quietly sort through them. One question continued to press her thoughts, though. She glanced back at Bofur and gave him a questioning look. He looked over at her a raised an eyebrow at her.

"What is it?" He asked softly.

"I don't understand you." She replied.

"I feel a sense of deja vu." Bofur grinned.

She blinked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"What don't you understand, lass?" The Dwarf asked her. "My charming personality? My dashing good looks?"

"Why did you welcome me with such enthusiasm?" She asked, ignoring his jesting. "And why did you continuously fall back to keep me company and speak with me? The others were perfectly content with staying as far away as possible."

Bofur sat forward a little and gave a few puffs on his pipe thoughtfully.

"You looked as though you needed a friend." Bofur replied. "I saw in your eyes many of the same things that I felt when I lost my wife and infant. Anger, sorrow, pain... fear. I saw the walls you built around your heart to keep it safe, the same walls I put around mine too. Yours had been strengthened by time and hatred, but they were made of the same materials. I would accept no comfort from any of my kin after Rona and our child died. But their persistence made me see that I was being foolish. I could not harden my heart to the others who still loved me. And I knew that persistence would be necessary to help you break down your walls as well. No one can live without love, not forever."

"Why did you save me from the Warg, Bofur?" Elva asked again.

Bofur watched her carefully for a time and she began to suspect the answer. But she needed his words to confirm it. And again, she was afraid. However; Elva could not figure out if her fear was of the answer she believed it to be, or if her fear was of it not being so. She swallowed anxiously and Bofur finally spoke up again.

"There's an old saying that goes 'Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength'," He said.

"'While loving someone deeply gives you courage.'" Elva finished, her heart pounding furiously. "I know it."

"When I saw the Warg pin you, and saw it about to kill you," Bofur told her softly, their eyes locked. "I realized I had courage."

Elva's heart stopped and she forgot how to breath for a moment. Her breaths returned in short, shallow gasps as she struggled to sort out her reeling mind. The wolf woman turned away quickly and tried to calm her racing thoughts. After a little while her breaths calmed and her mind slowed again. She stared out into the rain and refused to think. Her mind and heart needed time to recover from their shock. She knew at that moment that her walls had taken their last hit. His words had finished them. They stood ready to fall apart if she would allow them to, but she clung to the pieces of her walls in cowardice. Elva watched the rain fall, silently, and scooted closer to the mouth of the cave. She tilted her head forward, closed her eyes, and let the rain fall on her muzzle. Bofur watched Elva as she sat away from him, the lightning illuminated her coat with every flash. He could tell she struggled with it all. She saw herself as a coward, and maybe her belief of that truly made her so. But Bofur wanted her to know deep inside that being brave was acting even though she was terrified. She was his reason to have courage, so he took another chance and began to sing softly.

"Wake up, wake up, the sun cannot wait for long

Reach out, reach out before it fades away

You will find the warmth when you surrender

Smile into the fear and let it play

You wanna run away, run away

And you say that it can't be so

You wanna look away, look away

But you stay 'cause it's all so close

When you stand up and hold out your hand

In the face of what I don't understand

My reason to be brave

Hold on, hold on so strong, times just carries on

All that you thought was wrong is pure again

You can't hide forever from the thunder

Look into the storm and feel the rain

You wanna run away, run away

And you say that it can't be so

You wanna look away, look away

But you stay 'cause it's all so close

When you stand up and hold out your hand

In the face of what I don't understand

My reason to be brave

Go on, go on

You wanna run away run away

And you say that it can't be so

You wanna look away look away

But you stay 'cause it's all so close

When you stand up and hold out your hand

In the face of what I don't understand

My reason to be brave."

Elva glanced back at him, then returned her attention to the rain.

"Perhaps my newfound strength," She said softly. "Will one day give me courage as well."

"I certainly hope so." Bofur smiled.

They returned to a comfortable silence. Elva gave a small shiver as the chill in the night time mountain air breezed past her slightly. She stood up, shook herself, and padded over to Bofur. He glanced up at her and patted the ground next to him. Elva nestled next to him, leaving a several inches of space, and curled into a tight ball. Bofur rested his hand on her back and ran his fingers through her soft coat. She tensed up for a moment, her lips curling back, and he paused to see if she wanted him to stop. Elva gave him a glance and shook her head. She didn't want that kind of contact. Especially because it could be considered intimate and personal. It brought back memories of when her sister would stroke her coat in a similar manner, and Elva wasn't ready for that. Bofur nodded and withdrew his hand. Elva rested her head on her paws and watched the mouth of the cave again. A little while later she thought she heard soft noises coming from the back of the cave. It sounded like Bilbo was restless. She didn't give it much thought, making it out to be him not used to the arrangements. A few minutes later; however, the Hobbit strode past them with his pack on his back. Elva lifted her head and pricked her ears curiously. Bofur sat forward.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked in concern.

Blibo hung his head in exasperation. He turned back with a determined look in his eye, daring Bofur to try and stop him.

"Back to Rivendell." The Hobbit replied.

Bofur jumped up. Elva pushed herself to her feet and padded over as well. She sat down and tilted her head at Bilbo. He couldn't possibly be thinking of going back on his own. There was no way he would survive, let alone remember the way. He was, rather, a green foot when it came to adventuring.

"You can't turn back now, you're part of the company." He said in worry. "You're one of us."

"I'm not now am I?" Bilbo replied. "Thorin said I should never have come and he was right. I'm not a Took I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door."

"You're home sick." Bofur urged. "I understand."

"No you don't!" Bilbo snapped in a whisper. "You don't understand, none of you do. You're Dwarves! And you," He pointed at Elva. "I don't know much about you, but I can gather that you don't keep company very often. You're used to- to this life. Living on the road, never settling in any one place, not belonging anywhere."

Bofur's face fell and Elva chuffed unhappily.

"Look, I-I'm sorry.. I didn't" The Hobbit trailed off lamely.

"No, you're right." Bofur replied sadly, looking back at his friends. "We don't belong anywhere."

Elva looked at Bofur and flattened her ears. The Dwarf looked back at Bilbo.

"I wish you all the luck in the world." He said with a sad smile. "I really do."

Bofur patted Bilbo on the arm. The Hobbit gave them a sad smile and turned to walk out of the cave. Suddenly, Bofur noticed a glow coming from his sword.

"What's that?" He asked.

Bilbo glanced back in confusion, then followed Bofur's gaze. Elva glanced at the blade as well. She pinned her ears and curled her lips back. She knew what that blade was. And she knew what the glowing light meant. Bilbo looked at the sword in horror. Orcs were nearby. A groaning sound could be heard from the ground beneath them and the floor began to break apart. The sand fell into the cracks and Thorin roused everyone from slumber. As soon as he had done so, the floor tilted and everyone was thrown into a great cavern. They rolled through a rocky tunnel before they all landed in a heap in a large bucket. Immediately, a whole host of Goblins rushed forward and captured them. Elva snapped at them, managing to bite several. But they retaliated and jabbed and clawed at her in return. Finally she gave in and allowed them to lead her on. They were all roughly pushed and prodded forward, while little Bilbo escaped notice.

Elva reached out her mind and brushed it against Bofur. She needed something solid at that moment to giver her comfort. She felt his acknowledgement and withdrew her mind. The company was unceremoniously deposited at the feet of a massive Goblin in a cavernous hall that looked like a mock throne room. They were in the halls of a ghoulish "King Under the Mountain." Elva took a look at their surroundings. It was a huge, cavernous city made of roughly thrown together shacks. Elva knew Goblins had little skill in craftsmanship, but their cavern was depressing to say the least. The massive Goblin King lurched from his throne, his massive fat folds making it difficult for him to move.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" He glared at the Dwarves. "Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"

"Dwarves, your malevolence." A small Goblin replied.

"Dwarves?" The Goblin King asked incredulously.

"We found them on the front porch." The small Goblin nodded.

"So don't just stand there!" The king cried. "Search them! Every crack, every crevice."

The Dwarves stood stock still, resigning to glower at the Goblins as they were searched. Elva refused to cooperate and snapped at them every time they touched her. That caused her to be struck over and over. She bared her fangs and bit through the pain of the Goblins' claws. Finally it was too much and she crouched submissively on the floor. Elva growled silently at them every time they got overly rough, but allowed them to search her as well. It was foolish and useless, of course, there wasn't much she could hide in her fur. Bofur caught her eye with a worried look and she flicked her ears in anger, but she was fine.

"What are you doing in these parts?" The king questioned.

They stayed silent.

"Speak!" He snapped.

Again they said nothing.

"Very well." The Goblin King stated. "If they won't talk, we'll make the squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker!"

The Goblin King turned and pointed at Ori.

"Start with the youngest." He grinned.

Elva knew Kili was the youngest, not Ori, but he certainly looked that way. She broke free from the Goblin's grasp on her and stood protectively in front of him. Her ears were flat against her skull, hackles raised, teeth bared in a feral snarl, and her eyes glinting in malice. She opened her jaw and in quivered in hatred for the Goblin King. A dark growl resounded through the cavern from her mind. It silenced many of the Goblins in terror. The Goblin King took a step back and stared at her fearfully.

"You will not touch him." She snarled, letting her thoughts be heard by all. "If you lay a single claw on him I will break you."

She scraped her own iron hard claws along the wood and splintered it with no effort. After a moment, the Goblin King grinned evilly.

"Very well, we'll start with the dog." He chuckled and swung his staff at Elva's head.

Aw, Elva's being all mommy-like and protective of Ori. And Jareth really let himself go... poor guy must have never gotten over Sarah.