Dwala couldn't decide if she was excited or terrified at what she was about to do. She hadn't felt this way since she was a little dwarfling sneaking into the kitchen to steal a cookie for a midnight snack. This was a far more serious matter though, and she wore a traveling cloak with a large hood lest anyone recognize her as she moved through the palace to where Dwalin said to meet them. She kept talking herself in and out of this until finally she saw them and her stomach twisted up in knots. Dwalin was there with the princes and she wondered if was she late, as the hour certainly was. Most in Erebor would be sleeping now at least which hopefully meant no one would see her.

She bowed her head to the princes but did not remove her hood. Dwalin had apparently told them she was coming because they were not surprised to see her and returned her bow. Dwalin only nodded to her, saying nothing, and the three turned to walk from the main entrance of Erebor. The guards said nor did anything, she being in their company meant there was no questioning her apparently. She could not wait to tell Ila this, if she would even believe it.

The night air was cool and Dwala was glad she had worn the heavy cloak. The clear autumn sky showcased the stars marvelously and she realized just how much she missed the sight. She had not seen the stars since she had come to Erebor. Her one outing had been during the day for that picnic, and Dwala almost felt like she was seeing them for the first time.

Dwalin looked over his shoulder at her, her head tilted towards the sky and her lips parted in a slight smile, reverently regarding the stars overhead. Her beautiful and innocent face was filled with such wonder, he thought, and it stirred something in his heart to see it. His heart that he had practically incased with iron long ago. It was rare if it even happened at all that something could impregnate its defenses, and somehow Dwala was doing just that without even trying.

Her eyes lowered from the heavens to meet his and he snapped his head forward again. Dwala stared at the back of his head and wondered why he had really invited her tonight. Was it to spend time with her? Or push her towards one of the princes as he had alluded to earlier that week? She couldn't decide and tried to keep her hopes from elevating to dangerous heights.

The walk to Dale was not a long one and soon they reached the outskirts of town. Fili and Kili were leading the way, talking and laughing slightly ahead of her and Dwalin. As they came into Dale, Dwalin warned her-

"Stay close," he said and they walked side by side now. Dwala noted his protective nature and how his awareness had instantly heightened. What that for her? She really had to stop reading into every little thing he did and said, she knew that. Dwarves were naturally suspicious of everyone. He was just being himself.

Looking around, there was so much to see. Shops, inns, and taverns were everywhere. Lights dotted most of the buildings and there were people everywhere. Dwala hadn't realized that humans could be so active at night, but then she'd never really been around humans either. She was so busy taking it all in that she didn't realize the princes were leading them a tavern. Dwala hadn't even really thought about what exactly they would be doing, she had been too caught up in that fact that she had actually agreed to go. She was very nervous now, having never been to such a place but knowing enough to know they were not institutions were ladies would be found. But there was no backing out now, so Dwala followed her three companions into the tavern.

The tavern was packed, poorly lit, and smelled heavily of pipe smoke. There were a few others dwarves there but not many. It was mostly men and a few barmaids. She noted she was the only female dwarf and she expected to be, there were so few of them anyway and no respectable lady dwarf would be here at this hour.

What was she doing?! She made a note to stay close to Dwalin, and not just because she wanted to be.

"Lads, get the drinks while we find a table." Dwalin said and the princes went off to do that. Dwala noted how very important and well respected he was. He gave orders to the princes who obeyed without hesitation. They seemed to see him as more an uncle figure than anything else. He certainly had a commanding presence about him, and she knew just from his tattoos that he must be a fearsome warrior.

He led her to a table in one of the corners away from some of the hustle and bustle. She could barely move through all the people and wanted to reach out and take his hand but knew better. As he sat down she hesitated to decide if she would sit across from or next to him and after an awkward moment decided on next from him. Dwalin pretended not to notice.

"You do drink, don't you?" he asked and Dwala blushed a bit.

"Well of course, I mostly drink wine but I drink ale sometimes too." She insisted too much and Dwalin was afraid she might try to outdo herself.

Fili and Kili came with the ales then and placed a pint in front of Dwala who looked at it apprehensively. She feared she would not be able to put a dent in it as she watched Dwalin turn his up and take large gulps. Fili and Kili did the same but not as effectively as Dwalin, and she raised hers to take the biggest gulp she could, which wasn't very big.

Dwalin watched her over his upturned mug. He hoped she didn't get sick tonight. He quickly finished his ale and called for another, and Dwala looked to hers, it embarrassingly full. Dwalin pretended not to notice. Besides, their attention was soon seized by a brawl that erupted on the other end of the tavern and a table was knocked clean over, Fili and Kili cheering as most of the other males did, but Dwala found she was very afraid. She had seen drunken dwarves row with each other here and there but never men and not like this. There was something more dignified about everything her race did, even brawling drunkenly, though she was after all biased of course. These men were like animals they way they fought and fell all over each other.

Dwalin saw her fear being evident on her face and wondered that he should have brought her here at all. But he couldn't exactly ask her out on a date, at least he didn't feel that he could, and this was the best he figured he could do. Just then two men came wrestling towards them and Dwala's chest constricted in fear. As they came dangerously close, Dwala felt a large arm wrap around her waist and pull her towards safety just in time for the stool she had been sitting on to be knocked clean away. Fili and Kili had jumped up and out of the way quickly, with their drinks safely in hand and without spilling a drop. The young dwarves laughed and cheered as most of the other men did. Dwala was not amused however as her heart was in her throat, and not only due to the fighting.

She turned her head to find herself staring Dwalin dead in the eyes. His face was nearly touching hers and she was pressed into his body. It was just for safety's sake she knew, he had pulled her out of harm's way, but their closeness made her heart speed up nonetheless. He stared back into her eyes, so intense was his gaze that she felt she would melt under it. He was frightening and feral and yet…..beautiful to her.

Dwala faltered for a moment and began to pull away from him when he once more had to pull her out of harm's way. Two more men had joined the fight as they tried to break it up to no avail. There were only more men to flail about the small tavern now and barely any safe space to occupy. Dwalin pulled Dwala into a corner as farnout of the fray as possible, forcing her into the corner and standing in front of her for protection. She peered around his arm at the struggle that was finally dying down, but mainly took a moment to note how protective he was being of her. He had grabbed her from harm's way twice and now was shielding her from any further danger, and Dwala felt her heart fluttering for very different reasons than fear. She believed he was noble and would shield any female from harm, but she also hoped he acted out of genuine concern for her.

Dwalin looked down over his shoulder at her to make sure she was alright. Her big brown doe eyes looked terrified, and he cursed himself for convincing her to come. She would never go anywhere with him again.

"You alright lass?" he asked.

Dwala nodded but was shaken up, and he could tell.

"Come then, let's get you back. I picked a bad night to convince you to come out." He said and Dwala was disappointed, not wanting the night to end so quickly.

"Oh no, I am fine, really." She said but he raised a hand.

"No, it's really too dangerous out her for a maid like you. I should not have brought you." He said and turned to tell Fili and Kili that he was escorting her back to Erebor and that they could remain but not to get into trouble. He reminded them that their uncle would be emerging in the morning and would not like to be greeted by such news. Dwala marveled again at how well respected Dwalin was, the princes nodding and assuring him they could not get into anything.

Dwala then followed him out of the tavern, the both of them pulling their cloaks around themselves as they did. As they wound their way through the streets of Dale and outside of the city, they did not speak much. Dwala was turning her mind over for something to say that wasn't stupid or disinteresting, but alas she came up with nothing. Dwalin didn't speak either, he only grumpy that the night had proceeded the way that it had. He should have known better really, he had no business taking the queen's lady in waiting out at night, to a tavern no less, but he had wanted her company. He was angry with himself for putting her in danger, not that he couldn't have handled things had it come to that. He wouldn't have let anything happen to Dwala.

As they finally approached the main gate, Dwalin figured he would see her inside and then return to the tavern. He wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon so he may as well drink, and he should go back and make sure the princes did as they promised.

"Go on to your chambers and get some rest, your queen will be needing you early I'm sure," Dwalin said as he began to bid her goodnight at the great doors.

Dwala smiled a little smile. "Yes, I suppose she will." She said and they just looked at each other for an awkward moment.

"Thank you," she said quickly and then felt flushed.

Dwalin gave her a slightly confused look. "For what?" he asked.

"Why, for saving me from danger, at the tavern. Twice." She said and smiled a little more.

"It was I who put you in danger, you should not thank me. I should not have persuaded you to come." He replied.

Dwala felt his words sting a bit. It seemed almost that he regretted asking her. Was she no fun at all? Was he angry that he had to save her and then escort her home? Dwala felt her feelings fall a bit and her smile disappear. Looking down at her hands now, she responded meekly.

"Well, thank you all the same." She said. "Good night mister Dwalin." And she turned to go inside.

Dwalin frowned at her back, angry at himself for being ungracious just then and causing her to sulk.

"Dwala," he called.

He said her name. He had never said her name before, at least not to her, Dwala thought. She turned and looked back at him.

"You are welcome," he said. Dwala gave him a weak smile and nodded, beginning to turn back towards the door again.

"And I will gladly come to your rescue any time you should need me," Dwalin said and Dwala looked back at him quickly, having been caught off guard by the comment. Dwalin bowed to her and she smiled a real smile back at him this time. His lips nearly curled into one too, which Dwala noted before he turned to head back the way they had came. Dwala turned and went into the mountain now, turning that sentence over in her mind again and again. Perhaps there was hope for the two of them yet, Dwala thought but trying not to get her hopes up too high. She must find a proper way to thank him however, just some small gesture.

Hmmmmm…Dwala thought. Perhaps she could bake him something? She was quite good at that. She wondered if he liked cookies….

Most of Erebor was indeed sleeping at that hour as Dwala had hoped, but the king and queen were not. In the royal chambers, Thorin was sitting up in bed and Ila was in his lap, her legs around his waist. He was penetrating her and she gently rocking back and forth on his cock. They were grabbing hold of one another with both hands and their faces were nearly touching they were so close. Their eyes were locked and their lips parted, one mesmerized by the other.

Ila gripped his shoulders and he had her hips, helping her gently rock back and forth on him. They had not intended to make love this way, Ila had only climbed into his lap to re-braid his hair. It had become hopelessly tousled during their week of love making and he had let her wash his hair during their bath that night. She had greatly enjoyed lathering and rinsing his mane which took quite a while given its length. It took even longer since she took time to massage his head and neck while she worked, and he had almost fallen asleep in the water from the feel of it all. Once his locks had dried she set about braiding the bits around his face again.

The intimate position that put her in only served to stoke Thorin's lust however, and as soon as she had finished he was inside of her. He let Ila set the pace though, content to continue enjoying his wife's touches and control of him.

Their climax was slow building but Ila felt it would be an earth shattering one. The position had him rubbing her sweet spot over and over and she started to squirm, wanting his pace to quicken. Thorin grabbed her hips firmly and made her calm herself, enjoying this slow and steady pace and hoping the delay in pleasure would produce a body numbing orgasm for them both. She pouted but he soothed her, running his hands up her sides gently back forth and shhhing her quietly. She settled back down and leaned forward so their foreheads touched and they continued to gaze in each other's eyes.

They had been at this for a bit now, and Thorin felt himself beginning to come undone. He continued to hold her hip with one hand and let the other slip a thumb into her opening to press her clit. Ila whined in response and squeezed her eyes shut, gripping his shoulders and bringing him deeper into her as she eagerly answered his movements. They fully embraced now, no space between their bodies, Ila's full breasts slammed almost painfully against Thorin's chest. He felt her channel tightening around him and thrust home, determined to make her come now. Ila felt that burst and resulting wave of pleasure cascade over her and simultaneously felt Thorin come inside her. He continued to pump in her through his completion, reveling in the ecstasy of their simultaneous orgasm.

Ila slumped into his arms as she came down from her bliss and Thorin gripped her waist and fell back on the bed. They were still tangled in each other and made no attempt to disengage. Thorin grabbed the blankets to bring them around their bodies and then grab her waist to hold her there.

Ila let out a long and contented sigh, exhausted from their last day together and especially from their last coupling. She covered Thorin's body with her own and wanted his fingers tracing patterns on her back, something he often did during the afterglow of their lovemaking. It tickled and was very pleasurable at the same time, and she wanted more of his touch despite all she had just had.

"Touch me," she spoke against his chest.

"I am touching you," Thorin answered, "And have been touching you,"

Ila whined at him and traced her fingers over his arm in the manner that she wanted.

He smiled up at the ceiling and began to drag his fingers over her back, eliciting a satisfied sigh from Ila.

"So demanding," Thorin said. "So greedy for my touch."

Ila tilted her head up at him and narrowed her eyes. "If you grow tired of it and prefer someone else do it—"

He narrowed his eyes back at her. "Do not even play," he said lowly with a frown.

Ila had only been jesting, and he knew that, but he did not find such things amusing. Ila of course knew that a certain sickness ran in Thorin's family and in the line of Durin. Dragon sickness, but most specifically greed. Possessiveness. To such heights that it had ran his grandfather mad. And his father's mind had been overthrown in the end as well. Perhaps it did not extend only to gold, Ila thought.

"I was only jesting my love," she said as she gently stroked his bearded cheek.

He frowned still and Ila pouted at him. "Darling," she purred and he softened into his own pout.

"You know better than that my love. I will never jest about that again if it upsets you so," she said.

Thorin rubbed her back and gave her a quick kiss to say all was fine, his visage returning to the sated and relaxed state it had been before. Ila settled back onto his chest to enjoy his caresses, making a mental note to never joke about that again. She hoped that he truly knew of her love and loyalty for him. She could not imagine any other dwarf every laying a finger on her. She then thought of how enraged and heartbroken she would feel if any other dwarf touched him…she decided never to make light of that subject again.

Ila felt sleepy now, and wondered how late the hour was. She did not want the morning to come, she dreaded it more than she had ever dreaded anything. She did not want to give him up to the kingdom again, she wanted him all to herself for the rest of her life.

Looking back to him, she pleaded. "Please don't leave me in the morning," she said.

"I will never leave you my love. But I do have a kingdom to rule." He said sweetly to her.

"Let Fili do it…" she whined but wasn't serious.

Thorin chuckled. "But I thought you wanted to give Erebor its next king,"

Ila smiled broadly at him and rubbed his hard chest.

"I intend to," she said and captured his lips in a heated kiss. "Soon…"

Thorin growled and kissed her even harder. He rolled her over on her side and stroked her face lovingly.

"I love you," he almost whispered. "Powerfully I do."

"I love you more," Ila replied and kissed his lips again and then nuzzled his face, their noses touching gently.

Thorin lay there and beheld her, his wife, his mate, his queen, and wondered how he was so fortunate to have found her. He didn't want to leave her in the morning either. He did not want to return to his duties, but to simply live out his days in her company. For the first time in his long life, he wished he had been a common dwarf. Just a common, every day dwarf, with no great demands on his life or time, so that he could devote his every free moment to her. That's how he knew how completely and profoundly in love he was with her. Aside from the fact that her joke about another dwarf had made him homicidal just then.

Thorin noticed her eyelids were becoming heavy. She was trying to fight it because she didn't want to give up a second with him with so little time left, but she was so tired she could no longer fight it.

"Go to sleep my love," he said soothingly and Ila gave him a weak smile.

"No…not yet…." She slurred from exhaustion.

"Shhhh," Thorin said and kissed her forehead, pulling her into a comfortable embrace. Ila was asleep in seconds, and Thorin watched his love sleep until it took him too.

AN: So I updated late thanks to school and being completely overwhelmed, and it will probably get even worse until I take my master's comprehensive exam on Nov. (that's covering two YEARS of material), so forgive me if I fall off the grid for a bit. If you pray, to any being, please send one up for me and if you don't, please send positive thoughts for me that day. I promise not to abandon this story but see it through to the finish, though I am not sure how many chapters this is going to end up being.

one of my reviewers, I want to go to Comic Con next year too! I MUST meet Richard Armitage, and Aidan Turner would be nice too. :) And you probably noticed I changed my avatar to me and the dashing Graham McTavish this week, in honor of Dwalin becoming a more central figure in the story. :)