Jeweled dolls of Durin

The battle within

A/N:song:cranberries-zombie (you might want to listen to this song as you read..it inspired me while writing this chapter)

The land shook under the vast, mighty Orc armies boots as they marched upon the allied army of dwarves, elves and men before them...standing in between them and their goal..Erebor. They roared as steel met dwarven steel..then the multitudes of arrows that flew from the elven bows. Suddenly there was a signal from up on a tower, where stood Azog in all his vile glory..using war flags to give orders to the orcs below. Just as the flags changed position, the orc mass split and became two..one stayed to fight at the base of the mountain and the other turned towards Dale..evil smiles upon their hideous faces.

Up in the mountain Bofur was looking on the battle below..his teeth clenched in frustration at Thorins command for them to keep holed up in this stony tomb of theirs.

"Mahals faslmaganu zharmur! (mahals hairy balls!) What is Thorin thinking!" he growled out to no one in particular. "We belong down there fighting with Dain..not hiding in here , like cowards." as he watched the battle raging on below, he suddenly saw the orc army splitting up into two groups..heading towards the defenseless town of Dale and he felt like a hammer was striking him in the chest as he watched them enter the town to ravage it. Bofurs throat went dry as he realized the innocents of this town was paying the steepest price anyone could ever pay. Screams spiraling up from the war shattered city and the sounds of Dains roars were heard over the battlefield. 

"Thorin! Wheres Thorin? We need him. Where is he?" Dain was shouting as his battle pig was shot out from under him..sending him to the ground.

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*Inside the mountain*

The cadences of battle was heard down the mountain halls, where Kechi stood within the shadows and into the throne room, seeing Dwalin standing below the throne, where sat Thorin wearing a golden crown upon his head...paying no heed to the fight raging outside his mountain halls. She watches Thorin just sitting there for moments..seeing Dwalins frustration mounting then finally getting the best of him as he steps closer to Thorin.

" Since when do we forsake our own people? Thorin..they are dyin out there." Dwalin tried to reason with his friend, who just seems to ignore him...eyes glazed over, lost in thought.

"There are holes beneath holes within this mountain...places we can fortify." Kechi can hear his voice lowering...sounding hollow and almost vacant. "Shore up...make safe?"

~Yes~ a hiss slithers across his mind..his head tilts as if following the sound. ~Must keep it safe...somewhere no one can find.~

"We must move the gold further underground to safety." Thorin stands up to leave the room, but is stopped by Dwalins voice.

"Did you not hear me? Dain is surrounded. Theyre being slaughtered, Thorin." he gestures behind him, out towards where the battle is. Kechi watches Thorin pausing to stare over his shoulder at the Captain...his voice was hollow to Kechis ears, making her heart clench in agony at the sound.

"Many die in war...but treasure such as this cannot be counted in lives lost." Dwalins face was incredulous at Thorins words...then it transformed into a look of remorse.

"You sit here in these vast halls with a crown upon your head..and yet you are lesser now than you have ever been." his rough deepened voice was riddled with disgust as Thorin whipped his head around to snarl at the massive dwarf.

"Do not speak to me as if I were some lowly dwarf lord. As if I were still Thorin ...Oakenshield." he sneered down his nose..then he bellowed out in anger." I am your King!" seeing Dwalins eyes widen in surprise then in shock that Thorin would act like this.