Here's the next part! Sorry it's up later than I thought I would have it up, but I hope you all like it. This is the chapter in which I whump our poor hobbit, so warning, some blood and violence in this chapter just in case that bothers anyone. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed and faved. It is much appreciated!
Part Two
About fifteen minutes later, they were tied back to back in a corner of the cave, watching the orcs build a fire near the entrance, jesting, laughing, and calling crude and evil things at their captives. Bilbo felt Kili shivering against his back, and he was shivering himself, but he didn't know whether Kili might be going into shock because of his injury or if the young dwarf was just as scared as he was. He fumbled with his bound hands until he found the young dwarf's and then he squeezed it reassuringly. Kili squeezed back gratefully.
"I'm sorry I got us into this, Kili," Bilbo said quietly so the orcs wouldn't overhear. "I wish I could have done things differently."
"There's no use in it now, Bilbo," Kili said kindly, but he sounded so exhausted, his voice weak. "We can't go back and redo it. The only thing we can hope for is that Uncle Thorin and Fili and the others will come and find us. They must suspect something has happened by now."
"If only we had Gandalf," Bilbo said in annoyance. He was rather frustrated by the fact that the wizard always seemed to be gone when they needed him most.
"I think we're going to have to learn to do things without Gandalf's help," Kili said quietly, and shifted, his breath hitching in pain. Bilbo felt him stiffen against his back and squeezed his hand again.
"Why don't you try and rest, Kili? Close your eyes for a bit. You can lean against my back."
Kili gave a short burst of laughter. "Rest? Now? I don't think so, Master Baggins!"
Bilbo closed his eyes. He would give anything to be up on the cliff top again while Kili called him "Master Boggins". The young dwarf must really be in bad shape if he couldn't even find any humor in their situation. Not that there was any to be found, but still.
He was startled out of his thoughts as two orcs turned from the fire and started toward the prisoners.
"Supper's ready, and it's time for our entertainment!" one said with a cruel chuckle. Bilbo and Kili cowered back against the rock, but at least Kili tried to look defiant while he did so. Bilbo just seemed to cower, much to his distaste. The orcs laughed as they saw the fear in their captives' eyes.
"Dwarf scum and—is it a halfling?" the other asked, leaning close to Bilbo so that he jerked back and jolted Kili on accident. "I've never tasted hobbit before!" He poked Bilbo in the belly with a snarling laugh and the hobbit flinched again, but tried to put on a brave face.
"Who to start with?" asked the other orc, fondling a knife he held in his hands. "The young dwarf or the halfling?"
"Do you think they're part of Oakenshield's company?" asked the other orc, leaning close to Kili and sniffing him inquisitively. The young dwarf gave nothing away.
"We'll ask them," the first orc replied, leering at Kili and gripping him around the throat, pulling him slightly upward and causing the young dwarf to choke and yelp as his movements hurt his ankle that was resting straight out in front of him. "I think we'll start with the dwarf. Oakenshield might be kin of his. Is that true, dwarf scum?" He raised a foot and without warning pressed it down on Kili's ankle. The young dwarf couldn't help the scream that was torn from his throat, making the orcs laugh in excitement, calling out encouragement to their comrade to inflict more pain on the poor captive. Bilbo was sickened by Kili's scream, the sound tearing through him like a cold wind, and when the orc finally lifted his foot again, Kili slumped to the side and Bilbo went with him, now laying so that he somewhat protected the young dwarf from the orcs.
"Come on, little one," the orc said mockingly to Kili. "That's only the beginning of what you'll get tonight. You'll 'ave to be able to last through more'n that."
They bent to untie him, and Bilbo knew he had to do something. He was just afraid it was going to be something idiotic and rash.
"Not him first," he blurted and the orcs stopped to look at the hobbit. One kicked him in the ribs.
"You don't 'ave any say in the matter. We can go in whatever order we want!"
"Look at him," Bilbo tried, babbling. Yes, this was turning out to be a very stupid plan indeed, but there was nothing else he could do. Not now that he had already started. "He's injured. He's not going to be very good…sport." He almost couldn't force the disgusting word from his mouth, but he somehow managed it with a reasonable tone. "On the other hand, I am fit, and ready to give as good as I take. I'll be much better sport for you!" He couldn't believe he was actually offering himself up for torment of unspeakable nature, but Kili was hurt, and since he had already been the one to get them into this mess in the first place, he had to do something to fix it. He couldn't face Thorin again if he allowed the dwarf leader's youngest nephew to be tortured while he sat back and watched.
The orcs seemed to contemplate it. Kili was furious and tried to struggle around to stop him.
"Bilbo, no! You can't!" he cried but Bilbo gripped his hand again.
"Shut up," he hissed rudely. Kili was about to open his mouth and protest again, that idiot lad, but the orc seemed to make up his mind and bent to cut the ropes that bound them together.
"Fine, we'll start with the halfling, let the lads work out some o' their excitement on 'im first and then they can take a longer time on the wounded dwarf later." Bilbo felt a strange moment of relief as he realized his plan had worked and then horror as he realized that his plan had worked! He swallowed hard as he was yanked to his feet and Kili was tied more securely and gagged before being propped up to make sure he could see the proceedings properly. Well, at least he was safe for the moment, Bilbo thought. Although he couldn't say the same for himself by any means.
He looked back at Kili once as he was shoved into the firelight and surrounded by orcs, and the young dwarf looked very angry, his eyes dark and hooded above the gag that kept him from speaking his mind to Bilbo. Bilbo tried to give him a reassuring smile, but thought it probably fell flat. But he had no more time to look back at the dwarf before he was caught between two orcs, one on each arm and shoved toward the campfire where the other orcs had gathered eating some kind of rank smelling stew. Bilbo fought the urge to gag on the smell, even though he hadn't eaten anything since midday and he had been previously hungry.
"So, a halfling and a dwarf," said one of the orcs, presumably the leader. He had Sting in his hand, tapping it against the opposite one. He had not taken it from its sheath and Bilbo felt indignant that such a beautiful sword should end up in the hands of such a foul creature. "What is your business in these parts?"
"Gathering firewood," Bilbo said, truthfully enough. The orc must not have liked the answer because it unsheathed Sting, making the other orcs step back a pace as they saw the glow, and stepped forward to put the point against Bilbo's throat. He stopped breathing.
"I doubt it was so innocent," he said. "Tell me, do you know Thorin Oakenshield?"
"Oakenshield? Thorin? No, can't say as I do, never met the chap, but I'll give him your regards if I ever do," Bilbo said then gasped slightly as the blade nicked his throat. The orc traced it down his collarbone and to the first button of his shirt—he had already been divested of his coat and waistcoat when they were first tied up. Bilbo closed his eyes and a sudden tearing sound came along with a draft on his chest. He looked down, breathing raggedly as he saw the orc had cut his shirt right open. He did not like those implications at all.
"I beg your pardon!" he said indignantly, but the two orcs who held him changed their hold and uncaringly stripped him to the waist. Bilbo felt very cold and vulnerable dressed only in his trousers surrounded by these vicious orcs who were all armed with very pointy objects, least of all, his very own sword pointing at his belly. He gulped as the orcs took a firmer hold on him. "I think there might be a better way to go about this," he babbled as he sucked in his stomach away from the hovering sword point.
"Not nearly as entertaining, though," said the orc leader. "And the lads do love a good bit of entertaining. We try to keep them in enough prisoners to amuse them, but they never stick around long." He laughed and the others joined in, sending a chill up Bilbo's spine. He would just have to steel himself for the inevitable now, it seemed. He was just going to have to stall them long enough for Thorin and the others to get there. Even if it meant letting them abuse him to a form unrecognizable. If it would keep Kili safe, he would be willing to sacrifice himself. He only hoped he could deal with torture—he certainly hadn't had much of a chance to practice, after all.
"V-very well, then, whatever you t-think best," he tried to laugh nervously, closing his eyes as he felt the sword point just touch him right in the center of his chest before it was pulled away, and he let out a pent up breath in relief, then became instantly anxious, now unsure of what his first torture would be.
"A little fire first would do nicely," the leader said and one of the orcs holding Bilbo shoved him toward the fire and pushed him onto his knees, gripping one of his wrists tightly. Bilbo made a fist of his hand, his left one, as he saw where this was going. The orc forced his hand closer and closer to the flames, and finally Bilbo felt them lick at his closed fist and he grit his teeth, before the pain became too much and he cried out despite his best efforts. The orc held him still for a few more seconds then let go and allowed Bilbo to pull his hand back. He looked down in horror at the puckered, reddened skin. It wasn't horrible, he supposed, but it hurt horribly all the same!
While he was paying attention to his hand, the other orc who held him had brought out a stick from the fire, a brand, and the other orc gripped Bilbo under the arms, holding him steady and pulling him backwards as the orc lowered the burning stick to the hobbit's torso. Bilbo clenched his jaw in anticipation, determined not to cry out, but was unable to comply as the brand was pressed into his soft belly right underneath his ribs and the skin burned and an acrid smell filled the cave, making the orcs sniff appreciatively and Bilbo gag. Kili groaned past his gag, anger and indignation clear in his features. Bilbo, despite the pain, was glad that it was not him watching on the sidelines as the young dwarf was tortured. That would have been far worse. But then, he didn't know all of what the orcs were capable of.
He was hauled back to his feet and shoved against the wall of the cave. He stayed there, watched by the two orcs, and panted, looking around frantically to see where the next torture would come from. He looked up at the leader who was coming back with Sting held out, pointed at Bilbo, he smiled nastily.
"This is a fine sword for one who is not even a warrior," he said mockingly, sliding the blade down Bilbo's chest and over his quivering belly that was particularly sensitive now with the burn mark. The orc suddenly grabbed him by the back of the neck and hauled him against him. Bilbo stiffened, not liking the close proximity of the foul orc, and his filthy clothes against his bare back. Sting was pressed to his throat and scraped warningly. Bilbo gulped.
"Are you certain you have never heard of Thorin Oakenshield, halfling?" he asked mockingly. "It would go better for you if you have."
"N-no," Bilbo insisted, even as his voice wavered while the Orc continued to tease Sting against his adam's apple. "Never heard of him. Sorry."
The orc chuckled darkly, pressing Bilbo's face upward with the blade that still glowed brightly. "I'm beginning to think you like pain, halfling."
"Not as such," Bilbo replied, laughing in his fright for he didn't know what else to do. "I'm telling the truth."
"Well, if you don't mind, the lads will just make sure of that," the orc leader said and without warning, he grabbed Bilbo and shoved him forward to the orcs who had gathered around in anticipation of this moment. He was instantly set upon and bourn to the ground with many punches and kicks, so numerous that he could hardly move. He tried to fight back and got in several good hits which he was rather proud of, but they were simply too many, and each blow was harsh and painful and they were bringing him down. Claws tore at his skin and he ended up held spread eagled on the ground as orcs poked and prodded him, both with dirty claws and rusty knives, making him flinch and wriggle away from them but they were coming at him from all directions and he couldn't move after one decided to sit on his legs.
"'e's not much. Not much meat," said one disappointedly, jabbing him harshly in the side, causing him to cry out.
"No, but 'e'll be tender and juicy, I bet," said another, pinching his arm and leaning over to sniff him of all things, his mouth unnervingly close to Bilbo's throat. "I could eats 'im now, I could. Raw and bloody!"
"Aye, hear him squeal."
"N-no!" Bilbo tried to protest and jerked as an orc licked his lips and pulled out a knife as if to carve him up. "Trust me, I would taste much better with seasoning! I'm not as tender as I look!" He really couldn't believe how many things had already wanted to eat him on this journey!
The orcs laughed, but took no heed. The orc with the knife began to dig the blade into his belly.
"Gut 'im!" the orc said with glee.
Bilbo jerked a hand free, not even sure how he managed it, but slammed a fist into the orc's face. It dropped the knife in surprise then quickly turned around and backhanded Bilbo across the face, jerking his head to one side with the force. He grabbed the hobbit around the throat and pulled him up away from his comrades, holding him dangling above the ground, gasping for breath.
"Just for that, I'll rip the guts out slow and watch you squirm and wriggle like a fish!" He threw a horrified Bilbo to the ground, reaching for his knife again when he was suddenly thrown back and Bilbo once again faced the head orc. The creature now had a nasty looking whip in his hand and he nodded to two orcs to pick Bilbo up. His body protested from the beating and he barely suppressed a groan. Breathing hurt, and he wondered whether he had some cracked ribs. His nose was bleeding and his lip was split and he could only see out of one eye well, and he knew he must look a complete mess. He looked down at the cut on his stomach and felt instantly nauseous, wondering how deep it was. He was personally surprised he had lasted this long without passing out.
"No eating of the halfling yet," the leader said, motioning to the orcs to take Bilbo somewhere off to the left. "We want him to taste the lash first. See if he might be more willing to talk after that. Tenderize him a bit."
Bilbo caught a glimpse of Kili's horrified face as he was drug further into the cave to a place with two poles staked into the ground. He was tied to them, spread-eagled, his wrists bound tightly, slightly above his head. He was on tiptoes and the position was all together very uncomfortable, even if he hadn't been beaten to a pulp previously. He noticed that he had been positioned to face Kili and he felt instant guilt that the young dwarf would have to witness this head on. But what was he saying? Kili might be younger than Bilbo, but he was likely more worldly wise. But then, looking at the horror plain on the young dwarf's face, Bilbo wasn't entirely sure about that either. Perhaps Kili was just as sheltered as he was about the horrors of the world.
The orc leader stood in front of him and grinned wickedly, unlooping the whip so Bilbo could see all the ends that had bits of nasty things tied into them to do the most damage possible. He tried to force himself to breathe, but between the position and his injured ribs, and his anxiety, he felt he would pass out. Almost hoped he would for a moment, until he realized that if he passed out they would start on Kili and he could not let that happen.
"Still don't know Thorin Oakenshield?" the orc asked, swinging the lash nonchalantly.
Bilbo shook his head fiercely, gulping back his nervousness. "No. I don't know him, I told you already!"
The first lash struck him like a boulder, driving the breath from his lungs. He gasped, looking down at his chest and seeing the five marks streaking across his chest and shoulders, already dripping blood. It had shocked all feeling, but then it began to sting, and before he could really register, a second blow came, this one lower, across his ribs and stomach. A strangled yelp escaped his throat, but that was all he was capable of with so little breath. A third blow came, tearing across his lower belly, and cutting through the burn there. That one brought a full yelp. His knees gave out and he sagged as well as he could, which was not far. Tears stung his eyes from the pain, but he was determined not to let them fall.
"So weak, you can't even take three strokes," the orc said mockingly, delivering another, this time two of the lashes cut across Bilbo's face from ear to jaw, narrowly missing taking his eye out. He squeezed them shut as if to prevent that and heard the orc shuffle around behind him.
"We'll see how many it takes to make you scream."
"I'm not going to scream," Bilbo said out loud to no one in particular, but then the lash tore across his shoulders and he jerked, a cry tearing from his throat. Another one sliced across his lower back above his hips and he arched his back in agony. One more and he was crying out fully, not even trying to repress it anymore. The orc kept raining them heavily on his back, each impact so hard it drove the breath from Bilbo's lungs. But he still had enough to scream. He had forced himself not to do so for a long time, longer than he had expected, but it was inevitable, because he just wasn't that strong. The first real scream was practically forced from his throat with the impact, but the next one came easier as he felt his back being slowly flayed with lashes, blood seeping downward and some dripping on the floor. Soon he was screaming continuously, tears streaming freely down his face and stinging the lash marks there. He opened his eyes once and saw Kili in agony as he watched him, tears in the young dwarf's eyes on his behalf. He wanted to reassure him, but all he could do was scream.
Finally the orc seemed to think he had had enough and stopped with the lashing. Bilbo took a shuddering breath, chocking on sobs, his throat raw from the screaming. He forced himself to look up at the orc leader as the creature came around to look him in the eye again.
"I see," Bilbo panted, forcing a smile on his face. "That you took me seriously. Tenderizing me before you eat me. Good call. Now what are you going to season me with?"
The orc smiled and struck him hard across the face before lashing him once more across the chest, bringing forth the first whimper from Bilbo, which for some reason shamed him more than the screams. For the first time he was glad of the ropes holding him up for he knew that without them he would surely collapse.
"We've finished with this one," the orc said boredly. "He won't give us any more entertainment until we start to tear his guts out. But first I want him to see what we do to the young dwarf brat. It's only appropriate after all."
"No!" Bilbo still managed to scream, though hoarsely. "I'm still up for it, have another go!"
The orc dug his fingers into a lash mark on Bilbo's ribs, causing the hobbit to elicit a gasping scream.
"I don't think so, little halfling," the orc said and motioned to Kili who several orcs went to fetch. The young dwarf struggled as Bilbo watched helplessly, moaning past his gag as his ankle was jostled. He was thrown to the ground in front of Bilbo and kicked onto his back. The gag was removed and he gasped for air, a sheen of sweat on his face and snarled up at the orcs.
"I'll take you all even injured! I'll make you pay for what you did to our Hobbit!"
Bilbo was touched by Kili's loyalty and concern, but he was more worried about Kili's welfare than his own at the moment. Where was Thorin?!
"The knives for him, I think. It might bleed a little of his insolence out," the leader said and Kili was set upon by several orcs who tore his shirt open and bared his stout chest, holding him down and readying the knives, digging them into his skin. Bilbo was about to shout again, whether something to make them angry and turn on him or something else, he didn't know, but it turned out he didn't have to, because a feral yell came from the mouth of the cave and an orc screamed as he was chopped down.
Bilbo turned to see Thorin and Dwalin barreling into the cave with Fili close behind, shouting bloody murder and tearing through the orcs. Bilbo sagged in his bonds, relief flooding through him as Kili gave a huge grin, struggling into a sitting position when the orcs let him go to run for their lives.
"Uncle Thorin, Fili!" he cried in relief.
"Kili!" Fili cried, running an orc through before he ran to his brother and dropped to his knees to untie him, his hands running searchingly over Kili's frame, checking for injuries and seeing his bound leg.
"You're hurt!" the elder brother cried, instantly filling with anger toward whoever had caused his brother pain. "Who did this? The orcs?"
"Bilbo's far worse off than I am!" Kili protested as Fili began to help him up.
"He'll be even more worse off if I have anything to do with it."
Bilbo flinched at the angry growl and raised his head with a huge effort as Thorin came into view, suddenly feeling like he was a child being scolded.
"What were you thinking, master hobbit?" Thorin growled. "Running around in orc country with my nephew and then being so stupid as to get captured! And to top it all off, giving yourself up willingly to those beasts so that they would kill you and you'd leave Kili all alone to their torments! If you haven't proved before how incompetent you are to the ways of the world, this certainly did it!"
"Uncle, that's not fair, Bilbo was very brave, he saved my life!"
"He was a bloody fool," Thorin snarled and Bilbo cowered away from him as far as his bonds would go, sagging more. His eyes would hardly stay open.
"I-I'm sorry, Thorin," he forced out. "I tried to do what I could. I-I guess it w-was pretty foolish of m-me."
"Thorin!" Dwalin said disapprovingly. "Save it until later! Can't you see he's losing blood fast?"
Thorin hadn't seen Bilbo's back and for the first time seemed to realize the implications of his position and his injuries. His face softened, worry clouding his eyes and replacing the anger. He cast a glance back at Fili who was supporting Kili, seeming to take in his nephew's condition in a glance. "Dwalin, take Kili, I want him off that foot until Oin looks at it." He then sheathed his sword and went around behind Bilbo. The hobbit heard him curse under his breath and then felt Thorin tugging at the bonds around his numbed hands. Dwalin took a protesting Kili into his arms and began to carry him out of the cave, Fili close behind. Thorin undid the last knot and Bilbo fell to his knees with a gasp of pain. He tried to force himself to his feet, knowing he would get no special treatment from Thorin, but was surprised to find strong hands under his arms, helping him up. Something heavy and warm descended onto his shoulders and he cried out as it came into contact with his raw back, but the warmth was welcome. He hadn't realized he was so cold, shivering in fact, until that moment.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled as his legs shook beneath him, feeling very weak indeed. "I-I don't think I can walk."
"It's all right, master burglar," Thorin said, his voice suddenly very gentle. "You've been brave enough for one day." Bilbo then felt himself hoisted up and he cried out as the wounds on his chest and stomach were pressed into Thorin's armored shoulder. But he was too far gone to care, too weak to do anything about it, and as he felt the steady lope of the dwarf carrying him out of the cave, he rested his head against Thorin's broad back and allowed himself to slip into the blackness that was coming to claim him.
Well, they've been rescued, and Thorin is being his usual angry self :P The last follow up bit will be up soon. Hope you enjoyed this. Let me know what you think!