Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Voltron characters.

As always, thanks for Dawn for proofing!

Setting & Rating: DotU in nature, but AU in that none of this (or events leading up to this) ever occurred in the series. I think it's possible to read this one without reading the previous stories, but it will make more sense as past story events are referenced. The order of my related stories is: Mistletoe & Valentines (1), Hidden Hearts (2), and Retaliation (3). Has a rating of Mature for most chapters for physical violence. Lotor is not kind or nice anywhere in this story. Be warned that torture is a part of this arc and it is in this chapter.

A/N: This is my original work. There are a number of stories out there that deal with torture, but any similarities are coincidental.

Going out of town - next post will probably be Monday a.m. (US-EST). However, please review, will respond to those tonight before leaving.

** This chapter has torture in it. WARNING! This one is rather bloody. I suggest that if you start to find yourself squeamish, that you just scan down a few paragraphs until you see Haggar's name. You will be fine to read that section and it is important to the storyline. However, when Haggar leaves the room, you should too.

Chapter Fourteen: Questioning Magic

Haggar had been right about the timing. Lotor had arrived in an hour and found Keith positioned as he requested. Once again changing his gloves, he removed a whip from the cabinet. Lotor noticed that the commander watched him again, and Lotor smiled to himself. Commander Kogane had a hope of learning something that would help him escape. He would break him of that hope soon enough.

Cracking the whip as he walked toward Keith, Lotor began humming a tune that had no meaning to his captive. Whipping him across the back, he opened the skin in several places on the first try. After a few more well-placed hits, he crossed the room to admire the blood running down his captive's body. Circling the hanging prisoner, he rarely spoke as he lashed out, bringing fresh welts, flayed skin, and more cries of anguish. When he was satisfied with the damage he had inflicted, he removed his gloves and sat with a glass of wine that had been brought by a serving girl. The prince studied his adversary as he still swayed. The whip had been very effective. The commander hadn't been able to contain his cries of pain during this session.

Lotor pressed a button on the wall and moved his chair closer to the hanging figure. He took a swallow of his wine as he sat down and stretched out his black boot to rest against Keith's leg, and then he gently pushed. He knew that even the slight movement would cause Keith to wince in pain. "You know, I thought this was going to get messy. I'm so glad that I wore some old clothes today because blood stains are hard to get out. This shirt is absolutely ruined." He looked down at his shirt, the pattern of blood crossing it at several angles. The whip had sprayed a little more blood than he had expected. He would have to tell the guard to spray down the room when they were finished.

The door opened, and both Haggar and the guard entered. Haggar spoke for them both. "Is it time, Prince Lotor?"

"Yes witch. I don't think he can do anything now, but I'm not taking any chances. Spell him."

Haggar walked over and said her strange incantations and a soft blue glow surrounded Keith. Haggar looked at the guard, "You can move him to the table now."

The guard looked apprehensively at the glowing prisoner and then to Lotor.

"Don't make me ask again, witless fool." Lotor took one last drink, set the goblet forcefully down on the desk, and went to the cabinet of evil instruments. He heard the sounds of the prisoner being moved to the metal table behind him.

Haggar stood watching as the guard moved the commander. Something was off… Her magic was tied to things in the past, present, and future. Colors, smells, and feelings were tied to the magic in an intricate way that she could not explain to non-magical creatures like Lotor, Zarkon, or that foolish guard. The aura around Commander Kogane had glowed blue when she spelled him. The color should have been more of a light green. Lotor would scoff if she told him that something was wrong based on the color of the aura, so she would not tell him. Her magic was trying to warn her, and she would heed its warning.

Taking a moment more to find what he needed, Lotor turned to the table. "Guard you may go for now."

Keith looked up into the light fixture above him. The cold of the table actually felt good to his tattered back but then, he hadn't been moved here for his comfort. He was held in place on the table by restraints around his hands, feet, and chest. Feeling some blood pooling beneath his back as he continued to bleed, he knew that the drain and sprayer would definitely be needed if they moved him.

Moving to stand next to Lotor at the head of the table, Haggar said, "Prince, I need to take a few samples from the commander before I go."

"What for? We have him. I don't see the need for samples." Lotor's tone was dismissive.

"I would like to work on perfecting my spells. I can't explain the magic, but just know that it can only help with his torture." Haggar pulled a pair of scissors and a small glass jar out of her dark brown robe.

Lotor looked at the items with a touch of surprise. Where did the old crone get those from? What other things did she have concealed in her robe? His eyes narrowed; maybe some things were better left unknown. "What kind of samples do you need?"

"I just need some hair and blood, my wicked Prince." She lowered her head in deference. She would toady to him today; she needed those samples.

Laughter erupted from the prince. "Go ahead witch, there's plenty of both to be had."

Keith's eyes apprehensively watched Haggar as she cut some of his hair and then mopped it in his blood that was on the table. The bloody hair was dropped into the glass jar, sealed and then it disappeared in her robe. There was nothing he could do to stop her, and he watched as she exited the room. His mind momentarily left his pain to consider what the witch would do with the 'samples.' He was brought back to the here and now very quickly.

When the door closed behind Haggar, Lotor spoke, "I've done some research on torture from your home planet. I have actually gotten some good ideas, and I thought I would experiment with them on you." Lotor gave him a toothy grin as he held up an object that looked like a sharp metal nail. "Tell me Commander, have you ever heard of the 'denailing technique'?"

Closing his eyes, Keith thought about it. He did know about the technique and he'd prefer not to watch. Perhaps with all of his injuries, he might pass out. In fact, he would welcome it. Keith couldn't control his screams as Lotor drove the first object under a fingernail.

An hour later, Lotor watched as the guard hosed down the table with Keith still on it. The guard then moved to the rest of the room. Soon all traces of the bloody torture had been removed. Lotor stood looking at the dripping body of his captive. He had stayed conscious while he had driven spikes under all ten nails. Lotor had let him endure this pain for thirty minutes, occasionally walking by and pressing on a spike. He had then started removing some of the nails completely. After removing four toenails, the commander passed out. He had thought Keith would have been able to handle it, but then, he wasn't in prime condition. Perhaps he should have started with this instead of the beating.

"Prince Lotor, the cleansing is completed. Do you wish for me to move the prisoner to his cell?"

"No, leave him there, if you move him, he'll just drip blood all over the floor." Then Lotor patted the guard on the back as they both exited. "I plan on returning in a few hours anyway."