That didn't take too long did it? What can I say I really like a good cliffhanger? Maybe I like it too much. Anyways here we go! This chapter does have some graphic violence.

Bard had been helpless many times in his life. He was helpless to stop the storm that turned his father's boat over one day when he was fishing, he was helpless to stop his mother getting more weak and weary with time, and he was helpless when his wife took ill. When she died he promised himself he would not be helpless anymore. He stood up to and beat the dragon, he led his people to victory over the orcs, and he rebuilt Lake-Town. Yet, right now, despite all his efforts Bard was once again helpless.

He lay on his back breathing heavily and trying to force his body to move. His limbs felt heavy and distant and no matter how hard he struggled or prayed they would not move. He was stuck in place as the dwarf king pressed the sword onto his neck. He pleaded with Thorin, using what little movement he was allowed to speak. He didn't understand what was going on. Why had Thorin suddenly turned on him? Bard had believed, at least he thought, that the two were friends and the petty feud between their races had been set aside.

Fear built up in Bard as he laid at the mercy of the dwarves. His children were in danger. He couldn't turn his head to see them. His children were his whole world. They meant everything to him. He tried to tell Thorin 'don't do it.'

Bard glared at Thorin as the dwarf towered over him holding a sword. Bard cursed him in his mind. Thorin was going to kill him, kill his children, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He felt nothing but detest for Thorin as he felt the blade push up against his throat. Glancing at the blade Bard noticed it was shaking; in fact Thorin's hold arm was shaking. Some of the hate left Bard's eyes. He felt the blade lift off his skin.

"Need I remind you what happens if you don't, Thorin?" the other dwarf, Bard could not remember his name, said to Thorin in a dark voice. Bard glanced at the dwarf then back up to Thorin confused. Something else was going on here. Thorin was shaking more than ever and there was a look in his eyes that Bard recognized.

"I'm sorry," Thorin whispered and Bard only had the chance to close his eyes before the point of the blade came rushing down toward his neck.

Forgive me, Bard sent a thought up to his wife.

/

"THORIN!" a voice screamed throughout the meeting room. Thorin opened his eyes and stopped the blade in an instant; the tip just millimeters off of Bard's neck. Thorin turned looking up at the balcony overhead the meeting room where the voice came from.

"Kili!" Thorin yelled seeing his youngest nephew holding onto the railing above them. The patrolling guard was lying on the ground at Kili's side presumably unconscious. Thorin took a step away from Bard still not knowing what was going on. He stared at Kili. He looked alright with no cuts of marks on his skin. Thorin let out a gasp. Kili was free; he was safe.

"How did you…? Get him!" Dain yelled out. Three of his guards began to make their way to the balcony after Kili. Thorin took his sword and charged at the guards. He would not let them take his nephew again. Thorin was about to collide with a guard when another sword slashed through the guard first.

Thorin watched as the guard fell to the ground holding his side having no idea what was going on. Thorin looked up to see that the company, excluding Oin and Bilbo, had charged into the meeting room heavily armed and were fighting their way through more of Dain's guards. Thorin smiled seeing them still not sure why they were here or how they knew to come, but he had never been happier to see them.

The whole company was fighting off Dain's guards. Kili was fighting on the balcony easily getting through his attackers with Dwalin at his side. Thorin glanced down at Bard who looked even more confused than before. Thorin turned to Dain who was watching the fighting with wide eyes. He kept shaking his head and backing up witnessing all his planning and efforts coming to an end. Thorin looked back up at where Kili was fighting. Their eyes met for a moment. Kili gave Thorin a quick nod and Thorin knew all he needed to know. They were safe. His beloved sister and her sons were safe. The company must have got them out. They were safe. Thorin grasped his sword and charged at Dain.

Dain saw Thorin running at him and the pure hate and blood lust in his eyes. Dain gave a quick thought about yelling for his guards to protect him, but they were all too busy fighting Thorin's company. Unsheathing his sword Dain ran out of the meeting room.

Thorin ran after Dain with a snarl. He wasn't going to let him get away with what he did. Thorin was going to make him suffer for what he did. He was going to make Dain pay and he would beg for mercy before the end. He would make Dain feel all the pain he put on Fili and his family tenfold.

It only took Thorin a few minutes to catch up with Dain. The lord of the Iron Hills had stumbled allowing Thorin just enough time to slash Dain's calf causing him to gasp silently and fall to one knee. Thorin circled Dain his pointed at him at all times. Dain just smiled, causing Thorin's anger only to grow.

"So, how did you do it?" Dain questioned. Thorin stood in front of Dain his blade at his neck tipping his chin upward so Dain was forced to look him in the eye. "I surmise that dishonorable company of yours freed little Kili and his brother and mother, but how? When did you have the chance to speak to them? I thought I covered my tracks and kept you hidden and caged well."

For speaking, Thorin gashed Dain's shoulder then brought the sword back under his neck. "I didn't tell them anything," Thorin growled.

Dain laughed. He laughed and Thorin cut through his other shoulder so a large pool of blood began to form on the ground underneath Dain. The pain just made him laugh louder and more enthusiastically. "Right, I forgot, of course you didn't say anything, just like you didn't do anything when my guard beat your heir within an inch of his useless life!"

Thorin saw red and stabbed his sword into the gash in Dain's left shoulder. Dain grunted, but still had a faint laugh on his breath. "Do you except me to scream like little Fili did or maybe to cry like weak Kili?" Dain mocked and Thorin began to twist the sword inside the wound. It bled more than ever and Dain gasped in pain.

"Shut up! Don't you dare speak their names to me!" Thorin pushed the sword deeper into Dain's shoulder till it impaled him. Dain let out a yell at that point. Thorin smiled.

Thorin took the sword out of the wound in the left shoulder and stabbed it into the right shoulder. This time it began to tear through Dain's body moving the blade towards his heart. Dain yelled out, louder than never, but Thorin was unfazed his smile growing wider.

"Thorin stop!" A voice yelled out but it sounded distant to Thorin. He kept sawing the blade closer and closer to Dain's heart. "Thorin stop!" the voice screamed, but again Thorin pushed the voice away wanting only to hear Dain screaming. A hand grabbed onto his wrist.

Snapping out of his blind white rage Thorin looked to see Bilbo standing next to him. Bilbo was holding onto Thorin's wrist for dear life not letting him move the sword. "Stop Thorin, you need to stop," Bilbo pleaded.

Bilbo had disobeyed Thorin when he told him to leave Erebor and not to tell the company what was happening. When Bilbo realized Dain already had Thorin's sister he went straight to the company and told them everything. They made a plan together and then overpowered the guards in the dungeons. They brought Fili to the healing rooms, where Oin was looking over him with Dis at his side, and the other went to stop Thorin from murdering Bard.

Thorin let out a ragged breath not sure why the hobbit had such a frightened look in his eyes. Thorin saw that Dain had fallen on the ground his breathing heavy and sweat covering his brow. When did that happen? Thorin's hands and clothing was soaked in Dain's blood and the floor was splattered with it. Still, Thorin did not take the blade out of Dain's collar.

"He deserves this!" Thorin yelled.

"…maybe," Bilbo said trying to keep composed. He was just a gentle hobbit and the sight of blood made him a little faint. Bilbo cleared his throat, "but not like this, Thorin. This is torture."

"He tortured Fili!"

"Then what makes you any different from him?" Bilbo asked and Thorin let out a load gasp.

Thorin lowered his head for a moment thinking. He lifted his head glaring at Dain's ragged form on the ground. "Fili didn't deserve to be tortured, he does!" Thorin yelled about Dain. "Fili never did anything wrong! He's just a boy," Thorin bellowed and Bilbo let go of Thorin's wrist out of fear. He recognized the anger in Thorin's voice; he recognized the look in Thorin's eye.

"Still," Bilbo began watching his words carefully. "It is torture no matter how you spin it. Thorin, I've read your customs with Ori, I know about your court system. Put him on trial, Thorin. Don't just kill him like this."

"He hurt my kin," Thorin said in a softer, sadder tone. "I cannot let him be forgiven!" Thorin's voice suddenly turned into anger again. He glared down at Dain who still managed to smile.

"I'm not saying to forgive him. I'm saying to bring him to justice for what he did, the right way. You're better than him Thorin, better than this."

Thorin let out a yell and made his decision.

Should Thorin kill Dain nice and slowly or should he spare Dain and take him to trial? IT'S UP TO YOU! Please put in the review box or send me a message of what you want to happen. Whatever is the majority will be what I write!

But I warn you, both options will affect the outcome of the story and will have major consequences for either good or ill! So review and tell me what you want to read!