Hello my lovelies! Here is another chapter, hope you all enjoy! For those of you who also read Sweet and Salty, fret not! Im currently writing the new chapter and it should be ready to go by Friday!

Please remember to leave your wonderful reviews as they keep me writing! Much love!

Briseis cursed her own ill fate as she stood frozen, staring into the terrible King's blue eyes. She felt weak, and perhaps if she hadn't been feeling faint before, she certainly was now.

Putting herself aside, the girl did not wish for Kili to get into trouble. He had done his very best to help her, and the least she could do now was try and draw attention away from the young dwarf who was still clutching her around the waist.

The new member of the Privileged turned to head back to Thorin's chambers in defeat; her mind numb as she readied herself to accept the brunt of the punishment - but as she moved, Briseis felt Kili's grip around her waist tighten.

"My King, she is ill and needs-"

"YOU!" The King bellowed; his voice seemed to reverberate off the stone walls. His blue eyes blazing and nostrils flaring as he advanced on the brown haired dwarf. "Did you think I would not see you sneaking off to my chambers once Bard had caught my attention?"

Kili bowed his head slightly in what seemed to be regret, but quickly looked up to meet the King's gaze who was standing barely a foot away and looming over him.

However, despite Thorin's foreboding demeanour, the young dwarf did not look afraid as he glared pointedly at the other. "My King, the girl is sick and may be concussed, she needs rest and medicine."

King Thorin raised a thick eyebrow in question at Kili before turning his gaze to Briseis, who simply stared straight ahead – she didn't dare meet his eyes.

Briseis was ashamed that she had become so afraid of the King after only one dream. She could feel her head beginning to spin and her legs as they began to wobble beneath her. If it hadn't been for Kili, the girl would have surely toppled over.

The young dwarf felt her momentary lapse in strength and readjusted his arm to support more of her weight onto his shoulder.

For the second time today, Briseis felt an enormous rush of gratitude towards Kili and she squeezed his shoulder slightly in silent thanks. There was no point in denying that she was deeply in his debt for the amount of help he had been.

The sound of heavy boots were heard upon the hard, stone floor as they approached the girl- breaking her train of thought and returning her to reality to stare at the crowd of people who had gathered in bunches, whispering and watching as the three figures confronted each other.

The King stepped before the girl, blocking out the yellow light which seemed to emanate from the walls above. His very presence made her want to kick him as hard as she could between the legs, but the dominant feeling which he evoked in her was that of overwhelming fear.

The entire hall seemed to be collectively holding its breath as they watched on; Briseis barely aware of anyone, including Kili. All that she could concentrate on was the feel of Thorin's icy blue orbs as they raked over her face and how she desperately was trying to avoid his gaze.

It seemed as though a few minutes had passed before anyone even let out a breath, but then Thorin slowly extended his hand and reached towards Briseis' face.

The girl gritted her teeth and braced herself for another smack; too tired to try and fight against it.

She fixed her grey eyes on an intricate carving across the room and waited for the impact.

But it didn't come.

Instead, the King ever so slowly turned the back of his hand to her bruised forehead and paused above her skin for a moment.

The girl's heart was hammering loudly in her chest again; she cursed herself mentally, thinking that he and Kili would both be able to hear it at this rate. She carefully peeled herself away from the young dwarf who protested at first, but then hesitantly let go as the girl shook her head to show that she was fine.

Briseis did not want Kili getting hurt from whatever sort of pain Thorin was planning to inflict upon her by standing too close.

She felt shaky on her feet without the brown haired dwarf's arm around her and tried to focus even harder on the gold carving upon the wall in attempt to steady herself.

She suddenly felt the cool touch of Thorin's skin on her forehead as he trailed the back of his hand across her bruise slowly, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand. It took every ounce of self determination not to recoil from his touch, but she stood like a statue as his calloused thumb came to stroke the underneath of her swollen and puffy eyes.

The girl's gaze never left the carvings as she tried to keep her mind from wondering what he was doing, but the King shifted closer and she saw out the periphery of her vision, his shadowy figure as it loomed beside her.

Almost instantly she was reminded of the dark, shadowy figure of the Dwarf King in her nightmare and images of her little brother's body and dad's slit throat flooded her mind.

Briseis' head swam violently and she immediately regretted letting go of Kili, her breaths coming in shallow, jagged gasps as she tried to banish the sick memories from her mind.

"Briseis?" She heard Kili's voice call out to her in concern, just as the girl's knees give way.

Both Dwarves lunged towards her and she felt a pair of strong arms slip around her waist and drag her back to her feet.

The girl quickly regained what little strength she had left and locked her knees into position as she reluctantly looked to the King who was holding onto her and had now brought her up to face him; their noses nearly touching.

The deafening silence made her overwhelmingly aware of how close the two were, and she instantly tried to push away. But the King's arm around her waist tightened as his hand slid further down her back, pushing her into him even closer.

King Thorin's expression was stoic, he simply stared into her steely grey eyes and tilted his head slightly as he exhaled heavily, the surprisingly sweet smell of his breath caressed the girl's neck and face, making her shiver.

She could see every scar, every wrinkle and every hair on Thorin's face; could feel his strong chest against hers as it rose and fell gently to the rhythm of his breathing, she could feel every curve of every muscle that lined his arms and abdomen as he almost unwillingly began to push her up against the doors she and Kili had emerged from a while ago.

Briseis' head felt as though it was stuffed with cotton, her breathing heavy. And for some reason, she couldn't help but to stare, transfixed, into the Dwarf's mesmerizing blue iris' as a sick darkness swirled amidst them, suffocating the natural colour of his eyes.

The two continued to lock gazes while Thorin's expression had gone from stoic, to as though he was hunting a deer. A dangerous glint shone in his blue orbs and his head slowly tilted as he advanced further on Briseis, his hot breath making the girl's lips moist and her breathing frantic.

Suddenly her stomach heaved as she realized he was going to kiss her.

"Thorin!"

A stranger's voice rang out across the halls, bursting the intense little bubble that had engulfed the King and the girl whom he had pressed up against the door. King Thorin stopped but did not move away; his lips so close to touching hers that it was almost pointless to keep the gap separating their mouths from one another.

"I have little time to spare and did not come here to watch you torture an innocent girl," the man shouted in what was blatant disgust.

Whoever this person was, he was either in a position of really great power or completely out of his mind to speak to this psychopath like that. Briseis almost laughed aloud as soon as she had the thought; she had spit on the king and had insulted him a few more times after that, so clearly she was also completely out of her mind.

Thorin sighed in annoyance, his breath leaving goosebumps on Briseis' skin as he reluctantly pulled away from his new toy, his blue eyes lingering on her parted lips and guarded grey eyes.

Standing a foot apart from him now, the girl felt waves of emotion wash over her; there was obviously relief, however there was something else that she could not quite explain. Something that made her stomach tie up into knots when his eyes found hers. Whether it was a result of hate, fascination or fear – she did not know.

Although the Dwarf King let her go, he did not turn to face the stranger either. Instead he was still looking at Briseis, the corner of the King's mouth turning up into a slight smirk as he reached over and began to pull the girl's long dark hair out from behind her back and over each shoulder.

"If I were you Bard, I would choose my words with more care..." Thorin's deep voice echoed across the hall as he ran his thick fingers through Briseis' hair. The girl was utterly bewildered at what the King was doing, but she stood still, quickly exchanging a glance with Kili who had come to stand beside her once more - the young dwarf however seemed more worried than perplexed.

"And what good would that be? Your sick mind twists all words, whether chosen carefully or not," spat the man named Bard viciously; his voice sounded closer than it had been before.

The ruler of Erebor still paid him no attention as he took both locks of the girl's hair into his hands and pulled them up into what looked like a pony's tail at the top of her head. He furrowed his brows momentarily and let her tresses fall before turning to face the man.

"Speak to me like that again and I will ensure that both of your lovely daughters end up chained to my bed by the next Ibùjab."

Briseis felt as a white hot anger welled up inside her, but the girl knew she was in no condition to take another hit without some rest and medicine first, and speaking out would surely bring her another slap to the face. Instead she tried to peek past the King to glance at the man, but nearly fell over in the process, her head throbbing again.

Kili immediately gripped around her waist and propped her arm over his shoulder once more.

"I will meet you in the West hall to resume our pleasant meeting," Thorin said calmly as he clasped his hands behind his broad back.

The sound of Bard's footsteps retreated without any further resistance and after a few seconds, the Dwarf King shouted an order in Khuzdul and the dead silent hall instantly broke out into the hustle and bustle which had greeted the girl when she had first entered Erebor.

Briseis looked over to Kili who was frowning slightly and staring intently at his King who slowly turned to face them.

His face seemed so blissfully peaceful, and for a split second she was reminded again of how handsome he was, but the thought was quickly banished as an involuntary shudder went down the girl's spine.

Thorin stared at the brown haired dwarf for a moment. "Take her to rest, but then I want her over to see Selene." The King suddenly switched his gaze over to Briseis, a small smile coming to play on his lips as he continued speaking. "I want her ready for the ceremony tomorrow night."

And with that, the Dwarf King's blue eyes flashed as he turned to follow after Bard, leaving the girl to stare at Kili wearily, who gave her another sad smile.

Whatever this ceremony was, Briseis knew it was not going to be good news.