I'm having such a bad day/week. So, to relax and not curl up in bed for a life time I'm going to write another chapter!

WARNING: this chapter has graphic depictions of violence.

"King Thorin," a guard called out. Five dwarf guards walked up to Thorin and Bilbo "Lord Dain is requesting an audience with you."

Thorin glanced at Bilbo knowing the hobbit had something important to tell him. "Can it wait?" Thorin yelled back to the guards.

"No, my lord, Dain says it is important and he needs you to meet him in the throne room immediately. He said it cannot wait." One of the five guards informed him.

Thorin looked back to Bilbo. "Perhaps we can finish this another time," Thorin said and followed the guards to the throne room leaving Bilbo alone in the corridor. Thorin knew something was off with the hobbit, but he did not know what. He wanted to order the guards to tell Dain he was busy. He wanted to run back to Bilbo and find out what was bothering him. Yet Dain had been quiet recently, avoiding meeting and staying to his room. Thorin needed to know what "could not wait." He still had no proof that Dain was responsible for trapping him in the tunnel, but Thorin knew Dain was involved. Whatever Dain needed to speak to him about, Thorin knew it was nothing good.

The five guards brought Thorin to a room in the lower levels of the throne room. It was a medium sized room that held many of the robes and tapestries used during a king's coronation. Thorin thought it was an odd place to meet. He held the sword at his side fearing the worst. The room was completely closed off from the rest of Erebor and he was already outnumbered. If Dain truly was going to try to take rule or attack him, this was the time and place to do it.

The guards ushered Thorin inside, walking behind him as he entered. Thorin stepped into the room holding his sword tighter than ever. He kept his gaze behind him watching the guards close the door. Thorin slowly began to unsheathe his sword.

"I would not do that if I were you," a voice called out.

Turning his eyes in front of him, Thorin gasped loudly seeing Kili and Fili. Around two polls about a meter apart Fili and Kili were separately bound. Their wrists were tightly roped to the pole which they were struggling to get free from. They had gags in their mouths, but it was clear they were trying to tell Thorin to run. The two were shirtless showing that their bodies were covered in bourses, black and blue marks, and scraps. They both were standing trying to pull away from the bonds.

Dain stepped out from behind a large pile of ceremonial instruments. "Thorin, I'm glad you came to met with me," he said with a smile.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Thorin yelled. "Let them go!" He saw his nephews struggling even more against the rope, it burning their skin.

"Hand your sword to my guard," Dain replied. "Now," Dain ordered pointing his own sword at Kili.

Watching his nephews shaking their heads Thorin slowly unclasped his sword from his belt and handed it to one of the guards standing behind him. Dain thanked him with a bow and the guards jumped Thorin. They grabbed his arms and kicked at his legs trying to force him to the ground. Another two guards appeared and the seven of them pushed Thorin to his knees. They put manacles on Thorin's wrists behind his back then chained him to a nearby wall. The guards continued to hold Thorin on his knees.

"What are you doing Dain!?" Thorin yelled still trying to wrestling with the guards holding him down. "As your king I order you to let me and my heirs go!" Thorin yelled, but Dain just smiled. Thorin grew angry. "You swore an oath to the king of Erebor and the keeper of the Arkenstone! Now release us!"

Dain laughed. "Yes, the Arkenstone, the King's Jewel, it gives you the right to rule and all dwarves must follow the king to possesses it. Yet, it holds no power of me. It is simply a stone that Thror made meaningful. My oath to its keeper means nothing for the stone itself means nothing to me. Even if you had a thousand Arkenstones I would never bow to you. You are unworthy of being king, Thorin Oakenshield," Dain said to Thorin whose mouth was hung open in shock. He could not believe what he was hearing. Dain was breaking all the values and customs of the dwarf race. Dain slowly walked over to Fili and took the gag out of his mouth. "I'm going to want to hear your voice during this next part." Dain said to Fili and patted him on the back. He slowly walked over to Thorin.

"What is this about, Dain?" Thorin asked grinding his teeth.

"You forget, I was king, Thorin, and your little heirs betrayed me. They helped that little hobbit sneak into the tunnel and went behind my back. That was an act of treason and since you are too soft to do anything about it I must take my own retribution," Dain smiled. "Since I was king when they committed treason I will pick their punishment." Dain said and Thorin's eyes went wide. "Grart!"

From another part of the room stepped a large dwarf. He was covered in scares and had a wild look in his eyes. Thorin knew who he was. Grart was in charge of torturing prisoners before Erebor fell. He was known for killing the prisoners before they could actually tell any secrets because he was so cruel. From what Thorin could remember his favorite weapon was a whip, which he was holding in his hand. It was a thick whip with pointed and sickle metal spikes at the end. Grart smiled holding his whip looking at Fili and Kili's bare backs.

"No, please don't," Thorin pleaded.

Dain did not listen. "How many whips to you think they should get for treason? How about twenty…each."

"No! Dain leave them alone! Please!" Thorin pulled on the chains. He trashed back and from trying to get free and keep his nephews safe. If Grart was half as violent as the stories told, they would be dead after two of three hits. "Dain, don't do this. If you want to punish someone, punish me. Don't touch them, please! They're just boys."

"Boys who need to learn their place, start with the elder," Dain ordered.

"No!" Thorin screamed, but it was too late.

The whip came down on Fili who screamed out in pain despite using everything he had to keep it in. The metal spikes tore through his bare back. Blood coated the whip and dripped down the blonds' back.

"Fili!" Thorin screamed watching his nephew leaning heavily against the poll. Kili was screaming through his gag for this brother and had tears in his eyes. He fought with the ropes around his hands to no avail.

"Again," Dain ordered and Grart whipped Fili.

The prince screamed out even louder a spike tarring away at his muscles. He didn't want to scream. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction, or seem weak in front of Thorin, but he had never felt pain like this before. He could feel his muscle fibers being torn apart. His whole back was in indescribable pain which pulsed throughout the rest of his body. His breathing was heavy and painful. The whip marks were deep, the metal spike ripping away his flesh and muscles with each blow.

"Please Dain, stop this! Stop!" Thorin yelled. He couldn't watch this. He felt every blow on Fili like it was on his own skin. He couldn't keep watching Fili getting hurt.

"Again," Dain ordered another crack of the whip echoed out followed by Fili screaming.

Thorin could see the white of Fili's spine sticking out from the wound. Fili's knees were shaking. He only managed to keep himself upright by leaning all his weight and body against the poll. Thorin knew one more whip and Fili would fall to the ground.

"Please, Dain he can't take this! Let him go! Let him go, please," Thorin begged.

Dain turned to him. He looked completely indifferent to everything that was happening. "Thorin, they committed treason and for that they must face the consequences. Tell you what, since they're your heirs I will be lenient on them. They will only get five whips each," Dain said.

Thorin thanked his maker. They might be able to survive five whips. Fili and Kili were strong; they would live though the pain and whips if it was only happening five times. There was a chance they were going to make it out of this.

"Alright, Grart they only get five each. How many times have you whipped the elder already?" Dain asked.

"Can't say…I wasn't counting," the murderous dwarf answered.

"Neither was I…," Dain thought for a moment. "I guess we will just have to start over at one. Begin: One!" Another crack on the whip came down followed by Fili screaming. Thorin yelled out for Dain again pleading with him to stop and let his nephew go. Kili was a mess. Tears rolled down his face as he tried to call out for his brother through the gag in his mouth. Fili's eyes were closed and his breathing sounded like he was chocking.

"Two!" Dain yelled out and another whip came down.

Fili dropped to his knees this time barley making a sound as he was whipped. Blood was dripping from his mouth. His back was raw with torn bloody muscle and parts of his spine sticking out through the chucks of his back that were missing.

"Dain! Stop this!" Thorin screamed. "Please! Stop!" Thorin had tears in his eyes and his voice was cracking. Fili was not going to last much more of this. He was hardly hanging on and if he did, in fact, die it only meant Thorin would have to watch the same thing happen to Kili. He couldn't let that happen. He had to stop this before they both were killed before his eyes.

"If this is about the throne you can have it!" Thorin yelled.

"Come again," Dain said looking at Thorin.

"You can be king! I'll name you king; I'll step down just let them go!" Thorin pleaded. "Stop this and I will make you king."

"I don't want to be king," Dain informed him. "You see Thorin, I realized something. I have always planned on ruling Erebor, ever since I got the raven telling me you reclaimed it I had my eyes on the throne. Yet, now I have no desire for it. I don't want to be king, not anymore. After I ordered my loyal guards to throw you down that tunnel I thought that would be the end of it. You would die from the cold or lack of water and I would be king till Fili came of age. At that point I would have twisted Fili until he was loyal and let me rule in his place. I thought I had won and all my hopes had come true. I wanted nothing more than to be king back then.'

'Sadly, the little Halfling found you," Dain said. "I know he was trying to leave Erebor to warn the men of the lake. And it was in that moment, when everyone was so happy for your return and how people were ready to commit treason to keep you safe and your legacy alive that I learned the truth. I now know no matter what happens that company for yours and the dwarves from the Blue Mountains would always see you as a king, not me, even if you were dead. They love you, Thorin, care about you, are loyal beyond measure to you and I will never get that from them no matter what I do. I don't want to be king anymore Thorin, for I will never be able to inspire my subjects like you do. I will never have their full loyalty and they will never answer to me like they would for you."

"Then why are you doing this?" Thorin yelled.

Dain did not answer. He just smiled and turned Grart. "Now where were we? I have seem to lost count with that little…interruption. I guess we will have to start over again. One!"

"NO!" Thorin screamed as the whip collided with Fili's back again. Fili let out a faint gasp at impact, his body unable to make much noise as the pain became too overwhelming. His limbs were shaking and his breathing was heavy sounding like he couldn't exhale. Kili's muffled screaming called out for his brother.

Fili's body suddenly went lax. His head dropped to the side and his body collapsed on itself. The only thing stopping him from falling limp on the ground was the rope still holding his hands above his head.

Thorin had never screamed so loud. Even through the gag, Kili's voice was plain as day as he screamed for his brother. Fili wasn't moving anymore.

"Two!" Dain ordered.

"FILI!" Thorin screamed. The whip came down on Fili. He didn't scream or make even the slightest sound when he was whipped. His body just moved to the impact of the whip, but remained un-moving afterwards. Thorin shook his head tears streaming down his face.

Dain was about to order another whip when Thorin caught his attention by screaming for him to stop. "Please, please, don't do this! I'll do anything Dain, just please stop," Thorin cried. "Don't hurt him anymore. Don't do that Kili, please. I'll do anything you want."

"Anything?"

"Yes."

Wow, that took a lot to write. But sadistically enough I do feel better. I had a lot more planned to put in this chapter, but it was getting to long, so I'm splitting it up in two. =)

Review and have a good day!