"You are free to keep the pain all to yourself if you wish," Brom said as he walked around to stand behind Elandriel, "I have not and will not order you to give it her.  If you do so, it will be entirely your choice."<br/><br/>Then he cracked the whip again, laying a long perfectly vertical welt along the elf's back.  He added three more, all perfectly straight and with no overlap and leaving only the narrow stripe of her spine unmarked.  He paused to admire his handiwork, then laid the final and hardest line of fire down the center of her back.