𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬 𖥸 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨

012. Tragic Nightfall

Jillian was left tied to the mast the rest of the day, until the evening finally took over.
  
     It was wonderful that Wendy had managed to make it out. She trusted the girl to get far from this place and hopefully not come back for a while. She didn't want the girl to go through what was going to happen to her. 
    
     Even the thought made her feel sick.  

     The captain had promised to return and take her to his chambers by nightfall, so Jill could only watch the sun set slowly and feel the chill creeping along her skin as she waited for what she knew was to come.

     Even the thought of it caused another wave of tears to form in her eyes. Wendy was fine, Wendy was safe. But she was not. What would happen to her then? Would they kill Jill on the spot once they grew tired of her? 

     Death was better than a life of constant abuse.

     She didn't know how long she would last at this point. A once-proud, once-feared female pirate captain now reduced to this, who had offered herself in such a way in order to keep her sister from suffering.

     She was a great sister, but a pathetic captain.

     Saebeorht hadn't returned since he had left her to help Wendy find Simba. Maybe he was simply waiting for the nightfall as well. She didn't want her spirit animal getting hurt when he came for her. It was best to call him into passive, but she couldn't exactly do that with him gone.

     So Jillian waited, watching the sky grow darker and darker with each passing moment until she was shaking with the cold and sheer terror of what was about to go down. Maybe she should try begging for something else. He had wanted consent. If she suddenly changed her mind, would he force her to uphold her end of the bargain? Because then it wouldn't be consent.

     A shudder ran down her spine. There was no way she'd escape this bargain. He didn't seem like the type to be swayed by another thing or take any notice of her pleading. He was certain of what he wanted and he was going to get it, consent or not.

     The ship rocked side to side and she could smell the salt in the air as she closed her eyes. All her life she had been used to sailing out into the ocean, now as she looked upon it she only felt great sadness.

     As if she were some sort of caged bird.

     The sound of footsteps came up behind her, and she froze when she saw the glint of a dagger at the edge of her vision. He was armed.

     Curses ran through her mind, but she didn't dare move a muscle as she felt the blade against the exposed skin of her upper arm. She held her breath, trying her hardest to remain still as he taunted her with the weapon.

     Then he cut the ropes around her, making sure to grip her wrist tightly so she wouldn't run. Her breath quickened and she held it, feeling a form of panic surge in her gut even as her lungs burned for oxygen. Her instincts were screaming at her to run away, but there was nowhere to go. No way to go. He had her trapped, caged like a feral cat against him as he moved back away from the mast, holding her wrist so tightly that it turned red. Salty tears dripped down her face and onto the floor. 

     He was going to do it, and once he was finished, he would probably kill her. That was how these things worked.

     It wasn't that Jill feared death - she didn't have much to live for save her spirit animal and her siblings - she just didn't want to die at the hands of a sadist. She figured he would end her in a similar way as the stories of old - tortured to the breaking point before the whole crew, then forced to walk the plank, where she would either freeze, drown, or be eaten by sharks.

     "Good Halawir, it's cold tonight," Ramiro began as he started to lead her away from where she had been restrained. His face held no form of emotion and it scared her. He was being awfully calm about this whole ordeal. Perhaps he was used to doing things like this.
    
     Jill didn't bother responding. Why should she? Her lips were pressed in a thin line and her face was pale. Her shoulders were trembling as they continued to walk. She was almost stumbling as she was guided along, and her body felt weak.

     They reached the door sooner than she liked and her teeth sank into her bottom lip in anticipation. This was it. This was the end of her life.