𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬 𖥸 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨

014. Watery Grave

Jillian couldn't breathe right.

     She was in pain, and with the captain guiding her along, one hand planted firmly on the back of her neck, she couldn't help but fear what his plans for her today were.

     Her legs ached and bruised, straining to carry her wait as her gait was reduced to a limp and she had earned a black eye hours prior for lashing out by mistake. She didn't know what else to do. She was scared.

     Did he know that Wendy escaped? Probably. Maybe that's why he was so harsh with her.

     Once on the mast, the sea spray and smell of sulfur greeted her immediately and the rocking of the ship made her slightly nauseous. Was she to be tied up once more like an animal? Maybe this time she'd be stuck in the Brig once more. Anything was better than being leered at by a crew of men.

     Ramiro threw her violently to the deck, and Jill was fortunate that her knees were strong enough to keep her from tumbling all the way over. Still, the gesture was harsh enough to cause some bruising.

     Her heart beat rapidly in her chest and Jillian pulled herself up into a sitting position, looking anywhere but her captor as she sank her teeth into her bottom lip in anticipation.

     As she predicted, purplish bruises were beginning to form on the skin on her left calf.

     Her body shivered from both the cold and anticipation as she gritted her teeth, feeling up and down her leg in an attempt to soothe the pain. It was becoming a habit at this point.

     Jill's brunette hair, once clean and silky, was now bloodstained and sticking to her skin uncomfortably. Occasionally, it would get in her face and she'd have to tie it up in order to see properly.

     "Something is missing this morning, Swan." His voice was low, dangerous. Her heart skipped a beat as she refused to look at him.

     He knew.

     "Oh?" Was her only response as she continued to look upon the sea, taking little comfort into the rolling waves below them.

     "A certain child," he mused. "As well as a peculiar rodent I specifically locked up in the guest chambers."

     Jillian took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. Should she play dumb? Perhaps a lie might set him off course. But at this point, she knew him well enough to take him seriously.

     "How unfortunate," Jill replied simply, willing her voice not to betray her emotions.

     He shuffled slightly behind her, and suddenly his lips were mere inches from her ear. "Where is she, Swan? I know you know where she went. Tell me now, or we might have to go back to my chambers tonight."
   
     "How must I know if I was with you the entire night yesterday?" Jillian reminded him. It was true, she had sent Saebeorht to herd Wendy to safety while she bought her time. "She's a clever girl. It would have happened sooner or later."

     Ramiro's eyes narrowed more dangerously. "Is that so? Then where is that wretched bird of yours? Perhaps it had something to do with her escape. I know you released it out of passive, Swan."

     "Saebeorht had been let free a long time ago. There's no telling where he is. He is the wind itself at this point," Jillian answered with a blank stare.  

     He wrapped his arm around her neck very slowly, a taunt, before placing most of his weight against her weak body. Jill flinched, knowing he could crush her at any second. "I'll ask you one more time, and if you don't answer truthfully, maybe I'll even consider handing you over to my crew. Where. Is. The. Girl?"