Midnight (DISCONTINUED, INCOMPLETE)

8 || Midnights' Strike

Sabin's hands moved to either side of Ash to lift his body up, much to her relief. She tried to move, but the moment she did, the captain's forearm was resting against her neck. He didn't even look at her as he moved, instead facing the door. Gulping, Ash used what little range she had available to also glance over.

One of the sailors stood at the door, observing the situation in front of him with a slight smirk. It grew bigger when he realized Ash had his attention. He winked, only worsening the sickness that she felt.

"Looks like you're havin' yourself a bit of fun up here, Captain."

Sabin glared. "I was, and I would like to return to it, so you had better have a very good reason for being here or you'll be scrubbing the deck for the next fortnight."

The sailor's eyes slid along what he could see of Ash's body as he licked his lips. "There's a ship approaching ours. They have a black flag, but there's no mark on it."

An approaching ship? Sabin's ship couldn't be too far from Valant. Maybe it was one of their ships searching for her and Callum. The hope this knowledge sparked was small, but Ash moved without thinking. She pushed up against Sabin's body.

With a grunt, he applied pressure behind his forearm and actually turned to face her. His eyes glinted with a dangerous light that stilled Ash more than his arm. His previous threat came back to her, and by the way he looked now, she didn't doubt Sabin would make her regret acting out.

But, if she didn't...

"I'm sure you don't need me. If it's any pirates, they're so small they don't even have a mark. If it's anyone else, you know what to say." He examined Ash for a moment before sneering. "And if you get rid of them without any trouble, I may even give you a turn with little Ella."

Sabin's words turned Ash's blood to ice. She heard a chuckle from the sailor and thought he said something, but whatever it was rolled over her. There was a click as the man shut the door. Humming softly, Sabin used his free hand to caress her cheek. It was sickeningly gentle.

"Maybe next time you'll behave and I won't have to share to punish you."

Ash didn't think about what she did next, otherwise she may have been too scared to act. Instead to twisted her neck and bit down on Sabin's wrist. He was already threatening her with something terrible. She had no reason to not resist.

With a shouted curse, Sabin tried to jerk his wrist away. Ash let him, using the extra freedom his movement gave her to claw and strike his face. One of his hands attempted to grasp her wrists while the other held him away from the flurry of hands, all while muttering uncomplimentary words about Ash. She redoubled her effort. Sabin pushed himself even further from her. Exactly what she had hoped.

Before he had the chance to realize his mistake, Ash jerked her hips to the side. Sabin may have managed to lower himself back down to stop her, but her luck decided to take a turn for the better when her elbow unintentionally slammed into his face. He grunted from impact, followed by a thud as Ash hit the ground. It stung, the wood biting into her exposed flesh. Gritting her teeth, she rushed to her feet.

Ash examined the room with a quick glance. She mentally groaned when she realized she had rolled off the side opposite the door. The elbow had apparently been all the luck she had, and that hadn't even done much good. Sabin was already raising to his feet on the opposite side of the bed. He massaged his jaw while glaring.

"If you wanted me to be rough, all you had to do was ask. But instead you're just going to have to see how fun this ship can be," he spat.

Ash's stomach twisted at the implications of Sabin's words. There was nothing else she could have done though. Letting him have her way with her was not an option.

When she stood there silently, Sabin smirked and spread his arms to either side. "What now? How exactly do you plan on getting away, little Ella?"

She really wished he would stop using that name. It felt so wrong, and when he said it, he kept saying it like some private connection the two of them shared. Even worse than the name, though, was that he wasn't wrong. She had fulfilled her need to fight back, but now she was out of options.

Seeing that she had come to the same revelation, Sabin made his way around the bed toward her. "Now, maybe if you behave well enough, I'll forgive you."

Fall into a pit of water serpents.

The words were on the tip of Ash's tongue, but they were frozen, just like the rest of her body. She squeezed her eyes shut instead, listening to the creaks of the floor as Sabin approached. Some small, childish part of her clung to the hope that somehow not seeing what was happening would make it go away.

Instead it focused her attention on noise, including a thud outside. It was followed by another thud only moments after. She thought she heard a scream as well. Maybe it was the people from the other ship. Could Sabin's men have decided to assault them? But why would-

The door slammed open before the thought could finish. Ash's eyes flew open to see Sabin right in front of her, his hands resting against the wall as he leaned over her. His eyes blazed as he spun to face the newest intruder.

"You had better have a good reason-"

His words died down when he saw who was at the door, and Ash couldn't blame him. The person who stood at the door must have been some sort of fae or something, because despite having a feminine appearance, her skin made it look as if she had raised from the soil itself. She even wore earth toned clothes, all of which looked as if they'd been rolled in dirt for ages. Perhaps she was a golem summoned by a fae even. Whatever she was, Ash didn't think she was natural.

Dark eyes examined the two, her lips pulled downward. A dagger twitched up and down as she flexed her hand.

"Well, Captain Sabin, you do not appear to be doing yourself any favors." Despite the hardness in her expression, her tone was light, as if she was simply musing. "That young lady over there does not appear to want to be here, though she is sure to correct me if I am wrong."

Ash froze when the woman's attention focused on her. She was so busy staring at the skin that it took her a moment to realize there had been an indirect question asked. With a gulp, she slowly shook her head.

Sabin glowered. "I don't recall this being any of your business, but this ship is mine, so your presence on here is my business." He moved away from Ash, making sure not to turn his back on the new arrival. He stopped at a dresser. Reaching behind it, he pulled out a sword. "You have three seconds to tell me what you are doing here before I have no choice but to impale you."

The woman snorted. "You are more than welcome to try." She tilted her head to the side, her lips pursed as if in concentration. "I give you maybe a minute before you would lose your blade."

Before Sabin had the chance to report, a strange combination of a roar and howl broke through the silence. Screams and shouted words followed quickly behind. Ash trembled. She had never heard the sound before, but she did know there was only one creature that could possibly make it - a lursium.

It only made Ash more certain the dark skinned woman was a fae. It was said that lursium were the created by a fae messing with nature, combining a wolf and a bear for fun. They were only known to be located in Noctis and Anseri. The only way a lursium would be anywhere on sea would be if they were along with a fae.

Sabin must have had a similar idea. His face had gone extremely white. He snapped his sword up until it was level with the woman's face, his arm trembling despite the strength he tried to put behind the movement.

"Name!" he shouted. "I demand you tell me who you are this instance."

The woman's lips pulled back into a full blown smile. "I suppose Garman has a bit of a name for himself, doesn't he?" There was an odd mixture of pride and uncertainty in her voice, and despite her confidence, her eyes flickered back toward the direction the lursium cry had come from.

If Sabin noticed, he didn't show. He was too occupied quivering in his boots.

"But yes, Captain Sabin, if you must know, you are right. Your little slave trade ship here has warranted the attention of Captain Lorica and the Midnight Pirates."