I'll Be Your Wings

Revenge

Eric snapped his stare in my direction, motioning the crew to hoist me up and follow him. I was dragged after the evil captain, followed by screams of protest from Maleficent.

I was too exhausted to scream, too injured to fight. Blood trickled from my nose as I was thrown on the warm wood of the top deck.

"You really did make a mistake by deciding to leave, you know." Eric mused. "The moors were the only thing protecting your dear Maleficent."

"That's not true. I'm here. I protect her." I managed to say. Eric and the crew exploded in laughter.

"A fine job of that you're doing!" He turned, laughing, towards the sea.

"Now..." He said, looking down at the choppy waters. "Should we see if the bird can swim?" No, no. Heavens, no. Birds don't exactly do water.

To my horror, a roar of affirmation exploded from the crew as they dropped me on the deck. I groaned in pain, too disoriented to try to escape. I felt my arms being bound together, and I was lowered over the side of the speeding ship, twisting and turning in the wind on my descent to the water. I could no longer see the Moors, I noticed; only sea. We had no hope.

Then, I met with the icy water. I gasped, shocked by the temperature. I could hear the laughs and howls of the crew above me, holding the end of the rope that bound my hands. They pulled up and down on the end, submerging me over and over as I was dragged by my arms alongside the boat.

My ribs felt as if they were on fire, my shoulders felt as if they were going to be yanked out of socket. Up and down and up I went, my head under the waves one second and above them another. The boat was moving swiftly, and I was struggling for sufficient oxygen. Just when I thought that surely I'd die, I felt myself being hoisted up the side of the boat. I gasped for air as I was pushed onto the deck once more, still being laughed at and ridiculed. I made a silent vow that if I ever made it out of this, I'd eat as many fish as possible for the rest of my life.

The howling men tied my bloody wrists and ankles against the mast with more rough rope, then retreated belowdecks where I could hear their muffled racket, but Eric was nowhere to be seen. I cringed, imagining all the horrors he had surely committed against my Maleficent.

I leaned up against the mast, shifting my weight to my left side to favor my broken rib. Just then, footsteps sounded behind me. Slow, leisurely, relaxed. I twisted my body around to see who approached, and my horrified gaze was met by none other than the vermillion-clad captain himself.

"Well, well." He said, striding into my view. "The bird can't swim, can he?" He sneered, and my stare fell to the ground. I hate to say it, but I was afraid of this man. I was afraid of the things he could do to me, and I was afraid that he had the power to harm my Maleficent.

"You know, I really do think I need to introduce myself, don't you?" He removed his hat, bowing low like a gentleman presenting himself to a Queen. (I knew this gesture was only to mock me.) "I'm prince Eric, widowed husband of the late Ariel, and third-eldest son of King Arnold of the Southern Isles."