Book 2: Sea of Delarn

Chapter 4: Comrades?

It took her a few seconds to register what had just happened, but the more she processed, the greater her emotions. If she were fire alone, she would have exploded, but as it was, all she could manage was to reach up and feel the length of the collar around her neck. It wasn't uncomfortable and after a while she could forget it, but that she could feel it now agitated her. The first thing that came to mind was to tear it off and toss it into the sea even as she recognized if she did, the huge bear woman standing in front of her would tear apart her.

That was insignificant to her, and she notably rose on her knees and reached to tug the collar off, but found it was more solid than she imagined. She ran her fingers along the edge, looking for a clasp she might undo, but when she found it, there was nothing that would make it possible to undo. Her fingers traveled over it again and again and found nothing. Her face was growing redder and redder.

If anything, this amused Beraliska more than angered her and she gave her a sharp grin as she leaned in and told her, "you're not going to be taking that off. You're mine now and little will change that. I have the key, but you're sure as hell not going to be finding it and you're definitely not going to be free and about if there's ever a time when I take it off. I'll either be cleaning you or you'll be dead. Have you anything to say to that?"

Delarn glared at her, teeth grinding, feeling so angry that her throat closed and she could hardly speak. Under the surface of her anger, she felt deeply disturbed and maybe even afraid, but she wouldn't show it. She just shook her head sharply. It was all she could do.

"Good," Beraliska rumbled before standing and as she did, she seized Delarn's wrist and dragged her to her feet, pulling her arm over her head and nearly holding her up so she had to stand on tiptoes to still be on the deck at all. She tried not to curse aloud.

The captain said, "All of you dumb and abandoned bastards better listen up. This woman here belongs to me and if I find out any of you have touched or handled her the wrong way, I'm going to personally tear your ribs out of your chest and pierce your worthless body to the mast so you might die a slow death and have your innards eaten by any sort of rat, flying or otherwise, that comes along. You know me as a captain of my word and you know I'm going to know exactly which of you did touch her. Once more, she's here for the sake of my pleasure alone. That means I won't have any of you ordering her around. She does only what I say, understood?"

There was a chorus of "Aye captain," and Delarn felt her stomach drop as if it hadn't dropped before. She looked at them and then back up at her and pondered what she told them, and her blood was cold in her veins.

And then Beraliska dropped her back on the deck. She tried to stand, but it wasn't long before she lost her balance. She cursed aloud, used to having a good sense of balance and not enjoying struggling to like a toddler. She felt any moment she might be sick as well, as if her stomach may upend itself through her mouth, but she wondered if it was the churning of the sea doing it to her or the news she received.

"Now get back to work!" The captain barked to her crew, and any that lingered were quick to head away now. After they dispersed, Beraliska crouched in front of her and told her, "you best get used to living here on the ship. You're going to be here for a long time and you can't crawl forever. Maybe work on that and we'll see how you're looking tomorrow. I'm sure there're advantages to this, but you'll be more comfortable if you can walk on your own."

Delarn gave a mute nod, still too angry and confused to speak, and Beraliska chuckled. Her voice was deep and resonated in her chest, especially when she laughed. She reached out and ran her fingers through her hair, starting from the front and moving back, and Delarn felt relaxed and the anger drained out of her. She blinked slowly, but still her glare persisted.