The Traitor's Wish

14. The Captain's Croc

The Traitor's Wish
Chapter 14
The Captain's Croc

The weakness of Emma's body was indescribable. Her shoulders burned with an eternal fire from holding up her body. She was lucky they had not dislocated from the weight. She was hanging now, her feet dangled useless to the floor. She just couldn't reach the floor. Her head hung low, staring at the bloodied deck, her blood spilled on a pirate's ship.

She hated him, hated Denson with a burning flame in her heart, but she couldn't escape his prison.

Her back brought stinging tears to her eyes. The skin was barely even there after the damage they had done. The pain pulsed through her torso. She could feel each lash of the whip. They flashed through her mind constantly.

"One."
The crack of the whip.
"Two."
The leather on her back.
"Three."
The hooks left their mark.

On and on it played through her head. "Thirty two." She had passed out then, but on and on they went until fifty was reached.

She had waken up in the middle of the night, screaming out in pain, crying violently from the unbearable pain. She woke Denson. He was furious.

"Raise her higher!" He screamed to someone in the rigging. She couldn't stop her worsening cries and the pain in her arms doubled. Her feet lifting father away from the ground. She wrapped the around the mast hoping for some sort of relief.

"Sleep well, your majesty." She spat at her, returning to his cabin.

The following morning was worse. Without a word, they lowered her to the ground. Her feet hit the floor, and she tried to stand, but she was too weak. She collapsed to the ground, falling on her face. She could feel her arms again. Emma groaned out loud as the stinging raced through them.

Denson stepped towards her, and the eerily silence became to much for her to bear. "String her back up."

The words were a knife to her stomach. Three crew men lifted her and pulled the cords tight again. She faced the mast, unable to see anyone, but he'd fury was enough.

"You coward!" She screamed hysterically.

Denson did not scream back. Emma could see his smirk in her mind. He was winning the fight and he didn't need to scream at her for pleasure. His calm voice sent shivers down her spine. "It's day two princess." He announced with a chuckle. "No ones hear."

"I'm assuming you remember the punishment yesterday?" He asked mockingly. Her face fell, and Emma Swan gave up. This was her end. This pain was too much to bear, she could not handle a repeat of yesterday. It would kill her.

"Fifty lashings Fargo, but first let the crew have a turn." He said, stepping back into the role of Captain of the demons. "Any man who wishes to show their strength, take the whip and show her no mercy!" He shouted, followed by the whoops of the crew.

Emma closed her eyes and prayed to God as the pain tripled with each lash.

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The Jolly Roger made it through the storm with minimal damage. Luck had turned their way as the winds blew in their favor. The ship began to pick up speed as Smee stood at the wheel and Brinley shouted orders to the day crew.

A cry came from the crows nest, "Sails ahead!"

Brinley grabbed the eye glass from his coat pocket and stared in the direction the crewman pointed. He could clearly see the white sails of another ship. The flag was black with two red cutlasses. The Night Spear.

"Aye, it's Denson. Raise the sails! Godspeed men." He shouted.

He met Smee's glance with an understanding. Denson's crew were well opponents, but the ship was no match. The Jolly would be caught up in no time. They needed to prepare an attack.