Kelsie's throat hurt. After all she had been screaming non-stop for about five hours - hoping for someone to hear her. The dress they had put on her was choking her and the frilly white lace was rather itchy.
Anne walked up the stairs, her tall red high heeled boots clomping over the deck's surface. She had donned a white dress with red flowers stitched along her neckline. For what this dress was for Kelsie did not know; just that the atmosphere on the boat had shifted slightly. As if the balance of everything was titled.
'Could someone shut that whelp up! Her wailing is grating my ears.' Anne yelled.
The acolyte nearest to Kelsie bent over and grabbed a strip of cloth from the deck of the ship. Kelsie blanched (she hated the feeling of cloth in her mouth.)
However, it was in her mouth before she could blink, choking her and making it hard to breath.
'Tie her up! I don't want her escaping before it can begin.' Anne ordered.
'But Ma'am. We've only got chains. Don't you want her to be comfortable?'
Anne's gaze hardened. The acolyte gulped; he definitely shouldn't have done that.
Her swords were out of her scabbards and against his throat within seconds. Before Kelsie could blink he was pinned up against the mast next to her; with blood dripping down his neck.
'If you ever question my leadership and decisions again it won't just be a tiny cut. It'll be your head and the blood won't be gone from the deck for days. I'll leave it as a warning sign for anybody,' she turned around and stared malevolently at the crew 'WHO TRIES TO CROSS ME!' Anne bellowed.
The deck erupted into chaos as soon as Anne finished her sentence. Clearly no-one on this accursed ship wanted to incur her wrath.
'Oh, and,' she turned back to the cowering acolyte next to Kelsie 'Use chains; I want her to feel pain.'
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This chapter was initially published on the 12th of August 2018, edited intially on the 7th of October 2020, and edited again on the 11th of October 2021. I hope you enjoyed it!
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