Chapter 7

Probable Fate

Edward was used to having people speak to him in all kinds of daring threatening ways, but when words like these came from a female teenager who, truth be spoken, stood no chance if he ever decided some sort of order was to be installed in violent manners, he couldn't help to feel, not angry, but amused. He leaned on her, his arms on the rail, and she fought the will to get up and run away from him, who stood too close for her taste. Only now she felt the strong sent of rum. It was, of course, no surprise to her, but this was one of those nights. She knew well when the man had been drinking. Luckily for her, he seemed calm.

-What the devil did pirates do to ye?

Samantha turned her head away, angry that the pirate had to remind her of that damn attack that almost killed her family, as well as herself. For one second, she thought to herself she shared something with Lydia: her anger for these men. She didn't realize how long she took to think this, because Edward was demanding an answer soon, bothered by her silence. She said nothing, already fighting to keep the tears from escaping.

-As i sneaked to your house, i saw your parents. Both of them. - Edward continued. - As well as your sister.

«She's not my sister»

-Who, according to Miles, is not in fact your real sister. - He continued as Sam swore to take revenge on Annabelle's courter. - Pirates didn't take your family away. What did they do to you? You have a fine house, a fine life. Pirates did nothing to you. You hate us simply because people tell you to.

He knew nothing. Sam contained herself, drowned her will to tell that man what those animals had done to Lydia's parents, the attempt to kill her mother, the screams of effort coming from her father, the attempt to... that one man who used a knife to make her lay effortlessly on the bed, as he did as he pleased while his 'mates' killed her servants and stole her jewelry. Sam did not understand his intentions at the time, but nothing compared to the fear she felt those moments or to that awful feeling she got every time she remembers them or thinks of what could happen if her father had not arrived. If Edward was a mind reader, she did not know, but when he placed a hand on her neck with that smirk on his lips, right after these thoughts she had, her heart began to beat so fast she was not able to keep herself from punching him, raising herself with a jump and stepping back, fast. She placed her hands on her mouth and a tear managed its way down her face. Edward stood in the same place, looking at her through the corner of eyes with his face still facing the direction in which it had suffered the punch. Sam attempted to deny that panic feeling inside her so she'd react, yet she could not move. All the other pirates were laughing, yelling how she was screwed and their captain had been shut by a girl's right cross. What had just happened?!

-I see... - Edward murmured, finally reacting, his right hand resting on the red cheek. - A pirate touched you.

Sam's heart had never beaten so fast. She was unable to speak, only shook her head in denial as her whole body felt as if burning from the inside. The bastard had done it on purpose, just to check if there was a reaction from her, only to confirm if a pirate had abused her. And now he thought that to be true.

-I'm sorry, I... I'm sorry. - She stuttered. - Please don't...- She cried. - I'm sorry.

Edward stepped forward, walking faster when she stepped back. He moved until he was right in front of her, only some inches of air between them.

-Don't ever do that again. Ever. - He murmured, his voice roar and frightening. - Go to the cabin.

Sam did not move. «Is he planning on hitting me? Is he just getting rid of me? Is he going to touch me?» her thoughts kept her from having the courage to speak.

-Don't make me have to tell you twice. - He threatened.

Sam did not move. What else could he do, honestly? Going to the cabin would be obeying him, humiliating herself, letting that man know he owned her, admitting to be his prisoner, putting a sign on her head saying "do what you want with me". Standing and refusing would be risking a beating (or worse), her freedom and her life. But which was worse? She was the daughter of a navy man. She had been beaten, she was a girl considered to be in terrible condition among high society and if she returned, people would assume certain things had been done to her and the anger and shock would be too much not to chase the pirates and make them suffer. Sam had been thinking of this and at the moment her mind was drowning once more in such thoughts. Keeping her there or killing her would cause much suffering to her family. But letting her go like that... would destroy them and, indirectly, destroy these pirates. "Do you think we can let her go like that? She has family in the navy, they will hunt us down!" Were those not the Captain's words?

They would never let her go.

-I hate you. - She angrily said quietly, almost in a whisper. - You don't owe me! You have no right to... you... I hate you! Let me go!

-Go. To the cabin. Now. - Edward insisted, as his men awaited a reaction.

Sam let out a sob and accepted her probable fate if she resisted. Yet she would not go down like a defenseless frightened dog.

-Or what?

Edward took a deep breath, anger surrounding his eyes, whose not for one second pulled away from Sam's. In a short moment, he raised his right hand and slapped Sam with more strength than she expected, although it was no shock to her. She hated him. She hated him!

Edward grabbed her arm with a strong grip and pulled her closer to him.

-Do as I tell you, girl. - He ordered.

-I'll do as you tell me when you have the right to boss me around! - She attempted to break free, without success.

Edward was clearly angry, his breathing was heavy and his free fist was cringed. Sam feared for everything that moment, but all she had left was at least a bit of her dignity. She was not to waste it.

-You will fucking run to the cabin now or I swear you will regret this.

Sam refused to face Edward as he let go of her hand so she could walk to the chamber, but did not dare to obey him. After a few seconds, Edward grabbed her once more by the arm and dragged her close to the closest mast, throwing her roughly on the floor, his men gathered around them.

-Someone get Bill over here. - He ordered.

The men laughed and basically had fun over the ideas of Bill being close to that girl. He was probably the man who hated her most in that ship and it was not going to be pretty. Sam cried, on her knees, and waited to see what Edward meant.

-Fucking now! - Edward thundered.

Bill came running and sweating from working a few seconds later.

-Captain?

Edward pointed at the girl and Bill approached her, awaiting some sort of command.

-Have fun. - Edward simply said.

The men yelled in content and Bill smiled, although surprised to get such... right... Sam stood up and stepped back, away from him, closer to Edward, who was now walking away.

-No! Please! Don't. - She cried.

-Come here, wench! - Bill laughed.

Sam ran to Edward and begged him not to allow anything to be done, but he continued to walk away and Bill got his hands on her, throwing her back in the center of the circle the pirates had formed as they yelled:

-Show the bitch who's in charge!

-Ye're going to share, right?!

-Stop!

Everyone shut for one second to see which man was not pleased with the situation and Edward was surprised to see Adéwalé approaching Sam and Bill.

-Let her go! What are you doing?!

-Captain's orders, Adé. - Bill simply responded with a grin and the quartermaster faced his Captain.

-Edward... Please.

The Captain, now among the crowd, spoke:

-She stepped the line, Adé. She brought this on herself.

The men continued their 'party' and Bill punched Sam with too much strength for her to be able to fight for a couple of seconds, whose he used to throw her to the floor, her face facing up.

-Edward, what kind of man are you becoming? Stop this! - Adé demanded.

Edward stopped walking and looked at the girl as Adé approached him. Bill on the other hand would not stop his actions, whose consisted in hitting the poor girl again and again.

-Edward, this is too much. You're going too far with this. Free that girl from Bill's hands. - Adé begged. - He will kill her and have his way with her along the way.

-Why should I...

-Look at her.

Edward stood there looking at Sam, who put up quite the fight against Bill.

-Stop! Get off! - She yelled. - Kenway! Please! Stop! Kenway!

-She deserves it. - The Captain said.

-No, Edward. I am not a killer. You stop this or I leave this ship. - The quartermaster complained.

-Adé, what the...

-Look at her.

Edward took a second to look at Sam. She refused to stop struggling even though all her efforts were not enough to keep Bill away from her. She had no idea if his intentions were to keep beating her until she was dead or to go further down the line. Either way, she begged for him to stop, in vain.

With a roll of his eyes and a stubborn thought that he was not emotionally moved at all, he approached the scene and ordered Bill to stop. After the pirate refused to obey, claiming he had been given the right to 'have fun', Edward's voice became angrier.

-Stand, Bill. Step away from her. - The Captain ordered.

-You told me to have fun. This is fun.

-The same way I now command you to walk away from her.

-Damn it Kenway, only because Adéwalé asked you to?!

-Get the fuck off her now!

-No.

Edward's patience had run out. He was not to be humiliated by any of his men. Raising his sword, he placed the tip just by Bill's neck and ordered him to step away one more time. Bill was as angry as ever, but no man wished to fight Edward Kenway, especially not in an armed duel. He stood and walked away murmuring the type of words Samantha's father would never authorize to have been said when she was close.

Adé rushed to her side and helped her stand, giving her a bit of clean fabric to clean her once more bloodied nose. Edward approached her with an ashamed face.

-I am sorry for that.

Sam refused to look at him and the Captain told the quartermaster he was responsible for her for the night and Sam sighed in relief, happy for spending one night without having to look at that handsome face she hated so much: the Captain's.

Adé took the girl to his cabin, much smaller than Edward's, but at least individual. It had nothing in it but a small and poorly arranged bed that made Sam wonder how such a big man could sleep in it, a cabined with messy clothes, some buckets and some scattered towels. The quartermaster told Sam to make herself as comfortable as possible - a hard thing to accomplish - and told her he would leave her alone until morning. She thanked him a few times and cried for a while after he left, although not taking long to fall asleep on the bed.

"He is different when he's drunk.", Adé said before he left.

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