The bodies of her crew were piled up in front of where she was held, along with a much larger pile of Company men. All remaining crewmen and passengers had guns trained on them as they watched their Captain's wrists bound with shackles. Atop the pile of the dead lay Elias' unblinking form.
"This has been a long time coming." A familiar voice spoke over the crowd. A weasel of a man sauntered across from the fleets flagship. He glanced around the Liberty and spat on the deck.
"Madok." Sasha growled as he stopped in front of her.
"It's Commodore now." He gestured to the other ships around them. Madok grinned from ear to ear, lifting her chin to inspect her. "Now how could you deny the hangman his daily bread?"
"Don't blame me, blame the jailors and their inability to properly do their job." She shrugged, jerking away from his touch. The man growled and grabbed her jaw forcefully.
"This is a day I've looked forward to for a very long time. The infamous Black Widow. You've cost us a lot of money over the years."
"A small price for the freedom of others." She retorted. He tightened his grip on her jaw. He glanced over at the prisoners his men had taken and turned back with an even bigger smirk.
"How does it feel? Knowing all of your hard work was all for nothing? I know of a few plantation owners looking forward to their stolen goods being returned." He gestured to her crew next. "And some new stock as compensation as well, how generous of you."
Sasha saw Davu begin to bristle, ready to attempt to break free but she shook her head. She didn't want more blood spilled, there were too many lives at stake. Eyes closed, she sent up a mental prayer to any god, saint, and mythical being who would listen, that the few left of her crew and the passengers would make it through everything ahead of them. With a deep breath, Sasha opened her eyes and met Madok's with no sign of fear to be found.
"So what will you do now? We know hanging is too easy."
"Oh no, no, no. Hanging is too easy. I have something much more fitting for you." He raised a hand from her face and snapped. The prisoners were guided to the secondary ship in the fleet and turned to face the Liberty. "Should I have a little fun with you before your sentencing?" Madok whispered in her ear. She mustered her strength and smashed her head against his.
"Try it and your lobcock would meet a terrible fate before it ever neared my body." She spat at him. Enraged at being hit in front of his own men, Madok grabbed her by the throat and forced her against the mast.
"Bring the rope." He ordered, staying in her face. She contemplated reaching out and biting him but thought better of it, if only for her crew's sake.
"What are we doing to her?" A young soldier came scurrying over with an armload of coiled rope. Madok let her go but not before ripping apart her clothing as a means to humiliate her.
"Tie her to the mast. This ship is unfit to sail in his Majesties waters, nor her 'Captain'." The Commodore walked back to his own ship, allowing his men to do the dirty work.
The soldiers secured her to the mast, none speaking a word. Sasha's eyes never left Madok's as he seemed to gloat he would be the one to end her life. She wondered if maybe he would have made a better wife for Thomas. The thought made her smile which seemed to irritate Madok. When the men finished tying the ropes, they rejoined their comrades, leaving Sasha alone on the Liberty.
"Sasha Wainwright, you have been sentenced to death under the authority placed upon me by His Majesty's Navy and the Royal African Company. You will be fired upon and left to drown with your wretched ship." Madok seemed pleased with himself at using her married name to spite her. "May God have mercy on your soul."
"My soul is not the one who needs pitying, Madok." She shouted, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break. Sasha finally looked between Davu and Allard, offering one last smile as the Cry of Liberty was riddled with cannon fire.