A/N: Well here is chapter 10. I figured since Mateo is a Spanish pirate that his crew would speak Spanish so I decided to add that. The words written in parenthesis next to or near the Spanish will be the translations.

Chapter 10: Matters of Vengeance

Lia's POV: The Next Day

"Subida y brillo, muchacha." ("Rise and shine, lass.")

I sat up instantly; shrieking in disgust, as I felt a warm, muggy liquid spray me in the face.

It was rum; I squeezed my eyes shut as it burned my eyes, I rubbed them to ease the stinging.

I turned around and there were two pirates laughing at me derisively, one of them had long greasy blonde hair and gold teeth and the other had gray hair, a wrinkled face and rotted teeth. As they continued to laugh, the blonde one took a swig of his rum and spit it back out at me. I jumped back as soon as the liquid hit me.

In my anger, I stood up, grabbed an empty tankard I had and threw it at the cell door with all my might. Unfortunately it bounced back with a loud bang. I dropped to the floor as it zipped past me, hitting the back wall and landing on the floor causing the pirates to laugh even more.

"G' mormin." Said the gray haired pirate.

"If one were to call it that." I said cuttingly as I stood up.

"No need to be like that, darlin," He continued.

"News from above, poppet," said the blonde pirate, "Tonight ye'll be dinin' with Captain Mateo."

"Like hell I will." I said curtly, "You can tell Mateo I'd prefer to take my chances with the keelhauling."

"I'd not be so rash to say all that if I was ye," said the blonde pirate, "Ye could get into all sorts of trouble."

"I'd rather you worry about your own troubles, you sack of shit." I threatened. This pirate didn't scare me. A surge of courage rippled through me and I suddenly didn't care of his reaction.

The blonde pirate growled menacingly and smashed his rum bottle against the cell door. I reeled back, falling on the floor and curled up as glass and rum flew everywhere.

"Belay that talk, wench!" he said sharply as I slowly sat up. A sharp pain stung my right shoulder but I ignored it as I stared fiercely at him. My heart was pounding but I remained resolute.

He kicked at the cell door before heading back upstairs. The older pirate glanced my way before spitting at me. Luckily it missed and landed on the floor by my boot.

I pushed myself up to my feet. Pain stung my shoulder yet again. I looked and saw a piece of glass was deeply embedded in my shoulder. The whiteness of my shirt around the wound became red and began spreading outward, soaking my shirt.

I grabbed the piece of glass and after taking a breath, pulled it out. I inhaled sharply as it came out, causing the blood to flow freely. I pulled the handkerchief I got from Mr. Richards out from my pocket and tied it loosely around the wound. I then held one end with my teeth and the other with my free hand and pulled hard, tightening the knot.

I leaned my head against the cell door and sighed deeply. My stomach burned with hunger. I hadn't eaten in what felt like forever. I leaned against the sidewall of the cell and slid to the floor, feeling as if my stomach was slowly being eaten away. As my head rolled to the side, I squeezed my eyes closed as a small light burned my eyes.

I opened my eyes slowly, allowing them to adjust to the light. A small hole was on the ship's wall, letting in a bit of sunlight. I dropped to my knees in front of it and peeked out.

It was a bright sunny day and the sea was really calm except for the usual gentle rocking of the ship. The endless sea that usually brought such peace to my soul instead sent a wave of dread and loathing over me. The sea no longer felt like my freedom but more like a haunting imprisonment.

Not being able to see much out of the hole, I moved away from it and sat in the corner. The tankard rested by my foot and I kicked it away.

Who would have thought time could move so slowly. My anxiety grew with each passing minute. I wasn't looking forward to dining with Mateo that night. I knew he hated me but what was weird about it was it felt like a different kind of hate, like he knew me.

The cell I was in may have been small but it felt so huge to me. Nothing but the silence to keep me company, so still that it almost scared me.

"Yo ho, yo ho…" I began to sing softly, "A pirate's life for me. We pillage plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho…"

Later That Night:

The gentle rocking of the ship combined with the soft singing lulled me into a peaceful sleep. Nighttime came sooner then I thought.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The sudden pounding made my nerves jump. I sat up quickly, leaning my upper body on my forearms. Mr. Richards was standing outside of the cell holding his sword that he banged against the cell door to wake me up. He grinned before sliding it back into his belt.

"Mateo requested I fetch ye now, lass."

He opened the door and I quickly stood up, not wanting his assistance with that. He grabbed my wrist and led me upstairs. We climbed a few stairs and went down a few hallways until we reached a ladder that would take us up to the main deck. Richards shoved me towards the ladder and I climbed up with him following. I pushed the door to the hole up and climbed out.

The sky was dark and a faint mist of clouds covered the night sky. The moon peaked out from behind it all, shining a faint streak of light on the ocean's surface. The ship was quite empty except for a few pirates. Most of them were running about, keeping the ship sailing and two were sitting in the middle of the deck, engaged in a game of blackjack.

I ignored the snickers and sexual grins as Richards led me to the captain's quarters. When we reached the front door, he put a key in the lock and opened it, pushing me inside.

There was a desk near the front door against the wall, a big bed sat on the northwest corner of the room with a night table next to the head and a circular dining table with burning candles stood in the middle of the room with a few chairs set up around it. The soft moonlight seeped through the windows, painting the walls with shadowy shades of silver light.

"Mateo will be in shortly, lass." Richards said as he shut the door, locking it behind him. I walked around the room, scanning with my eyes. I stopped as something caught my attention. Hanging above the desk was a portrait. I walked closer and leaned my hands on the desk, wanting to get a better look.

It was a picture of a pirate, a captain to be more precise. I leaned in closer, studying this painted stranger. His coal black hair, completely matte, stuck out at all ends from under his brown captain's hat. His hands had a firm grip on the rudder as he started out at the horizon. I couldn't help but notice that he looked like an older version of Mateo without the brown eyes and hair.

I lifted my left hand and lightly began to trace the swirls of the brush's strokes, my fingers following each angle. I could picture the scene in my mind: a warm sunny day out on the ship, the painter leaning on the handrail of the helm's stairs, a drawing board or easel set up in front of him…

As I continued to gaze at the painting, my right hand, which rested on the desk, brushed against something solid and smooth. Looking down, I pushed away a piece of parchment, revealing a dirk in a sheath.

I picked it up and unsheathed it. The blade glistened from the candle's light.

I gasped as I heard the sound of the door opening. Hastily I sheathed the dirk and bent down, sliding it into my boot.

I turned around, leaning against the desk, only to be faced with Captain Mateo.

"Well Ms. Sparrow. It's nice to be graced with your presence." He said with a smirk.

"I wish I could say the same..." It came out of nowhere. I was so used to insulting most of the pirates who came down to the brig that I had completely forgot about Mateo's short temper. I trailed off a bit as I remembered who I was speaking to.

Mateo glared nastily at me, causing me to freeze. I exhaled slowly as he let it slide and proceeded to the table.

He looked at me expectantly after sitting down. Confused by this, I didn't move.

"Sit down." He said sharply. I winced at his tone and quickly sat down across from him. The second I sat down two pirates barged in, their arms filled with plates, the same blonde and gray-haired pirates who disturbed me in my cell earlier that day. I glared at the blonde one as he set down the plates in his arms.

My mouth watered at the sight of table, now filled with the meal for tonight; chicken, bread rolls, fish and bottles of some kind of drink, possibly rum (I was hoping) or wine.

I looked up to see the blonde pirate standing with his head over Mateo's shoulder, talking to him.

"Podemos tenerla otra vez esta noche, capitán?" He said. ("Can we have her again tonight, captain?")

Mateo shook his head, "No, ella es la mía este vez." ("No, she is mine this time.")

I quirked an eyebrow, not being able to know what they were saying really annoyed me. Where they talking about me? I hoped not.

Mateo signaled to his men to leave. When the door shut he looked to me. I didn't move. He scared me and I was frustrated at myself for being scared. The illumination of evil billowed out of him. A giant invisible cloud that could only be felt.

He was quiet for a while then he tilted his head toward the food, "You must be hungry, el pequeña." ("little one")

Tentatively I reached towards the chicken. I grabbed a leg and ripped it off the roasted poulet. As soon as the succulent aroma tickled my nose, I didn't care anymore. The very sickness that was hunger overwhelmed me. I sank my teeth into the leg and ripped off a piece of the meat. I wanted to eat it slowly, take it in and enjoy but I was too hungry. I continued to devour eagerly at the chicken leg. I put it down and reached for a bread roll, I ate it in two bites.

Three days with nothing but one serving of hard tack and water made this moment my heaven.

As I continued back to my piece of chicken, I heard the sound of a cork being pulled from a bottle's neck followed by the sound of pouring liquid.

I looked up, face covered with chicken, at Mateo. He set down the now half empty bottle, passed a goblet to me and took a swig from his own.

"Why don't ye talk?" he said suggestively, "I like to hear the sound of yer voice."

A small shiver of repulsion crept up my spine at his comment. Using my sleeve, I wiped my mouth.

Talk to him? What would I say?

"Well you can tell me why am I here." I said. I might as well get all my answers now.

Mateo let out a slight chuckle, "Ye don't waste a bloody second now do ye?

I picked up the goblet and took a sip. It was wine, a slightly foreign taste for me since I was more of a rum drinker.

"An unfortunate matter of vengeance." Mateo said in his thick Spanish accent. It was so different from the posh English accent I inherited, a flavor of dialect I was so used to it felt like the only one in the world.

I put down my goblet. Mateo's eyes were looking behind me. I followed his gaze to the portrait I was looking at earlier.

"My brother was one of the most feared pirates in the Spanish Main." Mateo explained, "He spent a lot of his time sailing, plunderin', slaughterin', seeking pleasurable company."

He stood up from his chair and paced around the table. Putting his hand on my shoulder, he slid it across the back of my neck and to my other shoulder as he walked behind me. I nervously took another drink of my wine, anything to distract me from his sickening touch.

"A pirate's life." He said with a smirk, "No pirate in his right mind had the nerve to mess with him. None except for one."

"Jack Sparrow?" I questioned.

Mateo laughed, "Inteligente. When it came to treasure, Jack and Adriano were very competitive, always going after the same things and always fightin' to get it first. It went on for many years" ("Smart Girl")

He turned his back to me and walked toward the painting, "But of course Jack being the greedy hijo de puta that he is, couldn't stand the fact that Adriano was always one step ahead." ("Son of a bitch")

I fought as the corners of my mouth pulled into a smile. Jack being greedy was no surprise to me.

Mateo made the sign of the cross across his chest. He turned around towards me, causing my smile to fade.

"A few years ago, the Black Pearl came across the White Osprey, which was Adriano's ship. The Pearl took over and killed everyone on board before blowing the ship to pieces."

He came in closer, shifted my chair so I was facing him and put his hands on the armrests. He leaned in causing me to lean back, his face only inches from mine.

"Yer father slashed me brother's throat and threw him to the sharks!" his tone was menacing. He pushed himself off my chair and continued pacing.

"So that's what this is about." I said, "You want revenge."

"When I learned of his death, I left my home in Spain. I stole a ship and hired a crew. It wasn't easy though, trust is hard to come by."

"So you kidnapped me…" I began.

"No! Jack was the one I was after. You were just an added bonus." He growled.

A flame burned inside me. So I was leverage, a piece of burden. Nothing.

My forearm brushed past the penknife that was still in my pocket. I wanted to stab him. I could see myself plunge the knife deep into his neck; the deep redness of the blood flowing out like it had a purpose.

But therealthought was ifI could do it. Was it the right time?

"Opportune moment…" I reminded myself.

Mateo came close to me and grabbed my face, pulling me toward him.

"What was that, wench!" he demanded.

I didn't answer. The flame inside me grew. Mateo grew more infuriated and shook me.

"Speak lass!" his voice grew louder causing me to close my eyes. My chest burned with ferocity. I suddenly slapped his hand away.

"I am not your goddamn leverage!" I screamed, "When Jack comes and gets me out, you're better off killing yourself because I'm going to savor every second!"

A rage I never knew had built up inside and exploded. I regretted it right away.

Mateo drew his hand back and swung his fist at my face with all his might. The chair I was sitting on tipped and I fell to the floor. He had hit me so hard I was seeing distorted colors.

As I struggled to push myself up, I felt his hands grab the back of my shirt and turn me over so I was looking up. He lowered himself on me. I started flailing and swearing. He grabbed my wrists and held them above my head, pinning me to the floor.

"Ye should know better then to talk to me like that, engreida!" he yelled. ("Brat")

I continued to struggle but it was no good. He was far too strong.

"It looks like I'll have to take care of that."

I pursed my lips tightly as he pressed his against mine, refusing him any further access. He smelled of booze and an overbearing odor of sweat, a hint of wine on his lips.

I watched in horror as he began to unbuckle his pants. I struggled harder and continued screaming and yelling. He began pawing at my shirt, pulling it up. He yanked on my pants, ripping them off so they hung around my ankles.

"Try to enjoy it, Lia." He said harshly with a sadistic smile "Cuz I know I will."

No! I used all my might, so I wouldn't feel.

I'm not here. I thought desperately, I'm not here.

I began to think of Jack. Right about now I probably would be getting up from my bed on the Pearl. I could recall many times of sleepless nights. Jack would be up as well and we would sit in the middle of our cabin, passing a bottle of rum back and forth.

My desperate escape into my mind was interrupted as I felt a sharp pain tear through my body, ripping my soul in half. I had never been filled with such hate or disgust.

'Think of Jack, think of Jack…' I pushed my mind to think. I didn't want to feel anymore!

Jack and I would talk of witty memories of our times spent together, stories of his adventure of the cursed treasure of Cortez (they never got old) and simply just anything that would be on our minds at the moment. In a few hours I would be passing out on the floor and Jack would carry me to my bed.

That's where I am. I thought. Not here…

A/N: And that's chapter 10 for you! I was contemplating if I should bump the rating up to R but I don't think its necessary. This is going to be the only rape scene and nothing extreme is going to happen…well there is but nothing too horrible that requires an R rating. Chapter 11 might take me a while. I'm sorry but that how it is.