Quick note…There will be no slash in this story. There is a section of this story that could allude to that coming later, but it will not. I don't write slash, but I do know that there are those people out there, and so there is a reference to that. If this bothers you, I am sorry, but it is short and very vague. Also, Will seems wimpy in this post. Sorry.

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A shirt was pulled roughly onto William's body and over his wounds before he was dragged bodily off the boat and into town he remembered so clearly. Will struggled briefly with them, but was so weak from the working over he had been given that he was quickly subdued. The smell of the town immediately assaulted his nostrils, and he had to control his gag reflex. The sweat, vomit, alcohol and other bodily fluids made for a very sickening combination. This was a place he had hoped never to visit again, and yet here he was, under the very worst of circumstances. His mind drifted back to Elizabeth without his permission when he tried to understand how he had gotten here and remembered his reason. He was suddenly barraged with a memory so strong it might as well have been happening that moment.

Elizabeth had been standing at a store window, her gaze saying that her mind was far away from where she was. She was wearing a pale blue dress with silver trimming that made her skin seem all that much more perfect, her hair shining in the sun and her eyes sparkling as she gazed out to the ocean. Had she known how he had stared at her that day? That had been his favorite dress of hers. The trimming complimented her eyes, making the rich brown even brighter, and the tone seemed so rich and full on her. Silently, he had decided that she should wear color on her wedding day instead of the traditional white, as she looked so much more breathtaking. Immediately afterwards, he had been ashamed of his thoughts, assuring himself that he most certainly would never see Elizabeth in her wedding dress.

He forced his mind back to the present. He saw that they were coming to a dirty tavern that was ill lit and surrounded by whores and passed-out drunks. As they approached the entrance, one of the girls whistled in their direction appreciatively. "What do we have here?" She asked with a thick accent, her eyes traveling up and down Will's body. Will felt his face go hot, and desperately avoided her eyes. "Fresh blood, by the look of it, if the master's smart. How much ya askin' fer him?" She chuckled. "We know quite a few who'd pay good coin, don't we lasses?" She asked the other girls, and they all nodded in agreement with many a wry laugh as they in turn admired Will.

Barbossa chuckled back at the girl, as if they both were privy to a private joke. He shook his head. "I don' think they can manage the price I'm asking of this find." He smiled at the girls, and started towards the tavern again.

Will struggled against the hands holding him, baring his teeth in anger at the way he was being referred to, opening his mouth to curse the pirate. "You..." He began through clenched teeth, but never got to finish.

Barbossa calmly turned and struck William hard across the face with the back of his hand. "None o' that, lad." He scolded, and William couldn't help the glare of pure hate that came from him. Barbossa noticed, but just smiled at him, as if he enjoyed Will's hate.

Barbossa turned back to the tavern, and the pirates returned to hustling William inside. One of the pirates brutally punched William struck him across the shoulders when the blacksmith dug his feet stubbornly, reopening the wheals on his back and bringing a pained cry from the bound man. The captain hardly seemed to notice as he pushed his way through the thick crowd.

William felt the stares of all as they noticed him, the hot press of bodies, the occasional snicker or remark that the blacksmith tried earnestly not to hear, and the hands reaching out to touch before the pirates batted them away. None of the touches had been threatening so far, but William was hot, sick from the various fumes, and dizzy with the pain emanating from his back, and so each brush felt more like an intrusion than the last. By the time they reached the back of the tavern and Barbossa stopped by the bar, waiting for someone, William felt in serious danger of fainting. His wheals from the night before were bleeding freely, and the continued blood loss plus lack of food was beginning to take its toll. He sagged in his captor's hold and felt silently thankful for the pause, whatever the reason. He was keenly aware that he was in serious trouble, but felt too ill to care.

The tavern owner appeared. William closed his eyes and breathed shallowly through his mouth, trying not to draw attention to himself. Barbossa and the owner spoke for a while, but William didn't notice much until he was being elbowed by one of the pirates. "Stand up, you." He grumbled threateningly, pulling on one of William's bound arms. William tried to convince his legs to support him, but there wasn't any strength left in them at the moment.

Rough hands were suddenly in his hair, yanking his face up as the other hand grabbed his chin and turned his face from side to side, viewing him as one might a horse. "What did I tell ya?" Barbossa asked as the tavern owner gazed dispassionately at William.

"No, he ain't bad. Good cheekbones, strong chin…eyes'r bit wide, tho'. Ain't very becoming. They always like tha'?" The man stated as he pulled at one of Will's eyelids. Will jerked away from the hand weakly, only to have his hair pulled tighter into the fist.

"Nah. 'S only cause o' the working over we gave him to calm that spirit o' his." Barbossa chuckled as he stared deep into Will's eyes, his expression making the younger man very nervous.

The owner grumbled. "Noticed that." He muttered, pushing Will's head forward suddenly to view the man's back and the bloodstained shirt clinging to it. "Not sure I want him. Looks half-dead to me." He observed. William's head was dragged up again, and despite his exhaustion, he felt anger building up inside him as he realized that Barbossa was planning on selling him to this man. Selling him!!!

"You'd thank me if yer'd seen him a'fore it." Barbossa chuckled, and nudged Will in the chest with his boot. "He'll get over it soon. Too soon, if ya ask me." He laughed again. "Don' let 'im get too healthy, might be more than ya can handle." He returned his gaze to the owner.

The owner looked back and forth to Will and Barbossa, barely noticing the growing fury gaining in Will's eyes. "Dunno. Don't get much call for his like round here." He admitted. "Not with the lasses 'n all." He smiled towards one of the whores making her way through the room.

In struck William like a physical blow to the chest as he realized what the discussion had turned to. The anger clouded his thinking, and he heaved himself against the hands at his arms, almost breaking the surprised pirates' holds. "Never!" He cried through clenched teeth, his pain momentarily forgotten. "I'll never serve anyone in that way!!! I'd die first, and I'd take you with me!" William growled, his tone promising. William didn't idly speak of killing someone, but he meant it when he said he'd kill any man who tried to make him work in that manner.

Barbossa calmly nodded to the burly men holding Will, and one punched the blacksmith hard in the kidney while the other delivered a hard blow to his head. William sagged in their holds, momentarily dazed. Barbossa turned back to the owner as if nothing had happened. "He's still a strong lad, and with the proper breaking, he'll work hard." He said, raising an eyebrow at the owner.

The man sighed and drew a coin pouch from his belt. "Won't deny I could use the help, and as much trouble as he may be breaking in, he might be useful." The man grumbled as he laid several coins in Barbossa's palm.

William struggled weakly. "Barbossa…" He said with as much force as he could muster, "You can't do this!" His eyes traveled up to hold the pirate's for an intense moment. "I agreed to work for you to spare my life! I will not be sold!!!" He cried, trying to ignore how weak his voice sounded.

Barbossa laughed long and hard, the sound grating against Will's ears. When he finally calmed enough to talk, he smiled a toothy, foul-breathed smile at the prisoner. "Ya already have been, boy." He assured Will, and turned to leave.

The pirates dropped Will to the floor still bound, and Will pulled himself to his knees with difficulty. "BARBOSSA!!" He screamed, but it did him no good as he was grabbed from behind and hauled to his feet. "BARBOSSA!!"

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Well?