WARNING - VIOLENCE AHEAD.
I will put a warning spacer for those who wish to jump over any details.
We are moving into the hard times of this story folks, the brutality of history and the reality of women of their time is just.. horrifying. The normalization of such heinous shit.
Listen to Grief by Darke Complex for this chapter.
- G.
"It seems one of the pirates that held you hostage tried to siege through the front door – the gollumpus."
Liete sat on the edge of an imported couch made up of a paisley fabric that looked garish with the stone walls of the turret room struggling to breath.
With no access to her own clothes, she'd been provided gowns that were fashionable and stifling. Two guards at her door at all times for the past two days, windows not large enough to crawl through, and a maid assigned to her for every waking moment just waiting in a corner watching her.
She'd already been suffocating, pacing like a caged animal in the large room as masons and carpenters came and went outfitting the room, all the while glancing at her in different levels of surprise, disgust, and fear. Always fear present with any of the others.
None of them could help her, they were sheep and cowards. So she'd paced the room, glaring at them in madness. Angry at their own cowardice… and hers.
Not cowardice; survival, she told herself in desperation.
She didn't sleep not a bit each night, her nausea vicious and she wanted to be ready. Ready for the moment when Kenway came to pull her out of this.
To feel so helpless… it was disgusting. All she'd wanted was freedom, and she'd bought herself an anchor with her carelessness and love.
Woodes had not come to her prison, but sent a seamstress with a premade gown for her.
Liete had nearly torn the womans head off when she'd tried to measure her to make an alterations. The woman had run from the room leaving behind the gown and Liete had grabbed it meaning to throw it from the small window but the two guards from outside entered and the maid grabbed the dress from her hands standing between her and the guards.
"Out you, she's not decent."
The maid was a young dark skinned girl, no older than fifteen, but stood her ground to the two guards who apologized and retreated.
It was this, and only this that made Liete allow the girl to dress her in the gown. Liete did not know what kind of master Woodes was, if he were the kind of man to hold an innocent maid accountable for her actions.
It hurt, the corset of baleen pushed against her breasts and stomach and after nearly two years of freedom from such items, it made the large room feel smaller and smaller.
The maid laced her into a set of petticoats, and gown before attempting to pin her auburn hair back into curls. Liete had it then, and growled at the girl stepping out of her arms length.
Back to her corner she went as Liete's hands roamed her waist nails scratching at the gown and corset beneath shaking.
It had been only minutes before the guards reentered and motioned for her to come with them.
Gritting her teeth she'd left the maid and the room behind, and with one guard in front of her and one in the back, she'd been walked to a turret in the most north east facing out to the harbor and open water of Nassau with nearly floor length windows in the stone.
Even with the open windows, slight breeze breaking the summer heat, she practically panted from the short walk.
She'd been shown to the couch, facing another where Woodes Rogers lounged, one well-oiled and shined boot resting on his knee as he held a parchment report.
"A rather large gent, took nearly eight men to knock the beast out." Liete was conscience of each and every breath as she pinned Roger's with a look so vile, the man shivered beside himself.
"Did you kill him?" Her voice was quiet but her eyes were thunderous as she softly panted, the fury within her bubbling, with the lack of sleep and hearing of Drew had her head spinning.
Woodes raised an eyebrow, looking to her then with an amused grin on his face.
"Aren't you a violent one now? He's been put where he belongs, in the lock up below."
Liete surged forward then, ripping the report from his hand and landing a solid punch right to the man's scarred side of his face.
He hardly moved an inch, even his damned leg remained crossed on his knee.
Liete's mind blazed and she moved to punch him again, but this time he caught her arm and wrenched her forward nearly bringing her to her knees. She locked her body then and they stared at each other, Liete's eyes blazing as she brought up her left hand then.
Woodes blocked her next strike, grabbed her hand in a firm grip, and brought it to his face to kiss the back of her hand with a sickening smile.
Liete then brought her knee up to kick that smile right off his face, but before she could the turret door behind her smashed open as a captain and the two guards entered with ashen faces.
"What is the meaning of this intrusion?" Rogers voice was full of amusement, as if the reddening of his cheek came from a flush rather than the right hook she'd delivered him. He still never took his eyes off her, Liete's rage potent as ever.
"Sir, three ships have left off the left of the harbor, heading straight towards the blockade. We've gotten word of a fire ship. Sir – they mean to blow a hole in our defenses."
The change in the man was swift, and unlike what her punch had done which was simply amuse the man, this news infuriated him as his grip that had simply held her before now became painful.
Shoving her off, Rogers rushed towards the door barking at the men to follow him.
The moment all the men left the room, Liete flexed her now swelling right hand, and took off to the door pleading silently to whatever god above she'd find it clear.
No guard stood post, and Liete smirked as she took a deep breath, gathered her skirts in her arm and took off at as fast of a run as she could muster.
The fort was practically abandoned, as she rounded each corner, each stairwell down, the only glimpses of red coats she had were far up on the ramparts and outer walls focused on the ocean.
As she ran, her lungs burned, her chest constricted but she kept on.
She'd not waste this opportunity now, she had to get on and find Kenway, so even as she felt like she'd collapse with each new step she kept on.
She followed the stairs down till she could go no further, the walls damp and the smell of mold made the air heavy and sickening. Leaning against one of the dark walls, Liete threw up from exhaustion and nausea.
Not willing to waste another moment, She wiped her mouth against her arm and took off once more, her leather shoes causing a patter that echoed in the dark.
As she came upon a cellar door with thick black bars on its windows that although held no name plate was obvious to its use, Liete jerked the door open that thankfully was barred.
As she stumbled into the room, she faced three smaller cells of which the one on the furthest left held a hulking figure with dried blood matting the longer dark hair.
Rushing to the cell door, Liete's lungs burned as she struggled to breath, yanking at the bars that didn't budge as she shook them with all her might.
Drew looked up to her then, his left eye swollen completely shut, and smiled even through a split lip.
"Miss Liete.." His voice was hoarse, hardly able to speak, and it set Liete into a further panic as she wrenched her hands against the iron.
The ringing of the rattling bars was deafening as they remained still in place, and Liete let out a growl of desperation, gasping and frantic.
Drew's hands came up to cover her own, as he stood with some difficulty favoring his right side as he then used one hand to point towards the door where she'd came.
"On ta wall, hung on'a ring."
Sure enough, a small rung of rusted keys hung, and Liete could have kissed whatever guard decided in their lack of security to leave them behind.
Grabbing them, and opening the cell, Drew limped forward looking worse for wear. Not only did he sport the black eye, but a gash across his temple, and as he moved Liete was sure they had to be something broken in the man's leg or thigh.
She would have supported him but even as she moved to wrap her arm around Drew's waist he stopped her and instead pushed her behind him as he moved towards the door.
"I know tha way out, I watched da stones when dey drug me down hare."
Liete couldn't speak, as she tried to breathe as quietly as possible. Her vision was wavering, the panic, lack of oxygen and sheer exhaustion from two night's lack of sleep was catching up with her. Adrenaline was all that kept her upright now.
They'd make it, she told herself in her fuddling mind. She had to stay upright, she had to stay alive.
She could have run off, saved herself, thrown herself from the turret and hoped to land well in the water, but she couldn't leave Drew to die at the hands of Rogers.
No, she'd come from Cat's Island without a care for anyone but herself and her merriment… now all she wanted was to protect. If she were to have freedom, she'd need it now with those she loved.
Drew led them further into the darkness for several more minutes, the floor slick with algae and slowly her ears picked up on the sounds of the ocean well before a light struck them nearly blind in a tunnel fashioned at the end. As they both hesitated for a moment blind, a thunderous explosion came from outside.
Hobbling forward, Drew held his hand up to cover his eyes as they adjusted. It was well into dusk, but the stone tunnel had been so dark that any light felt brighter than the sun. He'd led them to a small side dock, one that most forts build in case of a siege to bring in much needed supplies by water.
True to its use, two small paddle boats remained in the water tied and simply waiting for occupancy.
Liete gasped, a hand to her stomach, as stars began to fill her vision.
"Drew.."
Just as she spoke, behind her a parade of thunderous boots came, and yells of anger.
Swinging around meaning to pick Liete up and rush on towards the boats Drew found Liete kneeling to the green stone, face greying and lips tinged in blue. He tried to bend over and cried out himself as his ribs seemed to stab into him.
Liete looked up to him then, tears falling from her eyes freely, as she croaked shoving his hand away that had reached for her.
"Go Drew, hide. Find Edward."
Drew shook his head as he began to cry as well and he tried to move forward again to help her even as his body screamed in agony but again she shoved him away, staggering to her feet.
"Go! Please Drew, I can't go further, our only hope is if you get help."
Drew had protected her from the moment he'd helped her off the Jackdaw that first time, watched over her as the other pirates enjoyed their bonfire, and it wasn't in him now to abandon her. He'd never abandon her. But, as he looked into her eyes, he saw for the first time, that she loved him and she was sorry for what she felt she had to do.
Turning, Liete gathered the last of her strength and staggered back into the tunnel even as Drew screamed after her.
As she disappeared back into the darkness, Drew sobbed as salt water mixed with snot and blood. His girl, stronger than anyone and anything. He had to do as she said, he had to get help, even if Kenway had given up, he wouldn't.
Using the sleeve of his ripped shirt, Drew wiped at his face and instead of taking a boat, jumped into the salt water. Even as it burned his wounds, quietly he tucked himself under the built out dock, using his right arm to slowly wade him towards the back of the fort into the darkening night where he could slip unnoticed in the dark waters.
As he held his breath for a moment to duck under the waves, he noticed on the horizon ships a flame, and just for a moment, Drew wondered how his world had come to such a sudden end.
Liete made it twenty feet or so back into the tunnel, the darkness seemingly surrounding her, creeping into her soul even as she wheezed when like a demon out of hell Woodes Rogers appeared cloaked in fire as behind him a battalion of guards followed with torches and swords drawn.
"Grab her and take her to her rooms. Lock the door and double the watch this evening." His words rung with deja-vu, as two men grabbed her arms and with what little trepidation she had she struggled against them even as they dragged her.
His words, the same words that had come from the Devil's mouth when he'd made port at Cat Island, unaware of Death nearby as he spoke, only minutes away from his own.
As her consciousness went in and out as they hauled her up like a sack of flour, it trickled into her maddened mind that it had to be a sign. A sign that Kenway was not far off, he'd come for her.
"The rest of you men, search the dock, the ramparts. Every inch of this fort! Find the damned giant, and get me the Commodore."
As Liete was hauled back within the fort, the guards gave no quarter as her ankles were smacked into stone, and her arms began to bruise from their grip as she thrashed, resisted even as she lacked breath.
Her eyes thrashed as well, desperate and mad, though the guards kept their eyes forward sweating from exertion.
Throwing open the door to her own prison, The guards practically threw her on the settee before retreating to just outside the door as Rogers pushed past them to enter.
His face remained a mask of wrath and as quick as a flash, he had hold of her legs and pulled her viciously and she landed hard as her head knocked on the tone bursting lights to her vision.
"You thought to join in the escape did you, you hedgewhore?"
His even jovial tone from before was gone as he hissed gutturally, dragging her further from where she'd landed on the floor as Liete flailed.
She tried to move any limb she could, in any direction, rock her body in any way that may dislodge Roger's from her legs but it was like moving through swamp mud.
Her vision streaked in black and bright lights, Liete could feel wet coming through her hair as she tried to make any sense of what was happening.
Fear, panic shot through her as she gasped reaching out with her hands to grab at his own even as the corset bit into her stomach and tops of her thighs enough to bleed. Her nails dug into his hands and the man yanked them off and planted a kick to her chest that sent her straight back to the stone as she lost consciousness for just a moment, her body unable to breath.
Don't you dare, you traitorous cow. Wake up, wake the fuck up, she screamed to herself, lungs collapsing in on her as she choked.
Liete had not accounted for the gunpowder the man was made up of.
The corset she wore allowed her no freedom of movement, leaving her even as she struggled to remain conscience and fight back akin to a turtle thrown over to its back from a rogue wave as she tried to pull herself up in any direction.
Wasting no time, Rogers jumped on top of her then and in her weakened state, was able to grab her arms and raise them above her head.
True terror trickled into her veins, as her clouded oxygen deprived brain registered two things as her chest collapsed on itself giving her one wheeze, before attempting to build back up.
To her side, near the door, the servant girl from before wide eyed in fear and pity, ran to disappear out of the door leaving her utterly alone even when she had already thought herself so.
The other she focused on, was the crazed look of punishment Rogers eyes now held his mouth set in a grim line, his scar seeming to now take over his entire face truly in the visage of a demon.
Liete thrashed then, with everything left in her, as she tried to release her hands he dug his nails into her skin piercing it as he held them immobilized with just one hand.
She was stronger than this, she'd grown from this now. This couldn't happen, it couldn't…
She bucked underneath him as he threw her layers of skirts back, baring her legs and crotchless pantalets to the worlds gaze. The fashion of the time that she had heatedly shared with Kenway now betrayed here as wave after wave of despair escaped from her.
As all her strength evaporated her chest now bruising, for the first time in her life, she wailed, screamed… begged.
She begged to the winds for Kenway to come save her in the nick of time like he always had, for Teach, Drew, for God himself to not let her go through this again.
She wailed with the pain of ages as Rogers undid his breeches with one hand.
Liete tried to shove her legs hut, lock her knees but he'd wedged his body between them and her not strong enough to twist him off.
All the women of Liete's time passed in her mind as her screams and begging brought no one to her aid.
Not a single soul.
She was alone on her island once more.
** Violence Ahead **
With the last of her sanity, she screamed with hot tears racing down her cheeks, as Woodes Rogers slammed into her.
Her body gave up then, limp as she turned her head her vision transfixed to the small window now dark in the night.
Let him rape a corpse, her last coherent thought came as her mind closed and went dark, for that is all I am now.
He wrapped a hand around her throat, growling in her ear, "You are under my protection, Miss Beckford."
Madness that had laid dormant, nearly dead without nourishment, burst to life, and as Rogers began to jerk and gurgle in release, Liete began to laugh.
** Violence End **
Small to start, the chuckles grew to a cackling hyena like laugh as Rogers scrambled to detach himself from her.
The smell of iron and man filled the air as Liete fell into true maniac laughter.
Rogers fled the room, his righteous duty done to his prisoner, her laughter chasing him as he ran from the room, both guards and the maid white faced in horror as they stood on either side of the door heads bowed.
Liete remained whooping and cackling until she'd heard a drawbridge in the distance, her laughter having pushed the man to flee his own fort.
The laughter stopping abruptly then, just as it had started.
It was another ten minutes before the maid came into the room to find Liete still sprawled on the floor, her gown and petticoats pooled at the bottom of her corset, her face streaked with sweat and tears.
The room still looked pristine even if the inhabitant was anything but.
Liete hadn't move an inch as she laid with her hands above her head palms up, even as the nail marks bled sluggishly from them.
She was back to where she had started. A little older, with nothing more than she'd started with.
Not quite true, the cool and mad voice that had gone away since she'd come to Nassau whispered.
Tears that had dried in her laughter, began a new as she stared once more to the window as thoughts of the ocean just below, the water that had taken everything from her with its promise of freedom.
She retreated further into her mind, settling into the caverns that protruded once more from the retreating waters of sanity. She couldn't breathe still, and now for more reasons than he flight and her gown.
The maid came upon her, and with eyes filled with pity knelt to assist her. Liete instead threw her hands forward, shoving the woman away from her.
In her movements her petticoats covered her nakedness once more but still she felt bare. Open for all to see.
Liete tried to move as quick as she'd used to, but her body wouldn't listen any further as she slumped once more to the stone pinning the frightened girl with a cold swirling gaze.
"I'll be needing a hot bath, hot as the water of hell and a tumbler of gin."
The girls eyes widened as she scurried off to do as she asked.
Liete laid there then, tears dried up and despair settling in her chest like an old friend as she disappeared into nothingness.