They had all sails open and Killian eyed the winds, frowning as Rufus looked out over the ocean. If the current weren't pulling, he would have gone down to talk to Clara, who was growing weary from standing over the past day. Ron or Rufus went to adjust the ropes securing her to the mast every so often and he could see they were making it harder and harder for her to breath and he imagined, soon enough, she'd pass out. He'd seen it happen before, corset tied just a bit too tight for the woman trying to impress royalty.

"Clara," he called, "Alright down there?"

She raised her head wearily and he frowned, seeing the beginnings of a sunburn to her right temple and cheek as she nodded slowly, taking a set of short breaths.

Readying himself for the inevitable answer, he asked anyways, "Could someone loosen her ropes?"

"And let her escape?" Ron barked.

"What's she going to do?" Killian argued.

Ron gestured at Rufus and laughed, "Put up a pretty good fight last time she was cut loose – don't think Rufus wants to give her a shot at a sec…"

Raising a hand, Rufus asked quickly, "Are we getting close, Captain?"

Clara's head dropped back against the mast and she squirmed slightly and Killian tightened his grip on the pegs on the wheel, calling, "Aye, but the winds are strong and the tide is low."

"Then how're we to enter?" Rufus asked.

He rubbed his brow, then laid his palm out open to reply, "We could wait either of them out."

"We could anchor; take the long boat – less chance of damage," Reggie suggested.

Killian shook his head, "Taking the long boat we'd fit, at best, four – not all of us, nor would there be room to return with treasure."

Rufus seemed to consider it, coming to stand beside Clara with a smile and Killian shifted, but a gust tugged the boat to port and he had to adjust. "What do you think, lass? Like to take a trip with the boys?"

"Rather stay with the man," she hissed sharply. Killian managed a smile.

Rufus inched closer to her and he breathed roughly into her face before shifting and telling Killian, "You anchor at the edge of the dunes; you and I will head to the island with Ron; Reggie – you'll stand guard over the wench."

"Call her wench one more time," Killian started.

Rufus laughed, "You'll what?" He looked between them. "The pair of you, more words between you than anything else – suppose you think a quip'll sting like the blade of a sword."

He imagined reaching forward and tearing the man's tongue out with two fingers. Killian imagined him gagging on his own blood, sprawled across the deck, hands to his mouth. And he imagined picking him up and tossing him to the sharks to deal with. That's what he'd do… if he knew she were safe.

With a blank smile, Killian turned the wheel and sailed the Jolly Roger towards the sand dunes, calling out for Reggie to drop the sails to slow their approach. He had to take his eye off Clara to steer the boat safetly and soon he watched the larger man dropping the anchor with a point to him to signal they were safetly stopped. He rushed down the steps and took Clara's face in his hands a moment, frowning at the small breaths she was taking and the dotting of sweat at her brow.

"I'm really doing ok, just like hitting the beach on the weekend with the girls," she told him weakly.

"You need water, and air," he added on a huff, bringing his canteen to her lips to offer a long drink. "Once we're off the ship, can she please be untied – or at least tied elsewhere; somewhere shaded…"

Reggie began to nod, but Rufus planted a hand at his chest, "Don't worry so much about her Killian; she'll be back in your care to do with as you'd like just as soon as we're back home with the gold."

"If there's gold to find," he muttered, lifting the canteen again, encouraging Clara to drink.

She was nodding when he pulled away, licking parched lips and telling him quietly, "He's right; don't worry about me – I'll be fine, you worry about yourself and those two. Don't trust the looks they give each other."

He shook his head, and then hung it in shame, telling her on a whisper, "I should never have taken you aboard. Showing off," he laughed to himself, "Never got me anywhere."

Clara smiled and ducked her head slightly, meeting his eyes as he glanced up to tell him, "Just come back alive, alright?"

"Come on!" Rufus shouted, grabbing Reggie and pulling him aside to whisper instructions in his ear. Killian watched the largest of the men give a short nod and then turn to walk past him to Clara, but Killian caught him by the elbow, shifting as the man bent into his face and stared in frustration.

"She needs water," he explained, "And breathing room. The sun can do terrible things to men well accustomed to it, but she's a woman unfamiliar with the sea…" Raising an eyebrow, he told him solemnly, "She could very well die in these conditions."

It might have been an exaggeration, but, Killian knew, it could also very well be the truth. He could see the exhaustion in her eyes; could hear it in her voice over time. He worried less about the quiet giant of a man who slipped out of his grasp with barely a huff of acknowledgement than he would have if she'd been left with Rufus or Ron, but he still worried. Moving towards Rufus, Killian watched the smirk on the other man's face. Was tempted to punch it straight off, but he knew that would result in Clara's death.

"To the longboat then," he uttered.

Clara watched them lower the boat and then climb into it, rowing away until they were a speck amongst the lighter patches of water and she eyed the tall man at her right, watching. She swallowed roughly, and then tried to clear her throat, but ended up coughing in a fit and when she finally recovered, he was standing in front of her, a sword held tightly in his hands.

"Hi," Clara said quickly, voice squeaking, "Hello. Reggie, right?" She smiled, watching his hand grip the handle of the sword with wide eyes. "Reggie, I'm terribly thirsty and…" the words left on a breath and she tried to inhale, grimacing when the ropes pressed painfully into her midsection. "I promise I won't run if you untie me a moment; won't tell your brothers either. I just…" her head hung slightly as she tried again to take a long breath. "Reggie, please," she began, lifting her head and finding him standing with the sword raised.

Reggie shook his head and told her plainly, "Rufus told me to kill you when they were out of sight."

And he swung the sword down.