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| Details |
| Author: | Disknight |
| Summary: | Terrineth makes her escape from the Deadmines |
| Rating: | A for Adults Only 18+ |
Chain: Written in Red
Rose scrambled through her footlocker. She tore through it, throwing anything that didn’t look useful to the side and stuffing the rest into her backpack.
Pants? In.
Book? Out.
Socks? In.
Bag of jacks? Out.
Knife? In.
Skirt? Out.
Her room looked like a tornado had gone through it. In a way it had, through all of the Deadmines, in fact. Rose shuffled onto her feet and grabbed the cutlass she had stolen from the armory off of her bed. She stuffed it into her belt and scurried over to the door. She put her ear on it. She could hear the sound of several sets of footsteps rushing past. Her heart thundered in her chest. She finally opened the door and peeked out. The pirates who had just passed were headed towards the mines.
She sighed in relief. She took a couple steps out and checked both sides of the hallway. All clear. She took off. She ran towards the storage hold nearby, being careful not to step too hard on the deck of the ship or to breathe too loudly.
BOOM!
Rose’s legs went stiff and she fell.
“You there! Check out that noise!” Mr. Smite’s voice echoed through the cave.
More footsteps came.
Rose didn’t have time to stand. She clawed herself the rest of the way to the hold and hid behind a stack of barrels. She sat there and panted until the footsteps were gone.
“They’re already here?” She whispered to herself. She had been planning on running away from the Mines and from the Brotherhood for weeks now. That’s why she had taken that sword. This new so-called ‘Cobalt Company’ sounded like it was giving the boss a lot of trouble, but she had never imagined it was this bad. But then again, she had other things she had to worry about…
She got back on her feet and kept running as fast as she could. Nearly there!
“We’re under attack! A vast, ye swabs! Repel the invaders!” Smite bellowed.
Ahead of schedule, and making excellent time to boot, “Shit…” Rose muttered.
More footsteps rumbled past.
Rose ducked under a cannon in desperation. It barely concealed her at all, but fortunately, in their desperation, none of the pirates seemed to notice. Rose was gasping for breath. Her heart was on fire, and her whole body felt like it was burning up. She slapped her cheeks and shook her head. No. She would push through this! She pulled herself up to her feet. She would make it out! She lifted her head out from under the barrel of the cannon. She put one foot in front of the other. This is the last time she would have to put up with-
Thump
Rose looked up. She didn’t think she saw anything in her way a second ago…
“Where do ya think yer goin?”
She looked up. Will was already grinning that crooked grin of his. He raised a Hazan eyebrow.
“My my my…”
Will crossed his arms and paced a circle around her, slowly.
Rose was frozen in place.
“That’s an awful lot of things ya got packed up with ya.” He stopped behind her and leaned to speak softly into her ear, “Plannin on goin somewhere, little lady?”
Rose felt like she was choking.
“I asked you a question, girl.” Will growled and pinched her bottom.
Rose flinched. She swatted the hand away and turned around, glaring.
Will’s eyes went wide, “Playin hard to get, huh? You ain’t cute, girl.” Will slapped her across the face.
Rose swallowed and took a deep breath. She straightened herself out and looked straight at Will, “I’m gettin the fuck outta here.” She spoke quietly but firmly.
Will put his hands on his hips and threw his head back, letting out a deep belly laugh, “That’s a funny one, Rose! It sounded like you said you were tryin to leave while we’re being fuckin attacked!” Will returned Rose’s glare now, “Now git back to what yer s’posed to be doin to save our asses! I ain’t have time to play your fuckin games no more. You gonna be twenty this year. Start fuckin acting like it!”
Rose clenched her jaw and stomped, “No! The Brotherhood is done, and I am sick and fuckin tired of puttin up with you! I’m gettin out of here whether you like it or not!”
Will’s nostrils flared, “Oh yeah? And do what exactly? Who out there is gonna want anything to do with some messy haired, foul mouthed, disrespectful, traitor cunt like you anyway? Huh? Tell me?”
Rose’s blood burned. She felt like her whole body was vibrating. She reached a hand down to her cutlass and drew it.
“Hmph,” Will scoffed, “Like I thought. Girl likes to act all cute and get everyone wrapped round her finger so they can’t see all the blood on her hands. Well I ain’t fooled!”
Rose pointed her sword at Will with a shaky hand, “Shut your fuckin mouth…”
Will’s eyes flashed, “You don’t call the shots round here, Rose. I do. And d’you really think I don’t know how you ended up here? All cryin and covered in blood?”
Rose’s tan face turned white as a sheet. She nearly dropped her sword in the moment, but managed to tighten her grip just in time. She felt like her knees were going to give out under her at any moment.
“You try and act all sweet and innocent like you better than us, but I know the truth.” He raised the corner of his mouth in a twisted grin, “Yer a killer just like the rest of us! Seein you in the Crossbones that first time was all the proof I needed.”
Rose’s head was swimming, “Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up!” She clamped her eyes shut and slashed at the air with her sword.
“You should be fuckin thankin me for letting a crazy bitch like you hang round here!” Will grabbed her sword arm by the wrist and yanked, “Now git back over here and put that fuckin thing away fore you hurt someone!” Will barked.
Rose tugged back and sunk her teeth into Will’s hand.
Will yelped and slammed a fist into Rose’s face as he let go of her.
Rose toppled onto the ground, still clutching her sword tightly.
Will growled and rubbed his hand where he’d been bitten. It was bleeding, “So that’s how it’s gonna be?” He took a step towards her, “I was tryin to play nice with you, Rose. Tryin to offer you somethin you weren’t NEVER gonna get if it weren’t for me!” He pulled a club out from his belt, “But you’re just such a stupid fuckin bitch, you can’t tell a generous offer when ya see one!” Will stormed over and slammed his boot down on the blade of the cutlass, pinning it to the deck. He grabbed her wrist again with his free hand and kicked one of her legs to the side to squat in between them, “So you gonna come with me and behave, or do I need to fuck some sense into you first?” He wasn’t looking at her eyes anymore…
Rose’s lips twitched and she threw her head forward, smashing the crown of her head into Will’s nose.
Will snarled and stumbled back. A few drips of blood fell from his face now too.
Rose didn’t say a word. Her face warped into a wicked grin as she watched him. She let out a soft chuckle.
“You think this is fuckin funny?” Will spat, “Fuckin crazier than I thought.” He hefted the club in his hand, “Well if this is how yer gonna be I’m done playin nice.” Will advanced towards her again and raised the club.
Rose hopped to her feet and brought her sword up to meet it. Her knees wobbled.
Will was not discouraged and continued to swing time and time again at Rose.
Rose kept moving her arm to defend but was being pushed back. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why was he smiling? Why did he always look at her like he was a wolf stalking a lone rabbit? Of course she knew the answers to these questions, but she did not want to dwell on them. She closed her eyes to try and make the thoughts stop. It didn’t work. It was like his eyes were burned into her retinas. She could feel him looking. She could feel him touching… She wanted it all to stop.
Rose yelled when the club smacked into her arm.
“What’s wrong, Rose? Finally come to your fuckin senses?” He thrashed her on the other arm too, “Too fuckin bad! I ain’t stoppin till I say you’ve had enough!”
Rose grunted and put up her hands to cover her head.
Will kept on battering her, “You’ve been given me nothing but trouble for years! You really think I’m gonna let up with nothin but a slap on the wrist after all the shit you’ve put me through? All the trouble you’ve caused?” Will kicked her in the stomach.
Rose gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. She dropped the sword and toppled onto her side. Her arms stung like hell as they hit the deck.
“And now ya think you can just up and leave the people that fuckin raised you? Fed you? Tried to give you a home and a life?” Will bent over and ran his fingers across Rose’s scalp, grabbing a big handful of hair. He pulled her upright and stuck his face right in front of hers. His eyes were wild, truly those of an animal now. He waited for Rose to respond.
Rose’s teeth chattered. It took everything in her not to shut her eyes again and pray that this was all just a nightmare, “F-fuck you…” she said weakly.
Will snorted, “And let’s not forget that too. You think ya can just say whatever you want, dontcha?” He reached a hand to his belt behind his back, “And they all let ya too. Everyone else. All they see is some poor little girl. What harm can she do? Well me? I’ve had about enough of your bullshit…” He brought his hand back in front of him. It was holding a knife.
Rose’s eyes went wide. She flailed around frantically. She kicked at Will’s shins and dug her fingernails into the hand that held her up by the hair.
Will growled and clenched his jaw as she did, but he didn’t let go. It wasn’t enough. He placed the knife on the left side of Rose’s face and dragged the blade all the way across. Rose could feel her nails peeling away Will’s skin as she clenched her teeth, trying her best not to scream from the pain. The taste of blood started to pour onto her lips.
“You ain’t hidin behind that pretty face no more, bitch!” Will hissed, “Ain’t no one gonna want you after I’m done, ya hear? You’re fuckin mine!” Will turned his hand to tangle Rose’s hair around his fingers and shook her, “Better get some damn respect in that mouth fore I give it something to suck on…” He dragged her over and slammed her head back against the hull of the ship.
Rose’s head felt strangely clear. This was it. There was no more running. There was no more hoping that his words didn’t really mean what she thought they did. This was the end. And it didn’t matter if someone came along and saw them, because Will was here now. It was already too late.
Will dropped the knife, fumbled, one handed, with his belt and snickered.
Tears fell from Rose’s eyes. They stung as they flowed into the gash on her face. She remembered Jasper and the way he always stood in between Will and her until he always inevitably made him leave. She remembered the way Barnabas always smiled and lowered his voice whenever she walked into a room. She remembered Silas and the way he’d trip over his words whenever she did something nice for him. She remembered Neth. The twin swords always on her belt. Her raven hair. Her fearless, bright blue eyes. Her red lips…
Rose’s vision started to blur. She could feel herself fading, but she managed to keep awake. The world looked like it was in a crimson haze. Will thrust his hips towards her face. She glanced down and saw a knife on the floor next to her. She picked it up. Will let go of her hair and squeezed Rose’s cheeks to try and open her mouth. Rose lifted the knife and stabbed him in the groin.
Will reeled back and doubled over. Rose got up on her feet. She looked down at her hands. Her arms were splashed black and blue all over, but they didn’t seem to hurt. She balled her fists and moved forward. She swung a hand and struck Will across the face. Next she swung into his gut. Then his arm. Again. Again. Again.
When the red haze finally cleared she could see Will on his knees in front of her. His face was beaten to a pulp and his pants were stained red. Blood dripped into a small pool underneath him. Rose set her feet shoulder width apart and clenched her jaw. Her knees weren’t shaking anymore.
“Fuckin… crazy… slut…” Will sputtered through busted lips.
Rose’s face started to sting and burn again and her arms ached and throbbed. She noticed her sword on the ground out of the corner of her eye. She clicked her tongue and bent down to pick it up.
Will huffed and coughed. A couple of teeth clattered onto the deck.
Rose grabbed a handful of Will’s smooth black hair and held him upright, “Better get some damn respect in that mouth…” She set the tip of her blade between his lips, “Fore I give it something to suck on…” She drove the blade all the way to the hilt.
Will crumpled limp onto the deck when she let go of his head. Her face stung so bad she could barely think. It took her feet a minute before they remembered that they needed to keep running. And run they did. She flew as fast as she could out through the back entrance of the Deadmines, clutching her nose in one hand while she did.
She tried to find something on her that she could use to staunch the bleeding. She slipped off the bandana she had tied around her right arm, but when she saw the red cloth, she tossed it on the ground and kept running…