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“Shush. We've got to hurry up.”
Someone started playing a violin on the deck. The tune was bouncy and the sort intended to make people want to dance. Captain Kalani left the two women who unpacked loads of little pots and jars from the wooden case. One started rubbing some sort of cream onto one side of his face. The other loaded up a brush with darker powder, and she dabbed it on.
Both seemed to know exactly what they were doing as they brushed on various powders. They started working on his chest, and he saw it looked like bruises as though he’d been horribly beaten. They even added on red liquid that looked like smeared blood. They worked on his legs too and added more bruises along with what looked like a trail of blood down his inner thighs.
Just like the blood that he’d been covered in after the men in the Hall finished with him.
“Do not cry and ruin what I just did!” Her voice came from far away.
“Something’s not right with him.”
“We don’t have time for this.”
“I said she should have explained what-”
“It’s not his fucking business, and he needs to be fucking scared.”
The Hall was too bright, and the men were too loud. Something cracked on the side of his face that didn’t have too many marks, and he realized the nastier one had slapped him.
“Don’t you dare cry.”
“Fuck off,” said the second. “The poor guy’s obviously been through shit.”
“Oh, like Nany didn’t go through shit!”
“It’s not his fault.” The second took Aspen’s shoulder as he struggled to breathe. “Hey. Look at me.”
He wanted off of the ship. He wanted Oriel and Roth to get him away and take him somewhere with no other people. Or death if he couldn’t have them.
The first stalked off in a huff while the second tapped his cheek. “It’s not real blood, okay? It’s just rouge and salfin sap. It looks pretty real, but it’s not, I promise. We need you tolooklike you’ve been violated.”
“WHY?!” he burst out.
“Because we’re not going to actually rape you with a fake phallus or beat you up, stupid. We’re not monsters.”
Not monsters? They’d kept him locked in a room, threatened him, and would probably kill him once he’d served his purpose, but they weren’t monsters. Of course not.
The woman added more fake blood. “If you don’t do as you’re told, we will hurt you, so remember that. We all only get one chance.”
The music continued, and a horn sounded from farther away. Captain Kalani was shouting commands over the sound of the violin. Aspen was sure he caught the faint sound of a flute, and bells joined it as some of the women started singing. The ship sounded like a damn fair out there. He numbly watched the case as it was loaded up and snapped shut.
“Put the shirt on," she said.
“Just kill me before they do whatever.”
“If I have to ask again, I’ll cut off your fucking left testicle. Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.”
Aspen took one look at her shiny dagger before he reached for the tattered shirt. He managed to get it on even though his hands shook. These women were insane, and they’d probably cut off his nuts anyway. Maybe the Captain would wear them as a necklace.
“Hands behind your back.”
She tied them with rope, shoved a cloth into his mouth, and tied another strip around his head to keep it in. His heart pounded as she kept the dagger out and shouts reached him from outside. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Whatever they wanted was coming closer and closer.
“Hooks!”
Male voices that sounded much farther away reached him, and he realized these women, who were probably also pirates of some sort, must have wanted him as an exchange. He’d be handed over to men, and once they realized he wasn’t who they wanted, they’d probably use him for sport anyway because why not?
He started to cry and tried to plead through the gag as the sound of wood grating vibrated the ship. They were boarding someone or a ship was about to board them. The woman undid the chain and dragged him to knees.
