-Age 19-
Before......
It was a small formal dinner. The Captain had wanted to do something nice for the crew and had demanded they dress for the occasion. And dress they did,a dn Melodia was impressed. In all of her years she had not seen these grouchy, hard-working men and women ever dress in fine attire. And yet, that night they had dressed so wonderfully, she could barely contain her jubilance. She glanced around the deck while three of the crew members were playing some soft music on one side of the deck. She saw the Captain chatting with a few of the crew, always busy planning their next move.
She wore a fine dress she'd nabbed on one of her jobs and had been holding onto it for such an occasion, and her long hair had been done up neatly by one of the other ladies on the ship. In short, she looked like a beautiful young woman. Some of the crew members had stared a bit at her making her blush, but she was waiting for one and as she looked for him -
And there he was, coming up from below decks. Tomas. He was dressed in a fine suit that Taurin had acquired and he looked as handsome as ever, only moreso dressed that way. As he approached her with a grin, she blushed and smiled. "Well.....look at you....I don't think I've ever seen you dressed up....you look beautiful." His voice was nervous but he was still happily smiling at her. She laughed softly and nodded. "Aye...I've been holdin' onto this one....maybe fer ye." She winked and they both chuckled. Tomas looked about the deck and heard the music before flashing his eyes back at her. "Would you care to dance my lady?"
She went red in the face, overwhelmed by her feelings for him and nodded. "Aye, me love. I thought ye'd never ask." She rose and the two went to the open deck area and held each other close as they danced. Their relationship was no secret and they caught a few smirks and comments as they danced but they were left alone. In each other's arms. Together. "I love ye Tomas....ye know tha' right?" She said, her head against his chest as they danced slowly. "I love you too Mel. I always will."
"I always will....."
*************************************************************
-Age 19-
Now........
The loud clang against the bards woke her and even in her bonds she flinched awake. The ritual was now a regular exercise in sleep deprivation as he did that every time she began to doze. Her blured vision and blinking eyes showing darkness still and her cracked lips and raspy throat tried to utter something. Anything. Her beautiful memory shattered by the cruel voice of her jailer and torturer, Ramsay.
"Ye'll no' sleep on me watch, lass. Wake yer arse up! Cap'n's comin' t' see ye."
She froze as she heard the words. She had no idea how long she'd been down here getting force fed tiny meals and little water with an occasional beating for good measure. But in all that time she'd not seen the Captain. Not one time. And now she was coming. A tear stung her eye as she thought it was finally time. Time to be done with the pain and the captivity. Or perhaps she was coming with news that they had found Tomas, something she did not want to hear.
Instead she heard the hevay bootsteps of the Captain, her large frame moving through the ship as though she were a part of it. Melodia heard a small voiced "Aye dismissed f'r now, Ramsay." Her voice was calm. Ramsay replied, "Don' worry....she's no fight left in her, Cap'n." And then his fading footsteps
And then silence. Cold cruel silence. And she knew the Captain was staring at her.
"Two days." The Captain's words were flat, devoid of any hate or caring. They were just facts. "Ye've two days t' make yer peace with th' Twelve. Then we head to a special place jus' f'r ye. An' then I execute ye."
The words hit hard and yet she smiled softly to herself, as a tear rolled down her cheek.
At least this misery would soon be over.
Before......
It was a small formal dinner. The Captain had wanted to do something nice for the crew and had demanded they dress for the occasion. And dress they did,a dn Melodia was impressed. In all of her years she had not seen these grouchy, hard-working men and women ever dress in fine attire. And yet, that night they had dressed so wonderfully, she could barely contain her jubilance. She glanced around the deck while three of the crew members were playing some soft music on one side of the deck. She saw the Captain chatting with a few of the crew, always busy planning their next move.
She wore a fine dress she'd nabbed on one of her jobs and had been holding onto it for such an occasion, and her long hair had been done up neatly by one of the other ladies on the ship. In short, she looked like a beautiful young woman. Some of the crew members had stared a bit at her making her blush, but she was waiting for one and as she looked for him -
And there he was, coming up from below decks. Tomas. He was dressed in a fine suit that Taurin had acquired and he looked as handsome as ever, only moreso dressed that way. As he approached her with a grin, she blushed and smiled. "Well.....look at you....I don't think I've ever seen you dressed up....you look beautiful." His voice was nervous but he was still happily smiling at her. She laughed softly and nodded. "Aye...I've been holdin' onto this one....maybe fer ye." She winked and they both chuckled. Tomas looked about the deck and heard the music before flashing his eyes back at her. "Would you care to dance my lady?"
She went red in the face, overwhelmed by her feelings for him and nodded. "Aye, me love. I thought ye'd never ask." She rose and the two went to the open deck area and held each other close as they danced. Their relationship was no secret and they caught a few smirks and comments as they danced but they were left alone. In each other's arms. Together. "I love ye Tomas....ye know tha' right?" She said, her head against his chest as they danced slowly. "I love you too Mel. I always will."
"I always will....."
*************************************************************
-Age 19-
Now........
The loud clang against the bards woke her and even in her bonds she flinched awake. The ritual was now a regular exercise in sleep deprivation as he did that every time she began to doze. Her blured vision and blinking eyes showing darkness still and her cracked lips and raspy throat tried to utter something. Anything. Her beautiful memory shattered by the cruel voice of her jailer and torturer, Ramsay.
"Ye'll no' sleep on me watch, lass. Wake yer arse up! Cap'n's comin' t' see ye."
She froze as she heard the words. She had no idea how long she'd been down here getting force fed tiny meals and little water with an occasional beating for good measure. But in all that time she'd not seen the Captain. Not one time. And now she was coming. A tear stung her eye as she thought it was finally time. Time to be done with the pain and the captivity. Or perhaps she was coming with news that they had found Tomas, something she did not want to hear.
Instead she heard the hevay bootsteps of the Captain, her large frame moving through the ship as though she were a part of it. Melodia heard a small voiced "Aye dismissed f'r now, Ramsay." Her voice was calm. Ramsay replied, "Don' worry....she's no fight left in her, Cap'n." And then his fading footsteps
And then silence. Cold cruel silence. And she knew the Captain was staring at her.
"Two days." The Captain's words were flat, devoid of any hate or caring. They were just facts. "Ye've two days t' make yer peace with th' Twelve. Then we head to a special place jus' f'r ye. An' then I execute ye."
The words hit hard and yet she smiled softly to herself, as a tear rolled down her cheek.
At least this misery would soon be over.
