This chapter may be disturbing to some readers please check the Trigger warnings.

TW// Sexual assault, Child abuse/pedophilia, abuse, violence

Tears kept gathering and he couldn’t keep them in anymore. He reached the ship and without a second thought he climbed up the main mast up on the Crow’s nest. Elias hugged his knees to his chest and buried his head between them, hoping he would suffocate the sound of his sobs.

He couldn't seem to stop his body from shaking, the shivers spreading down his back, making him tremble even more. Elias shut his eyes, pressing his hands to his ears as if it could help him unsee and unhear the whole thing.

Elias wanted to crawl out of his skin.

“Elias?” Startled, he looked up. Nick just opened the trapdoor to the Crow’s nest. “I saw you runnin-... What happened?”

Elias was just looking at him, hands shaking, face full of hurt wet with tears. New fat droplets of tears started falling down his cheeks.

“Elias?” Nick climbed up and closed the trapdoor behind. He reached towards Elias, but he jerked away. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Elias shook his head rapidly. He wanted to tell Nick what he saw. Oh, he wanted to tell him so badly, but he couldn’t. Elias didn’t want to relive it. He didn’t even know how he could explain it to Nick. He just wanted to forget it, not wanting to see it in the first place. He just wanted to get away from this town and off this ship.

He just wanted to go home.

“Do you want to be alone?” Elias looked up, his lips quivering while trying to produce an answer.

No, please. Just don’t leave me alone.

“I can go-”

“No!” Elias lowered his voice, hiding himself behind his knees. “P-please stay.” He whispered.

Nick nodded and leaned against the mast. Elias did the same while trying to calm down his breathing and stop the tears from burrowing their way out. However, they came back out every time he thought about what he saw. He had to distract himself.

“H-how…” He breathed in through the sob. “How did Sabur get his scars?”

Nick looked at him and then back towards the horizon. Elias thought he wouldn’t answer when he finally spoke.

“I wasn’t yet in the crew when it happened.” He paused for a moment and then continued. “Sabur was once a captain of a merchant ship. He was known all over the seas as the greatest Captain of his time. One day he met a woman. They say she was the most beautiful woman - skin dark as the night, eyes bright as the sun. He took her on his ship as she promised him fortune and endless love. In return he would save and bring her antes.”

“What are antes?”

“Some say it means lost boys, but the tongue of the woman is nearly indecipherable. After all, she was a witch, and their language is known only to them.”

A witch? Elias remembered the one he stumbled upon in the streets. She did speak his language differently as if she didn’t know its words fully.

“What happened then?” Asked Elias.

“The woman fooled Sabur, like the witch she was. She would demand more and more from him and when Sabur didn’t give in… She killed his whole crew and let her fury out on Sabur. The woman thought she killed him, but he survived. He then made The Rose Sparrow and became what he is today. Some even believed the witch had cursed him.”

He traced the lines of the tattoo on his skin. Elias looked at it and then up at his face. “How did you become part of the crew?”

Nick sighed. “That's too long of a story.”

Elias took this as a I am not ready to relive the past just yet. He could understand that. Elias didn’t question any further.

Nick only left when it was already way past midnight. Before he went down, he asked if Elias would be okay. He reassured him, he would be fine with a bitter sorrowful smile and that he would spend his night up in the Crow’s nest. He surprisingly did manage to sleep and was beyond grateful that his slumber was dreamless.

When morning came he descended to the deck. As he jumped down the last step of the ladder he looked upon Bradfordshire with disdain. In that moment something caught his eyes. There was a woman, dressed in full green, looking up at the ship. Her eyes met with Elias’.

He thought he only imagined it. Her red lips spread in a smile as she licked them like a serpent as Elias turned to go below deck.

Later that day, he strolled around the deck, mask on. He was just about to pass Sabur’s Cabin, when he heard a woman’s voice coming from inside. He crouched down by the window to listen.

“Who is he?” Her voice was raspy and sharp.

“Who?” Asked Sabur. He sounded unfazed and bored.

“He’s not your son, is he?”

He paused. “I have no son.”

“I’m just playing with you, marily.” She paused as if her mouth was suddenly occupied. “He would look wonderful in my house. His eyes are just magnificent.”

Sabur’s voice went cold. “He is not yours.”

“Well, he’s not yours either. Has he signed your contract yet?” Sabur didn’t say anything. “Thought so. You know Sabur, I am quite disappointed. Four years, nothing from you and then suddenly you show up in my town.”

“Bradfordshire is not yours.” Cut Sabur.

“Yet, marily. Yet.”

“Your business is doing just fine without my help.”

She laughed - it was a nasty, taunting laugh Elias heavily disliked. “No need for flattering.” She stood up. “You should visit sometime. Anyhow, I need to get back to my business. Ta-ta marily!”

She slammed the doors behind her. When Elias went around the corner to see who the woman was, she was already walking down the plank. It was the same one Elias saw that morning.

What does she want?

As if she could hear him, she suddenly turned around, eyes instantly glued on him. She grinned, her grin vicious. Elias quickly retreated into the shadow and ran.

Elias had never seen a smile so evil. He repeated the conversation he overheard in his head, but he couldn’t make any sense of it. He concluded that woman meant no good, so he would stay out of her way.

He was just about to disappear below deck when a deep voice shouted behind him.

“Elias!” Sabur’s voice was full of anger. “My cabin. Now.”

Elias turned, his body stiff. He slowly followed Sabur into the cabin. Sabur closed the door behind him.

And then the first punch hit him.

Elias expected it, but he didn't know it would be so sudden. It knocked him to the ground, his mask stumbling beside him. He didn’t even have a chance to take a breath when Sabur slammed his boot into his stomach. Elias only glanced at the metal rod, Sabur picked from the desk.

He knew what was to come.

Several hits came to his ribs and sides. They were plentiful and hard but they wouldn’t break his bones. Elias closed his eyes shut and embraced the punches.

When Sabur finished, he kicked the mask towards him.

“I think you know what you did wrong.”

Elias struggled hard to not let the gasps and sobs escape him.

He knew. He was well aware of what he had done wrong.

“Go.” muttered Sabur.