Rory stared at the scourge in his hand. Although the cat was undoubtedly cleaned the last time it was used, the knots in the nine tails were still dark colored. Blood. 

Rory still needed some time to understand the new situation. A moment ago he had been convinced that they were about to punish him and now, Rogier had appointed him torturer. Feeling insecure, he looked up to the blond captain. The look in his eyes was ice cold.

"What?" Rogier asked, raising his chin. "Show some balls, kid. He made you look like a fool, and called you a coward. He couldn't wait to whip your back."

Rory glanced at the man. Two others had tied him to the mast. The skin on his back was scarred  — had Rogier whipped him before? For what reason? Rory's mouth became dry. Yes, he was angry with Markus. But he didn't wish to see him bleed. Maybe it was because he didn't understand. Why did Markus send him to the hold, pretending it was Rogier's will? Sure, he knew they couldn't get along but this... this had gone too far. He simply didn't get it.

For a moment he felt the light pressure of a hand on the small of his back as Rogier leaned into him. 

"You want to be a captain, right?" His cheeks heated up as he shivered because of Rogier's warm breath caressing his auricle. The raw edge of his voice made his knees feel weak. "You gotta learn how to punish too. Just be happy he isn't your best friend." His voice sounded bitter.

Rory straightened his shoulders, glanced at those breathtaking blue eyes, and nodded. Rogier was right. This was no retaliation, he just carried out a task the captain had given him. With this, he proved to everyone that he was their equal and Markus wouldn't be able to mess with him again. 

His grasp tightened around the grip of the scourge. He took a few steps forward until he had created enough distance between Rogier and himself to trust his legs again. Around him, a deep silence fell. He couldn't see Markus' face. Did he regret what he'd done? Or would this only worsen his hatred? But Rogier told him to do this. Markus couldn't blame him for the pain he was about to endure, right? The only thing Rory had done, was telling him the truth. 

His glance wandered across the slightly tanned skin of the man. Rory had been 11 when he killed his first man and in the six years that followed, the bodies had piled up. Yet, it was different this time. Markus might not die because of this, but tearing the flesh off someone's back without a chance to defend himself... it was something he had never done before and it felt wrong. 

Don't show your doubt, Rory. He lied to you, he betrayed you and you're the one teaching him a lesson. It will be ten lashes, he will survive. 

Determined, his fingers clenched around the scourge. That asshole had wanted to humiliate him, he'd tried to convince everyone on this ship that Rory was a coward. If Markus had a problem with him, he should have challenged him publicly instead of going behind his back in such a sneaky way! 

Rory pulled back his arm and lashed out. The nine ropes hit Markus' back, leaving behind large red welts. Would it feel like he was receiving ninety lashes? There was a pit in his stomach at the thought that Markus would wear the scars of this moment on his back for the rest of his life — and that pit only grew as he realized that the man had wanted him to be tied up to that mast without having a reason for it. That thought made the next swipe much harder; some of the knots ripped off his skin and blood welled up. 

Make him feel it, Rory. Learn him a lesson — from now on, he will leave you alone! 

Again and again, the whip hit Markus' back. Rory didn't look aside to Rogier, nor to the other men. With a determined face he carried out his task and he didn't hold back when Markus screamed his lungs out and his body started to jolt. 

It's his own fault, Rory told himself repeatedly. It's his own fucking fault. 

Blood splattered around, tainting the floor. Rory stared at the battlefield on Markus' back; there were bleeding cuts everywhere. One more time. One more time and it was over. Once more, the scourge landed upon the mutilated back. Markus' knees collapsed, although his tied arms prevented him from falling. 

Rory breathed heavily. With a straight face, he turned towards Rogier and handed him the scourge. For a moment it felt like the flogging had created a hard shell around him — as if had become a different person. 

Until Rogier's fingers slightly brushed his as he took the instrument; then, little sparks danced across his arm, making him forget about all the blood. A little insecure he searched for Rogier's eyes, afraid that there was something to complain about the way he had carried out the punishment. 

Rogier however said nothing to him and he focused on the others. "Cut him loose."

Then, he walked away. 

A little confused, Rory stayed behind. He couldn't help but feel disappointed. He hadn't been fishing for compliments, but he was quite dismayed because of everything that had happened today and he didn't know what to think anymore. 

Someone wrapped an arm around his shoulder. Somewhat worried eyes took him in as he turned his head aside. 

"Are you okay?" Lee asked. 

Was he? He didn't really know. One moment he had felt like the most worthless person aboard, and the next he had been torturing someone at his captain's request.

When he didn't answer immediately, Lee pulled him towards the bowsprit. The water splashed on the deck, something they were both used to. Secretly, Rory felt relieved that he was out of everyone's sight now. Markus might have been punished for his lies, but Rory felt ashamed for believing them in the first place. As if he was so special. What was Rogier thinking now? In a way, Rory had stated that he was his captain's favorite — he had created the impression that Rogier looked differently at him than at the rest of the crew. And that was obviously bullshit. Sighing, he leaned his arms on the railing. What were the others thinking now? 

Lee came to stand next to him. He also rested his arms on the railing, their elbows slightly touching. "What happened? Why were you in the hold?"

Although Lee was his best friend on this ship, his cheeks still burnt in shame. Even Rory himself couldn't believe that he had believed in Markus' lies. "Markus told me Rogier didn't want me to fight. He wanted me to wait in the hold. I objected and said it was bullshit, but Markus told me it was the captain's orders and that I couldn't ignore them and that Rogier didn't want to worry about me." His voice was only a whisper now and he barely dared to look at his friend. "I feel so embarrassed," he muttered. "That I believed that I meant so much to him. But I couldn't think of a reason why Markus would lie about it. Who does such a thing? Making up captain's orders?"

"Someone whose back is in shreds now."

Lee's voice sounded harsh. As a doctor, he was always concerned about someone else's health, but he didn't seem to care about Markus' fate. 

"I have no idea why he hates me so much," Rory muttered. "He even puts his life on the line to make the others believe that I'm a coward. And Rogier... What the hell will he think of me now?" He let out a frustrated groan. "In his eyes, I'm just a cabin boy. And I said something so fucking stupid to him." He rubbed his face.

"You?" Lee chuckled. "Usually you leave saying stupid things to me."

"But this was really stupid," he murmured. "I told him I could be his lover." His cheeks heated up. He remembered very well how Rogier's rough thumb brushed his lips. 

"Well well," Lee laughed. "And how did our captain respond?"

"Markus interrupted us." He bit his cheek. Was that the reason he wanted to humiliate him? He remembered the look in Markus' eyes when he saw them. "Maybe Markus is jealous. Not that there's anything to be jealous of. Rogier... thinks I'm just a simple sailor."

Again, he felt that caress across his face. "Your eyes are too beautiful to close." The memory of his voice chased a chill down his spine. 

"A simple sailor?" Lee nudged his ribs. "Don't be stupid! I was in the middle of a fight — trying to fight off ten guys — and he shoved these guys aside as he walked over to me and said 'Yo — where's your friend' and I was like 'I dunno man, I'm a lil busy. But he never misses a fight, guess he's on his way to whatever treasures are down there and I swear; he climbed the railing, kicked away some heavily armed guys, and looked around to find you. So — you tell me Markus is jealous? Hell, he has a good reason, matey. Our cap has a fat crush on you." Lee gave him a wink. 

Rory felt flaming hot. "Don't be stupid, man," he said, shoving his friend. Yet, something fluttered in his stomach. Was it really possible? He thought back to his cold glance. 

No — Lee was wrong. 

He was his apprentice, Rogier felt responsible for him. This had nothing to do with passionate feelings and he shouldn't pay attention to Lee's words. Over the past years, Lee had tried to set him up with so many guys that he had even tried to set him up with a seagull on a drunken night. 

No — Rogier didn't have those feelings for him. 

And the sooner he convinced Markus that he wasn't into the captain either, the sooner that prick would leave him alone. His jealousy was completely misplaced and this imaginary rivalry needed to stop. Before that slacker really got him killed.