Gwen had barely gotten her shirt on when they came in. She hadn't fought with the men, just stood stock still. They took her without a struggle, though she had nearly screamed when they sliced Lani's arm. She didn't understand what the captains had said to each other. Something about honor, maybe? What did it matter, really? She walked slowly across the plank, stumbling into the brig when they shoved her. She stumbled once, twice, thrice, then hit the wall and slid down.<br/><br/>Her thoughts raced. What would happen to them? Would they be okay? Would they get back to the ship? What would become of Lani? What were they doing to her? Her thoughts became muddled and repetitive, and she worked herself up into a quiet panic, huddled into a ball as the seconds became minutes, which turned into hours.<br/><br/>Only two hours passed, though it felt like an eternity until Lani fell through the brig doors. Gwen let out a soft cry and went over to her, falling to her knees beside the beaten woman. "Oh, Lani," she said quietly, putting her fingers on a patch of uninjured skin. She bit her lip. There was so much blood...she needed help.<br/><br/>Steeling herself, Gwen rose to her (still bare) feet and went over to the doors. She banged hard on them. "HEY!"<br/><br/>A ship mate opened them. "What do<span style="font-style: italic">you</span>want?" he sneered.<br/><br/>Her jaw tightened. "I want a bucket of water, a cloth, a needle, and thread," she said, raising her chin. "As a member of Captain Laylani's crew, it is my duty to make sure she'll survive."<br/><br/>The man laughed. "Right. Get back in there," he said, pointing.<br/><br/>"Not until you give me what I want," she demanded.<br/><br/>"You'll have to take that up with Captain Laoch," he said, sounding board.<br/><br/>"What's that?" the man said, coming over. He looked Gwen up and down. "What do you want, wench?"<br/><br/>She looked at him firmly. "I want a bucket of water, a cloth, a needle, and thread," she repeated. "I want to tend to my captain."<br/><br/>He burst out laughing. "You must be out of your head, lass," he laughed at her. "I just beat that sea-witch senseless for a reason; I'm not about to let you fix her up."<br/><br/>"I will," she said. "It's my duty. I don't care what I have to do to earn it. I want to help her."<br/><br/>"Not a ch---" He was cut off by a crewman coming over. "Hold on a minute, captain," the man said, scrutinizing Gwen. "I know her. This is the woman I told you about---she knows where the treasure of legend is!"<br/><br/>Laoch's eyes sparked. "Do ye now?" he said, voice a bass purr. He grabbed Gwen's chin and lifted it, looking into her eyes. "I see someone's already tried force with you. What did you tell them, eh?"<br/><br/>She wrenched her head away. "I'll tell you what I know if you let me patch up my captain."<br/><br/>He smirked. "Fine. I don't see the harm in that." He got the location of the treasure, and a guarantee that Laylani would survive for another punishment. No downside. "But I want more than that." He looked her over. "After all, the sea can be a lonely place for a man..."<br/><br/>She trembled. "No."<br/><br/>A smirk. "It's either me, or the crew, pretty lass. I give you what you need, you give me what I need. That's called trade, that is." His hand traced her jawline. She shook, and almost lost her resolve, but finally nodded. "Fine. Fine. Give me what I need."<br/><br/>He smirked and stepped away. "Give her what she wanted." He gave her a cold look. "You had better come to me when you're finished, or you<span style="font-style: italic">will</span>regret it."<br/><br/>She nodded, and took the items she had requested as the crew gave it to her. She went back in the brig and closed the doors, then knelt next to Lani. "I'm going to clean you up," she said quietly. "And I'm going to stitch up your shoulder." She wet the cloth and began cleaning the blood off her back. She worked, steadfastly keeping her mind off her end of the bargain she had just made.