Warmth in Coldness

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

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

Elias slept in till midday. The throbbing of the wound seized, but his head still felt like a cannonball when he moved. He contemplated staying on the ship that day, but his mind kept returning to the previous evening. Did the lady from the shop manage to get back safely? She looked terrified, she wasn't even able to speak. Elias had to make sure she was okay.

He grabbed his things and emerged from the cabins and just as he was about to pull down his mask he stumbled across Nick.

"You've slept through almost the entire day. What were you doing yesterday?"

"Nothing."

Nick tilted his head and smiled with concern. "That stitch on your jaw doesn't look like nothing."

Elias jerked his head to the left to conceal it from Nick and was instantly punished by a small pang of pain. "I just tried to help someone. Some drunk attacked her… I was just a bit too slow." He looked at Nick with determination in his eyes. "I'm going back, to make sure she's okay."

"You're too good for your own good, kid." He placed his hand on his shoulder as he passed him. "Glad at least someone here has a heart."

You are good too, Elias wanted to say, but Nick was already on his way down the stairs and disappeared behind a door. Elias pulled down the mask and ran into the harbour.

He had only once been to the shop that the lady worked in and because he was trying to avoid the main street, he had some trouble finding it again. Eventually, he stumbled upon it and realised it wasn't too far away from the market square. That meant that the lady didn't have too long of a way to her shop yesterday.

Elias was relieved to see her behind the counter as he entered the boutique. When she saw him, her eyes glowed, as if she too was worried wheter Elias made it safely through the night.

Elias pulled down his mask and smiled back at her. "I'm glad you made it back safely."

She nodded a couple of times and then reached down to retrieve something. Then she came to Elias, took his hand, and gave him something. Elias looked down at a pouch full of peigs. He immediately pushed it back to her.

"N-no. I can't take this." He stumbled. The woman placed a hand over her chest and then extended it towards Elias. He didn't quite understand what she was doing and why she wasn't speaking to him. "I don't need anything. He would've hurt you if I hadn't helped."

She gestured at the wound on Elias' jaw and frowned.

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt at all." He lied.

The woman stopped as if she was thinking, then she beckoned Elias to follow her behind the counter. She opened the door and gestured for Elias to enter. He took a quick look, to make sure she wasn't taking him anywhere dangerous.

The room was even smaller than the shop, but it was big enough for a small kitchen, a bed, and a table. Elias carefully stepped in as the lady offered him to sit down. Then she retrieved a small container from a shell and opened it.

It was some kind of cream with red flowers mixed in it. She gestured at it and then to Elias' wound. Elias slowly nodded and moved his head, so she could apply the cream over his wound.

It emitted a vile odour, but as soon as the lady spread it across the skin, the stinging pain went away. Elias couldn't help but ask.

"You can't talk?" The lady pointed to her mouth and shook her head with a sour expression. "Why?"

She closed the container, looking down and avoiding eye contact. She suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"It's okay," said Elias. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to." Immediately, upon saying that, he realised how awkward that sounded. "No, I didn't mean…"

But the lady only smiled reassuringly and nodded away, as though trying to say that it's okay. She stood up and pointed to a kettle on a stove. Elias nodded and she placed a lovely porcelain mug with little purple flowers drawn on before him, filling it to the brim.

Elias hadn't had tea since he was in Parahill. It smelled of sweet, of a fruit Elias didn't recognise. He took a sip, nostalgia taking him back to Parahill, to their house, when mother would make him a cup every time it rained. Elias looked up at her.

"Do you have a name?" She nodded, but then she suddenly struggled with how she could express her name to Elias. "Can you maybe point to something that your name is connected to?"

The lady looked around the small room perplexed. Her hand instinctively leaped to her face while she tried to think, her fingers nervously tapping on her lips. Finally, her eyes lit up as her gaze settled on the cup in her hand. She excitedly started pointing to the painted flowers on it, which upon a closer look Elias recognised.

"Winly?" She shook her head and pointed at the flower again. "The colour?" She started nodding. "Purple? Violet?"

Her whole face started glowing when she smiled and started rapidly nodding her head. It must've been years since someone called her by her name.

"Violet." Repeated Elias. "What a lovely name."

A faint blush painted her cheeks. She gestured to Elias.

"Me? I'm Elias."

Violet pressed her hand to her chest and smiled. Elias drank up his tea and placed the cup back on the table. He looked out of the window. It was getting dark, and he had no intention of staying out at night again. He turned to Violet.

"I'll have to go. I don't want to be walking about when it's dark agin." Elias stood up and walked to the door. "Thank you for the tea. Oh, and the cream."

Violet smiled amiably. Elias' cheeks flushed as he exited the shop and ran down the first side street towards the harbour. The tea had left him pleasantly warm, as the evening in Bradfordshire got cold. He happily strolled down the streets being at ease, knowing that the kind lady, Violet, was okay.

Elias stopped by the main street. He had to cross it to get to the harbour. The sun was already down, and the night was fast approaching. He pulled the hood down to cover his face and stepped into the busy street, mixing with the crowd. He was careful not to bump into anyone. He stole a glance up and saw a man with an uncanny look in his eyes, intensely glaring at something like a ravenous wolf. Elias could almost see the dribble coming from his mouth. He followed his gaze and saw a boy dressed in green.

Elias found the man disturbing. It disgusted him. Fortunately for Elias, his pouch of money was hanging on a cord by his coat. Elias smiled as he pulled out his knife and stealthily approached the man, slicing the cord and catching the pouch with his other hand. The man didn't even notice him.

Elias disappeared into the crowd and entered the street on the other side. He weighed the pouch in his hand, happy to hear quite a lot of peige coins clanking against each other. He placed it in his bag and continued his way through the street. Then he made another turn into an alley he thought for sure would be empty, as he never, in his couple of days here, met a single soul in it.

He was just about to hurry along when he heard a muffled cry.

"Shut up!"

Elias abruptly stopped.

Pit.

"P-please. I c-can't be outside t-this late. N-not if you didn't pa-" said a child's voice in sobs.

"Shut up shary if ya don't want to make yer lovely dress bloodied." There was a bang and another struggling whimper as Pit pushed the boy against the wall, followed by a sound of rustling clothes and scuttling feet.

"P-please." The boy gasped. "It h-hurts."

Elias flattened himself against the wall, his heart racing as he carefully peaked around the corner.

His stomach twisted and his knees nearly buckled on the spot. He struggled to keep himself standing. Pit was pressing the boy, whose beryl green dress had been pulled violently off him and now lay torn at his feet, to the wall. The boy's back was facing him as Pit roughly pushed against him in a messy violent rhythm.

The sound of flesh rubbing and hitting against each other was interrupted by moans and sobs, escaping through the boy's mouth. Pit pressed a hand over the kid's mouth.

"I said shut up!" He quickened his pace. He moved his mouth to the boy's ear and said in a low lascivious voice. "I know ya like it shary. Ya can't deny it."

Elias' body suddenly went cold, shivers spreading down his back in waves. All at once he could feel every touch Pit's hand had ever left on him. He felt his phantom eyes on him. Only now did he understand what Pit's looks meant. Elias' body began to shake and he felt tears in the corner of his eyes.

Pit grabbed the boy roughly, thrusting both against the wall again. "Don't try to escape shary." He said almost mockingly with that wretched smile of his.

Elias placed his hand over his mouth, but he was too slow and he let a sob escape.

"Yer doin' great shar-... Who's there!"

The despicable noise stopped and Elias froze, holding his hand tightly over his mouth, tears mixed with cold sweat streaming down, too afraid to even breathe.

"Who's there!" Shouted Pit, audibly agitated.

Move, Elias!

He looked around. There was nowhere he could run and hide in time. He threw his head back in desperation and saw a window next to a small bricked-up balcony. He didn't hesitate, he quietly jumped, grabbed the side of the windowsill and heaved himself up.

He could hear Pit shove the boy to the ground hissing at him. "Ya better not tell anyone. If ya do… the dress won't be the only thing bloodied."

Elias just made the jump to the balcony, crouching down and pressing his hand to his mouth, as Pit walked from behind the corner to investigate. To Elias' relief he didn't look up, but just disappeared down the street.

Elias' heartbeat was slamming against his temples. His body wouldn't stop shaking, the sounds still loud in his ears. He heard sobs and remembered the boy, who still lay there on the ground. Elias peaked over the railing to make sure the street was empty. He then leaped down and walked in the narrow alley.

The boy was half lying on the ground, propped against the wall. His clothes have been ripped apart and dirtied. His face was wet from tears as he hysterically tried to breathe through the sobs. When he saw Elias his pupils shrank in terror as he tried to cover himself up and get to his feet.

Elias threw his hands up. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The boy froze and didn't take his eyes off him. A cold breeze blew through the street and the boy shivered. He slowly hugged his knees to his chest, new tears rolling down his face.

Elias took off his coat and carefully approached the boy. The boy pushed himself away from him and staggered into a corner.

"It's o-okay." Elias tried to keep his voice from breaking. "I'm not going to do anything to you. I'm just gonna give you this coat, I can see you're cold. Is that a-alright?"

He slowly approached and placed the coat over his shoulders. Elias didn't want to meet the boy's eyes, but he felt his on him. Elias didn't even know when he started to cry again.

"S-sorry." he said almost inaudibly. "Sorry, this had to ha-appen to you."

He turned around and ran. He didn't look back to see if the boy stopped crying. He didn't make sure he put on his mask. He didn't bother to make sure he wasn't seen. He was just running, desperately wanting to get on the ship.

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.

Elias reached for the mask, put it on and limped his way out the cabin and down the ship. He saw the crew watch him as he struggled not to wince at every step. He knew that they listened when Sabur beat him. Elias didn't register them. He just pulled himself into his hiding spot and passed out on the floor.