Elisa isn't sure how long she sat there, but suddenly the door was opening and a figure walked in. A familiar face, a face that used to be a friend. Her heart pounded and her stomach was filled with dread and anger. Uma.

"Elisa," Uma greets with a smirk. "It's been a long time."

Elisa glares at her, the resentment and hurt from the betrayal coming back. "Not long enough. Why am I here, Uma?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Uma replies, raising an eyebrow. "I brought you here to talk."

Elisa scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, because you've always wanted to talk to me. What do you really want, Uma?"

Uma gives her a look of mock offense, her expression teasing. "Can't a girl just want to catch up with her friend?"

"You and I were never friends, Uma. I tried, but you never cared." Elisa responds coldly, her tone clipped. "You only ever cared about yourself."

Uma's expression darkens, the teasing look in her eyes vanishing. "Listen, Princess," The way she says it is similar to the way CJ had called her that. It wasn't a term of respect, it was an insult. "I don't need to explain myself to you. I have my reasons for doing what I do, and they are my business. Now, whether you like it or not, you're here and you're gonna listen to me. Got it?"

Elisa looks away, her expression one of hurt and anger. "Whatever."

"Good," Uma smirks, clearly enjoying Elisa's discomfort. "Now, I have a proposition for you. You're going to help me get what I want."

Elisa stares at her, not understanding. "Why would I help you? And why would you think I would?"

"Because," Uma says, her smirk widening. "I have someone very important to you."

Elisa's heart pounds, her expression a mix of anger and terror. "Let Ben go! Just take me instead and let him go."

"Wow, just one mention of him and you're willing to trade your life for his. He must be really special." Uma taunts, her tone mocking. "But no, sorry that's not gonna happen. I need him for my plan. And you...Well, I have another plan for you. If you play along, you and your precious King will both get out of this alive."

"What plan?" Elisa asks, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

"I don't think you heard me." Uma pulls something out of her pocket and flicks her wrist, revealing a knife. Her gaze meets Elisa's, her expression deadly. "You're going to help me or you and your Beasty boy will walk off the plank and we will let the sharks feast on your flesh." She walks closer to her, kneeling down in front of her. She raises the knife up against her throat much like CJ had done. "Do I make myself clear?"

Elisa grits her teeth, her eyes flashing with fear and anger. She wanted to scream at her, tell her to back off and leave her alone. But she knew that if she did, it could end badly. For both her and Ben. So, despite how much she hated it, she knew she had to cooperate. For Ben's sake.

Uma gets annoyed when she doesn't reply right away and digs the blade in her neck, causing Elisa to wince. "I said, do I make myself clear?"

Elisa's jaw is clenched tightly and she glares at her former friend, the hatred burning hot in her eyes. "Crystal." She finally grit out, the anger and resentment in her tone clear.

Uma smirks, looking satisfied. She puts the knife away and stands up, her expression smug. "Good. Now, here's what's going to happen. You're going to do exactly as I say and when I say it. And if you try anything, or if you even think about telling anyone, I'll make sure that both you and your King will regret it."

"Why are you doing this?" Elisa asks, her expression a mix of confusion and anger. "What do you have against us? What did we ever do to you?"

"Oh, so many things," Uma says with a sneer. "For starters, you took my first mate from me and broke his heart. You turned him into a lovesick puppy, a shell of the pirate he once was. He abandoned me, his crew, for some pathetic little princess that suddenly got sent to the Isle-"

"Enough, Uma." Harry's voice cut in, as the male pirate entered the room. Elisa was surprised at hearing the Scottish pirate, and turned to look at him. Harry had his typical smirk on his face, but there was something in his eyes that Elisa couldn't quite read. He glanced over at her, giving her a small wink before turning his attention back to Uma, his gaze hardening. "Why did you guys take her? I thought we agreed we would only take Ben."

"Yeah, well, I had a change of plans." Uma retorts, glaring at him. "And I don't remember asking for your opinion, Harry. You're here to follow orders, not question me."

Harry's jaw clenches, but he doesn't say anything. He stands there, his gaze locked with Uma's. The tension in the room is thick, and Elisa can feel the unspoken words between them. She glances between the two pirates, her mind trying to make sense of what was going on. She knew Harry was loyal to Uma, and yet it was clear there was a shift in their dynamic. It was almost like Harry was challenging her, defying her. And yet, there was a part of him that was still holding back, still following her orders. It was confusing, and Elisa wasn't sure what to think.

Finally, Uma breaks the silence, her voice filled with irritation. "Fine. Whatever. Just make sure she doesn't escape." She grumbled, glancing back at Elisa with annoyance before leaving the room. Elisa stared after her, confused and worried. The situation was getting more and more complicated, and she had no idea what to expect.

Harry lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I apologize, lass. This wasn't a part of the plan." He muttered, glancing over at her. His face softens at seeing her tied wrists, noticing the red marks from the rope. She clearly had tried struggling, and it caused the ropes to rub her skin raw. He wasn't surprised she struggled, she was a fighter after all. And he admired that about her. But he hated seeing her in pain.

"Here, let me get those for ya." He murmured, kneeling down to loosen the knots. He didn't unite them completely, they were still tight enough to keep her in place, but at least it wouldn't hurt her.

"Thank you." Elisa felt relieved as the ropes loosened. It had been painful, and she was thankful for the small bit of kindness.

"Of course, lass." Harry's eyes meet hers, his voice soft. For a moment, there is a tenderness in his expression, before it quickly fades. He clears his throat, standing up. "Look, I can't promise much, but I can promise I'll try my best to keep you safe." He promised, his gaze sincere as his eyes met hers again. 

"And Ben." She immediately continues, her voice laced with desperation. "Please, Harry. You have to help Ben too."

Harry's expression falters a bit and his jaw tenses. He knew Ben was important to her and she cared about him deeply. But it still stung that she wanted him to keep Ben safe too, despite the fact he had helped kidnapped him. He felt a surge of conflicting emotions, but he forced himself to stay focused. He should've expected it, she was a kind and caring soul, after all. "Aye, I'll try to keep him safe too." He relents, though his tone is not as warm. "But no promises."

Elisa nods, her expression grateful. "Thank you, Harry. That's all I can ask for."

He smiles at her again, and this time it's a little less forced. "You're welcome, Elisa." He leans closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But, I should warn ye, be careful around here. There are those who will try to hurt ye, or use ye. Uma may need ye for her plan, but there are those that would gladly take the opportunity to get rid o' ye."

"You mean, like CJ?" Elisa asked, her expression becoming a bit more wary. She had a feeling the blonde pirate was not going to let her live in peace.

Harry nods, his expression darkening slightly. "Aye, CJ is definitely one of them. She's been wanting to get rid of ye for awhile now. I'm sorry, there's only so much Harriet and I can do to stop her. Just try to keep a low profile and stay out of her way. And if ye need me, just give me a shout and I'll be there." He pauses when he realized she had a cut wound on her neck. It didn't look deep, but dry blood stained her pale skin and her collarbone. "Let me guess, CJ?" He says, his jaw tightening. "She did that, didn't she?"

Elisa winces at the mention of CJ's name, the memory of the encounter still fresh in her mind. "Yeah, she did. Just a little reminder of how things work around here, I guess." She tried to sound nonchalant, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

Harry's expression darkened further, anger flickering in his eyes. "That's not right. No one should lay a hand on you like that." He hesitates for a moment, then reached out, brushing a thumb lightly over the cut on her neck. "I'll try to talk to her about this, but you know how she is."

Elisa shivers at his touch, both from the warmth of his hand and the intensity of his gaze. She can see the protective fire in Harry's eyes, a flicker of something deeper beneath his pirate bravado. "Thank you. Just...Be careful," She murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

Harry's gaze softened, the fire in his eyes dimming slightly as he took in Elisa's worried expression. "I'll manage, lass. But before I go, I'm gonna clean that for ye." He said, reaching in his pocket for his handkerchief and a small flask. He poured some of the liquid in the handkerchief and gently cleaned the blood off her neck. Elisa winced, but the tenderness in his touch was surprisingly comforting. She watched him work, the contrast of his rough exterior and gentle care making her heart race.

"You don't have to do that." She mumbled, feeling a mix of gratitude and vulnerability.

"Aye, but I want to," Harry admits. "No one should be treated like this, especially not you." He focused on her wound, his brow furrowing slightly in concentration. 

"I appreciate it, Harry. Really." Elisa said, giving him a small smile. "But you should get back to Uma. I don't want you getting in trouble on my account."

"Trouble usually seems to find me, anyway." Harry quips, returning her smile with one of his own. "But ye're right. I should get back." 

The door suddenly opened, revealing Henry, who gives Harry an apologetic smile. "Uma wants to talk to you, Harry. She said it's urgent." He announced.

"Ah, duty calls." Harry murmurs, his voice almost sounding disappointed. He gives her one last look, before standing up and moving towards the door. He pauses in the doorway, looking back at her. "I'll try to check in on you later, Elisa." And then, he was gone.

Elisa sat there for a moment, trying to process everything that had happened. Her mind was racing, her heart still pounding. She knew she was in danger, and that she needed to be careful. But, she also knew that she wasn't alone. She had allies here, like Harry and Henry. She didn't know how long she would be here or what was going to happen, but she had to hold onto hope that everything would be okay.

Henry walks over to her, looking at her with concern. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea they were going to kidnap you. I would've tried to stop them if I knew. Are you alright?" He gasps when he saw the cut wound on her neck. He frowns. "I'm sorry, she wasn't supposed to hurt you. I'm so sorry, Elisa. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"It's okay, Henry. It's not your fault. Besides, I've been through worse. I'll survive." Elisa reassures him, giving him a small smile. "Is Ben okay? Have you seen him?"

"He's alright. I saw him earlier, and he looked okay. Just nervous and worried which is understandable. I don't think he knows we have you too." Henry explains. "I wish there was something I could do, but I don't have the power to go against Uma's orders." He frowned, a guilty expression flashing across his face.

"Don't blame yourself, Henry. I understand. It's not like you could've stopped them. And I appreciate you trying to look out for me." Elisa gave him a small smile, grateful for his presence and concern. "And for letting me know how Ben is. I've been worried sick about him."

"Me too. He's a good guy. He didn't deserve any of this. And neither did you. I'll try my best to make sure you both stay safe, but I can't make any promises." Henry gives her an apologetic smile. His gaze fell to the ropes that he noticed were loosened. "Did Harry loosen them?"

"Please don't get him in trouble. He was just trying to help." Elisa pleaded, her voice full of concern. She didn't want to see Harry suffer because of her.

"I won't, I promise. I was just surprised he did that before I could get the chance." Henry reassures her, his expression softening. "But I'm sorry CJ hurt you, I hate that she

Elisa gives him a reassuring smile. "It's alright. You couldn't have stopped them, and you have nothing to apologize for. I'm just happy to see you're okay. I was worried."

"Thanks." Henry says, his expression softening. "I'm glad you're okay too, besides the cut. CJ can be a bit...Intense sometimes..."

"That's one way to put it." Elisa chuckled.

"Yeah," Henry agrees with a small chuckle, glancing behind him at the door nervously. "Look, I better go. I probably shouldn't be here that long. Don't want to get anyone suspicious. And don't worry, everything will work out. Your friends will come save you and Ben."  

With that, he turns and leaves the room. Elisa was left alone again, but this time, she didn't feel as scared or worried. She knew she had people here who cared about her, and that gave her hope. She would survive this, no matter what Uma had planned. And she would make sure that Ben did too.

A/N The tension is rising, and the stakes are higher than ever with Harry and Henry stepping in to help. Can Elisa navigate the dangers of Uma and her crew and will her friends rescue her and Ben in time? Or will their plan fall apart, and end in disaster?