I rolled down the steps landing on my side with a thunk air escaped my lungs in a loud woosh leaving me breathless.

I rolled onto my back only to be grabbed by the front of my shirt and thrown into the middle of the room

gasping I glanced around quickly, I was back in the cells, the crew I came in with looked at me worriedly

and he looked at me with fear

tall steel bars stood from floor to ceiling sectioning the two areas off

them on one side

me on the other

"what did the captain say to do with her?" one asked as they all completed their journey down the short flight of steps trying to attune themselves to the gentle tossing of the ship

"I think it was..."I felt their fiery gazes on my back burning into my skin as I sat myself up my body burning from fatigue and the abuse I had suffered but that didn't stop me from shifting away from them

"kill her" there was a harsh chuckling "slowly"

the next moment I was pinned to the ground by a heavy body, I moved quickly into a panicking state and thrashed around wildly

there was a woosh of air then my cheek began to sting as there was a sharp slap

a door opened somewhere

"captain wants everyone on deck so finish up down here" the man above me chuckled

"will do"

then there was the sound of leather sliding on metal as he placed his hand over my mouth firmly

I stared up at him with fear and he only laughed again

then he cut into me

slitting me across the stomach like a piece of meat

I screamed

I sobbed

I yelled

and it was all muffled by his hand

I clawed at it kicked my legs screamed harder

nothing worked, and he didn't move

he continued his slow pace slicing

three long gashed across my stomach

I slumped back when the pain began to blind me and he laughed sitting up still straddling me he looked down and I followed his gaze

thick ribbons of blood oozed quickly from the gashed

he smirked pushing his fingers into my wounds and I screamed

unbarred

"Henderson, captain wants you up here now"

then he was gone, the door closing after him

then

I started to cry curling up into a ball clutching my bleeding stomach

"celly" Gallant called to me he was a tall well muscled dark-skinned man who always sought to comfort me "lay back kid your opening it more"

I listened

forcing myself to lay back my laboured breathing filled the eerie silence that grew in the room, gathering my courage I looked to my wound

by now I was laying in a puddle of blood, I started breathing harder as the silence enveloped us

"what are you thinking now cel" it was khan speaking now the tall orange haired man was shifting and doubling in my side vision

"I don't wanna die here" I whispered

Rikard's Pov-

"I don't wanna die here," she said in a weak voice

"and you won't" I found myself saying "stay strong I'll figure something out sweetheart"

time passed quickly minutes were spent tugging at chains did nothing to free us and all hope seemed lost

until something glimmered teasingly in the small amount of light supplied by the lantern

... the keys

but the only person able to reach them

was celestial ... and she was bleeding out

everyone followed my gaze

glancing between cel and the keys while she stared at them unmoving

I didn't want to ask her, I didn't want her to move

but I didn't have to

she moved on her own

she rose to her feet slowly and like a baby taking its first steps she moved forwards her hands clutching her stomach she left a trail of blood behind her

slowly she reached up

her fingers bearly brushing the key ring

and with a slight shove, they fell to the floor with a quiet clatter

she wasn't slow at picking them up scooping them up in her fingers she turned on her heels moving towards the locked cell door

her movements painfully slow and growing slower

the door swung open and the first man was unlocked

and in a matter of seconds, everyone was free

my legs ate up the distance between us and I pulled her into my arms but not before my mouth found hers for a quick kiss that she gladly returned

my hand covered her stomach gently feeling the oozing wetness

"Oh god celestial" the words slipped out

"Rikard," she said in a tired questioning voice as I pulled her closer

"you'll be okay" I whispered pulling back dark brown strands of hair from her face and tucking them behind her ear gently as I cradled her against my chest keeping a firm hold on her wound

I pressed my forehead against hers

"if I could die anywhere," she said quietly her gentle breaths blowing against my cheek "I'd die in your arms... i ...love...you"

I felt tears moisten my eyes and I blinked and they fell

"I love you too," I told her.