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E-mail Hilary
Author: Hils
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Buffy/Spike (so far)
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The British Navy.
WARNING: This chapter contains scenes of non-consensual sex.
Dedications: Thanks to Dave for the beta
By the time the sun set, William was exhausted. He’d spent all day in the blistering heat, conversing with Xander when he was able and plotting his escape when Petty Officer Finn was standing over him. That, Xander explained, was the name of the man who had introduced William to the Navy. Apparently he had been aboard this ship as long as anyone could remember, and made life especially difficult for those he didn’t like. William unfortunately had found himself to be one of those people.
Now, as he finally made his way below deck, his clothes were soaked with sweat, every muscle ached and screamed and his lips were so dry he could barely feel them. His mind was torn between the need to sleep and the need for food and water. It seemed he had no choice in the matter and he soon found himself herded into the queue for food.
He could feel his legs trembling with exhaustion and wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it to the front of the line.
“Just hang on, you’ll make it,” Xander whispered in his ear. His voice was a source of comfort to William, just as it had been all day. He nodded, braced himself and edged forward. The queue was moving slowly, but he could see the front now. He felt Xander’s hand on his back and took strength from it.
Finally he found himself standing in front of a large, fat man with a huge bristling beard.
“Here,” he grunted, giving William a brief glimpse of heavily yellowed teeth. A bowl of stew was shoved into his hands along with a small piece of dry bread and a glass of dirty looking water. This, apparently, was dinner.
* * *
The sun was almost rising when Elizabeth’s carriage pulled to a stop. She looked out of the window and then at Willow who was sleeping beside her. Finally she nudged her awake and together the two women stepped from the coach. The whole of the city seemed to loom before them and on every side houses, taverns and shops and stretched as far as the eye could see.
“Where do we start?” Willow asked nervously. She’d never been into the depths of the city before and the sheer size of it terrified her. Elizabeth felt a little disconcerted too but didn’t let it show for Willow’s sake.
“We’ll find an somewhere to stay nearby and then start with the local taverns.” She said. “Somebody here will surely know what has happened to William.”
Willow nodded and the two of them headed to the first inn that caught their eye.
The Queens Head was small, but clean and seemingly a fairly quiet place. Elizabeth decided it would suit their needs and booked two rooms, one for herself and one for Willow. She was soon settled in bed, determined to start her search as soon as she’d had some sleep.
* * *
“You get used to it,” Xander said cheerfully as he took a seat beside William, who was staring at his stew with a mixture of disgust and intrigue.
“I don’t think I ever will,” William sighed, taking a mouthful of the thick substance and grimacing. “All I can think of is Elizabeth and the home I’ve been taken from.”
Xander smiled, his eyes filled with sympathy. “Tell me about her.”
“She’s my whole world.” William breathed with a sad smile. “The most beautiful creature I’ve ever beheld.”
He then proceeded to tell Xander how he’d met Elizabeth, about their growing friendship and finally their engagement. He barely noticed the men that had gathered round him to hear his story, nor did he notice Petty Officer Finn hiding in the shadows, also listening.
“And so, on the day I became engaged to the most wonderful woman in the world, I was taken from her and brought here.”
There were general murmurs of sympathy from the group of men that sat around the table.
“That’s right bad luck, Will.”
William didn’t object to the use of the nickname, he merely nodded his head. “So now you see why I must get off this ship and…”
“You! Come with me!”
William’s head shot up to see Finn towering over him.
“Me?” He squeaked, fearing another fist in the face.
“Now!” Finn bellowed.
Silence had fallen over the whole dining area and William felt every pair of eyes on him as he rose to his feet and followed Finn through a nearby door.
“I was right about you,” Finn said, once William had closed the door. They were alone in a small room which was apparently used for storage but at the moment was largely empty. “A delicate one, like I said.”
He raised a hand, as though he was going to reach out and pet William’s face. At the last moment, however, he appeared to change his mind and instead, dropped it to his side.
“I heard you talking to the lads back there. Seems you’ve got notions of getting off this ship.”
He stepped closer and William was once again blasted by Finn’s foul breath.
“Never going to happen,” Finn whispered, intimately, leaning in close to William. Although he was reluctant to meet Finn’s fist again, William decided to risk speaking his mind.
“Sir, surely you realise I don’t belong here. I just want to go home and marry the girl I love.”
Finn smiled. It was a chilling smile that made William want to shudder, a smile with no hint of warmth or compassion behind it – nothing but cruelty lay behind Finn’s lips.
“I’ll make you feel welcome, lad. I can promise you that.”
His large hand reached out again and brushed over William’s cheek. It was coarse, covered in calluses, the result of years of hard work in every weather condition.
William recoiled.
“Don’t touch me.”
Finn smiled again. His eyes seemed even colder than before.
“There’re no women aboard this ship. Time’ll come when you won’t mind me touching you so much.”
He reached behind William and opened the door.
“Now piss off.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. William scurried back into the dining area without looking back. Finn watched him go, the smile still on his face.
“I’ll see you again soon lad,” Finn said under his breath, the cruel smirk still on his lips.
“What did Finn want?” Xander asked as William sat back at the table.
William merely shook his head. There were some things a gentleman didn’t speak of.
* * *
Exhausted, Elizabeth and Willow headed back to where they were staying. They had been to several taverns throughout the evening and so far they had learned nothing about what had befallen William.
“Miss!” The landlord called as they stepped inside. “These gentlemen would like a word.”
Three burly looking men sat at a table near the bar, their heads shaved almost clean and their faces and arms adorned with various scars and tattoos. Willow nervously moved closer to Elizabeth as the largest of the men stepped forward.
“Hear you’re looking for a bloke named William.”
Elizabeth’s face lit up. “Yes! Have you seen him?”
He gave a leering grin and gestured to a free seat at their table. “Have a drink with us and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Miss Elizabeth,” Willow hissed in a hushed whisper, “I’m not sure this is a good idea. I don’t think these men can be trusted.”
“What choice do we have?” Elizabeth whispered in reply. “I don’t see anyone else willing to help us. You go up to bed if you’re scared. I can deal with these men. Nothing is going to happen with the landlord watching.”
Willow hesitated for a moment but finally fear got the better of her and she hurried upstairs. Elizabeth gave the men her best smile and took a seat.
“What’ll you have to drink, missy?”
“Just some water please,” Elizabeth replied politely.
Raucous laughter came from all the men at the table.
“You can’t be drinking water. A glass of wine for the lady!”
The apparent leader of the three took a glass from the landlord and placed it in front of her. It was filled almost to the brim with a dark red wine.
Elizabeth wasn’t especially fond of alcohol, and something told her that getting into any state of drunkenness around these men wouldn’t be wise. Still, she supposed one glass wouldn’t hurt and she took a small sip. This seemed to please the group and they began to drain the pitchers of beer in front of them.
She briefly explained her situation, about how William had vanished on the eve of their engagement.
The men made murmuring comments of sympathy and resumed their drinking, encouraging her to finish her wine as well. She drank some more and when she realised they were not going to be forthcoming with their information she decided to ask.
“So, can you tell me where William is?”
“Finish your wine and I’ll tell you what you need to know.”
Elizabeth sighed and emptied the last of her wine. She was beginning to wonder if they knew anything about William at all.
The leader smiled when he saw Elizabeth’s empty glass.
“William is staying in a tavern called The Horses Mane. It’s not far from here.”
Elizabeth frowned. “But we were there this afternoon. William wasn’t there and nobody had seen him.”
The man shrugged. “Your William does have black hair and green eyes, doesn’t he?”
Elizabeth shook her head sadly, her heart sinking. “No, he had pale hair and the bluest eyes I have ever seen.”
Another shrug. “Looks like I got the wrong person then. My mistake.”
Tears stung Elizabeth’s eyes. She had been certain she’d found William and now she was no closer than she’d been when she first arrived in the city.
“Well, thank you for your help anyway.”
She rose to her feet and let out a small gasp as the room began to spin around her. She felt as though she was about to faint. ‘Am I drunk?’ she thought. ‘It can’t be possible. I only had one glass of wine.’
“You all right?” The man asked.
“I’m fine,” Elizabeth replied, closing her eyes for a moment to will the spinning sensation away. “I think I must be tired.”
She headed towards the stairs, trying to ignore the way the floor seemed to be rising and falling beneath her feet. She really did feel quite unwell. She managed to stagger up the stairs and into her room. A few seconds later there was a light tapping on her door.
“Come in,” She called weakly.
Willow slipped into the room, looking worried.
“Miss Elizabeth, are you all right?”
Elizabeth stood in the middle of the room, her face pale as she swayed on her feet.
“No, Willow. I think I…”
She crumpled to the floor before she could finish her sentence.
“Miss Elizabeth!” Willow hurried to her mistress’s side. She was unconscious. “Miss Elizabeth, wake up!”
Willow rose to her feet and began to search the room for a cloth to wet and put on Elizabeth’s forehead in an attempt to bring her round. It was then that she heard the voices.
“Are you sure it’s been long enough?”
“I put enough stuff in her drink to knock out ten men. We’ve left it long enough.”
Willow let out a small squeak of fear as she heard the door rattle. There was nowhere for her to hide, and Elizabeth still lay unconscious in the middle of the room. She was so scared she couldn’t have moved even if there had been anywhere to go. She remained rooted to the spot as the door opened and the three men from downstairs stepped into the room.
“’Ere!” One of the men exclaimed as he saw Willow. “There’s someone awake in here.”
The leader pushed his way to the front and stared at Willow with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. Finally he elbowed one of his comrades in the ribs. “Deal with her.”
The slightly smaller man let out a grunt and moved towards Willow. She backed away, her eyes wide with fear.
“Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna hurt you … much.”
Willow opened her mouth to scream but a meaty fist connected with her jaw before she could make a sound. Stars exploded behind her eyes and then everything went black.
“Idiot!” The leader sighed as his companion caught the now unconscious redhead in his arms. “She’ll have a hell of a bruise and you know we get less money if the girls are damaged.”
The man holding Willow shrugged. “She was gonna scream. Didn’t have any choice.”
Ignoring him, the leader knelt down beside Elizabeth and pulled her into a sitting position, brushing her hair away from her face.
“We’ll get a good price for this one at least. Let’s go.”
The third man pushed the window open and climbed out. They passed Willow out to him and the man who had been carrying her climbed out after that. Finally Elizabeth was passed down and soon all that remained was an empty room.
* * *
William dreamed of Elizabeth that night, of her pure eyes and loving smile. It comforted him and for a short while he forgot that he was sleeping in a room with forty sailors.
He didn’t know what time it was when two pairs of hands grabbed him, pulling him from his bed and tying a rag around his mouth to prevent him from screaming. It was still dark and he could only make out dim shapes as he was pulled into another part of the ship and dumped on the floor. Someone lit a small lamp and William found himself in a private room, accompanied by Petty Officer Finn and another man he had never seen before. The gag was removed and Finn spoke before William could even open his mouth.
“Listen to me good, lad. You’re going to do what I tell you. If you don’t, Mr Abrams here will introduce you to your own guts.”
To prove his point, Abrams pulled put a large dagger and tilted it so that the blade glittered in the low light. William let out a small whimper but said nothing. He knew Finn and Abrams were serious.
His eyes widened as Finn undid his trousers, pulling out his limp penis
“Touch it.”
William shook his head, fear and disgust evident on his face.
“Touch it!”
Abrams stepped forward, dagger raised. Self-preservation and fear overcame all of Williams other senses and he reached out and placed his hand on Finn’s flaccid member. Finn closed his eyes.
“Good, now stroke it.”
Tears of shame burned William’s face as he did as he was told, stroking gently at first and then harder until Finn’s penis stood erect. He winced as Finn roughly grabbed the hair at the back of his head and pulled his face forward.
“Suck it.”
Bile rose in William’s throat at the very thought. He couldn’t do this. He wouldn’t. He’d just let Abrams kill him, and save himself any further shame and humiliation. Finn apparently read his mind and chuckled.
“Abrams won’t kill you, you know. You’re no good to us dead. He’ll just cut a few parts off, leave you looking like so much of a freak that if you do ever make it back to your girl she’ll run screaming.”
Finn had struck the one area where William was vulnerable. The thought of seeing Elizabeth again and her being afraid of him was too much to bear. What were a few minutes of shame compared to a lifetime of torment? He closed his eyes and wrapped his lips around the tip of Finn’s penis. It was salty, with an underlaying taste of something musty. William resisted the urge to gag and took it deeper into his mouth as Finn gave a sharp tug on his hair. Finn let out a soft moan of pleasure but then unexpectedly pulled back, leaving William coughing and spluttering on his knees.
“I’ve got a better idea,” Finn said, causing William to look confused. Finn gave a half smile and his fist shot out, clipping William on the jaw. The blow wasn’t hard enough to knock him out, merely enough to send him sprawling back, stunned. He could only lie there, black dots swimming in front of his eyes, as Finn and Abrams pulled him to his feet and pushed him over the small table that sat in the middle of the room. William was only half aware of what was happening as his trousers were pulled down around his ankles. Then he felt a searing pain in his backside as Finn entered him.
He let out a mewl, but Finn merely clamped his hand over his mouth, continuing to thrust in and out of him. William could feel his own blood running down the backs of his legs now, but the more he struggled the rougher Finn got with him. The pain became more and more unbearable until William thought he was going to pass out.
A couple more thrusts from Finn and it was over. He shuddered, letting out a small groan as he filled William with semen. A moment later he let go, allowing William to slump to the floor.
“Take him back to his bed,” Finn instructed as he tucked himself back into his trousers.
William could only lie there as Abrams roughly pulled his trousers up for him before picking him up in his arms like a small child. This only made the pain worse and after letting out one final moan, William passed out.
The next thing he became aware of was lying in his bed, a lantern shining in his face and Xander staring at him in white-faced horror.
“My god, Will. What did he do to you?”
All William could do was weep
* * *
“I know you don’t want to hear this right now,” Xander said as he cleaned William up as carefully as he could. “But you’re going to have to do something about Finn. You’re not the first lad he’s done this to, and he’ll keep doing it as long as you don’t fight back.”
“I can’t fight him,” William said bitterly. “He’s twice my size and I’ve never hit anyone in my life.”
Xander shook his head. “I don’t mean literally fight him. You try that and him and his mates will make it even worse for you. The others will leave you alone if they don’t have a leader to follow.
William looked at Xander questioningly. He didn’t understand what his friend was saying. Xander realised this and decided to put it in more simple terms:
“You’re going to have to kill him.”