Rock Bottom

"Rock Bottom" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread started on [IRL DATE] and finished on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
It was a few hours since Haligan's capture, Ai and Grey had been rowed over to the island proper and Ai had made sure that all of her new slaves were in view as she dragged their leader around on the chain. "Smile." She said with a wicked grin as she waved to them mockingly. "These are your people aren't they? Oh. No wait, I'm sorry, they're my people now." She laughs and drags her into the Great Hall.
The Half-Nix began to walk around the throne and hums. "Not bad, a bit plain for my tastes but not bad." She takes a seat, lounging on it, legs over one arm, back pressed into the other. "So, Chief. Sorry, gotta get used that, slave, let's have a chat you and I."
Mar 16, 2021
Grey said absolutely nothing as Ai dragged her off the ship, into the rowboat, and onto the island...where she was paraded around in front of her husband, her men, and her dragon. She made eye contact briefly as Ai dragged her toward the Great Hall as they looked at each other...as she longed to reach out to him...to be in his arms. They managed a small smile...telling each other that everything would be okay...that somehow they would get through this. 
However, it was hard to believe that when Ai was rubbing her victory in the Chief’s face, and it got even worse as she was taken into the Great Hall and forced to watch as Ai...sat on her throne...on the very throne Hroar sat in before her calling her...a slave...and telling her that they should chat.
Grey glared and slightly clenched her teeth at the Captain. She knew exactly where this was going. Ai wanted information on the Rebellion, and she refused to answer. 
Mar 16, 2021
She hums as she thinks of what to ask first. "So, you must be very proud. All your hard work at the Jaw got you a victory and a cozy little base. It also dismantled one of my best clients so there's that." Ai huffs. "So that just sorta begs the question, what are you doing back here? I mean, you've got a rebellion to run don't you? Can't rightly do that from back here."
Mar 16, 2021
Grey continued to glare, but she knew that if she didn’t answer this question at least, Ai would not hesitate to take her anger out on the Jaw...on the Rebellion...on Lila, Jari, and Kettil. She took a deep breath steadying herself.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” she began, “but I’m done with the rebellion. I’ve put it behind me and decided to focus my time here on the island.”
Mar 16, 2021
She laughs. "The Lady of the Revolutionaries leaves the Revolutionaries to their own devices?" The Half-Nix scoff. "Yeah right, that'll be the day.
Mar 16, 2021
“Well, I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Grey said with a glare as she raised an eyebrow, “but I’m not exactly 21 anymore. Forty-seven, thank you. I don’t have the time nor the bones to be involved in the Rebellion.”
Mar 16, 2021
Ai scoffs. "Yeah but it's not in your character. You wouldn't just leave the Rebellion to figure itself out on it's own. As far as I know you're not a heartless bitch."
Mar 16, 2021
“Well,” she shrugged, “what can I say? I tend to surprise people. You’ve seen things, and you harden over time. At some point, you just say ‘I’m done with this.’”
Mar 16, 2021
"And you just left them... Without a leader?" She asks in disbelief.
Mar 16, 2021
“Pretty much,” Grey said shrugging nonchalantly. “I mean, it’s not new. Haddock once did that to us, and we had no choice but to put Stonegit in the position. That...” she exhaled, “was not an easy trip.”
Mar 16, 2021
"As I recall, the old king was considered dead. But you're implying someone else took over in your absence." She asks
Mar 16, 2021
“Well, yes, that’s what you do...when a leader steps down,” Grey said. “I left it up to them, and that was that.”
Mar 16, 2021
"I see I see." She said with a nod. She very suddenly frowned, disappointedly. "It's too bad I don't believe you." She snapped her fingers and the doors to the hall swung open and Brandt was dragged in and shoved to his knees a few feet away from Grey. "Now, you sure you don't want to tell me about the new leader?"
Mar 16, 2021
Grey’s face immediately fell as she watched the men burst into the Great Hall...with Brandt, and she watched in horror as he was pushed to his knees a few feet away from her. 
Brandt looked up and saw his beautiful wife smiling just a little. “Grey...you’re okay...” he said. 
“Brandt...” Grey breathed. She then turned to Ai glaring at her. “You leave my husband alone. He has nothing to do with this. I’m tell you the truth. I don’t anything about the new leader!”
Mar 16, 2021
She shrugs. "Fair enough, have it your way." She looks up at the ceiling and the Half-Breed that brought him in cracked a whip across his back, hard.
Mar 16, 2021
Brandt screamed as he fell forward catching himself on his shackled hands as the whip struck his back. 
“NO!” Grey screamed at the top of her lungs. “Brandt!” 
“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Brandt said through his teeth smiling up at his wife hissing in pain. “It...It barely hurts...don’t...don’t listen to her...”
Mar 16, 2021
"Oh that's good to know. Thank you for being so honest slave. Now Crowley here knows to go harder on you. Assuming your fellow slave refuses to be as honest as you." Ai replied with a smirk, getting some sadistic pleasure from this.
Mar 16, 2021
“She’s my wife!” Brandt shouted at Ai glaring at her. “And we’re not your slaves!”
“Brandt, please!” Grey practically begged as tears formed in her eyes. She turned to Ai again. “Please, I’m begging you! Don’t hurt my husband! It’s me you want! You can torture me all you want, I don’t care! Just leave Brandt alone!”
"Ooo not quite the answer we're looking for." Ai replied. The Half-Breed swings down cracking the whip against Brandt's back again. It was worse this time, much worse.
Mar 17, 2021
As soon as the whip made contact with his back...harder than the first time, Brandt let out a scream louder than the first as he fell forward on his hands. The pain was blinding, and it made him so dizzy that he could see stars.
“BRANDT!” Grey screamed as she was watched in horror. Her heart ached and pounded at the same time seeing the love of her life in so much pain.
He tried to sit up to reassure her, but it was too much. She could see it all over his face, and she got a glimpse of the wounds on his back.
Tears poured down her eyes as she bowed her head and fell to her knees. “Alright! Alright! Stop!” she shouted in between sobs. “I’ll...I’ll tell you!! I’ll tell you!”
Mar 17, 2021
"Good." She grins wickedly. "Now, why did you leave the Rebellion, and who did you leave in charge?"
Mar 17, 2021
Grey continued to sob as she moved an inch closer to Brandt as he breathed heavily from where he was on the floor. His shirt was ripped in the back, and she was able to see his wounds. She didn’t want to betray the Rebellion or Lila...but what else could she do?
She only hoped...prayed that Lila would understand. She let out a sob. “It...” she took a deep breath. “I left the Rebellion because I needed to focus on my village, and the Rebellion was being led by someone I could trust...m-my...my niece, Lila...Ericson.”
Mar 17, 2021
"Ahhh your niece. Keep it in the family hm? It's a good thing we already knew that." She hums and starts lounging in the throne. "Get to visit often?" She asks.
Mar 17, 2021
Grey froze as she looked down at Brandt as he looked up at her in return. She was torn seeing his wounds, and...knowing that she was potentially betraying her niece. However, Ai knew that Lila was in charge of the rebellion and that they were family, and she realized that that was all attempt to break her. Threatening and whipping her husband in front of her...just to break her willpower.
She wanted to refused to answer, but she managed to sneak a look up at Crowley. He held the whip in his hand. If she lied, Brandt would get a lashing, but if she told the truth, she would probably put Lila and the Rebellion in danger. There was no other choice...
The Chief sighed. “Not...often, but...I do...” she said moving a manacled hand toward Brandt.
Brandt reached forward with his as well.
Mar 17, 2021
Ai saw them reaching towards each other and nodded, the whip coming down fiercely on Brandt's back once more. "How often is not often?" She asks firmly.
Mar 17, 2021
Grey jolted back as Brandt screamed when the whip came down on his back again, and tears formed in her eyes again. “Once a week...” Grey said crying. “Only once a week...”
Brandt looked up at his wife trying to prop himself up on his elbows feeling his heart break at the sight of his wife chained up and crying...forced to reveal information she didn’t want to reveal. He wanted to take her into his arms and just wake up from this nightmare.
Mar 17, 2021
She smirks as she got some useful info. "Good to know, when was your last visit?" She asks.
Mar 17, 2021
Grey let out a shaky breath wishing that this was all a bad dream and that he was going to wake up in Brandt’s arms and that Sven, Dagny, and Kari were upstairs sleeping...that Brandt was perfectly fine and not injured. 
“Seven...seven days ago...” she said quietly. “It was 7 days ago...”
Mar 17, 2021
She hums and beckons one of the other pirates closer and whispers in her ear for a bit. The woman walks off and Ai sits up, placing her elbows on her knees and folding her hands in front of hers. "Well, now let's get into the meat of things." She grinned cruelly.