Continuing flash series! I’m going to write one flash for every Icon I have, over 4 LJ accounts, 1 DW, and a whole bunch of not-currently-in-use, until I get bored or run out of icons.

The chain around her throat tightened, pulling her against the wall, telling Genique that her captor was coming in. She didn’t fight it anymore; after a month here, she knew it wouldn’t do any good, and the press of the links was starting to feel good to her. It told her she wasn’t alone.

The door to her cell creaked open on its track, and Basimontin walked in. He was carrying, as he always was, a tray with a cup of water and a bowl of gruel. He was, however, wearing a frown today. That made Genique frown, too. Basi always smiled.

“Thirty-one days, Miss Wadevier,” he said gently.

“Thirty-one,” she agreed with him. “I told you they wouldn’t be able to make the ransom.”

“One does not normally find people on luxury liners whose family cannot afford our quite-reasonable price.” The sky-pirate sounded almost apologetic.

“I wanted to see the worlds,” she explained, not for the first time. “I saved up until I could pay the fee. It took everything I had.” She hadn’t bargained with the sky-pirates.

“Everyone lies. No-one wants their family to have to foot the bill. But your family really didn’t.”

“I know.” She’d know they wouldn’t. It had lent a certain peace to her while she waited for the pirates to come to the same conclusion. “What happens now?”

“Since your family cannot or will not pay your ransom, you will simply have to earn your freedom yourself.” His frown deepened. “This won’t be easy, Miss Wadevier.”

She touched the chain around her throat. “It hasn’t been yet, Basi.”

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