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has cyril ever had to deal with stowaways before

Content Warning: Slavery, blackmailing, physical abuse.

The Vehement is a very…. unfortunate vessel to choose to attempt to stowaway upon. It is undoubtedly rare, but not impossible, that someone is able to slip aboard. However, most often - with the strict patrols, rigorous cargo checks, and the nature of Cyril’s work - stowaways are quickly found. And as his trade would dictate; once found, they are often chained with the rest of the slaves - though usually after being punished either as an example, or just for the crew’s entertainment.

There has only been one instance of that nature in an actual roleplay thread, though - and it was not ‘stowing away’ in the truest sense of the word. The woman that came aboard Cyril’s ship had no intention of using his vessel to travel freely from one place to another without his knowledge or permission, nor was she fleeing anything.

She was a friend of Cyril’s, one that he wrote to and visited fairly often. She was blissfully unaware of his occupation, knowing him only as a gentleman and a traveler - and simply happened to catch a glimpse of him boarding his ship without him realizing she was present in the area. She’d been traveling, and the two simply happened to have the bad luck of coinciding. Being that she lived deep in the Shroud, and he kept to the seas, he had no way of knowing she might spy him taking his leave of a small island port. She was far, far from home, on an island far from Grand Company jurisdiction or pressure - a place where Cyril could quite easily dock and carry out repairs or business so long as he was subtle, without being instantly recognized and attacked.

Familiarity made her meander her way aboard, hoping innocently to greet Cyril and express her surprise at the grandeur of his ship and the operations… and curiosity lead her to things she was never intended to see. And the crew, not knowing who she was, made the snap judgement of assuming her a stowaway and took her immediately to Cyril.

You can imagine his dismay upon seeing her face when the crew dragged the alleged “stowaway” into his cabin. Immediately, their friendship was over, and instead of knowing Cyril as a suave, almost endearing gentleman, she was met with instead his very sadistic and conniving nature. Due to their connection, he couldn’t quite bring himself to sell her off, but he was ferociously cruel to her during her time aboard, and when he finally freed her, it was a curse frailly disguised as a blessing.

He now quite frequently entertains himself by blackmailing and stalking her, showing up unannounced to scare her, ensure she’s still behaving, and that she hasn’t broken her silence on what she saw. He still has her in a vice-like grip, and she knows if she says but one wrong thing, he’ll swoop her up and shackle her. Thus far, she has still clung to her freedom.

Thank you for the ask! || Artist Credit: Clioroad