The coldness of the water caught her by surprise, ripping what little breath she had managed to grab hold of from her lungs, leaving her vulnerable and blinded.

Her feet were bound, but her arms were free; she had managed to untangle the untidy and hastily tied knots as she walked from the boat to the end of the plank. Thankfully. Although it was still a struggle, at least she could at least try to save herself.

Pirates and their superstitions. No women on board the ship when it sets sale. Ridiculous. And yet, they said, there were enough incidents of sinkings and disasters when a woman was on board to prove that she caused a potentially life threatening problem. And so the plank had been her punishment.

Her head breached the icy water and she glanced about her. The ship was already pulling away, and there was no land in sight. Her feet began to cramp and she reached down, attempting to loosen or remove the rope. Instead she was rewarded with a mouthful of salty water. Coughing, she raised her head once more, her heart thudding in an ever-quickening rhythm.

She was not going to survive this.

This was the only thought that now occupied her mind. She wished her hands had been tied - it would have been over by now. She let herself sink into the darkness, crying.