His head was pounding behind his eyes before he ever opened them. Dehydration, being knocked out by the butt of a blunt object, and the battle in the salty sea were all contenders playing in the dark behind his eyelids as he refrained from groaning with pain.
He lay awake listening for a while, careful not to move or change his breathing from its slow unhurried pace.
A normal man would have stirred before realizing his mistake. Stilling only after a recollection.
Scar heard the creaking of the wooden ship as the waves carried it forward. One set of heavy boots assessed wooden stairs and then stillness. His feet were heavy with cold metal. He risked half peaking his eye open and found that they were in a poorly lit hull. He was able to spot Thaulka's unmoving body a few feet away in similar discomfort. The slowness of his breath suggested he hadn't come to, but thankfully Thaulka's skin reflected very humanly in the small flickering light directly above him. An identical set of heavy metal shackles bound his ankles to the ship. He readjusted his aching neck and slightly adjusted out his poor wretched body into a more comfortable position; slowing his breathing as he heard another man approach.
The man settled in and began polishing somthing. He could smell the oil and hear bristles working the rough material. Chances were, he was polishing leather but it was hard to tell.
He must of worked for a while. He could only guess an hour went by before the man grumbled happily and settled down on the bench by the stair well. The man guarding him quietly hummed a tune to himself before he heard the blissful, ever so quiet whistle of air unconsciously escaping him in the beginnings of slumber.
He waited a few more minutes before his breathing became deeper and he sat up quiet as a panther. Even as, in pain, he sucked his lower lip between his teeth and let it roll into place with a controlled breath. Nearly silent he made his way the few feet over to Thaulka and rocked him by his shoulder. He swept and hand over his mouth as his warm brown eyes fluttered open in a panic and then settled as he took in the familiar features of the man in front of him.
Removing his hand he motioned to the guard and made a gesture to the shackles on their ankles.
Thaulka sat up groaning and then stiffled the sounds of pain as his eyes cut sharply to the stranger and back. His breath coming out ragged even as he fought his body for the utter control that the assassin beside him seemed to have picked up like a familair mask. He admired the fact that he was this way even after being neatly starved to death, severely dehydrated, and with that fever bright look to his eyes.
Thaulka pulled the string coated in Dreamartin metal from somewhere inside his coat and carefully unwound it.
Seeing it now, upclose, he realized only the middle of the string was coated and silver. The ends didn't reflect metallic but instead were a bright yellow thread.
Thaulka's hands trembled slightly. The metal could cut through steel like butter. Or flesh and bone if they weren't careful.
"Let me." His voice was a low whisper.
Thaulka carefully passed the string.
He readjusted and with frightening precision cut his cuffs off in a quick motion. The string pausing just a hair away from his skin and less than a hair away from the metal he'd just cut through. His hands didn't shake or hesitate as he pulled it back and did the other side. Nobody would tell from looking at him how his heart beat wildly in his ribcage as his ears strained to every little noise in the cabin; listening to the man carefully while also listening for approaching steps.
He smiled at the long forgotten thrill as he laid the string on the ship floor long enough to pull the shackles apart and get close enough to reach Thaulka's restraints.
Thaulka was freed seconds before the second man approached the door. Even before the lock finished turning Scar had cut the restraints at his ankle and was waiting behind the door. Thaulka blinked at his silent speed dumbfounded at the crackling yellow aura. He was excited.
Even empty handed Scar smiled. They had no idea who they'd chained below their decks; but they were about to find out.