The fire ship and the songbird (1/2)
Title: The fire ship and the songbird
Pairing: N/Ken, vaguely implied others
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~13k
Warnings: some violence
Summary: Jaehwan Lee is a captain’s clerk, a position of decent importance but little prestige or infamy, and so the last thing he expects is to end up locked in the brig of the most feared pirate ship in the ocean.
Originally written for hakkais_shadow in the summer 2015 forvixx exchange! My first ever exchange. :) Also on ao3.
This is the longest thing I've ever written, ha. I am also addicted to cameos, apparently. Original A/N at the end and work under the cut:
The air in Jaehwan’s office stifled, even with the small port window flung as wide as it could go. It was humid and heavy, and in the afternoon heat, Jaehwan could feel a bead of sweat run down his forehead onto his nose. He quickly wiped it off before it could fall and blur his reports. He didn’t want to have to rewrite it again--he was already scrambling to reconfigure their schedule.
They had been making good time a few days previously, the wind and currents happily carrying the ship where she wanted to go, but it had quickly dwindled, and by the next day had been merely a light breeze. By the second day, the breeze had gone, leaving only the weakening currents. And by the third day, even those had disappeared, and the HMS Star was dead in the water.
It had been three and a half days since then, and Jaehwan had long since given up on trying to stay dry. A chunk of sweat-slicked hair dropped into his face and he huffed, trying in vain to smooth it back one-handed while he scribbled.
Sailing, he thought, was a heinous activity, and should really be avoided where possible. And yet here he was, a year and a half into a position as a captain’s clerk on the pride ship of the navy, covered in sweat, salt, grime, and generally sick of the ocean.
He’d barely managed to get this position thanks to Kyungsoo, his childhood friend and who had been the captain of the Star. Then, the position had almost been worth it, since Kyungsoo had made a point to make allowances for Jaehwan despite his lack of title-and where he couldn’t, Kyungsoo still understood. But then some six months or so back Kyungsoo had been injured, discharged, promoted for his service, and Junmyeon Kim was the captain now. A good, capable captain to be sure, and who Jaehwan very much respected, but he had never felt more alone at sea. Mr. Byun, another person from professional background, and whom Jaehwan counted as a close friend, sometimes got it, but he was already a purser and so was good as titled. Jaehwan still had several years-if he was lucky-before he got that particular promotion and a bedroom of his own. Until then, this office was all he had, and it barely fit his desk.
A small breeze ruffled Jaehwan’s hair and he looked up at the window, excited, only to see the same clear blue skies and calm sea. He huffed. A storm would be better than this stagnant heat, he thought bitterly, and a drop of sweat rolled off his nose to plop square onto the fresh ink.
Not three hours later, Jaehwan was regretting his flippant wish, as the skies had suddenly changed from blue to gray and then to almost black, the wind whipping up to shriek through the rigging. The Star rolled dangerously, and Jaehwan heard nothing but the pounding of the sea and the frantic groaning of the ship as he lay painfully awake. Occasionally between the howls of the wind he could hear the captain on deck with his Lieutenant, barking orders, and the shouts of sailors trying to keep the Star afloat. Jaehwan gripped the edges of his bunk and tried not to imagine green waters closing over his head.
Gradually, the storm calmed, and Jaehwan managed to catch a couple hours of sleep in his bunk just before the early light of dawn. But with the sunrise came young master Jongin shaking his shoulder and saying that he was needed on deck, tired face apologetic. Jaehwan groaned and turned to inquire the time but Jongin had already collapsed face first into his own bunk next to an already snoring master Sehun, frock coat hanging off of one arm.
Jaehwan shrugged on his own neatly folded coat and swiped a hand through his hair, trying to tame it. It crackled, coated with a fresh layer of salt, and he grimaced. A few more swipes and he hoped he looked at least mildly presentable to be topship, but something told him he probably looked like a rat that had only just escaped drowning. Pouting, Jaehwan grabbed his personal ledger and a piece of lead as he hurried out to the quarterdeck.
Morning had dawned on a calm but friendly sea, only the splintered stump of the mizzenmast and the remaining debris any sign of the previous night’s turmoil. A healthy wind blew across the deck as Jaehwan emerged onto the quarterdeck, squinting a little at the already bright sunrise. He could feel the heat of the sun even now, and he swore he was already beginning to sweat.
The captain was hunched over a tall crate, squinting at a large piece of parchment while Lt. Choi jabbed at it aggressively and Master Lee looked on with his typical dazed expression, if a bit more tired than usual.
“You called for me, captain?” Capt. Kim jolted upright in surprise, eyes wide, before immediately collecting himself at the sight of Jaehwan.
“Mr. Lee! Yes, I did. It seems we need to reroute the ship for repairs to the mizzen and I will need you to alter the schedule accordingly, as well as craft correspondence to the Prism that we will be unable to provide the extra escort originally promised.” He paused, rubbing at the circles under his eyes. “Instead, we will be making for the nearest port.” At this, Lt. Choi interrupted.
“Sir, I still insist we try for another port. Canton is unfriendly at best-it may as well be a pirate town and, to be frank, I am alarmed you would even consider it.” Jaehwan froze with the lead hanging above his ledger. He had only heard the Captain spoken to so bluntly once before by Lt. Choi, and it certainly wasn’t abovedeck.
Capt. Kim turned, face now hard. “Lt. Choi, Master Lee has already explained the unlikelihood that we would be able to make for another port in our current state, even with temporary rigging. We make for Canton. This is no longer up for discussion.”
Lt. Choi’s jaw tensed and it seemed like he was about to argue, but with a glance to Jaehwan, Master Lee, and the sailors busily constructing the temporary rigging, he seemed to finally come to himself. “Yes Captain.”
“Good.” Capt. Kim turned back to Jaehwan, face back to its tired authority. “Please also inform Mr. Byun of the changes and have him adjust onshore allotments accordingly.” With that, he turned back to the crate, and Jaehwan knew he was dismissed.
They arrived at Canton just a little before nightfall that same day. The wind had held, and despite the sad state of the rigging, spirits on the ship were higher than they had been for a week. As the jumbled roofs and spiky trees of Canton came into view, however, the atmosphere changed to one of excitement laced with apprehension.
“You ever been to Canton before, Jaehwan?” Mr. Byun asked as they watched the shore pull closer. The sun was setting behind the hills of the island and Jaehwan had to shield his eyes to make out the shapes of ships in the harbor. There weren’t many, and none as large or as grand as the Star, but Canton was the largest port this far west outside of the main Navy routes and the harbor looked appropriately busy.
“No sir, never had cause to,” Jaehwan replied. He eyed the deck of one of the docked ships as they passed, noting the blatant way the sailors onboard stopped and stared at the navy vessel. “And to be honest, based on what I’ve heard, I’d kind of hoped to avoid the place.”
Mr. Byun chuckled, clapping Jaehwan on the shoulder. “Oh, it’s not that bad! A bit run-down and seedy, to be sure, but entertaining enough.” He shook Jaehwan’s shoulder a bit, teasing. “You are just too used to the pretty Navy forts and towns with their pretty ladies and sharply dressed soldiers.” Mr. Byun winked outrageously and Jaehwan blushed, glancing around to see if any midshipmen were listening.
“I am not!” He straightened and sniffed, shaking the hand off of his shoulder. “I am simply worried for the safety of the men, myself included.” To his dismay, Mr. Byun was still grinning smarmily.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Lee! All the officers are going down together; we will keep you safe from harm! I myself will make sure your personage remains unsullied by the wandering hands of some devious pirate rascal.” Jaehwan spluttered, and Mr. Byun laughed at the color of his face, smacking Jaehwan again on the shoulder just as the ship lurched into port and nearly sending him over the side.
“Now, come on. Canton has some of the best lager this side of the sea and I intend to drink my fill.” Sighing petulantly, Jaehwan straightened his coat, tucked his purse more securely into his pocket, and followed Mr. Byun down the gangplank, head held high and trying not to think about the knives glinting from the waists of the other sailors at port.
A few hours later Jaehwan was crowded in a corner window table at a bar with the other officers and a handful of midshipmen. The place was packed, much of it filled with dockworkers and sailors. The rest of the bar was half-full with navy sailors, the thrill of land after so long enough to nearly empty the ship. Even Master Lee had ventured out, smiling more goofily than usual due to the amount of alcohol he’d had so far. Only the captain and lieutenant appeared to have stayed behind, a fact that made Mr. Byun grin lecherously before the surgeon Park smacked him upside the head.
“Baekhyun! Watch your tongue, you gossiping menace. You’ve had too much to drink.” Mr. Byun peered up at his friend suspiciously.
“And you, Chanyeol, have not had enough to drink.” He pointed at Jaehwan. “Mr. Lee! You are nearest to the bar, please get us all drinks and help make this bore a bit more fun.” Jaehwan rolled his eyes and got up, ignoring Dr. Park’s half-hearted protests.
“And no getting sidetracked with flirting! I know how you are, Lee!” Jaehwan rolled his eyes harder and shot Mr. Byun an unamused look. As if there were anyone to flirt with anyway--this bar was only filled with smelly, leathery, salt-encrusted sailors.
He nearly tripped three times on the way to the bar, the combination of alcohol and residual sea-legs making him a bit unsteady. His head swam, and he could feel the heat from so many bodies making his collar stick to his neck and his shirt feel too tight. He probably had heatstroke, or maybe he had contracted some sort of navy-disease from breathing salt air and sleeping next to smelly, snoring teenagers for too long. Although the last time Jaehwan had mentioned this to Dr. Park, Chanyeol had laughed in his face and told him to stop drinking so quickly in the summer. Jaehwan was unconvinced-after all, Chanyeol didn’t have to share a bunk with Sehun, Jongin and Taemin. He had no clue.
The space behind the bar made for a small reprieve from the heat, and after he shouted his order Jaehwan gingerly laid his head on the vaguely cool, polished wood of the counter. Not the cleanest choice, but Jaehwan hadn’t felt clean in weeks.
“You alright there?” Jaehwan snapped his head up at the voice coming from his right, and he really hoped that he hadn’t moved onto the hallucinations portion of whatever dread disease he obviously had, because the man next to him was really, really pretty. He had big doe eyes and dark hair, and a square jawline that Jaehwan really wanted to touch. He was also-despite the worn, simple clothes that screamed sailor-surprisingly pale and soft-looking.
Jaewhan’s voice-usually so reliable-seemed to have left him, and the stranger cocked his head to the side in question. The action shifted his shirt open a little, and Jaehwan could see the curves of hard muscle and oh. This could only lead to trouble. Although possibly...enjoyable trouble.
“What’s your name?” the stranger asked, head still cocked and looking for all the world like a curious woodland creature.
Finally, Jaehwan’s mouth seemed to catch up to his brain, and he straightened a bit. “Lee,” he said, trying not to stare. “Jaehwan Lee.”
The stranger’s face split into a huge grin, his doe eyes scrunching into perfect crescents, and dimples forming in his cheeks. Jaehwan swallowed, hard. “Lovely to meet you, Jaehwan.” The stranger’s smile slipped a bit, into one of more concern. “But are you alright? You looked rather pale.”
Jaehwan tried to look a little forlorn while giving the stranger a bit of his tried-and-true sultry pout. A dash of pity never hurt a flirt. “I’m fine I think, I was merely feeling a bit warm.” The stranger perked up, and Jaehwan swore he could see rabbit ears poking from that silky black hair.
“Ah! Come with me, the air outside has cooled and it will clear your head.” He grabbed Jaehwan’s wrist and tugged, gently but insistently. Jaehwan briefly considered that walking away from his companions with a stranger was maybe not the best idea he’d ever had, but it was so stifling inside the bar, and this man was so pretty, and Jaehwan hadn’t had some fun in weeks. He quickly got up and followed the man through the crowd to the side exit, drink order abandoned.
The air outside was still fairly muggy and heavy with salt, but the sun had long gone down and the night breeze felt wonderful on Jaehwan’s face. The stranger let go of his wrist and Jaehwan had hardly opened his mouth to whine at the loss before the stranger was suddenly very, very close.
“So what brings you to Canton, soldier?” The stranger’s mouth was curved into a smile, not as bright as before but this time quirked with an intent Jaehwan recognized. A finger ran up Jaehwan’s lapel and he swallowed. He could do this, flirting was easy.
“That I’m not at liberty to say,” he chuckled, grinning coyly. “And I’m no soldier, merely a clerk on the ship.”
“A clerk? Really?” Jaehwan grinned wider at the impressed tone in the man’s voice. “I can’t imagine being a clerk for the captain of a ship as big as the Star.” He paused, and his fingers moved to trace Jaewhan’s adam’s apple, peering up at Jaehwan through his eyelashes. “You are the captain’s clerk on the Star, aren’t you?”
Jaewhan grinned roguishly, shivering slightly at the touch now ghosting along his jawline. “That I am.”
Suddenly, the fingers disappeared from Jaehwan’s throat and the man stepped back. “Oh good.” He sighed. “That was really too easy.”
Jaehwan blinked, reeling from the sudden distance. “What?”
The man’s eyes flicked to something over Jaehwan’s shoulder, and before Jaehwan could turn, there was a burst of terrible, blinding pain at the back of his head and everything went black.
--------
Hakyeon sat on the quarterdeck on a crate, staring out across the cove they had pulled into just after sunset. The moon hung overhead, throwing light across the water and creating shadows that concealed most of the ship. It was quiet, Canton was too far for noise to carry, and the rest of the crew were ready at their posts, waiting for orders. It was quiet, but the creaking of the ship echoed in Hakyeon’s ears.
“They’ve been gone a while.” Ravi’s voice came from his left, and Hakyeon shifted to make room for him on the crate.
“Oh, I’m sure everything has gone smoothly,” he replied coolly. Ravi glanced pointedly at where Hakyeon was worrying the gold hoop in his right ear and he hastily dropped his hand and straightened up. “Everything is fine,” he said firmly, trying to stare down Ravi’s raised eyebrow. Ravi merely shrugged, not willing to pry further. Taekwoon, however, had no such qualms.
“You’re worried,” came the boatswain’s soft voice, appearing at the railing beside them. Hakyeon opened his mouth to protest but Taekwoon continued. “Why do you worry? Minseok has never come back unsuccessful.”
“But he is our carpenter and a surgeon and if we were to lose him--”
“We’d still have Yixing.”
“Well, it’s not Minseok I’m worried about anyway,” Hakyeon scoffed, running his hand through his hair in attempt to look collected. “It’s that other rat, who always seems to do something weird and doesn’t seem to take this seriously.” He glared at Ravi, who gave him an incredulous look.
“It’s not my fau--”
“They’re back!” A shout rang across the deck, and Hakyeon quickly stood up and tried to hurry forward while not looking too concerned. He could see one figure being hoisted over the rails, but couldn’t see the other expected two.
“Hongbin!” Hakyeon’s voice sounded clear and sharp, making most of the sailors turn sharply, but Hongbin merely blinked slowly up at his captain on the deck.
“Where’s Minseok?” Hongbin blinked again, cocking his head in a way that Hakyeon supposed was supposed to look cute or something but right now just grated.
“Oh, he’s somewhere behind me, I think.” He flapped a hand in the general direction he came from. “Probably taking forever because he’s carrying the guy.”
Hakyeon inhaled deeply, and felt his temple throb. ”Why aren’t you helping him?”
Hongbin looked up at Hakyeon balefully. “He was heavy.”
Hakyeon was about ready to leap over the railing and strangle Hongbin, Ravi be damned, when the man in question put a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down.” He pointed towards the dimly lit entrance to the cove, where an odd hunched figure had appeared. “Look, he’s back.”
Ten minutes later Minseok and his burden had been hauled up and the carpenter had dropped the unconscious man to the deck. “Fuck me, he’s heavy,” Minseok groaned, stretching lightly. “No thanks to you, you lazy little roach,” he spat, glaring icily at Hongbin where he was pouting at Ravi. “Get below deck and start working on those nails you owe me.” Hongbin pouted harder and Minseok’s eyes glittered. “Move your pretty ass or you’ll see Yixing for rag duty,” he hissed, and that had Hongbin scurrying off faster than Hakyeon had seen in a while. He grimaced, and Minseok finally smiled crookedly.
“Don’t worry about that rat, he has work to do anyway.” He gestured at the figure at Hakyeon’s feet. “More importantly, there’s your guy.” Hakyeon peered at the man, who, without a coat, could have been any civilian.
“You’re certain he’s the right one?” Minseok nodded, and Hakyeon was satisfied. “Alright, lock him up and let me know when he wakes.” Two other crewmen hauled the limp body away, and Hakyeon turned to walk back to the quarterdeck.
“Let’s get out of here.”
--------
Jaehwan woke with his face pressed to a grimy, salt-encrusted floor, and groaned. He must have drunk too much and fallen out of his bunk. He shifted upwards and nearly collapsed again when pain erupted across his skull. This wasn’t the normal incessant dull throb of his normal hangover headaches. Jaehwan raised a hand to feel a large lump at the base of his head, and his eyes flew open in realization.
He frantically took in his surroundings, and despite the dim lighting coming from a set of stairs could make out stacks of crates and barrels filling the space. Jaehwan was in an oddly cleared spot on the corner, about three square meters, and as his eyes adjusted, he realized that there were rough bars between him and the crates.
He was on the floor of a brig, of an unknown vessel. Dimly, Jaehwan registered that the floor was creaking and shifting in the way that meant the ship was in motion, and that he could hear the distant sounds of a crew.
He began to panic.
He’d been captured, for an unknown reason. Had he been captured by a foreign power? Was he being held for ransom? No, his country was at peace as far as he knew. Had he been so drunk last night that he’d committed some grave crime? No, he’d been lured out and mugged, he was sure. Was someone looking for revenge for some unimagined slight? Who else would take individual navy sailors-
Jaehwan moaned, low and strained. Pirates. He’d been taken by pirates. Jaehwan could feel his breath shortening and head beginning to spin, so he shifted over to the wall and tried to breathe, ignoring the foul stench coming from the nearest barrel.
This wasn’t so bad. They probably captured him to press him into service, which meant that he might live. And better yet, meant that he might live to see the shore and could make his eventual escape. Maybe. He just needed to be calm, and show no fear-that’s what Kyungsoo had told him about pirates, that many respect defiance rather than deference, and to act as if he would get no mercy if he were to run afoul of them. He’d laughed at Kyungsoo at the time, calling him a worrywart captain. When would he ever run in with pirates-he was no seaman-and no one would dare challenge the Star anyway, especially not while Kyungsoo was captain. Kyungsoo had flustered slightly at the praise, as usual, and had not brought it up again.
Jaehwan supposed neither of them truly thought he’d need to use that advice, but then Capt. Kim had replaced Kyungsoo and many things had changed.
Suddenly a shadow fell across the light from the stairs and Jaehwan heard someone descending. He scrambled backwards along the wall, farther away from the entrance, and tried to school his face into something blank.
The man who appeared was tall, stooping a little in the cramped brig area before he perched on a crate across from Jaehwan. At first glance, he looked like most any pirate, with loud, sea-worn clothing, deeply tanned skin, and gaudy accessories, his black hair swept up away from his face. It was the expensive nature of those accessories paired with the apparent youth of the man that had Jaehwan starting to panic again.
The man shifted on the crate, crossing his legs in a way that looked casual, but managed to make him seem more imposing in the small space. His eyes-or what Jaehwan could see of them-had not left Jaehwan since the man had emerged, and they seemed to glitter in the dim light. He opened his mouth to speak, and Jaehwan braced himself.
“Good afternoon.” The man’s face split into a wide smile, almost sheepish.
“This is a little awkward, I’ll admit. Normally, this is where we’d do introductions, but I already know who you are, so I guess I’ll just introduce myself--”
“I know who you are.” Jaehwan interrupted, emboldened by the man’s behavior, his voice loud and cracking only slightly. “You’re Captain Hakyeon Cha of the Steel Heart and I am not afraid of you.”
Hakyeon laughed, and Jaehwan faltered, grimace slipping into one of confusion. “Well, you’re right about who I am; I am impressed you figured it out but I suppose my reputation precedes me.” Hakyeon’s grin changed then, into one much harder and less sheepish.
“Let’s get right to business, then. Here’s what I want from you: I want to know the intended movements of the Star and the merchant vessel Prism. Give me those, and you’re free to go.”
Jaehwan narrowed his eyes, “You just want the movements? That’s all?”
Hakyeon nodded. “That’s all.”
Jaehwan curled his lip. “Well you will have to find another source; I won’t tell you anything, I am no traitor.”
Hakyeon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Well, I had hoped this would be easier, but I should know not to expect easy with navymen.” He rose and approached the bars, suddenly much closer to Jaehwan, and looming threateningly. Jaehwan could feel words drying up in his throat under the weight of those dark eyes, suddenly too close and too sharp.
“I know that the Prism intends to arrive at Port Holliday in two weeks. I know that it is affiliated with the Star because of its economic importance. That means your information is time-limited, and thus it and you are only valuable for the next, oh...week or so. After that, you’re no longer worth my trouble.” He backed off, and sneered, lips curled.
“You should be afraid of me, Mr. Lee. Give me what I want, and you’re free to go, you have my word. Try to fool me, or wait too long, and you’ll find out the reasons behind my reputation.” With that, Hakyeon disappeared up the stairs with a dramatic flourish, coat swishing ostentatiously. Jaehwan would have found it almost funny, had he not suddenly felt rather lightheaded.
He slumped against the wall, and tried very, very hard not to cry.
--------
Jaehwan gave in by the fifth day. They hadn’t starved or tortured him, but after four days stuck in the hot, stuffy, putrid hull and barely kept out of delirium by the meager rations brought to him, Jaehwan’s initial qualms about betraying the navy had all but disappeared. Perhaps, he reasoned, no one would ever know. Perhaps he could claim that he had escaped, not exchanged information for his life, and he could salvage his career. Capt. Hakyeon had called him a navyman, but the truth was that Jaehwan could barely claim that title and he knew it. He had worked too hard for his position to fail now.
And Jaehwan really, really didn’t want to die.
So he told Capt. Hakyeon that the Prism was indeed on its way to Port Holliday, but was transporting an entire regiment to be dropped off at a fort along the way. The Star would then rendezvous with the Prism enroute and provide escort to Fort Holliday. Originally, there was only going to be a day or so when the Prism would be unescorted but with the delay from the storm, the Prism would have to make the four-day trip to Port Holliday alone in otherwise peaceful waters.
“They will have some soldiers for protection but not many; those waters are usually peaceful.” Jaehwan sighed, head throbbing. “There. I told you all I know. Please. Let me go.”
Capt. Hakyeon grinned somewhat unpleasantly. “Not yet.”
“But you gave your word!”
Capt. Hakyeon nodded calmly, still grinning. “I did. But I did not say when we would let you go, and I have no confirmation that what you have just told me is true. So, you’re stuck here for just a bit longer, Mr. Lee.” He turned to go.
“Well, can I at least spend it somewhere outside this cage?” Jaehwan croaked, in a fit of desperation probably caused by his semi-delirious state.
Capt. Hakyeon paused, and considered Jaehwan, slouched pathetically on the floor of the brig, but still glaring. “Yes. I suppose you can, actually.”
Jaehwan blinked. “Really?” He hadn’t expected that to work.
“Yes, really.” Capt. Hakyeon said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “We will move you later.”
They didn’t let Jaehwan off immediately; his life had become insurance for the accuracy of his information. Jaehwan had protested loudly at that, throwing a small fit before they threatened to throw him overboard anyway. But they did move him out of the brig to a small room shared with the sailingmaster, a gigantic young man named Sanghyuk, and the boatswain Taekwoon, who had taken one look at Jaehwan, growled, and stalked out of the room, brandishing his knife. Sanghyuk had shrugged, unworried, but Jaehwan considered pilfering a knife at his first opportunity.
Sanghyuk, it turned out, had once been navy, and was part of the reason Jaehwan had been placed in this room. No one else wanted to deal with him, and Sanghyuk had volunteered. Despite taking to the pirate life with gusto after being captured into service, Sanghyuk still behaved like a navyman in some respects-still wore his navy coat, kept a neat trunk, called Jaehwan “Mr. Lee.” Jaehwan found it comforting, and quickly latched onto the young man.
Jaehwan was kept chained to his cot when in the room, (the subject of yet another fit-the chains chafed) but otherwise he was free to wander the ship-in Sanghyuk’s company.
Despite his angry outbursts and prisoner status, no one seemed very concerned that Jaehwan would suddenly sabotage the ship or try to kill them in their sleep, except for maybe the carpenter Minseok-who Jaehwan now knew was his initial assailant and was resolved to keep very far away from. But Minseok seemed to always be nearby, fiddling with his gun when Jaehwan was out with Sanghyuk, expression blank and scarred arms flexing menacingly. When Jaehwan had mentioned this to Sanghyuk, he’d shrugged again, saying that Minseok was always like that. Just don’t damage the ship if you care to keep your fingers, Mr. Lee.
Jaehwan later learned that Minseok and Taekwoon had been the most vocal opposition to his being kept aboard-Taekwoon likely due to having to share a room and Minseok because he held a deep distrust of the navy.
“Hated me for two months after I agreed to stay,” Sanghyuk had explained to Jaehwan one evening in their room. “Stabbed me in the arm about three weeks in.” At Jaehwan’s panicked expression, he shrugged and didn’t elaborate further. Maybe Sanghyuk wasn’t the best judge of character either.
Jaehwan really needed to find a knife.
But for the most part, the pirates of the Steel Heart needn’t have concerned themselves. Jaehwan wasn’t the best at strategy-he knew numbers, not tactics-but he still knew there was only so much he could do until they reached another ship or land. And he certainly wasn’t a soldier, his fencing skills only what remained from his and Kyungsoo’s days as teens fighting with sticks.
So he behaved.
He stayed in his room for the most part, not comfortable under the hostile or jeering stares of the pirates. He took his meals alone, small amounts of flavorless hardtack and tepid water brought back by Sanghyuk.
On the third night after pursuing the Prism, however, Sanghyuk had dragged Jaehwan out of the room to the main mess, where it appeared that most of the crew were gathered, shouting and laughing loudly. Despite Jaehwan’s protests, Sanghyuk shoved him onto a bench and sat down next to him, immediately starting to eat. Jaehwan looked to his left and saw to his dismay that he was now squished next to Taekwoon, who glared at him even as he continued to shovel food into his mouth. Jaehwan tried not to glance too obviously at the knife next to the plate in front of him.
He heard a particularly loud laugh from his right, and saw the captain at the head of the table, talking with another crewmember, gold earring glinting in the low light and black hair falling over his eyes. Jaehwan couldn’t see Capt. Hakyeon’s infamous quartermaster, Ravi, anywhere in the room and figured he must be busy commanding the ship since the captain was only really needed in battle. This was the first time Jaehwan had seen or been in the same room as the captain since he had been released from the cell, but Capt. Hakyeon did not appear to notice Jaehwan staring, or acknowledge his arrival.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” The noise in the room broke and Jaehwan looked across the table into Minseok’s thunderous expression, the man crouched over the table as if ready to lunge.
“Eating,” Sanghyuk replied evenly, voice muffled by the food in his mouth.
Minseok sneered at Jaehwan, ignoring Sanghyuk, who shrugged and kept eating. “What, the poor navy sailor got lonely in his room? Or did you come here to try to teach us heathens proper manners?” A few pirates chuckled.
“Well,” Minseok continued, sneer now a full-blown snarl. “I don’t want to see his face at the table, it’s spoiling my appetite.”
Jaehwan looked to the right, and met the eyes of the captain, who had said nothing but was staring at Jaehwan curiously, as if he were expecting something but unsure if it would happen. Jaehwan swallowed.
Defiance, be defiant. If Kyungsoo was wrong Jaehwan was going to haunt him from his grave. He took a breath and schooled his face into his best condescending look.
“Then I’ll just stand up, that should put my face well out of your sight range, I think.” A beat of silence, then the table erupted into laughter. Minseok let out a shout of rage and moved to leap over the table, Jaehwan bracing himself for impact.
“Minseok! Sit down, you bloodthirsty idiot.” Minseok halted with his foot on the table, turned to Capt. Hakyeon, who appeared to be smirking. “If you start another brawl in here over your height I’m going to halve your rum for the week.” Minseok sputtered a little but allowed himself to be pulled back into his seat by his laughing neighbors, and Jaehwan let out the breath he had been holding. He felt Sanghyuk clap him on the shoulder and Jaehwan looked to his left again. Capt. Hakyeon had gone back to his conversation but the smirk was still on his face, and his eyes briefly met Jaehwan’s, and he thought there might have been satisfaction in them.
Jaehwan took the rest of his meals back in the room, but this time they contained fish, and rum. When Jaehwan asked, Sanghyuk simply shrugged as usual, but did say that the captain had handed him the food instead of the galley cook. And on Jaehwan’s trips outside of the room, he no longer saw Minseok around each corner. Instead, his presence seemed to be replaced with Capt. Hakyeon’s, watching Jaehwan and barking orders at anyone who walked by.
Jaehwan didn’t understand it. Maybe Capt. Hakyeon found him entertaining, maybe it was some game. But Jaehwan didn’t look gift horses in the mouth, and he appreciated the extra food and peace of mind. Perhaps, he thought, there were still a few decent men among pirates.
--------
The Steel Heart sighted the Prism a couple days later late in the afternoon, and suddenly everything started moving very quickly. Jaehwan had hoped that the Prism would surrender peacefully when the Steel Heart ran up its colors, but then again, in the year and a half he had been in these waters, Jaehwan had never known Capt. Liu or the Jung sisters to shy from a fight. And as expected, no flag of surrender flew from the deck of the Prism.
Where quartermaster Ravi had been on deck the past few days, suddenly Capt. Hakyeon had appeared, long coat flapping behind him and jewelry glinting in the sun as he barked orders at the crew. He had a long sabre at his hip and two pistols, and Jaehwan couldn’t help but be impressed at the figure he cut, hair once again swept up under his feathered hat. Capt. Hakyeon’s hat was much smaller and less gaudy than Ravi’s, and yet in battle Jaehwan couldn’t imagine anyone mistaking Hakyeon for anyone but the captain.
Jaehwan was expected to stay in his room, chained to his cot, but at the last minute had managed to slip past unchained in the chaos and now was holed up out of the way at the base of the quarterdeck. His plan was to escape onto the Prism during the raid, and beg passage to the next port. Jaehwan just hoped that this raid didn’t end in the Prism at the bottom of the ocean.
After a few minutes watching pirates scramble to the other ship and possibly going deaf from the sound of gunshots, he saw his chance-a rigging on the Prism had snapped, and it now dangled a rope towards the deck of the Heart not far from Jaehwan’s location.
Jaehwan swung onto the deck of the Prism, and quickly scurried for a corner away from the action. He had nearly made it to the front of the ship when he was confronted by two soldiers engaged in combat with Capt. Hakyeon, who was fighting while trying to staunch the bloodflow from a wound to his side. One of the soldiers turned to attack Jaehwan, and he watched as the man approached, sword drawn and bloodied, while Jaehwan froze with his small knife brandished feebly. This was it; he was going to die, at the hands of a navy soldier, how ironic.
“Hey!” A yell broke through Jaehwan’s tunnel vision and he looked to see Capt. Hakyeon spin away mid-strike, and kick a fallen sailor’s sword to clatter at Jaehwan’s feet. He lunged for the sword and brought it up just in time to block the soldier’s slice to his chest.
Jaehwan had not properly fenced in years, and he was barely managing to keep the solder at bay, swinging wildly and using his height to try and force the soldier backwards. But his footwork suffered, and he tripped backwards over a body, sword clattering away. His eyes clenched shut, bracing for the pain of a sword through his chest but it never came. Jaehwan opened his eyes to see the soldier now engaged with Capt. Hakyeon, who had clearly dispatched his previous opponent.
Suddenly the soldier managed to get in close to the captain, and drove the butt of his sword into Hakyeon’s bloodied side. With an anguished cry, the captain crumpled against a nearby crate, sword falling as the soldier pinned him to the boards, sword raised to strike.
Jaehwan was unsure how it happened, but one second he was watching the soldier brace for the killing blow, Hakyeon’s face twisted in a pained and furious snarl, the next the soldier was falling to the ground, shot through the back by the pistol Jaehwan had snatched from the body next to him.
Jaehwan watched the man fall as if in slow motion, landing with a final thump on the deck. He looked at his hand, still holding the gun. Dimly, he realized his hands were shaking. He looked up and met Capt. Hakyeon’s gaze, full of confusion, relief, and some emotion Jaehwan didn’t recognize. They stared at each other for a moment, before the captain lurched to his feet, and turned away for the rest of the ship.
Jaehwan dropped the gun, scrambled for the side of the ship, and promptly threw up.
The fight didn’t last much longer, the soldiers and sailors outnumbered and outgunned by the Steel Heart. Despite his injuries, Capt. Hakyeon oversaw the plunder of the ship, captain and remaining crew tied on their knees on deck.
Jaehwan had managed to stumble back to his cot on the Steel Heart after the surrender, collapsing limply in the empty room. He curled up on the mattress and sobbed until he fell asleep.
--------
Part 2
Pairing: N/Ken, vaguely implied others
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~13k
Warnings: some violence
Summary: Jaehwan Lee is a captain’s clerk, a position of decent importance but little prestige or infamy, and so the last thing he expects is to end up locked in the brig of the most feared pirate ship in the ocean.
Originally written for hakkais_shadow in the summer 2015 forvixx exchange! My first ever exchange. :) Also on ao3.
This is the longest thing I've ever written, ha. I am also addicted to cameos, apparently. Original A/N at the end and work under the cut:
The air in Jaehwan’s office stifled, even with the small port window flung as wide as it could go. It was humid and heavy, and in the afternoon heat, Jaehwan could feel a bead of sweat run down his forehead onto his nose. He quickly wiped it off before it could fall and blur his reports. He didn’t want to have to rewrite it again--he was already scrambling to reconfigure their schedule.
They had been making good time a few days previously, the wind and currents happily carrying the ship where she wanted to go, but it had quickly dwindled, and by the next day had been merely a light breeze. By the second day, the breeze had gone, leaving only the weakening currents. And by the third day, even those had disappeared, and the HMS Star was dead in the water.
It had been three and a half days since then, and Jaehwan had long since given up on trying to stay dry. A chunk of sweat-slicked hair dropped into his face and he huffed, trying in vain to smooth it back one-handed while he scribbled.
Sailing, he thought, was a heinous activity, and should really be avoided where possible. And yet here he was, a year and a half into a position as a captain’s clerk on the pride ship of the navy, covered in sweat, salt, grime, and generally sick of the ocean.
He’d barely managed to get this position thanks to Kyungsoo, his childhood friend and who had been the captain of the Star. Then, the position had almost been worth it, since Kyungsoo had made a point to make allowances for Jaehwan despite his lack of title-and where he couldn’t, Kyungsoo still understood. But then some six months or so back Kyungsoo had been injured, discharged, promoted for his service, and Junmyeon Kim was the captain now. A good, capable captain to be sure, and who Jaehwan very much respected, but he had never felt more alone at sea. Mr. Byun, another person from professional background, and whom Jaehwan counted as a close friend, sometimes got it, but he was already a purser and so was good as titled. Jaehwan still had several years-if he was lucky-before he got that particular promotion and a bedroom of his own. Until then, this office was all he had, and it barely fit his desk.
A small breeze ruffled Jaehwan’s hair and he looked up at the window, excited, only to see the same clear blue skies and calm sea. He huffed. A storm would be better than this stagnant heat, he thought bitterly, and a drop of sweat rolled off his nose to plop square onto the fresh ink.
Not three hours later, Jaehwan was regretting his flippant wish, as the skies had suddenly changed from blue to gray and then to almost black, the wind whipping up to shriek through the rigging. The Star rolled dangerously, and Jaehwan heard nothing but the pounding of the sea and the frantic groaning of the ship as he lay painfully awake. Occasionally between the howls of the wind he could hear the captain on deck with his Lieutenant, barking orders, and the shouts of sailors trying to keep the Star afloat. Jaehwan gripped the edges of his bunk and tried not to imagine green waters closing over his head.
Gradually, the storm calmed, and Jaehwan managed to catch a couple hours of sleep in his bunk just before the early light of dawn. But with the sunrise came young master Jongin shaking his shoulder and saying that he was needed on deck, tired face apologetic. Jaehwan groaned and turned to inquire the time but Jongin had already collapsed face first into his own bunk next to an already snoring master Sehun, frock coat hanging off of one arm.
Jaehwan shrugged on his own neatly folded coat and swiped a hand through his hair, trying to tame it. It crackled, coated with a fresh layer of salt, and he grimaced. A few more swipes and he hoped he looked at least mildly presentable to be topship, but something told him he probably looked like a rat that had only just escaped drowning. Pouting, Jaehwan grabbed his personal ledger and a piece of lead as he hurried out to the quarterdeck.
Morning had dawned on a calm but friendly sea, only the splintered stump of the mizzenmast and the remaining debris any sign of the previous night’s turmoil. A healthy wind blew across the deck as Jaehwan emerged onto the quarterdeck, squinting a little at the already bright sunrise. He could feel the heat of the sun even now, and he swore he was already beginning to sweat.
The captain was hunched over a tall crate, squinting at a large piece of parchment while Lt. Choi jabbed at it aggressively and Master Lee looked on with his typical dazed expression, if a bit more tired than usual.
“You called for me, captain?” Capt. Kim jolted upright in surprise, eyes wide, before immediately collecting himself at the sight of Jaehwan.
“Mr. Lee! Yes, I did. It seems we need to reroute the ship for repairs to the mizzen and I will need you to alter the schedule accordingly, as well as craft correspondence to the Prism that we will be unable to provide the extra escort originally promised.” He paused, rubbing at the circles under his eyes. “Instead, we will be making for the nearest port.” At this, Lt. Choi interrupted.
“Sir, I still insist we try for another port. Canton is unfriendly at best-it may as well be a pirate town and, to be frank, I am alarmed you would even consider it.” Jaehwan froze with the lead hanging above his ledger. He had only heard the Captain spoken to so bluntly once before by Lt. Choi, and it certainly wasn’t abovedeck.
Capt. Kim turned, face now hard. “Lt. Choi, Master Lee has already explained the unlikelihood that we would be able to make for another port in our current state, even with temporary rigging. We make for Canton. This is no longer up for discussion.”
Lt. Choi’s jaw tensed and it seemed like he was about to argue, but with a glance to Jaehwan, Master Lee, and the sailors busily constructing the temporary rigging, he seemed to finally come to himself. “Yes Captain.”
“Good.” Capt. Kim turned back to Jaehwan, face back to its tired authority. “Please also inform Mr. Byun of the changes and have him adjust onshore allotments accordingly.” With that, he turned back to the crate, and Jaehwan knew he was dismissed.
They arrived at Canton just a little before nightfall that same day. The wind had held, and despite the sad state of the rigging, spirits on the ship were higher than they had been for a week. As the jumbled roofs and spiky trees of Canton came into view, however, the atmosphere changed to one of excitement laced with apprehension.
“You ever been to Canton before, Jaehwan?” Mr. Byun asked as they watched the shore pull closer. The sun was setting behind the hills of the island and Jaehwan had to shield his eyes to make out the shapes of ships in the harbor. There weren’t many, and none as large or as grand as the Star, but Canton was the largest port this far west outside of the main Navy routes and the harbor looked appropriately busy.
“No sir, never had cause to,” Jaehwan replied. He eyed the deck of one of the docked ships as they passed, noting the blatant way the sailors onboard stopped and stared at the navy vessel. “And to be honest, based on what I’ve heard, I’d kind of hoped to avoid the place.”
Mr. Byun chuckled, clapping Jaehwan on the shoulder. “Oh, it’s not that bad! A bit run-down and seedy, to be sure, but entertaining enough.” He shook Jaehwan’s shoulder a bit, teasing. “You are just too used to the pretty Navy forts and towns with their pretty ladies and sharply dressed soldiers.” Mr. Byun winked outrageously and Jaehwan blushed, glancing around to see if any midshipmen were listening.
“I am not!” He straightened and sniffed, shaking the hand off of his shoulder. “I am simply worried for the safety of the men, myself included.” To his dismay, Mr. Byun was still grinning smarmily.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Lee! All the officers are going down together; we will keep you safe from harm! I myself will make sure your personage remains unsullied by the wandering hands of some devious pirate rascal.” Jaehwan spluttered, and Mr. Byun laughed at the color of his face, smacking Jaehwan again on the shoulder just as the ship lurched into port and nearly sending him over the side.
“Now, come on. Canton has some of the best lager this side of the sea and I intend to drink my fill.” Sighing petulantly, Jaehwan straightened his coat, tucked his purse more securely into his pocket, and followed Mr. Byun down the gangplank, head held high and trying not to think about the knives glinting from the waists of the other sailors at port.
A few hours later Jaehwan was crowded in a corner window table at a bar with the other officers and a handful of midshipmen. The place was packed, much of it filled with dockworkers and sailors. The rest of the bar was half-full with navy sailors, the thrill of land after so long enough to nearly empty the ship. Even Master Lee had ventured out, smiling more goofily than usual due to the amount of alcohol he’d had so far. Only the captain and lieutenant appeared to have stayed behind, a fact that made Mr. Byun grin lecherously before the surgeon Park smacked him upside the head.
“Baekhyun! Watch your tongue, you gossiping menace. You’ve had too much to drink.” Mr. Byun peered up at his friend suspiciously.
“And you, Chanyeol, have not had enough to drink.” He pointed at Jaehwan. “Mr. Lee! You are nearest to the bar, please get us all drinks and help make this bore a bit more fun.” Jaehwan rolled his eyes and got up, ignoring Dr. Park’s half-hearted protests.
“And no getting sidetracked with flirting! I know how you are, Lee!” Jaehwan rolled his eyes harder and shot Mr. Byun an unamused look. As if there were anyone to flirt with anyway--this bar was only filled with smelly, leathery, salt-encrusted sailors.
He nearly tripped three times on the way to the bar, the combination of alcohol and residual sea-legs making him a bit unsteady. His head swam, and he could feel the heat from so many bodies making his collar stick to his neck and his shirt feel too tight. He probably had heatstroke, or maybe he had contracted some sort of navy-disease from breathing salt air and sleeping next to smelly, snoring teenagers for too long. Although the last time Jaehwan had mentioned this to Dr. Park, Chanyeol had laughed in his face and told him to stop drinking so quickly in the summer. Jaehwan was unconvinced-after all, Chanyeol didn’t have to share a bunk with Sehun, Jongin and Taemin. He had no clue.
The space behind the bar made for a small reprieve from the heat, and after he shouted his order Jaehwan gingerly laid his head on the vaguely cool, polished wood of the counter. Not the cleanest choice, but Jaehwan hadn’t felt clean in weeks.
“You alright there?” Jaehwan snapped his head up at the voice coming from his right, and he really hoped that he hadn’t moved onto the hallucinations portion of whatever dread disease he obviously had, because the man next to him was really, really pretty. He had big doe eyes and dark hair, and a square jawline that Jaehwan really wanted to touch. He was also-despite the worn, simple clothes that screamed sailor-surprisingly pale and soft-looking.
Jaewhan’s voice-usually so reliable-seemed to have left him, and the stranger cocked his head to the side in question. The action shifted his shirt open a little, and Jaehwan could see the curves of hard muscle and oh. This could only lead to trouble. Although possibly...enjoyable trouble.
“What’s your name?” the stranger asked, head still cocked and looking for all the world like a curious woodland creature.
Finally, Jaehwan’s mouth seemed to catch up to his brain, and he straightened a bit. “Lee,” he said, trying not to stare. “Jaehwan Lee.”
The stranger’s face split into a huge grin, his doe eyes scrunching into perfect crescents, and dimples forming in his cheeks. Jaehwan swallowed, hard. “Lovely to meet you, Jaehwan.” The stranger’s smile slipped a bit, into one of more concern. “But are you alright? You looked rather pale.”
Jaehwan tried to look a little forlorn while giving the stranger a bit of his tried-and-true sultry pout. A dash of pity never hurt a flirt. “I’m fine I think, I was merely feeling a bit warm.” The stranger perked up, and Jaehwan swore he could see rabbit ears poking from that silky black hair.
“Ah! Come with me, the air outside has cooled and it will clear your head.” He grabbed Jaehwan’s wrist and tugged, gently but insistently. Jaehwan briefly considered that walking away from his companions with a stranger was maybe not the best idea he’d ever had, but it was so stifling inside the bar, and this man was so pretty, and Jaehwan hadn’t had some fun in weeks. He quickly got up and followed the man through the crowd to the side exit, drink order abandoned.
The air outside was still fairly muggy and heavy with salt, but the sun had long gone down and the night breeze felt wonderful on Jaehwan’s face. The stranger let go of his wrist and Jaehwan had hardly opened his mouth to whine at the loss before the stranger was suddenly very, very close.
“So what brings you to Canton, soldier?” The stranger’s mouth was curved into a smile, not as bright as before but this time quirked with an intent Jaehwan recognized. A finger ran up Jaehwan’s lapel and he swallowed. He could do this, flirting was easy.
“That I’m not at liberty to say,” he chuckled, grinning coyly. “And I’m no soldier, merely a clerk on the ship.”
“A clerk? Really?” Jaehwan grinned wider at the impressed tone in the man’s voice. “I can’t imagine being a clerk for the captain of a ship as big as the Star.” He paused, and his fingers moved to trace Jaewhan’s adam’s apple, peering up at Jaehwan through his eyelashes. “You are the captain’s clerk on the Star, aren’t you?”
Jaewhan grinned roguishly, shivering slightly at the touch now ghosting along his jawline. “That I am.”
Suddenly, the fingers disappeared from Jaehwan’s throat and the man stepped back. “Oh good.” He sighed. “That was really too easy.”
Jaehwan blinked, reeling from the sudden distance. “What?”
The man’s eyes flicked to something over Jaehwan’s shoulder, and before Jaehwan could turn, there was a burst of terrible, blinding pain at the back of his head and everything went black.
--------
Hakyeon sat on the quarterdeck on a crate, staring out across the cove they had pulled into just after sunset. The moon hung overhead, throwing light across the water and creating shadows that concealed most of the ship. It was quiet, Canton was too far for noise to carry, and the rest of the crew were ready at their posts, waiting for orders. It was quiet, but the creaking of the ship echoed in Hakyeon’s ears.
“They’ve been gone a while.” Ravi’s voice came from his left, and Hakyeon shifted to make room for him on the crate.
“Oh, I’m sure everything has gone smoothly,” he replied coolly. Ravi glanced pointedly at where Hakyeon was worrying the gold hoop in his right ear and he hastily dropped his hand and straightened up. “Everything is fine,” he said firmly, trying to stare down Ravi’s raised eyebrow. Ravi merely shrugged, not willing to pry further. Taekwoon, however, had no such qualms.
“You’re worried,” came the boatswain’s soft voice, appearing at the railing beside them. Hakyeon opened his mouth to protest but Taekwoon continued. “Why do you worry? Minseok has never come back unsuccessful.”
“But he is our carpenter and a surgeon and if we were to lose him--”
“We’d still have Yixing.”
“Well, it’s not Minseok I’m worried about anyway,” Hakyeon scoffed, running his hand through his hair in attempt to look collected. “It’s that other rat, who always seems to do something weird and doesn’t seem to take this seriously.” He glared at Ravi, who gave him an incredulous look.
“It’s not my fau--”
“They’re back!” A shout rang across the deck, and Hakyeon quickly stood up and tried to hurry forward while not looking too concerned. He could see one figure being hoisted over the rails, but couldn’t see the other expected two.
“Hongbin!” Hakyeon’s voice sounded clear and sharp, making most of the sailors turn sharply, but Hongbin merely blinked slowly up at his captain on the deck.
“Where’s Minseok?” Hongbin blinked again, cocking his head in a way that Hakyeon supposed was supposed to look cute or something but right now just grated.
“Oh, he’s somewhere behind me, I think.” He flapped a hand in the general direction he came from. “Probably taking forever because he’s carrying the guy.”
Hakyeon inhaled deeply, and felt his temple throb. ”Why aren’t you helping him?”
Hongbin looked up at Hakyeon balefully. “He was heavy.”
Hakyeon was about ready to leap over the railing and strangle Hongbin, Ravi be damned, when the man in question put a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down.” He pointed towards the dimly lit entrance to the cove, where an odd hunched figure had appeared. “Look, he’s back.”
Ten minutes later Minseok and his burden had been hauled up and the carpenter had dropped the unconscious man to the deck. “Fuck me, he’s heavy,” Minseok groaned, stretching lightly. “No thanks to you, you lazy little roach,” he spat, glaring icily at Hongbin where he was pouting at Ravi. “Get below deck and start working on those nails you owe me.” Hongbin pouted harder and Minseok’s eyes glittered. “Move your pretty ass or you’ll see Yixing for rag duty,” he hissed, and that had Hongbin scurrying off faster than Hakyeon had seen in a while. He grimaced, and Minseok finally smiled crookedly.
“Don’t worry about that rat, he has work to do anyway.” He gestured at the figure at Hakyeon’s feet. “More importantly, there’s your guy.” Hakyeon peered at the man, who, without a coat, could have been any civilian.
“You’re certain he’s the right one?” Minseok nodded, and Hakyeon was satisfied. “Alright, lock him up and let me know when he wakes.” Two other crewmen hauled the limp body away, and Hakyeon turned to walk back to the quarterdeck.
“Let’s get out of here.”
--------
Jaehwan woke with his face pressed to a grimy, salt-encrusted floor, and groaned. He must have drunk too much and fallen out of his bunk. He shifted upwards and nearly collapsed again when pain erupted across his skull. This wasn’t the normal incessant dull throb of his normal hangover headaches. Jaehwan raised a hand to feel a large lump at the base of his head, and his eyes flew open in realization.
He frantically took in his surroundings, and despite the dim lighting coming from a set of stairs could make out stacks of crates and barrels filling the space. Jaehwan was in an oddly cleared spot on the corner, about three square meters, and as his eyes adjusted, he realized that there were rough bars between him and the crates.
He was on the floor of a brig, of an unknown vessel. Dimly, Jaehwan registered that the floor was creaking and shifting in the way that meant the ship was in motion, and that he could hear the distant sounds of a crew.
He began to panic.
He’d been captured, for an unknown reason. Had he been captured by a foreign power? Was he being held for ransom? No, his country was at peace as far as he knew. Had he been so drunk last night that he’d committed some grave crime? No, he’d been lured out and mugged, he was sure. Was someone looking for revenge for some unimagined slight? Who else would take individual navy sailors-
Jaehwan moaned, low and strained. Pirates. He’d been taken by pirates. Jaehwan could feel his breath shortening and head beginning to spin, so he shifted over to the wall and tried to breathe, ignoring the foul stench coming from the nearest barrel.
This wasn’t so bad. They probably captured him to press him into service, which meant that he might live. And better yet, meant that he might live to see the shore and could make his eventual escape. Maybe. He just needed to be calm, and show no fear-that’s what Kyungsoo had told him about pirates, that many respect defiance rather than deference, and to act as if he would get no mercy if he were to run afoul of them. He’d laughed at Kyungsoo at the time, calling him a worrywart captain. When would he ever run in with pirates-he was no seaman-and no one would dare challenge the Star anyway, especially not while Kyungsoo was captain. Kyungsoo had flustered slightly at the praise, as usual, and had not brought it up again.
Jaehwan supposed neither of them truly thought he’d need to use that advice, but then Capt. Kim had replaced Kyungsoo and many things had changed.
Suddenly a shadow fell across the light from the stairs and Jaehwan heard someone descending. He scrambled backwards along the wall, farther away from the entrance, and tried to school his face into something blank.
The man who appeared was tall, stooping a little in the cramped brig area before he perched on a crate across from Jaehwan. At first glance, he looked like most any pirate, with loud, sea-worn clothing, deeply tanned skin, and gaudy accessories, his black hair swept up away from his face. It was the expensive nature of those accessories paired with the apparent youth of the man that had Jaehwan starting to panic again.
The man shifted on the crate, crossing his legs in a way that looked casual, but managed to make him seem more imposing in the small space. His eyes-or what Jaehwan could see of them-had not left Jaehwan since the man had emerged, and they seemed to glitter in the dim light. He opened his mouth to speak, and Jaehwan braced himself.
“Good afternoon.” The man’s face split into a wide smile, almost sheepish.
“This is a little awkward, I’ll admit. Normally, this is where we’d do introductions, but I already know who you are, so I guess I’ll just introduce myself--”
“I know who you are.” Jaehwan interrupted, emboldened by the man’s behavior, his voice loud and cracking only slightly. “You’re Captain Hakyeon Cha of the Steel Heart and I am not afraid of you.”
Hakyeon laughed, and Jaehwan faltered, grimace slipping into one of confusion. “Well, you’re right about who I am; I am impressed you figured it out but I suppose my reputation precedes me.” Hakyeon’s grin changed then, into one much harder and less sheepish.
“Let’s get right to business, then. Here’s what I want from you: I want to know the intended movements of the Star and the merchant vessel Prism. Give me those, and you’re free to go.”
Jaehwan narrowed his eyes, “You just want the movements? That’s all?”
Hakyeon nodded. “That’s all.”
Jaehwan curled his lip. “Well you will have to find another source; I won’t tell you anything, I am no traitor.”
Hakyeon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Well, I had hoped this would be easier, but I should know not to expect easy with navymen.” He rose and approached the bars, suddenly much closer to Jaehwan, and looming threateningly. Jaehwan could feel words drying up in his throat under the weight of those dark eyes, suddenly too close and too sharp.
“I know that the Prism intends to arrive at Port Holliday in two weeks. I know that it is affiliated with the Star because of its economic importance. That means your information is time-limited, and thus it and you are only valuable for the next, oh...week or so. After that, you’re no longer worth my trouble.” He backed off, and sneered, lips curled.
“You should be afraid of me, Mr. Lee. Give me what I want, and you’re free to go, you have my word. Try to fool me, or wait too long, and you’ll find out the reasons behind my reputation.” With that, Hakyeon disappeared up the stairs with a dramatic flourish, coat swishing ostentatiously. Jaehwan would have found it almost funny, had he not suddenly felt rather lightheaded.
He slumped against the wall, and tried very, very hard not to cry.
--------
Jaehwan gave in by the fifth day. They hadn’t starved or tortured him, but after four days stuck in the hot, stuffy, putrid hull and barely kept out of delirium by the meager rations brought to him, Jaehwan’s initial qualms about betraying the navy had all but disappeared. Perhaps, he reasoned, no one would ever know. Perhaps he could claim that he had escaped, not exchanged information for his life, and he could salvage his career. Capt. Hakyeon had called him a navyman, but the truth was that Jaehwan could barely claim that title and he knew it. He had worked too hard for his position to fail now.
And Jaehwan really, really didn’t want to die.
So he told Capt. Hakyeon that the Prism was indeed on its way to Port Holliday, but was transporting an entire regiment to be dropped off at a fort along the way. The Star would then rendezvous with the Prism enroute and provide escort to Fort Holliday. Originally, there was only going to be a day or so when the Prism would be unescorted but with the delay from the storm, the Prism would have to make the four-day trip to Port Holliday alone in otherwise peaceful waters.
“They will have some soldiers for protection but not many; those waters are usually peaceful.” Jaehwan sighed, head throbbing. “There. I told you all I know. Please. Let me go.”
Capt. Hakyeon grinned somewhat unpleasantly. “Not yet.”
“But you gave your word!”
Capt. Hakyeon nodded calmly, still grinning. “I did. But I did not say when we would let you go, and I have no confirmation that what you have just told me is true. So, you’re stuck here for just a bit longer, Mr. Lee.” He turned to go.
“Well, can I at least spend it somewhere outside this cage?” Jaehwan croaked, in a fit of desperation probably caused by his semi-delirious state.
Capt. Hakyeon paused, and considered Jaehwan, slouched pathetically on the floor of the brig, but still glaring. “Yes. I suppose you can, actually.”
Jaehwan blinked. “Really?” He hadn’t expected that to work.
“Yes, really.” Capt. Hakyeon said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “We will move you later.”
They didn’t let Jaehwan off immediately; his life had become insurance for the accuracy of his information. Jaehwan had protested loudly at that, throwing a small fit before they threatened to throw him overboard anyway. But they did move him out of the brig to a small room shared with the sailingmaster, a gigantic young man named Sanghyuk, and the boatswain Taekwoon, who had taken one look at Jaehwan, growled, and stalked out of the room, brandishing his knife. Sanghyuk had shrugged, unworried, but Jaehwan considered pilfering a knife at his first opportunity.
Sanghyuk, it turned out, had once been navy, and was part of the reason Jaehwan had been placed in this room. No one else wanted to deal with him, and Sanghyuk had volunteered. Despite taking to the pirate life with gusto after being captured into service, Sanghyuk still behaved like a navyman in some respects-still wore his navy coat, kept a neat trunk, called Jaehwan “Mr. Lee.” Jaehwan found it comforting, and quickly latched onto the young man.
Jaehwan was kept chained to his cot when in the room, (the subject of yet another fit-the chains chafed) but otherwise he was free to wander the ship-in Sanghyuk’s company.
Despite his angry outbursts and prisoner status, no one seemed very concerned that Jaehwan would suddenly sabotage the ship or try to kill them in their sleep, except for maybe the carpenter Minseok-who Jaehwan now knew was his initial assailant and was resolved to keep very far away from. But Minseok seemed to always be nearby, fiddling with his gun when Jaehwan was out with Sanghyuk, expression blank and scarred arms flexing menacingly. When Jaehwan had mentioned this to Sanghyuk, he’d shrugged again, saying that Minseok was always like that. Just don’t damage the ship if you care to keep your fingers, Mr. Lee.
Jaehwan later learned that Minseok and Taekwoon had been the most vocal opposition to his being kept aboard-Taekwoon likely due to having to share a room and Minseok because he held a deep distrust of the navy.
“Hated me for two months after I agreed to stay,” Sanghyuk had explained to Jaehwan one evening in their room. “Stabbed me in the arm about three weeks in.” At Jaehwan’s panicked expression, he shrugged and didn’t elaborate further. Maybe Sanghyuk wasn’t the best judge of character either.
Jaehwan really needed to find a knife.
But for the most part, the pirates of the Steel Heart needn’t have concerned themselves. Jaehwan wasn’t the best at strategy-he knew numbers, not tactics-but he still knew there was only so much he could do until they reached another ship or land. And he certainly wasn’t a soldier, his fencing skills only what remained from his and Kyungsoo’s days as teens fighting with sticks.
So he behaved.
He stayed in his room for the most part, not comfortable under the hostile or jeering stares of the pirates. He took his meals alone, small amounts of flavorless hardtack and tepid water brought back by Sanghyuk.
On the third night after pursuing the Prism, however, Sanghyuk had dragged Jaehwan out of the room to the main mess, where it appeared that most of the crew were gathered, shouting and laughing loudly. Despite Jaehwan’s protests, Sanghyuk shoved him onto a bench and sat down next to him, immediately starting to eat. Jaehwan looked to his left and saw to his dismay that he was now squished next to Taekwoon, who glared at him even as he continued to shovel food into his mouth. Jaehwan tried not to glance too obviously at the knife next to the plate in front of him.
He heard a particularly loud laugh from his right, and saw the captain at the head of the table, talking with another crewmember, gold earring glinting in the low light and black hair falling over his eyes. Jaehwan couldn’t see Capt. Hakyeon’s infamous quartermaster, Ravi, anywhere in the room and figured he must be busy commanding the ship since the captain was only really needed in battle. This was the first time Jaehwan had seen or been in the same room as the captain since he had been released from the cell, but Capt. Hakyeon did not appear to notice Jaehwan staring, or acknowledge his arrival.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” The noise in the room broke and Jaehwan looked across the table into Minseok’s thunderous expression, the man crouched over the table as if ready to lunge.
“Eating,” Sanghyuk replied evenly, voice muffled by the food in his mouth.
Minseok sneered at Jaehwan, ignoring Sanghyuk, who shrugged and kept eating. “What, the poor navy sailor got lonely in his room? Or did you come here to try to teach us heathens proper manners?” A few pirates chuckled.
“Well,” Minseok continued, sneer now a full-blown snarl. “I don’t want to see his face at the table, it’s spoiling my appetite.”
Jaehwan looked to the right, and met the eyes of the captain, who had said nothing but was staring at Jaehwan curiously, as if he were expecting something but unsure if it would happen. Jaehwan swallowed.
Defiance, be defiant. If Kyungsoo was wrong Jaehwan was going to haunt him from his grave. He took a breath and schooled his face into his best condescending look.
“Then I’ll just stand up, that should put my face well out of your sight range, I think.” A beat of silence, then the table erupted into laughter. Minseok let out a shout of rage and moved to leap over the table, Jaehwan bracing himself for impact.
“Minseok! Sit down, you bloodthirsty idiot.” Minseok halted with his foot on the table, turned to Capt. Hakyeon, who appeared to be smirking. “If you start another brawl in here over your height I’m going to halve your rum for the week.” Minseok sputtered a little but allowed himself to be pulled back into his seat by his laughing neighbors, and Jaehwan let out the breath he had been holding. He felt Sanghyuk clap him on the shoulder and Jaehwan looked to his left again. Capt. Hakyeon had gone back to his conversation but the smirk was still on his face, and his eyes briefly met Jaehwan’s, and he thought there might have been satisfaction in them.
Jaehwan took the rest of his meals back in the room, but this time they contained fish, and rum. When Jaehwan asked, Sanghyuk simply shrugged as usual, but did say that the captain had handed him the food instead of the galley cook. And on Jaehwan’s trips outside of the room, he no longer saw Minseok around each corner. Instead, his presence seemed to be replaced with Capt. Hakyeon’s, watching Jaehwan and barking orders at anyone who walked by.
Jaehwan didn’t understand it. Maybe Capt. Hakyeon found him entertaining, maybe it was some game. But Jaehwan didn’t look gift horses in the mouth, and he appreciated the extra food and peace of mind. Perhaps, he thought, there were still a few decent men among pirates.
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The Steel Heart sighted the Prism a couple days later late in the afternoon, and suddenly everything started moving very quickly. Jaehwan had hoped that the Prism would surrender peacefully when the Steel Heart ran up its colors, but then again, in the year and a half he had been in these waters, Jaehwan had never known Capt. Liu or the Jung sisters to shy from a fight. And as expected, no flag of surrender flew from the deck of the Prism.
Where quartermaster Ravi had been on deck the past few days, suddenly Capt. Hakyeon had appeared, long coat flapping behind him and jewelry glinting in the sun as he barked orders at the crew. He had a long sabre at his hip and two pistols, and Jaehwan couldn’t help but be impressed at the figure he cut, hair once again swept up under his feathered hat. Capt. Hakyeon’s hat was much smaller and less gaudy than Ravi’s, and yet in battle Jaehwan couldn’t imagine anyone mistaking Hakyeon for anyone but the captain.
Jaehwan was expected to stay in his room, chained to his cot, but at the last minute had managed to slip past unchained in the chaos and now was holed up out of the way at the base of the quarterdeck. His plan was to escape onto the Prism during the raid, and beg passage to the next port. Jaehwan just hoped that this raid didn’t end in the Prism at the bottom of the ocean.
After a few minutes watching pirates scramble to the other ship and possibly going deaf from the sound of gunshots, he saw his chance-a rigging on the Prism had snapped, and it now dangled a rope towards the deck of the Heart not far from Jaehwan’s location.
Jaehwan swung onto the deck of the Prism, and quickly scurried for a corner away from the action. He had nearly made it to the front of the ship when he was confronted by two soldiers engaged in combat with Capt. Hakyeon, who was fighting while trying to staunch the bloodflow from a wound to his side. One of the soldiers turned to attack Jaehwan, and he watched as the man approached, sword drawn and bloodied, while Jaehwan froze with his small knife brandished feebly. This was it; he was going to die, at the hands of a navy soldier, how ironic.
“Hey!” A yell broke through Jaehwan’s tunnel vision and he looked to see Capt. Hakyeon spin away mid-strike, and kick a fallen sailor’s sword to clatter at Jaehwan’s feet. He lunged for the sword and brought it up just in time to block the soldier’s slice to his chest.
Jaehwan had not properly fenced in years, and he was barely managing to keep the solder at bay, swinging wildly and using his height to try and force the soldier backwards. But his footwork suffered, and he tripped backwards over a body, sword clattering away. His eyes clenched shut, bracing for the pain of a sword through his chest but it never came. Jaehwan opened his eyes to see the soldier now engaged with Capt. Hakyeon, who had clearly dispatched his previous opponent.
Suddenly the soldier managed to get in close to the captain, and drove the butt of his sword into Hakyeon’s bloodied side. With an anguished cry, the captain crumpled against a nearby crate, sword falling as the soldier pinned him to the boards, sword raised to strike.
Jaehwan was unsure how it happened, but one second he was watching the soldier brace for the killing blow, Hakyeon’s face twisted in a pained and furious snarl, the next the soldier was falling to the ground, shot through the back by the pistol Jaehwan had snatched from the body next to him.
Jaehwan watched the man fall as if in slow motion, landing with a final thump on the deck. He looked at his hand, still holding the gun. Dimly, he realized his hands were shaking. He looked up and met Capt. Hakyeon’s gaze, full of confusion, relief, and some emotion Jaehwan didn’t recognize. They stared at each other for a moment, before the captain lurched to his feet, and turned away for the rest of the ship.
Jaehwan dropped the gun, scrambled for the side of the ship, and promptly threw up.
The fight didn’t last much longer, the soldiers and sailors outnumbered and outgunned by the Steel Heart. Despite his injuries, Capt. Hakyeon oversaw the plunder of the ship, captain and remaining crew tied on their knees on deck.
Jaehwan had managed to stumble back to his cot on the Steel Heart after the surrender, collapsing limply in the empty room. He curled up on the mattress and sobbed until he fell asleep.
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Part 2