Daughter of the pirate king (an ateez fanfiction)

Chapter 6

Yunho and Yeosang don't look up until the door creaks open. They stand from their chairs and stare at me. "Didn't thinks she could do that," Yunho says. "You don't think," Yeosang says. "You just pretends to." Rather than let them make the first move, I grab each man by the collar at the back of his neck. Easier to strike than to dodge, Father says. I use the same head-bashing trick I performed back on the smuggling ship. I take care not to break either man's neck—if for no other reason than the fact that they didn't leer at me as Sheck did. The deck is nearly empty when I get up top. There might be a couple of men leaning against the railing near the bow of the ship. I wonder if Seonghwa merely exaggerated the number of men who would be guarding the ship or if some of the pirates abandoned their posts. Being left behind is never a pirate's first choice when there's gold to be spent. I can see the shore ahead. It's not far, but I still need a boat. 

"Abandoning your mission?" a voice asks me from behind. I spin around and find Theris standing casually, a coin between two of his knuckles. Glancing over at the bow of the ship, I note that the other men on deck haven't noticed me yet. "I have business on land," I say quickly. "Did you finish what you were sent here to do, then?" It's a struggle to keep my voice quiet when all I want to do is lash at him. "No—not that it's any of your business. I'll be back shortly." "I have my orders, and making you part of my business is one of them." Blast my father. Can he not trust me to do this alone? "That's nice, but I don't need or want your help, so stay out of my way." "I'll do better than that. I'll distract the men so you can go ashore without being noticed." "That's not necessary—" "I'll do it anyway." I glance heavenward. Then I reach for the pulley to lower down a rowboat. "You're not going to swim it?" Theris asks. I look over my shoulder, narrowing my eyes. "Why would I?" "I would have thought it would be easier for you. Is it not?" Just what does he know or think he knows about me? How much did Father tell him? "I thought you were distracting the men for me." "And I thought you didn't need my help." 

I ignore him once I hear the light splash of the boat connecting with the sea. His footsteps finally recede as I lower myself down with another rope. Putting Theris out of my mind, I start rowing. 'Tis not my favorite activity. When going ashore with my crew, I always make someone else do it. Such are the privileges of being captain. Can't be more than a few minutes when I reach shore. It's night, and no one is patrolling the dock. Good thing, because I haven't any money on me. Not that I can't just procure some. But that takes time and a little planning. I pull my coat around me more tightly. The night air is brisk, as is typical during the fall. Some of Maneria's more southern isles experience warm temperatures year-round, but here in the northeast, the winds and waters are always cold, save when it is the heart of summer. 

I travel farther inland, trying to get a sense of where I am. I know that when I was taken, I was over a two days' ride from the south side of Naula. We've been on the sea for only about seven days. We could have just gone around to the other side of the isle. Clever, that. Most would assume that after a kidnapping, the perpetrators would want to get as far away as possible from where the crime took place. Word must have gotten around to my father that I succeeded in getting aboard The Treasure. I'm sure he'll want a report soon. I might as well write him now since I'm on land. Who knows when I'll have such an opportunity again? Besides, it's best to wait a while before I let the pirates catch me attempting to "escape." Can't make it seem like I got away too easily. I didn't want to let Theris turn me in. I know the whole point of this little sideventure is getting caught, but letting Theris do it would feel like using his help. And I won't be doing that. 

I continue heading inland. There will be someone working for my father in the pirate quarter of town. There always is. Father has a man in each major portcity in all the Seventeen Isles. The trick will be figuring out who he is. I can use the signal that men in my father's employ exchange. But how I'll be able to signal my father's man without getting caught by all the pirates from Hongjoong's crew, who are also likely to be there, first will be the tricky bit. As I walk the city streets, I start to feel a tingling at the back of my neck. I'm being followed. Is it a member of Hongjoong's crew? I would hate to be caught already. But it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if Father didn't receive a letter from me. So long as it's not Theris trying to keep an eye out for me. I will start retaliating with violence if he becomes too meddlesome. I look behind me casually, as if I'm only observing the night sky or something else that's caught my fancy. There is definitely a figure in the shadows. Maybe more than one.