I Am The Sea || Choi San

end - epilogue

Five months later, Captain Hongjoong and his crew are sailing the Seven Seas once again.
The Inception is bellowing bright white sails, every hole had been fixed months ago.
It's as good as new.

The story of the Pirate King's downfall has travelled the world faster than any ship ever could. Words travelled with the wind all the way to the edges of the continents, making Captain Hongjoong known as the man who killed the barbaric monster that once haunted the ocean.
No one had dared to attack them in the months they've been back on route to explore new coasts. Everywhere they went, people greeted them with gratitude and joy.

Two and a half weeks after the Pirate King had died, the Inception docked on the piers of Tundra Cross. There, a doctor took Theo in for a few days, setting her bones right - or trying to. The bones had started to set crookedly already.
And even though the leg did heal, Theo will forever need to walk with the help of a crane or a walking stick.
Yeosang, who had gotten smarter and smarter with his hands, had built her the most magnificent cane - half wood, half copper. Pieces of sea glass were set into the top of it, along with a single green jewel, and a blade could snap out at the bottom should she need to defend herself.

It had taken her a few months to learn how to properly handle her new accessory, had taken weeks of training sessions with both Yunho and San to train her balance anew and strengthen her muscles.
Wooyoung had made it all into a game.
Who could balance on one leg the longest?
Who could do more spins on one leg?
Who could hold a handstand the longest?
Who is better at doing cartwheels with one leg only? Can you do it with your right and your left leg?

But none of that matters today.
Today is a very special day, one Theo had never thought would come so soon.

Theo sat in front of her vanity table in a new undergarment and soft corsage. Over the past months, she had cut off several inches of her hair, but it's still falling over her shoulders to the middle of her back.
Her door opens and Seonghwa steps inside.
He's wearing a fine, well cut pair of black pants and a clean, pressed shirt with silver threaded cords on sleeves and collar.

"I've come bearing gifts," he says and holds out his hands towards Theo, "Yeosang and Wooyoung found these at the market in Roja Verda yesterday and begged me to give them to you."
In his hands, Seonghwa holds about ten silver, finely crafted tiny flowers.
The petals are delicate and incredibly intricate, the body of the flower is welded onto a small, metal spiral.
"For your hair," he adds.

Theo takes them into her own hands and holds one up to the light. It shines and glistens brightly.
"They're beautiful," she says with a breath, "I'll have to thank them."
"You can do that later," Seonghwa guides her back to the vanity, "We have to get you ready first."
He starts parting Theo's hair, wets the ends with water, and twists them up into small knots before securing them with a strip of cloth.
The top half of Theo's hair, he starts braiding back to both sides. Then he twists the silver flowers into her hair.

Meanwhile, Theo starts crushing up dried rose petals and mixes them with bee's wax. She applies it to her cheeks and lips. Then she pulls out a tiny glass bottle filled with a golden liquid. She had gotten it a few weeks ago for exactly this day from a vendor at the market in Letma'Go. She does not quite know how it works but the golden liquid had shimmered so beautifully and cost her half a fortune. She couldn't not get it.
She dribbles a tiny drop of it into the palm of her hands and warms it between her fingers, before rubbing it onto her collarbones and shoulders. Then she dabs it carefully onto the highest points of her cheeks and the inner corners of her eyes.
The result is a soft golden glow as if she'd been kissed by the sun.