Daughter of the pirate king (an ateez fanfiction)

Chapter 10

Then we grew, and I could start looking out for him in return." Normally, here is where I would throw out some amount of snark. Seonghwa's story is very sappy. But strangely, I feel the need to be still. To listen. "We have a strong bond. It's the strongest thing I have in my life. And I would never do anything to break it because my whole life has been built around it. So without it, I don't know what I would be. Nothing good." I wonder what it would be like to have something like that. Someone whom you could trust and call your friend since childhood. I have many good women aboard my crew whom I trust and call friends. But they are all recent finds. Within the last five years or so. I don't have anything I've held on to since I was little. Except my father, of course. "My father was about to kill me for what he assumed would be my last disappointing act. But then Hongjoong was there. He'd broken free of the men holding him and come to my rescue. Yet again. That act saved my life. When it most counted, Hongjoong chose me over our father. I owe him my life and my allegiance. He is the best thing I have, and I would never do anything to hurt or betray him. Hongjoong then pitched his skill with the sword against our father. But Father was an excellent swordsman, drunk and lazy or not. He disarmed Hongjoong and was about to kill him. But I picked up my brother's fallen sword. And I killed him." "And what happened after that?" I ask. "Killing our father had a strange effect on Hongjoong and me. We felt freer with him gone, stronger. We fought our way to the brig. We released everyone. And we took the ship." "Just like that?" "Well, I left out all the fighting bits, but I'm sure you know what a fight looks and sounds like." And smells and feels and tastes like. "Now tell me about your scars," Seonghwa says.

A deal's a deal. So I tell him. But I don't want him to feel sorry for me. So I state everything like it's fact. No feeling. No remorse. I tell him about my endurance tests. My rigorous fighting practices. The regular trials my father gave me. I don't go into too much detail. He just needs a sense of life with my father in order to be satisfied that I didn't lie to him by saying I would share if he did. At the end, Seonghwa asks, "And are all your father's men trained in the same way?" "Well, I'm the only one he's trained personally, but—" I cut off quickly. "What?" "Why do you want to know about their training? Is this another blasted interrogation?" I jump out of the bed in an instant, shoving half of Seonghwa's weight off me in the process. "I can't believe you. What the hell is this, Seonghwa? You show me kindness and then expect me to open up to you, is that it?" Seonghwa shrugs. "You're a woman and the pirate king's daughter at that. Something tells me you wouldn't budge under torture. We needed to approach you in a different way." "Damn you. And your blasted crew. Is any of this real?" Seonghwa sits up and regards me seriously. "Is any of what real?" "Your story? This?" I gesture about the room. "All the niceties? Are they just a way to get me to open up?" He stands and puts his hands on my shoulders. "Most of it is real, Aurora, even though it shouldn't be." I shove him back and wince at yesterday's wounds. "What is that supposed to mean? You're playing a part. The conflicted first mate. You're a lie." "So are you. Why don't you tell me what you're really doing on this ship?" "I'm not doing anything!" I scream. "Just let me go. I want to go now!" It's hard keeping up appearances when I'm so furious. But it needs to bedone.

"Can't do that. Not unless you want to tell me where your father's hideaway is? Then we'll take you right to him." I can feel my whole body tense. I'm going to explode if I don't hit something. "Ah," Seonghwa says. "I've come to understand that look. I'll leave you alone for a while." He leaves right before my foot connects with the door. I try to tell myself that it doesn't matter. What do I care if Seonghwa's been trying to gather information from me? I already knew he was doing it. I just hadn't expected him to try using a sentimental approach. Nothing's changed. I'm still trying to get the map. And as long as I keep the location of my father's keep a secret, I can continue searching for it. So what if Seonghwa gets a little clever now and then? He can't touch me. I'm sitting on the edge of Seonghwa's bed, waiting out the day, when the door opens. Was it too much to hope it wouldn't be Seonghwa? He grabs my upper arm. "Captain wants to see you." I try to punch him in the stomach, but he's expecting it. He catches my fist. "Come on, Aurora. Let's see what he wants." "I don't want to see what he wants. Every time I see Hongjoong, something terrible happens. I want to be left alone. I'm done with you, and I'm done with being on this ship." "Come on." He drags me toward the door. "Something terrible won't happen." I give him a look. "Something terrible probably won't happen. Just give Hongjoong whatever he wants." "How about if I give Hongjoong what he deserves?" He laughs as he drags me the rest of the way. Up the companionway. Into Hongjoong's quarters.