Rivals' Honour

1. Shimmer of Gold

This is book 3 of 'Servant's Pride' and 'Captain's Will' and a commission for Ash on Twitter! Read the other two works first to understand this one and enjoy reading!

14 chapters, I promise this is the last one xD

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Hongjoong rolled a silver coin between his knuckles. It hopped over the nicks on the counter only to get stuck on one inevitably and shudder in the air for a moment, desperately fighting for balance. Then it fell over. He let it roll again. The scent of roasted meat and cheap liquor shrouded the air. The other patrons in the inn were relatively well-behaved and not too rowdy tonight. Hongjoong picked a good day to visit.

The coin rolled again. Flipped over his fingers. Hongjoong adjusted his seating when his heavy weapons' belt nudged into his stomach.

He had been waiting for a while.

A maid approached him. She reminded him of Alaine, and of the lovely mateys at the Don't Go Inn. Soft women with rosy smiles to their cheeks, but they slapped harder than any buccaneer he met if groped unwillingly. Perhaps Hongjoong should drop by the bay sometime. It had been a home for long enough that he often thought back fondly on lazy days out on deck.

"You have been here for hours. Can I get you another drink?" She asked in the orderly manner of a local. Though they were near the port, this was a bigger town, with an art academy and a few lords ruling upon the hills. Not so shabby as the usual dive Hongjoong frequented. Still, he stayed clear of all the military outposts, shining and promising as they looked. He didn't want the jack tar on his heels.

It wasn't the way of the Hell-born Captain to stay subtle, but on these rare occasions, he did. Left his flashy crew far at the bay and walked the palm-lined beaches to get here. He would even say this coat wasn't nearly half as blood-stained as his other ones.

The maid looked at him with pity instead of fear. Thinking he had been forgotten.

But no, he never forgot. If he ran late, he had a reason.

"'Nother bottle o' rum. I will take the rest to the skies later," he suggested, and she gave him an uplifting smile before she scurried. Hongjoong rolled his coin. His blond hair was tousled by the wind and the salt, hanging into his face in hopes of shrouding his identity. New sea shells were woven into it after hours of sitting on Yeosang's lap and teasing him while the ship's quack tried to make Hongjoong presentable.

After the long walk here through the rough sea air, Hongjoong hoped he still looked pretty.

When his bottle arrived, he sunk back with a sigh. The darkest corner of the inn covered him in anonymity. Even if someone recognised him, they didn't mind his presence. He wasn't making trouble, so the wary eyes of the barkeep skipped over him more and more often. In silent companionship, they accepted the peculiar visitor in the corner. And with the long time that passed without anyone joining him, they even developed compassion for him.

Ideal, in case he wanted to rob the money chest on his way out.

But Hongjoong promised himself to behave today. He didn't risk a reputation.

The coin rolled over his finger and got stuck in the same nick as before. To the noise of the door opening, it clanged onto the surface.

Hongjoong kept his head down so he wouldn't look too desperate. If his meeting wasn't happening, he would rather return to the Grief than sit idly all night. The rushing of the ocean would clear his mind.

"What can I bring you?" The maid greeted the newcomer with a coquettish grin, at ease since it didn't get rowdy today. Hongjoong almost found the mood too cosy. Why put candles on the tables if no music was thrumming? It made things look deceptively romantic.