𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞!𝐚𝐮) 𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐙

CH. 57 ~ The Captains' Meeting

The anxiety I'm feeling in the pit of my stomach at what might happen only gets aroused when I see Captain, standing at the edge of the main deck, overlooking what remains of the outdoor markets with his back to me.

To not raise any alarm, I tiptoe over to him, trying to be as still as a mouse when I get to him. He doesn't acknowledge me, only briefly side-eying me before exhaling dejectedly and running a hand through his caramel-brown hair.

If there's anything that these events have brought to the crew it is sleeplessness. Noted specifically by the dark eye bags and interminable yawning from everyone. But besides the obvious tiredness, there isn't any sign of sadness or anything else.

"Um, Captain? Before you decide on anything, I just really want you to know that—,"

"Follow me." He cuts me off curtly, swiveling on his heel as he begins his way down the gangplank. I follow behind him, keeping my distance in case he decides to finally break.

He leads me somewhere, to another ship it seems, in silence. There is no speaking, no chatter, no noise at all— save for the occasional order coming from someone else on the dock to a crewmate or other.

Occasionally, Captain looks over his shoulder to check to see if I'm still following him. When he's sure I'm still there, he turns back around and continues walking.

Soon enough, we reach a large but beautifully crafted boat, one much larger than the Aurora. The colors have faded because of the weather and beating of water against it but it remains towering above us in all its splendid glory.

Intricate designs of caricatures, almost like little comics that are telling a story, are engraved in it, clearly for one to admire. But the most notable fact is the jaw-dropping figure of a beautiful, almost realistic woman, attached to the bow spirit.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Eye-patch finally speaks to me, startling me because of how silent he had been the whole way.

"It's magnificent. How come our boat isn't this pretty?" I comment absentmindedly, realizing I must've said it out loud when the short Captain's eyes glare at me.

"This is called the Zimzalabim. The boat of the fiercest female pirate known to man." He introduces, getting over his prior saltiness.

"The Pirate Queen?" I gasp, noticing the small smirk itching the edge of his lips.

Now, The Pirate Queen was more of a ghost story than it was a rumor like The Pirate King. While the latter struck fear in the hearts of whoever heard his name, the former subtly attacked the peoples.

Like the moon and sun, these two were the greatest legends children would grow up hearing. One was the face of all pirates and the other was pulling the strings behind the scene. She was the manifestation of what we couldn't see about pirates which is what made her even more elusive than Hongjoong.

"Well, we have many introductions to make so I suggest we get moving," Eye-patch speaks up, ripping me out of the daydreaming state I was in. "Oh, and you might wanna close your mouth before you start drooling. It wouldn't be a good first impression." He adds in a snarky manner, closing my mouth.

We both hurry up the large gangplank for this boat, a bit tired at how much we had to walk compared to the Aurora which is a smaller boat.

Without time to lose, Captain ushers me to the place where I assume is the Captain's Cabin, opening the door just lightly to peek his head inside before actually allowing me in.

The moment I step into the room, I am left speechless by the beautiful flowery decoration of the room, making it look like a literal garden. Even the floor under me is carpeted with grass.