The same evening, Yeji paid a visit to Y/N's hammock to mumble some words of apology while the other woman settled down. Nayeon grimaced at the pitiful form of the quartermaster while sympathy welled up in Y/N's chest.
Yeji looked like a kicked puppy and Nayeon had assured Y/N that their captain's scoldings were not too delicate either, so this apology felt wrong to Y/N. Of course, Yeji would assume Y/N could read; anybody would do so when faced with a person claiming to be a royalty.
Yeji had tried to protect their ship from an unknown enemy, and Y/N could not be mad at the pirate for that. So she forgave Yeji right away. She was too busy being occupied with the thought that her baby had stopped hurting altogether to be mad at a pirate who would not hesitate to pull Y/N's guts from her body if prompted.
In the beginning, Y/N had been worried that something could have happened to her baby, but then she listened to its heartbeat on her wrist and relaxed again.
Y/N wanted a little girl. She pondered a good name every night before she fell asleep and while she was busy scrubbing the deck.
A few days after the incident with Yeji, Y/N left the ship to venture into town together with Minji, Tzuyu, and Nayeon to stock up on provisions. Y/N did not care if she joined them, but she appreciated the earth beneath her feet and the distance from the devious captain. Yet, spying around still proved to be troublesome. Minji's eyes followed Y/N around with an underlying warning shining in them.
During their walk through the modest harbour town, Y/N made the surprising observation that Minji became their little group's leader and managed things Y/N would have initially thought Nayeon would. The former princess' involvement with the pirate world and her secure step in it baffled Y/N. It was fun to watch Minji ordering around Nayeon whose bored face made her look half dead.
Tzuyu skipped merrily next to Y/N. From time to time, the pirate pointed funny fruits or objects out to Y/N when she was not humming some shanties under her breath. Their trip was uneventful, even when some dark shadows and grim-looking pirates passed them.
Minji bought some books that Y/N had to carry, a new telescope for their captain and also some things she needed for her pistols. During every stop at a booth, Y/N idled next to the pirates and stared into the crowds. The best game to play in a place with pirates was to take care not to cross eyes with the wrong person.
This town called Red Water Port was larger than the last one they had been to and it harboured a bunch of rough-looking people, but no naval soldiers. By the looks of it, it was a pirate territory, so asking for help here could cost Y/N's life. She knew she should wait longer, but every day she feared the toll it took on her sanity to be around the pirates.
She also would have to explain her kid dilemma to Jennie soon. Before it became too apparent, she should be gone.
Someone closed up on the pirates bothering the old seller lady that argued about her prices. It was a woman with a little child at her hand, and Y/N immediately stepped aside to let her pass. Her gaze got caught by the girl's eyes; eyes as clear as the sky. When Y/N stared at her in awe, the tiny girl that was just old enough to walk halted to observe her back.
Y/N estimated the kid to be around two to three years old. She gave a soft smile. She did not dare touch the kid, but gave a modest wave. At that, the little one broke out in a huge grin with not all teeth yet developed and Y/N felt her heart melt all.
She sheepishly lifted her eyes to the mother, who stopped to look around. When their gazes met, she regarded Y/N with narrowed eyes. Within a second, the mother's expression slipped to shock as Tzuyu turned around at Y/N's side to check on her.
"Shiver me timbers, be that ye, Liv?" Tzuyu said in shock.
The woman had the same blue eyes as her daughter and a head of long, red locks pulled together in a messy ponytail. The white scarf holding her curls had black embroidery on it. She wore a fitting dress on her form and a leather necklace hugging her sleek throat. She looked like a pirate and a wild fairy princess at the same time, and Y/N was in awe.
"Tzuyu... It been some time," The woman spoke in some northern accent. Her tongue curling elegantly around the words alerted Nayeon. Finally, Nayeon stopped hacking into the merchant to greet this friend of the crew.
"Oh! We did nay expect to meet ye here! Yer hair 'as gotten longer!" Nayeon stepped around Y/N to hug the woman close to her body for a moment.
Nayeon patted the woman's back in greeting before she crouched down in front of the kid. "'Ow be ye, small one? I 'ave nay spied yer adorable face in a while." she picked the girl up carefully, so uncharacteristically nice for a pirate, and the little girl squealed. Her little hands shot out to hold on to Nayeon's hair.
Y/N had to smile as she watched those two play together. The girl seemed to know Nayeon well and enjoyed her attention.
"Who be this one? I do nay know 'er yet."
Y/N turned around towards the woman called Liv and performed a respectful bow. As a friend of this crew, she had to be dangerous, but Y/N's mother had taught her to be nice to everyone, especially ladies.
"Ah, she be someone we accommodate fer some time. Nay real crew." Tzuyu declared, she nodded at Minji, who finished business with the vendor behind them and greeted Liv, as well.
Liv snicker as she shakes her head. "Ruby's new plaything, huh? Ye bein' 'eld hostage, gal?"
I am.
Still, Y/N shook her head and lifted her hands in surrender. “I came on board of my own accord. I shall see to my departure soon.” she jerked when something spongy touched her cheek and tingling laughter followed.
Y/N turned to a grinning Nayeon, who held the kid and had brought her close enough for her to touch Y/N clumsily. The little one's giggles had another smile break out on Y/N's face. She took the small hand in hers and played with just as small fingers that awed her in their cuteness.
The girl babbled at Nayeon, who nodded as if the pirate taught her the secrets of the world.
"I see. Tell yer crumbum o' a captain to swin' by tomorrow. Ryujin, too."
Y/N did not register the conversation anymore, too busy booping the pointy nose of the kid. The little one tried to boop her back. When the kid hit Y/N's eye, she guffawed with glee.
After their short greetings, Liv announced that she still had business, and they had to part. Y/N waved at the child wistfully as they left, hoping to see her again. The kid had taken Y/N's heart by storm.
When Y/N turned to the crew again, the mood between the pirates had lifted and they matched her yearning expression. "Who was that? She seemed close to you."
"Ryujin's wife." Nayeon clung her arm around Y/N's arm to pull her along.
They fell into step while they returned to their shopping. After a couple of weeks on the ship, Y/N did not mind the constant contact with the other women.
Y/N smile widely. "Ah, she told me! Also about the kid."
Nayeon nod with a beam. "Tikki, aye. Notice anythin' about 'er?"
The girl had adored Nayeon over all the others, but there had been little to say since she was too excited to talk much. She also had gorgeous eyes.
Y/N shrugged. "She's not from around here, right?" she guessed.
Nayeon tapped her shoulder proudly. "Nay, she be nay. We can go visit 'em together tomorrow, savvy? An' play with Tikki while the adults discuss stuff."
Y/N nodded eagerly as they followed the others into a narrow alley. She would like to do that. Ryujin's adorable daughter had heightened her yearning for her own child. Perhaps Y/N could bond with her to soothe her own anxieties.
_______
Y/N flinched as Minji dropped the heavy book on the table in front of her. Dust whirled into the evening air and a loud bang echoed throughout the room. The book looked ruthless, like some sort of ancient tome with chafed leather bindings holding its yellowed pages together. It looked as savage as a book could get.
"Read it to me. This is the pirate codex you are required to know when sailing the seas aboard a pirate ship. Start at chapter three; the rest are formalities. Skip any words you don't know."
Icy dread crept into Y/N's stomach to twist her guts. There was no use in lying now.
She timidly lifted her eyes to Minji, who stood with crossed arms in the middle of the room and glared at Y/N impatiently. Jennie was not here, luckily, so Y/N just wanted to throw her body on her soft looking sheets.
However, that was not what Minji had brought her here for. Y/N had been unmasked. "I can't read."
"Yeah, I know. But you gotta learn it if you want to fool anyone."
Y/N swallowed harshly, fearing the consequences of opening up to Minji. "Did you tell anybody?"
Minji shook her head and walked over to open the heavy book in front of Y/N. "No. I don't hate you enough for that. But Jennie is not stupid. You gotta learn if you want to live." her curt words send an icy shiver down Y/N's spine.
Worry coiled in Y/N's stomach once more when she was reminded that the current peace with the pirates hung off the thin thread of her masquerade.
Despite her fear, Y/N bravely opened her mouth to whisper the forbidden words with her fingers clutched to the seat of her chair. "Can you... help me get out? I don't know your circumstances back then, but you must have wanted to leave, too."
Minji stilled her movements to cast a sharp glare at Y/N. Then, the pirate glanced at the closed door and back at Y/N; hushing her voice. "How do you plan on doing that? Do you think Jennie would let an immense treasure escape her convenient grasp? You made this mistake yourself and you are foolish to think anybody of this crew would help you. Everybody here is expecting to live through the winter by your lie and Jennie would not even be that mad. The crew are the people that would skin you for that."
Y/N swallowed at Minji's harsh words. After all that time, she recognised the fatality of her elongated stay. She may have saved her life and foregone horrible treatment by those pirates through her lie, but she did not think that through further.
Y/N inhale as her face turn into worry. "There is another problem." she hunched her shoulders when Minji frowned at her again and she sheepishly ducked her head.
"What is it? If it's another ridiculous request, I will think again about helping you live." Minji answered with an eye roll.
"I'm pregnant."
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am! Ryujin confirmed it!"
"Y/N." Minji sternly looked into Y/N's eyes. The pirate's hands pushed the book closer. "You can't get pregnant, I know your condition, yes. Remember the first time you shower here? You didn't lock the door. And a few of us....saw it."
Minji clears her throat as she watches a blush crept onto Y/N's cheeks. "But that's not the point, Ryujin is a buffoon who learned how to stitch up people after she became a pirate. She has no idea about anything health-related, but I can tell you, you can never ever get pregnant. Only women do."
Y/N felt relieved, but at the same time, her world shattered. She doesn't know if she should be happy that her hunch is wrong, or if she should be embarrassed that Minji, and some of the pirates saw her condition.
Minji tapped the book making Y/N look at her. "I will tell Ryujin to stop these jests with you; now concentrate. I will teach you once and then no more."
Y/N nodded in earnest and leaned over the book. The distraction of her sudden class diverted her attention from the mix of misery and surprise overtaking her. She could not be surprised at Ryujin's trick, though she mourned the loss of her child.
Minji showed her how each letter was pronounced and explained to her how reading worked. Writing would be too much of a risk, since a crew member could find their practice sheets. They spent hours on it while Y/N memorised about half of the letters until her head hurt.
The minute Minji gave a grave nod and closed the book, Jennie walked in as if she owned the place. Which she did.
At the sight of Y/N in the room, Jennie broke into a sly smirk and patted Minji's shoulder in passing. "You gals busy? The girls are out to play if you want to sneak into a proper bed." she winked at Y/N.
Y/N lowered her eyes to the ground. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks because until a while ago, she had thought she would get a child with this woman.
Minji takes a deep breath as she looks at their captain. "We've been reading the codex. She has the same struggles as me with the pirate speech. Can't you guys at least try to write it for anyone to understand?" she complained. She stretched her legs after sitting hunched over for too long that her spine cracked.
"It's not for mere people to read. Careful, pretty face, you might become a pirate if you don't watch out." Jennie grinned roguishly as she shooed them out of her cabin.
Gladly, Y/N fled from the girl's dark eyes, that had madness shining in them. She and Minji had crossed the deck about halfway when Y/N decided she would like to practise for herself in the hours of uncertainty late at night when she could not sleep. The better she could pull it off and survive, the sooner she got out of the pirates' brutal hands.
"Wait, I'll borrow the book," Y/N told Minji and hurried back to the cabin.
The navigator waited for Y/N while Y/N knocked on the door. It opened, filling Y/N with puzzlement because there was no face in her direct line of sight, just a brown hair.
"Minji, what- Ah, it's you."
Y/N glanced down, where the voice came from. The captain stood without her boots and her height just reached just up to Y/N's nose.
Caught up, Y/N stared without words because her captain was suddenly so far down and an odd feeling warmed Y/N's chest.
"Borrow... Book..." Y/N stuttered out. Dumb, she watched as Jennie strode off with her slender frame that seemed all the smaller since the legs of her pants reached past her ankles until the floor. The captain's naked feet padded over the planks.
Jennie returned with the codex and pressed it against Y/N's chest with a nod.
"Th-Thanks." Y/N fled.
Her captain was adorably and devastatingly tiny.