Chapter Text
#Chapter 16
---
The morning sun hovered high over the Southern Isle, turning the shallow waters of the hidden cove into a brilliant palette of turquoise and emerald. Surrounded by jagged, palm-fringed limestone cliffs, the anchorage was completely sheltered from the open ocean, the quiet broken only by the steady lap of waves against the *Levanter*’s dark hull and the distant calls of tropical birds.
Down in the lower hold, the quiet was absolute, broken only by the rhythmic scrape of a broom against dry timber.
Seungmin stood near the forward grain bins, his posture neat, sweeping sawdust into a precise, neat pile. The bandage around his temple was smaller now, reduced to a small square of white linen, but his sharp eyes were alert, tracking every line in the floorboards.
He paused, lowering the broom.
Near the corner of the heavy oak support beam, carved deep into the wood, was a small, distinct marking: three parallel, diagonal notches intersected by a single, perfectly straight line.
Seungmin frowned slightly, stepping closer. He reached out, his long fingers tracing the grooves in the aged timber. The wood inside the cuts was smooth, dark with age—it had been there for years. Yet, his mind, always cataloging and cross-referencing every detail, felt an uncomfortable tug in the back of his memory.
He had seen that exact mark before.
Not on the ship. Three nights ago, in the pitch-black drainage chutes beneath the West Tower of the royal palace, his fingers had brushed against a cold granite stone near the lower junction. It had contained the exact same pattern: three diagonal cuts, one intersecting line.
"Seungmin?"
Jeongin’s soft voice broke the heavy silence of the hold. The younger boy swung down from the wooden ladder, his bright orange hair catchings the pale light filtering through the hatch. He carried a leather canteen slung over his shoulder and two fresh mangos in his hands.
"You've been sweeping the same three feet of floorboards for twenty minutes," Jeongin said, stepping over a coil of hemp rope, a fond, amused smirk on his lips. "Minho sent me to make sure you hadn't fainted from sheer boredom."
Seungmin didn't turn around immediately. He kept his index finger resting inside the carved notch. "Innie. Look at this."
Jeongin blinked, stepping up right beside him. He leaned in, his fox eyes narrowing as he looked at the wooden beam. "A grain mark? Shipwrights notch the beams when they build the frame, don't they?"
"Shipwrights use Roman numerals or simple tally marks," Seungmin replied, his voice dropping into that quiet, analytical register. "This isn't a builder's mark. Look at the angle. Thirty-five degrees. Exactly the same as the mark near the drainage grate in the castle."
Jeongin paused, his smile fading slightly as he looked from the notch up to Seungmin's serious face. "The castle? Seungmin, that was a hundred miles away. This ship was built in the southern docks of Tortuga eight years ago."
"I know," Seungmin murmured, finally withdrawing his hand and wiping his thumb against his trousers. "It’s probably just a coincidence. A common marking technique among stonecutters and carpenters."
"Right," Jeongin agreed quickly, stepping closer and nudging his shoulder affectionately against Seungmin's arm, trying to lighten the heavy mood. "Coincidence. Now come on, drop the broom. Chan and Changbin are having an arm-wrestling match on the main deck, and if we don't hurry, Minho is going to make us judge it."
Seungmin looked at the mark for one last second before letting out a soft sigh. The tension in his shoulders relaxed slightly as he looked down at Jeongin, a subtle, fond smile breaking across his lips. "Fine. But if Changbin breaks the prep table, I'm not fixing it."
---
Up on the main deck, the air was warm, sweet, and lively.
A large wooden supply crate had been dragged into the center of the deck to serve as a makeshift table. Chan and Changbin sat opposite each other on smaller overturned barrels, their sleeves rolled up tightly past their shoulders. Their right hands were locked together in a fierce grip in the middle of the crate, their forearms strained, muscles bulging as they fought for leverage.
Around them, the crew was shouting and cheering.
"Fifty copper bits on the Captain's quartermaster!" Yeji yelled from the main rigging, hanging upside down by her knees with a wide, wicked grin.
"I'm taking that bet!" Jisung shouted back from the railing, waving a small leather pouch of coins. "Chan lifted three water barrels by himself yesterday! He's built like an ox!"
Felix leaned against the quarterdeck handrail, his bright blond hair shining in the sunlight, laughing so hard his eyes crinkled at the corners. Beside him, Hyunjin stood with his arms crossed, a lazy, fond smirk on his face as he watched the commotion.
"Come on, Hyung!" Felix called out toward the main deck. "Don't let him win!"
Chan looked up for a fraction of a second, his dimples showing as he let out a grunted laugh, his knuckles turning white as he surged forward, driving Changbin's hand down an inch.
"Oh, no you don't!" Changbin roared, his face flushing dark red as he locked his shoulder, straining against Chan’s massive strength. "I have a reputation to maintain on this vessel!"
Minho stood near the hatchway, holding a wooden wooden spoon like a magistrate's gavel, deadpanning as he watched the two broad-shouldered men sweat over a wooden box. "If either of you cracks that crate, I am cooking sea kelp for dinner for the next four days."
With a final, explosive grunt, Chan leaned his entire upper body weight into his arm, snapping his wrist inward.
*THUD.*
Changbin’s knuckles slammed hard against the wooden crate.
"YES!" Jisung shrieked, jumping into the air and tossing his hat into the wind, instantly rushing over to collect his coins from a groaning Yeji.
Chan let out a breathless, booming laugh, letting go of Changbin's hand and wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm. "Good match, Quartermaster."
Changbin sat back on his barrel, shaking out his exhausted right arm, a broad, respectful grin spreading across his face despite the loss. "Where the hell did the King feed you, Your Highness? Iron filings?"
"Lots of military training," Chan chuckled, reaching out to slap Changbin’s shoulder in a friendly gesture. "And ten years of rowing practice."
Felix walked down the wooden stairs from the quarterdeck, bringing two damp cloths for them to wipe down. "I told you he was strong," Felix said proudly, nudging Changbin's arm.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Your Highness," Changbin grumbled playfully, taking the cloth and wiping his neck. "Next time we're using left hands."
As the crew laughed and began to disperse back to their morning duties, Seungmin and Jeongin climbed up from the lower hold. Seungmin walked over to the starboard railing, his sharp eyes sweeping across the quiet, crystal-clear water of the cove.
Hyunjin stepped down from the quarterdeck, walking up beside Seungmin. The captain looked relaxed, his dark hair tied back loosely, but his keen eyes immediately picked up on the lingering shadow across Seungmin’s brow.
"Head still hurting?" Hyunjin asked quietly, leaning his forearms against the dark timber of the rail.
"No, the wound is fine," Seungmin replied, his voice low enough that only Hyunjin could hear over the sound of Jisung and Yeji bickering over bets. "The cove seems completely secure. No signs of naval scouts or local vessels."
"We'll stay here for two days," Hyunjin said, looking out at the lush palm trees lining the shore. "Rest the crew, replenish the water barrels, and then set a course for the free ports in the west."
Seungmin hesitated for a moment. He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small piece of blank parchment and a charcoal lead. With quick, precise strokes, he drew the symbol he had found below deck.
Three diagonal lines. One intersecting slash.
He turned the parchment toward Hyunjin. "Have you ever seen this mark before, Captain?"
Hyunjin leaned in, his dark eyes fixing on the paper. The relaxed, easy expression on his face flickered for a fraction of a second—so fast that anyone else would have missed it. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
"Where did you draw that?" Hyunjin asked, his deep voice dropping into an icy, private register.
"It's carved into the forward support beam in the hold," Seungmin said, watching Hyunjin's reaction closely. "And I saw the same mark carved into the stone foundation of the royal palace."
Hyunjin stayed silent for a long moment, the quiet wind rustling the dark canvas of the sails above them. Finally, he looked up, his expression completely guarded, the cool mask of the pirate captain firmly back in place.
"It's an old navigational cipher," Hyunjin said smoothly, turning back to face the ocean. "Smugglers use it to mark safe havens or supply caches. The crew that built this ship probably bought the timber from a smuggler's yard in the capital. It's nothing to worry about, Seungmin."
Seungmin looked at Hyunjin for several seconds. His brilliant mind calculated the probabilities, reading the subtle tension in the captain's shoulders. Hyunjin was lying—or at least, holding back the full truth.
"I see," Seungmin murmured, folding the parchment back into a neat square and slipping it into his pocket. "A logical explanation."
"Get some rest, Seungmin," Hyunjin added, giving his shoulder a firm, reassuring pat before turning to walk back toward the helm. "We've got a lot of sailing ahead of us."
Seungmin watched him walk away. He didn't say another word, but as he reached into his pocket and felt the rough texture of the paper, a cold, quiet feeling settled deep in his gut.
The pattern wasn't just a random carving. And whatever it meant, it wasn't left by accident.
---
By late afternoon, the heat of the day began to give way to a soft, golden dusk.
A small shore party had rowed to the beach to fill the water barrels from a freshwater stream cascading down the limestone cliffs.
Chan, Changbin, and Minho were near the edge of the treeline, hauling heavy wooden casks back and forth across the white sand. Meanwhile, Felix and Hyunjin walked along the shallow edge of the water, where the cool ocean gentle lapped over their bare feet.
Felix had rolled his trousers up to his knees, his bright blond hair glowing under the orange rays of the setting sun. He reached down, picking up a smooth, flat sea stone, turning it over in his hands before skipping it across the glassy surface of the water.
One. Two. Three. Four skips before it sank with a quiet *plink*.
"Not bad, Your Highness," Hyunjin teased softly, walking a step behind him, carrying his boots in one hand. "Though I think my record is six."
"You're lying," Felix laughed, turning around to face him, his barefoot toes sinking into the wet, soft sand. "I've seen you try to skip stones in Tortuga. You threw a rock so hard it splashed straight down."
"That was a test of depth," Hyunjin replied with an utterly serious expression, though his dark eyes were full of warm, affectionate mischief.
Felix let out a bright, melodic laugh that echoed off the high limestone walls of the cove. He took a step closer to Hyunjin, reaching out to take his free hand, lacing their fingers together naturally.
The warmth of Hyunjin's skin was grounding, washing away the lingering traces of fear that still haunted Felix's dreams whenever he thought about the palace dungeons.
"Hyunjin?" Felix asked softly, looking up into his face.
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever miss it?" Felix murmured, looking back toward the open sea visible through the mouth of the cove. "Before... before you took this ship? Before all of this?"
Hyunjin paused, his gaze softening as he looked down at Felix. The setting sun cast long, amber shadows across his sharp jawline, highlighting the tender expression he reserved only for the boy standing beside him.
"I didn't have much before this ship, Lix," Hyunjin answered quietly, his thumb brushing over Felix’s knuckles. "Just cold nights and endless sea. But now..." He stepped closer, reaching up to gently tuck a lock of windblown blond hair behind Felix's ear, his touch impossibly tender. "...now I have everything I could ever want right here."
Felix felt his breath hitch slightly, a warm, deep flush spreading across his cheeks. He leaned up, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against Hyunjin’s lips—sweet, quiet, and filled with a profound sense of peace.
Hyunjin melted into the kiss, his hand coming around to rest against the small of Felix's back, holding him close as the gentle waves washed over their feet.
Nearby, sitting on a sun-warmed boulder at the edge of the beach, Seungmin and Jeongin watched them.
Jeongin had his chin resting on his knees, a small, quiet smile on his face as he watched his brother laugh against the captain's shoulder. "He really loves him, doesn't he?"
"He does," Seungmin agreed softly, sitting beside him, his hands resting on his thighs. "And the captain would tear down the kingdom to keep him safe."
Jeongin turned his head, looking at Seungmin's side profile. The golden dusk light highlighted the clean lines of his jaw and the neat white bandage on his temple. Jeongin reached out, his hand sliding over Seungmin’s knee, his fingers entwining with Seungmin’s.
"What about you, Mr. Perfect?" Jeongin whispered teasingly, though his fox eyes were soft and sincere. "What would you tear down for me?"
Seungmin turned his head, looking directly into Jeongin's eyes. The sharp, analytical nobleman melted away, replaced by an intensity so deep it made Jeongin's breath catch in his throat.
"Everything," Seungmin said without a single second of hesitation, his voice low and unwavering. "I would burn the entire royal council to the ground if they ever tried to touch a hair on your head."
Jeongin’s cheeks burned a bright, beautiful pink. He let out a breathless, quiet laugh, leaning his head against Seungmin’s shoulder, hiding his face against the soft fabric of his coat. "You are way too dramatic for someone who pretends to be sensible."
"I am entirely sensible," Seungmin murmured, resting his cheek against the top of Jeongin's orange hair, squeezing his hand tightly. "That's why I know what's valuable."
---
As night fell over the Southern Isle, the sky transformed into a velvet blanket powdered with millions of brilliant stars.
A small campfire crackled merrily on the white beach near the water's edge. The entire crew had gathered around the fire, sharing stories and eating Minho’s savory fish stew straight from wooden bowls.
Jisung was sitting near the flames, enthusiastically re-enacting the moment Chan had dropped the stone block on Commander Vane’s leg, using a drift-wood stick as a sword while Yeji made dramatic sound effects in the background.
"And then—*WHAM!*" Jisung shouted, swinging the stick into the air. "The big scary Commander went down like a sack of wet potatoes!"
Chan sat nearby on a log, laughing so hard his dimples were fully on display, holding a wooden mug of ale. Beside him, Changbin was grinning, casually tossing small pebbles into the fire.
"You left out the part where you nearly tripped over your own cloak trying to run out of the cave, Han," Minho interjected deadpanned from his spot near the cooking pot, earning a round of loud laughter from the whole group.
"That was a tactical retreat!" Jisung squawked indignantly, sitting back down with a pouting expression that lasted all of three seconds before he accepted another bowl of stew from Minho.
Felix sat nestled between Hyunjin’s knees on a blanket near the edge of the firelight. Hyunjin had his arms wrapped securely around Felix's chest, his chin resting on Felix's shoulder as they listened to the crew's banter. Felix felt completely warm, completely safe, surrounded by the family he had chosen and the boy he loved.
As the laughter continued around the fire, Seungmin quietly stood up from his spot near Jeongin, stepping away from the light of the flames toward the dark line where the beach met the palm forest.
He pulled the small folded parchment out of his pocket once more, unfolding it under the pale moonlight.
The three diagonal lines. The intersecting slash.
He looked away from the paper, his sharp eyes scanning the dark treeline.
There, carved deep into the trunk of a massive, ancient palm tree right at the edge of the jungle, catching the faint silver light of the moon, was another mark.
Freshly carved. The sap was still dripping from the cut bark.
Seungmin’s blood ran cold.
This mark hadn't been here four hours ago when they had filled the water barrels. Someone had carved it while they were sitting around the fire.
He stepped closer, his boots making no sound on the soft sand. As he reached out to touch the wet sap of the trunk, his eyes caught something small lying in the brush right beneath the tree.
A small, silver coin.
Seungmin knelt down, picking it up. It wasn't a southern trading piece, nor was it pirate currency from Tortuga. Stamped clearly across the face of the silver metal was the crest of the Royal High Council—the personal seal of the King's secret intelligence network.
A soft rustle of leaves echoed from the dark jungle deep behind the palm trees—a quiet, deliberate step retreating into the shadows of the island.
Seungmin stood up slowly, the cold silver coin pressed tight against his palm, his heart beating a fast, silent rhythm in his chest.
They weren't being followed by the navy. The King hadn't sent a fleet.
Someone was already on this island, waiting for them before they had even arrived.
Seungmin closed his hand around the coin, turning back to look at the bright, warm campfire on the beach—at Felix laughing in Hyunjin's arms, at Chan sharing a joke with Changbin, at Jeongin looking around for him with a fond smile.
Seungmin’s jaw set firm, his sharp eyes narrowing as he stared into the dark forest. The peace of the southern ocean had given them a moment to breathe, but the shadow of the capital was far from gone.
And whatever game was being played, Seungmin was going to uncover the truth before it touched a single person he loved.