HIRAETH // Captain Puffy X Reader

1

All you could see was the ocean. Stretched out for miles and miles, reaching the horizon in every direction. If you didn't know better, sitting here perched in the crow's nest, you would think that there was nothing more than this ship and the sea in the whole world. 

It was a lovely feeling, being one with the sway of the waves and tasting the salt in the air. 

Joining the king's navy had been one of the best decisions you'd ever made. It was a more stable career than say, a fisherman or sailor for hire, and it still let you be on the ocean every day. And with the honor of serving King Etienne, it was somewhat of a prestigious position. You were part of one of the most powerful navies in the world. Just the sight of the blue and cyan flag fluttering above your ship was enough to send lesser criminals running for cover. 

More powerful criminals didn't seem to mind one way or another, but that was fine. It wasn't like you didn't have enough firepower to force them into fearing the flag. 

Speaking of criminals, the captain had sent you up here to look for some. You pulled your spyglass from your pocket and brought it up to your eye, scanning the ocean on the horizon. You had been chasing a group of pirates - the crew of the Night Ghost - for about a week now. The king had specifically picked your ship - the Blue Knave - to chase after them after they had stolen a treasure map from the royal treasury itself. An impressive feat, but it seemed that common criminals of every kind were able to break in these days.

They would have to upgrade their security. 

Your gaze swept over the sea, taking in every irregular wave or piece of driftwood. You had to be getting close to them - another one of the crew members had spotted them near the sunset yesterday - just the top of their main mast, but enough to know that it was actually them.

You were so lost in thought that you almost missed the flash of magenta at the edge of your vision. Your eyes darted back to it, and you centered the spyglass. Sure enough, in the distance, a magenta flag and the tops of three masts. 

The Night Ghost. 

You tucked your spyglass back in your pocket and took two steps to the other side of the crows nest, leaning over the railing and peering down at the deck below you to try and find the captain. You scanned over the bustle of people - sorting through all the activity until you found a bunch of blonde curls sticking out from under a hat. 

Captain Simon of Marram. Only a few years older than you (and it showed - weeks at spent at sea and he still wasn't able to grow a beard) with a mop of dirty blonde curls on his head and blue eyes like the ocean you sailed on. He was new to the whole captain deal, but he had an innate sense for being a leader, and as this was his first real assignment from the crown, he was eager to do a good job. 

"Captain!" You called down, looking at the top of his head. He turned around once, looking for the source before he looked up, squinting in the sunlight. 

"Yes, sailor?" He asked, bringing a hand to his brow to block the light. 

"Spotted the Night Ghost on our port side." You said. 

Simon's face lit up, and you could recognize a steely glint in his eye - the same determination that you saw anytime someone mentioned the Night Ghost and her crew. He really did want to catch them; as he wanted to prove himself to the king and the rest of the military.

Simon gave you a nod before he was bounding up toward the helm of the boat, turning the rudder so that the ship began to turn towards the port side. You began your descent from the crows nest, swinging down on one of the rigging ropes until your feet hit the deck. Once you landed, you headed towards the bow.

Looking out over the water, the Night Ghost was coming more into focus. An excited buzz was building up as the ship came closer into view, and more of the crew members stopped what they were doing to get a look at the ship. You glanced back up to the helm to see Simon grinning as well, squinting into the distance. 

To your side, one of your crewmates stopped what he was doing to come peer at the ship in the distance. "Today could be the day." He said, hands coming to rest on his hips. 

"It could." You agreed. The closer you inched towards the Ghost, the more nerves built up in your stomach. Excitement tingled on your fingertips and you could feel the weight of the blade on your hip more now. It certainly would not be easy to bring back a band of pirates, but you thought under Simon's leadership, you would be able to.

A large gust of wind billowed your sails and the Knave lurched forward, moving across the sea with increased speed. Even the universe was pushing you towards bringing these pirates to justice. 

You could hear the captain laugh by the helm, and you couldn't help but smile to yourself - after weeks of chasing, you were finally going to catch the Ghost and bring her crew to justice. The fight wouldn't be easy, but you were confident that a crew of the king's sailors could beat a bunch of mangy criminals. You would get the map back and take as many prisoners as you could - it was only right that they serve their time for infiltrating the royal treasury. 

The sea lapped against the bottom of the boat and you closed your eyes, feeling the excitement and the salty air seep into your bones.