Servant's Pride

13. Trail in The Sky

In an exceptionally good mood, Hongjoong met up with Wooyoung. The navigator had got comfortable in the crow's nest and sent Youjin to bother the crew while he couldn't. When he heard the captain deftly scale the rigging, the man peeked over the top edge of the round place.

"Ahoy, captain. What 'as ye grinnin' like that?"

"Cabezon be gettin' more amusin' every day. What did ye need me fer, matey?" Hongjoong dropped onto the ground next to Wooyoung. Both of them had to angle their legs so they fit in the narrow space. Back when Hongjoong had been younger and used often as a lookout for his trained eyes, he had sometimes curled up in the crow's nest like a cat. Wrapped around the mast protruding from the middle, he had slumbered under the open stars and he had loved it more than anything. Even if it came with a sharp reminder of the quartermaster not to slack off most of the times.

Wooyoung pointed up at the stars. He had a little lantern and a book with the celestial bodies in his lap. As Hongjoong scanned the vast skies that had not a single cloud covering them, every star in existence seemed to blink at him.

"We been usin' Saturn as our route planner so far. But since we switched, the water signs be comin' in strong."

Humming, Hongjoong grabbed his spyglass and searched the sky for anything that looked familiar to him. From time to time, he glanced at Wooyoung's book.

"Be the long one Draco?"

"That one?" Hongjoong leaned further into Wooyoung to follow the point of his finger. His hands shifted to wrap his body in the blanket bunched around Wooyoung's shoulders. Huddled together, their warmth beat the cold of the night.

"Nay, that one be Hydra. Goin' after Hydra might be our best bet. An' the next island?"

Wooyoung busily shifted through his book. His fingers found the coordinates with practised ease. In the dim light of their flickering lantern, Hongjoong squinted at his compass. A pretty thing, lined with ornate designs in the brass shell. He had stolen it from a naval captain a while ago. Cabezon would faint if he heard that.

"South. Strayin' from our course just slightly."

"So, sailin' to the island, I use Sirius. An' then Hydra." Wooyoung scribbled the words down in his hasty handwriting. Hongjoong had no idea if he wrote them correctly, but it didn't matter. As long as they found their path, it would be fine.

"Aye. Let's take our time. I do nay want to take Yeosang in a battle as long as 'e still feels bad."

Wooyoung leaned against his captain's shoulder. His hands retreated beneath the blankets to keep both themselves and his precious accounts warm.

"Will ye take Cabezon, though?"

Right. Cabezon also had no reason to join their battle. If anything, he would most likely become a hindrance. While the pirates were busy fighting the Enemy of the Depths, they wouldn't need a snotty commander nearby who ruined their chances additionally.

And yet, Hongjoong didn't want to let him go. The man still didn't remember. He still hadn't submitted. The fire in his eyes made Hongjoong look forward to seeing and arguing with him each day.

But he knew they might as well fail their mission to kill the tentacled creature. Hongjoong shouldn't mourn an aspect of his life that might not be relevant in the future anymore either way.

"Or did ye consider 'im as the sacrifice?"

Hongjoong had thought about that less than he wished. Seonghwa had successfully distracted him from such thoughts. But now that Wooyoung mentioned it again, Hongjoong pondered.