Captain's Will

17. The Dungeness

Hongjoong was the first to spy the tilted masts standing out against the spread of blue in the distance. With the help of his spyglass, he seized the moments free of bickering while Seonghwa discussed Yeosang's stay at Yongguk's home with the surgeon. While Yeosang caught him up on the crew's activities, Hongjoong pretended he wasn't envious of Seonghwa's cordial conversation with the other man. His cry of triumph as he spotted the unoccupied yards interrupted all other talks. Thrilled at the find, the crew reached around the spyglass to peer at the ship beyond the line of the trees.

Seonghwa made a disbelieving sound as he lowered the spyglass to hand it back to Hongjoong. Like a prideful bird, Hongjoong pushed his built chest out. Seonghwa's treacherous eyes flickered to glance at it.

"What say ye, Cabezon? I told ye we would find 'er." Hongjoong smirked in satisfaction. Stiffly, the commodore acknowledged him with the smallest nod.

"This certainly is the Dungeness. I am baffled none of us has found her so far. She isn't as sunken as I expected her to be."

Hongjoong pushed his wind-mussed hair out of his face. His gloating got no more but a scoff from the jack tar, but Hongjoong knew he inwardly ate his own hat for having to admit the captain's reasoning.

"Ye did nay search, an' we will profit from it. Jongho, be a jolly lad an' run ahead to fetch them other mates."

"Aye, Cap'n." Jongho broke out into a light jog and left a trail in the sand as he disappeared around the corner. He kept on the beach so he wouldn't get lost between the trees in his search for the others.

"She might be broken beyond repair. There is a reason such an excellent ship was deserted," Seonghwa argued. Involuntary to admit Hongjoong's win, he fished for desperate measures while Hongjoong grinned with perpetual smugness. Since Seonghwa had joined this voyage, the Dungeness would benefit him, too. Only the captain's cheer bothered him.

"Ye 'ave nay experienced Mingi's talent yet, Cabezon. Leave fixin' 'er to us. Ye jack tar bastards do nay deserve such a marvellous vessel if ye do nay take care o' 'er."

Seonghwa gritted his jaw, unable to argue with that. He wasn't responsible for her loss, but he belonged to the same prideful group of people who were.

Humming under his breath, Hongjoong led his two followers to the ship. As more of her appeared beyond the tree line, they got a first assessment of the beauty she was. The half not submerged in the water stood tall and majestic from the sand. The figurehead had the naked torso of a beautiful woman, but instead of a fish's fin, she had crab legs growing from her back to hug her serene form to the bowsprit.

Rows upon rows of cannon hatches occupied the flanks. The wood was expensive and engraved with gold-painted decorations to match the excessive opulence of the royal navy. A sandy stripe wrapped around the entire boat like a present wrapping. The sails and flag were lost, likely in whatever had caused the wreckage, but Hongjoong could imagine the red ensign on the mast, flowing with the wind proudly.

She was a gorgeous ship and everything in him yearned to climb aboard and command her. Yet, as part of her was submerged, she would need a lot of fixing. Once polished up, she would effortlessly outshine the aged, soiled wood of the Grief.

"She be a beauty," Yeosang acquiesced in breathless marvel. They seldom witnessed ships as new and formed with as much dedication as this one. Even in death, her glamour tickled the pirates' instinct to steal her away.

"Her disappearance was a huge financial loss to the headquarters. She sailed only twice before she was lost, and she was our mightiest warship at the time. We have better ones by now, but I can't fathom how they simply discarded her." Seonghwa shook his head to himself. Even he was swayed by the ship's glamour.