I Am The Sea || Choi San

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As soon as the Pirate King's body falls to the ground, San turns and rushes to Theo.
He cradles her in his arms and presses his lips to her forehead.
"I'm here," he says, "It's going to be alright. You'll be okay."
Theo raises her hand to his face.
The pain must have made her delirious because she starts chuckling, a sound somewhere between crying and laughing.

She looks up at San.
The sky behind him is starting to brighten.
"It's over," she whispers, "We won."
San grins but there are tears in his eyes.
"Yes," he answers, "By the Seven Seas, we won."
Cheers erupt around them then.
Loud and strong, alive and joyful. Relief. Pride. Exhaustion.
They had won, but the price they had paid will tear at them forever.

At least a dozen crewmen, if not more, had lost their lives on both sides of the fight.
Yeosang has a deep cut from his shoulder to his waist. Wooyoung's cheek is covered in bruises.
Both Yunho and Mingi have broken ribs and a split lip.
Jongho's forehead is cut open, blood is dripping down the side of his face.
They're dirty and hurting and tired.
But they're alive. And they won.

Theo turns her face towards the body of the Pirate King.
Seonghwa is kneeling beside him, unmoving.
He staring at his father quietly, until Hongjoong places a hand on his shoulder.
When their eyes meet, there is nothing but gratitude between them. Gratitude and love.
He'll be okay, Theo knows. Seonghwa had found his family long before she had met him. This will only bring all of them closer to each other.

The Pirate King's men stand quietly, unsure of what to do.
They don't seem necessarily sad that their Captain is dead, a few of them are even smiling cautiously.

Just when Hongjoong finally turns away from the body of the old Pirate King do they start to fall to their knees.
One by one, bowing their heads for Hongjoong, and Theo understands.

Yeosang had told her the story.
The Pirate King's title, passed on through this very ritual. A duel to the death.
Only the man killing the Pirate King can take on the title.
Which means...

"Hongjoong is King now," she whispers to San.
"He killed the Pirate King. He'll bear the crown."
But Hongjoong looks down at Seonghwa, and then at his kneeling subjects, and shakes his head.

"The Pirate King is dead," Hongjoong says loudly, "And dead he shall stay. I will not take on the title of the Pirate King. Too long have the stories of his cruel reign dominated our lives. Too long has he done wrong to the sea and to the people of this domain. It's time all of us put this time to rest. It's time to leave this man behind, leave his legacy behind. From this day on, the Pirate King is nothing but a story."

The men cheer, but Hongjoong raises a hand.
"I will not persecute you for the crimes you aimed at my people. The Pirate King reigned with cruelty, forced you to abide by his inhumane laws - but no more. You are free to go, you are free to stay. Celebrate with us, or go home to your families, to your own lives. But lay down your weapons with us."

Theo wipes her face.
Never in her life has she felt like this. So light. So warm. So full of relief.
Hongjoong goes on to say something else, but Theo's attention sways back to San.
She can feel his arms around her, holding her on his lap ever so gently.
His clothes are dirty and dust and grime is smeared all over his face and arms.
The left sleeve of his shirt is slashed, there are blood speckles on it.

San noticed her stare and meets her eyes.
"You were so brave," he whispers to her, "I saw you fight. Like a lioness, Theo, or the mightiest pirate in all the world!"
His voice is hoarse and Theo reaches out her hand towards his cheek.
"I was so scared for you," she answers, "So very scared."
"I'm sorry," he answers and takes her hand in his to press a kiss against her fingers, "But it's all over now. All done."

When the sun rises then, the men left alive and well start to gather the hurt and bleeding. Mingi and Yunho help everyone in need of treatment down to the crew's bay. Then, Seonghwa starts making food in the kitchen, as Yunho helps San to carry Theo to her rooms.
Under her slow and mostly slurred instructions, San takes it upon himself to treat her wounds. He wraps her wrist in gage and her ribs in bandages. Then he orders Mingi to find a piece of wood that fits the length of Theo's leg.

The pain is unimaginable when San straightens Theo's leg to the wooden plank and then carefully wraps it in place with bandages. Seonghwa brews an entire boiler full of pain relieving tea, making Theo gulp down three cups of it, before handing the rest out to the entire crew.
It helps, but Theo knows it going to be a while before her leg fully heals. She'll probably have to find a real doctor somewhere on land, but for now it'll do.
Then she makes Wooyoung and Yeosang write a list of all the injuries on board and explains to them just exactly how to treat them.

It takes most of the day to make enough herbal creams and teas and pastes and compresses for all the men laying wounded and hurt in the bay.
But when night comes again, there's laughter.

There's laughter and singing and warmth. There are torches being lit and instrument being played.
Men share their cups and glasses, share their loafs of bread and bowls of stew.
There's singing, too, slightly out of tune but ever so enthusiastic.
And with the songs comes dancing, staggering and tumbling, swaying arm in arm from side to side, falling into and over each other.

Theo does not dance, of course, but she knows there will be a time when she will again. Instead she watches with a bowl of stew in her hands, laughs at jokes, and joins in song.
Her injured leg is placed onto San's lap, and when he stands to dance or talk with the other men, Wooyoung takes his place. Or Yeosang, or Yunho. Each one of them hold her leg gently in place, careful not to let any pressure befall the leg.

When Seonghwa finally sits beside Theo, he hands her a piece of dark chocolate.
"I kept it hidden for a special occasion," he says, "seems like the perfect time."
Theo looks at Seonghwa. There is so much she regrets to never have asked. So much she wishes she could talk about.
In the end, she settles on, "How are you feeling?"

Seonghwa sighs. His eyes wander over the people.
They had sent the bodies of the fallen out to sea and lit a candle for every fallen man - every single one, except the Pirate King.
His body had been dragged down to the bottom of the ocean at the hands of the sirens Theo had called upon.
Seonghwa had not complained or commented, not once. He had not cried or screamed.
Theo wonders if he had wanted to.

"You can talk to me," Theo adds, "I know what it's like to grow up with a parent who's-... who didn't love you enough."
Seonghwa looks at her then. His face is open. Theo can't find a single thing that reminds her of the Pirate King with his hard eyes and hateful stare.
Seonghwa is all love and caring and empathy and brightness.
"I do want to talk about it," he says now, "but I don't really know how I feel yet. I've hated and feared him for so long, it's hard to imagine him just being gone."

Theo takes Seonghwa's hand into hers.
"I'll be there for you until you figure it out," she says with a smile, "And after. You're my family, Seonghwa. I'll always be there for you."
Seonghwa puts an arm around Theo and brings her closer to himself.
"I know," he says, "It'll all take time. But we'll be fine. All of us. You. And me. And the crew. And your leg. And even the ship. It'll all be okay."

Together, they watch the men celebrate around them. They share another piece of chocolate. They sing. Theo looks at San, whose eyes are already on her from across the deck. He gifts her a smile, the sweet and warm one she loves so much.
And she knows Seonghwa is right. Everything will be alright.