The Black Pirates

Fourteen

I glared at the door as Jungkook shut it behind him then he sighed, coming over and sitting in front of me. I pulled my knees into my chest even more, hugging them as I set my chin on my left knee.

"We never ask for the life we get." He whispered and I scoffed.

"I was apart of a traveling caravan of Gypsies." He started and I looked at him confused.

"We were traveling through the Hot Lands when some bandits began to attack us. I got separated from my caravan, ended up getting lost in the desert. Jong-Hyun found me, brought me here and nursed me back to health. In his attempt to bring me to the nearest city, those bandits found us. Jong-Hyun was an old dragon, but he was also half-faery too." He said and I frowned as I lifted my head to look at him.

"That was his curse." He whispered and shook his head.

"If Jong-Hyun wanted to break his curse, he'd have to get rid of the faery blood in his body and he'd be human. By the time he realized it, he was well past his human years and would have died instantly if he'd cleansed his blood. Anyway, he killed the bandits, but not before they brought him to death's door. In his final breaths, he transferred his dragon to me so that I could protect the Hot Lands as he had." He forced a smile and shook his head.

"What's your curse?" I whispered and he smiled.

"My curse is I dared to let someone sacrifice themselves to save me. If I want to break my curse, I have to kill an innocent soul." He said and I frowned further.

"Guess I'll live my life as a dragon." He said and sighed.

"I never asked to become a dragon, Wooyoung, just like you never asked to be the heir." He got back to his point and looked at me.

"It's the hand we're dealt in life, Wooyoung. The only thing we can do is play the hand we're dealt to the best of our abilities. If playing your hand means we find another piece of this stupidly complicated puzzle, then that's what we do. It sucks, I know-"

"How do you break a curse like Yunho's?" I whispered and he frowned then sighed.

"His is a special curse only he can break. Once he realizes that it's not wrong for him to love, regardless of gender or race, then his curse will break." He said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry for blowing up out there." I whispered, but he shook his head.

"We want you to blow up, just not in that way-"

"My magic." I whispered and he nodded.

"Now that we know what your mom used to lock it away, we can work on breaking the spell. I will work on researching this necklace, Volcano's Heart, but I fear it might be something only a Grand Dragon can do. Break the spell, I mean." He said and I licked my lips.

"What's the difference between a dragon and Grand Dragon?" I asked and he sighed.

"A Grand Dragon has much more magic than regular dragons, plus they are bigger, stronger, faster. I almost thought Yunho was a Grand Dragon when I saw him the first time." He said and I hummed, laying my chin on my right knee.

"He's a big dragon-"

"Considering his human stature, it makes sense." He said and I nodded.

"Who was he?" He whispered and I looked at him.

"The guy you loved in Strickland Kingdom, the one killed by pirates." He said and I sighed.

"His name was Hyun Jae." I whispered and he hummed.

"He was another guy that worked in the bar, he got there when I was fifteen. He was seventeen at the time, two years older than me. We worked together, lived together for years, the Old Man keeping an eye on us." I whispered and sighed.

"Hyun Jae and I were out one night, just walking around the kingdom at night. I'd been in love with him for nearly two years at this point, and I planned on confessing that night. It was the perfect night for it. Clear night sky, stars shining down on us, new moon, warm but not hot." I whispered and licked my lips.

"We-we never saw the pirates, not until it was too late! Hyun Jae tried to get me back to Utopia, but the pirates had hit shore. We-we were right next to each other, he was holding my hand and yelling at me to run. Then a cannonball hit the building next to us, some store, and I flew into the side of the bar. I went through the window, but Hyun Jae wasn't with me." I softly said and shook my head as Jungkook grabbed my wrist, tears in his eyes that he refused to shed.

"There was nothing left to bury!" I breathed and closed my eyes, putting my hand to my forehead.

"All that was left of Hyun Jae was his earring!" I breathed and felt Jungkook grab the small silver hoop in my ear, Hyun Jae's earring.

"I'm so sorry, Wooyoung-"

"I hated pirates after that!" I admitted and looked at him, seeing his frown.

"I hated them so much, because we never knew what crew it was that raided! We never saw their colors! When Hongjoong and the Black Pirates showed up, I wanted to kill each and every one of them! Then they started protecting me and- I-I felt like they- Like I could trust them!" I admitted and he sighed.

"I'm sorry, Wooyoung! I wish I could make it better, make the pain go away!" He whispered, but I shook my head and sighed.

"It doesn't matter. Hyun Jae is dead, I'm some heir, and now we need to play the hands we're dealt. Right?" I whispered and he smiled softly.

"You've got plenty of people here to protect you, no matter what. I know Yunho will risk it all to keep you safe." He said and sighed.

"You don't have to come out there now, but when you're ready." He said and I nodded, smiling as he stood and left me alone to my thoughts.