Heart of the Ocean | Pirate!ATEEZ x reader

1: Veiled Shadows

The Harbour of Aequor was unlike any other.

Nowhere in Deltora could you find a hub infested with crime and other evil forces like in Aequor. It was a place abandoned of rules and order, and as dangerous as the treacherous seas surrounding the place, the harbour seemed to be the focal point of criminals and other outlaws of their kind. People waiting around every corner to strike a move, ships who anchored and came back crewless and the grim tales of lost souls haunting its waters - it was the typical place a wise sailor would avoid on their travels. And had Hongjoong been any wiser, he would have listened to the words that people carried who, unlike many, managed to come back from the port alive.

Hongjoong avoided the harbour like it was the sea plague. He had dreaded this moment where he was bound to choose between the safety or the survival of his crew, and ultimately, it seemed he had to choose the latter. They had been sailing for months now, travelling to all sorts of places in Deltora, and yet Hongjoong had to have the worst luck as he was forced to make an emergency stop in the harbour of Aequor. Damn those food supplies, he thought. It was the mere reason he even had to stop. They were running dangerously low on food and other stocks yet they still had at least a week to go. While Aequor was the last place he wanted to anchor, he also didn't want to risk the chance of dying of starvation at sea. And so, Hongjoong found himself walking back to his ship, anchored near the docks of Aequor as he was making some last errands before they could depart once more.

''Is everything loaded in, Mingi?'' Hongjoong called out as he entered the docks, his ship, The Aurora, entering in view.

Mingi turned around to see his Captain walking up to him and nodded to his question, ''Everything is checked and ready to go. If we leave now, we can catch the sunrise and get to the Southern Rim in about five days, I believe. From there on, it should be a fair journey.''

Hongjoong nodded as he was pleased to hear his answer, ''and food stock? Have we got everything? We have a long journey ahead and I cannot afford to stop somewhere else, nor our finances can.''

Mingi chuckled, giving the Captain a reassuring smile, ''Don't worry, Jongho and I made sure to get everything you listed. Stocks won't be a problem anymore for this journey.''

Hongjoong nodded again, ''Thank you. Tell the rest we're leaving. The sooner we leave this damned harbour, the faster we can get home.''

All his life, Hongjoong has known the danger to be hiding in every corner. No matter where he went, whether it was the hubs of Karinthe or the capital city, Aldis, danger followed him like a looming shadow on a sunny day. It was his duty as a Captain to avoid such places at all costs. There were many places where he'd always needed to have one eye open, such as the harbour of Nero, where it was said that the residents performed magic and rituals to sacrifice unknowing travellers to the Sea Gods or Wave Breaker's port, where all year long there were waves to be found reaching lengths of more than thirty meters. And then, there was the harbour of Aequor.

While other harbours dealt with extreme climates or occult practices, Aequor seemed to be infested with the one true danger in the world - humans. Nowhere in the entire Empire could be found as much criminal activity as in Aequor. At least, Hongjoong had concluded that from the places he had already travelled to. He assumed that there were most likely many more places worse than Aequor, but from what he had already seen, Aequor was the worst so far. He knew from others that the people were ruthless and if one were to be reckless, they'd find themselves either without a ship or even without limbs.

That is why Hongjoong wanted to leave as soon as they arrived. He only anchored here because it was the closest they could get before running out of stocks. He cared for his crew and travelling to the next port would take them days and they simply did not have the time nor resources to do so. Thus, Aequor was their only option. Fortunately, things seemed to be going well and Hongjoong remained adamant about leaving soon.