Bound by Fate | Eustass Kid X OC

Ch 5 • Bound by Resolve

•• Hanmee's P.O.V ••

There were screaming and hustling sound outside the whole night. A storm happened.  I thought they'd come and just throw me to the sea but nothing like that happened. Kid too didn't enter.

The next morning, I was startled awake by the sound of the brig door slamming open. Killer stood there, a stoic figure in the dim light. He stepped inside, holding a tray of what could loosely be described as food.

“Eat,” he ordered, placing the tray on the floor before me. He also passed a ointment towards me which clearly was for the fresh cut on my face.

How did Killer know? Unless...

It's obvious Kid told him. Irony!

I glanced at the unappetizing meal. “Why bother? It’s not like it makes a difference.”

Killer’s gaze hardened. “You need strength if you want to survive.” His voice softened just a fraction. “Don’t make this harder on yourself.”

Reluctantly, I picked up a piece of the stale bread and began to eat. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words.

As I forced down the food, Killer spoke again. “Kid wants you to help with the chores today. He’s giving you a chance to prove your usefulness. There was a storm at night, I guess you know already.”

I looked up, meeting his eyes. “And if I refuse?”

“Then you’ll stay here and rot. Your choice.”

A part of me wanted to reject the offer, to continue my silent rebellion. But I knew that if I had any hope of escape or finding my brother, I needed to take every opportunity to move about the ship.

“Fine,” I muttered, swallowing the last bite. “I’ll do it.”

Killer nodded, took off my cuffs and motioned for me to follow him. As I stepped out of the cell, I took a deep breath, savoring the brief sense of freedom. But it was short-lived; I was still a prisoner on this ship, under the watchful eyes of pirates. Kid pirates.

As we walked through the corridors, Killer gave me a rundown of my tasks. “You’ll start by scrubbing the decks. Then you’ll help in the galley. Don’t cause trouble, and you might earn a bit of trust.”

"What'll I do with that trust?" I asked.

Without a stare, he retorted, "You may as well earn yourself some friends but I'm not sure if you can melt the Iron," hinting at Kid, "Not all of us are iron headed & if you want that we can be, suit yourself."

A pirate as a friend? Trust? That seemed like a distant fantasy in my current situation. But I nodded, determined to make the most of this chance.

The deck was bustling with activity, pirates moving about with purpose. I picked up a scrub brush and a bucket of water, immersing myself in the work. The repetitive motion gave me a chance to clear my mind, to focus on something other than my captivity.

Hours passed, the sun climbing high in the sky. My arms ached, but I pushed through the pain. This was nothing compared to the suffering I’d endured in the brig. As I worked, I caught snippets of conversation from the crew, learning bits and pieces about their plans and operations.

In the galley, the heat was stifling. I chopped vegetables under the watchful eye of Heat, one of Kid’s crewmates. His presence was intimidating, but I kept my head down, doing my best to avoid drawing attention.

As I reached for a knife, my hand slipped, the blade slicing into my finger. I hissed in pain, clutching my hand to my chest.

“Careful, girl,” Heat grunted, barely looking up from his work. “We don’t need blood in the stew.”