Sham of the Sea

Chapter 4

Y/N had trouble sleeping.

Nayeon had assigned her a hammock next to her own, moving the original owner to another one. The pirate wanted to keep a close eye on Y/N and Y/N appreciated that closeness to an extent.  Laying down on that unfamiliar hammock on a swaying ship with a group of snoring women around her was no situation Y/N was used to. Since she only knew Nayeon out of all of them, the woman's presence promised a small amount of security.

When Y/N had mentioned her discomfort, Nayeon had laughed and blamed it on her being a spoiled royalty when really Y/N had only ever shared her room with her mother.

Even now, late into the night, while all the smelly pirates around her had fallen into a deep slumber, Y/N laid awake and rocked in her hammock. She thought about how she could flee this place in the middle of the ocean. The thought crossed her that if she had more skill and courage, she could kill all the pirates sleeping so deeply now.

However, the idea of killing repelled her and she lacked the skill as well. Y/N would have to settle for finding a different manner to escape. That was why she wanted to look around outside in the night's solitude.

Y/N saw no harm being done since she could not touch anything without getting all of them in trouble. At least she could use the peace to figure out a safe path from the ship.

So, she slid out of her hammock a few minutes later, sneaking out aided by the light that breached the small clefts between the wooden planks above her head.

Y/N climbed up to the eerie and empty deck, feeling a cool breeze ruffle her hair. A sigh of relief escaped her when the ocean air and the lack of people eased her tense nerves.

For a second, she stood still, looking out over the endless expanse of dark water and the reflection of the full moon, beautifully shimmering on the constantly changing surface.

The limitations of the ship scared her. There was nowhere to go but this restricted area, no place to find security in. Trapped with the savages, her knees softened once more.

Y/N took a walk around the deck in order to calm herself. She wandered in mindless circles hoping to see something that gave her an epiphany on how to flee. Perhaps they had some small boats for emergencies stored away under some tarps.

If the pirates anchored ashore soon, she could take off from there while they were distracted. She could find somebody to bring her home. The lonely journey over land didn't scare her more than the pirates did.

She got lost in the view of the extensive stretch of water and stars in front of her again, momentarily forgetting that she was aboard a pirate ship and had to fight for her life. For a second, she dared to breathe and shook herself out of her shocked numbness to enjoy her time.

As abrupt as her peace came, it evaporated when a voice called out behind her.

"Who be out there? Yeji, ye be walkin' 'round at night again?"

Y/N turned around, checking to her left, when a dark chuckle sounded from her right.

"Oh, ye been wantin' to take a swim?"

A sudden hard push knocked the breath out of Y/N's chest, taking her by surprise. The press of the railing against her ribs forced a garbled sound from her lips. Her insides chilled and cramped as she tumbled over the edge of the ship. After a mere moment, freezing water enclosed her, filling the void of her lungs.

Did I just got thrown overboard?

Y/N's survival instincts kicked in, prompting her to move and twist in fear, but she had had never learned how to swim, did not even know where the surface was. Helpless, she reeled around, the pushes of her body heightened in strength but not saving her.