Written in Blood

Ⅸ

⊱☯⊰

Seokjin twenty years ago

He was awakened by the sound of a cannon firing. Shouts and thundering ruckus, under and above, pointed at a fierce battle. The Baron was rummaging through the papers and pouches of gold, stuffing everything into a bag, together with a beautifully decorated box, that contained something valuable. The Baron put the box carefully into the bag and shut his safe. He placed the bag in an old sack and hid it behind the chair. The young man's eyes followed his every move.

At the same time, the officer barged in into the cabin.

-''My Lord, they have been restrained. The victory is ours.''

-''Damn bloody pirates. Are they all dead?'' – The Baron asked.

-''No my Lord, not all of them. We await your order.''

-''Kill them all. Fewer pirates mean calmer waters and the better and cleaner world.''

-''Yes my Lord, it shall be done as you ordered. And one more thing my Lord, we confiscated several crates of valuables, probably stolen goods from some trading ship no doubt. It's in the process of transporting it into our storage. You will have a list soon.''

-''Good, good, carry on then.''

-''What about the brig my Lord?''

-''Sunk it with the corpses.''

-''Yes my Lord.'' – The officer said and left.

Seokjin glanced at the locked man only to see his knuckles, white as snow from the intensity he was gripping the bars of his cage. His hate towards Baron was so intense that Seokjin wondered if the young man was tied more to the sea outlaws than his own personal vendetta towards the older man. He was important and obviously needed alive and without a scratch, which indicates that the Baron didn't lay finger on him yet, nor will he, in all probability, even though he threatened him the last time. However, the runes around the metal bars of the cage were mysterious. Seokjin saw something similar like that only with magical beings. He wondered if the man had some powers and were they the reason he was captured and locked here in the first place.

The Baron took the sack out again and went to his safe. Seokjin closed his eyes concentrating on the sounds around him. He tuned everything else down, but for the small ticking sound in the cabin. The safe opened and Baron put the content of the sack in it, closing it and leaving for the upper deck. The other man cursed, hitting the bars angrily.

-''Were they your crew?'' – Seokjin asked calmly.

The man huffed for a minute, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself before he spoke.

-''No, they were not.'' – He said curtly, but then added a bit less so. – ''But I might have known them before.''

-''Oh.'' – Seokjin said, shifting slightly. – ''Sorry mate.''

Silence followed. Seokjin ached to stand up and crack his spine, his entire body was hurting.

-''My name is Namjoon.'' – The man said. Seokjin gaze towards him and smiled. – ''I'm Seokjin.'' – He said.

Namjoon's wolfish eyes grew gentler and shy smile appeared on his lips. His dimples peeked out slightly and Seokjin was enamored. – ''Nice to finally know your name pretty bird. ''