I wake with a groan. The back of my head was killing me. I slowly open my eyes. My dark blue eyes are met with a low wooden ceiling.
Everything from last night popped back in my head. I sit up quickly, which was a mistake. My head starts to spin from the fast movement.
After my vision was clear again I stood up from the little cot I was laid on. It seems like I was in a brig of a ship. The smell was between old sea water that has been stuck here since the ship first set sail, and something dead. I scrunch my nose in disgust.
"Fuck my life!" I yell in frustration hitting my small hands against the metal bars.
"That's no way for a lady to speak." I man with the pale face of an angel and hair as dark as a starless sky steps out of the shadows. He was of shorter statue. But still much taller then me. I could see that his arms were muscled from the years of hard work at sea. He was just beautiful. I felt ugly compared to his shinning beauty.
"A lady shouldn't be locked in a brig either." I sass back.
He shakes his head with a chuckle, his dark bangs swinging over his caramel colored eyes. "You are right milady." He walks over and unlocks the heavy metal door.
I step out carefully. Not trusting anyone at all.
"Follow me." He walks up the stairs with steady confident filled steps. I follow after him not wanting to stay in this stinky room anymore.
Once we step on the upper deck I take a deep breathe. The sun was almost at it's peak. Letting me know now it was almost midday. The ocean went on for miles in each direction. No land insight. Just the beautiful deep blue of the ocean and sky.
"How are you feeling?" He calls back over his shoulder as we cross the main deck. I was a bit taken aback at his question. I did not expect for anyone to care.
"I'm fine." Is all I say. As we crossed the deck the other crew members would stop what they were doing to watch as I walked past.
He leads me into what seems to be the navigation room. I assume this because the table in the middle of the room was covered with different maps and navigation tools. Off to the side sat a small hammock for someone to rest in. And opposite that sat a window, letting some warm sunlight to fill the room.
At the table sat 3 men. The blonde one sat at the front of the table, to his left sat the silver haired one, and on his right sat another dark haired one. All 3 seemed to be to handsome to be on a pirate ship.
"Or guest is finally here." The blonde man said as he stood. "Welcome aboard The Great Illusion." He spreads his left arm out as he bowed his head. Standing straight once again he sends me a smirk.
"You can sit next to Yunho." The man that lead me here offers. Pulling the seat next to the dark haired man. His face seemed to remind you of a cute curious puppy, that had never seen a harsh day in it's life. How could a man that looked so innocent be one of the most feared pirates of the sea?
As I sat back in the seat my small toes could hardly brush the ground. I grimace realizing how small I was compared to them.
"Sorry for our harsh first meeting." Blondie says as he sits back down. "Let us interduce ourselves. I'm the captain. Hongjoong."
"Yunho. Master swordsman." The man that resembled a puppy says sending me a small smile. I could feel a certain warmth radiate from his smile.
"Yeosang. Navigator." The angel looking man says as he takes a seat across the table from me. It was odd. As I looked into their eyes I could feel pureness laying in their hearts.
"Seonghwa. Quartermaster." I glance to the silver haired one as he interduces himself. His face set in a scowl. Even as he sat their with a scowl on his handsome face I could see a small light shining in his dark grey eyes.
"And what should we call you Miss?" Came the captains voice. He was the only one I could not read so far. I could not see anything past his hazel eyes, that faded from a baby blue into a bright yellow. It was like he had 2 sun filled winter sky's in his eyes. And if I kept looking I felt like I would get trapped in them.
"Katerina." I say simply. "Now what do you need me for?" I snap my gaze to the captain.
"You'll get into that. But first may we see if you are who we really seek?"
"And who do you really seek?" I raise a brow at him.
"The so called angel girl. Supposed to have wings as white as parchment sprouting from her back." It was his turn to raise a brow. Even though he had that stone he wanted to be sure this was that girl. He did not want any room for doubt, there was to much on the line.
"I don't have wings." I say curtly. I could feel something telling me to just tell the truth, but my pride was to strong to give up like that. Why should I let my guard down to them? I call out in my mind. Feeling something fighting me.
"Oh.. Well we can see for ourselves. Mingi grab her." I feel someone grab me from behind. Pulling me out of my seat. "Bring her to my quarters."
The person holding me pulls me along out the door across the deck to a different room. The others following after. My heart beat quickens as the man known as Mingi pushes me to the captains quarters. My feet try to stop my path, but it was feeble. The man pushing me along was way to strong for my small figure to do anything against.
"Sorry for this." He says as he puts me on a stool off to the side of the big table.
I don't say anything as I wonder what they are about to do. Hongjoong walks in heading for a door on the far side of the room. The room was a lot bigger then the navigation room. The table in the middle could hold up to about 10 people. The walls were covered in many weapons and artifacts they have gathered over the years.
On the hard wood floor was a dark red rug. At the head of the table was the captains chair. It was a dark red, out lined with black. On the head rest was a skull and cross bones. Behind that was a small sitting area with 2 black couches.
Infront of me were windows that lined the wall. The sunlight reflecting off of the calm waves outside, dancing on the ceiling of the cabin. But before I could keep admiring the beautiful sea. The captain walks back in.
In his hand was a small dagger. Was he planning on killing me already?
My eyes go wide as I struggle against Mingi's hold. But the mans grip was like steel. Hongjoong sends me a smirk as he walked up to me. He pulled 2 thin chains of silver out of his breast pocket. He slipped one on his wrist and then he bent over grabbing my hand. I recoil but his grip on my hand was unwavering. He clasps the silver onto my wrist before standing straight, stepping behind me.
"Now hold still. Don't want to stab you on accident." I freeze as I feel the tip of the dagger land on my skin right at the top of my spine. "This may be uncomfortable."
He stops for a second seeing the scars poking out from above the girls shirt. His hand itched to touch the scars and ask about how the poor girl had received them. But he shook those thoughts away. He was the ruthless Pirate King.
After gathering himself, he runs the blade down to my mid back, right down the center of my spine. Not breaking the material of my shirt at all. I shiver as he pulls the blade away.
"What was-" I stop as I feel my shoulder blades begin to burn. Then I let out a small whimper as I feel my skin tear. It felt like a piece of fabric was being slowly ripped apart. But that piece of fabric was my skin. I could almost hear as my skin spilt apart, making way for my wings to finally break free after so many yeas of being tucked away in my back. Wings as white as the clouds that float through the blue sky on a hot summer day sprout from my back. Ripping my poor shirt.
"I knew it." Is all Hongjoong says as he walks to the head of the table. Where he sets the dagger on the table. He watches as I stand, gripping the front of my shirt. My wings stretch on their own, touching the walls of the cabin. Stiff from the years of not being used. I felt fury rise up inside of me. How dare he do that to me. I think to myself.
Everyone in the room stares. Fascinated. They had never seen anything so pure before. The sun that touched the feathers that lined her wings seemed to simmer into a millions of small rainbows. Her long black hair seemed to have a new shine to it. Her dark blue eyes seemed to have a new light behind them as well. This is why so many people wanted her. Not just because of the power she holds. But for the fact that her beauty in her natural state was so heavenly. It was like seeing a real piece of heaven on earth.
The first one to break from their staring was the captain. He clears his throat making his crew snap out of their trance. I look around and notice a few other men had gathered into the room. I snap my gaze down as I hold the front of my shirt closer. Feeling my cheeks turn a cherry blossom pink. Embarrassment replacing anger.
"Hold on." Hongjoong stands pulling his black doublet off. Pulling a dagger from belt. He looked at me for a second before he took the dagger to his coat. Cutting 2 slits down the back of it. He then strides over to me stuffing his dagger back in his belt.
I freeze as he walks behind me. Carefully he sets my wings into the slits, pulling the doublet to my back. I slip my arms in the to long sleeves. But never the less I was thankful for some cover.
"Thank you." I whisper as I button the top part. It was definitely way to big for my petite body. The hem almost brushing my ankles. He sends me a small nod. I grab the stool as he walks away. I knew with my wings out, sitting in the other chairs would not be comfortable.
To be honest I was mad that he had forced my wings out. A part of me I have been hiding for so long. But the longer I have them out the more calm I become. I felt like I had found a piece of me that I had no idea I was missing.
Yunho seeing what I was trying to do stands, moving the chair next to him out of the way. I send him a thankful smile as I set the stool in it's place.
"Now. How about the rest of you take a seat and introduce yourselves?" The 5 men take seats quickly. All sending me small glances as they sit.
The first one to pipe up was a man with black hair with streaks of blonde scattered into the darker locks. "Wooyoung. Boatswain." He said with a proud smirk. His green eyes shinning with untouchable happiness.
Next was the man with unnatural pink hair. "San. Surgeon." He sent a small nod. His dark brown eyes calculating. Even though his hair was a bright shade of pink, he was still naturally handsome.
"Mingi. Mastergunner." He pats one of the many muskets on his body. His hair a light brown color. His eyes a few shades lighter then San's dance with pride as he puffs out his chest. What surprised me the most about him was his deep voice. It seemed to come from the bottom of his belly.
"Jongho. First Mate." Called the red headed one from the end of the table. His roots were a dark brown color from where it had grown since he last colored it. There was a look in his soulful light brown eyes. It seemed like he was much wiser beyond his years.
"Katerina." I say my name for a second time today. But it came out a lot less confident then earlier. Now that the main crew was here, I felt like a small fly compared to them all. If they wanted they could probably crush me with their bare hands.
"Okay, back to why I called this meeting." Yunho stands at that and walks over to a desk tucked away in the far corner. Coming back with rolled pieces of parchment in his long arms.
He lays them down softly infront of his captain. Hongjoong thanks him before he starts to unroll the biggest of them all. It reached half way down the long table. But what caught my attention was that it was blank.
"This map is said to hold the coordinates to all the dimensions we need to reach." He pauses and looks up at me, "do you know how it works?"
I did not know how it worked. Was what I was about to say until a small voice called out. Far off in my subconscious. I saw myself, pricking my finger. Then pulling a feather from my own wing, dipping it in my blood, using it to write the names of the dimensions we needed to find.
"Yeah.." I breathe out. Something was screaming at me to help them. Why I have no idea. But I listen to the nagging voice in my head. I stand, taking my stool with me. And I walk to the head of the table. The crews eyes watching my ever move, waiting for me to try something stupid.
I stop on Hongjoong's right side. "May I sit here?" I asked carefully. He moves his chair over to the left a little, allowing room for me to set my stool down. "Can I hold that special dagger?" I glance up at him. He looks to the table grabbing the dagger. The cross-guard was a light blue, the grip was as white as the blade, but had light blue stones set into it. At the very end, the pommel was a big see through blue stone.
Without saying a word I reach around and pull one of my feathers from my left wing. I lay it on the table, taking a deep breathe. That was painful but I had to act tough. Then I take the dagger carefully slicing the end on my pinky finger. Letting the blood pool as I lay the dagger into Hongjoong's hands. I then take the single feather and dip it into my blood. Seeming possessed, I felt like someone else had taken over my body for a second. I start to write the dimension names that popped into my head.
Aurora.
Bermeja.
Estotiland.
Jacquet.
Pactolus.
Rupes Nigra.
Saxemberg.
Tuanaki.
I wrote them all down with my dark colored blood. As I write the last dimension name down, I then write my name as well. I watch as the once pure white feather turns into a black color. But it was not like any black a human eye had ever seen before. It seemed to eat any light that touched it's surface.
My gaze is snapped from the feather when I hear a gasp. The once blank map was now covered in black marks. Different lines showing the way to each gate that led into the different dimensions. At the top of each gate was a coordinates. My blue eyes shoot over the paper. Some sort of pride filling my small body.
"You did it." Whispered Wooyoung. Next thing I know the rest of the crew, save for the captain. All jump to their feet slapping each other on the back. Roars of relief filled laughter filling the once dead silent room. "Captain! She did it!"
"I know... but this is only the beginning. Now we must find the Star 1117 compass." Once that left his mouth his crew sat back down. All of them shooting me looks filled with a new found happiness. "What about the other maps?" He then turned back to you.
"Those are the one that show the way inside the realms right?" I tilt my head as the voice in my head guides me. He nods confirming what the small voice said. "Okay.. when we pass the gates of each dimension, I will have to do the same thing. But I will have to write what we seek in the realm as well."
"Okay. Well crew... get some rest. We set sail to Tortuga to retrieve the compass." He stands rolling the maps back up. Yunho stands and helps him.
"Wooyoung can you bring Katerina to her new room and provide her with some food and water." He was about to leave when I called out to him.
"How long before I can conceal my wings again?" I had been sitting there as they spoke. Focused on getting my wings to hide away from the world again. But they refused my request. Like a stubborn mule, who just wanted to stay in the field awhile longer.
"A few more hours I believe." Then he is gone. I puff my cheeks an annoyance.
~~~
So whatcha think so far? lmk :)
Vivi.