Chapter Text
The filthy pirate smudged his dirty fingers on the delicate white lace at Prince Seonghwa’s sleeve cuff when he defiled his hand with a kiss.
“A pleasure to meet you, Highness.” The sharp nasal quality to his voice sounded too smooth for someone who called himself ‘Pirate King.’ And his nose looked altogether too dainty for the most feared man on the ocean. “Such a pretty broach,” he commented, raising a hand to Seonghwa’s throat to touch the amber jewel. “It sets off your eyes.” A compliment, not a threat, but Seonghwa felt threatened.
He stood rigid beside his father’s throne, holding his breath to avoid breathing in the air this savage pirate inhabited. As if piracy were contagious.
“Captain Hongjoong,” the King spoke from his throne. “I’m thrilled you could join us today.”
“I’m sure you are.” Hongjoong stepped away from Seonghwa and leaned his weight on one leg, hand on his hip near his empty pistol holster. “I assume you invited me here out of the goodness of your heart and not because I left two of your navy ships burning off the southern coast.”
Seonghwa heard his father’s jaw crack. He wondered how many ships Hongjoong had burned wearing those same charred boots. They left sooty footprints on the stone floor and in the green carpet leading up to the throne. He also wondered how many necks Hongjoong wrung with those clunky rings on his fingers, and how many hearts he broke with those bowed lips and expressive eyes.
“I’d like to offer a treaty.” Seonghwa heard the tension in his father’s tone only because he learned as a small child that it meant danger. He shifted away from the throne on instinct.
Hongjoong laughed, high and whimsical, and switched his weight to the other leg. “A treaty? What are you offering me?” He examined the dirt beneath his fingernails. “I am not a man easily bought,” he cautioned.
Another click of his father’s jaw made Seonghwa wince involuntarily. “I think we both know you’ll name your own price.”
Hongjoong tilted his head back to look down his nose at them. “That’s right, Majesty.” He made the title sound like a mockery and Seonghwa narrowed his eyes. “But my price depends on what you want from me.”
The king took a breath and Seonghwa clasped his hands together in front of his stomach to keep from fidgeting or running out of the room. “My terms are that you not only give my trade vessels wide berth, but that you defend them, work alongside my military to discourage other pirating, and use your cannons against my enemies.”
Hongjoong whistled low. “A tall order, sire.” He cocked his head to the side with a snarky smile on his lips. “And it comes at a steep price.”
Seonghwa’s father gripped the armrests of his throne. “Name it.”
The scuff of Hongjoong’s sooty boots on the floor as he paced lazily set Seonghwa’s teeth on edge. “First, myself and my crew will be welcomed at every port under your authority.”
Some of the tension left the king’s shoulders. “Done.”
A sly smile on the pirate’s mouth. “Second, you will stock my ship with finest provisions whenever I ask.” He raised a hand before Seonghwa’s father could protest. “Not more than four times a year.”
The king exhaled sharply and Seonghwa flinched and bit his lip. “Fine.”
“Third,” Hongjoong paused to rake his eyes over Seonghwa. “You will give me your son in marriage.”
A breath caught halfway in Seonghwa’s throat. He couldn’t reconcile the image in front of him with matrimony in any way shape or form. “Father,” he choked on his breath, protest dying at the loud click of his father’s jaw.
“You expect me to marry off my heir - my only son - to a pirate?” the king’s voice sounded strained if not livid. Seonghwa wanted to run and hide, but he kept his feet rooted to the floor beside the throne.
Hongjoong grinned wide. “I do.” He spread his hands in a generous gesture. “That is my price. Take it or leave it.”
Silence dragged on for a beat too long. Fear clutched at Seonghwa’s insides. His father was considering. He might accept. Seonghwa opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. The so-called ‘Pirate King’ didn’t belong in this throne room. Didn’t belong with a prince. Oil and water didn’t mix.
“Are you willing to negotiate?” the king asked after a moment.
Hongjoong smiled with false pity. “No.” Seonghwa felt the intense need to bathe when Hongjoong looked at him again. His gaze crawled over Seonghwa’s body like the tiny insects that burrowed through the dirt in the gardens. “I will accept nothing less.”
Another silence that lasted too long.
Hongjoong slipped his dirty hands into the deep pockets of his long leather coat. “If we cannot agree on the terms of a treaty, then there is no treaty to be had, Majesty.” He bowed his head mockingly. “Good day.”
“Wait.” Seonghwa’s father reached out his hand. “Would you not rather have one of my daughters? They are even lovelier than my son.”
Blood rushed past Seonghwa’s ears. The idea of any of his sisters in the same room as this savage man turned his stomach. He couldn’t let his sisters trade their lives for a pirate’s filthy pleasure.
Hongjoong sighed dramatically. “I’m sure they are lovely, sire. But I’ve named my price. If you’re not willing to pay it, then we have nothing more to discuss.”
“Why do you want my son?” the king demanded.
The corners of Hongjoong’s mouth twitched in a dangerous smile. “I’ve named my price.”
Intense fear twisted Seonghwa’s gut and he found his words. “Father, you can’t possibly consider this,” his voice didn’t tremble. They couldn’t accept these terms. It gave the pirate captain too much power and put his life on the line. The risk wasn’t worth the reward. “You can’t possibly sell me off to scum and villainy.”
Hongjoong laughed, delighted, and clapped his hands together. “Wonderfully put, my prince.” He grinned like he’d already won. “I wonder how much you want my allegiance. I wonder what you’re willing to give for my aid in your time of need.”
“My domain is the land,” Seonghwa’s father spoke tightly. “My power on land is undisputed.”
Another light giggle. “The sea herself bows to my whims, Majesty.” It might have been blasphemy, but Seonghwa wondered the truth of it. “What does real power look like?”
The king stood from his throne. “I must have your word,” he declared. “On your honor. On anything you care about. You must swear respect, honor, and fidelity.”
A dirty hand covered the place Hongjoong’s heart would be if he had one. Seonghwa suspected he didn’t. “I swear on my mother’s name.” He took a step forward, a dark smile on his face. “Before God.” Another step. “That I will treasure your son.” Another step brought him right to the throne where he braced a hand against the back and leaned over the king. “On my honor as a pirate, I promise him my respect.” He glanced up at Seonghwa and giggled low. “And on my dignity as a man, no one will ever fuck him like I will.”
Seonghwa stepped back and crossed his arms over his body protectively.
“I accept your terms.” Seonghwa’s father said like he’d won some great, difficult battle. But to Seonghwa’s ringing ears it sounded like a death sentence.
-----
Seonghwa’s hands trembled around a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers. His white suit floated around him like a dream. Silver braided into his hair caught the light and pearls around his neck shifted and clacked as he walked too quickly.
Pearls for innocence. White for purity. Blue flowers for death.
The death of Seonghwa’s innocence.
He did not look at the pirate captain during the ceremony. He kept his eyes on the floor, or on his sisters. He could accept this fate to save them. And to save his country. He always knew he’d marry for political reasons, but not like this. Not to a murderous pirate.
A hand on his chin turned his face up and forced him to look at his husband. Clean. Hair swept away from his face and braided with silver in the same fashion as Seonghwa’s. Warm pigment smudged around deep, bottomless eyes. Bowed lips tinted pink. If Seonghwa didn’t know better, he might call him beautiful.
“You may seal your union with a kiss.”
The corners of Hongjoong’s mouth ticked up, and he pulled Seonghwa’s face to his. Seonghwa braced himself for something terrible; something obscene or painful or poisonous. But it was only a kiss. A chaste press of their mouths together.
For some reason, that frightened Seonghwa more than anything else.
Seonghwa kept a smile plastered on his face the entire feast, though he ate little and spoke less. His husband told him a few times how lovely he looked, encouraged him to eat something, and asked about his opinions on various shallow topics. He gave up when it became clear Seonghwa would only give him one-word answers.
When they retired to Seonghwa’s chambers, he tried to steel himself for what would come. He remembered his sisters, remembered his country and the hundreds of lives this would save. He’d come to terms with being a pirate’s plaything for a night or two until he returned to his ship and never saw Seonghwa again.
He did not look at his husband before he closed himself in the bath drawn for him. The warm water soothed his tense muscles and he took a deep breath of the lilac scented fragrance in the air.
Seonghwa never considered that he might marry a man. He had sisters if an alliance needed to be formed. He smoothed his hands over his body under the water. This way hurt, he’d been told. Preparation would be key. But with someone so rough and savage as a pirate, he couldn’t imagine any amount of preparation would help him.
A soapy finger pressed against his tensed hole. Seonghwa took a breath and tried to relax. The tip of his finger pushed inside. It felt strange; neither good nor bad. But the more he worked into himself - one knuckle, two - the more an unsettling burn spread through him. He bit his lip. Even the smallest cock was bigger than one of his fingers, and somehow he doubted that the ‘Pirate King’ was anything less than well endowed.
Despair filled his chest and he pulled his finger out. Perhaps the pirate would have mercy on him.
He returned in silk sleep-clothes to find Hongjoong reclined on the bed, the sheet covering his nudity. “Seonghwa, my darling, do you feel well?” He sounded genuine enough, though the perpetual smirk on his lips caused every statement to lose credibility.
Seonghwa lifted his chin. “I’m eager to be done with this ordeal.”
The low hum from Hongjoong’s chest did nothing to ease his nerves. He stood and Seonghwa did not look at him. “Ordeal?” He smoothed his hands over Seonghwa’s shirt. “Oh no, dear. You’ve mistaken me for a selfish lover.”
Seonghwa’s breath hitched when Hongjoong undid the first button on the cool silk. “You mean to tell me you’re not selfish?”
“Sure I am. But not here. Not in bed.” Hands smoothed down Seonghwa’s arms. “Relax, sweet one, I won’t hurt you.”
Seonghwa had a hard time believing that but allowed his new husband to undo another button without complaint.
“You are beautiful,” Hongjoong whispered. The warmth of his hands brushed Seonghwa’s chest as he unbuttoned his shirt. “So very beautiful, but you know that.” He eased the shirt over Seonghwa’s shoulders, down his arms. Slow and careful. But somehow mocking. “And that’s not why I want you.”
“Why do you want me?” Seonghwa hissed.
Hongjoong smoothed his hands over the planes of Seonghwa’s chest. “I have a hunch. You’ll prove me right in time.” A hand glided lightly over his throat to cup his jaw. “Or prove me wrong.” He stepped closer, just a breath away. “But I’m rarely wrong.”
Seonghwa fought to keep his hands at his sides and not push Hongjoong away. “Get on with it.” He didn’t want to drag this out longer than it needed to be.
A light giggle. “No, darling. You’ve never done this before. We’re going to take our sweet time. Make sure you feel good.”
Seonghwa scoffed. “Like you care.” His back hit the bed before he realized Hongjoong pushed him. The hand on his shoulder pinning him down would not yield and Seonghwa knew better than to fight it.
“Never accuse me of apathy.” The words tickled against Seonghwa’s ear and made him shiver. “You can accuse me of cruelty, of vulgarity, of piracy, of murder.” Sharp teeth scraped the shell of Seonghwa’s ear. “That’s all true and I won’t deny it.” His lips brushed the delicate skin at the corner of Seonghwa’s jaw. “But never,” he shifted to speak against Seonghwa’s mouth, “Never say I don’t care.”
A strange heat simmered under Seonghwa’s skin. “Are you going to kiss me?” He could feel every puff of breath from Hongjoong’s mouth against his and for some reason, it made his head feel fuzzy.
Hongjoong sat back a little, a sly smile playing at his lips. “Do you want me to?”
Seonghwa frowned. “Does it matter?”
That infuriating low giggle. “Darling, I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to do.”
Confusion drew Seonghwa’s eyebrows together. “But you married me so that-”
“I married you so the king would be my father-in-law and I would always have a bargaining chip.” Hongjoong guided him up the bed to lay comfortably and sat over Seonghwa’s hips. “I married you to protect my crew and my own interests.” His hands trailed over the bare skin of Seonghwa’s stomach, just this side of ticklish. “The fact that you are the most deliciously pretty little thing is just a perk.” Hongjoong’s palms rubbed too light over Seonghwa’s nipples and he drew a sharp breath.
“I still don’t see why it matters what I want.” Seonghwa couldn’t say when his heart rate picked up, only that it felt like it wanted to beat out of his chest. The way Hongjoong touched him - so carefully, so intimately - left him a little bit breathless.
The warmth of Hongjoong’s chest as he leaned over to kiss the edge of Seonghwa’s jaw made Seonghwa’s breath hitch again. “Darling,” Hongjoong sighed. “I’m not going to hurt you.” A soft, lingering kiss to the sensitive skin below Seonghwa’s ear. “I’m not going to rape you.”
Seonghwa lost his train of thought in the line of kisses down the side of his neck. His eyes fell closed and tilted his head to expose more skin to the pleasant feeling of Hongjoong’s lips and tongue. His fingers twisted into the sheets and he remained alert and guarded, but this felt nice. The warm hands rubbing the tension from his shoulders felt nice.
“Tell me what you want, dearest,” Hongjoong asked, a low whisper against his ear.
A tight shiver reminded Seonghwa what came after this nice bit and he just wanted to have this whole thing over and behind him. Or else stay in this pleasant feeling as long as possible. He couldn’t decide which.
“Talk to me, princeling.” Hongjoong encouraged him with a gentle nip to his earlobe.
“What do you want?” he tried to turn the question around since he figured his answer wouldn’t be satisfactory.
Hongjoong giggled and leaned back to stroke Seonghwa’s cheek. “We’ll work up to that. What I want would break you.” He leaned in to speak against Seonghwa’s mouth again. “So tell me what you like.”
Seonghwa didn’t quite mean to kiss him, but he only had to tilt his chin the smallest bit to press their mouths together. Simple, chaste, closed-mouthed kisses. Gentle and slow. No pressure, no heat, no discernible ulterior motive.
“Sweet thing,” Hongjoong whispered. Another kiss to his mouth. One to the tip of his nose. “If you can’t tell me what you want, tell me what you don’t want.”
Warm hands rubbed soothingly up and down Seonghwa’s sides. “I don’t want you to fuck me,” he blurted.
Hongjoong giggled with a knowing smile. “No, I didn’t figure you would.” His hands moved light and ticklish over Seonghwa’s hip bones peeking out above the waistband of his sleep pants. “Would you like my fingers?” he asked. One of his fingertips dipped into Seonghwa’s belly button and pressed suggestively.
“No.” Seonghwa gripped the sheets tighter. “Please, I don’t want anything inside.”
Soft lazy kisses to Seonghwa’s neck. “Hush, dearest, it’s alright.” A kiss to the corner of his mouth. “You don’t trust me yet and that’s alright.”
Seonghwa drew a sharp breath. “It’s alright? You’re not going to- Even though…”
A light kiss on his mouth. “I’m not going to hurt you, Seonghwa. And I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to do.”
Seonghwa shivered when Hongjoong’s hand ghosted over the stiff peak of his nipple. “What if I say I don’t want you to touch me?”
Hongjoong sat back and shifted his weight on Seonghwa’s body. “Then I won’t touch you.” He rolled his hips down and a startled sigh betrayed Seonghwa. “But I won’t believe you, darling,” he said darkly.
Seonghwa blinked rapidly. He hadn't realized how hard he was. Embarrassment heated his cheeks.
Another roll of Hongjoong’s hips made him gasp. Hongjoong smiled like the cat that got the canary and leaned over Seonghwa again to kiss the curve of his shoulder. “This is fine, dear one.” His fingertips trailed over Seognhwa’s taut stomach. “We can do this all night.”
Seonghwa gasped again when Hongjoong’s fingers trailed around his nipple. He latched onto the reaction and rubbed it more intentionally, but still light and barely there.
“Does that feel good?” Hongjoong asked. “Are you sensitive here, dearest?”
Seonghwa shut his eyes and pressed his head back into the pillow. “Yes.” Heat simmered beneath his skin, growing in intensity everywhere Hongjoong touched him. Fear mostly abated, he basked in how good it felt. Even if it wouldn’t last. Even if tomorrow the pirate might be cruel. Right now in this moment, Seonghwa didn’t want him to stop.
A soft, wet mouth replaced the teasing fingers on his chest and a quiet noise tore from Seonghwa’s throat. That seemed to spur Hongjoong on. He used his tongue, his lips, the blunt edges of his teeth, to pull small, helpless sounds from Seonghwa’s chest.
He kissed his way down the hem of Seonghwa’s sleep pants and looked up at him, eyes heavily lidded, lips pink and a little puffy. “Seonghwa, my darling,” his voice dripped something sweet and potentially deadly. “Would you like my mouth on you? Do you want me to take care of you? Make you feel good?”
Seonghwa sucked a few quick breaths. “You would do that?” he hesitated.
Hongjoong narrowed his eyes. “Oh, my sweet prince.” His mouth twitched into a ravenous smile. “You’d do well not to underestimate me.”
The sleep pants fell to the floor, and Hongjoong pushed Seonghwa’s legs apart enough to settle between them.
“Beautiful,” he whispered into Seonghwa’s thigh. “You’re gorgeous. So beautiful.”
Seonghwa shivered. He clutched the sheets tighter with each teasing press of Hongjoong’s mouth. But he wouldn’t ask him to stop. He liked the tease. He liked the intentional, targeted way Hongjoong touched him, building slowly. So different from the times Seonghwa touched himself in hurried moments.
A deeply contented sigh fell from Seonghwa’s lips when Hongjoong finally touched his dick. A loose hand around the base, and delicate kitten-licks around the head. Seonghwa tugged at the sheets and sighed again.
Hongjoong lifted his head and touched Seonghwa’s hand to coax him to hold it. “You’re allowed to touch me, darling.”
It honestly never crossed Seonghwa’s mind that it might be a possibility. He cupped Hongjoong’s face, ran his fingers through his hair, along the curve of his shoulder, tapped the earrings glittering from his ears. Hongjoong giggled and returned his attention to Seonghwa’s dick.
His tongue felt so warm and wonderful. When he wrapped his lips around Seonghwa’s tip and sucked lightly, Seonghwa saw stars. When he sank slowly until his nose pressed into Seonghwa’s pelvis, Seonghwa tangled a hand through his hair.
Euphoria.
Seonghwa had heard the expression, but never fully understood the meaning of the word. Now he knew. Everything felt so good he could cry.
He tried to warn Hongjoong with a tug to his hair before he came, but Hongjoong locked eyes with him and sucked harder.
Freefall among the stars. Floating in an ocean of cream and sugar. Blissful, euphoric completeness.
Seonghwa felt boneless and brainless even after he came down from his high. Hongjoong kissed him sweetly and pulled the blankets up over their shoulders. Seonghwa rolled over, hand finding Hongjoong’s muscular arm.
“What about you?” he asked, still breathless.
Hongjoong giggled fondly. “My sweet prince, this wasn’t about me.” He wrapped Seonghwa up in his arms. “I’ve worn you out. I don’t think you could do any more.” And Seonghwa’s eyelids did feel heavy and Hongjoong’s skin smelled like sea salt and lightning. He kissed Seonghwa’s head. “You can make it up to me later.”
Seonghwa hummed his agreement. His last waking thought was wondering why a pirate would spoil him when he’d been spoiled his whole life.
-----
The looks people gave Seonghwa as he walked to breakfast settled like a heavy bag of nails in his stomach. The prince who married a pirate. The prince who slept with a pirate. And liked it.
But that didn’t mean he liked the man or anything he stood for.
He kept his head high and ignored the stares until he could close himself in the dining room. He took his seat at the table beside his husband - that word still made him dizzy - and did his best to keep up with the pleasantries exchanged out of obligation.
They also discussed the arrangements for Hongjoong to return to his ship.
An idea kept tugging at the back of Seonghwa’s mind. He’d discussed it with his mother before the wedding and she supported him, but his father might not. But it would potentially save lives and expensive property damage, so it would irresponsible for Seonghwa not to speak up.
He cleared his throat softly, and only Hongjoong noticed. “What is it my dear?” he asked with his most lecherous smile.
“I do not wish to be without my husband,” Seonghwa told his father, posture too straight and words too stiff. “It wounds me that we would be parted so soon after our union.”
Everyone at the table looked confused except Seonghwa’s mother, who gave him an encouraging nod. Hongjoong looked the most confused, eyes sharp, waiting for Seonghwa to give something up.
Seonghwa wet his lips. “I ask that Captain Hongjoong remains with me here at the palace.”
A silent beat before Hongjoong’s low giggle. He swept a hair away from Seonghwa’s face and let his hand linger at the edge of Seonghwa’s jaw. “If my sweet prince wants to stay with me,” his thumb brushed over Seonghwa’s bottom lip. “Then I shall not leave his side.”
Seonghwa exhaled a relieved breath and ducked his head in gratitude. The king had to understand that if Hongjoong didn’t return to sea, he couldn’t betray their treaty and he couldn’t continue his piracy.
“Very well,” the king did seem to understand. “I’ll have a suite prepared for you both.”
Hongjoong’s laugh sent chills down Seonghwa’s spine and his head snapped up. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Majesty, but unnecessary.” He turned Seonghwa’s face to press a possessive kiss to his cheek. “My ship is finer than any palace.”
“Your ship?” Seonghwa felt his life slipping through his fingers like so much sand.
“My darling,” Hongjoong sighed, dramatically fond. “If you don’t want to be separated, you’ll return with me to the Horizon and sail with my crew.” That smug smirk. “A more pleasurable arrangement anyway.”
Seonghwa shivered. He’d trapped himself. Signed his own execution. He couldn’t take back his words and he couldn’t do anything to stop this.
-----
The Horizon stuck out like a sore thumb, unmistakable from the other boats in the marina. Black from smoke and soot and gunpowder. Wrought iron detailing that should have weighed enough to take it to the bottom of the ocean. Webs of rigging tied neat and orderly with not a single rope out of place. A black flag flapped in the wind and sent a spike of fear through Seonghwa’s heart.
His parents saw him off at the palace gates. They wouldn’t come out here. Hongjoong’s hand solid on the small of Seonghwa’s back guided him through the throng of people wanting to see the truth of the rumors they heard. The prince married a pirate. The pirate would take the prince to sea. The prince would die some horrible death.
Seonghwa kept his head high and didn’t trip on his way up the ramp and onto the glossy black deck of the Horizon. He stopped short before the line of pirates waiting to greet their captain. They stood tall, arms crossed behind their backs, waiting for orders. Scars and tattoos marred their skin, hoop earrings, headscarves, wide-brimmed hats, cutlasses and pistols strapped to their hips, their appearance was meant to strike fear into the hearts of men.
It worked.
Hongjoong’s hand slid around Seonghwa’s waist. “I’d like to introduce my husband, Prince Seonghwa.” Hongjoong kissed his cheek again, then let him go. “We are allied with this kingdom now,” he paused to grin. “My kingdom.”
One of the pirates exhaled a laugh, but Seonghwa felt cold and frightened.
“Any questions?” Hongjoong propped his hands on his hips, scanning the line of pirates.
The tall one with beads and bits of shell tied and braided into his hair stepped forward, eyeing Seonghwa. “Your…” he searched for a word, “Princeling will be sailing with us?”
“He will,” Hongjoong said with finality. “He’ll be useless for a while, I expect.” That burned in Seonghwa’s chest, even though he knew it wasn’t false.
Another pirate stepped forward. Tan skin covered by a web of ink, hair tied back out of his face, a few earrings that caught the light. “This arrangement you made with the king,” he tilted his head back, confidence pouring off him in waves. “What exactly do we have to do?”
Hongjoong grinned. “Leave his trade ships alone. Defend them if we see someone else attack them. Do the job of their sorry excuse for a navy if they ask us to.”
The pirate sniffed, appraising Seonghwa like a cut of meat. “In return for a pretty piece of ass?”
Seonghwa’s blood ran cold. Hongjoong’s smile turned into a cruel sneer. “In return for marrying the heir to the throne and holding the greatest bargaining chip in the Five Kingdoms.”
“Hongjoong,” Seonghwa whispered. He wanted some comfort or assurance. He wanted some glimpse of the man who touched him so kindly last night.
Hongjoong wrapped his hand around Seonghwa’s wrist and tugged him closer. “Ah, where are my manners?” He indicated the tall pirate who spoke first. “This is Yunho. My first mate and quartermaster. The best swordsman on the sea.” Yunho nodded his head respectfully.
Hongjoong waved his hand at the next pirate. A wicked scar ran crooked from one side of his jaw to the opposite shoulder like his neck had been sliced open. A rosy birthmark bloomed next to his eye and he twirled twin daggers in his hands.
“Yeosang,” Hongjoong said. “Boatswain. Great gambler. Never lost a bet.” Yeosang’s smile looked sharp.
The next pirate appeared as solid as the ship. Black stained his muscular arms to the elbow, and a headscarf that might have once been entirely red dipped to black at the ends hanging over his shoulders.
“Jongho,” Hongjoong said fondly. “My master gunner. Born with a pistol in his hand. He could crack a peanut at twenty paces.”
Jongho flashed a gummy smile too cute for a pirate. “Fifty paces, Captain,” he corrected, and Hongjoong giggled.
The pirate with the tattoos stood with his arms crossed, kohl-rimmed eyes narrowed at Seonghwa. “This is our cook and carpenter, Wooyoung,” Hongjoong introduced. “He’s not as fierce as he looks.” Wooyoung frowned and Seonghwa decided not to test that theory.
Hongjoong placed a comfortable hand on the next pirate’s shoulder. “Mingi is my sailing master, navigator, and the smartest man I know.” Mingi tipped his wide-brimmed hat. His face looked calculating, like he’d already guessed Seonghwa’s next move. A delicate crescent-shaped scar stood out pale on his cheek. And while his hat shadowed his eyes, Seonghwa got the feeling he saw everything.
The last pirate wore no shirt under his jade-green waistcoat, and a gold hoop hung from his ear. A few scars on his forearms looked relatively new, and an old scar severed his eyebrow. Kohl smudged around his eyes ran in a line down one cheek and Seonghwa felt undressed by his stare.
“San is my lookout.” Hongjoong paused to regard him. “San is a jack of all trades,” he amended “A single title doesn’t do him justice. He can shoot a pistol and swing a sword with the best of them.”
San stepped forward into Seonghwa’s personal space. Seonghwa backed up until his legs bumped the low railing at the edge of the ship. San exhaled a short laugh at Seonghwa’s wide eyes and short breaths. “Pretty prince sent off on a pirate ship.” His eyes raked over Seonghwa’s body. “Pity we have more freedom than you do.” He backed away to join the rest of the crew and Seonghwa tried to remember how to breathe.
Hongjoong gave an order and they set to work around the ship. Lost and afraid, Seonghwa darted to his husband’s side. “Hongjoong, I’m frightened.”
That awful low giggle. “My darling, what is there to be frightened of?”
Seonghwa watched San swing from the rigging and said nothing.
“You’re afraid of my crew?” Hongjoong asked, incredulous. “They shouldn’t frighten you, dear one. When we’ve been boarded by some low-life would-be-pirates, you’ll be running to San and Wooyoung for protection.” He touched Seonghwa’s face, gentle and kind, but still smiling that awful smug smile. “You have nothing to fear from them.” A dangerous flash to his eyes. “They know better than to touch what isn’t theirs.”
Seonghwa stopped himself from shaking. He couldn’t show weakness here. Not with his honor on the line. He had always been adaptable. He could adapt to this too. A prince did not run back to the palace because his new husband’s crew frightened him. A prince did not back down because he didn’t trust anyone. A prince held his head high and did not tremble in the face of scum and villainy.