Chapter Text
“I still don’t understand why I can’t just put a knife to this brat’s throat and demand gold before cutting it. You know, just get it over with,” Choi San, a high-ranking member of the Halateez Pirates, grumbled as he walked alongside his captain, Hongjoong, down the port cochere toward the palace in the center of the bustling city of Seoul.
Hongjoong snorted, amused. “You know exactly why, and we won’t have this conversation in such proximity to all of these posh pricks,” he said, trying not to scowl at a man walking by them dressed in finery. The man nodded his head in acknowledgment, reminding the pirates that they, too, currently carried the appearance of wealthy aristocrats due to disguise. They put on their best polite faces and nodded back before continuing down the street. While they currently looked and acted like respectable citizens, they were anything but.
San huffed and continued to walk along with the captain, looking straight ahead. He did know the reason they were making such a grand effort.
Less than a fortnight ago, they’d docked their infamous ship, The Destiny, just beyond the shore of the slumps of Seoul, hidden from view by trees and the land's natural rise. The crew had immediately headed into town for a stock up, or rather pillage, but during a drunken night at an underground pub frequented by outlaws, they overheard news that changed everything.
Apparently, the prince of Busan, Jung Wooyoung, was being married off to the king of Seoul, Ito Ken, and the kingdoms were consolidating to become the world’s strongest alliance. Wooyoung had been living at the palace in Seoul for several months as was customary for marrying royals of different kingdoms in preparation for the union and festivities or what the outlaws like to call ‘try before you buy’. What particularly piqued the pirates' interest, though, was the rumor of a dowry larger than anyone had ever heard of. They wondered if Wooyoung's parents wanted him gone so badly that they would pay so extravagantly to be rid of him.
When they returned to the ship, all members of The Destiny convened to discuss a new strategy. They wanted that money. Not only were they pirates with a lust for gold and the finest trinkets, but they also simply loved stealing from the rich. They brainstormed ideas such as kidnapping the prince and demanding his parents pay the dowry offered for ransom, but no matter how much they debated it, that didn’t seem like a practical plan. The last thing they needed was both kingdoms on their asses, and no one wanted to put up with a hostage. They considered waiting around for the royal wedding and crashing it to demand the gold, but although they were a force at sea, they stood no chance against the forces that would likely be in attendance at such a monumental event. Nevertheless, they were bound and determined to get that gold.
They stuck around Seoul for some time, watching from afar, plotting and scheming, until the day finally came that the perfect solution practically fell into their laps. Word spread of the prince’s father, the emeritus king of Busan, visiting Seoul to sign a treaty and hold a celebration. The kingdom of Busan was known for its celebrations consisting of tournament style events where anyone could show off their athleticism and fighting skills, with luxurious prizes given to victors. It was a much easier way to win big loot compared to their previous idea of stealing a royal dowry. The crew unanimously voted to enter San as he was their most ruthless and skilled fighter and would be guaranteed to win against royals, warriors, and commoners. San entered under the guise of a commoner and was placed in a gladiator-style pit with almost one hundred other men in front of the royal family, with all weapons at their disposal, to fight for the grand prize. He was ultimately declared champion.
However, what he didn’t expect when being presented with his gold was being approached by none other than the emeritus king of Busan himself to congratulate him on his victory and offer an invitation to work at the palace of Seoul. He even promised to provide more gold on top of his award if San would take the role of his son’s personal guard. With the wedding ahead and the consolidation of kingdoms just beyond the horizon, it was the perfect time for enemies to strike. Keeping the future of the kingdom protected was more crucial than ever.
The disguised pirate was given a day to consider the proposal before reporting back to the palace. Initially, San was vehemently opposed to living ‘as one of them’, but his crewmates knew it would be the most opportune situation they were ever going to have. Not only would they have the gold won and earned by San, but having someone on the inside meant the potential to loot the dowry without putting their necks at risk. What sweetened the deal was the agreement that when the dowry was in hand and he could finally leave the palace to join his crew once again, he was to assassinate the prince, thus making the kingdom fall with one swift kill. No one would be prepared for such a thing within the walls of the castle, and San would be far gone before the body was discovered. As a pirate, it really did sound like a dream come true: the best job for the worst person. San eagerly accepted the next day.
His training was short, sweet, and informal, barely lasting a week. The best part was that no one asked questions about how he came to have the skill he had or where he was from. He had officially graduated training, and it was his first day in his new position. To his dismay, the prince’s father was set to leave back home that afternoon so he invited San to eat breakfast with him and his son to introduce the two before he departed.
Now, here he was, walking with his captain one last time before entering his own personal hell, living among royals for an unspecified amount of time. His captain stopped and faced him, reaching for his shoulder to grasp it in support. San looked down at the ground before lifting his eyes to look at Hongjoon.
Hongjoong squeezed his shoulder a little harder, trying to convey sympathy. He knew this would be hard for San as a man who was not accustomed to living the way the people here were. They had always lived lives of debauchery, drinking, gambling, whoring, and thieving. The pirates were setting sail and leaving their one crewmate behind, at least temporarily, but he knew it had to be done. They had to get that gold and in order to do that, their best player had to remain in the game until the very end.
“It’s all you now. I can’t go any further,” Hongjoong stated in a serious tone, pulling San from his thoughts. “Just don't forget about us while you’re enjoying fancy wines and sleeping on satin sheets," he jested, raising a brow and giving a small smirk.
San let a smirk curl onto his lips as he gave his captain a once over. “You’re the one getting a little too comfortable in these clothes,” San chuckled and pushed his captain playfully.
Hongjoong laughed. "Stop stalling," he smiled and began walking backwards. “I’ll see you on the other side, friend.” He half-heartedly saluted before spinning around and walking away briskly, disappearing into the crowd.
San felt his stomach sink, suddenly realizing how alone he was in the moment. He rolled his shoulders back and inhaled sharply to pull himself together, staring directly at the palace not very far ahead. There were many guards lining each side, but all bowed to San as he made his way up the stone steps towards his new home. Once he reached the top, he turned to watch the sun rising fully above the horizon and beginning its path through the sky. The plan was already set in motion, whether he liked it or not, and it was time to move forward. He would lie in wait, do his duty, and send word to his crew as soon as the wedding date was set. Hopefully, that would not be long.