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Crimson Grail

I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE

The sea.

Don’t all good stories start with the ocean? A retelling of a tale that crossed the seven seas just to reach you, the reader?

Well, stories are all best told by the ones who lived them.

If only everyone had lived to tell this tale…

It was a beautiful day in the port city of Albion.

The sun was burning hot and the marketplace was bustling with life. Everyone was out today it seemed, however, you remained back in the shadows, where you belonged.

Your time was at night, when the moon rose high above the water and the people of the city. You cherished the time you could spend in the moonlight, away from others and in your own mind.

If time was kind, and she hardly ever is, you would wander down to the shoreline and place your feet in the water. The warmth of the salt water easing the ache in your bones.

You worked at the Knight and Gayle Pub as a barmaid, tending to sailors and ruffians of all sorts. As long as they had good coin and kept their hands to themselves, you really didn’t care what they did.

However, one evening, there was talk. Talk of pirates… You’d never met one yourself, but, you were the daughter of a sailor, so you knew your way around a ship just fine. Although, these men were talking about blood-thirsty and dangerous, pirates.

They sailed the seven seas in search of money or eternal glory and fame. If it could get them enough rum to fill their bellies and women to warm their beds, that’s really all they cared about. Your father had turned into one of those men. A man who wanted nothing more than to have a warm body to lay next to at night and some rum to drink the pain of his life away.

But the men in the bar that night were talking of one of the most notorious pirates out there, Min Yoongi. Although, most people call him Captain Min.

He is known for taking prisoners and running them dry of all their riches and wealth. No one who has encountered him has gotten away without some sort of tale to tell. They say he is as dangerous as the ocean during a storm, but will reward you well if you are part of his crew.

“Y/N! What in the name of the devil are you doing out here? We have customers in the bar that need tending to. Go, get dressed and tie your corset tight, I want your bosom up to your chin to attract lots of men tonight. A ship is docking, and there will be lots of coin to earn!” The owner yelled from the kitchen as he prepared the next round of slop for lunch time.

Disdain curled in your stomach as you walked away from the lively market and back towards your dull life of booze, men and whores.

The night brought sailors, you this knew well and as the owner predicted, another ship. These men seemed like merchant sailors who were just stopping for supplies on their route for trade. You served them well, like you always did, and tried to catch up on the latest news from the seas.

“Did ya ‘ear about the massive war that broke out between Captain Min and The Captain of the Blue Fox! It was a huge fight and there must’ve been loads a’ dead floatin’ after the dust settled.”

Your interest was piqued, so you strolled over and set another pint of beer down for them as they smiled and threw you a few more coins.

“Who won, then?”

“Captain Min a’ course! Who else did ya think would win? What I wouldn’t do to be a member a’ that crew… Imagine all the women ya’d get, just by bein’ Captain Min’s good graces, they probably come at you in crowds… What a life, huh?”

Captain Min and Blue Fox had it out?

Those two drunkards were right then, if the two of them had fought, the aftermath was probably disastrous.

Hearing that Captain Min had won, however, was no surprise to you. He was well known throughout this town, and had made an appearance every once and awhile, or so you’d been told. You’d never met him before, but you had wanted to ever since you were a teenager.

The stories of the young Captain Min taking out several ships and trading routes of the rich and famous were well known. Parents told them to their children before bed, making their dreams rich with tales of adventure and riches.

You had heard about him since you were around fourteen.

A few of your fellow barmaids had apparently seen him walking down by the shoreline. That night you had wandered down to the shore, hoping to spot a glimpse of the infamous Captain Min, but alas, it was just you and the sea that night.

Perhaps it was better that way.

Sometimes meeting legends was one of the ways to make them not seem like stories anymore, they were just like the old men who chased skirts in the tavern and disrespected you and your fellow workers.

Perhaps it was better to keep the infamous Captain Min Yoongi a story in the end.

A few days later the tavern was bustling with life. Men were here and there and the rum and beer were flowing.

There was enough booze in there to sink a ship.

However, you were not enjoying your time. There was a certain customer that has been pestering you all night. Tugging on your skirt and even trying to grab your breasts. The owner pushed it aside, thinking the man was merely drunk, and if he was paying for service, you had better provide it.

It was probably your third time passing the table and you felt a firm smack on your behind. You jumped and dropped the current liquor in your hands. You watched in terror as it all fell to the floor.

All the noise in the tavern stopped. Everyone looked at you, some with disinterest, others with sympathy, and some with hunger. You quickly tried to gather everything up, but the owner was there before you had a chance to.

“What do you think you’re doing?! That liquor is worth more than you are you wench! What do I pay you for if you’re just going to go and lose profit for me? I’m not paying you for the rest of the month, you have to work off all the liquor you just wasted!” The owner growled, gripping you by the wrist.

You yelped in pain, but stayed still, fearful of what was to happen if you tried to fight back.

“Or maybe one of these lovely gentleman would be willing to pay for your liquor if you let them in the warmth of your bed for the night?”

There was a loud hollering from some of the men.

“10 trinny coins for the ladies bed!”

“I’ll pay 30 for that woman!”

“35 for the whore!”

Your heart was beating rapidly as people stopped talking.

“60 trinny coins for the woman.”

A voice perked up from the back. The room became deadly silent.

Tears were pouring down your face at the sound of whoever was deciding to take you for the night. You weren’t particularly strong, so, the idea of breaking free was out of the question.

The owner looked at the man coming forward. He wasn’t tall, nor was he short, he was large enough to be intimidating, that was for sure.

Also, the way he carried himself gave you just enough knowledge to know that tampering with him wasn’t a good idea.

He slowly walked forward, making each step he made something purposeful.

Finally, he lifted his head, and you saw that he was gorgeous.

He had dark black hair that shone in the dim light of the tavern. Pale skin that seemed to radiate the moonlight itself. Deep eyes that were bluer than the ocean.

He was handsome, that was for sure.

You lost the ability to speak, but tears still flowed down your face as you awaited his approach. It felt like forever until he was right next to you.

The owner held out his hand, expecting his money. The man before you made good on his word and tossed a sack of money his way. You watched as the money hungry man opened the satchel and his eyes lit up, as if a child given a new toy.

“Take her, she’s yours until tomorrow night. Make sure she can at least stand.”

And with that, you were being pulled out of the tavern and into the night air. Your heart was racing as you were hauled towards an inn. The man walked in and set coins on the counter. The clerk at the front looked at the coins, then at the two of you and nodded his head and threw a room key in your direction.

The walk up the stairs was silent, mind your sniffling of course.

Finally, you reached the top and you heard the door unlocking. Panic set into your bones as you were hauled into the room with the door shutting behind you.

Your tears came harder now. It seemed as though they weren’t going to stop anytime soon either. The man who had brought you here loosened his belt and baldric and threw them onto the dresser that made you jump.

He turned back to look at you with moderate interest as he acknowledged you for the first time since you left the tavern. His footsteps were purposeful as he came towards you, his face unreadable.

You were trembling with fear. You’d never been with a man before, what was it like? Would this turn you into a common whore? Someone who slept around just to get a little more coin on the side? That’s not what you wanted from your life. You wanted to fall in love, with a good man and to make an honest living…

But the sea.

The sea called to your heart like nothing else ever had before…

However, the man before you wasn’t making any moves to remove your clothing. You stayed stock still, waiting for him to make some sort of advance, but it never came.

“Are you afraid?”

The soft words startled you, but you were too scared to speak.

“It appears you are… I won’t be taking you tonight. Fear not, little bird, I’m not about to take a woman who wasn’t eager for my company. Stay here for the night and rest.”

You were shocked by his words.

He paid 60 trinny coins to have you, and yet, he wasn’t going to take you?

“B-But you paid so much money,” you said, blushing at your words.

“That I did. But I knew a majority of the lot in that tavern, young miss, and believe me, you didn’t want to be spending the night with any of them.”

You were stunned into silence.

“I’ll be off then. Don’t forget what I’ve done for you. I may have you repay me in the future.”

He walked to the window and opened it. You watched as he looked around and then, without any words spoken, he jumped.

A gasp escaped your lips as his frame disappeared before you. You expected to hear a groan of pain or some indication that he fell into something. But the room was dead quiet. It sent a chill down your spine.

Although, you weren’t going to forget this.

You could never.

---

A few months later and there was talk of ships going missing around the world.

The Great Pirate Red Mane had gone down with his ship; The Blind Corsair only two weeks prior.

There had been no word of the notorious Captain Min and the crew of The Crimson Grail. That was until one morning.

You were working tirelessly in the tavern, getting ready for the nightly crowd. The owner had not sold you off for the night again, apparently there were better things to focus his mind on. Such as his new lady he had been courting for the past month.

The sound of the door opening caught your attention.

“Welcome to the Knight and Gayle, best tavern this side of the tide. What can I get for you?”

You watched as two men approached the bar and asked for a bottle of rum. They gave you their shillings and you took it back to the owner, who was more than happy with their purchase.

The men drank silently. You wondered what had happened to them. No men just came in here and drank rum silently. Especially not after spending that much money for an entire bottle.

But silent they were. Until one of them whistled for you to come over.

“Something else you need, gentleman?”

“We’re about the furthest ya can get from gentleman sweetheart, however, have you heard of the Crimson Grail?” One of them asked, leaning closer to the bar.

“The Crimson Grail? You mean, the one sailed by Captain Min?”

The two men nodded and continued.

“It’s here, in Albion. It’s docked on the furthest dock all the way down. It’s been beat up something awful, yet, she still made it into port.”

Your heart was racing.

The infamous Crimson Grail was here, along with Captain Min no doubt!

“Has anyone caught sight of the crew? Or it’s Captain?” You asked like an eager child.

The men shook their heads.

“The only person who’s come off the ship was being carried by a few other crew mates. The assumption is the poor bloke is dead. But, they’re recruitin, just for tonight! There’s a line that just about reaches this tavern’s doors! Me and my friend here went and asked, but apparently that first mate didn’t like us. What a cock he is… that’s why we got the rum, see?”

“Do you know where they’re heading?”

“Story is, they’re heading east, and not planning on coming back anytime soon. This’ll be the last we hear of Captain Min for a long while, missy, and I think that’s for a good reason.”

You nodded and went back to work.

The Crimson Grail was recruiting?

And after that, they were going east, not due to return for, who knows how long?

This might be your very last chance at getting away, if they would have you. It’d been awhile since you sailed a ship and, what about your appearance? Well, perhaps in the right clothes you could pull off a boy.

Once you’re aboard. You’d be free… Free to get away from this hell you’d been living for so long. Able to adventure around the map with the wind in your hair and the sun on your skin.

You’d be able to be at sea, the place that had called to you with such longing ever since you were a child. A place you felt truly at peace with yourself and the world…

Freedom…

Something you’d never had before.

Your mind was made up.

You were going to join the crew of the Crimson Grail and sail the seas in search of adventure and new people.

A new life to call your own.

---

Later on that night, you were up in your quarters that you shared with a few other bar maids. You had found some cloth that looked decent and tied it around your chest, securing your breasts.

You’d also found some men’s clothing that they’d left here after being chased out by the owner after wild nights in the tavern. You grabbed your hair and placed a bandana on your head, securing the mess up into your hat.

Gazing at yourself in the mirror you were pleased to see that you didn’t appear terribly feminine. If you kept your head down, people probably wouldn’t even question you too much.

With that, you grabbed all the money you could find, even if it wasn’t yours, and headed out the door.

You moved with ease through the crowd, something that being a barmaid had given you. People were speaking and drinking; partying as they all did.

However, you, were on a mission.

A mission for your freedom. You maneuvered your way past some guards and a few unsightly men that seemed a little too aggressive for your liking, and made your way to the docks.

The tide was almost at a peak time to leave.

You had to be quick.

With haste, you made your way to the docks. Watching as merchants, sailors and common folk all milled around.

Then, a horrifying thought struck you.

You’d never seen the Crimson Grail… How were you supposed to be sure that was the ship? What if those old geezers were lying to you, just because they could!

Your stomach sank when you heard yelling.

Some idiot had set fire to the market place.

You watched in horror as people ran screaming and others started to haul water from the sea towards the angry blaze.

This was your chance to run, board any random ship and be on your merry way!

You ran down the docks and made it to the end, where Captain Min’s ship is supposed to be.

There was a ship there with crimson red flags. Men were hauling materials and barrels aboard the ship as a man was barking orders at them.

Without much more thought, you approached them.

“Pardon,” you said, trying to keep a level tone.

“Yes, what is it?” The man said, turning to face you.

“I heard the Crimson Grail is recruiting.”

There was a sigh before he turned around again.

“I’ve got all the sailors I need for now, thanks lad, there’s no room for you aboard this ship.”

Frustration swam through your body. Did he just refuse you?

Without even asking about your experience or anything of the like? What nerve this man has, just assuming that someone isn’t worth his time before they even get a few words in!

“I think you’ll find you have room for one more.”

Anger coursed through your veins as he faced you once more.

“Listen boy, I don’t have time for young scallywags coming about my ship and making a ruckus. If you’re worth it, you’re going to have to prove it to me,” he said, looking at you with a challenging face.

“I grew up on the seas, I know of the wind and the tides, I know how Calypso breathes life into these sails. I know of medicine, and how to cure the sick and injured. I can drink any man under the table and I can most certainly pull my weight on your crew. I only want to sail under the colors of freedom. Can you promise me that?”

He gave you another once over and then smiled, holding his hand out to you.

“I’m first mate Jin, welcome aboard the Crimson Grail.”

You sighed and shook his hand, then sighed the paper with your father’s name. After that he left you to board and get settled into space for the night, they were setting sail in an hour.

After you hauled your things together inside the cramped chest you were given for the time being, you went up on deck. Everyone was running around and looking for something to do.

“Pull those ropes and get the wind in our sails! It’s time to cast off!” Jin yelled as he stood at the helm. You rushed to help and managed to help without messing up.

You’d forgotten how busy it was to be on a ship.

There was always something to do, and if you weren’t doing it, you were dead. The feeling of being a part of a crew filled you with a sense of belonging. These men were now your crew mates. You had to protect them. Fight with them. Be one of them.

You turned as noticed the shoreline had gotten very far away in a short amount of time. How had that happened?

There it went.

Your old life.

Ahead of you, there was nothing but open sea and a new adventure waiting on the horizon.