Your new owner, Yongguk led the way upstairs. Passing by a couple of rooms, two brown haired boys and ran past you, laughing and pushing each other along the way.  

"Those two are Daehyun and Youngjae, two of the younger friends that work here."

Two? Were there more?

"Himchan who I have known since childhood, I cannot disclose what he is doing as of now. You will meet him later tonight, along with Jongup. I am sure he is downstairs cleaning up the bar. And this is your room."

Yongguk creaked the polished wooden door open. The room was the most amazing thing you could dream about, with furniture and an actual bed, even a nightstand and a huge mirror.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I am not your owner. I am not your master, and you are not my slave. I didn't buy you for any purpose other than being my companion."

"I don’t understand."

"Come here and sit down on the bed."

Oh. That kind of companion. For the first time, you had a bed to yourself. Unless otherwise, there would be a corn-straw mattress laid out of the dirt floor, if you were fortunate enough to have a wealthier owner he'd have a comforter instead of sleeping without a thin sheet that could be barely considered warm. From his pocket, Yongguk withdrew the key ring  and slung them around his fingers, kneeling down before you.  With a twist of his wrist the key snapped on your shackles and they fell apart.  What was he doing? You were his slave, meant to serve him head and foot while the chains kept you from ever leaving his side. What else was there in life that was meant for you? Did he really mean to say…

"This is a salve from the Northern island Daeijak."

Yongguk pulled a tiny vial, unscrewing the cork with one sharp canine teeth.  What was he doing?

He tapped the salve into his hands, rubbing the product between his fingers to make it warm.

"It's a medicinal herb from my homeland, used to heal scars of any kind. "

Scars? He had noticed after all. He would never know the ones on your back for sure, the whips cracking a white-hot sensation on your thin body. He must have seen the ones that your dress didn’t cover up. Those were just minimal damage of what you had been through. Yongguk continued to speak as you remained silent, listening to his unbelievable words.

"You are not my slave. You will be my friend, my companion, if such a relationship is fine with you."

He paused, lifting up your ankles. "How old are your scars?"

"Since childhood, master."

"Don't-" he spoke loudly, clearing his throat.

"Don't call me master. Must I reiterate? Please, call me Yongguk. The term master has no meaning to me, here you do not have such a lowly position. Here you are safe."

Yongguk tapped more of the healing salve onto his palm, his tone calm and soothing to your ears.  He was so considerate, so caring. Did men such as him exist in this world?

"I will erase every single scar, every mark that has been engraved into your skin. I will melt them all away for you, and leave life's entire path ahead of you free from your past."

"W-Why would you do such a thing ma- Yongguk? I'm just a slave, nothing more."

Yongguk sighed, finishing the salve application around your Achilles tendon.  He got up to pull open a drawer on the beside nightstand, a roll of bandages in his hand. Slowly he wrapped the long bandage roll around your feet, speaking in a low voice.

"In this world, there is a definite meaning to social class and position.  There is hierarchy where those who have greater power succeed and thrive, while those who cannot have their abilities oppressed and their voices muted. But here, you and I are of and equal rank. You will never have an empty stomach,  a man wrongfully accusing you of mistakes you have never made, or anyone harming you again. I promise that I will take care of you, and protect you forever. So won't you be by my side, and accompany me in this cruel world?"

He looked up at you earnestly, tying the bandage into a knot.

"You promise?" you whispered, his words crawling into the deep crevices of your abused, aching body that yearned for his kindness, a new, wonderful compassion that you have never received before. Tears began to lightly grace your thin, ashy cheeks as Yongguk wiped his hands.

"I will make this promise to you. Even though this is our first meeting, I will protect you, forever."

Yongguk was still kneeling when he took your hand and closed his eyes, pressing his lips on your fingers.

"I promise," he assured.  

----

"She's awake Captain."

"Good."

"Good morning Yeon!" Pyo waved in front of your face happily. He was grinning like an idiot, wearing a long burgundy coat, bangs tied up so that you could see his smile from ear to ear. Frowning, you pushed at his chest.

"You are dead to me Jihoon," you growled.

"I didn't…Zico hyung-"

"Get out, get OUT!" you shrieked in a high pitched voice that did not belong to you. Pyo backed away, his face twisting into an unhappy frown.  "Not my fault," he mumbled, exiting the room.  As Zico closed the door, he leaned back with a smirk, eyeing you from head to toe.

"You bilge rat! You yellow bellied fish, you lice-infested lowlife, wretched-"

"No no, I don't think it is quite ladylike of you to say that Yeon-ah. Or should I say, my slave?" Zico tipped your chin up to meet his face. You spat defiantly on that handsome and flawless skin, untainted by the sun or sea water.

"I am no man's slave."

"Why don’t you take a second glance on your ankles?" he sneered.

"You didn’t buy me."

"Ah, so you admit I can buy you."

"No one can buy me, I'm no one's property."

"There must have been papers when Yongguk bought-"

"The papers were burned. I have no record. I'm no one's slave."

Captain Zico slammed you against the frame of the bed, hands clamped around your wrists. His dagger was titled underneath your chin, a frighteningly attractive smile growing on his face.

"But you're mine now sweetheart, and on this ship, you have to listen to every, single, last word I utter or that pretty little neck of yours will hang on a nose. Understand?"

"Y-y-y-"

"Now, won't you answer me again? Who do you belong to now?"

"You," you whispered hoarsely. He sheathed the dagger gradually, the eye flashing a tint of neon blue.

"I said, who do you belong to now Yeon?"

"You, filthy scoundrel of a es mother-"

Zico lunged again, smashing your shoulder bones against the wall this time. The chains rattled as he maneuvered his body onto yours, lips only a few centimeters beside your ear.  His voice was rough,  deep with a husky undertone.

"Who. Do you. Belong to."

"You, Captain Zico," you whispered, squeezing your eyes shut. Please, please let me go, you begged inwardly.

"Zico I think you should take a look-"Kyung stopped in his tracks as he saw Zico holding your wrists high above your head and felt the tension in the room.

"Let her go Zico."

"She's mine Kyung. I can do whatever I please."

"Zico, let her go."

He let you collapse onto the floor, the chains rattling. Zico spat and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him. You sat there, a crumpled mess of tears on the floor as Kyung reached out to touch your shoulder.

"Where am I, you coward?" you croaked.

"You're on the Halo, the finest ship in all of the seas. And refrain from referring to me in such a manner."

"What? Are you joking with me?"

"Jaehyo feels horrible for what he did to you-" Kyung began.

"No, you will listen to me. All these years I thought the crew was on my side. That I could trust you to keep the Captain away from me, when in the end pirates cannot be trusted. Pirates are all the same, they're selfish brutes who take whatever they desire and-"

Kyung  stood there in silence as you cried, the salty water wiping away dust and dirt from your cheeks.

"I just want to be home,"

"I'm sorry Yeon-ah, but right now that’s impossible."

"I hate you! I trusted in all of you, and now it has come to this. I hate you I hate you," you pushed at Kyung's chest but he only planted a kiss on your cheek in anguish.

 "I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn’t enough. I'm in chains, in shackles.  Do you know how I'm feeling? Do you know how long I've been away from these things around my feet? To be free? What position your captain has put me in? I don’t accept your apology."

"You'll have to learn to accept things from here and forward. You're miles and miles away from anyone who could come rescue you. I don’t exactly agree with what Zico is doing either but…he's changed," Kyung responded bitterly, resting his hands on your shoulder for a moment before he left the room.

There was no one now. The window was slightly opened so that you could view a part of the sea, waves splashing in the brine of water.  You finally noticed the rocking of the ship slightly swaying the room, the call of the gulls in the emptiness of the ocean. After five years with Yongguk's care, the feeling of loneliness washed over you immediately.  To be alone, to feel helpless, to be a slave once more. You began sobbing, head bowed over the shackles on your ankles. There was no one now.