Where the sea sleeps [HoonHao] ✔

29

It's a longer walk than he originally anticipated. His legs are aching, but the last thing he's about to do is complain. Not that the guards will respond.

Every time a question was asked, Seokmin answered; the rest of them kept quiet as they shoved them forward. An extra shove if they started walking too slow and a tug back if they were faster than the guard tailing them. It was exhausting, trying to match the speed of everyone else, but he was trying his best.

"But why are we not facing the king and queen?" Woozi asks when another moment of silence encompasses them. He still didn't like the silence. Still wasn't entirely fond of it. "Why are we being taken straight to prison rather than having a hearing?"

"We wouldn't be better off seeing them face to face anyway," Vernon mutters. Somewhere between getting off the ship and wherever they were now, he and Dino managed to switch places. Dino was now walking somewhere near the front beside Scoups while Vernon walked beside him.

They haven't crossed any citizens. The guards were leading them down odd alleys and thinner paths where they were out of sight. It was unsettling to say the least.

"Our orders specify all pirates and illegal trades to be taken to prison without question. We're not in a position to argue nor question these orders," Seokmin informs stiffly. Something in his tone tells him that he doesn't particularly agree with these orders. Which is something he didn't expect. Woozi always thought all guards just agreed with their orders or the law, but watching the way Seokmin's face shifted as he spoke, he realized how wrong he could be.

"Then did we need to be cuffed?" Woozi queries again. It's clear nobody else is looking to have conversation so he might as well ask the questions that are popping into his head.

"All prisoners are cuffed," Seokmin answers again. "So that you're not a danger to the citizens—"

"There are literally no citizens around," Mingyu points out, cutting the guard off. "You're taking us down some other path."

Seokmin shoots him a look that immediately shuts Mingyu up. "Or a danger to us," he finishes where he left off, as if he hadn't been cut off in the first place.

He doesn't know how long they've been walking, but they're slowing down. From where they are, he can make out the palace and it's huge. So much bigger than he expected it to be. It's a brief moment before they're shoved forward and the palace disappears from his site. Taking a turn, they're ushered in a single file into the big brick building and without having to ask, he knows this is where they hold their prisoners.

Two guards stand at the ready, taking them on one by one and leading them to a cell. They're not even getting put into separate ones; they're all being shoved into one tiny cell. When he asks why, his entire being freezes. He stills at the sound of 'punishment' because the moment he hears the word, a ton of images flood his mind. Hundreds upon hundreds of possibilities, yes, but with the 'crimes' they're being locked up for, an anchoring feeling hits his gut. He knows they'll get the worst of it. Death or life in prison. Torture. Something along those lines. He doesn't know why he knows this but he does and he suddenly wishes he could do something. A strong sense of want fills him; the want to escape. To somehow save them. Get them as far away from here as possible.

He's pulled out of his thoughts as the guard shoves him over to one of the guards. He's the first one Woozi's seen to wear glasses, his black hair messy in a way that says he never touches it except to run his hand through it. His eyes are scarily dark.

The guard beside him is paler; brown hair and almost unrealistically pretty for a guard. He locks eyes with Woozi and a brief smile crosses his face before it disappears. He takes him by the arm, his touch so gentle that Woozi wonders if he's really a guard. Nevertheless, he guides him to the same cell. He's the last one being taken in; the other guard (Wonwoo, as Seokmin called him) has just put Mingyu in there, a lingering glance before he joins his guard friend (Jun, as Wonwoo just called him.)

Jun holds him by the arm as Wonwoo uncuffs him and Jun is just about to force him into the cell when Wonwoo stops him. It's one simple word, but everything in him goes cold.

"Wait," is all that Wonwoo says and then he's closing the distance between them. The sound of the handcuffs clattering to the ground echoes through the emptiness of the prison (which had him concerned when they walked in because where were all the prisoners? What happened to them? Why was it only them being sent to these cells?)

His hand is icy cold as he takes Woozi's wrist into his own; he must have seen it. The symbol, that is. Otherwise he definitely wouldn't be doing this. He brings Woozi's wrist close to his face and then there's a moment of silence. He's inspecting the symbol, turning Woozi's wrist every single possible direction. Minghao is telling him to leave Woozi be; to leave him unharmed. He hasn't realized that the last thing on Wonwoo's mind was hurting Woozi.

But Woozi himself realizes this. When he and Wonwoo lock gazes, that icy feeling is filled with a sudden warmth as relief hugs him. He's not going to hurt him.

"Jun, wait here with them," he says, but he hasn't even looked at Jun since he noticed the symbol. "He's coming with me."