Prince of Embers

12. Treasure Hunting

"Hongjoong. Hong-joong. Ye be missin' the G."

Tongue tucked between her lips, Tikki tried again. Her hand was slow and shaky, letters comically large as she scribbled them on the paper. Seonghwa perched by her side, overlooking her process. The loose shirt he donned slipped over one shoulder, exposing the tattoo of lips on his back. Occasionally, Tikki tugged the fabric back up with an indignant screech that he should get dressed, but it kept dropping, kept seducing Hongjoong's eyes back to him.

Yongguk sat opposite Hongjoong at the table of his new home. He studied the maps they retrieved from the fort's office and made sense of the naval markers and scribbles. Each of them nursed a cup of tea, and Hongjoong's had extra lemon juice squeezed in.

Hongjoong hadn't asked for that. Yongguk took one look at the shadows under his eyes and mixed his ingredients.

"It seems they have several storehouses dotted over the surrounding islands. If you send some men, they can use the resources to install their own harvests or do trade," Yongguk explained as he pointed out the islands in question to Hongjoong.

"There lies treasure here," he said, circling a symbol that might be a chest of runny ink. "And a watchtower there. They have weapons, but attacking them goes against your deal with the admiral."

Hongjoong caressed his chin. The tea scratched his throat, making him cough.

"We could spy out the islands while 'em other buckos get to fishin'. So long as they can nay do that, their first food source lacks," Hongjoong pondered as he marked the locations on their own (more sensible) map to show to Yeosang later. At this hour, the navigator was probably still knocked out and naked slumbering on Jongho's chest. He didn't hold back on the grog last night.

"Love, did ye forget? Ye already sent the civilians who joined us to become fishermen. They 'ave their course set," Seonghwa said without looking up from their messy paper. Tikki scrawled with great concentration, body sprawled in all directions at once to find her angle on the ground.

Hongjoong played with a pearl tangled in his hair. Truly, his mind was befuddled these days.

"Aye, I ordered that. Then we'll send 'em other mates, aye. We can retrieve the treasure an' make some money from it to pay fer the docks. We 'ave many ships inbound."

Yongguk nodded as he tapped on the narrow passages between the sprinkled isles.

"Look out for bandits in shallow waters. Their smuggler caves hide between the reefs."

"Anythin' ye need? We can pick up some obscure ingredients while we be out there. Never find as many bones anywhere as on shorelines."

Though a contemplative look flashed through Yongguk's eyes, he refused with a crooked grin.

"I need nothing for now."

The usual shudder when he dealt with the odd warlock in the black robes crawled over Hongjoong's spine. He shrugged it off before bending back over his maps. While he contemplated where to go after this and what other reserves they might need to build their home, Yongguk sipped his tea.

"Granny. Double N," Seonghwa chuckled to their left. Tikki threw her pencil on the ground with a huff of frustration.

"Writing is hard!"

"You need to learn it if you want to keep yourself from catching fire," Yongguk replied, ignorant of her rage. He didn't lift his eyes from the map, fingers still cradling his mug.

Hongjoong snickered at her. Though hurt in her pride, she didn't back down.

"Seonghwa also 'ad to learn it. Did ye nay want to become better than I? 'ow about this?"