The Sea Dragon's First Voyage: Baptism of Blood - PW126

[Jinwu]

Jīnwū had awoken far earlier than he'd have liked, but his body had protested the added discomfort to his wounds which lying down had brought. Still, he'd managed a few short hours of sleep, and it would be enough for another day. He'd made his way around the ship for an informal inspection, to see how the crew were faring. He'd been moderately impressed by the diligence of the men and women on the early roster.

The dim light of the pre-dawn sky greeting the small pirate as he made his way to the deck. It was a calm time, of humble weather, before the more belligerent daytime sun swaggered into the sky. A slight fluttering of cool breeze against his skin gave the first hint that the day would bless them with a conveniently mild wind. Perhaps a final gift of the spirits of the departed crewmen. Or just pure dumb luck. Jīnwū shrugged to himself, as either way all it meant was that Baojia got the reprieve he needed to continue his repairs.

Eventually he spotted his first mate headed up from the quartermaster's area. Jīnwū headed over to Jun-Seong as those crewmen not on the current shift made their way above-deck. He commented "Fortune willing, it will be a while before we need to conduct such a ceremony again. I assume we are waiting for Xiaoren? I expect he got less sleep than either of us." Jīnwū thought he caught a glimpse of the surgeon to the rear of a group of incoming crewmen.

[Ryu Jun-Seong]

Jun-Spong was pleased to see Xiaoren. His anxiety had grown, an irrational reaction to a somewhat positive event that he had been a part of numerous times. Of course, he would leave what needed to be done to Xiaoren as the ship's elder and Jīnwū as the captain, but he had his part to play as well. Ryu had made up his mind to wait for Shen's arrival to commence, but the elder surgeon seemed pressed, if not eager, to begin. Ryu relented the coins as solemnly as his body would allow him to. The chill wind is giving no favors for my wounds.

The ceremony began as soon as the crew realized the elder had arrived. Ryu suddenly realized Jīnwū had not yet taken part in a burial ceremony among the Sea Dragon. Every sailor knew the gist, but some particulars were peculiar to each vessel. With luck, Xiaoren has briefed the captain on our ceremony. Then again, luck allowing, we will not be in need of these rites for a hearty length of time to come.

[Jinwu]

Funerals, Yi Sao had taught Jīnwū, were more for the benefit of the living than the dead. The dead, after all, were merely crab food. The living, however, needed to feel that their limited lifespan held some meaning. It was a captain's duty to ensure that funerary proceedings went smoothly, and to ensure their focus was on what the proceedings brought to the attendant crew. It had been a sobering lesson at the time but Jīnwū had a proper appreciation for Yi Sao's words now.

The Sea Dragon's crew were a hardy and pragmatic lot, Jīnwū knew, but they were also close knit - and many of their number had died in the course of a single engagement. Thoughts of mortality would be preying on some, and if such thoughts were allowed to grow along the wrong path it could become disastrous to the individual's morale. As Xiaoren moved among the dead, carefully tying the threaded burial coins around the necks of the deceased, Jīnwū mentally reminded himself of the ritual.

The funeral rites of Nian Shou ships largely came from Nian tribal customs, Yi Sao had told him once, however each ship had their own way of making those customs fit their ship and crew. The Nian way was to return the bodies of their deceased to the sea from whence they came, performing ancient songs of mourning and praise, and reiterating their eternal vendetta against the Tianlong. However, most captains and crews settled for the sea burial, and such speeches and ritual gestures as had meaning for the men who crewed their ships. Xiaoren had explained to Jīnwū that the coins were one such ritual gesture - a reminder that even in death the Nian Shou Fleet paid its men their dues. He would place the coins and then the captain would be expected to speak in praise of the men who had passed on.

Xiaoren had almost finished placing the coins, and Jīnwū realised that he'd not had a spare moment to even prepare such a speech. Still, he knew the proper forms, and Yi Sao had said that at the time of a funeral a Captain should speak with sincerity. He would have to do just that, and hope it made the right kind of impact.

Jīnwū had dressed simply for the occasion, in the same style of sturdy trousers and tunics his crew wore. He had managed to ignore the soreness from the injury to his right thigh thus far, but the bandages on thigh, arm, and ribcage were showing signs that some blood was still seeping through. His unsettled sleep had done him no favours in that regard. Certainly, he didn't cut a particularly impressive figure. But then, that was not his strength.

The captain of the Sea Dragon looked out over the gathered men as Xiaoren finished his task and moved to stand next to the twin rows of nine bodies ready for their last rites. Shen had arrived, and stood next to Baojia. Jīnwū felt the time was right to begin his part of the proceedings.

The breeze fluttered from behind Jīnwū, helping his words carry across the deck "Before you rest eighteen of Nian Shou's most loyal and brave men. Their courage and sacrifice has allowed us the ability to gather here and speak their praise. They shall not be forgotten."

Jīnwū drew a breath as he began the litany "Bihai, who in the initial assault cut two wokou down before a third broke his guard. Xiang, who held three at bay so that Gongming could contain the wokou advance. Lizhen, Wulong, Jungsik, and Dawei, who helped assault and end the thread of the wokou's archers. Jide, Huifen, Mingzong, Xiozong, whose ferocity helped turn the momentum of battle in our favour. Zemin, Shilong, Hyuk, Xing, Guonan, Xuan, Wuxiong, Minchul, who held the line in the face of the wokou's frenzied efforts to board the Sea Dragon."

The captain paused a moment to let the names sink in. "Each of these men were brave, loyal, and brought glory to the Nian Shou. But more than that, they fought, successfully, to protect their home: the Sea Dragon. They fought to protect their family: the Sea Dragon's crew. Never forget that their bravery, and their glory, is your bravery and glory as well. The Nian Shou are as one tribe, and all share equally, even in this. Now, with their final tasks ended, and their final coin received to last them forever more, we return our brothers to the sea."

Jīnwū nodded to Xiaoren, who recited the final words from the traditional Nian Shou rites "From the ocean the Nian Shou come, and to the ocean we return. But though one wave crashes against the shore and dwindles, another wave rises behind it. The Nian Shou are the waves of vengeance, and Tian Xia will be drowned beneath us."

Then came the final practicalities of the funeral. The bodies were wrapped in weighted canvas, and returned to the ocean in a very literal way by an honour guard of those crew closest to the men who had died. Jīnwū looked over the crew present, wondering if his words had any impact, positive or negative. It was still difficult for him to gauge their mood, as he had yet to become familiar with their habits or temperaments. Perhaps he would ask Jun-Seong or Xiaoren later what their opinion of crew morale was. But for now, he stood where he needed to stand, watching the departure of eighteen of the Sea Dragon's crew into the dark depths of the ocean.

[Ryu Jun-Seong]

Funerals had a clear purpose: to end terrestrial attachments and transition the dead into a celestial state. It was by definition the end of the mourning period. Therefore, the end of the funeral signaled nothing more than a return to work. Ryu watched the crew slowly return to duty, shrugging off the rust that had begun to accumulate in their joints during the inaction of that morning. Ryu himself had nothing more to do but return to his normal duties as first mate; first on that list was making sure the Sea Dragon was fit and ready in the case of another engagement.

For a moment, though, Jun-seong simply observed. A cabin boy with a fresh eyepatch, looking dejected but trudging about his labor anyway. Three pirates, brothers all, who had lost their fourth brother, the second eldest. A lesser mate, trying hard to look resolved. Xiaoren, leading a one-legged crewman back from where the funeral was held to the lower deck. The crewman himself, leaning on the old surgeon, not bothering to hide the look of loss. A surprising majority of the crew shared Ryu's own steel sentiment of swiftly moving on, but his eyes were only for those most hurt: those who had lost, those who had left behind, those who gave their lives for their brothers and their creed.

And then the moment was gone. Minute details once more blended in with the melancholy determination of the crew's morale, and Ryu was reassured that all was well, as well as it could be. Doubtless the captain will want to speak with me. Ryu pursed his lips and turned to jog in Jinwu's general direction. The Sea Dragon is mighty, but as surely as her talons are sharp this day they are two-sided.