Chapter 1

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Violet groaned and rolled over onto her stomach, burying her head into the soft pillow. She smiled to herself, today was going to be a good day, well at least it was going to be until her doors were thrown open and her brother's butler walked in. "Get up Violet, today is the day," he said sternly with a hint of pride. When Violet didn't respond him he strode across the room and threw open her window causing Violet to groan loudly. "Get up girl, today is the day your brother gets promoted, Commodore Norrington. He'll make something of himself yet," he said proudly.

He clicked his fingers and three maids walked in, one of them carrying a box. Violet's eyes widened. "What's this? A gift?" she asked excitedly sitting up.

"It's a gift from your brother. He hoped you might wear it to the ceremony." the butler said opening the box and taking out a light blue dress. Violet smiled, as pompous as her brother was he did know his sister and exactly what to buy her. Getting out of the bed Violet took the dress from the butler and went behind the screen. The three maids followed her and for the next few minutes, lots of ows and sharp intakes of breaths could be heard. "Is everything alright?" said a familiar voice. "Yes everything's fine James just; I'll never get use to wearing a corset." Violet said reappearing from behind the screen now dressed in her new dress. "You look wonderful," James said "if only father could see you now." Violet laughed and smiled.

"He'd probably just try and marry me off to the first rich man who came asking." she said sitting down at her dressing table. "I'll leave you to finish getting ready, come on Williams we have work to do." James said kissing Violet on the forehead and leaving the room closely followed by Williams, the butler.

" James said kissing Violet on the forehead and leaving the room closely followed by Williams, the butler

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After a few hours Violet was ready to go and made her way downstairs to the lobby of the house she shared with her brother. James was already waiting for her dressed in fully navy gear. "You look very official." she said causing her brother to turn round and smile at her.

"And look fit for a royal court." he replied taking her hand and walking her to the carriage waiting outside the door. Violet climbed into the carriage and sat down, closely followed by her brother. "Father would be so proud of you." she said as the carriage started moving. James sighed.

"He was never proud of me." James said darkly. Violet sighed and moved to sit next to her brother and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm proud of you James and so is Williams, that's all that matters, anyway his pride will mean nothing when you're an Admiral or even the Governor." "You really think I could do that?"

"Yes, I really do." she said hugging her brother as the carriage came to a halt. James hugged his sister back then climbed out of the carriage and into the courtyard of Fort Royal. Violet climbed out after him and took a deep breath of the Caribbean Sea air, she always loved the sea.

Violet had grown up at sea. Her and James's mother had died when they were very young meaning they both had to go with their father on his sea voyages. They had grown up aboard one navy ship or another and both developed a love of the sea and sailing it. James had joined the navy as early as he could but Violet being a woman and unable to, learnt from those aboard the ships, in fact, she became more like a member of the crew then the admiral's daughter. Granted life aboard ships with men who hadn't tasted the pleasures of a woman for months did have its ups and downs, but if they tried anything Violet or her brother made sure they saw the wrong end of a sword, or the barrel of a gun pretty quickly. Consequently Violet had grown up a bit more hardy than the other women and often spent quite a lot of her time down at the fort chatting with the soldiers instead of practising her sewing like a proper woman.

James was soon ushered away by some important person wanting to show him where he would be walking and for how long so Violet went to find something to do until the ceremony started. She wandered across the courtyard to the soldier's mess. Inside she saw four men sat at the table and two more sat on benches polishing their weapons. When she walked in one of the soldiers sat at the table elbowed the guy next to him. "Are you lost miss?" asked the second soldier.

"No sir I am not." Violet replied her tone light.

"Then why are you here?" asked the first soldier.

"I'm looking for some entertainment."

"Then come here missy." said a third soldier pulling her onto his lap quite roughly.

"She a bit smartly dress for a prostitute." said the first soldier as Violet struggled to try to loosen the man's grip on her waist. The third soldier smiled taking this action as Violet being playful. "Now, now we have a feisty one." he said to his mates.

"Unhand me now sir or you will regret it." Violet said calmly causing all the men in the room to burst out in laughter. The third man grabbed Violet's upper leg and Violet broke the man's grip, grabbed his sword and was stood up pointing at his throat when another man walked in the room.

"What's going on here?" the man asked. Violet immediately recognised the voice of that of Captain Wedderburn a senior officer and friend of hers. "These men seem to have lost their ability to recognise and address a lady Captain." she said narrowing her eyes at the third soldier. Captain Wedderburn let out a sigh. "Is that so." he said staring down the men "What did you do?".

"We thought she was a prostitute." said the first soldier. Captain Wedderburn placed a hand on Violet shoulder and she lowered the sword slowly. "Is that so?" he asked "You thought that Commodore Norrington's sister was a streetwalker, I'm sure he would love to hear that.". Suddenly the men's faces went very stiff, what had they done. "Think on that men." the Captain said ushering Violet out of the room. Violet placed the sword on the table then followed him out.

"I must apologise about them." the Captain said leading Violet into his office.

"There's really no need I can handle myself, growing up on ships has its perks." Violet said taking a seat across from the Captain who had sat at the desk. The Captain then called for tea and the pair spent about an hour talking until someone came to tell them the ceremony was starting soon. Violet took her place at the back of the platform while the Captain took his place in the line of officers and soldiers alike.


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