Pirates, Kings, and Love. Oh my.

Chapter 1

[( ok so im not sure about the title. or the cover. so if anybody can think of a catchy/cool name or create an amazing cover ill dedicate it to you, promise(: )]

I

"Colette, darling. Stop peering out the window and finish your embroidery." Mother sat by the fire working on a new gown for my younger sister Julia. I sighed and picked up the needle, poking in and out of my fabric. Mother sighed, annoyed. "Colette, sit up straight, never slouch. Bad posture leads to a hunchback. And don't sit with your legs so far apart, its very unladylike. Sitting up straight with your ankles crossed gives a lady grace and poise." Mother instructed me, and I did as I was told, like I always do. Mother and I were in her sitting room next to the master bedroom. A noise outside caught my attention and once again my feeble attempt at embroidery was forgotten.

Men unload wagons of goods. Persian rugs, lamps, chairs, desks, and dressers are scattered across the front lawn, waiting to be brought inside their new home. I see Father standing at a table, looking at blueprints and talking to the architect. Apparently the conversation didn't go well because Father's face was growing cold and the architect was so red I feared he would soon become blue. Father excused himself and walked up the front steps and into the house. I heard heavy footfalls coming up the marble staircase and down the hall.

Mother, knowing Father was coming, looked at me sternly and I sat upright, ankles crossed so that God forbid I become a hunchback and will never be married off. Father entered the room and plopped down onto a couch near mother. Mother called for the maid to bring a glass of whiskey for Father.

"Those damn fools are going to ruin our furniture." He took a sip of his whiskey. "They nearly broke the legs off the dining chairs. I don't see why we had to hire these blasted fools instead of using the servants. Its what their hired to do, they should do it. At least they'd take care of our things. It's their job. If they didn't they'd just be fired. Not so much of a loss. Just send somebody to the poorhouse and fetch another fool willing to work for a fine family." I smiled at hearing Father overuse the word 'fool' and almost laughed thinking he was one.

"What are you smiling about so merrily? I don't find it funny our antique chairs were almost ruined. Do you find it funny?" Father got up and waggled a finger in my face. I stopped smiling, making my face blank, and looked down. The perfect picture of innocence and ignorance, a trait Father thinks is key in a lady.

He thinks women are just tools. Something that he can use to his pleasure and produce him an heir. A woman with a mind is something he finds very ugly and distasteful, like muck on his shoe. That's why Julia and I weren't allowed to sit with Benjamin when his tutor was here because he doesn't want us to mark our ignorant lives with 'men's responsibilities'.

To Father, everything has a purpose. Benjamin's is to grow up strong and smart and marry a beautiful girl with a large dowry - ensuring the family wealth and name - and run the family business after Father is gone. Mama's purpose is to make sure the servants are always busy and to teach Julia and I how to be proper ladies.

And Julia and I are like pieces of furniture; we are put in a room to make it look nicer, our only purpose is to look pleasing and let other people move us around where they want.

"No papa," I said, looking down at the mess my fingers have made in my stitching. Mother would give me a lesson later. "I didn't find it funny our furniture was being ruined." He nodded and walked over to the fireplace, running his finger along the mantle, inspecting it for grime.

"Yes, well. I'll have to talk to somebody about that problem. Tell me then, what did you find so humorous?" he said, more to the mantle than to me. Mother looked at me hard, a warning not to say what I was actually smiling at but to tell a petty little lie to make papa happy. That was always what we children had to do. Never say what we were actually thinking, but say instead what people wanted to hear. I don't know why people asked questions if they didn't want the response.