Past the stone walls of the fort defending Port Royale, the ocean shone from the light of the full moon in the sky. A few clouds were reflected on the surface of the water, but the waves took the reflection away in seconds. The water hit against the wall of the fort, splashing a guard on duty every now and again.

Northgate rested at the top of the hill in the middle of Port Royale, neighboring the Swan estate. Mr. Nathaniel North, a wealthy weapons merchant, had built Northgate for his wife and child twenty years ago. Port Royale had one of his largest contracts, so instead of having to travel constantly from England to the Americas, he settles his family where he could be with them more often.

Abigail North, his only child, loved that she could see the ocean from her balcony. From childhood, her mother would sit on the balcony with his and tell her stories of the sea before bedtime. When her mother passed from an illness during Abigail's seventeenth year, Abigail locked the doors to the balcony. One year later, she went back and opened the doors again. Since then, she has gone out before bedtime to look out at the sea, trying to get a feel of her mother, even in death.

Abbie was twenty-one when her friend Elizabeth came back from an incredible adventure with pirates and treasure and a curse. Abbie could not remember the last time she had left Port Royale; to her, the idea of going out to sea was a dream. One day she would be out on the ocean.

On this night, Abbie was already in her nightgown, sitting on the wide ledge around her balcony. Her bare feet were pulled up underneath her; her long dark hair was set free and her long, loose curls slipped through her comb easily. As she combed her locks, she hummed a melody she wasn't sure was real or if she had heard it in her dreams.

The sound of laughter broke what silence Abbie had. Down in her father's study, a group of men were gathered enjoying brandy and cigars after a dinner her father had hosted. Abbie jumped back into shadows when they moved out into the courtyard. Her father stood with Governor Swan, Captain Smith, Lord Kearny, Commodore Norrington and newly appointed Commodore Williams. Abbie was indecent, and if she closed the doors behind her, they would know she had been out there. The last thing she wanted was to be caught in her undergarments by a group of men.

Abbie slipped silently into her bedroom and crawled into bed. her maid would be in soon and she would shut the doors for her.

"I hear from my wife that your daughter might soon be engaged, Ms. North." Abbie assumed that was Captain Smith, for he was the only man among the group with a living wife.

"Is that so?" Abbie's father said. He sounded disinterested in the topic.

"Aye," Captain Smith said. "She mentioned that Kearny, here, is thinking of making Miss Abigail into Lady Kearny."

"I ought to box your ears in, captain." Abbie guessed that had been Lord Kearny. "Mr. North, I was going to come see you to ask for her hand, like a proper gentleman."

There was silence before Abbie's father replied. "That's very noble, Lord Kearny, but I won't decide who my daughter marries. She shall make that decision for herself."

"That's how Norrington, here, lost his lady love, Miss Elizabeth to a blacksmith." Abbie was starting to think that Captain Smith had consumed just a bit too much brandy, hence his free flowing tongue.

"Watch yourself, sir." This must have been Commodore Norrington.

"Miss Abigail wouldn't make such a foolish choice," said Lord Kearney. "She has enough sense to marry someone who can support her. By marrying me she never want for anything."

"You seem to think, Lord Kearney, that those are the only factors that matter," said Commodore Norrington. "You must realize that love has some influence on her decision."

"I'm sure she will come to love me," Lord Kearney said. "She will have a whole lifetime to do that."

At this point, Abigail couldn't listen to anymore. The anger inside her was bubbling. She got out of the bed and stormed to the doors to her balcony. She couldn't see the men, but she made sure to slam the doors shut so they could hear her.