I was my father's daughter from the day I was born. In personality as well as appearance, I was the child of Caleb Whitaker. The only girl out of the four of us, I was also the only one to inherit Father's brown eyes and dark hair as opposed to the light auburn locks and green eyes shared by my mother and brothers. I saw little of my dad when I was young, but my mom reminded me constantly and with frustration how much I acted like him. I had his Irish temper, his mischievous inclinations and his love of adventure.
Father was a merchant sailor for the American coast so it's no wonder I fell in love with the sea at such a young age. He would come home after months of being gone and tell me wild stories of pirates and deadly storms. Mother said he was being dramatic, but I believed him. It entranced me and I couldn't wait to grow up and captain a ship of my own.
Besides his tales of the sea, Father also told me other stories. Stories that were our secret. They were the ones I loved the most. The war stories about the Good Guys and the Bad Guys. Father told me how the Good Guys sought to bring peace and freedom and how the Bad Guys wanted to control everyone for thier own means. He mentioned names I couldn't pronounce and places I would never visit.
One day when I was five, I asked Father who's side he was on. I wanted to hear him say he was a Good Guy, a hero. I was dismayed when he frowned and pulled me onto his lap.
"I'm not on any side, Tori."
Mother hated it when he called me that, but I loved it. It was much better than Victoria. That name sounded too old and proper to me.
"Why?" I asked him.
"It's complicated," he said. His frown deepened and for the first time ever I thought of Daddy as an old man. "I do what I can to aid the Order, but I must think of my family first."
"You mean me?"

Father smiled. "Of course I mean you, love."

A few days later, Father said he had an errand to run and would be gone most of the day. I asked to go with him, but he refused. I begged and pleaded for an hour and he finally gave in. I followed triumphantly to the harbor and Daddy told me to wait at the docks while he spoke to his first mate in private. I pouted, but he did not give in this time. He told me to be good and count the ships while I waited.

With a disheartened sigh, I did as I was told. "One. Two. Three. Four. Fi-"

"Well, hello there young lady."

I stopped counting and turned to look at the man who had greeted me. He was dressed well in nice clothing with polished boots and a tricorn hat. He had a stylish cape over his dark blue coat and a leather bracer with interesting markings on his left wrist. At the time, I thought he was the most interesting person I'd ever met. It wasn't until years later that learned who he really was.

"Hello, sir," I returned with a clumsy curtsy.

The man smiled kindly and knelt beside me. His blue eyes regarded me with concern. "Are you lost?"

"No," I answered. "I'm counting ships for my daddy."

The man chuckled. "What a sweet child you are. Tell me, is your father close by?"

"Yes," I answered. I wasn't adept at lying to other people at that point in my life, only to my mother. I'm not sure the man believed me. He was quiet for a too long a time.

"I've an idea," he said at last. "Why don't we count ships together until he returns."

"Okay," I said with childlike glee.

"Good. Where were you?"

I pointed to a cargo ship. "Five."

The man pointed to a passenger vessel, displaying the neat bracelet on his arm. "Six."

I followed with seven. The man said eight and I giggled.

"That's not a ship, silly," I told him. "That's a boat."

"What's the difference?" he asked.

"A ship has a mast and a captain," I stated proudly.

"Aren't you a clever girl," he said making me smile. "What's your name?"

"Victoria Marie Whitaker."

"That is a fine name. It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Whitaker. My name is Hay-"

I didn't catch his name because at that moment my father hurried over and grabbed my hand.

"Tori! I told you never to speak to strangers!"

I looked up at my father. He looked very upset. I hated displeasing his so I spat out a hasty apology.

"The fault was entirely mine," the man said. "She was standing here all alone and I thought perhaps she was lost. I meant no ill will, I assure you."

My father still looked displeased, but nodded at him. "Yes, well, we must be getting home. Come along, Tori."

I waved at the man as Daddy led me away. He smiled and waved back.

Later that night, as Father tucked me into bed, he questioned me about the man that I had been speaking to at the dock.

"Did he threaten you in any way?" he asked. "Or say anything out of the way or harmful?"

I shook my head. "No, we just counted ships." I giggled at the memory. "He thought a boat was a ship, Daddy. Isn't that silly?"

"Yes, yes," he said absently. "But you should be careful talking to people you don't know, Victoria. Sometimes people can seem nice when they're really not."

"He seemed nice," I stated.

"But that doesn't mean that he is."

I didn't really understand what Daddy was saying at the time. I only saw the world in black and white. Things got too complicated when I tried to see gray, so I stuck to what I knew.

"If nice people can be mean, then can mean people be nice?"

"Yes, I suppose so," Father said.

"Why do some people pretend to be nice when they aren't?"

"I don't know, love."

I grew bored of that topic and changed the subject. "Did Eli say hi to me?"

Father smiled for the first time since coming home. "Yes he did. And he wanted me to give you something."

My face lit up at the mention of a gift. "What?"

"This," Daddy said and began to tickle me.

I laughed in a way I haven't since my father died.