Chapter 1

The night blanketed the port of Port Royal as it comforted its normally scrouching hot sands with a cool breeze. The stars above wink at those who were fond of gazing upon their gilttering beauty. Everything seem to be calm and peaceful in this naval town, but inside the grand mansion that stood a top a hill was anything but.

There a young woman with long brown hair was pacing back and forth in front of her best friend's bedroom window. She wrung her hands nervously as her thoughts wandered to the events that could possibly transpire the next day.

"Athena, you need to stop pacing or you will burn a track in the floor," the girl's friend giggled. The young woman stopped and turn to her best friend with an apologetic smile. Her friend, who was none other than the Governor of Port Royal's daughter, Elizabeth Swann sat on top of her bed with an amused expression on her face. Elizabeth was a petite woman with long light brown hair and hazel eyes. She carried herself with an air of grace, and her personality was one that would not allow her to take any sort of verbal rubbish from anyone.

Athena blushed slightly as her bright green eyes lifted to meet the hazel gaze of her friends. "Sorry, 'Lizabeth, I am just so nervous about tomorrow...I've never been to a ceremony like this before, and what makes it all the more better," Athena expressed sarcastically as she sat down on the bed next to Elizabeth as they waited for Athena's parents to send for her, "is that my mother has decided to arrange a meeting between me and a visiting noble from Havanna at said ceremony." "Do not worry. The ceremony is not all that exciting. All you do is watch a man twirl a sword to try an impress the governor, and try to convince my father that he made the right choice," Elizabeth smiled, " And from what I hear about the young Lord Torres, he isn't that bad, Athena. If the rumors about him are true then I think that it'll be a smart match for you." Athena groaned as she flopped back onto the bed and pulled an arm over her eyes. "Don't say such things, Lizzy. If you get my hopes up to high I'll be that much more crushed when and if he shows up and acts like a total toad... Or looks like one," she cringed at the mental image her imagination had just painted for her of a noble man dressed smartly with a head of a toad, "Besides I'm not ready to be married. I don't think I ever will be ready to be married really. With marriage I wouldn't have much of a choice but to listen and do as my husband commands. At least that is what Mother has taught me so far in my lessons." Elizabeth shook her head at her friends dramatics as she turned and looked down at her friend. "Then what is it that you'll do, Athena? Be an old maid for the rest of your life? That should go over real well with your mother," Elizabeth laughed behind her hand. "I could always dress up as a man and sail for a decent wage," Athena mumbled and was thankful that it appeared her friend did not hear her.

Silence soon wrapped around the two friends as they were lost in their own thoughts of the next day. "One would think that Norrington had already convince your father that he made the right choice... I mean it was by his choice that Norrington is becoming a Commodore," Athena grumbled dragging Elizabeth out of her thoughts. Elizabeth laughed at her friends seemingly random statement. "Yes, well it is tradition, 'Thena, and we both know how the Royal Empire is about tradtion," Elizabeth stated as she shook her head slightly at her friend. "Some tradtion are meant to be broken. I have a feeling that this should be one of those," Athena groused as she sat up and turned towards her friend, "Just like eranged marriages and courting... I'd rather be out at sea sailing away from this place and being free of potential noble men with titles."

Elizabeth looked at her friend with understanding. Having known her since a year after she had crossed from England to here, Elizabeth had known that Athena was not one for noble gatherings and life in high society in general. In fact the green eyed woman in fromt of her would often tell her of her misadventures that had ranged from running into the woods on the outskrits of her families home to climb trees and explore to the times that she would go down to the docks and try to sneak aboard a one of the many merchant ships that her father owned. Each tale would end in her either getting caught by a deckhand or being chastized for ripping/dirting her dress.

"Sounds like an exciting life," Elizabeth smiled as she watched her friend closely trying to choose her next words carefully, "But you and I both know it will never happen. You are the daughter of Johnathan M. Prescott II. One of the most weathiest men in these waters. There is a very high expectation when it comes to his family." Athena sighed as she looked towards the window and nodded her head slightly. "I didn't ask to be," she whispered bitterly as silence enveloped them.

When it was time for the dark haired beauty to leave the two women walked down to meet Athena's parents in the foyer. The women said their good-byes as Athena and her parents left in their carriage.

As Athena clambered up into to it, she sat the farthest away from the door to allow her mother to sit beside her. Her father sat in front of the two and fixed his daughter with a glare that she was use to seeing on his face that she usually ignored.

Athena took to looking out the window as her normal routine when ridding with her parents as they made their way back home. When they past by the docks, Athena had a nagging feeling come over her. It was as if the sea itself was calling her name, and every bone in her body ached to answer the call to sail away from this God forsaken place just to be rid of it all.

"Did you and Elizabeth talk about much?" her mother, Rebecca, asked breaking the trance Jade had been in. Athena smiled sweetly, "No. Not much at all." Her mother nodded as she examined her daughter's appearance something that she had devolped a habit of since Athena was an adventurous, and in her oppinion, naughty child.

"Are you excited about tomorrow, love?" her father asked as he gazed unwavering at his daughter who sat in front of him. He notice when the girl's smile faultered slightly, but only slightly as she had drawn her gaze away from the window to her father's. "I am," her voice crack slightly. "Good," was her father stated as he turn to look out the window of the carriage, "Lord Torres shall be here at first light tomorrow morning. You will be on your best behavior. Do I make myself clear?" Athena's eyes narrowed slightly at the command her father had given her, but the glare itself was gone as soon as it came. "Of course, Father. I wouldn't want to sully our families name," she bit out saracastically as she earned a jab in the ribs from her mother's elbow.

Her father smirked at his daughter's smart mouth, but that too went away as quickly as it came.

When they got home Athena rushed to her room,changed into her nightgown, and crawled into her bed. As sleep over took the woman, she could hear her parents down below her arguing.