Joan rolled her eyes. She hated this! Dressing up and pretending to be something that she wasn't! All she wanted to do was go and sail away in her father's arms and be happy again! She thanked the maid and excusing herself, stood up and went to the stairway. She could hear her mother's obnoxious laughter at the bottom, as well as the polite chuckling of men. How many were down there? She cautiously started down the stairs, listening to her mother.

"This is my youngest, Jade. She is only thirteen, but so mature for her age, yes?" her mother giggled and Jade said something to the men in French to impress them, "And this is Josephine! She recently turned eighteen! Oh and then here's…wait…Joan? Joan!" her mother was almost frantic, shocked that Joan wasn't there.

Joan sighed, wrinkled her dress a bit, and came to the bottom of the stairs. She grabbed her mother's arm, who just about jumped out of her skin.

"Oh goodness child!" Rose cried, "What in the world took you so long? Nevermind, gentlemen this is my eldest Joan,"

Joan curtsied and for the first time looked at the men that her mother so highly respected and enjoyed. There was five of them, all in naval uniform, and all very strong looking men. They stood in a line and the one in the middle cleared his throat, "Let me introduce my men," he said and pointed to his left, "This is one of my midshipmen Hollom,"

Hollom was the youngest amongst the men. He was also one of the tallest and quite thin. He gave a fidgety smile and made a quick bow, his scruffy tan hair flopping as awkwardly as he was.

"Here is my trusted surgeon and companion Dr. Maturin,"

He too bowed, but with much more elegance. Dr. Maturin had short red, brown hair and beautiful blue eyes that seemed to add to his air of intelligence.

"On my right is my master, Mr. Allen," the man continued.

Mr. Allen was by far the oldest of the group. He had balding white hair, but a cheery grin that was enhanced by his chubbiness.

"Ahhh and my first lieutenant Thomas Pullings,"

Thomas Pullings bowed and smiled right at Joan! She looked at him strangely and even turned away. 'Great!' she thought 'now another man is interested…I should've wrinkled my dress more.' Pullings had long brown hair that was tied back in a ribbon. He was tall, but not awkward like Hollom and his hazel eyes contained a great deal of charm and persistence.

"Well sir, you've forgotten yourself!" Jade said and everyone politely chuckled, with the exception of Joan.

"Very right young miss," he said with a smile, "I am Captain Jack Aubrey of the HMS Surprise,"

He had long dirty blond hair and dashing blue eyes. He gave off a sense of adventure that made him more appealing than his looks.

"Now, let us dine!" Rose said clapping happily and they all went into the dining room.

Jade and Jacqueline instantly sat themselves amongst the men, yearning to converse with male company, but Joan sat next to her mother to avoid them. Her mother instantly stood up and insisted Joan switch with her to be amongst company, and even though Joan would usually protest, she decided to play her mother's game and switched, putting right next to who other than Thomas Pullings. The meal was soon started and Mr. Allen and Doctor Maturin politely made conversation with Rose while Jade and Jacqueline melted over Hollom and Captain Aubrey.

"Tell us another story, please!" they begged, "What type of riches? What do the French really look like?"

"What a ridiculous question," Joan mumbled irritated.

"You don't wish to know what a real Frenchmen looks like?" Joan jumped a bit and looked at Pullings shocked that he had spoken to her.

"Well…I…" she quickly composed herself, "I don't believe they look any different from you and I really,"

"They actually do," he said with a charming smile, "You just can't see it on the outside,"

She smiled, but looked away. She couldn't start falling for a man, it was too much what her mother wanted.

"I can tell you're not very much like your sisters," he continued, "What do you do for fun if scouting out men is not your idea of fun?" he laughed at his own statement, which caused Joan to laugh because his laugh was just one of those kinds that you couldn't help but make fun of!

"I love to be outside…a lot! Um…I read, draw, and just…explore,"

"Explore what?"

"Well…" she turned to her mother for a second to make sure she wasn't listening and seeing that she was fully engaged in her own conversation, continued, "The woods, the stables, and mostly the alleyways. There's this group of little orphans and they are so good at cricket! You wouldn't believe-"

"Joan Annabelle!" came Rose's scolding voice from behind, "Did I just hear you say something about playing with filthy orphans?" there was an awkward silence at the table.

"I suppose you did," she Joan with a bit of a tone.

"Do not speak to me in such a way! I forbid you from being in town alone and you know that! Is that where you've recently been sneaking away to?"

"Mother, must we have this conversation at the table?"

Rose went to snap back, but realized her daughter had a good point, "I apologize men for my daughter's ruthless and impolite behavior. We shall continue this discussion later Joan,"

The conversations went back to normal, though more cautiously than before.

"My apologies," Pullings said to Joan.

"Don't be so foolish," Joan said back, "I should not have shared that with you or done it in the first place,"

Pullings looked at her confused, "But it's in your nature, you can't just be shut up-"

"Except I can be," she looked at him, her eyes piercing with the pain of not being free, "
Except…I can be,"

He gave her a weak smile and continued to try to improve conversation the rest of the night, but Joan hardly responded and became her introverted, negative self again. Dinner finally ended and it was getting late. That, of course, did not stop the party, but it did mean that Jade and Jacqueline would have to be excused from the drunken men.