One week later, Amalia found herself on one of the most respected ship in France, and was headed to Spain. She stood on the starboard side face out onto the ocean. She actually felt joyful for leaving France for a while; she hadn't seen her family since before her youngest, Marie, was born. She knew that she would be welcomed in France, if only she told her Uncle that they were coming, they would celebrate her visit like he has done so many times. But she gave not indication of her return to her homeland, Amalia planned to go straight to her fathers place and avoid being seen by the public that would know her to be the Queen of France.

Amalia looked around and smiled. She was free to do what she wont on the ship because she knew that captain every well and the crew respect enough to give her space and let her be herself, thou she wasn't sure who she really was.

The sky was white and gray, and the strong breeze gave of a fresh scent of the ocean. Amalia breathed in the air as it reminded her of the countless night spent on the beach with her childhood lover. Then it brought her anger thinking about him and what he did to her. Leaving her without a word of where he was going and if he was ever going to come back.

After a few minute of thinking about the young boy she once know she took and deep breath and shed on tear and watched as it fell into the ocean.

Hearing a joyous giggle she turned and watched her son playing a dice game with the cabin boy. He got along well with the boy even thou he was three years older, everyone else was eighteen and older.

Then she glanced up at the helm of the boat and saw her youngest daughter in beside the captain helping him steer the ship. She could see the joy on her daughters face. For the first few days, Marie wasn't sure about the ship but later got used to it and was enjoying every minute.

Amalia then looked around for her oldest child but she was nowhere to be found. She then went to the captains cabin which now what being used for her and the children's bed room. She found her daughter laying in one of the cots her back facing the door.

"Francisca? What are you doing in cooped up in here?" Amalia walked closer to her daughter and sat on the bed and looked at her daughter face and saw tears in her eyes. "Francisca?" she said in a softer tone wondering why her daughter was crying. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She replied coldly while she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Come on Honey, I know something is wrong. You can tell me." Amalia said as she rubbed her daughters back.

Francisca sat up quickly and off the bed and to one of the windows and stared out of it. "Just leave me alone." She said in a muffle.

"Francisca, I want to know what is bothering you?" Amalia stood up looking at her daughter.

"You took me away from papa and my friends. It was Cassandra's birthday celebration soon and I won't be able to go. And papa didn't even have time to say good bye and I wish I just stayed home and you just left me there with papa." Francisca said all in one big breath.

"Francisca…" Amalia started about to explain that she missed her homeland and had the need to return there again but couldn't part with those that she loved most. But before she could get all to that, the ship rocked violently knocking bother of them off there feet onto the wooden floor.

Amalia quickly went back on her feet helped Francisca up, then they both rushed outside the cabin to see what was happening.

The sky was filled with fog and the rain come pouring down as the wind kept blowing harder and harder. The crew was running around doing all they could to prevent any serious harm to the ship.

"Mama." Yelled Maria as she leaped into her mothers arm and held on close. Amalia held on to on of the main masks and while bother of her daughter held on to her trying to keep safe.

Amalia eye quickly traveled all over the ship looking for her son. There was no sign of him anywhere. It's not like she could see that far with the wicked rain pouring down. Scared for her son's life, she handed Maria over to her sister. Then she let go of them and searched for her son.

After looking around she heard a scream, but she didn't know where it was coming from. She then looked over the railing and strained her eyes to see her son floating in the ocean.

She quickly reacted by pulling herself onto the railing and jumping in after him. The captain saw what she was doing as about to stop her, but it was too late, she was already in the water.

The waves splashed down on her filling her mouth with water. She swam to her son and held on to him as she tired to keep to the surface and her soon with. The water was cold. She could feel her chest tightening up from the cold. But she wasn't about to give up on her son.


The storm lasted for a good fifteen minute before it decreased. The captain on the ship looked over board and saw Amalia holding on to Antonio as she kicked her legs to keep them on the surface.

She swam closer to the boat as they dropped rope ladder so they could climb back onto the ship.

As soon as they back the ship, they were wrapped in a semi-dry blanket. Amalia was so cold and was out of breath.

The captain came up to her and said "Madame, the storm is over, maybe you and your children so go rest, this must have been trying for you."

Amalia looked up and nodded her head thinking if he hard shredded water as long as she did he would be tired too. "Yes, that would be good." Then she stood up and went to the cabin with her kids.

A few hours later that captain was discussing their location with his lieutenant. "The storm send farther south that I had hoped. We are going to take longer then what we had expected."

"Yes, I know what you mean, especially with three sails the need mending." The captain looked ahead. "What's that?" He pointed at an object in the ocean just ahead of them.

His lieutenant took out his microscope and looked through it. "It looks like to be a black ship."

"Colors?" The captain asked.

"She's not flying any." The lieutenant said as he put the object down at looked at his captain.

" Pirates. If they attack, we are going to have to fight. Because we can not out run them." The captain said bravely.

The ship approached slowly until they were passing by, the men standing by with their weapons in their hands. The captain sighed with relief when he saw that they didn't fire, but it was too soon.

The pirates started attacking killing everything in their way. The captain fought bravely but did not succeed. The pirates cut him through.


"What's that?" Antonio jumped up from his bed and looked at the entrance door. Everyone else in the room was now alert and all stared at the door.

They all jump when a dirty man came through the door. Once he saw the small family he smile showing them his rotting teeth. "Hello my poppets."