AN: I'm rating this a strong M. There will be plenty of violence and strong language. As in most of the characters are going to be sailors/pirates so I'm basically turning off my profanity filter (it still probably won't be that bad since I don't use profanity all that often.)

The cry of seagulls overhead caused Chloe to look up and smile. She thought about how lucky the birds must be. To fly free without a care in the world, with only the wind to guide them. Chloe closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, the smell of the sea was bracing and she relished this much needed moment of quiet. After all, today was her wedding day.

"Miss Chloe?" And the moment was ruined. Turning around Chloe saw that one of her servants was waiting for her at the entrance to the balcony that they were standing on.

"Yes? What is it Marry?" She knew why Marry was there but she couldn't help trying to prolong the inevitable.

"Your mother is looking for you." Marry kept her head lowered, never meeting Chloe's eyes. "She says it's time to start getting ready."

"Of course," Chloe sighed. "Thank you, Marry." The servant gave a small curtsy before leaving the balcony. Chloe took one last look up at the sky, wishing that she could spread her own wings and fly away.

Instead she moved back inside her spacious bedroom, sitting on her bed as she waited for Marry to pour the bathwater into the tub. Once the maid was done she gave Chloe another curtsy and left the room. Chloe stripped down and gingerly lowered herself into the steaming water. Once she got settled she let out a sigh of relief. The previous night had been relatively devoid of sleep and the hot water was working wonders on the tight muscles in her back.

She reached to the small table that stood next to the tub and picked up the aromatic oil that she always used when taking a bath. As Chloe scrubbed herself down with the oil she let her mind wander. By day's end she would no longer be Miss Chloe Beale. Nope, she would be Mrs. Thomas Anderson. Shipped off to a man she had only met a handful of times and then she would only be expected to produce children for him.

Thomas was everything she should have been hoping for in a husband. Handsome, military, and he just so happened to be the son of a shipping mogul that would cement her family's station in the new world. And it was her duty to serve her family by any means necessary.

Once she was done washing herself Chloe stepped out of the tub and reached for the towel hanging off of the nearby hook. A knock at the door startled her a little bit, pre wedding jitters.

"Come in."

The door opened and Marry walked back into the room carrying a huge dress. The thing looked like it weighed more than she did and Chloe couldn't help but cringe. It was puffy, that's about the only word that could describe the dress. The sleeves flared out at the forearm and the skirt didn't look much better. Plus the dress was a muddy brown color, not exactly pleasing to the eye.

Marry laid the dress on the bed and turned to Chloe. "I'm sorry miss but your mother has insisted that you get ready now."

Chloe sighed, "Of course Marry, thank you."

Together they managed to wrestle Chloe into the beast of a dress. Marry pulled a mirror from the corner of the room and Chloe stared at the reflection looking back at her. It didn't look any better on than off but she only had to wear it for a day.

"You look beautiful, miss." Marry said quietly.

"No I don't, but it's nice of you to say." Chloe said while fidgeting with the hem. Before she could talk herself out of it she turned around and headed for the door. Marry trailed behind her at a respectful distance as they made their way down the stairs and into the foyer. Her mother was waiting for them and she gave Chloe a once over before giving an almost imperceptible nod. It was probably the closest thing to affection she had ever seen from her mother.

"Come Chloe, we are already late and we still need to get across the city so let's move." Without another word she turned around and rushed out the door.

"Of course mother," Chloe mumbled to herself. "Wouldn't want to miss my own wedding." She followed her mother outside and climbed into the waiting carriage. The driver flicked his reins and the carriage jolted forward. Chloe latched onto the handle inside the door. Carriages had never been her forte, horseback sure she loved to ride horses, but riding in a carriage always managed to unsettle her stomach.

Her mother noticed Chloe's discomfort and scoffed. "You need to get used to this. It is not proper for a lady to go gallivanting on one of those mangy beasts all the time. Coaches are much more respectable."

Chloe screwed her eyes shut and let go of the handle, quietly cruising her mother in the process. She opened her eyes and stared out the window, trying to ignore the way the wooden box she was sitting in felt like a casket and that she was on her way to her own funeral.

The city of Port Royal rolled past them and Chloe strained her neck to look out at the port as it passed by. There were all the regular ships, fishing vessels and traders, but there were also several navy galleons waiting just outside the harbor. She recognized a couple of the navy ships, one of which her future husband sailed with. The HMS Centurion bobbed slowly in the waves surrounded by smaller members of the royal fleet.

She shifted her gaze back to the harbor and saw a ship she didn't recognize. The hull was dark brown, almost black, an unusual color for any civilian owned vessel. The sails were all furled but the light from the setting sun made it clear they were dark colored as well. If she didn't know better Chloe would have thought a pirate crew had somehow made it into port. But that was impossible, case and point the small armada sitting on the horizon.

"Chloe, listen when your mother is talking to you." Mrs. Beale stared at the daughter from the other side of the carriage. "Did you hear anything I said?" Chloe shook her head. "You need to pull your head out of the clouds. I swear, I did not raise you to be this airheaded."

'You didn't raise me at all.' Chloe thought. She had been raised by a rotating selection of nannies while her mother drank wine with the other high born ladies of the court.

"I'm sorry mother. What were you saying?" Chloe asked.

Her mother let out an annoyed sigh, "I said that we are almost there and asked if you were ready."

"Of course mother." Chloe shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Stop fidgeting, that is no way for a lady to act." Her mother grumbled. Chloe sat up straight and tried to focus on anything other than her mother's judgmental looks. Another five minutes passed before the carriage pulled up in front of the church.

One after the other the Beale women stepped down from the carriage with the help of the driver. Chloe took her mother's arm as they walked into the church. It wasn't that different from the churches back in England, two rows of hard wooden pews ending with a raised platform for the priest.

Her mother dragged Chloe off to a side towards a door. Without any warning Chloe was thrown inside the room and her mother closed the door on her. She took a look around the space, even though there wasn't much to look at. There was a mirror hanging on the far wall and Chloe took the opportunity to straighten out her dress where the carriage ride had wrinkled it. She heard the door open and shut but didn't bother to turn around figuring that it was just her mother.

What she did not expect was the soft, accented voice of a long lost friend. "Dear lord, that dress is hideous. Is this what I have to look forward to for my wedding?"

Chloe spun around with her mouth hanging open. Before her stood her best friend Aubrey Posen. The two had not seen each other for nearly four years, ever since Chloe's family had moved to the West Indies.

All thoughts of acting like a proper lady flew out the window as Chloe flung herself at the blonde. Aubrey, well versed in Chloe attack hugs, had braced herself before she had even entered the room. As the redhead wrapped her arms around her friend Aubrey couldn't help but grin and return the hug. Four years had really been too long but there wasn't much they could do about it with an ocean separating them.

"Aubrey! It's so good to see you. What are you doing here?" Chloe tightened her hug and Aubrey had to wait a few seconds before her excited friend relaxed her grip.

The blonde took a deep breath to replenish her oxygen supply before smiling. "You really didn't think I would miss your wedding did you?"

"But how? You're supposed to be in London." It went unnoticed by Chloe but she had slipped back into her English accent, something that had slowly disappeared during her time in the Caribbean.

Aubrey scoffed, "Don't you pay attention to where your fiance is in the world?"

"I-um, not really." Truthfully Chloe really could not have cared less about where Thomas had been. In fact she had spent a good majority of the time trying not to think about where her future husband was.

"The Centurion was docked in London a couple of months ago," Aubrey explained. "I managed to talk my way on board." She shrugged like it was no big deal but the smug grin made it clear that Aubrey was quite pleased with herself.

"Really? They let a woman on board a navy galleon?" Chloe couldn't believe it. Sailors were some of the most superstitious people in the world. And having a woman on board, especially a military ship, was considered near heresy.

Aubrey shrugged again, "The Posen name works wonders. Plus it helps when you're engaged to the first mate."

"When did you get engaged!?" It really had been too long if Aubrey managed to convince someone to marry her. Don't get her wrong Chloe loved Aubrey like a sister, but the blonde was known to send suitors running into the harbor.

"Luke was the first to actually impress me." Aubrey moved past Chloe and sat on one of the chairs in the room. "Granted he could still use some work."

Chloe rolled her eyes. Most of the time gentlemen seeking Aubrey's hand wound up terrified by the blonde's intimidating personality and high standards. It didn't help that most men only wanted to marry Aubrey so they could have a connection to her father, Grand Admiral Ulysses Posen. What Aubrey really needed was someone who wasn't looking to use her as a stepping stool for promotion. Someone who was confident enough to stand up to the Posen name and not be kowtowed by such a powerful family.

"I hope I get to meet him at the wedding," Chloe said. "He will be there right?"

"He better be or he'll have hell to pay. It's not like he's serving aboard the same ship with the groom." Aubrey grumbled sarcastically.

Chloe laughed and sat next to her friend. She hadn't realized it but she had been rather lonely ever since her family moved. Chloe had trouble making friends within the social circles her parents wished she would participate in. The girls in those circles were always too self obsessed for Chloe's liking. And any time she tried to play with the common children she was scolded and locked in her room the rest of the day.

But Aubrey was different. All things considered the two should not be friends. Aubrey was prim and proper, always striving to meet expectations set on her by society and expecting everyone else to do the same. Chloe was often considered a wild child, running away from her nanny to explore forests and caves. Yet somehow the two had managed to become friends when they were eight, after a dinner party hosted at the Posen estate.

Chloe smiled at the memory and Aubrey noticed, "What's got you all smiley?"

"Just thinking about the night we became friends."

Aubrey groaned, "That was all your fault. I can't believe you managed to get an entire stable worth of horses into the gardens."

"I like horses," Chloe pouted. "And besides, you were the one that showed me where the stable was. So who's fault is it really?"

"Still you. You're the one that convinced the stable boy to let us in with your ridiculous pout." Aubrey glanced at her friend and pointed at her face. "Yes, that face right there. How you managed to master that face at eight years old I'll never know."

"It's a talent." Chloe laughed and Aubrey joined her. They spent the next few minutes reminiscing about their childhoods, sharing stories that had been told hundreds of times but never seemed to grow old.

They were brought out of their fond memories by a knock at the door. Chloe watched as the carefree Aubrey slipped away and was replaced by the admiral's daughter. Chloe sighed, she wished her friend could always be as relaxed as she was when they were alone. But some things never change.

Aubrey stood up and answered the door. "Lady Beale, It has been too long." She curtsied as Chloe's mother entered the room.

"Ah, Miss Posen. I had hoped you would be here." Mrs. Beale gave a polite curtsy towards Aubrey before turning to her daughter. "We are almost ready Chloe. I know you'll make your family proud."

Chloe stood up from her seat, albeit reluctantly, and nodded her head. "Of course mother."

Aubrey watched her friend as Mrs. Beale started fiddling with Chloe's dress. She would bet anything that Chloe did not want to be married off to some man that she barely knew. Chloe had always been a free spirit and the idea of being chained down probably terrified the girl. But there wasn't anything to be done. This was how the world worked, whether Chloe liked it or not they were women and this was the only way they could bring honor to their families.

Except when she saw the fear on Chloe's face Aubrey couldn't help but try and think of a way out of this problem. But before any deviant thoughts could possibly be processed by Aubrey's strict rules of conduct, the door opened again. This time it was Chloe's father.

Mr. Beale walked into the room and smiled when he saw Aubrey. "Ms. Posen, I just heard about your engagement to Commander Caldwell."

"Yes, my father thinks it will make a nice match." Aubrey said.

"We had been worried about you." He chuckled to himself, missing the cringe on Aubrey's face. "Now all we have to do is get Chloe married."

Everyone turned and looked at Chloe who was desperately trying not to draw any attention. It hadn't gone unnoticed that her father and mother both fawned over Aubrey before they even talked to her. But she wasn't jealous, Aubrey was always fawned over while Chloe happily disappeared into the background. It made it easier to escape unnoticed.

Although it would be nice if it wasn't her own parents doing the fawning.

"Of course father," Chloe took a step towards her father but stopped before she reached him. "Uhm, could I maybe have a minute to myself? Pre wedding jitters."

Her parents exchanged a look before coming to an unspoken consensus. Her father nodded and left the room shortly followed by her mother. Aubrey gave her a concerned, slightly suspicious, look before also leaving Chloe. The redhead sat back down in her chair and ran her fingers through her hair.

She let out a shaky breath. As the wedding grew closer she could feel all her anxiety flooding back. She knew this was expected of her, marry for the benefit of the family but…was this really it?

After today she would no longer have her own identity. She wouldn't be able to run off into the forest or go swimming in a lake. This was where her lifelong adventure ended, only to be traded off so her father could make connections in the navy.

A noise caught her attention from the open window and she stood up to take a look. There were children playing just across the street, kicking a ball back and forth between them. Not a care in the world.

For a brief moment she considers climbing out the window and running away for good. The only problem is that her dress would never make it through the window. The irony of being trapped by her own wedding dress was not a pleasant thought.

Before she could do anything crazy, say losing the dress and running through the streets only in her undergarments, Aubrey came back into the room. "I know what you're thinking and no, you can't run away naked."

"Why not?" Chloe huffed.

Aubrey sighed, "Because not even you are that daring."

"That's what you think." Chloe mumbled. If Aubrey hadn't come back she may have tried doing just that.

"Chloe, this isn't the answer," Aubrey said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Then what is the answer? Bree, I don't want to do this." Chloe started pacing back and forth, somewhat hindered by the dress.

"Chloe, do you love your family?" Aubrey asked quietly.

The other girl stopped her pacing and considered the question. She had no reason to not love her family, not really. Granted her mother usually didn't give her the time of day but her father was a kind man. He wasn't at home a lot, always off on a business trip somewhere, but when he was home he always treated her kindly and affectionately.

Chloe sighed as she realized the answer to Aubrey's question. Her father needed this union to secure his business dealings within the Caribbean, so she would go through with the marriage. Her back straightened as she came to decision, she turned and looked Aubrey in the eye. "All right, fine. I'll do it for my father."

Her friend smiled a sad smile at the redhead. Honestly she felt bad for Chloe, if she had a brother, or any siblings at all, then all the burden wouldn't fall so hard on her shoulders. Aubrey held out her hand and Chloe gripped it tightly, each giving the other a comforting squeeze. A knock at the door led to Mr. Beale peeking his head inside. "It's time."

After a steadying breath Chloe nodded her head and followed her father out into the large room. There were dozens of people sitting in the pews, all of whom turned their head to watch as Chloe was escorted by her father down the aisle.

As she looked around Chloe realized that she barely recognized anyone at her own wedding. There were plenty of men in uniforms, probably Thomas' shipmates, as well as various older women that would appear to be her mother's friends. Others were dressed in well made suits and ladies in fine dresses, her father's business partners and their wives. In the front two rows she noticed some people she actually recognized. Thomas' family sat on the left while she noticed that Aubrey had managed to sneak in on the right and was sitting next to a handsome blond man, Luke presumably.

As they neared the platform Chloe finally took a look at her soon to be husband. Thomas was wearing his dress uniform, a blue overcoat with a white shirt underneath. On his hip was a thin saber with a golden hilt on which his hand rested. Once Chloe and her father were close enough Thomas stepped down and took Chloe's hand in his own. They shared a shy smile and Chloe realized that Thomas was probably in the same boat as her. Neither had been consulted when their parents had concocted this plan so for all she knew he didn't really want to get married either. She realized that the priest had already started speaking and she had somehow managed to miss most of the ceremony. The sun was setting through the window and she realized that they were almost done.

The priest started to ask whether or not they agreed to take each other in matrimony when a commotion could be heard in the distance. The people in the audience started to whisper among themselves and the priest had to wait in order for everyone to quiet down. Except that the longer they waited the louder the commotion grew. Thomas looked away from Chloe and towards the front row of pews. Chloe followed his gaze and noticed that the man who had been sitting next to Aubrey had stood up and left the building, followed by several of the other men in uniform. Chloe made eye contact with Aubrey and they both shared a concerned look.

The priest started talking again, trying to regain the attention of the crowd but before he could get a word out the doors to the church burst open and a man came stumbling through the breach. He was clutching his side and even from this distance Chloe could see the red stain of blood seeping into his shirt. He managed to stumble forward a few more paces before collapsing on the floor. Thomas immediately rushed to the dying man's side, kneeling down as the man muttered under his breath. They all watched as Thomas' face paled and the man beneath him died. The groom stood back up and turned towards the assembled group.

"It's pirates!"

AN: I have no idea how weddings were conducted in the 1600s and when I googled it I got a whole lot of nothing so I tried to stay as vague as possible. Also, while this is set during the Golden Age of Piracy and will use some IRL locations/people there are going to be plenty of fictional elements as well so not everything will be accurate.