Jackie's POV

It took the entire week to reach our docking station. Our ship had gotten caught in some ice, and we had to delay our trip. It was evening, and we had changed our flag to an Irish one. Every lad on board acted like they were from there since we had stolen some nicer suits for them. We seemed pretty convincing.

"By God, England..." I said, crossing my arms. "You haven't changed since the four years I've been gone."

I smirked without joy. This place was something interesting to my family. It held a thousand dark secrets and a million reasons to be taken down. Specifically speaking of the king. He has put us all in such distress and torture, and I wouldn't hesitate to put him to his end. He would be such an interesting target. He seems so powerful, but as soon as he realizes who he's dealing with... the fear will rise within his eyes.

"Hello there, fine sir," a slightly raspy yet cheerful voice spoke to my right. "I believe you are the first-mate the captain was speaking of?"

I turned my head, losing the smirk, to face the man speaking to me. He was on the shorter side of things, so he couldn't be a helper. He was wearing a suit of a butler, so that was already something on him. However, when I looked to his collar, I noticed that he had a familiar tattoo just barely showing underneath it: angel wings with a halo over it. I smirked once again when I realized who this was.

"Jorge Perez," I said in Spanish. "It's interesting to see you outside of the castle at such a time."

"Indeed it is," he replied in the same language. "However, I was given permission to leave because of the king needing my 'pestering personality' to leave."

I scoffed. "You really have to act like a shy and humble butler in the castle?"

He nodded. "Unfortunately so. But it is quite amusing to see the king's reactions to my preposterous behaviour."

We both laughed.

"So, I'm guessing you came to me for a reason."

He then sighed. "Prince Dylan has found out about you taking down the American ship."

My eyes widened. How could he know it was me? About us? We made sure that no traces of us being there were present.

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"He has her locket, Sir," Jorge replied, anger rising within his voice.

I rubbed my eyes and sighed. The locket was within the shipwreck, and the damn prince found it. What were the damn chances of that happening?! If he found out that it belonged to her, then we'd be dead.

"So what do we do?" I asked. "I can't possibly go in there with her personality without seeming suspicious."

"You may look like her, but the king doesn't suspect a thing." He leaned in. "I overheard the eldest, Jack, and Dylan speak about the locket. Jack told the heir to not tell his father about the necklace." He smirked. "This might work out in our favor if even the king's children despise him."

I pursed my lips. "If that is the case, then, by what you are telling me, it is safe for me to go in as a woman with the same plans?"

"Yes. But be wary of the Royal siblings." Jorge then bowed. "I wish you luck, Jackie. I hope you won't disappoint the Collins' name."

And with that, he left. With everything he just told me, I had to rethink my strategy.

I needed to speak to the captain.

***************************************

"He what?!" He yelled in Gaelic as he walked around his quarters. "I thought I told you to never have that thing on during raids."

"I understand that my acts were immature," I began in Gaelic. "But I have-"

"Jackie, listen to me for one second."

As if I haven't been doing so for the past four years.

"What is it?" I asked instead.

"I brought you onto this ship for a reason. You're special to me, yes, but if you keep going these kinds of things now- and as first-mate- I may have to let you go."

"She wouldn't allow that," I rebutted.

The captain gave me a look before gaining sadness in his eyes and turning away. "...She wouldn't." He groaned. "And that's the main reason for you staying on this damn ship."

I stood up and put a hand on the captain's shoulder. "Look, you have never put the other first-mate's judgement to second thoughts. But me being here isn't the first of our thoughts. She's out there, and we have to get her before the king does."

He looked to me and sighed. "Aye..." he cleared his throat. "But this is your last chance, Lad. With or without her judgement."

I nodded my head. "For now... we wait."

"For the ball... have another plan?"

"Nah. We'll go with our old one."

The captain smirked. "Good luck with that, Jaclyn."

***************************************

One Week Later

I just finished taking off every hair from my body, feeling exhausted and pained from the multiple cuts I had given myself on my chest and arms. I'm already missing my stubble. I still cannot believe that I will be going out as a woman. If her teachings gave me anything, it's that being a woman is difficult.

I went to the closet that use to be hers and went through the multiple dresses. Some were fancier than others, but the one that stood out to me was a black dress with intricate white designs. I took it out and called the captain in. I quickly slid into the skirt before he came in. This was embarrassing. If she were here, I think I'd feel less ashamed about my smooth skin being so revealed.

"Oh God!" The captain laughed as he came in. "Ye really need help puttin' on that dress?"

"All women need help with their dresses, Captain," I said, cheeks flushed. "Now help me with my corset and skirts."

The captain couldn't help but chuckle at each yelp I gave when he'd make such strange remarks about the dress. He even tightened the corset too tightly on purpose. What did he think I was? An idiot?

As he finished dusting off my skirts, I walked towards the dresser. I opened the drawer to reveal pairs of earrings, diamond rings, and a couple of old necklaces. I took a look at some of the necklaces.

They all belonged to her mother. The old engravings of the family's emblem were still on the backs of the lockets. I put them away as the captain began speaking.

"A'ight Lad," he said. "Tell me: what's the main mission?"

"The main mission is to disguise as daughter and father," I said, reaching for a pair of black earrings. "We will go into the ballroom, have Jorge introduce you to the king, and we shall hope the heir gains interest in me. After all, he is to marry someday, and if he gets suggestions, then he will surely get a bit interested."

"And what happens when we do get 'em?"

"We capture the prince with a sleeping draft that the 'new servants' give to the prince, and I will take him away from the scene."

He nodded his head in agreement.

"However, I don't want him getting too hurt when he comes onto the ship."

The captain looked to me in the mirror as if I were crazy. "Are ye serious? Why the hell would ye do that? Ye aren't goin' back to the times of softness, are ye?"

I rolled my eyes as I set in an earring. "No. He's Royalty. If we lay more than he can handle on him, the entire country of England will search every part of Europe and America to find us when we bring him back."

"Don't ye want an heir that's physically weak like his father?"

"If I remember what she told me what the lad was like, then he certainly doesn't want to be king."

"But he betrayed me lass. He broke her heart. He killed-"

"I know who his father killed," I said, growling. "Just because a parent does something doesn't mean the children are the same."

I stopped and looked to him. I knew that she met the prince at a young age, but I didn't know they were that close. Did she... love him by any chance? It would certainly explain how she remembers him so fondly. That or she remembers him because of what he did to her.

"I'm not saying we won't harm him. We'll give him reminders of who we are. If she would like to harm him for what he did to her, so be it."

The captain gave me a look before sighing and slowly waking towards the door. "I'll be on the docks when you're ready," he said before leaving my quarters.

What did the prince do that was so heartbreaking for her? If it was just who his father killed, then that wasn't hatred for the heir: it was to the king. Even so, she seems like such a good person to be harmed so much like that.

Then again... Royals are always tricky.

Dylan's POV

I couldn't get my thoughts straight. I just kept thinking about the locket that was in my pocket, and I wasn't even listening to what my father was saying. Maybe I heard something about new waiters and all that, but nothing too important.

"Dylan, are you listening to me?" He asked while turning.

"Hmm?" I looked up from my daze. "Uh, yes. I'm just a little worried over the safety of the ball."

"Still looking out for your safety," He said. "That's good. Means that you think ahead of time."

Like how you do to kill the innocent without warning?

"Your Highness!" George's voice echoed through the ballroom as he hustled towards us. "There is someone of importance I must introduce you to at the ball!"

"My word, George!" Father said, annoyed. "I'm having an important conversation with my son, and you go telling me about someone you'd like me to meet?"

"My apologies for interrupting your conversation, but I mean it. The man is a very famous merchant."

"A merchant."

"He's a very wealthy one. He's traveled the entire continent of Asia and Africa for the best prices. He's quite a good part to have as an ally when it comes to knowing the land and the people."

My father thought through this. He was a lover for power. After all, we were counted as the most powerful country in the world. We were told that the sun never set on the English Empire because we had so many colonies all over the world. And having allies that knew the entire world was something my father dreamed of.

"Very well," he said. "At the ball, introduce me to this man. If he has any children then I would like to meet them as well. I'd like to see what his whole family has to offer."

"He has a daughter, I believe," George said. "I don't remember her age, but she is very knowledgeable in her father's work."

"Even better! The more the merrier!"

Father then dismissed George as he continued speaking to me. But I wouldn't let his chat go unheard.

"You want me to marry his daughter, don't you?" I said.

"If she comes of your interests, then why not?" He asked. "You haven't had an interest in a maiden yet, so maybe meeting his daughter would be a good thing for you."

"Maybe." Never.

I understand that I'm being stubborn, but after that encounter with betraying a girl I liked years ago has left a mark on me. I didn't even know that my father was planning to attack her family. Turned out that Atza knew, but she was too afraid to speak about it with me because father had eyes and ears everywhere. And Who wouldn't fear him?

Our father is a monster...

"Then it is settled," he interrupted my thoughts. "I shall have George introduce us to this merchant. And please be kind and not make any witty jokes to him. It's not proper."

"Will do, Father," I replied, bowing slightly and taking my leave.

I walked upstairs and onto the outdoor training area. I was hoping to clear my mind from everything in private, but it turns out that someone beat me here, wearing her sparring outfit. She was also holding my old sword while sitting on the railing.

"Remember when she did that trick on you six years ago?" Atza asked waving the sword around. "Boy, did you have a scared look in your face."

I sighed and smiled at the old memory. "I remember. She had an interesting stance and technique when it came to fighting."

"Her mother did compare our fighting to ballroom dancing. The way Coora fought was with the will to live and win. She didn't fight to impress anyone." Atza looked me in the eye then. "She fought to protect..."

Guilt fell on my heart, and I knew I wasn't the only one feeling it. Atza was wearing a loose, tan shirt with black trousers underneath. She wore a belt with a sword hold that still held her sword and a pistol. Ever since Coora came into our lives, Atza's been without her dresses. I think it's her own way of coping with what she didn't tell me or anyone else.

Her brown eyes had bags underneath them, her face drooped from despair and grief, and she even got thinner over the years. I shook my head and sat next to her.

"Nothing is your fault, sister," I said as she looked out to the sea. "You we're afraid of Father harming you."

"But Coora was scared, too!" She yelled, her eyes welling up with tears. "And God damn it, even though she was scared she still fought off our guards." Her free hand balled into a fist. "And she still failed to save her mother..."

That's when I embraced her. I held onto her tightly and just stayed that way. I felt her drop my sword in the ground and wrap her arms around me. She sobbed and sobbed for what seemed like hours, but I knew it was only a few minutes.

"She still failed..." she repeated.

And that's when my long held tears fell from my own eyes.

I'm so sorry...

A/N: WOOOOOOO! HAPPY NEW YEARS! I know this is a sad note to end off on in this book, but I'm happy because I worked on this. The next chapter will be coming out soon, but BITCH IM JUST A STUDENT WTF DO I KNOW? Yeah... I'm tired. PEACE BITCHES!