The Belladonna

Chapter 1- Rendes

The sea was calm, a flat expanse of blue that disappeared far beyond the horizon. Sailing off in the distance was the frigate that carried him away from her and left her all alone in the world. Its sails tall and full like huge white birds pulling the ship across the ocean. At the height of the mast the Kings colours of blue and red flickered in the wind proudly.

She watched the ship until it could no longer be seen and long after. Only when the sun began to follow its path down did she turn away from the thing she had once loved so much with a storm cloud of emotions inside her. He left her. Abandoned her to this insufferable fishing town with no one. She had known he had never wanted to take over her father's job, no young boy wanted to spend his whole life catching fish for a living, but she did not understand how he could just up and leave her alone with her sick father at the tender age of eleven.

But most of all she felt jealousy. Her brother, who always said he would become an officer, defend his King and live a life of adventure on the seas, had done it; he had escaped. But in the process he had forgotten her, left behind his little sister with nothing.

Skyler sighed as she watched the huge cargo ships sailing off back to the mainland, all bearing the king's red and blue. She stood upon the cliffs that looked out over the bay and remembered the day she had her heart broken almost six years ago. Frustrated and empty she made her way back down to the dirty town she loathed to call home.

Rendes bay was known not just for its abundant supply of fish, but also its loyalty to the king. And like all small towns, gossip spread fast and it didn't take long for the entire town to discover that Skyler's brother had left to become some kind of hero when his father was dying. The only thing that saved Skyler from the assault of the town's people was their respect of her father; a retired navy officer who had served the king with loyalty and wisdom for many years. Sky could help but think it was her father's past hero stories that had led to her brother running off. She remembers sitting in her father's old fishing boat looking at the huge ships and listening to him tell them how if you counted the cannons on the side of a ship it could help you identify it.

When he had died though, only a few years back, everyone in the town seemed to have a say in how Sky lived her life much to her frustration and annoyance. Having grown up with only her brother and father she had learnt very quickly how to take care of herself and she didn't need nor appreciate being told that she needed to settle down and find a man to take care of her.

Rendes came alive at night with the taverns opening and the 'pleasure houses' inviting people in. She clung to her dress skirt, careful not to let it drag in the mud and quickly passed the whore house with her head down. Madam Lane, the owner, had been insistant on always having a place for girl 'as pretty as her'. Sky hated the attention her body got her. With a small frame, and an even less impressive bust when compared to the women who worked at the pleasure house, it was only her features that caught people's eyes. She had her mother's dark brown hair; long and wavy that fell just past her shoulders and turned a lighter colour when hit by the sun. Her eyes she had inherited from her father and shared with her brother were a hazel colour that always seemed more brown than green to her. Her face was gentle with a jaw that was not as strong as her fathers but less feminine than her mother's had been and dark eyebrows that framed her face. She knew she was beautiful and that beautiful young girls were 'requested' a lot.

Sky shuddered and quickened her pace until she reached The Pigs Pen, the tavern she had been working at since her father's death. The place lived up to its name and was by no means the nicest of pubs to visit, but being right next to the dock it saw a lot of costumers. Mostly fishermen dreading going home to their wives after a long day and everyday sailors looking for a good drink and lousy company, but it wasn't uncommon to see navy officers in there either. Tonight Sky was happy to see none were present as not only did they make everyone nervous and destroy the whole happy atmosphere but they painfully reminded her of her brother.