You Are My Destiny

By Lucy Marie

Alexandra White is a beautiful blonde woman who is very head strong, extremely intelligent, and talented with a mind of her own, even at the tender age of twenty-two. She is the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, England in eighteen hundred and twenty. She had all the opportunities attributed to her because of her royal lineage. Fortunately, she did not think like the other high-bred royals, who thought they deserved to be treated better than the lower classes. She wanted to help those who had less and needed so much more. Going against her parents’ wishes, she proceeded down a different path to a future which led her into perilous situations. She managed to have the wits and talent which made her a true heroine to the poor, almost losing her own life many times over. She was pursued by a handsome captain of a three masted schooner constantly, who wanted to make her his own forever. She thought if he caught her, she would be killed or forced to take her own life, so the fight was on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: May 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663252920

Lucy Marie

My name is Lucille Marie Bayuk and I have been writing books for forty five years. I live in a small town where I have raised three children and worked in several types of jobs. I did not have too much time to spend on reading books for entertainment when I was raising a family and working jobs. But whenever I had a chance I would grab a book and start reading. In my spare time when I could find some, I would read romance novels, science fiction, and murder mysteries. Which seemed to stimulate my creative imagination into all my books. I have always had a great imagination and I love telling stories to anyone who would listen. My books are a reflection of my own personality and I try to pass that quality on to my hero’s and heroine’s. I now am devoting all my time to finally sharing my stories with you. I hope that you all enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

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Copyright © 2023 Lucy Marie.

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ISBN: 978-1-6632-5291-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-5292-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023908144

iUniverse rev. date:  05/15/2023

CONTENTS

Chapter One   The Beginning

Chapter Two   The Captainship

Chapter Three   The Abduction

Chapter Four   No Where to Hide

Chapter Five   The Game Has Ended

Chapter Six   Back to the Sea

Chapter Seven   The Viking Encounter

Chapter Eight   A Life of Loneliness

Chapter Nine   Taken Hostage Again

Chapter Ten   Goodbye to a Dear Friend

AUTHOR LUCY MARIE

THIS NOVEL IS DEDICATED TO MY DAUGHTER

TINA MARIE

FOR INSPIRING THIS BOOKS’ STORY LINE

CHAPTER ONE

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THE BEGINNING

May 1, 1820

Alexandra was sitting at the table listening to her parents, waiting for them to finish talking to each other. She needed to talk to them about something that was of the utmost importance to her, but she did not want to be rude and interrupt them. She ate her dinner which consisted of some meat and small potatoes, and vegetables, while she waited for her parents to finish talking to each other. She felt this was a good time to tell them of her change of mind as far as her life’s ambition and what she wanted to do.

Father, Mother, I have decided what I want to follow as I start my career after completing my education. I feel a pull to explore this world and see what I can do to maybe change things for everyone for the better. I have been on a ship which is docked in the harbor, and I think I would like to learn all I need to know about sailing. This ship is manned by all women, and I want to join that crew. I was talking to one of the women who is part of the crew and she told me to talk to the captain. I was taken to the captain’s cabin and waited until she had some time to hear me out. When she finished her work topside and came to her cabin and I was able to speak with her, but she couldn’t spend too much time answering my questions because she was terribly busy because they were getting the ship ready to sail within hours. I told her I had been seriously thinking about sailing on a large ship and wanted to learn how I could help this ship become better on the seas. She told me her ship could always use another woman on board who had some talents with weapons which seemed to be of utmost importance so I told her I would give her my answer tonight. I would like to have your permission and prayers to take up this lifestyle since I have finished my doctorate education which would only help me immensely in my endeavors. I want to pursue this lifestyle for a time and see if it is something I would like to make my life’s career? she told them, pleading for their permission.

I do not think this is the life your mother and I wanted for you, Alex, we did not send you to university to further your education as a doctor or professor so you can ride the seas. You have an education that you can use to become a great doctor or professor. Why would you want to throw that kind of life away and pursue such a dangerous life as being a sailor? her father asked.

My dear daughter, you have been raised to be a gentile woman, you have a bright mind and would be someone who people could look up to. We have given you the opportunity to have a wonderful life, to be something great, why would you want to throw that away for something like this. This is the kind of life for lower class people not for royal’s darling, you are the daughter of the Duke of Cambridge, can you not remember that for once? I know you do not like the way the royals act and how they look down their noses at the lower class or common people, but this is our station, and we need to be treated differently than those less fortunate, her mother reminded her, indignantly.

I am sorry, mother, father, I see you do not agree with me about this, but I want to try this more than anything. I am being driven to do this by my own mind and soul. I feel deep inside of me, this is what I was born to do and if after a while I find it is not what I want or I am not good enough for it, I promise I will come back and follow my education of being a doctor or a professor. I have already packed my trunks and I will be leaving tonight after dinner. I wanted to tell you so I could take your good wishes and prayers with me and be able to tell you both goodbye and hope I will not let you two down. I do not want to hurt you both, you have been the best parents I could ever have, and I love you both with my whole heart, she told them, looking at them as tears spilled over and ran down her face.

Duke Robert White was a tall muscular man of fifty-three, with dark hair and a stern face, which softened when he saw the tears his beautiful blonde daughter had running down her heart shaped face. He could not stand to see her sad or crying, she was his only child and he loved her with all his heart, even though they had butted heads on many occasions. She was a stubborn, hellfire and she had her own mind even when she was very young. She reminded him of himself on many occasions, but he did not want her to go away on a ship, it was too dangerous. He did not want her to put her life in jeopardy, she was too precious to him and his wife. His wife, Duchess Alice White was truly an elegant woman, prim and proper, a beautiful blonde, five foot, five inches delicate and fragile woman who he loved with all his heart, but she was totally different from her daughter. Alexandra was beautiful and blonde with a heart shaped face and crystal blue eyes, but that is where the resemblance to her mother stopped. She was five foot six inches, with the body of an athlete, learned to swordfight when she was ten years old by a master and could shoot a gun better than most sharp shooters plus, she could throw a knife with the accuracy that only a few men ever achieved. She was trained by the best in England so she could protect herself whenever she was traveling alone. The duke knew that a woman with her beauty could only depend on herself he made sure she could do just that. She could ride a horse with the expertise of a showman but there was another hidden ability she had; she was so smart she could outwit just about anyone who came up against her because she had an uncanny way of reading other people’s minds and knowing what their next move was and what they were thinking.

The duke knew they could not stop her from doing as she wanted because she was twenty-two and her own woman. She asked them for their well wishes instead and he knew he would give them because he loved her with all his heart and soul. He got up from his chair and he went over to Alexandra and hugged her tightly.

I will give you my well wishes, my dear daughter, I know I cannot stop you but all I can ask is you take care of yourself, because you are very precious to your mother and me. We want you to follow your heart, but we also want you to come back to us the same as you leave, he told her, hugging her to him again.

Her mother got up from her chair and went to her daughter and hugged her and kissed her cheek.

I will miss you, my dear, I will pray for you every day and night, I know you will do everything to make this a safe and successful career for yourself. I will send you off with all my love and prayers so can you find what you are looking for but please take good care of yourself while helping those who are around you, she told her daughter, as the tears filled her eyes.

I will take good care of myself because I know how it would hurt you both if I do not. I will be coming back in about four months, then I shall know for sure if this is the life I want. Good-bye mother and father, she said, hugging them once again and went out the door as the manservant picked up the trunk and followed her to the waiting carriage. She waved to them as the carriage pulled away watching them wave back as they stood in the doorway of their mansion, looking so sad and lonely.

She cried on the way to the dock, knowing she would miss her parents, but she felt a strong pull to her from the sea, knowing she had something waiting for her which scared her, but she was more curious than afraid of what it could be. She arrived at the dock as the driver helped her out of the carriage where she stood on the pier for a time looking at this majestic black three masted schooner, sitting proudly high in the sea water next to the pier. This was going to be her home for at least a few months or more. She finally asked the carriage driver to take her trunk down the gang plank to the Black Siren and had him take it below to the crews’ quarters. She gave the carriage driver some money for his help, then went directly to the captains’ door and knocked, waiting for an answer.

Come, the captain said.

Alex opened the door and went inside the cabin. The captain was sitting at her desk, so she waited until the captain acknowledged her. When she finally looked up, she smiled.

I see you have decided to join us, and I might as well tell you, we do not wear gowns, you better have some men’s pants or knee breeches and some men’s or boy’s shirts and knee boots. If you do not have those clothes you will have to go and get some at the dress shops. What kind of weapons do you know how to use? she asked interestedly.

I have brought my riding pants, men’s shirts and knee boots and I can use just about any weapon you have here on the ship, she answered smiling.

You can use a sword then? she asked.

Yes, I was trained by a master, she answered.

That is good, we can use someone who can also teach some of our mates who are not so good with the sword; would you be able to do that for me? she asked.

Yes, I could teach them some of the stances but who do we usually fight? she asked.

We run into the pirate ships that ply the waters looking for ships to rob and sometimes make slaves out of the people they let live. You know what that means, they will sexually assault us and then sell us to slave traders. We certainly do not want that, so we fight to kill them or be killed there is no option. So far, we have been lucky, but we have had some close calls and we can surely use your talents. Go ahead and get yourself settled in and then get some food from the galley, maybe you can introduce yourself to some of the crew and learn their names, which may take some time. We must depend on everyone to protect each other, so it good to make friends with them quickly, she told her, then dismissed her and she went back to her logbook.

Alex went out of the cabin and went on to the crews’ quarters where several women in the room were laying down or sitting up on their cots talking to each other. Alex went in and found her trunk and took it to an empty cot and opened it and took out her black boy’s shirt and boy’s pants and knee boots. She undressed and put her gown in a locker by her bed and hung all the rest of the gowns she had packed in the locker, as the crewmates watched her shaking their heads and smiling at each other seeing all the gowns she had brought with her. She kept all her other boy’s pants and shirts in the trunk since she did not care if they got wrinkled. Braiding her hair, she wrapped it around her head and put on her knitted cap to cover her hair like she saw some of the other shipmates wearing. She walked over to the group of women and introduced herself and they each told her their names as she tried to remember them, but she would have a lot of time to do that. She walked out of the crews’ quarters, going top side because she had eaten before she left home and was not hungry. She looked all around the deck as she tried to acclimatize herself to the ship’s layout so she would not trip over anything. She met some more of the crew, along with the first mate.

So, you are a new crewmate, what is your name? the first mate asked.

Alex, and who are you? she asked.

I am Jo, the first mate, I am here to train you, so you will know how to hoist the sheets and weigh anchor when we get ready to sail. You will also have to learn how to climb the ropes to the crow’s nest and keep watch when it is your turn. You may even have to take the wheel sometimes, if all of us are busy fighting, do you know how to sword fight? she asked.

Yes, I know how to use a sword, shoot guns, and throw knives. Is there any other thing I should know, I want to make sure I will be able to pull my own weight? she asked, genuinely wanting to help.

I think that is enough for now we will see how you do when the time comes, Jo said, then she left her and went to the wheelhouse.

Alex thought it would take time to get to know the crewmates and their jobs, but she was determined to learn it all and become part of their crew. She went back down to her bed and laid down because it was dark out now and she needed to get a good nights’ rest because she had a feeling, she would be learning a lot tomorrow.

The next morning, she woke as all the mates in the crew’s quarters got dressed and got ready to set sail. They all had their caps over their hair, so anyone watching this ship from a far would think this is an all-man ship getting ready to sail out of the harbor. That is why they dressed like men and why they had to portray this disguise all the time, because women were not treated the same as men, and would not be able to take supplies or do business with different countries. The crew was made up of young women who wanted to see the world and wanted the freedom of being on a ship, but ships manned with men were superstitious and thought having women on their ships would cause them trouble and caused sexual problems for the women. That was why these young women decided to join a ship like the Black Siren, which was one of a very few. Most of the women came from poor families, watching how their mothers worked so hard with very little recognition from their husband and having to do whatever he told them to do with no freedom of their own. These women decided at a young age, that kind of life was unfair and did not want it for themselves; it was the start of the feminist movement, which only grew stronger as the years passed.

Alex was shown how to hoist the sheets, and helped the mates weigh anchor. When the wind hit the sheets causing the ship to lurch forward and Alex, not being prepared for this, fell flat on her face onto the deck knowing she would remember this lesson above all else. After they sailed out of the harbor the captain told the crew to trim the sheets, taking the ship in the right direction, speeding onto their first destination. Alex watched everything that was being done closely, so she would remember it the next time. When they reached deep water, most of the crew went down to the galley to eat breakfast, so Alex followed the crew. She got a plate of pancakes, ham, toast, and coffee, and sat at a table with the other women, they were all talking about the next country they would be taking the supplies to. Listening to her shipmates, she learned what they would be doing next, then the first mate came into the galley getting some food she sat down by Alex.

Alex, the captain wants to see you, she told her.

Alex got up right away going out into the corridor and knocked on the captains’ door, that was across from the galley and heard the captain tell her to enter.

Opening the door, she saw the captain at her desk, You wanted to see me, captain? she asked. The captain was small, about five foot four inches, small structure, not overly strong looking either, but smart and able to handle any weapon. She had been the captain of the Black Siren since the last captain was killed in a fight with a pirate ship four years ago. She was extremely tired of this life and wanted to find someone to take over the ship; someone she could trust who would be able to take care of this ship and the crew she had been with for so long and loved. She felt her health was failing even though she was only thirty-five and she had been riding the seas since she was twelve years old and knew she could no longer fight as well as she did when she was younger, and this one drawback may put the whole ship in danger.

Yes, Alex, I was watching you when we went out of the harbor, you seem to be a quick learner and are ready to help wherever you can, I was impressed with how you work. I think I will give you the second mate class, which means you will need to answer the first mate and if she needs to do something which she does not have time to do, she will give that job to you. That will be your responsibility, you will be helping the first mate whenever she needs you. Do you have any questions, Alex? she asked.

No, captain, I understand perfectly what my job will be, she said.

You can go now and if you want to go topside, you should get yourself acquainted with the wheelhouse and the rest of the ship, she said, then she went back to writing in her logbook, dismissing Alex.

She went out the door and up the ladder going topside and went straight to the wheelhouse. The first mate was at the wheel, so Alex stood by her. Jo was a big woman, over six foot, thin but strong and agile. She was about twenty-six, had long black hair, dark eyes, and a pretty face, and had a beautiful smile which she rarely did because she was almost aways very stern.

The captain told me, I am to answer you and do whatever job you need me to do because you are busy with something else, Alex told Jo.

Yes, I told her you seemed to pick things up quickly, and I thought you would be more able to learn my job faster than any of the other mates. You may even have to take the wheel in case I am busy with something and learn to trim the sheets to change our direction or catch more wind to go faster. So, if you want to take over the wheel now, you will get an idea of what this is like. You also need to watch the horizon for ships, there will be pirate ships which you will see eventually and if we can go in a different direction to avoid them, that is good. If you have not noticed, we have black sheets, so we will not be easily seen at night, and we can keep sailing without too much concern. If we come upon a pirate ship in the dark, we can sink it without them even seeing us until we are right on them, she told Alex, smiling with humor, showing her deep dimples and extremely white teeth.

Can we ever take the caps off our heads, like at night? she asked Jo.

Yes, we can take them off when we are out here alone and at night. I know it gets hot to keep it on all the time, so we leave that up to the individual, she said.

Alex found she liked steering the ship, it was all consuming and watching the horizon for other ships was exciting.

Sometimes, we have storms which come on us quickly, and a hurricane can sink us easily. This is a worrisome thing that can happen to our ship, and we have no way of getting out of its path. You will eventually get to experience it and you will learn quickly how disastrous it is. I am going to leave you at the wheel for a while, I need to talk to the captain about the supplies we need to deliver to Scotland, she told Alex, then she went down the ladder to the hatch leaving her alone at the wheelhouse.

Alex watched the horizon, making sure she did not see another ship while keeping the ship true in the same direction. Then suddenly there was another ship on the horizon, grabbing the long glass she watched it and it seemed to be coming straight toward them. She alerted the mates on the deck, as they all scurried down below to get their swords and alert the captain and soon the deck was full of mates with their weapons.

The first mate came up to the wheelhouse quickly, telling Alex to tie the wheel off and go below to get her weapons. Alex hurried to do what Jo said, going below and hurriedly strapped on her scabbard with her sword inside and put her long knife into her knee boot and stuck her loaded gun into her waist band. Going back up the ladder, she found the pirate ship had come along side of their ship and was throwing grappling hooks over to the Black Siren’s ropes. She prepared herself for the first wave of pirates as they jumped to the Black Siren’s deck while the mates started fighting. Alex looked around to see if anyone seemed to be in a bad situation and then she jumped in front of one or two mates, taking down the pirate they were having trouble fighting. A big bald pirate who had been watching her actions as she was killing