Catherine
She placed her bonnet back onto her head, retying the bow under the left side of her chin before smoothing down the front of her dress.
She smiled as she watched Mary carefully hang the dress up, placing a cover over it to keep it safe.
"This should be the last fitting before the big day Catherine!" she said with excitement as she smiled at the young woman, "the only thing you need to decide on now is your veil," she reminded her, "given any thoughts to that?"
Catherine smiled, albeit a sad one before replying.
"I was thinking of wearing my mother's..." she trailed off, "father still has it in the attic with some of her things..."
Mary moved over to the younger woman and embraced her for a few moments before standing back and looking at her.
"She would have been absolutely over the moon with you getting married and all," she said, "you know she'll be looking down on you on your big day."
Catherine wiped at her eyes, sniffing before breaking out into a laugh.
"She would have been telling everyone what to do, when to do it and how to do it and then still grumbling it wouldn't be right!" Catherine said.
"She'd be mighty proud of you though, what you've become," Mary went on, "mighty proud."
"Alright, that's enough!" Catherine shook her hands to stop herself from really crying, "I didn't come here to cry, I came here to try on my wedding dress!"
"Which normally leads to tears anyway so..." Mary shrugged her shoulders.
Both women walked out to the service counter of the boutique store, Catherine's gaze falling on a display of brand new fabrics.
"Fresh in from Paris," Mary said as she noticed what had captured Catherine's attention, "anything tickle your fancy?"
Catherine looked over them before one caught her eye.
"This one," she said as she delicately ran her fingers over the dark green material, "this would make a beautiful suit..."
Mary picked the roll of material up and placed it on the counter.
"What are you..." Catherine began to question before Mary held her hand up to her.
"Consider it a wedding gift," she said, "when you and that handsome young husband of yours go off on your honeymoon, you need to be leaving in something spectacular!"
Catherine giggled at the over the top hand gestures from the older woman.
"You're too kind to me Mary," Catherine smiled.
"Nonsense," she replied, "now off with you, your father will be waiting to see you I'm sure," she smiled fondly.
"Thank you again Mary," she said, "I'll pop in next week and I'll bring the veil with me."
"You see that you do dear," she replied as Catherine opened the shop door.
"Bye Mary," she said.
"Bye dear," Mary replied as Catherine walked out and closed the door behind her, enjoying the sun's warmth as she made her way down the street.
She followed the cobblestone road, smiling at people as she passed them by until she made it to the bakery, purchasing pies and tarts before continuing on her way.
Catherine entered the old bluestone building, nodding hello to several staff as she made her way to her father's office.
She stopped at his door and knocked, waiting for him to reply before entering.
"Father!" she smiled at him as he stood from behind his desk and moved around to greet his daughter in a hug.
"Darling, how was the fitting?" he asked as he held out a chair for Catherine to sit down on, taking the parcel from the bakery out of her hand and placing it on his desk.
He took out two glasses from the cabinet behind him, pouring Catherine a water and himself some vodka, not even bothering with some ice.
It had already been a long day.
"Splendid," she replied, "and Mary had the most exquisite material just in from Paris and she's going to make me a special outfit for the honeymoon!" she exclaimed in excitement, "she wants to see me again next week and I promised I'd bring mother's veil," she paused, "I'd like to wear it for the ceremony..."
Henry leaned back on his chair and regarded his daughter for a moment, the memory of his late wife on their wedding day.
"Remind me to fetch it for you when I arrive home tonight," he said fondly, "I don't want you rummaging through that dusty attic..."
"Oh thank you father!" Catherine replied, beaming at him, "but please don't cry, you'll make your pie all soggy!"
He chuckled as he wiped away the lone tear, reaching out for a pie and taking a bite, Catherine doing the same.
"Thomas is joining us for dinner tonight I believe?" Henry asked before taking another bite.
Catherine set her tart down and wiped at her mouth with a napkin.
"He is," she nodded in agreement, "he said he wished to-"
Catherine stopped talking as loud shouts were suddenly heard from outside the door and several gunshots fired.
Both Henry and Catherine stood from their seats, Henry moving swiftly to grab Catherine and pushing her towards the window to escape.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you good sir," a voice sounded from behind them.
Henry shielded his daughter in front of him as they both turned just enough to see six men standing in his office.
Given their appearance, Catherine knew exactly who they were.
Pirates.
And with pirates...
Well it was usually never good.
However these pirates seemed a bit...
Different.
Their attire was much cleaner and they looked more put together.
And there were ruffles.
Lots of ruffles.
And pussy bows.
Catherine wasn't sure if that was normal pirate attire.
"What do you want?" Henry asked with as much authority as he could muster, rousing Catherine from her fashion assessment of the group.
"My men," the man standing in front replied, his long dark curls bouncing over his shoulder as he held his head high.
"Your men?" Henry replied.
"Yes," the leader took a couple of steps forward, "begging your pardon, allow me to introduce myself," he bowed ostentatiously, "the name's Calico...Captain Edward Calico."
Catherine let out a snort at the name before her eyes widened in fear as the pirate turned his attention to her.
"Something amusing to you young lady?" he asked, a smirk on his face.
"I...uh..." she stuttered.
"Leave her be!" Henry intervened but no sooner had he spoken than he was roughly pulled apart from Catherine and sat in his chair, a pirate on either side of him, preventing him from standing.
Calico took another step towards Catherine, causing her to find herself with her back pressed against the wall.
She was quite sure that this was how she was going to die.
Pirates did nothing but rape and pillage from what she had read...uh...heard.
"You were saying, milady?" Calico gestured for Catherine to finish answering.
"Um...don't pirates usually have a colour in their name? Like Blackbeard or Yellowbeard? Calico is just so...plain..." she trailed off.
Calico looked at her for a moment before he tipped his head back and laughed.
"I like you," he said, pointing his sword at her, "and to answer your question, I chose Calico because I believe we're all a blank canvas waiting to be painted, and I've yet to be painted...I've yet to find that one thing or that one person to colour my world," he replied with an air of nobility.
"I thought you called yourself Calico because you thought a pirate name like those was too cliché?" one of pirates said.
"And you's also said that calling yourself Capt'n Rainbow wouldn't scare the heebee geebees out of anyone!" another piped up.
Calico rolled his eyes and turned around to glare at the pirates, who visibly shrunk under his cold gaze.
"Well I think that just sounds lovely!" Catherine replied, trying to ease the tension.
"Even she gets it," he gestured, "anyway, back to business now that the formalities are over," he turned his attention to Henry, "as I was saying, you have a few of my men in your cells, I'd like them back please...pip pip!"
Henry glared up at Calico.
"I do not release thieves and murderers," he snapped, "and you're a fool if you think you can just waltz in here and make such demands of me!"
Calico smirked as he picked up Catherine's glass and sniffed at it before sipping it, his nose wrinkling when he realised it was water.
He made a face as he placed it back down and picked up Henry's glass, smiling as he recognised the aroma of the vodka.
"Straight?" he asked as he held it to his lips and took a sip.
"Well it wouldn't be gay would it?" one of the pirates rolled his eyes, "what?" he said as everyone looked at him, "well it's not like vodka's straight or gay is it now?"
Calico finished off the drink and set the empty glass down on the table before pressing a couple of fingers to his temples to gather himself.
"Shall we bargain?" he finally said, cocking his head to the side as he waited for Henry's response.
"You have nothing to bargain with, therefore I shall not," he replied.
"Are you quite sure about that?" Calico responded, his eyes moving to Catherine.
"You leave her be, she has nothing to do with this!" Henry roared but it was too late.
Two more pirates grabbed Catherine, one with a gun to her head and another a sword pointed to her chin.
"I'll ask you again Governor, are you sure about that?" Calico repeated himself.
Henry's gaze shifted from Catherine.
"Yes...quite sure, I don't bargain," he repeated.
Catherine's eyes widened at her father's words.
"Father!" she cried out, "what are you saying?"
"You would not exchange your daughter's life for a few measly men?" Calico asked, confused that the Governor did not seem to care to save her.
"I do not bargain with people like you," he spat, "I never have and I never will!"
Surprise spread over Calico's face as he nodded that he understood.
"Very well, you leave me no choice then," he gestured to the men next to Henry, one of them hitting him on the back of his head with his pistol, knocking him out cold.
"Oh my god, no!" Catherine began to scream as a handkerchief was placed over her mouth and moments later she ceased struggling.
A large bag was placed over her, concealing her as one of the pirates slung her over his shoulder and they made their way out of the office.
Calico looked at the body slumped over the desk and again wondered why he did not fight for his daughter, deciding they were indeed, very different men.
He wondered whose morals were in question at that moment.
Calico took hold of the quill on the desk and quickly scribbled out a note for the Governor to read when he awoke before also leaving to follow his men.
The pirates made quick work of heading to the docks through the back alleyways, swiftly dodging the police that were headed for the cells after hearing the gunshots as they stayed hidden in the shadows.
Their crew were waiting on board and as soon as one of the pirates from the group went ahead to give the signal, they immediately began to ready themselves to set sail.
Once the group had walked up the gangplank, the sails were lowered, the anchor hoisted up and the ship began to slowly set sail.
"Take her down to my quarters, and she is not to be meddled with, am I clear?" he stared at all the men on board his ship, "if I find out that any of you have harmed a hair on her head, I will slit your throat myself."
Many of the men swallowed nervously and looked at the deck, valuing their life too much to lose it over some pretty girl.
He nodded at the pirate carrying Catherine to take her down.
"Make sure you take the bag off her before you leave," he said, knowing this particular crew member was trustworthy to be left alone with her.
As wicked as he was, he only wanted his men released.
He did not want any harm to befall the young girl, she was simply a means to an end and he wanted to deliver her safely home again once his demand was met.
"Alright men, let's take the ship out for a little sail, shall we?" the men answered with a chorus of agreement and all moved to their stations.
Calico looked out to the ocean, taking hold of an offered spyglass which he held up to his eye.
"That way," he said, seeing an island in the distance and pointing, "let's set sail lads.
"Aye Captain!" they chorused and Calico soon felt the breeze in his air as his ship started to set sail.