1 Chapter One

I wake from yet another nightmare to be covered in sweat and a scream on my lips. It's the same dream I have every night ever since my parents died. I always dread going to sleep, and have lost hope in having a peaceful night to rest. The nightmare plays on a constant loop until I finally lost my mind and happen to wake up. I always see my mother and father smiling at me from afar, but as I get closer to them their smiles start to fade. They turn pale and bruised. Then the blood starts to gush from their bodies. I always start to run towards them at the sight of all the blood, but I know I can do absolutely nothing as I watch the die in front of me. Again and again they die over and over.

Slowly I move my stiff muscles out of my makeshift bed and start to get dressed. I peel of my sweaty shirt and trousers and put on a fresh pair. I try my best to arrange my hair neatly and decide to tie it up instead. Eventually I leave my quarters and head on deck to find my first mate. I find her leaning against the railing staring at the empty blue horizon. "Did you eat already?" I ask her wondering if I'd be able to stomach anything yet. "No. Not yet," she responds without looking at me. Verra has been by my side since I could remember. When I asked her to join my crew she had said that she'd do it on one condition: if I made her my first mate. I trusted Verra with my life and she trusted me with hers. We were like sisters growing up and we've never left each other's side. "What's our heading Captain?" she asked skeptically. She knew that I didn't have a heading, yet she asked just to keep me on my toes. "We do need some supplies from the market. Can you check our storage containers and make a list of supplies for me Vee?" I said with a flat tone. Clearly I was too tired already.

"Captain Jasmine, we've arrived!" my second yelled from on deck. Once we made it to the port my crew became ecstatic as they saw the numerous carts of food and delicacies of the market. I always loved visiting the Eastern Isles, mostly because of their bountiful markets, but also because of the beautiful animals they shifted to. On the Eastern Isles the people could shift into foxes and varying cats. Usually only the nobles wore their shifts around in public, but only to show that they were more powerful. They usually took the form of an elegant tiger or a strong lion.

My family had found Verra on a slave ship heading away from her home, the Eastern Isles. My family had made sure that every crew member received punishment and imprisonment for their crimes. We sent all the slaves free and sent them home with food, clothes, and jewels. All except for Verra who couldn't remember where she was from. She was five at the time and I was three. From then on, we let her live with us in the mighty castle. My parents the King and Queen had let her stay with us in the hopes that I would no longer be the lonely princess. She had grown to be my older sister and I cherished being around her.

Every now and then she would try to teach me how to shift. Her shift was of a beautiful fox with her same piercing blue eyes and her white golden hair. I on the other hand couldn't manage to shift into anything, and the frustration eventually led me into giving up on my gifts. As a royal, and the princess, I had the power to shift into anything. The black swirls and markings in another language that covered the right side of my face and arms is what gave me away as a member of the royal family. So I always wore my hood and cloak whenever we went on land, and tried to keep my distance from people.

"Jasmine come on! Are you waiting for something?" Verra yelled. I shook my head and regained my thoughts. "No. Just your slow butt to catch up!" I retorted and ran past her towards the market. Once we made it to the central part of the market I was instantly overcome by all the sounds and smells of the beautiful stalls. They had everything in the market, from exotic clothes to fancy deserts. I noticed Verra eyeing one of the more simple jewelry carts and walked up to her to see what had caught her eye. She had always had better taste than me and often Verra had shared some of her things with me. Verra was looking at an extravagant golden hair piece that was the shape of a poised fox. "How beautiful" I whispered. She must not have heard me approach because she jumped and turned around to see me. "Why did you scare me like that Jaz?" she asked as I laughed. She knew that I hated my full name and only called me Jasmine around my crew, but when it was just me and her she would call me Jaz and I'd call her Vee. We came up with the nicknames when we were little, they helped me feel less royal and it made us feel like we were just two common girls.

She just sighed and said "Come on silly let's go find some food. You look like you're starving". It was true, and as we approached the stalls filled to the brim with delicious food, my hunger intensified tenfold. I gobbled down everything I could, and after we were done we made sure to grab even more food for rations. After that I snuck off away from Verra and bought the hairpin she had stared at. She hated when I bought her things, but I still did it anyways. I also bought some more clothes and linens so I could patch up some old trousers. Verra always complained that I should act more like a royal, or at least dress like one, but I always refused. I wanted to dress like my crew and make them feel comfortable by keeping myself at their level.

I noticed my appearance in the mirror of a jewelry stall as I passed it. I had lost weight from being on the sea, and it had become noticeable by the dark hollows of my cheeks. I still had the same reddish brown hair like my mother and the same piercing golden eyes like my father. My skin had tanned from being out in the sun every day, but my face seemed pale from the lack of sleep. I took note of my appearance and continued on to find Verra.

I found her sitting by the port, eating yet again. "I caught word that your Uncle is considering going to war with a neighboring kingdom" she said without looking at me. I sat down beside her with a sigh "he's too greedy". After my parents died my Uncle had taken the throne. He had told the council that I was still too young to rule and that I was reckless. It was true that I was still only 17, but not for much longer. I'll be turning 18 in a couple months, and then I will have to approach the council to prove that I am a worthy ruler. The main problem with that is that they don't want me to rule. They like the fact that my Uncle is greedy and powerful. Nevertheless I must plead for my right as the rightful heir to the throne, for the sake of my parents and my people.