Our story starts with the ruthless pirate, the Chavalier de Grammont. At the end of August, 1685, Grammont had taken the port of Campache, and demanded a ransom from the Governor or else the town would burn. The governor replied that the pirates could burn it down since the Spanish were rich enough to rebuild it.
In anger, Grammont paraded the Campache hostages to the main square and began hanging them one by one. A few prominent citizens, including the fair Astrea Valentine, begged Grammont to have mercy on the rest of the captives. In exchange these citizens would live the rest of their lives as slaves to him. Grammont agreed to their plea.
