Brandy Erasmus Edwards, heralded as the Pirate Princess of the Caribbean, has sailed with her husband Captain John Edwards on the famed abolitionist ship the Morning Star for over a decade. Brandy owes much to her Shaolin Master Zhang Yong, who has trained her for years in the secret Kung Fu arts of his order and awarded her the prized Shaolin master's swords that distinguish her as a warrior of the highest ability and cunning.

It is 1854 and the tensions are running high in the Caribbean over the impending war brewing in the United States over slavery. Brandy and John have spearheaded some of the most successful abolitionist efforts in the area and have gained many enemies inside the United States and Great Britain.

Amidst all the turmoil is an attempted hostile takeover of the Edwards benefactor, Vice Admiral Arthur Joshua's family business, the largest shipyard, and weapons manufacturers in the world. The conspiracy to take over the shipyards goes all the way to the crown of England through Queen Victoria's husband and consort Prince Albert. His own cousin Lady Adriana Joshua, second wife to the chairman of the board and Arthur Joshua's older brother conspire to take over the business after Christopher's demise. Lord Alfred Frederick, grandson of King George 111, is a principal stockholder in Joshua Shipyards and confident of Prince Albert, stands to gain much after the company's founder Christopher Joshua dies suddenly. Queen Victoria's love for her favorite Vice Admiral, Arthur Joshua, inspires her to step in and block Prince Alberts and Lord Frederick's attempt to wrest the shipyards away from Joshua's family. But her efforts will be in vain if a viable heir to Joshua Shipyards does not present themselves before her within a year. Vice Admiral Joshua's failing health forbids him to take the long sea voyage from Kingston, Jamaica, to London. He has an heir but getting them to England could prove precarious. He turns to the crew of the Morning Star for help, which John and Brandy are eager to do, but they are also heavily involved with transporting runaway slaves from the coast of New Orleans. Because of a confrontation with an English Man of War off that coast, John and Brandy get separated and Brandy must gain other passage for her and the runaway slave children she is currently protecting.

Hidden inside all this intrigue is a person from Zhang Yong's past who could ruin everything for the crew of the Morning Star and cost Brandy her life. She is the infamous Pirate of the South China Sea of The Jaded Empress, and she is also the first student and niece of Zhang Yong. She stole the master's swords from her uncle before she earned them and abandoned him to seek another teacher, which she found in isles of Japan among the Hanzo Black Demond Clan of Ninja. Now she is hired by Lord Frederick to stop Admiral Joshua from sending an heir. While on the mission, it is revealed that Zhang found and trained another girl that rightfully gained the master swords, and she vows to kill her and take them for herself. Now the mistake Zhang has long left unattended needs to be resolved, and his finest student, The Pirate Princess of the Morning Star, may be the only one who can resolve it. After her children are kidnapped by the Jaded Empress and her husband John is captured, Brandy sails to Port La Plata, South America, where she confronts and defeats her in a spectacular duel.

Later Captain John Edwards faces their enemies from the British Empire at sea in a pitched battle that ultimately allows him to arrest the nobleman who orchestrated everything. He and Brandy then bring him to London, England, where he and his cohorts must face Queen Victoria's justice. During the Visit Brandy is knighted by the Queen and proclaimed Brandy, Dame of the Caribbean.