In the Hands of Fate III: Secrets of the Heart
Chapter one

"Release my family!" Luna yelled as she followed Beckett to his study. "It's been two months!"

Beckett sighed as he sat behind his desk. "I'm not taking too kindly to your tone," he said calmly. "And our agreement was that I would release your family after we were married."

Luna threw her arm in the air, quite a feat with the dress she had on. "Then marry me! What must I do?"

Beckett looked up. "How do I know that you won't just go gallivanting off once I do release them?"

"You forbade me to go to the docks! I'm hardly allowed to leave the house except to visit my family in prison. And I only get to do that once in a full moon!" She crossed her arms and huffed. "Sunt un prizonier mine!"

"I'm sorry, darling, I don't understand you when speak whatever it is you speak when you're angry."

"Perhaps you should learn if we're to be married!"

He sighed heavily and walked to her. "Look at it this way. Once I get what I want, you get what you want. It's just good business."

"This isn't some business deal!" Luna screamed. "This is my life! My family's life!"

Beckett stared at her for a moment. "There is no need for all this hostility."

"What do you want from me?" she sneered again.

He quirked an eyebrow. "What do I want from you? Hmmm… I want a good Christian wife who knows how to hold her tongue and treat her husband with respect! I've arranged classes with an etiquette coach to help you arrange this."

"Wonderful!" She threw her hands up again. "So, not only am I forced to marry you, but I have to convert, and I have to relearn what I was forced to forget twenty years ago?" She chuckled humorously. "Must be my lucky day!"

Beckett forced himself to not roll his eyes at her antics. "You start tomorrow."

"Great." She turned on her heel. "I shall be in my room until dinner is served, if you need me before then, darling."

"One more thing!" Beckett called. Luna turned around annoyed but did not speak. "I'm setting sail in a week. I'll be away for near a month. I expect you to behave yourself."

"I'm not a child."

"Just the same, I'm leaving Admiral Norrington to watch after you."

Luna left the room mumbling about how she didn't need a babysitter.

"Hmmm…" the etiquette coach hummed as she circled Luna.

Lady Amelia Porter of Cheshire, England had arrived shortly after breakfast that morning. Not only did she have a superior attitude that Luna resented, but she forced Luna to stand with "perfect posture" for about an hour as she simply walked around.

"Stand straighter. Lift your chin. Mouth closed. Eyes forward."

"Yes, Lady Amelia," Luna said monotonously as she corrected herself. She'd been through a similar routine with her grandmother back in Romania and surprisingly she remembered it.

"Your corset needs to be tighter." Luna rolled her eyes at that one. "Less color around the eyes, and your hair should be up."

Luna was whisked away by Henrietta to her room to 'fix' the 'problems.'

"I swear, if I have to go through this all again…" Luna began.

"Again?" Henrietta wondered.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you tonight."

Luna's chaperone Charles helped her step down out of the carriage later that afternoon.

"Thank-you," she murmured.

Charles tipped his hat. He never spoke much, only when he was spoken to, and even then it was quite scarce to hear his accented voice. Luna was sure the accent he had was familiar but she hadn't heard it enough to be sure.

With that aside, Charles walked her over to where Admiral Norrington stood at the door to the jail.

"Thank-you, Charles," Norrington says. "I'll take her from here."

Again, wordlessly Charles tipped his hat.

James held out his arm for Luna to take. She took it graciously and leaned slightly into him. It was still rather hard for Luna to walk in the heeled shoe. She was awfully used to walking barefoot and wasn't quite reacquainted with the custom.

"You look dashing, Missus Church," he states.

Luna smiled and hid her blush behind her fan. "Thank-you. Beckett's hired an etiquette coach. He wants me to turn into the "Perfect Christian wife" before we wed."

Now that they were away from listening ears, James allowed a small smile. "I'm not entirely sure that will work."

Luna chuckled. "Actually, my grandmother taught me to act like the upper class when I was a very young girl. She seemed intent that I was to be the one to finally live the life that the women in my family deserved."

He looked at the girl inquisitively. "Not the men?"

"Not one son has been born to my family in four generations, I believe. And if you take account of the myth, which I don't, then it's five."

Norrington nodded in agreement. "And because of Romany tradition you can't exactly live your own lives."

Luna smiled broadly. "You remembered."

"Yes, of course." He stared ahead as they weaved through the battlement and to the prison.

"Pardon my inquiry, but is something bothering you?"

"Just a petty thought."

"I'll give you a penny," Luna offered.

James chuckled. "You have enough to worry about, Luna."

"And one more thing won't hurt. Come on; tell me what's weighing on your mind."

James shook his head causing Luna to roll her eyes.

"Fiică," Estrella's voice carries up to Luna, who immediately began running down the few remaining stairs and to her family's cell. They chatted for hours before the light outside began to tinge orange. Noticing this, Esmeralda rudely states that Luna must go before her 'beloved' fiancé starts worrying about how she's run away.

"Thank-you, for worrying yourself, Esmeralda," Luna says with a bright smile. "I'll be visiting more often, as long as Admiral Norrington allows me to. Cutler's setting sail for some reason. Do you think it's possible for me to?" She looked up at said man who had stood by the stairs at attention the entire time and batted her eyelashes.

"Of course Missus Church," James replied not bothering to look over at her.

Luna frowned. "As I was saying, I'll be around more often. But Esmeralda's right. I do have to go." She stood and met James at the stairs. "Shall we?" she asked.

Luna smiled and leaned into him, more out of comfort than the need for stability.

Biting her lip, she looked up at him. "Thank-you."

This caused James to stop and look to her. His emerald eyes met her moon colored ones and held. "For this," she waved her hand between them, "this little time we're alone. I get to be the real me, caught somewhere between upper class and pirate, and you let the rules of propriety slip. We both know that I really no longer need even the slightest help in walking, even though these shoes do pinch my feet terribly. Yet you still allow me to lean into you against your better judgment."

James sighed and continued walking. "It's come to my attention that you need this." Luna opened her mouth to oppose but he held his hand up. "No, let me finish. This is the only time you can let go of the stress of keeping up appearances. I'm sure your mother's noticed a change in you as well, yes? That is what you spoke of?"

Luna giggled. "Admiral! Spying have we?"

"My apologies, Missus Church. There isn't much to grab your attention down there."

Luna snickered and opened her fan. "Esmeralda seems to be taken by you," she nearly sneered.

James didn't miss the way her tone changed when she spoke of her sister. "Oh, yes. She's threatened me on numerous occasions."

"No!" Luna gasped. "Why didn't you say something before? I would've spoken to her. If only she knew how much you've helped."

By now they had reached the end of their walk and were now standing in front of Luna's carriage. James opened the door and helped Luna up.

"It's quite alright, Missus Church. I can handle it."

"Yes, I know. But-" He held his hand up to stop her protests. "Of course Admiral."

A/n: And thus begins the short lived but entirely way too long engagment between our dear Luna and horrid Beckett.

Sunt un prizonier mine - I'm a prisoner.
Fiică - Daughter.

Keep a weathered eye out.
Lyra Raine Sparrow