Chapter two

"I've been thinking," Beckett said one morning at breakfast. She'd been graced with the day off of her etiquette and French lessons (another one of Lord Beckett's ideas). Personally, she could live without knowing how to speak the language of the eunuchs. She could understand it as well as most languages.

Luna bit her tongue, restraining herself from saying the rude comment that was begging to be said. "Yes?"

"You've come quite a long way in these past few days, surprisingly."

Luna smiled at the compliment. "Well, my grandmother actually gave me etiquette lessons when I was younger."

"Perhaps I was wrong. You do have the making of a good Christian wife."

Luna sighed.

Beckett caught this and frowned. "Is there something the matter?" he wondered.

"Are you really planning on marrying me and releasing my family or is this just some ruse?" Luna asked a bit harshly. Beckett was quiet for a moment. She looked down. "Pardon my rudeness. If you'll excuse me, I have some things around the house to attend to." She stood from the table and walked out of the dining room and into the library where she began replacing some books she'd managed to read.

A soft knock on the door drew her attention away from the bookcase.

"Madam, Lord Beckett wishes for you to accompany him out for the day," Henrietta told her.

"It wouldn't be very wise if I said I was disinclined to acquiesce to his request, would it?" Luna asked as she put one last book away.

"Not at all, madam."

Luna sighed. "I suppose I'm off."

Henrietta handed her a few items. "Don't forget your hat and fan, madam. You never know."

"Yes, of course." Luna tied her hat on and made way to the awaiting carriage.

Luna stared out of the window and sighed as she watched the town pass by. "Might I inquire where we are going?"

Beckett smiled at her. "To the tailors. You still need a dress for the wedding, do you not?"

"So this isn't a ruse?"

"No, darling, it never was."

Beckett left the following day and Luna was free to do as she liked about the house, of course she only did so after her lessons and swearing the help into secrecy. This particular day, Luna stayed in the ballroom sitting at the piano that sat at the far end but she wasn't playing. Instead she sat with a guitar on her lap playing the same haunting memory over and over until she remembered the words to the lullaby her mother used to sing to her.

The echoing music and partially closed door muted the sound of the knocking at the front door.

"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said "I'll never let you go"
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said "Don't leave me here alone"
But all that's dead and gone and past tonight."

The door to the ballroom was pushed open and in stepped two persons. Both intruders paused at the hauntingly poignant sound of Luna's voice.

"Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound"

Luna's eyes were closed when she looked up from the floor. The flickering light from the plate of candles in front of her glittered on her wet lashes alerting them to the hidden tears. She was barely lit up by the candles making the already eerie song spookier.

"Don't you dare look out your window
Darling, everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold on to this lullaby
Even when the music's gone, gone

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Oooh, ooh, oh, oh
Oooh, ooh, oh, oh"

She opened her eyes but she didn't notice the people standing in the light from the bright open door way. She seemed to stare past them into the distance. Knowing nothing was behind them, the girl wondered where her mistress's thoughts were.

"Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh"

Luna blinked as she finished the song; the soft applause across the room brought her back to the present and away from the chilling, nightmarish thoughts tumbling around in her head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you come in," she apologized as she set her guitar down. Her cheeks were a dark pink thanks to all the make-up. "I was in my own world."

"No need to apologize," Admiral Norrington stated, smiling. "I enjoyed it."

Luna stood and opened a nearby curtain allowing the afternoon sun to shine through and hide her deepening blush. Henrietta blew out the candles and took the plate to put away back in Luna's room. Luna's mind raced as she tied the curtains back. She was running out of things to do and her face still felt like it was on fire.

"Might I ask where that song came from?" James asked his voice entirely too close for Luna's current liking. How had she not heard his footsteps?

"It was a lullaby my mother used to sing to me when I was much younger," she answered immediately. "She used to sing it to me every night."

James quirked an eyebrow and leaned against the piano. "Well, it's certainly… different."

Luna chuckled. "My mother believed that if she reminded me of the good waiting for us in the future then my troubles would disappear. I'll admit though, it did take some getting used to when Mirela accompanied her. The song itself isn't really as eerie as it sounded." She finally looked to him to see him smirking.

"What?"

"Has any one told you that you talk entirely way too much?" he wondered.

Luna frowned in thought. "Actually, I believe Lady Amelia said something to that effect just this morning."

He shrugged at her nonchalant comment. "I don't blame her."

Luna scoffed and picked up the fan that had been lying on the piano and swatted him playfully. "So why are you here?"

"Lady Amelia has her work cut out for her, I see." He smiled and stood straight. "I'm here to make sure you aren't planning on escaping."

Luna frowned. "I can assure you that hasn't passed my mind in quite a while." She sighed and sat down lifting the lid to view the ebony and ivory keys. She opened her journal and it fell to a page where two pieces of paper were shoved. She picked up the newer of the two and opened it. Her eyes flittered across the page and a small almost evil smile lit her face.

"Have I said something wrong?" James asked, not seeing the smile.

"Are you going to Lord Hemmingway's ball?" Luna wondered holding up the paper.

"Yes. Are you?"

"Uh, no, I'm not," she stated. "I'm not quite sure I can handle acting so pompous for so long."

James chuckled. The grandfather clock in the hall chimed two and they both frowned for entirely different reasons.

"Well, I must be off," the Admiral says.

Luna's frown deepened. "Won't you stay for tea?"

"I have some important things to attend to back at the fort."

"Please, I insist," Luna urged. She wished deeply that he would stay so that she could postpone her French lessons. She felt a familiar fiery warmth spread from her core to her finger tips and almost cried at the sensation. She really need to be careful with the word 'wish'.

"Perhaps one cup of tea won't hurt."

A/n: I've just remembered that it is International Talk Like A Pirate Day! An in honor of this wonderous holiday I am going to post this quaint little chapter.

I don't own anything except Luna Henrietta and Luna's family. The song it Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift. Just a fair warning magic and music are going to play a big part in this little story. However, Luna will never spell anyone (except for Beckett) on purpose. So keep that in mind.

I type all this as I whispered it to myself in a fairl good British accent that I can't seem to slip away from any more.

G'luck to ya!

Lyra Raine Sparrow