Saying Goodbye

Author's Note: Thanks to the select few who reviewed. Hopefully I'll get more? I had chapter two written already and couldn't help but put it up.

Chapter Two

"Horrible habit," she whispered to herself, squinting her eyes at her nails. She sat on a chair near a window, the natural sunlight cascading down on her. She brought her right index finger to her mouth and chewed away at her nail. "Disgusting habit."

"It certainly isn't the most attractive," a voice said behind her. Veronica nearly toppled over in her seat. She popped up and looked back. Hand on her heart, she was surprised to see him standing there, comfortable and calm.

"Jakub!" she yelled, gasping for breath. "I didn't hear you come in. You scared me half to death."

"So I did," he said, smirking. His hands were drawn behind his back, his posture stood tall.

Suddenly she remembered. She looked down at her thin nightgown that covered all the necessary parts; hell it even went past her ankles.

Still, it isn't proper.

"I'm hardly decent, Jakub! It isn't polite to barge into a room. Who knows what I could have been doing!"

"Like what? You two already enjoying marital rights?" Jakub asked, smirking. He walked over to the bench by the foot of the bed and sat down.

"That's not what I meant!" she scolded. She shuffled to her bed and wrapped her robe tightly around her form. "How is it out in the real world? I fear this is the room I'll stay in for the remainder of my life; the man hasn't let me out once!"

"I don't blame him. I wouldn't want you walking around either. You need rest. You look horrible," her brother added. "Why don't you take a nap?"

"Thanks, Jakub. That makes me feel much better," Veronica replied as she took a seat next to her brother. "Besides, it's too hot to sleep- much less do anything else."

"You'll soon get used to it," Jakub commented. Then all went silent. Veronica never had an amazing relationship with her brother. Come to think of it, she never had a good relationship with anyone in her family. "Sorry I couldn't make it in the morning." Jakub stood and strolled to the window.

"It's just fine," Veronica replied. "I'm used to it."

Jakub didn't respond but simply said, "At least he supplied you with a nice view. You can see the docks, ocean, everything from here."

"Yeah. Pretty nice," Veronica nodded. "Try looking at it for an hour or two then see how nice it is."

"Well, I'll be on my way," Jakub suddenly said, turning. "It's close to dinner time. I wouldn't want to make you late."

"Thank you for visiting me," she thanked, curtsying. "I was pretty lonely."

"Ah not for long, my dear baby sister," Jakub teased. "Soon you're going to be a married woman."

Don't remind me.

Her brother then took his leave, but someone else quickly came in.

"Good day, Lady Sharp," a big woman said, carrying a dress. She was at least three times Veronica's size. "I'm going to be your personal maid. Now we must get ready for dinner."

"Forgive me," Veronica said, tilting her mouth in false disappointment. "I'm not feeling hungry. The ride on the ship woke my stomach to a frenzy. I don't think I could even bare to see food."

"Nonsense," the maid said, setting the dress on the bed. "You need some more meat on those bones. Plus, Lord Beckett mentioned that you might say that. He has ordered you to come in any case."

"Ordered?" Veronica sighed to herself. "What have a become? A fiancé or a dog?"

She stared at herself in the mirror. She had worn these dresses before, her hair had been done like this in the past, but for some reason, she looked different. Her white porcelain skin glowed as she neared the mirror. She stared into her deep blue eyes. She tried to move closer, however, this was mission impossible with the dress she was currently in.

She backed away from the mirror and looked out the window. It was already sunset. She longed to watch, but it was time for dinner. And 'Lord Beckett would be most infuriated if Lady Sharp was a second too late' as her maid had bluntly put it.

A butler showed Veronica the way to the dining room and she grew more nervous with each step. Never slurp soup, keep the crunching to minimum when eating salad, and never take more on your fork than you can bite...She said all the rules in her head.

Veronica was seated next to the head of the table. This certainly was something new. Usually she was seated at least two seats from the head. She felt proud, but at the same time lousy. She wanted that privilege marrying someone she actually loved.

Lord Beckett finally arrived through the doors. Veronica stood as he entered and watched him as he walked around to her.

"Lord Beckett," Veronica greeted as she curtsied.

"We will be the only one's dining tonight," he informed. "You may call me Cutler. I wanted to make sure we had some time to spend together- alone."

Veronica smiled impatiently as Cutler pulled back her chair and seated her, and then took his own seat. He casually took his napkin and placed it upon his lap, as did Veronica. Soup was served first and Veronica greedily eyed the tantalizing cream of potato. She waited for Cutler to start, but he never did.

"Veronica," he said, the corner of his mouth twitching to a grin. "Your room is to your liking?"

Veronica shifted in her seat. "Yes. The view is fantastic, Lord Beckett."

"I told you to call me by my given name," he reminded. He reached down for his spoon, but then stopped. Veronica huffed. "The view, you say? Do you find the ocean appealing?"

"Yes. It's simply beautiful," she truthfully said. "And so vast. It almost makes me dizzy thinking about how far it goes."

"Well, you've traveled across it haven't you?" he teased, finally reaching down for his spoon.

"Yes. I'm so surprised," she said, chuckling. "I'm horrible with the rocking and what not but I love to look down at the waves splashing. Maybe one day I'll learn to tolerate the motions."

"Ah yes," Lord Beckett said. "I'll have to make sure to take you on some trips then." He finally started to eat. "But if you like views, you must see the one from my own personal bed chamber. It's to die for."

"I would like that very much, Lor- Cutler," Veronica said, the name new to her. "Cutler, I would enjoy that." She smiled as the lie spilled out. She gracefully lifted her spoon and dipped it into her thick soup.

"I understand that your brother gave you a visit today," Cutler said, leaning back in his seat, his elbow rested on the arm of the wooden chair.

"Correct," Veronica replied. "I really liked seeing him. One forgets what a sibling looks like after a couple years; I hardly recognized him."

"Your brother is a fine man indeed," Cutler said. "One of my favorite employees actually. Clean. Obedient. Mannered. I should hope the same from you."

"And I should hope I may deliver, Cutler," Veronica snapped back. "It would be most horrible if I could not live up to your high expectations."

"Do not get fresh, girl," Cutler warned. "I do not fool around with my things. And that includes my wife."

"I'm honored to be one of your things," Veronica said sarcastically. "Tell me, Cutler, am I before or after your powdered wig?"

"It's Lord Beckett… actually," Cutler responded.

"Actually, I forgot when I cared," Veronica hissed, but then quickly covered her mouth in shock. Had she just said that? She looked to Cutler with a remorseful face. He narrowed his eyes at her. "May I be excused, Lord Beckett?" Veronica whispered, already getting up.

"No, I am dismissing you," he replied, taking his napkin from his lap and throwing it onto the table. "Such a shame that our lovely dinner was cut short. Charles, please remove this woman and bring her to her room."

"W-what?" Veronica asked as a butler came up to her and gently took hold of her arm.

"This way, Lady Sharp," the butler said, monotonously.

"I cannot believe the nerve of that man!" Veronica yelled to no one in particular. She was yet again stranded in her room. The curtains blew in the breeze and the bright moonlight poured in.

She struggled to find her way out of her enormous dress and into her nightgown, accidentally ripping part of the dress.

Oh this is grand!

She left the dress lying on the ground as she fell into her chair by the window. She crossed her arms angrily as her brow furrowed.

"I get all dressed, do my makeup, my hair, and how does he repay me? I didn't even take two bites of my soup!" She shook her head angrily. "'Come see my view, Veronica. It's to die for.' Well, FYI: I'd rather die than walk into your room."

This sprang new thoughts. She stopped talking and let her arms fall to her sides. Going into his room. She knew it was going to happen eventually. She would have to go into his room, his bed. She was, after all, going to be his wife. She shook the thoughts from her head. She wished she had someone to go to.

I'll surely go crazy all by my lonesome!

Her brother was no use, neither was her father. And what could she talk about with Beckett? She huffed. She was alone in this. Alone from the start. Alone in the end.

She sat up and looked intently out the window. She gazed at a rather large ship, the light in the lamps still lit. She strained to see anyone on the ship and noticed the commodore. Why couldn't her fiancé be more like him? He at least was a gentleman and seemed caring…enough. Or maybe he just seemed caring. After all, the first time she saw her husband-to-be he seemed like a pleasant man. She found that that certainly wasn't the truth.

She sniffled and brought her hands to her face. Was she crying? She wiped the salty tears off her cheeks and looked at her moist fingertips.

"I take it we understand what happens when we step out of line?"

She turned her head and looked at the figure. Cutler Beckett took a seat on the bench at the foot of her bed and motioned for her to sit down. Surprising both him and her, she trudged over to the bench willingly and sat down next to him.

She couldn't control her emotions any longer. She gathered her head in her hands and continued to sob. She felt his arm snake around her waist and pull her into an embrace.

"There, there. Marriage is a difficult thing to get used to. I understand," Cutler soothed as he stroked her hair. "We must learn to take our place in this world. And your place happens to be as my wife and you must dutifully respect that."

He lifted her head by placing his finger under her chin. She nodded and sniffled.

"You must understand that I'm only here to protect you. As my wife, you will be expected to behave as one," he continued. "You're not just some whore from Tortuga. You're my fiancé and I expect nothing less."

Veronica didn't seem to care to say anything back. She had no idea what Tortuga was and she had no idea why she was being so rude.

I am his fiance after all. Right?

He took her into his arms once more to comfort her. And she allowed him.