Chapter seven

"You haven't any idea what she's gone through, fiica."

"And you think you do?"

Estrella threw her arms in the air. "I know my daughter better that you do!"

"She's not the same little girl you tossed away!"

"Actually, neither of you know Luna."

The bickering duo looked over to where the Admiral stood in the doorway.

"And you do?" Estrella asked.

"I know her well enough," James begins as he starts towards them, "to know that she's doing everything she can to keep you guys from hanging while protecting the rest of her family form being caught."

"What other family? We are here."

James raised an eye brow. "Do you really think she doesn't consider those aboard the Black Pearl her family?"

"How could she? They did not raise her!" Estrella argued.


"Didn't they? Were you there when she ran away to work for the East India Trading Company?"

"Or better yet, were you there when she was pushed back into the life of piracy by the man she's currently marrying?"

The crowd looked to the stairs where Luna stood appalled.

"No? Why don't you ask her yourself?" Luna pressed her finger to her temple. "Oh, that's right! You're too busy talking about me!" She shook her head, her earrings jingling. "None of you have any idea what I have gone through."

With that, Luna turned and ran away.

"Now look what you've done!" Esmeralda snapped.


Luna stood on the battlement where just a year ago her Mistress's path had crossed her childhood friend's. It was amazing at how much had happened in that short time period.

"Missus Church, I'd appreciate it if you stepped back away from that wall."

Luna scoffed. "Don't worry, Admiral. I'm not in a corset."

James smiled and started walking up the stairs stopping halfway up. "I'm going to worry over you, corset or not."

Luna's stomach did a little flip a the simple sentence. "Yes, well, in a week you won't have to. Lord Beckett is expected to return on the Seventeenth."

James walked the remaining way and caught her eyes. "But I will," he responded.

Luna sighed and looked back out to sea. The sun was starting to set, casting orangey reds over the world. "James, have you heard of Văduva neagră?"

He raised his eyebrow as he studied the side of her face trying to hide behind white hair. "The Black Widow? Yes. Why?"

"The most feared woman in all the world. A pirate, whom put the stories of Blackbeard to shame. A woman of which so little is known about, named after a devilish creature." She chuckled. "Have you ever wondered what happened to her after she disappeared nigh on seven years ago? Or better yet, how she came to be?"

Curious, he answered slowly. "It's crossed my mind once or twice."

"She was nineteen when she first attacked the Duchess. She was vengeful. Her new husband had been killed by the King's navy, and her daughter kidnapped from right beneath her nose. She's never killed anything, let alone a person. Her morals had gone against it, though she was raised as a pirate. Her first kill was the captain." Luna winced at some forgotten memory. "She loved the thrill of it, so much so that she spent the next three years searching for it. It never came, least not like the first time. She woke up one morning, saw a ship on the horizon, and said "I give up." She couldn't do it anymore. So, her crew, the lovely bunch they were, set sail for Tortuga where the majority jumped, while she and a few of her more loyal crewmen sailed for some far off island where she began her life anew." Luna chuckled. "I used to tell that story to Miss Elizabeth quite often."

"It's quiet a story."

Luna gave a halfhearted shrug. "That's all it is now. A story."

"Do you think she's still there?"

Luna shook her head. "No. She's long gone."

James frowned. "I wouldn't be so sure."

"I'm standing here aren't I?"

James shook his head. "But you're not her, least not anymore." Luna turned to him in shock. "I knew who you were the moment I first saw you."

"You recognized me? And you didn't arrest me?"

"You gave me a look..."

"I gave you a look?"

"I can't really explain it. You were confidently scared, impressed by Turner's audacity..."

"So, you didn't arrest me because of a look I had?"

"Luna," he sighed. "I didn't arrest you because I was more worried about Elizabeth-"

"So because I had this look and you were worried about Elizabeth I wasn't arrested?"

"Partially." He turned out to sea and his eyes scanned the horizon. He was silent for a moment, a long moment, which Luna took to study him.

He looked nervous. Adding to the darting eyes was a taught jaw. Every so often his teeth would graze across his bottom lip which seemed fantastic to Luna. His hands clasped and unclasped behind his back and his body was angled slightly away from her.

"And the other reason?" Luna whispered. A clock tolled telling them it was seven. "I've been gone all day. Henrietta's bound to be worried about me..." She turned and was about to rush off when James caught her wrist.

"Luna, I, err, I overheard you and Henrietta talking the other day."

"About what?"

"I know it was you at the ball."

Luna didn't know what to say. She just bowed her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

Confused, the gypsy looked up and tilted her head to the side. James' eyes seemed to peer into hers as he inched forward.

"James," she breathed when his lips where inches from hers.

"I took my time courting Elizabeth for years. I only have a few months with you."

"I'm engaged."

"My point."

"James, we can't."

"Luna, I'm tired of being the playing piece."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry," she says, pushing away. Luna ran away holding back unnoticed tears. If she kissed him, she was done with, the curse had it's hold on her again and she wasn't going to let it her her perfectly fine friendship be ruined because of it.

She was nearly to her carriage when she was thrown up against the wall, her lips attacked.

"Sorry," James breathed as he backed away. "I just couldn't let you walk away."

Luna frowned at him. "Oh, James what have you done?"


A/n: Okay even I wasn't expecting Luna's reaction. But the ends justify the means, as always.

So what do you guys think? Are they going to work out? I mean, we all know that they'll get together. And what will Beckett's reaction to them be? Hmmm... I guess you'll just have to wait and see!

Thanks again to all my loyal reviewers! You know I love you!

Keep a weathered eye,
Lyra Raine Sparrow