Chapter twelve

"Why?"

Beckett looked up from the paper work on his desk. "Pardon?"

"Why?" Luna asked again her voice harsher.

"Why what?"

"Why are you forcing me to marry you?"

"I think you know exactly why," he countered turning back to his work.

"Obviously, I'm dafter than Jack because I have no idea."

Beckett looked up and smiled at her. "Don't think so hard and it'll come to you."

Luna frowned and ran through a list of things that could possibly be the reason but none came. Except… "You know." Luna groaned and sat down.

"Know what, exactly?"

Luna glared at him, her silver eyes piercing. "Oh, please. Don't be stupid. You know who I am, what I am."

"Luna Church, widow of a pirate and my fiancée," he answered with a smirk.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it." Standing, she daintily placed her hands on his desk and leaned forward. "You know I'm Parvati. The Goddess of Fate."

Beckett chuckled and raised, applauding her revelation. "You are a brilliant one. I'll admit I wasn't completely taken when I heard your description from you messenger all those years ago." He shrugged as he circled her. "Just a coincidence. But then the rumors spread like wildfire; Văduva neagră of the Gypsy Curse puts her victims in a trance, has them do as she says wipes them clean of everything, including their blood to stain her sails, before sinking their vessel and everyone with it. Oh, but she leaves one survivor which she maroons on an island. Rumrunner's Isle, wasn't it? The same little plot of land your precious Jack was left?"

"And this leads you to thinking I was a mythical being?"

He chuckled darkly. "Oh, no, not at all. I had my doubts still, but it was promising. It wasn't until this last little adventure with Sparrow was I convinced. No one of your physique," he gestured to her small slender body, "should be able to face Davy Jones' pet and live, at least not without divine intervention. But you did, as well as your closest friends, correct?"

Luna squinted at him. "It's coincidence only. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Jack...and Elizabeth," she sneered. "But I still fail to see why you want to marry me."

"You know better than me that everything happens for a reason. Every piece falls together in the end. And you have control over what piece goes where."

"So this is another power escapade? Controlling nearly all the world's trade and the sea isn't enough for you?" she growls. "Now you want to take away the free will of people?"

Beckett shook his head. "Now, darling, free will isn't all that free, now is it? There is a price we must pay for every decision we make. Just because it ends up right in the end, doesn't mean there isn't a heavy burden to bear. You should know this to be true." He leaned up against his desk next to her.

"Why?" she begs. "Why must you do this? What do you gain? What price do you pay?"

Beckett opened his mouth to answer but Luna holds up her finger.

"No. You know what? Let me set something straight, you malodorous, insufferable, mangy bilge rat. The only reason my family is still in jail and you're not dead is because I'm a pirate. No amount of etiquette lessons is going to change that. As you know, pirates are always after the biggest treasure and right now that's your fortune. Trust me, we will marry and you will die." She pressed her finger to the hollow of his throat and he froze, unable to move. She'd paralyzed him. He began to slink to the floor. Luna helped him. She held up her fist, palm up, and slowly opened her hand to reveal a large black spider. "Think of me as your black widow."

The spider jumped onto his shoulder and began crawling towards the hollow of his throat.

"Loving, and caring, and downright perfect until you give me what I want and then one night…" The spider pierced his throat and Luna picked her back up. "Now, now, darling," she cooed to the arachnid, "it's not time yet, soon though." She fisted her hand again and the spider disappeared. She pressed a healing finger to the bite. "Such an innocent way to die, don't you think? One tiny little bite from such a mysterious creature and death is certain. And yet there would be no proof that I killed you.

"Granted it's not my favorite death I've come up with, but it's the one that's left me out of pointing fingers. Perhaps, I might go with the original plan seen as that's the more fun out of them all." She shrugged as the clock chimed three. "Perhaps not. Now, I had a particularly wonderful experience earlier today, though it was cut short thanks to your want of me home soon. I truly do hope you're not jealous that I spend most of my time with Admiral Norrington, are you? Because that would way oh so much on my conscience.

"But you wouldn't tell me if it did, would you? Nor would say anything to James. As a matter of fact, you won't speak to anyone about my affair, or this conversation, right?" She felt the fiery magic begin to build in intensity as she continued to speak. She watched as his eyes followed her. He looked so helpless slouched against the desk. "No? That's what I thought. Of course, I can't just leave you like this, now can I?" She shook her head. "I'm afraid not. So here's what you're going to do. You will get up, return to your desk and continue to work. You will forget this entire conversation happened save for when you shut your eyes at night, in which you will have endless nightmares about this. Ones you can't wake up from, ones you can't stop."

She removed her finger and watched as his memory slipped and he looked up at her confused. "Oh, darling!" she voiced, her face schooled into a look of mock concern. "I came to tell you that I was back from my visit to my family when I found you passed out against your desk. What happened?"

He tilted his head in mystification. "I-I-I don't know…"

"Well, take it easy," she tells him with counterfeit unease. "I don't want to be a widow before I'm married."

The emphasized word did not go unnoticed and an involuntary shiver ran down Beckett's spine.

"Perhaps I should've stayed home today?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. I haven't been eating properly, that's all."

Luna smiled sadly. "All the more reason. Please, please, be more careful."

"Of course, darling."

Luna stood and helped him up. He stumbled to his desk and sat down. He looked so pale against the dark leather of his chair. Luna smiled sadly again. "I guess that's all I can ask for." She slowly left the room, an evil smirk playing on her lips.

"Oh, before I forget, love…"

Luna turned slowly. "Love?"

He shrugged. "It was used much like your dragi. Anyway, have Henrietta pack some of your favorite things."

"Pack?" Luna wondered.

"Yes, we're leaving for Georgia in a fortnight."

"Georgia? As in the colony?"

Beckett nodded. "I maintain a plantation there. It's all very beautiful, you'll love it."

"Oh, yes, of course." She turned around again and took a trancelike step.

"I'm hoping that you wouldn't mind having the wedding there…?"

Luna didn't say anything, nor did she make any kind of gesture towards him. She just walked away.

Plantations meant slaves. The last time she dealt with slaves she was nearly killed.


A/n: If you ever need a laugh, spend an hour with my sister and I sometime after 10 pm.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I certainly enjoyed writing it.

Love you guys deeply!

R&R!

Lyra Raine Sparrow