Chapter thirteen
Beckett followed the music of the guitar as it floated through the house. His pace quickened when the voice joined in.
"Well I've been searching for something true
My heart says it must be you
I'd love to fall and see it through
But only if you told me to"
He found her in the library. Her back was to him as she leaned over her guitar. She must have changed after he dismissed her from his study earlier since she was no longer in her day dress but a dark purple and black gypsy outfit. It made her seem paler than usual and the top of a tattoo on her back stood out, the rest hidden behind the purple lace top. He'd never noticed it before. Then again, he'd never seen her bare back.
"Well I'd run through the desert, I'd walk through the rain
Get you into trouble, and take all the blame
I'd paint you a picture, write you a song
And I'd do it all over if I did it all wrong"
Quietly he snuck into the room and sat behind the desk to the left of her. She had a marvelous voice, he'd give her that. And her playing was exceptional. But he wasn't so sure about her unconventional music.
"I don't wanna steal you away
Or make you change the things that you believe
I just wanna drink from the words you say
And be everything you need
Yeah I could be so good at loving you
But only if you told me to
I've seen a lot of good love go to waste
And I don't wanna look back on these days
Knowing all the things you'd never know
If I never said a word and let you go"
She brushed her white hair behind her ear allowing him sight of her purple-shadowed, icy eyes and black painted lips. Though the makeup shocked him, it didn't deter her beauty like one would think, nor did it enhance it.
"I don't wanna steal you away
Or make you change the things that you believe
I just wanna drink from the words you say
And be everything you need
Yeah I could be so good at loving you
But only if you told me to (yeah)
I don't wanna steal you away
Or make you change the things that you believe
I just wanna drink from the words you say
And be everything you need
Yeah I could be so good at loving you
But only if you told me to"
Luna looked up at him and smiled.
"Maybe this is something I'll never be
But I'll be right here till you tell me"
He smiled back at her. "Beautiful."
"Thanks, but what did you think of the song?"
"I was speaking of the song. The way you look however…" His smile faded but he still seemed happy. "You're pretty as always."
Luna's smile dropped as well and she rolled her eyes. "If you don't like it, just say so."
"Does my opinion matter?"
"Of course."
"You're always stunning, darling. This look just shocked me." He stood and waltzed over to a nearby bookcase. "With the amount of time you spend in here I would've thought that you had found these by now." He pulled two brown paper wrapped items from the case.
"Found what?" She placed her guitar against the desk and walked around to him. "What are they?"
He hand them to her with a smile. "Open them."
She opened the first one and smiled. It was a leather-bound journal. The cover had an engraving of an oak tree on it. She opened the cover to find and inscription in Beckett's surprisingly attractive writing.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgment taste;
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste
Her favorite quote from her favorite play. "It's beautiful. I love it. Thanks."
The second one, which was considerably smaller than the other, was opened and her smile broadened. "It's A Midsummer Night's Dream. My favorite Shakespearean play. How did you know?"
Beckett grinned. "I know it can't compare to the one your mother gave you, sentimental and everything, but I thought you might like a first edition."
"First edition?" she asked as she examined it closer.
"Happy Birthday, darling," he says right before he erupts into a loud, hacking cough.
Luna frowned and placed the back of her hand on his forehead. "I told you you should have let me take a look at you. Now not only do you have a cough but you have a fever."
"I'm -cough- fine," Beckett argued.
"No, you are not, carissimi, now you can either march up into bed so I can take care of you or you can continue being stubborn until you end up bed ridden with Scarlet Fever."
"I'm fine," he argued.
Luna sighed. "Încăpățânat." She yawned and gathered her things. "I'm too tired to bicker with you. Do as you may, dargul meu. I'm going for a nap. Wake me when supper is ready."
"Of course, darling."
Luna smiled and left the room.
Luna was running, just running. She knew she was running from something, something terrible and evil but what exactly she didn't know, nor did she want to stop and ask questions. She did know, however, that she was scared for her life. She had a strange sense of déjà vu.
The hard packed earth of the forest floor beneath her bare feet was interspersed with sticks and stones and broken glass. It all cut into her feet and a shadow of bloodied footprints trailed behind her on the shabby path. Branches reached out and pulled at her hair and clothes, slowing her down infinitely.
Disembodied voices called her name and whispered intangible surreptitious phrases. Luna shivered as the ethereal expressions were joined by the faint, hauntingly familiar, melodic sound of a jingling wind chime. The noise sent a frisson down her spine as she picture the glass chime that used to hang in the window of her child hood home. Her fear was worsened when she finally made out what the voices said, or rather sang:
Run, run, run away;
Buy yourself another day.
A cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear
so low only you can hear.
A frigid wind blew and thunder crackled ahead. The thin fabric of her clothes proving to be no savior from the wind. Her head scarf snagged on a outreaching branch and was pulled off, allowing her tresses to flutter in front of her face. Part of her wanted to stop and grab the scarf, the blue piece of silk being one of her favorites, but the overwhelming feeling of imminent danger won out and she continued to sprint. Rain whipped at her face, peppering her with little cuts as if it was raining tiny shards of glass.
Run, run, run and hide
somewhere no one else can find.
Tall trees bend their leaves pointing where to go
where you will still be all alone.
With the dusk upon her, the small footpath and surrounding trees seemed to converge into a never-ending tunnel, leading her deeper into the misty forest. The footfalls echoing around her caused her to exert herself further. The footsteps she's hearing could just be hers echoing in the near quiet forest, but she didn't stop to find out.
Don't you fret, my dear.
It'll all be over soon.
I'll be waiting here for you.
The last rays of the sunset disappeared behind the horizon that was just visible through the thick forest. Thunder grumbles again causing Luna to stumble. She scrapes up her palms, knees and the tops of her feet on the glassy ground and her skirt is torn. Something behind her causes her to jump back up and continue running as swift as possible. Her lungs are nothing but a burning ache in her chest. The heart-shaped scar on her stomach stung.
Run fast as you can.
No one has to understand.
Fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come.
Fall back down to where you're from.
Her skirt caught on a low bush as she tripped over a fallen tree and tumbled over a cliff into dark, murky water below. She landed in the water on her back which knocked the wind out of her. Before she had a chance to catch her breath a wave crashed over her knocking the remaining breath from her lungs. Her entire body feels as if it's on fire, each little cut a flame of its own, itching and irritating.
Don't you fret, my dear.
It'll all be over soon.
I'll be waiting here for you
For you, for you
She struggles to keep her head above water but the rough, angry sea overpowers her easily. She's stubborn though and manages to keep her head above for just long enough to catch her breath and watch as snow begins to fall. Each little flake has a dance of its own. They flitted down without a care in the world, covering the world in a white fluffy blanket. Something wraps around Luna's arms and legs and pulls her under the water.
Don't you fret, my dear
(Don't you fret, my dear)
It'll all be over soon
(It'll all be over soon)
I'll be waiting here
Whatever has a hold of her is slimy and burns her skin. It wraps around her stomach and neck and yanks her down deeper. The saltwater burns her eyes and her throat as she tries to breathe in. The restricting binds tighten, cutting deep gashes in her near flawless olive skin. As the water is tinged red, the edges of her vision blur and darken till there's nothing but black.
Don't you fret, my dear
It'll be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
The sounds of the ocean fade into nothingness. Tiny silver lights appear as the binds release her. As soon as she's liberated, Luna struggles to stand up. She glances around to figure out where she is. But the view is the same in all directions. It's as if she's floating in the night sky, cut off from the world.
For you, For you
Run, run, run away
The whisper comes from behind her and with a brief glance, she sees a cloaked figure as dark as the air around him. For a millisecond, Luna's frozen. The figure moves to grab her and she takes off.
Run, run, run away
This time the voice is no longer hollow, and ghostly. No, it was real and right in front of her. She wants to scream out for help but her voice is lost. The wind chimes ring as the figure reveals a silver dagger and jumps on her, the cloak falling away to reveal a sinister looking Lord Cutler Beckett.
"NOOO!"
A gentle shaking of her shoulder pulled her to the surface.
"Love?"
Luna's eyes fluttered open at the voice. "Jack?"
"You dozed off, love."
"Oh." She looked around and found herself on a beach, or more specifically lying on Jack's chest as he lie on the beach. "Oh!" She blushed. "Sorry."
He chuckled. "Love, stop apologizin'. I'm not that incompetent. The children are fine. They're with your mother."
"Children?"
Jack frowned. "Memory's still not back, eh?" He sighed and messed with the ring on her left hand. "So you don't remember the wedding?"
She looked to not her gaudy gold engagement ring but a beautiful ornate silver ring set with a moonstone. She didn't have much time to admire her ring for a small boy jumped on her lap.
"Mami!"
"Jamie! Stop jumping on mami!"
Luna looked from the strange boy to the white-haired girl walking towards her.
"Emmaleene?"
"Sorry, mami, Jamie noticed you were missing and insisted we look for you," she explained.
Luna looked to Jack for some sort of explanation.
Jack simply smiled. "Emma, take James and go find Bunică, please. Your mother and I will be home soon."
"You still don't remember do you, mami?" Emmaleene asked.
Luna smiled sadly and shook her head. "Îmi cer scuze, copila mea."
The child returned the smile and took her brother's hand. "Don't worry. Bampá, tha kánei ta pánta entáxei ."
"Bampá?" Luna asked as soon as her children were gone from view.
"Yes," Jack answered. "It's what Emma calls me."
"That's my Emmaleene."
"Yes."
"She was kidnapped."
"Yes.
"By who?"
"Aphrodite."
"James?"
"Our son?"
She shook her head. She'd already figured out that fact. "No."
"Norrington?"
"Yes."
"The good Admiral is retired and living somewhere in Georgia on his late wife's plantation."
"Late wife?"
"You."
"Me?"
Jack nodded. "You married him after Will killed Jones. Had a child. Marabella, I believe."
Luna frowned. "Henrietta?"
"Your maid friend married Norry. Looks after the girl as if she's her own. We visit every now and then."
"How am I his late wife?"
Jack sighed. "You "died" on a crossing from England."
Luna's mouth formed a little 'O' and she looked back to her hand. "What of Beckett?"
"Killed right after Will became captain of the Dutchman."
"I did marry him?"
Jack nodded once.
"I'm sorry I betrayed you."
"I forgave you a long time ago, love."
Luna smiled at her ring. "So we're married?"
"That, Mrs. Sparrow, is my favorite memory to refresh."
Luna sat up in her bed gasping, Henrietta standing nearby clasping her hand over her heart as if she'd been burned.
"What just happened?" Henrietta asked.
Luna looked at her. "Sorry, I must have had a nightmare."
"Unless you find being married to Jack Sparrow a nightmare, than that wasn't one."
Luna frowned. "You know what I was dreaming?"
She nodded. "I came to rouse you and as soon as I touched you I was pulled into the dream."
The gypsy groaned. Where was Tia Dalma when you needed her?
A/N: Curiouser and Curiouser...
Thought I'd give you guys something a little extra since I'm in such a good mood. I got my book today! Hunted - the ninth in the House of Night novels! Can't wait to start reading it!
Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!
Lyra Raine Sparrow