In the Hands of Fate III: Secrets of the Heart Chapter 18, a pirates of the caribbean fanfic

Chapter eighteen

The two months it took to finish planning the over extravagant wedding actually went by pretty fast. While Luna had been forced to learn her way around the plantation, Beckett had been busy planning the wedding himself, so the majority of it all was done.

Luna lie in bed awake the night before the wedding wondering if it was all worth it. Did she really have to go running off to marry the enemy right after her best friend died? The thought stopped her for a second.

Though, she felt like she was betraying Jack, and she knew she was really, she didn't feel guilty. Her decisions were her own and for her purpose, and if someone, er, rather, everyone in this case disagreed with her actions then so be it. But everything was for the best, she kept telling herself.

As the clock chimed four just down the hall, Luna groaned. She was to be married to the very man she loathed most in this world in six hours. How in the world was she supposed to make it seem as if she loved the man?

Luna turned on her side and stared angrily at the closed curtains. Eventually she fell into a fitful sleep only to be woken by Henrietta two hours later.

After breakfast without her fiancé and a warm Venetian bath, Luna was ushered back into her room to be squeezed into yet another corset. Whoever invented the death contraption needed to be hanged. Though she couldn't really say much as she wore one more often than not when on a pirate ship, but the one she wore was nowhere near as tight as the one she was being squeezed into now.

There was a soft knock at the bedroom door before it was opened slightly.

"Might we come in, fiică?"

Luna turned around as best she could to take up her mother in a hug. "Oh, mami, you look wonderful!" She glanced up at her sister, who was hanging back in the doorway. "You both do."

She wasn't lying. Though be it strange, the two women were dressed in the latest fashions. Estrella, the real Estrella, was dressed in a peach gown that was quiet frilly and reminded Luna of the dress she'd managed to fit over Elizabeth Swann for Norrington's promotion. Esmeralda's was nearly the same, though hers was decidedly lavender.

"I don't suppose either of you can breathe?" Luna wondered.

"Not at all," Esmeralda nearly sneered.

"Miss?" Henrietta asked as she tugged on Luna's arm. "We must get you dressed and ready."

Rolling her eyes, Luna relented as she spent the next two hours getting pulled every which way as five different women tried to ready her for the fast approaching deadline.

"Done!" Missy said as she pushed the final hair pin into place. "All that's left is the veil and I'll place that on right before you walk down the aisle."

Luna was then pulled in front of a mirror.

She couldn't help but stare at the woman that looked back at her. It was decidedly not her, but someone very similar.

Her overly wavy black hair was pulled up to sit on the crown of her head. She couldn't tell what exactly was done to it other than the fact that it look completely natural to sit there. Her eyes wandered her dress next. The pretty creamy pinkish color reminded her of the dahlias that grew in the garden beneath her window on the plantation. Or maybe perhaps it was the little fabric "flowers" that dotted the trim. Surprisingly, it complimented her slightly sun-tanned skin. The dress wasn't overly fancy, nor did it really suit Luna. It was much too childish looking. She couldn't really explain why.

Finally her eyes came to her face. The little bit of makeup she had on only happen to highlight her natural beauty. Her lips were painted the same pink as the dress as well as the light shadow over her eyes, which were as bright blue as the Caribbean waters. It was not her at all.

No, the woman looking back at her was not Captain Luna Church of the Gypsy Curse. That Luna was nowhere to be found. The Luna that she saw was the future Lady Luna Beckett of London.

Slowly, a huge smile lit up her face.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the presence of the Lord to celebrate their union in marriage. The holy relationship of marriage was instituted by the Lord from the beginning, and being of divine appointment it is therefore honored among all peoples. It is to be entered into joyfully, thoughtfully, lovingly and reverently. With this desire these two persons come now to be united."

As Luna watched the man in front of her, love and adoration plastered on both their faces, she couldn't help but let her smile widen just a bit.

A few weeks ago, she'd managed to get word out to Scarletta of the date of the marriage, who in turn relayed the message to Barbossa. Right before the wedding, her mother handed her the letter from her father stating that he would arrive sometime in the next two months. She couldn't wait.

Not to be rude at her own wedding, she turned back to the minister of her newly found faith just in time to hear the scripture.

"My beloved speaks and says to me: 'Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.'"

Luna stifled an eye roll as she once again tuned him out; instead she decided to remember all the words to Elizabeth's pirate song.

She was only half way through, after starting over twice, when Beckett voiced an "I do."

The minister turned to Luna. "Luna Church," she turned, "in the light of this vision of life together, will you take this man to be your husband that you may live together in the holy bond of marriage? Do you promise to strive to love and honor him, to comfort him and be faithful to him, so long as you both shall live?"

Luna swallowed her pride and closed her eyes, a cheeky smile on her face. It was almost over. "I do."

The cleric looked to Lord Beckett and she watched as the fake adoration and love on Beckett's face grew into respect and almost… pride?

"Luna, if you'll repeat after me. 'I, Luna Church take you, Cutler Beckett…"

"I, Luna Church take you, Cutler Beckett…" she fought back a sneer.

"…to be my wedded husband…"

"…to have and to hold from this day forward…"

"…for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer…"

"…in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish…"

"…till death due us part; and thereto I pledge you my faith."

"…till death due us part;" At this Luna smiled. "and thereto I pledge you my faith."

"If the rings will be passed forward," Father Tucker hinted.

Luna exchanged her bouquet with her sister for the small gold ring.

"O Lord, our God, we ask your blessing upon these rings that they may be constant symbols of unending love and devotion. Amen."

Beckett held up the ring in his right hand and took her hand with his left. "With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love." He slipped the ring on her finger and smiled.

Luna repeated his words and slipped the ring on, wondering at the sudden wave of relief that washed over her.

Father Tucker recited yet another paragraph of words that Luna did not hear.

"Forasmuch as you Cutler Beckett and you Luna Church have consented together in marriage, and have pledged your love and your commitment each to the other in the presence of God and of this company, I do now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

She through her arms around his neck and kissed him. In all the months of stealing kisses, she never much wondered at the fact that he was and exceptional kisser. Though, she still preferred kissing the wind chapped lips of one Captain Jack Sparrow. She pulled away then.

"It is with great honor that I present to you, Lord Cutler and Lady Luna Beckett."

Luna smirked in spite of herself. Everything was flowing along just smoothly now.

A/N: Whelp… That's it. I've had this chapter written forever and surprisingly I loved writing it. Perhaps it was because it meant Luna's plan was finally falling into place. I know I skipped a couple months there. I hadn't planned on anything there, perhaps a softer scene with Luna and Beckett but other than that nada!

I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, and alerted this story. I love you guys! The fourth installment will be out soon! In the meantime like my Facebook page (link on my profile), follow me on Twitter LyraRaine, and on Instagram lyra_raine_sparrow! Again Love you guys!

Blessed Be!
Lyra Raine Sparrow