Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: Hey I'm back! I just got my timetable for my exams today. Not until like mid January so I will still have to prepare. But the good news is all my three exams are in the first week of the two week examination period and the second semester doesn't start until its finished so the good news is that I have just over a week of a break between when my exams are over and when I have to start working again so I will get some time to do more writing so YAY! But until then I may have to work a little extra hard despite the fact my tutors and lecturers telling me not worry about it and that I'm completely capable blah-blah-blah.

Also I wanted to mention that the poll for who will play Diana is till up because THERE ISN'T A MAJORITY YET. COME ONE GUYS I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE SOME WINNERS BEFORE THIS STORY ENDS WHICH IS A WHILE BUT STILL...Anyway that is all I have to say and I hope you enjoy this chapter after a very long update.

Peculiar Behaviour

For awsmninja

They all woke the next morning with that sense of dread and anticipation. It was not one or the other but both. Both which not only sent them into a mental state of disorientation but also into an uncertainty of their own emotions. Today was the day when their journey would end. Today would be the day when all their fates would be decided. Or were things really as simple as that? Was fate really that absolute? George sat in his cabin knowing he was about to lose the one of the surest things he ever had in his life but couldn't help but humanly not give up hope. Diana was filled with uncertainty and wondering whether things were going to go as planned. Cassandra woke up feeling more confused than ever at a life which was filled with so much possibility and feared for the life that one of her closest friends had to face. Selina was filled with more determination than ever with an underlying feeling that for once she may actually fail in her pursuits. Jim was sure that he didn't have to give up hope but didn't know whether Cassandra was going to.

They all got changed into their finest clothing. Diana had been given a crimson red, velvet coat, baby pink lace dress with a hat with a huge feather stuck in it. Her Grandmother told her she must wear it on the day she would first meet the Duke since it was the latest fashion in Orion. Diana thought it was hideous. She had never seen such a horrible combination of colours. She was beginning to wonder whether she was really right about these things but then again she had never been wrong before. When she walked out to meet Selina and Cassandra they said nothing. She knew what she was wearing was the last thing on their minds. Selina was probably wondering why she wasn't marrying a man of her choice and Cassandra was probably thinking about why she was marrying full stop. She knew that they had her best interests at heart but they didn't under the responsibility she had to bare. However now that she knew that she may not have to any more made her question whether they were right all along.

She walked out the room followed by Selina and Cassandra as if she were a Queen and they were her ladies in waiting. But she didn't feel like a Queen. She may have been marrying into nobility but she felt far less than a Queen. She wasn't supposed to be marrying this man. She should never have agreed to this but she had come so far now that there was no turning back. She was supposed to be marrying George Richardson. She couldn't understand why she kissed him. She could see the hurt she had not only inflicted upon him but also on one of her closest friends. She would never be able to erase what she had done despite their reconciliation. As she walked up the stairs onto the deck her heart felt like a stone in her chest weighing her down. Telling her to stop what she was doing. That she wasn't listening to what she really wanted.

She looked up to see George Richardson with such a grim look on his face that it made her heart break into a thousand little pieces and took all her will power to not break down and cry.

"Morning, Lady Firestone. How are you feeling?"

She nodded. "Fine."

He tilted his head. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She walked passed him and before Cassandra could follow after her she was grabbed by her brother and pulled to the side.

"How is she?"

Cassandra glanced at her for a moment, Selina was rubbed her back and probably whispering something comforting or something to amuse her in her ear.

"I can't say. I know she doesn't want to marry him because she doesn't know him. But she's doing this out of duty for her family. If I'm honest I don't think she should go through with it."

He shook his head. "Then why haven't you discouraged her? Told her to reject him?"

"It was arranged by her family she can't refuse him and he's a noble."

"You know as well as I do, Cassandra that we are not longer living in those times and I've met her family. They wouldn't make her do something like this."

She turned away. "No they wouldn't. They're good to her. It's her Grandmother." She admitted.

George frowned. "What about her Grandmother?" Cassandra looked at him for moment and turned away. He grabbed her by the arm. "Cassandra, what is it? What is it you're not telling me?"

"I can't tell you, George." She replied firmly.

"Why not?"

"She made me promise. You wouldn't want me to break a promise that I made to her now would you?" She replied spitefully before walking away.

George watched her walking away knowing that he wasn't going to give up. He was going to get it out of her somehow. All the secrecy around this engagement seemed shady to him. Orion and Montressor were far from one another and couldn't see how the Duke could be gaining anything than a good woman for a wife. The best woman. He had heard some things about him and it was nothing good at all. He heard that he had slept with many women and over the years had many mistresses. He also had a lot of illegal agreements in terms of trading and any other means to obtain more money. In other words this was a man who was going to break Diana's heart. He couldn't just stand by and watch. He was surprised Cassandra was. She was so fiercely protective of her friends. How could she just stand by and watch especially with her own views upon how women should lead their lives?

Cassandra couldn't understand either. She felt so helpless standing next to her friend as they sailed closer and closer towards Orion. They were now flying through the atmosphere and it was only a matter of minutes before they would dock. She turned to Diana and she could see the fear and remorse in her eyes. She felt like there was a secret that she was keeping locked away in her soul and would always be hidden away for as long as she would live. It was something she had to do otherwise she would be damning herself and anyone else who was involved in the secret that she refused to tell Cassandra or anyone else. Cassandra reached out and touched her hand. Diana looked up and gave her a sad smile. She knew Cassandra was trying her best to comfort her and she appreciated her friends efforts, as useless as they were.

Selina gave Cassandra an imploring look as if she was their last hope. Before she could shake her head Selina was already walking away.

"Are you scared?" Diana nodded wordlessly. Cassandra held her hand tighter. "You know we're here for you, don't you?"

Diana nodded again. "I know." She took in a deep breath. "Cassandra there is something I must tell you. Something...I hope you can forgive me."

"Diana what is it?"

"I...When you were ill your brother escorted me back to our rooms and he...I kissed him. It just happened but now I realise that I love him and I feel like I must make amends before I go through with this. I must admit to what I have done and ask for your forgiveness." She began to weep and Cassandra wrapped an arm around her.

"Shhh. There's nothing to forgive dearest."

"I have broken his heart as well as mine. I should not marry the Duke but I must but now I'm not so sure whether it is necessary."

Cassandra frowned. "Diana what are you talking about?"

"There's something else. I-"

"Land ahoy!"

Cassandra and Diana turned towards their destination and saw the dock looming front of them like a ghost coming back to haunt them. It was something all the teachers back at their school had told them would be their destination even if that turned out to be a lie and she would do everything in her power to make that would also be the case for Diana. Cassandra wrapped a protective arm around her and held her close. She was going to hold her as close as possible. She wanted to be able to tell her that everything was going to be okay but she knew she would be lying. She couldn't bare to tell her a lie even if it would be a merciful one. What she deserved was the truth but the truth which would lead her to a happy life not to one she was now condemned to. When she felt the ship dock it felt like her heart had gone still. She held onto Diana and led her forward like a soldier marching onto war. Selina walked over and joined them. She looked at her and Cassandra shook her head.

Later, she mouthed.

They headed off the exit off the ship which filled her with much sorrow as she felt the first time she had done so all those years ago. She glanced at Captain Hawkins and gave him a worried look. She turned away and saw that there was a man elegantly dressed in silks and velvets waiting for them. When they were close enough he bowed flamboyantly.

"Welcome, Lady Firestone. I am the Duke of Orion and it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I can see you are more beautiful in person than what it said in the rumours and in the hand of a painter." He took her hand and kissed it gently. He practically pulled her away from Cassandra and tied her arm to his.

Cassandra glanced at her brother who exchanged a look of concern and walked towards her quickly.

"Look at the flag." He hissed.

"What flag?"

"The flag of Orion!"

She turned to it and narrowed her eyes. There was something familiar about it but she wasn't sure where. Perhaps in a history textbook but then again she wasn't taught such things since her father died.

"What about it?"

He shook his head and sighed. "I saw it on the fighter ships that attacked ours days ago."

She froze. "Are you sure?"

They both looked over at the Duke who glanced over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at both of them with a look of suspicion. Almost as if he knew that he should see them both equally as a threat to whatever plans he had.

"Positive."

~ (***) ~

Once they had arrived at the household by carriage all they luggage had been put in their rooms and when it was asked whether there was an older woman present Selina and Cassandra shook their heads. The head Maid of the household frowned finding this very unusual considering the nature of the marriage to a noble and then asked who was the older of the two ladies. Selina and Cassandra exchanged a look and knew that they had to admit to themselves that Cassandra was the most responsible of the two and it was lucky she was the older of the two as well. Apparently the doors would be locked due to the recent attacks on the ship which Orion had heard about and felt it would be safer if they took all the precautions necessary to ensure their safety. Cassandra frowned and nodded. She couldn't help but think this was an unusual measure to take. Having bodyguards. Yes. But locking the doors? That's was a bit much.

She went to go find Jim when she was walking through the corridor and overheard voices. "...I cannot believe you failed me!" A voice screeched.

"I do apologise, my Lord. It seems that they were more prepared than we expected."

"If things had gone successfully we would be at war by now!" Cassandra pressed herself against the wall and glanced around the corner.

There was a tall well built man standing over the Duke of Orion. However it wasn't exactly the Duke who was being told off but the other way around.

"I know, Sire."

"I don't think you do otherwise you would understand why I am so angry right now. Because you don't seem to be under-stand-ing my logic! If we had killed my future bride it would cause suspicion around the engagement in the first place. Then we would be able to pin it on Celestri since we've been at odds at them for so long."

"But Sire you only want them for the amount of money to be made from the-" The elderly advisor began but the Duke hit him around the head.

"Shut up! You don't know who may be listening." He hissed.

Cassandra gasped and realised what he was doing now. He was going to start another Celestial War. She put her hand to her mouth and realised if they succeed George and James would be going to war. She wasn't even sure whether they would make it back. So many lives would be lost because of one man's greed. She had to stop him. She had to go to James and tell him everything she had heard. She was sure that he would believe her but how would they prove it to the government. She picked up her skirts and ran as fast as she could. Why Diana? Why did he arrange the marriage to Diana and not to someone of higher rank? She simply didn't understand it. Was this man so sadistic that he decided to pick out of a hat?

She didn't even bother to knock and slammed the door behind her. Jim looked at her and folded his arms.

"Nice to see you-"

"Please I don't have time for this." She panted.

"Oh hi Cassie how are you doin'?" Ben greeted.

She smiled weakly. "Very well, thank you. Captain-"

"So what brings you here?" Ben asked conversationally.

She sighed patiently. "I need to talk to the Captain about something very serious."

James glanced at Ben and Morph and pulled her to one side. "What is it?"

"I think we may be in danger."