Season of the Tides (Pirates of the Caribbean)

35. Meg.

What had she done? Becket was going to hang him. She hadn't thought twice about it, Will belonged with her and he had thought otherwise. She was about to loose her true love for good, but perhaps it was for his own good. Kaylee would surely get bored of him and kill him in his sleep after a while...wouldn't she?

Lord Becket helped her onto the docks, since she'd shot her arm, it was completely useless.

"Talika!"

A women rushed towards them, and Talika felt her stomach deflate.

"Oh, Talika your hair! My beautiful daughter, what has become of you?" Meg exclaimed.

Talika grimaced as she glanced down, her dress was coated in dirt and her hair was a frizzy mess.

"Becket, I demand to know the reason that my daughter is in this state!" Meg turned stiffly toward Lord Becket.

"Pirates, my lady," Becket replied curtly," Will Turner kidnapped her and then forced her to lie before making an attempt on her life."

He talked as Will was marched onto the docks, his jaw locked.

"William Turner!" Meg hissed," I always knew you were a no-good rat!"

Talika cringed slightly, her mother had really thought that of Will all these years?

"I've done nothing," Will snarled.

"You pirate!" Meg hissed," Get him out of my sight!"

Will's expression was a snarl as he was shoved off, Talika turned to watch him go.

"Now." Her mother's hand enclosed around her wrist and she pulled her down the boardwalk,
"You simply can't be seen like this!"

Talika's mind raced, what was going to happen to Will? He would die, of course, but would she love anyone else?

"Mother, what of Will?" she asked.

"What? He will be hanged, dear," Meg replied.

Hanged? What have I done?

They boarded a carriage and were taken up to the Governor's mansion, where Talika's father waited.

"Oh, my daughter!"

Governor Merse rushed to meet them as they stepped out of the carriage.

"What on earth happened to you?" he asked.

"She was kidnapped my William Turner," Meg informed him.

"Turner? I always thought he was a decent man!"

"He's a pirate! A no-good scoundrel!"

Talika sighed, this was wrong; Will was a good man.

"Now come, darling, you can't go on looking like that!"

Meg pulled her inside and handed her over to the maids, they ran her a bath and she was aloud to become clean again. They gave her a new dress- her mother would probably burn the other one- and left her to herself.

She stood on her balcony and stared off, she could see the ocean from here. She almost wished she was in it, but why? She was the governor's daughter! She couldn't be at sea! And yet, as she stood here in a brand new dress (in a corset that she could barely breathe in), she was more uncomfortable than she'd ever been. She was more comfortable in those rags, aboard a pirate ship.

"Ah, now there is my darling!" Meg strode into the room, smiling.

Talika nodded, looking back at the ocean.

"What's the matter, dear?" Meg asked.

"Nothing, of course."

"Good. Stand up straight, dear, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you."

"I can't, mother, my arm-"

"Have you met Commodore Charles Norse?"

Talika frowned, "Charles Norse?"

"Yes! He's the new Commodore!"

New Commodore? Becket must have hired a new one since she'd left, he had aloud Port Royal to get attacked by pirates; not to mention that the Governor's daughter had been kidnapped...no doubt her mother had had something to do with the last one getting fired.

"And?" Talika pressed.

"Oh, use your head, foolish girl! I want you to marry him!"

"Marry him?" She didn't even know this man! Not to mention that she was in love with someone else, and the fact that her other mother had arranged it.

"I don't even know him!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, that doesn't matter! You will be the envy of Port Royal and to have a man like that, do you know how many other young girls would die for a man such as him?"

"Of course, but-"

"Wonderful! You shall be such a bride," she stared lovingly at her for a moment.

Married to a stranger? What am I doing? Talika asked herself.

She would never truly know if he loved her, and she would never truly love him; she'd always wanted to marry for love and not money. Perhaps, though, she would be happy. She was twenty years old, and with no children; she could finally be a mother. Not to mention that she'd be well-off and other girls would envy her. She was stuck here, so she might as well become like her mother; successful.

She straightened as much as she could,

"I will marry him, mother," Talika said proudly.

"Good girl. Now, you must get some rest; we have a hanging to attend tomorrow."