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Then why?

He is a man who gets what he wants. I am what he wanted.

And what about what you want?

What I want doesn't much matter. My father was paid a hefty sum so that my fiance might have my hand.

But it does matter, why can't you see it matters?

It's not that I don't see it, it is that I am a woman and it is my duty to marry and provide children. I am a woman in a man's world and I have no say.

Of course you have a say, this is... this is just wrong.

How do you suppose, Miss? It is not what I would prefer but it is within the power of my father to choose my husband.

Because you should decide yourself, I could never be with someone I don't want to be with.

Miss, that is not how things work. It's a very lucky thing to marry for love where I am from. Father says it will come in time. Respect, fondness and then love.

It's backwards, you shouldn't...I'm sorry, I'm rather opinionated.

It's fine. I haven't much choice by now. I'm already safely enclosed in my gilded cage.

I'm so sorry.

It's fine. So long as I don't break I will be fine.

I wish I could show you the wonders of the world.

I've seen some of them. With luck my betrothed will still allow me the pleasure of the sea.

There is so much more out there.

What more is there? There world is shrinking.

Night time it's dark and the sky is filled with stars look up, there's so much more out there.

I'm married, I don't love him very much either.

What is he like?

He's a kind and loving man, he just isn't the man that my heart truly desires and I haven't the heart to tell me.

...Are you content? I always swore I would marry for love, but my father has more say than I do.

Content yes; happy not quite. I thought I loved my husband, and I do in a way, but alas there is another that I love more.

I'm sorry you don't have a choice in who you marry, I suppose I was lucky there.

Count your blessings then, Miss. I am glad you will be content.

Thank you, I hope in time you will be content with your husband also, or perhaps even happy.

My name is Mina by the way, Mina Harker. A pleasure to meet you although I wish it wee under more pleasant circumstances.

With luck. Thank you.

I am Isabella Santiago. The pleasure is mine.

That's the worst thing. I'm so sorry. :(

I'm in love with a man who is married to someone else.

It isn't your fault at all. No apologies, Miss.

Does he love you in turn?

It isn't, but I still feel sorrow for you. I don't like seeing people in positions that they'd rather not be in, family obligation or not.

Yes. But he's not in any position to leave his wife and I could never ask that of him.

I'll manage. Father only wants what is best for me.

You are his mistress then?

Is he a good man? Will he treat you well? Sometimes, parents aren't good judges of this.

I am. *nod*

...In theory he is good. But...I don't believe so, no to both accounts.

A suitable enough position. Not so starcrossed as you could be.

Theory counts for beans. What matters are one's actions. I'm even more sorry for you than before. Is there a man who you'd rather be with?

It is. We're secret about things, though there are a few who know. But he's mine in body if not in name. And that's acceptable...for now. We've been together for six months, like this. My love for him just grows, but I do wonder if there will come a time when I'll want more from him.

Some would say his actions are honorable. The British Crown seems to think so. I find him more a murderer than a hero. *shakes her head* No. I have a habit of running off my suitors.

That's very romantic.

It's relative. And murder is almost never heroic. The British Crown is known to condone that sort of thing, too. Who has he murdered?

Hmm. You need some new suitors.

He has a way of bringing out the romance in me. I kinda forgot what it meant to be romantic before he came around. My last relationship...I don't know how I got into that one. The man was a rotten excuse for a human being and did me many diservices. I got away from him, but I swore off relationships for a few years. I wasn't even looking to get into a relationship when I stumbled into the one I'm in now. I think we were having a romantic relationship without first realising it.

Pirates, mostly and initially. He has begun to condemn innocent men and women to the Gallows though for simply associating with those considered pirates.

I do indeed. I seem to attract the worst ones though.

...That's rather poetic. My fiance is the first man I have seriously been courted by. He's charming enough for a snake.

I was wondering if it were pirates. *shakes head* That's just unacceptable. Throwing out the right to being seen in court. Association doesn't mean automatic guilt. What does your betrothed do? I mean, if he has that sort of power to send people to their deaths.

What sorts? I mean, besides this one? Are they like your betrothed?

I'm a romantic sap, but I want something real, something that isn't just some sugary happy ending. Those, I've found, usually lack substance and aren't as happy as they appear to be. We have problems, more with forces against us than with each other, but we manage and endure. It's...I'm happy. *grimaces* Sounds like a lovely catch you have there, indeed.

My betrothed is the chairman of the East India company. He, in his own words, holds more power than the King himself.

They are far less shrewd. Some men are too old, some are too sharp. Some men I know that their preferences lie elsewhere and some would marry me for the prestige. My betrothed chose me for my beauty and ability to match wits.

I'm in agreement with you. The world is not happily ever afters where the pair rides off together into the sunset. A truer happily ever after is a couple with respect and love who stand together despite their flaws, for there are flaws in abundance in romance. *amused lip quirk* I'm attempting to throw him back. The snake has his fangs in deep.

He owns the seas by trade. Yeah, that most definitely is more powerful than the King. More gold and flow of profit in that line of work, too, I'd imagine. And your father saw him as the perfect type for you and your dowry?

The world is mostly populated with men like that. There's only a small percentage of men who would work for any woman. So far, I've found two. Had I stayed with the first, perhaps we would still be together now--which would have been for almost ten years. But intimacy scared me and I pushed him away. Now, I think he's too far gone if there even was a chance of us re-starting our relationship.

But my guy now, he's perfect in some scary ways. Not that I'm scared, mind you, but there are just things in our relationship that make us closer than I have been with anybody else. I understand him in ways that nobody else does. It's not that he just tells me this, but I have seen him with other people, with his wife. And I have this way of knowing what he wants before he even says a word about it, or if he's going to, which he often wouldn't. He thinks about others before himself. I remind him that he can't do that when he completely neglects himself in the process. He puts himself in the line, but there's nobody there to save him. So, that's what I've put myself out to do.

The story doesn't end with the sunset; it's just beginning, really. The same thing with a kiss, at least that's what I've been thinking. People think things end with a kiss, but it just...it's the starter to something so much more and special, or can be. That's the definition of the helpmate, a couple like that. A love and respect where each works to better and help the other. A complementary relationship. Those are happy flaws.

Be sure to watch those fangs and they don't dig too deep. I wish I knew of a remedy for a snake's fang and poison.

Who better for his daughter than a man who can make her a queen? It's a shame I'm not too terribly interested in the material.

You have led a very exciting life, Miss. And you are very lucky to be his mistress and have his love.

*smiles* You're quite wise. I'm Isabella. Isabella Santiago.

I'm sure the title works better for him than it does for you. Maybe somebody should make your father queen since he seems so enamoured with the title? How long do you have before the betrothed becomes the husband?

It's been an interesting life, I have to agree. Been to different and unusual places and have made acquaintances and friends who are just as different and unusual. Believe it or not, my life as it is now is more settled down than it was before, except when I was attending to studies. At that time, I felt dead at times. Nothing worked, nothing fit together right. I was flailing in life. And then I met this man. We each brought something new and wonderful to the other. It was a mutual saving.

A pleasure to meet you and speak with you, Isabella. I'm Katherine Pryde.

*smiles* My father is a good man. He wants me well taken care of and he believes he has done right. He has, I suppose. But I will not be happy with my comfort and my companion. *considers* It's hard to say. It'll be a big to-do and he's rather business with pirates right now.

That is amazing. I wish I could have something like that to hold to.

The pleasure is mine, Katherine.

I'm glad to hear that he is, that he genuinely means well for you, too. And I imagine yours is not a relationship, nor is there any place for you to talk to him about his choice? *grimaces* More time at the gallows, you mean? Any particular pirates, or just general pirates?

I was wishing that, too. I stumbled into this, like I said. You could find the same kind of luck.

I trust him, and I want to make him proud. With my fiance and I it is not so much a "relationship" as it is a convenient arrangement. *shakes her head* He's at sea now. He's...after one, Captain Jack Sparrow?

Let's pray.