Kepping the Pretense, OPEN!!!

[Lord Cutler Beckett]

It was incredibly tiring to keep up pretenses, Lord Cutler Beckett decided as he stood at the window of his East India Trading Company office. He was here, of course, on official Company business... of course. At least that was the pretense he was keeping. And it was weighing heavily on him. Every night, he was kept awake by images of power and gold and cursed Pirate ships... every night he was even more aware that as that night passed, he was farther away from attaining what he needed. And it was unbearable. The urge he had was unbearable. He needed to find that elixer.

His eyes focused on the horizon, where the glimmering sea lay in the distance. If it wasn't for these damned pretenses, he would be out there searching himself. But of course, physical labor of any kind was beneath Beckett. That was why he had certain lackies doing his certain dirty work. The only problem was that these certain lackies were... certainly unreliable, to say the least. It had been months since he heard any news.

Moving back to his desk, with a flourish of his tail coats he sat upon the straight-backed wooden chair. Soon he was deep into the official Company business that he was here to do. At least he looked the part of a Lord and successful business man.

And that, he supposed, was the pretense.

[Victoria Vale]

After Victoria's brief talk with William Turner she made her way further from the market. She felt like she had forgot to do something, and her memory was reminded as she walked past a final vendors booth selling parchment and ink. She reached into her little hand bag and pulled out a letter that was sealed with a wax stamp with her fathers mark. There was more to Victoria's day then a simple, yet relaxing break from the Plantation. She had practically begged her father to allow her to deliver the letter to the main office of the East India Trading Company. After much fighting, and bickering Victoria's father gave in and allowed his daughter to take the letter, it wasn't anything overly important. Just a letter basically saying that the paperwork for the next shipment of sugarcane from Port Royal was to be scheduled for the second Saturday of the month.

Turning around Victoria made her way towards the EITC office and went in through the main door, where she was greeted by a woman who was carrying a tray of tea. "Hello miss, how may I help you?" She asked politely.

"I have a letter for Lord Cutler Beckett, and was asked to deliver it personally to ensure he recieved it." Victoia said sweetly, just like her father had told her.

"You've come just in time, I'm headed up to his office to deliver some tea. Please follow me." The woman said as she lead the way around the corner then up the wooden staircase and down a short hallway before stopped and gently tapping on the door. "Tea time sir, and there is a miss," she paused to allow Victoria to supply her name.

"Vale." Victoria said quietly.

"A miss Vale here to see you." She said through the oak door, and awaited for an answer.