Murdoch and the Princess
A/N: It's bothered me that I never gave Murdoch his happy ending. I still feel bad that I killed him in my story Look After Her! So here he is in all his glory with a young princess traveling on Titanic to assuage my own personal guilt and write a way out of it. :)
PART 1: TITANIC
Murdoch exhaled and leaned on the railing of the bridge, going over the last few days in his mind. He'd never guessed that his reputation would lead him into his current position as a first officer on such a grand ship. The Titanic was the White Star Line's newest flagship after the Olympic and he'd had the privilege now to serve on them both. The faint vibrating of the engines underneath came up through his shoes a little bit, the calm ocean barely rippled, making Murdoch think it looked like stained glass, and the salty air filled his lungs, making him feel very content to be out at sea.
"Telegraph signal from the engine room, sir," Boxhall poked his head out of the wheelhouse and glanced at his superior. "there was a small fire down below in one of the boiler rooms but it's been taken care of. Bell thought you'd better be made aware of it."
"Thank you, Mr. Boxhall." Murdoch's Scottish accent permeated the atmosphere. Boxhall nodded and retreated back into the wheelhouse where he was working on the chart position.
After his shift, he would have to go and finish that letter to Ada which he would post in New York. He had some exciting news for her and he hoped she'd be as excited as he was when he first found out...
"Mr. Murdoch, gentlemen," Captain Smith welcomed them into the White Star Line boardroom where Ismay was sitting nearby with Thomas Andrews, the two appeared to be fussing about something. "come and have a seat." A faint smell of smoke lingered in the room, indicating that Ismay had lit up one of his sulfurous Cuban cigars again.
Lightoller sat near Murdoch, still a little resentful about being demoted from his position from first officer. The second officer's face was taut and unmoving, completely stone-faced. Murdoch knew from experience that the face his friend was making meant that he would take whatever was thrown at them now. Lightoller was very stoic, as all seamen were meant to be.
"All right, we have a last minute arrangement to briefly go over before we set sail in about 2 hours." Murdoch could tell that Lightoller was aching to ask why it wasn't brought up before and Captain Smith seemed to notice that in his old friend.
"We were just made aware of this yesterday, Mr. Lightoller," the captain patiently explained. "have you ever heard of the Worthington family?"
The officers' faces all changed. "Sir, are they to travel with us?" Moody asked, already nervous. Boxhall and Lowe looked similarly apprehensive as well. Murdoch, Wilde, Smith, and Lightoller, having already had experience with the upperclass society including some royalty, were stoic looking. Lightoller was suppressing a groan, as his last experience was not too pleasant.
"Princess Emilia has booked a last minute passage on the ship, yes," Captain Smith answered. "she is traveling alone, on her way to Canada to help her father with opening up an American branch of their family business."
"Yes, Princess Emilia!" Ismay trumpeted loudly, getting up from his seat and plopping into the vacant one near Boxhall without a word to Mr. Andrews. The designer of the ship looked very irritated as he gathered up his plans and left in a huff. "As you know, she is descended from English and Scandinavian royalty and I expect every officer to be exemplary in their work."
"We are always exemplary, sir." Murdoch quelled his superior without even seeming to. Wilde had to hide a smile, as Murdoch had a real talent for putting out fires that his superiors and the upperclass people were seemingly prone to. He had an easy smile and got along with almost everybody.
Captain Smith recognized Murdoch's pacifying of Ismay and chuckled. "Yes indeed. You all might know that the family is descended from a relation of Queen Victoria, her great-nephew if I remember right."
"Begging your pardon sir, isn't she an heiress to the family business? I forget what the business is exactly." Boxhall inquired. He had seen a few newspaper articles about the princess but none of the words had stuck in his head. Ismay looked at the young officer, aghast and was about to speak as Captain Smith spoke out.
"The Worthington family owns several diamond and gem mines throughout Europe. Princess Emilia's father runs several of them and his sons help him. The princess is the second born in the family, having an elder brother, younger brother and two sisters. Her father Stephen and mother Evelyn spend most of their time keeping all the mines running smoothly. The family attends to their royal duties when they are available and are always giving away charitable donations."
"Sir, didn't they donate money to build a sailor boarding house in Southampton here?"
"Indeed they did, Mr. Wilde. Are there any other questions, gentlemen?"
"Yes. Where will she and her entourage be?"
"Ah, I believe that a passenger canceled at the last minute yesterday and Princess Emilia has gladly taken over the suite. It is right beside the officer's quarters and she will not be traveling with an entourage, Mr. Murdoch."
"Really, sir?"
"We had the privilege of meeting Princess Emilia yesterday," Ismay interjected, causing Captain Smith to glance at Murdoch and roll his eyes with a polite smile. Leave it to Ismay to keep interrupting people and never apologize for it. "she has told us that she does not travel with an entourage, though she has requested an officer to check in on her a few times a day and perhaps escort her to dinner now and then."
"Which officer did she request, sir?" Lowe blinked in the flash of the bright morning light as the sun passed over the window.
"She would like Mr. Murdoch." Ismay bestowed a thin and empty smile on the senior officer. "Princess Emilia heard of you and she was impressed with your reputation. If you are busy and she would like an escort to dinner, her second choice is Mr. Lightoller. She's heard of you both and would very much like to meet you."
Lightoller and Murdoch glanced at each other in unison as the meeting adjourned. Both of them knew a little of Princess Emilia and her family. She was a highly accomplished individual, having risen through her father's company and designing signature one-of-a-kind jewelry collections that kept getting bigger everyday. With the smaller grade precious stones from the mines, Emilia corraled them into an affordable jewelry line for middle class.
The second officer had bought one of Emilia's custom designed necklaces, set in gold and had a cluster of tiny sapphires around a golden colored garnet. His wife had loved it, and wore it every year on their anniversary.
"This will be interesting, Charles," Murdoch found himself saying as they reboarded the ship. "she might be an interesting person to talk to."
"Possibly," Lightoller allowed. "I hope she isn't a stuck up twit like that Hockley lad."
"We will see."
When boarding time came, Murdoch saw that a large car bogged down with luggage had arrived first. He squinted in the bright light, seeing a figure in a bright yellow dress with a green sash and white gloves. In their time when it was all about opulence and more is better, Princess Emilia had gone in the other direction completely. As she walked up the gangplank, Murdoch saw ample evidence of her devotion to the less is more principle.
Emilia wore the yellow dress well, the white gloves were primly sitting on her hands, the green sash had been tied in the back so that the tails were not dangling out. Her dress had a sweetheart neckline, plunging down to the very edge of her cleavage where her ivory skin showed. Murdoch noticed she was wearing one of her own necklace and earring sets, a little green emerald set in silver shaped like a teardrop. Identical stones were dangling from her ears.
Her roan brown hair was pinned back underneath a small hat which was about the shape of a small stove lid and was set at a jaunty angle. Her wide hazel eyes looked around with wonderment at the ship and looked upon Murdoch cheerfully. Emilia's face was lean and she had a faint spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose.
"Princess Worthington?" he took her hand she extended towards him and kissed the back of her glove.
"Mr. Murdoch, I presume?" her voice was lively but soft and Murdoch found it pleasant to hear. Emilia grinned shyly, revealing a set of perfect white teeth behind a pair of classic dark pink lips accented with red lipstick.
"That is correct, your highness." Emilia accepted his arm. "May I lead you to your suite?"
"I would be honored, my good sir." she walked with her head high as the sun climbed higher into the sun. "I would like to meet all the other officers when there is time."
"That can be arranged, your highness. Chief officer Wilde and second officer Lightoller are on the bridge now, would you like to meet them?"
"If I'm not intruding, then yes." Murdoch steered her to the bridge where the two officers looked at the princess and then at Murdoch like he'd lost his head. Lightoller straightened up from leaning on the desk surreptitiously as Wilde's hand went to his hat, making sure he looked every inch the professional officer.
"Gentlemen, may I present her royal highness Princess Emilia." the officers bowed as she curtsied simultaneously. "Your highness, this is Chief Officer Henry T Wilde and Second Officer Charles H Lightoller."
"What a pleasure to meet you!" she accepted their courtly pecks on the back of her hand like Murdoch had done. "It is an enormous honor for me to meet gentlemen of the sea like you officers. I am very interested in the sea and would like to learn some of your trade."
Wilde said nothing, his face registered mild shock while Lightoller was more smooth at hiding his expression. "Why thank you very much, your highness. We would be glad to teach you when our schedules are mutually convenient."
"Yes," Wilde recovered himself. "might I ask if this is your first transatlantic crossing?"
"Actually this isn't my first time. I went to Halifax a few years ago on a family vacation and I very much enjoyed it."
"Oh? I've been to Canada myself. The gold rush." Lightoller appeared sheepish, like he knew the venture was going to fail from the start. It did fail spectacularly but he'd had some incredible adventures while trailblazing. Emilia appeared eager to question him on his adventure, but she would ask him some other time.
"I see, Mr. Lightoller. Well gentlemen, I must get to my suite and get some work done before I allow myself to mingle with the others. It was an immense pleasure to meet you both and I hope I see you again soon."
The compulsory bows and curtsy followed with Murdoch leading her to her suite. As he departed, he heard Lightoller say in a low voice, "You lucky sod, Will."
"This is your private suite, your highness." Murdoch gave her the key to the room. In spite of all the luggage he'd seen on her car, only one pale green steamer trunk was sitting in the adjacent bedroom. Emilia laughed at his expression, knowing he'd expected mountains of baggage as she was a royal after all. Most of the royalty he'd seen had enough baggage to start a small department store.
"I have crossed the sea before, Mr. Murdoch. I pack essentials and stow the others down in the hold where they belong. I do not like clutter." Emilia crossed the room and took off her gloves, smoothing them out and putting them on the mantelpiece.
"I agree with you." some of the other ship's officers he'd sailed with before were right slobs but fortunately, nobody serving on Titanic were even hinted at being slobs just yet. In a few days' time it might be a different story though.
Emilia shut the door and approached the officer as he took a look outside of her private promenade deck. "Mr. Murdoch, now that we are alone, you may call me Emilia. I have no objections to being informal in private."
"I will keep that in mind, Emilia. You must call me Will."
"I will be honored to do so, Will." she sank down upon a couch as she took off her earrings, putting them in her jewel box. In the sunlight, Murdoch could see a round coil of braid pinned to the back of her head, shining in the light. "Well then, I suppose I have to make a royal appearance at supper tonight, and I must get my work done."
"What kind of work do you have to get done?" Murdoch teased. "You're on vacation!"
"True, but I have to write letters and come up with some new designs for my jewelry line. Once I get that all done, I can relax with an easy conscience. Then I will seek you and your fellows out for some nautical lessons." Emilia winked.
He kissed the back of her ungloved hand. "I look forward to it. Will you be needing my escort services tonight?"
"I would like that very much. Supper is at six, I believe? Meet me here at ten minutes to six so we can cause a right proper fuss."
"The formal dress uniform is needed, I suppose?"
"You can bear it for that long, I think." Emilia teased. Murdoch was happy that she was so easygoing and seemed to like him a lot.
"Until tonight then."
Murdoch smiled to himself as the bell rang, signaling the end of his watch for that night. He straightened up his cuff, tilted his hat forward, then greeted Wilde who had just arrived for duty. Lowe and Pitman arrived as well, getting some information from the fellow juniors who were just off.
"Off to escort her tonight, Will?" Wilde leaned over the logbook under the guise of checking it as Murdoch shook his head with a reluctant grin.
"It is Charles's turn tonight for that honor, Henry."
"I heard the first night you escorted her. How was it?"
"I only had charge of her for about ten minutes, but she was awash in jewels, elaborate hairdo, not to mention this green velvet dress with black gloves and wrap. As soon as I sat her down, I left and the next thing that I hear is that she charmed the Astors and managed to indirectly insult the Hockley chap."
"How?"
"She didn't say. I'm off to check on her and then I'll kick off for the night."
"All right. Good night."
"Night, Henry." Murdoch walked off, his footsteps receding to Wilde's ears as he shut the logbook and went over to the bridge to check on Boxhall's calculations.
Murdoch walked along the hallway to Emilia's suite, knowing that the princess often kept late hours and though it was late that night, he was fairly sure that she was still up.
Emilia had managed to come up with new designs for her jewelry lines during the second day at sea. It was interesting really to see how she had come up with the ideas for it. One moment she was sitting in a deck chair, the next she had her sketchpad out and was drawing up ideas one after the other. Lightoller had come across her while she was at it and had told Murdoch later that the ship had inspired her, she was drawing up designs for a new line of jewelry named the Lighthouse Collection. Emilia already had her other lines of jewelry, the high end line called Solara, and the affordable line Cassia.
There was no answer to his knock, so Murdoch opened up the door tenatively, knowing she would not mind if he or any of the other officers checked in on her in the late hours.
Emilia was in her robe sitting in front of the fireplace. All the lights were extinguished, she was lying on the couch with a book sitting on her chest, eyes closed, asleep. Murdoch took the book, seeing it was a Sherlock Holmes volume by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He put the book on the side table, then picked the princess up completely. The officer put her to bed, spreading a woolen blanket over her form, then as he was leaving, he saw several pictures laid out on the vanity.
"Your family, I think." the officer muttered, seeing Emilia, her parents and siblings all together for a group shot. One picture was of Emilia riding a horse barebacked wearing pants and boots, another was of a very gaudy looking necklace made out of seed pearls clustered around a brilliant emerald. Murdoch realized it was an advertisement, bragging about the pearls, emerald, and the golden leaves that made up the necklace chain.
"Introducing the new jewelry line Solara from Emilia Worthington." the caption boasted. A model wore large diamond earrings inlaid with sapphires and rubies.
"Wow." the other two pictures showed Emilia at a costume ball, clad in a black opera dress with a white sash and white opera gloves. The picture came from a masquerade ball given a few years ago by the Browns at their Denver home. The last picture Murdoch peered at in the low light of the room was of Emilia sitting on the front porch of her house with a big German Shepherd dog sitting beside her. She was leaning on the dog with a big smile on her face while the dog appeared perfectly content beside the young princess.
Murdoch left the suite, comforted in his mind that Emilia was content and happy.
Emilia got up on the morning of April 14, 1912, prepared for the day in a beautiful lavender dress, put on a white sailor jacket and her white gloves. It was a bit warmer that day than the others, so she decided to put her hair up in a loose chignon, put on her favorite earrings that were shaped like maple leaves with rubies in the center to represent Canada. The Canadians were very happy with the homage to their country and when Emilia put them in the affordable line, they flew off the shelves in a matter of hours.
After attending the Sunday church services with the other people, Emilia walked about the deck, smugly pleased with herself after taking that narcissistic and pretentious Caledon Hockley down a few pegs. She inhaled the salty air and grinned to herself, shaking her head a little bit at how rude she had been. It took a lot to push her buttons and set her off, but the Hockley snob had managed to do it every time he'd seen her.
Cal was openly smug about his own family's success with steelworks and the foundaries that they owned, flaunting it in front of the other people at the supper table the past few nights. If it wasn't Cal bragging, it was Ismay being smug and boasting about the ship. Emilia personally felt nauseated by the whole spectacle they were making. So, she made an entrance the second night of the voyage, dressing up in her most gaudy finery.
Prince Stephen Worthington, her father, had warned her about pretentious types, telling her that he knew of the Hockleys and what scum they really were. Cal was very ambitious to climb the social ladder, to gain more notriety for his reputation, and he wanted to be the richest man on the ship. Emilia loved her father dearly and had listened to his sound advice very clearly. With a clear caution not to tell her mother what he was about to say to her, Stephen had advised Emilia that she should flaunt her family's assets to Hockley's face. It was nauseating to the Worthingtons that the Hockleys considered themselves amongst royalty, and it was sheer sport to Emilia to remind Cal that he wasn't.
The first night Cal wasn't so bad, the second one he grew more pretentious, making eyes at Emilia though his fiancee was right there. The princess did not like his bad manners and showmanship, vowing to teach him a lesson. Emilia did not say much during that supper, mentally forming a plan.
Lightoller had escorted her that night after giving her an impromptu lesson on celestial navigation. She had jokingly proclaimed he was a genius and she would never get the hang of it, but Lightoller schooled her with patience like he would as if she was one of his own children.
That night had been memorable. Emilia went all out and wore a rich royal blue dress with no gloves, no sash, and sequins scattered on the bodice at random. Her dress had a deep plunging neckline which was outlined in bold silver colored thread. The princess wore a two tier sapphire and diamond cuff bracelet, on her ears were dangling flowers designed by herself to look like daisies. Diamonds formed the petals, a yellow garnet formed the center, and emeralds formed the leaves. The earrings were set in platinum as was her necklace. Emilia had created a bib necklace also in platinum, three sapphires were set close together by an interlocking chain, and at the end of each sapphire, a teardrop diamond dangled.
It was time for her to go into royal upperclass mode and look down her nose upon Hockley. Emilia had put her tiara on, something she had designed herself. It was elaborately gilded, a small emerald had been set in the very center, again in platinum.
"Dazzling." Lightoller complimented her that night as they walked down the stairs to the dining room. "You are a true royal now in full regalia."
"Thank you, Charles. I want to look down my nose at Hockley the narcissist and remind him though he thinks he's royalty, he isn't." Emilia opened up her fan with a sharp snap. The fan was made of light and rugged hornbeam wood, was sewed with a design of blue flowers on a white background.
Lightoller laughed and asked to be informed how it went. She promised and with a remark that he wished he could witness what she was about to do, reluctantly went back to work.
"So," Murdoch's voice cut into her thoughts, startling Emilia. "how did it go last night?" she had drifted to the very point of the bow and was staring into the distant horizon. Murdoch allowed her to take his arm and they walked up to the bridge, their shoes thumping dully on the hardwood floor. Emilia went in first, followed by Murdoch, who shut the door with a scraping noise and a click as the iron latch slid into place.
"Very well. I trust Charles told you everything?" she turned to face Murdoch as the quartermaster steered, knowing not to look at her or to say anything.
Murdoch picked up a pen and began to make notations on a clipboard. "He tried, but he was laughing too hard."
"He would!" Emilia giggled. The first officer noted the pleasing lilt her laugh had to it. "I was a snotty bitch!"
"Tell me now! Lightoller is coming to relieve me for lunch." surely enough, the second officer came up, promising Murdoch that Emilia would tell him a hilarious tale. The officer and the princess sat down together in the officer's mess, bringing their lunches from the buffet line.
"OK so first off, I was seated like everyone else. I had a lot of compliments on my royal blue gown and the tiara I wore. I remarked that I had designed it myself, along with my earrings and necklace set. The jewelry and my royal dress far outshone every other woman's attire, I had my hair curled back, the works. Cal starts in, verbally dry humping himself on all the work that his minions had done, all that jazz. It wouldn't go on for too long as I knew he'd start in on me, flirting with me outrageously because he wants to marry a royal."
"I've heard that." Murdoch muttered darkly.
"Indeed. He started off by complimenting me on my tiara and asked who designed it!" it might have been an innocent question, but Emilia was indignant about it because if he wanted to marry her to go up higher in society, he should have at least done a little research on her background. Murdoch understood her frame of mind, giving her a little nod as he adjusted the hat on his head.
"He was that stupid?"
"Yes, Will. I was very matter-of-fact and bitchy about it. I said, 'I designed it myself, Mr. Hockley, and I design all my own jewelry. I don't expect that you would know anything about creativity.' he wasn't happy with that," Murdoch started to laugh. "he just stared at me, then a few moments later, I was chatting with his fiancee when Cal started in on me again. This time he asked me if I'd ever been to Philadelphia. I haven't, but I bullshitted him on this one. I replied that I had, but I did not like it one bit. When he asked me why, I said it was because they were all low-bred, scruffy looking people who didn't have any clue on how to treat a royal. Cal agrees with me on this, and calls himself a royal right in front of me! I was furious."
"What did you do?" the blue eyes of the first officer glittered and shone with anticipation.
"I said, 'Mr. Hockley, you are proof of Philadelphia's low-bred and scruffy population. You presume to call yourself a royal right in front of an heiress to the throne! I don't suppose you would ever know what it is like to be a royal, doing charitable work, keeping up appearances and all of that. Royals like me work for a living, get their hands dirty, and we give donations back to the community. I don't ever recall any kind of gift of charity Hockley Steel has ever made. You are greedy, rude, and very pretentious.' his future mom in law wanted to speak to his defense, but she was too afraid of me. My royal blood makes a lot of people too afraid to talk to me at all. I said Cal was a downright slave driver, karma was going to come and get him, then left the table."
Murdoch almost applauded as they brought their plates to the washup station. "I hope you gave him something to think about." He remembered reading that Emilia and her family logged in over 300 royal engagements and work a year. Murdoch sincerely doubted that Hockley would lower himself to ever speaking with the public. The Worthingtons gave off the atmosphere of friendly and personable feeling, Hockley gave off the feeling that he was a greedy narcissist.
"Oh, that horrid mommy in law, Ruth something-or-other, tried to beg my forgiveness later on in my room, but I would have none of it. I told her if she wanted money, she should have married an old man like herself. There's nothing women hate more in this day and age is being reminded of how old they are. She teared right up because I called her out and threw her out of my room." Ruth had tried to kiss up to Emilia even more in the hallway after she threw out the old lady, but Emilia had talked down to her, saying that Ruth sponged off of Hockley, mocked her for not having an heir to carry on the family name. It was lowbrow, but Emilia didn't care at that moment. The old lady had stalked off to her rooms, she and Cal had badmouthed the royal for hours on end.
"You're a clever lady, Emilia," Murdoch complimented her as they left the officer's mess and walked up towards the bridge. "can I show you to your room tonight? It is getting rather late."
"How late is it? Will, it's only 6 PM! Isn't Wilde on watch right now?"
"He's just started, yes. I need some rest before my watch." he smothered a yawn, but Emilia caught it.
"You go rest then. I'll just promenade around and keep up appearances."
"Keep yourself safe." Murdoch kissed the back of her hand and wearily departed for his room.
Emilia parked herself onto a deck chair with a sketchpad on her lap. The sun was going down but there was still enough light for another hour of brainstorming. She started out by drawing a small lighthouse, making arrows to various parts of the structure and noting which stone type would look best in a certain place. The lighthouse, inspired by Titanic and her childhood love of lighthouses, would look best in black onyx for the top and rim of the walkway around the lighthouse light part itself. The body of the lighthouse could be in a variety of colors, particularly rubies and aquamarines.
For two hours she worked on symbolizing the ocean in jewelry pendants. Sea glass could be found in excess and Emilia would refine it so it was shiny and string it together as a plain bracelet or set it in platinum and gold for more elegance. Her other items involved a sea star using garnets, a small lapel pin of a fully rigged sailing ship and for a lower priced version, a skiff with a sail.
The princess worked on the designs until she found her eyelids would not stay open anymore. Cal and Ruth walked by, simultaneously giving her a glare as Wilde strolled in the opposite direction. The chief officer glanced at the Hockey snob and Ruth, seeing plainly that the two of them were actually afraid of confronting Emilia. The princess rubbed out a mark on her sketchpad, then shut the cover over it, relaxing back for a few minutes.
"Hello, your highness," Wilde stood near her. "having a good day?"
"Hello, Henry," she sat up, then stood up, grinning as he kissed her hand. "off shift?"
"Absolutely. May I escort you to your suite?"
"If you would be so generous," Emilia claimed his arm with a grin. "the Hockley twit and his idiot in law mommy won't touch me now," she told him the story of the pompous heir with hardly a lick of common sense. Wilde let loose and laughed hard as she told him of the way she insulted Hockley and the old dowager.
The chief officer was still guffawing when they entered the first class reception room on the way to her suite when Cal and Ruth came in the opposite direction.
"Must be nice to have the entire ship's company in your pocket." the disgruntled heir growled to Ruth, who tittered. Wilde heard and was about to retaliate when Emilia clutched at his arm, telling him to stay still.
"It is rather nice to have a royal influence." she said without seeming to. Wilde unlocked her door for her and opened it up. Emilia walked into the room sedately, turning to the chief officer. "What time is it?"
"Almost 10:30. Charles will be off his shift at 11."
Emilia trotted over to her steamer trunk, opened it up, then withdrew a small bundle wrapped in cloth. Wilde approached her as she unwrapped the bundle, revealing a small bottle of brandy. "Would you like to join me in a nightcap, Henry?"
"Absolutely," Brandy was one of Wilde's occasional vices. Emilia handed him a measure of the ruby liquid in a small tumbler. "you drink a lot?"
Grinning after a small sip of the drink, Emilia explained, "Sometimes. One of my ambitions is to open up my own distillery. I've tried everything at least once. Russian vodka, English gin, sherry, bourbon, American moonshine... you name it."
"Pisco?"
"It's really good when you mix it up, but straight it doesn't taste very good and it can knock you down. I'm partial to a good beer as well."
"Dark?"
"Stouts, yes. Reds are good too."
"Amen to that." the pair started waxing lyrical about the best drinks they'd ever had until Emilia's eyes started to close. She rubbed them, making Wilde grin as he recognized her fatigue. "Sorry, it's time for me to turn in for the evening."
"All right," Wilde pecked her hand. "sleep tight now."
"Thank you, Henry," she kissed his cheek affectionately. "navigation class in the morning then?"
He laughed. "Well, we shall see. I hope you've made improvements since the one yesterday morning."
"Charles taught me some earlier today. He's really patient and I hope I can impress you." Emilia winked.
"Yes, we shall see," Wilde had 4 kids himself and he considered himself patient as well as his subordinate. "time will tell."
Laughing, Emilia and Wilde said goodnight as she saw him out, locking the door.
About an hour later, Emilia was gathering her things together to make it easier for her to pack up her belongings when the ship docked. For some reason she was unable to sleep, so she worked more on her designs. Letting down her long hair, Emilia sat down at her vanity, turned on the light, and began to brush her hair out. While she had traveled with her family last summer, she had experimented with hairstyles, trimming her hair back to about shoulder length and winding it up into a simple bun while she toured Germany. It saved her some time in braiding her hair and putting it into the usual knot at the back of her head, so she kept the style.
The ship made a jarring motion followed by a horrible screeching sound reminding the young princess of fingernails on a blackboard and she jumped up, running out to the promenade deck and looking outside to see a monstrous iceberg looming over the ship. Mouth agape as the berg scraped by, Emilia leaned out the window to keep it in her sight a bit longer. Swearing profusely, Emilia went back into her room, figuring that the officers would come and get her if it was serious. To be on the safe side, she pulled out her winter greatcoat, cashmere scarf, and leather gloves, tossing them on the sofa.
"It's probably nothing, but I can't afford to take chances." Emilia picked her jewelry box up, a slim box in black velvet, then slid it into her inner greatcoat pocket. The jewelry she had designed for herself was very unique and each piece was personal to her, and she was unwilling to part with it under almost any circumstance.
"Your highness?" two raps on the door and a steward peered in. "The captain's orders, would you dress warmly and come on deck? Mr. Murdoch requested you to come to the bridge as soon as you can."
"Of course, will just be a moment." she nodded as the steward did as well, then retreated into her room where her warmest dress was hanging up. Pulling out her black peacoat, she layered the dress, peacoat, and greatcoat so she would be warm. Emilia dressed in a blue serge dress with a tatted lace collar, pulled on her black greatcoat and leather gloves, though she didn't bother with a hat. She ransacked her trunk, pulling out a striped cashmere scarf, winding it around her neck.
A funny feeling came over her as she stood at the entranceway to her room, but she shook it off as she adjusted the glove on her left hand. Of course she was coming back.
On the bridge, Murdoch was white-faced with anxiety over the situation. The ship had hit an iceberg and while he was under the impression it wasn't that bad at first, when Andrews had told them all that the ship was going to sink indefinitely.
"And the damage wouldn't have been as bad if we'd extended the watertight compartments like I'd wanted to in the first place!" Andrews thumped his fist on the desk angrily while glaring at the bewildered and dumbstruck Ismay. "Now we have to face the fact that we don't have enough lifeboats for all aboard!"
Murdoch recognized Emilia's familiar heels clacking on the deck and saw her shadow as she walked into the bridge area. Captain Smith peered over the partition and nodded to Murdoch covertly as Andrews gathered up the design plans of the ship, leaving the officers and Ismay in a stunned silence.
"Will?" Emilia jammed her hands in her pockets, already chilled. "What's going on?"
Murdoch glanced around him to make sure no other passengers were present to hear him. Lightoller ambled out as Captain Smith and Boxhall left the bridge to go and alert the other officers that were off duty.
"The ship has struck an iceberg and is going to sink," he said in a low voice. Emilia gasped. "you will be all right and I'll see you to a lifeboat."
"What about you?" she grasped his arm. "I can't leave without knowing that you'll be all right and make it off the ship in one piece!" Murdoch's blue eyes locked onto hers with a fierce intensity that she could not mistake for anything but a loyalty to his duty. She wasn't a princess anymore to his eyes, she was one that he had to save.
"You have to get on a boat, first thing!" his voice rang with authority that she had only heard a few times before and Emilia knew that it would be futile to argue with him. Still, Emilia had spoken her mind her entire life, encouraged by her father, and she wasn't about to stop now.
"I'm not going without you, Will." her loyalty to him was moving, considering the fact they had met only 4 days ago. In the half light of the bridge, Murdoch kissed her on the cheek and brought her hands out of her pockets. A great rush of affection flashed through him as the ship's engines ground to a halt.
"Fine. You can help me load up the boats for now."
Two hours later the ship began to sink more rapidly and Murdoch readied the last lifeboat on the starboard side. Emilia had to talk people into entering the boats at first, but now she was having a hard time keeping people out of the boats. Lightoller had protected his last one with a ring of crewman around it, but the princess had nothing like that to help her.
"OK, is this one-urk!" she gasped as someone wrapped an arm around her neck and she felt cold metal press against her left temple. A few women screamed as they wrapped protective arms around their children, shielding them from harm as Emilia clutched at her assailant's arm, gasping for air.
"The bloody hell?!" Murdoch spun around when a few screams broke out. Emilia was in the clutches of Caledon Hockley with a derringer plugged at her temple. "Hockley? Have you no shame, man?!" most of the men by now had resigned themselves to their fates like the men that they were and gallantly gave up their lifeboat seats to the women and children.
"Only a complete moron would do this type of bullshit to a lady! In particular a royal one!" Emilia spat out nastily as the tussled with Cal, trying to gain the upper hand.
"Mr. Hockley! Your reputation will suffer! This lady can bring down the hordes of hell and see that you lose your entire fortune!" Murdoch tried to talk some sense into him, but by the hysteria in Cal's eyes, he wasn't buying it. There was a blankness in Cal's eyes, like he wasn't aware of what he himself was doing at that point. The sailor knew that the situation brought out the best in some people and the worst in others. Clearly, Hockley was a coward at heart.
"Give me a spot in the boat here and she won't die!" the heir's face was flushed red with the cold and his normally slicked back hair was limp across his face, giving him a wild appearance.
"You're out of your mind!" Emilia proclaimed, stepping on his foot and using self-defense moves that her brothers had taught her, rammed her left elbow into Cal's face with all her might, causing him to drop his grip on her. The princess handed Murdoch the gun that the crazed man had dropped. Murdoch threw the derringer into the water as the ship lurched violently, throwing everyone off their feet.
"Time to depart!" Murdoch grabbed Emilia and nearly threw her into the boat unceremoniously. Emilia fumbled for a moment and turned over to face Murdoch, stretching out her hand to his.
"Will! Come on!" the officer glanced back at the ship as a huge wave washed the lifeboat clear. "There's nothing that you can do for them now! We need you!" Murdoch did not hesitate as he reached over and grasped Emilia's hand, stepped over the railing, and got himself into the boat just before the ship lurched and a powerful tidal wave of water rained down on where he had just been standing.
"Steady now!" the officer regained his nerves of steel as he directed the crewmen to lower the boat to the water, then they cut the fall lines. Emilia helped as much as she dared, not wanting to get in the way of the more experienced crewmen. A few of the ladies tittered at a lady getting so physical to help the crew, but Emilia brushed them off with an arrogant stare.
When they had gone a safe distance away, Murdoch stood up at the bow for a moment to try to gauge the distance they were from the ship. Emilia was sitting at the bow near him and she grasped his hand, tugging him to sit down. He did so reluctantly as the ship reached skywards with the stern poking straight up, then with a tremendous bubbling and assorted noises, the once behemoth liner slipped down underneath the waves to her final resting place. An almost eerie quiet descended upon the ocean, then the wails of the people who were not saved faintly reached their ears.
Stunned, Emilia put her hand over her mouth as her eyes flooded with tears. In the darkness of the boat, Murdoch took her hand, giving it a squeeze of support. She raised her head briefly and Murdoch could see the tears on her face.
"Come on now," he tried to comfort her and realized everyone on the boat should hear it too. The Scottish sailor stood up. "All right everyone, listen up! We've all just suffered a devastating blow and everyone has my deepest sympathy if you've lost loved ones. I know it's hard, but we need to row and find the other boats. Once we find them we must stick together! The way to get through this night is to support each other, comfort each other, and work together as a team! We can grieve later but just not now!"
"Aye, 'e's right!" one of the crewmen trumpeted. "C'mon, let's put our backs into it! Exercise will keep us warm!"
For some reason, the motivational speech drained Murdoch of a lot of his energy and he had to sit down for a moment. "Think you can make it, Emilia?"
She gave him a watery smile. "Yes."
"That's the spirit." he gave her a friendly smile. "Don't give up now."
"I won't."
The princess sat down out of the way and leaned her head back to look at the stars. They were so tantalizingly close like she could pick one out of the sky and put it on a necklace chain. Watching her breath condense in the air in front of her, Emilia resigned herself to waiting a long time, perhaps not too long, but long enough. When she was rescued, she would have to telegraph her parents to make sure that they knew she was all right.
Only one question remained in Emilia's mind: Where did she go from here?
At dawn, Emilia was shivering despite her greatcoat and peacoat layered over her dress. Murdoch was preoccupied with making sure they rowed in the rescue ship's direction, having sighted the Carpathia. Something rattled against her side as she leaned on the edge of the bow where she had been sitting, and she pulled out her jewelry case she had stowed earlier. Her one of a kind designs had been sitting safely all that time and it seemed like a year since she had packed that in her coat pocket.
It seemed so silly now to be carrying her jewelry which was worth several thousands of dollars when so many lives were lost. Emilia was still young at heart and in her travels around the globe, she had been shielded from the realities of life. Her mother had always been the overprotective sort and her brothers were of the same mold. Emilia's father had been more grounded, telling Emilia the realities of life and death, but still it was the first time that she had been witness to so many people dying.
The morning sun beamed down and despite herself, she felt the coat absorb the sunlight and she began to feel a bit warmer.
"Come on, pull!" Murdoch boomed encouragingly and the lifeboat came alongside the Carpathia where a rope ladder had been lowered for them. The first officer assisted the people up the ladder the best he could, then extended his hand to Emilia. "Think you can do it?"
"I'll show you." the princess smiled and ascended the ladder a bit stiffly at first, but nearly sprinted up the ladder after that. The Carpathia's officers Bisset and Hankinson extended their hands and pulled her up the rest of the way.
"I'll be!" Rostron was leaning over the edge of the rail to look at the survivors. "Your royal highness!" he bowed.
"Thank you, sir. Forgive me, but I am not at my best at the moment," she managed a ghostly smile. "these events take it out of me." the princess was pale faced and trembling slightly from the overnight exposure in the small lifeboat.
The captain chuckled. "Of course, your highness. This way to my quarters, please." Murdoch nodded, signaling her to go. The tired princess took Rostron's arm and allowed him to guide her up to his suite of rooms.
"If you need anything at all, just call one of the stewards or me and we will attend to you." he promised her as Emilia sat on the edge of the bed.
"Right now I'd just like to sleep for a year."
"You look pale and tired. Are you hungry as well?" Emilia took her overcoat off and unbuttoned her peacoat, tossing the jewelry case onto Rostron's bureau carelessly.
"My jewels," she explained. "it's so stupid I wanted to save them when there were so many lives lost." jewels could be insured or lost without cause, but when a person died, there was no way to get them back at all. For all the money in the would could not bring a loved one back from the beyond.
"These things happen, your highness," Rostron cuffed her on the shoulder. "please get some rest. Would you like me to wake you when supper is served?"
"Yes please. As long as we're in private, you may call me Emilia."
"Very well, Emilia. I must get to the bridge and oversee the rescue. Sleep well."
"I'll try." undoubtedly there would be some nightmares, but Emilia was too tired to think of them as she took off her peacoat and lay down on the bed.
Death was not a topic discussed in her family and this experience had shaken her up pretty badly. Emilia had visited Spain, America, Germany, the Netherlands, even Transylvania. The impoverished countries she had not been allowed to visit for security reasons. In places of civil unrest, her father had to travel under armed guards, bodyguards, and have special permission to visit if he could get any permission at all. Emilia's mother treated the subject of death like something remote that could not happen to any of them. The Worthington matriarch was a bit snobby and haughty, but over time Emilia had realized the fact that her mother only acted like an upperclass twit around people she did not know and did not trust. Once she was comfortable with someone, the matriarch would bring out her chatty side and treat the other person with all respect due him.
Emilia closed her eyes with a sigh, wishing that her mother was here with her so she could fall asleep with her mother beside her, so she could feel safe again.
Murdoch shifted in his White Star uniform as Emilia came up beside him gingerly. The duo watched as the harbor came into view as it rained heavily. It was a dreary gray day and the survivors were thoroughly tired and ready to set foot on dry land again.
In order to avoid the media, Rostron had thoughtfully arranged for a small lobster trawler to meet the Carpathia halfway into the harbor so Emilia could disembark unnoticed. The captain had already sent a wire to her family to let them know that she was all right. Emilia was on several survival lists wired out, so everyone knew she was alive at least.
"Ready?" Murdoch asked as the boat hovered nearby, edging in under the ladder.
"Yeah." the princess was pale and only after urging by Murdoch and Lightoller, Emilia had gone to see the doctor. He had diagnosed her with a flu bug and recommended hospitalization immediately or she would just get worse. Boxhall had a similar situation and would be hospitalized shortly as well.
"Right. I'll come and visit you soon. Feel better." Murdoch cuffed her shoulder and after well wishes from Rostron, Emilia was assisted into the trawler and taken to a nondescript landing away from all the media hype.
"She's a remarkable woman, Mr. Murdoch." Rostron mentioned as they watched her figure recede and vanish.
"Indeed, sir."
"She'd make some man a wonderful wife."
"I am married, sir. In case you were insinuating something." Murdoch said shortly, tired after only a few hours' broken sleep on the ship.
Rostron looked abashed. "I do apologize, Mr. Murdoch."
"It's all right, sir. I'm just tired. I want to sleep for about a year."
"You will have the rest of the day to yourself, my good man. The White Star Line has put you officers and crew up in the Waldorf-Astoria so you can rest up."