Regina was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice the car had come to a stop amongst the sea of people until she saw the drivers' hand presented to her from the corner of her eye, to assist her step out of the vehicle. Regina took his hand and stepped down, her gaze falling upon the majestic vessel in front of her. 'The Ship of Dreams' they were calling it, unfortunately not her dreams though. Her dreams were dead, and now she was here. She hoped it was all just a terrible nightmare she would wake up from at any moment but sadly, this was her reality. Regina could sense the excitement and anticipation from the people buzzing around her but she was far from excited. She didn't want to be there and simply stood, expressionless. She couldn't believe this was happening. Well, she could. She knows her Mother and what she is capable of. Cora was a true force to be reckoned with. She heard her "fiancé", Keith, and his associate Mr Gold, she believed his name to be, step out of the car. Keith came to stand next to her and Regina glanced up at him to see his awe-struck expression. She turned her glance back toward the ship, "I don't really see what all the fuss is about; it looks no different to the Lusitania", Regina stated, trying to hide her lack of enthusiasm. Keith couldn't believe his ears, quickly turning to her and pointing out how absurd her comment was by explaining all the myriad of ways this ship trumped all others there ever was. "God himself cannot sink this ship", Keith stated, proud of his argument. Regina wasn't even listening to him though; she just continued staring at the ship in front of her, trying desperately to push down the feelings of helplessness that kept clawing up inside her. Keith walked to the other side of the car to assist her Mother to step down from the vehicle, seen as how the drivers were now hastily tending to their luggage. "So this is the ship they say is unsinkable", Cora stated to which Keith confirmed with a nod. Regina could hear Keith behind her, discussing luggage arrangements with an officer. They could throw it all into the ocean for all she cared. Keith then made his way over to Cora and checked his pocket watch. "We should make our way on board", he announced, while re-pocketing his watch. Cora began making her way towards the ship so Regina followed as she knew she had to, with Keith and Mr Gold trailing behind her. Regina felt as though she were moving in slow motion the entire way to the boarding bridge like she was walking down death row to the gallows, escorted by her Mother, Keith and most likely Mr Gold to ensure she didn't step out of line. At some point along the walk, Keith had moved to her left and securely fastened her arm around his. To any onlooker it looked completely natural, just a couple walking together arm-in-arm, however, she knew the sham it was. It was all about appearances for she knew nothing about the man currently gripping her elbow, aside from the fact that his name was Keith Nottingham, a Lord from New York that she was to marry. 'Marriage' she internally scoffed; nothing but a business deal arranged by her dear Mother, in which Regina was the unwilling pawn to unite two parties to suit their needs, while her own happiness became collateral damage. Regina had no say in the matter and just the thought had her blood boiling and stomach churning and the same time. As Regina walked through the threshold of the entry gate, faced by smiling and friendly stewards welcoming her aboard, she felt as though a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head. For in that moment the weight of the situation hit her – This was it. she would never ever see her beloved Daniel again. She never even got the chance to bid him farewell in the first place. The most happiness Regina had felt in her 18 years of life had been with Daniel over the past 16 months; she should have known that it was too good to be true though. Should have never let herself attach to the idea that she could love and be loved, that she could be truly happy. It wasn't on the cards for her and she internally berated herself at how stupid and naïve she had been to let herself believe that she could have lived the quaint life in the English countryside that she had envisioned with Daniel.
~Flashback~
Regina was on cloud nine as she walked back to the manor house from the stables. She couldn't remove the beaming smile from her face, nor could she stop gazing down to the dainty yet beautiful, ring on her finger. It was a plain tin band, nothing extravagant, and barely noticeable really but she felt like her whole hand had changed for the better. "It's a promise ring", Daniel had told her earlier that afternoon. He said the next one would be an engagement ring. Needless to say, they spent the following ten minutes or so in a loving embrace, sharing languid kisses while in the privacy of the hay house, before they continued organising the horse feed. Regina was now running a little late but it was the farthest thought from her mind. Her only thoughts in her rose-shaded haze were of her future life with Daniel. She walked through the back entrance of the manor house and headed towards the stairs to wash up for dinner, still in her own little bubble. She didn't notice her mother approaching with a storm in her stride. "Regina Victoria Mills, where on earth have you been?! You were due home 25 minutes ago!" Cora scolded. Before Regina could respond, Cora let out a sigh before continuing, "Let me guess, you were with the stable boy again weren't you?!" Regina knew it was a rhetorical question and didn't wish to aggravate her mother any further so simply replied, "I'm sorry Mother, I just lost track of time. Please forgive my tardiness, I will change quickly". Cora didn't say another word, and under her hard glare, Regina began making her way toward the stairs before her mother's raised voice stopped her. "What in the lord's name is that atrocity on your finger?" Cora demanded. Regina felt her bubble instantly pop as she turned back to face her. She felt herself shrink a few inches into the ground under her mother's cold gaze. She swallowed and took a deep breath, while she mentally prepared her response. Perhaps if she tells her mother the truth, explaining how happy she is, how happy Daniel makes her, her mother will understand.
Of course, Cora didn't understand. After Regina recounted the events of her afternoon, her mother simply lets out a sigh while brushing a hand over Regina's cheek, looking at her through cold eyes, "Foolish girl. I did not work this hard and get us this far just for you to run away with the common help. He is a stable hand dear, and I'm sure he will find a beautiful bride of the same status one day, but my darling, you are destined for greatness", Cora spoke. "You think you are in love when in actual fact you are in a fantasy. You are too young to comprehend what love is. I can tell you now that love is sacrifice, but love on its own does not get you anywhere, it only brings you heartache and pain. Love is not necessary to marriage, Regina. In time, you may come to love your husband, who will be of your own class. And if not, well, you will love your children. Speaking of which…" her mother trailed off and urged a shocked Regina into the living room where two gentlemen were seated. Before she could even comprehend what was happening her mother spoke again, addressing the gentlemen in a much more pleasant tone, "Please accept my sincere apologies for keeping you waiting, Lord Nottingham, Mr Gold". The men arose from their seats and Lord Nottingham responded, "Do not worry Lady Mills, and please, call me Keith. Mr Gold, here, is my associate", before taking Cora's hand and placing a brief kiss to the back of it. Mr Gold gave a nod of acknowledgement and a sinister smile to Cora. Keith then turned his attention to Regina. "Allow me to introduce you to my lovely daughter, Regina. I apologise for her dishevelled attire as she has just returned from the stables, she will change shortly, into something more appropriate for dinner". "It's a pleasure to meet you, Regina", the Lord responded, taking Regina's hand while not breaking eye contact. Just as his lips were about to touch the back of her hand, she snatched it away, replying, "And you." The final pieces fell into place and she realised what exactly was happening. Her mother was setting her up with this man.
Regina was going to be sick. She excused herself and moved towards her bedroom as fast as she could before her mother could correct her manners. Upon entering her room, she shut the door behind her and collapsed onto her bed, closing her eyes and burying her face in her hands as she let out a frustrated sob. A moment later, her handmaiden lightly knocked on her door before entering, in order to help Regina wash and change for dinner. Regina tried not to let her frustration show, for she just wished to have five minutes to herself to digest what she had just learned and figure out what to do.
She stood at her vanity as the handmaiden laced up her corset, staring directly into the mirror in front of her but lost in her own thoughts when her eyes focused on a cluster or luggage trunks next to the wardrobe behind her, bringing her back to the present moment. "What is the purpose of those doing out?" she confusedly asked the handmaiden. "They are for the trip, Miss", the handmaiden politely replied. "What trip?" asked Regina, with a hint of alarm in her tone as she continued to glance between the trunks and the handmaiden through the mirror. An awkward tension swept through the room as the handmaiden didn't respond. Regina noticed the woman's change in demeanour and the nervousness in her movements after her overstep, realising the maiden was unaware of Regina's lack of knowledge. Regina continued to watch as the maiden busied herself about the room, looking everywhere but Regina's eyes and completely ignoring the elephant that had made its way in there. 'What in the hell is going on?!' Regina thought to herself but had a knowing feeling that she would most certainly find out during dinner.
By the end of their dinner, Regina was livid. She gave herself credit for keeping up her poker face, but years of conditioning would have that effect, she supposes. She had found out that her Mother and Lord Nottingham had arranged her betrothal to the latter. Evidently, the Lord was to inherit an estate in the Hudson Valley in New York, along with a large sum of money, from his millionaire Father. However, a term of his eligibility contract requires him to be married, Keith had explained. Cora added that once she had overheard Mr Nottingham's predicament from the concerned ladies at her tea group, she just had to introduce him to her beautiful daughter, who, funnily enough, was looking for a husband. "It was simply meant to be" Cora had stated, to which Lord Nottingham smiled.
Just when Regina didn't think things could get any worse, Keith had announced that he had purchased them all tickets to New York on the newest luxury cruise liner they called, 'Titanic'. "We leave in two days, Regina isn't this wonderful?!" Cora spoke with glee. All Regina could do was look at her mother blankly while she fought the urge to scream or cry, or both. "Mother, could I please speak to you in private", Regina stated before excusing herself from the table and headed toward the sitting room. Regina began to pace a little as her mother followed her inside. "I don't want to marry him, Mother. I am already betrothed to another, a man whom I love!". "Keep your voice down!" Cora hissed, "Really, Regina, your manners have been extremely lacking tonight. No doubt from hanging around with that stable boy so frequently" Cora scoffed. "I will say this once and once only: You are not marrying the stable boy. Lord Nottingham is in need of a wife, and we are in need of money. He is a very wealthy man, Regina, not to mention good looking. Most women would be launching themselves at this opportunity", Cora argued. "Well, I am not most women! I don't care about status or wealth –", Regina began to argue before Cora cut in, "Oh please, the life we lead is an expensive one. Your fantasy to run away with the stable boy is just that, a fantasy. Do not delude yourself into believing that you would actually be able to live as a commoner, managing a household on your own without any of the help you are accustomed to", Cora spat at her before continuing, "You would soon come to realise the error of your ways and come running back to this life, only to find that your opportunity has passed. Really, Regina, you should be thanking me; you may not be able to see it right now, but this is the best course of action for the both of us, for all of us. It is a win-win, end of discussion", Cora concluded before turning on her heel and heading back to the dining room before Regina could utter another word. She was speechless, how could her mother be so cold as to treat her as nothing but a mere pawn, to use her for a business transaction, essentially selling her off to a stranger for a good price. And, her mother had the audacity to call her delusional when she believed what she was doing was out of love. Regina felt her eyes well up with tears at the hurt that was assaulting her heart. She had to hold it together and keep her mind clear enough to figure out what she was going to do. She took a deep breath, straightened her spine and began walking back to the dining room. She noticed all three standing as she approached the room. Mr Gold had remained relatively quiet throughout dinner, eating his food and observing most of the conversation. Something about him sent chills down her spine. They all looked to her as she stepped through the threshold, poker face fallen back into place. Keith approached her as he said, "There is just one final matter to attend to", turning briefly to Mr Gold who handed him a small box. Regina swallowed thickly. No, no, no, no, no. The Lord turned back to face her, opening the small box and presenting her with a beautifully adorned diamond engagement ring. With a grin plastered across his face, he asked, "Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" 'How could he truly want this, he doesn't even know me?!' Regina thought to herself. She could feel her heart beating erratically in her chest but not in the giddy way that had her heart swelling with happiness and pleasant butterflies swirling in her stomach earlier that day. This was laced with panic. 'Absolutely not' she thought to herself, and Mother be damned. She was about to voice it when she heard her mother respond, "Of course she will", before clapping and coming to stand beside her daughter, a triumphant smile gracing her lips. Regina met her mother's gaze with a mixture of anger and disbelief, but the look Cora returned practically screamed 'ruin this deal and I will ensure you regret it, if it is the last thing I do'. So, Regina stayed silent and turned her attention toward Keith, still beaming at her as he took her hand and placed the ring on her finger. The most she could muster in return was a small smile that looked more of a grimace, as she willed herself not break down into tears.
Regina lay wide awake in her bed as she waited for her Mother, the two new houseguests and the staff to turn in for the night. She had quietly changed back into her riding clothes in order to swiftly sneak out into the darkness. She needed to tell Daniel, hell, she just needed him full stop. She was struggling with the burden of the evenings' events and it had only been a few hours. Regina pulled the bed covers back, quickly tying her hair up into a bun, and silently headed toward her window, not even caring with shoes as she wanted to move as quickly as she could. She had an old rag in the depths of her pocket anyhow, which she would use to clean her feet upon return so as not to track in any dirt. She had snuck out many a time before; this was practically second nature to her now. The beauty of her room was that the greenhouse was located directly underneath her window; all she had to do was gently slide down from her window ledge onto the solid edge of the greenhouse roof to a sitting position, turn onto her front and then gently lower herself to the ground. The moment her feet touched the slightly damp grass, she glanced around quickly to make sure she had not disturbed the stillness of the night and ran as quickly and as quietly as her legs could carry her to the little cottage in the next paddock over where Daniel lived. Her lungs were burning in contrast with the crisp night air that whipped her face as she ran. She neared the cottage and slowed her pace in order to catch her breath and to also to ensure she didn't wake anyone inside. Regina approached Daniel's bedroom window and gently pulled the pane towards her. She knew it wouldn't be locked – he always kept it unlocked for her to sneak in at night, as it was the only other time they could see each other aside from her daily riding lessons at the stables. Regina carefully manoeuvred through the window and silently made her way over to his sleeping form. She took a brief moment to just take in the appearance of him sleeping peacefully on his back with the slight glow of the moon illuminating his face. She momentarily envied him. Regina gently lifted the bed covers and crawled in next to him, curling up to his side and burying her head into the crook of his neck. Instinctively, Daniel wrapped an arm around her and began to stir. He could feel her body shaking and hear her quiet sobs. "Shh, it's okay. I've got you", he soothingly repeated while running his hand up and down her arm. They simply lay there like that for a few minutes until Regina had calmed. She pulled back from him just enough so she could see his face. He looked at her with love and concern as she began to speak. "Mother is taking me back to New York, in two days time" she, told him, utterly defeated. Daniel's eyes widened at that, "What?!" he asked in a hushed tone. "She has made arrangements for me to marry a Lord whose estate is in New York. I tried to explain to her that I want to marry for love, that we are in love, but she wouldn't listen and does not approve of our union", Regina said as tears rolled down her flushed cheeks. She placed her head against his chest as he kissed her hair and let out a sigh. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to leave, I just want you and the life we imagined", she sobbed, wetting his nightshirt with her tears. With another kiss to the top of her head, Daniel replied: "I know, and I want that too, my love". They lay there in silence for a few moments, Daniel, stroking her arm and ghosting kisses to the top of her head before taking a deep breath and responding, "Meet me at our spot at this same time tomorrow night. Our only option is to leave. I have some relatives living in neighbouring towns we may be able to stay with until we can get on our feet". Regina snapped her head up to look at his face, "You would really do that? Run away with me?" she asked, as so one had ever shown her such care and concern before. He would really uproot his life in an instant to be with her? She searched his eyes for any hint of a doubt but could find none. His frown transformed into a smile as he replied, "Of course, Regina, I love you. As long as we are together, nothing else matters". Regina let out a sob of relief as she felt her eyes well up once more. "I love you, too" she replied before leaning up and closing the distance between them, pressing a passionate kiss to his lips. He returned her kiss with fervour, bringing one hand to her cheek with the other cupping the back of her head. They broke apart when the need for air became too strong and just stared at each other, lovingly. "Tomorrow?" Regina questioned. "Tomorrow", Daniel confirmed with a smile. She smiled in turn and leant in to peck his lips once more before extracting herself from his side and slowly heading back towards the window. She turned back to face him and smiled, "Goodnight, Daniel". Gazing at her with a grin he replied, "Goodnight, Regina".
Regina awoke the next morning to the sound of bustle about the hallway and her handmaiden quietly moving about her room to open the curtains. "Rise and shine Miss Regina, you have a big day ahead of you". 'Huh?' Regina thought to herself, as she didn't remember having anything on her agenda for today aside from her riding lesson after lunch and tea later that morning. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She glanced around her room and noticed that her luggage trunks were no longer next to her wardrobe. "We need to get you dressed and fed quick-smart so you can be on your way", the handmaiden said in her much too bubbly tone for this time of the morning or anytime for that matter. "On my way to where exactly?" Regina asked, puzzled. "Liverpool, of course", the handmaiden nonchalantly replied while getting Regina's clothing ready. What?! Regina's blood froze. "You are to travel to Liverpool today with your mother, Lord Nottingham and Mr Gold, ahead of your departure tomorrow. They expect travel delays tomorrow due to the crowd the vessels departure will attract. Your mother and Lord Nottingham thought it best to travel today and stay one night in the town before your boarding tomorrow, did they not tell you?" the maid stopped and looked toward Regina. Regina could only shake her head as quietly imploded. 'No! This couldn't happen. Daniel', were her only thoughts as she started to go numb. Regina let out a choked sob, "Oh, it's only Liverpool Miss Regina, no need to fret. It won't be too bad I can assure you", the handmaiden spoke with a smile, thinking Regina was upset at the prospect of staying a night in town. Regina felt as though she had disconnected from her body; she could hear the handmaiden speaking and could register herself getting being dressed but felt as though she were looking at the shell of herself from afar. She could feel the remnants of her heart, breaking and shattering in her chest as she realised she would not even get to say goodbye to her beloved Daniel; Would not get to feel his embrace or his warm lips on hers once more; Would not get to hear his voice or see that beautiful smile. She was grieving she realised, for him and the life they will never have. And for herself – for the part of her heart that died this morning. The next thing she registered, she was seated in the car travelling straight towards her fate, leaving her first love behind with her shattered dreams.