Title: A Sailor's Love
Author: Me
Language: English
Fandom: Titanic
Characters: W. Murdoch, C. Lightoller, OC
Pairing: OC/W. Murdoch, OC/C. Lightoller
Genres: Drama, Romance
Warnings: Abuse, Language, Violence
Words: 2,251
Author's Note: Titanic belongs to its owners. This is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction about this amazing movie. I do my best to be as accurate as possible and mean absolutely no disrespect to the historical characters and passengers. This fanfiction is inspired by the song 'More Than That' by the Backstreet Boys. My writing is mostly based on James Cameron's movie. A big thank you to farmergirl404, Lady Lightoller and hmweasley for their help. The face claims I use for Alison, Jonathan and Katheryn are respectively Katie McGrath, Bradley James and Claire Forlani. I hope you'll enjoy. Please, leave reviews, I love to read them! Suggestions are always welcome.
« If life is a cage, then everyday is a tear »
Chapter 1
April 9th, 1912 - Southampton
I'd choose solitude over cold kisses. If a relationship lacks love, then it is poison and consumes your soul from inside. Such affairs burn and hurt—you try to fight the situation, but you are slowly losing strength. The sun was at its zenith and shone bright in the cloudless sky. Although the weather was sweet for an April day, I could not enjoy its charity, having forgotten how warmth felt. My engagement to Jonathan Anderson had survived a year now. The man was the heir to a renowned law firm overseas. Everyday, I've waited for his cold heart to melt, but it doesn't seem like such a thing will manifest.
Each and every time he raised a hand or his voice, a feeling of weakness overcame me as if my body couldn't hold its own weight. Breath short and eyes wide, blood would begin to flow quickly through my veins as I watched him close the distance between us. My mind would begin to imagine all sorts of things that could have set Jonathan's anger off, having no idea of what I had supposedly did wrong. Did he hate how I cut my hair? Was, perhaps, my gown too low cut, or did he see me smile at our chauffeur?
I've tried to speak with my mother Katheryn Adams, a popular fashion designer, about the mistreatment and my desire to break the engagement, but she would not listen, convinced that the man would make a perfect husband. Was I a horrible daughter for wanting to do exactly what ladies of my class were not supposed to do? Going through with the engagement was my obligation. The simple thought of disappointing my mother made me tremble.
The usual noises and chatter of passersby in the busy streets of Southampton were muffled and indistinct, due to my many preoccupations. This numbness inside of me and my own breathing were the only things I felt and heard. Katheryn, my maid Elizabeth Clark, Jonathan, and I were strolling leisurely through the streets, shopping for accessories to bring in our luggage when we boarded the Titanic tomorrow. My mother wanted to expand her fashion business overseas and visit her sister that she had not seen in what seemed like an eternity.
Every conversation we overheard was about the new pride of the White Star Line. The floating palace was at dock number 44. She was the safest, largest, and most luxurious ship afloat. Although she was a real beauty, she was anything but the ship of dreams, for me, she was rather the ship of doom.
A nightmare about this very same vessel began when we bought our tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic. The dream was always about her striking a mass of ice and sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. People from rich, middle, and poor classes fell into the freezing water. Motionless, pale cold bodies floated in the waves. Was this a warning or my internal fears and doubts? I've come to not want to sleep. Those images were rather horrible. Terrifying.
''Miss?''
Hearing a distant and familiar feminine voice behind me, I whipped my head in that direction and saw my maid holding a large black hat in her dry hands, remembering we were in a store filled with various hats for women and men.
''I do apologize, Elizabeth.'' My lips forced a smile, showing a set of white teeth. The simple action of smiling took all of my energy. ''I was preoccupied.''
A sympathetic gleam appeared in my interlocutor's large brown eyes for a short moment but disappeared quickly. The woman accompanied me every day. After a while, she had noticed the frequent bruises on my body.
''What does my lady think of this accessory?'' Elizabeth asked sweetly, holding up the hat.
''This will look lovely with my blue gown! How many times do I have to remind you there is no need for formalities?'' I huffed.
''Yes, mi— Alison,'' she replied shyly.
A satisfied smile spread across my lips but faltered when we heard slow and heavy footsteps behind us. Elizabeth immediately turned into her formal self. She curtsied at me and went to buy the hat with Katheryn. A heavy scent of oil and cologne filled the air. Nausea began to overwhelm me. At this moment, I knew who the footsteps belonged to without needing to turn my head.
''Oh please, not another hat! You already have plenty of them!''
The tone of annoyance made my blood boil. Could I do something without always having to hear Jonathan say an impolite comment? None of my hats fit with the blue dress I had planned to wear tomorrow. Certainly a pink head accessory could not be worn with a dark colored dress, but of course, Mr. Anderson did not know that. Fashion was not his domain. I did not need his permission to buy a hat.
''I do not expect you to understand anything about fashion,'' I snapped at the man, turning around to meet him.
He clenched his well-defined jaw, narrowed his cold blue eyes, and straightened himself in a threatening manner. His gaze penetrated my soul like a predator watching his prey. The thought of what he could do made my heart race. His strike hurt whenever he decided I needed one.
Suddenly, a violent force pushed my head to the side. The sting was enough to make tears well up in my green eyes. Stunned by the strike I received, it took me several seconds to realize what had just happened. Passersby were most likely watching, shocked to see such treatment take place. I lowered my head down to the floor and instinctively raised a hand to my stinging cheek, trying to hide the reddened hand mark.
''Look at me when I'm talking to you!'' Jonathan barked, yanking my head up. It almost made a snap.
Jonathan grabbed my slim wrist roughly and forced me to look at him. Bruises would form tomorrow. There was no doubt about it.
''I will not tolerate you speaking to me that way! Is that understood?'' he bellowed, looking me straight in the eye.
My lips trembled, and I nodded quickly, desperately wanting him to leave me alone. Once seeing his order was understood, the man released me and turned back into a proper gentleman. Certainly not to disappoint my mother, he offered me his arm, which I reluctantly took. We then silently continued our walk in the crowded streets of Southampton.
April 10th, 1912 - Southampton, Sailing Day
Sitting on a chair in front of a vanity table in a large bedroom, Elizabeth was doing my long wavy black hair into a tight, elegant bun. I was 5 feet 8 inches tall if we added the height of the small dark heels on my feet. Today, a long sleeved dark blue dress mother had designed covered my slender body. The collar, made of topaz material, formed a small 'V' shape. A floral pattern began on my chest and finished on my wide hips. The flowers were also topaz, and the peduncles were dark green. To create a waterfall effect, the blue skirts of the dress were pulled up behind my back.
''I cannot imagine spending the rest of my life with a man such as Jonathan,'' I muttered under my breath, trying my best to keep calm and relaxed.
''One day, you will find a man who will love you,'' whispered the young woman who was styling my hair, smiling gently and removing her hands from it.
''I really hope so, Elizabeth... I really hope so. Can you please fetch that for me?'' I said, motioning to the hat I bought yesterday that had been lying on my bed.
Making use of 'please' and 'thank you' to a steward or a servant was very important to me. Although they belonged to the working class, I considered them as equal.
''Yes, miss.''
Elizabeth handed me the hat, and I placed it carefully on my head. The door of the bedroom opened slowly, and I saw Katheryn's reflection in the mirror in front of me. Her green eyes widened when I turned around to face her. Judging by her expression, she thought her daughter was beautiful.
''Ladies, we better hurry,'' she said.
Mother left the bedroom and made her way outside where two automobiles would lead us to the port of Southampton. I rose from the chair and followed her, our maid close behind in suit. Once we arrived outside, I noticed that our luggage was already in the vehicles.
My heart sank upon seeing my fiancé with his manservant standing near them. His prominent cheekbones and chin rose as a sickening fake smile spread across his full, soft lips. The man was dressed in a black suit and shoes of the same color, his dark, short blond hair slicked back. Jonathan was a very handsome man, but I did not feel any attraction towards him. Perhaps it was because I knew he was not as charming as he appeared to be.
All five of us took seats in the automobiles, and the chauffeurs drove over to the port. After what seemed like forever, our vehicles finally came to a stop. The man who was responsible for driving the automobile Jonathan, mother, and I occupied positioned himself in front of my door. He opened it, then helped me down. After having thanked him politely for assisting me, the other occupants of the vehicle and our two servants followed. People were shouting orders, and others were saying their goodbyes to those who were boarding the floating palace.
A magnificent Queen of the Ocean appeared before my eyes when I lifted my head. There the RMS Titanic stood in all her grace and splendor. She was breathtaking. My fiancé handed me his arm, and we made our way over to a bridge that led us into the hull of the ship. As the vessel came closer and closer, I began to feel so small compared to it. At the end of the catwalk, a crew member awaited passengers to register them.
''Welcome aboard!'' the man greeted us with a gentle smile after writing down our names and handing us the keys to our rooms.
''Thank you,'' Mother thanked him politely, and I followed her to find our staterooms in the depth of the ship.
The Titanic was ready to leave the port in five minutes. Closing a heavy, white metallic door, Sixth Officer James Moody heard a masculine voice shout the word 'passengers' repeatedly.
''Have you been through the inspection queue?'' Mr. Moody asked the men in front of him, glancing at the tickets quickly, noticing that they belonged to steerage. He was not addressing himself to one of the men in particular. He just didn't want to allow those who could be carrying diseases to come aboard.
''Of course. Anyway, we don't have any lice. We're Americans, both of us,'' a blond young man replied, motioning a hand at his friend and himself as he had the tickets in tow.
The sixth officer observed the two passengers for a brief second. The one in front of him was definitely American, but his friend seemed to be of Italian descent. The sailor could see they really wanted to board the ship. If he refused to let them through, his heart would break.
''Right. Come aboard,'' he said simply, letting them enter.
The men didn't waste a second to cross the gap between the bridge and the ship. Once they made it safely inside of the vessel, the heavy, metallic door closed behind them, no longer accepting late passengers.
''We're the luckiest sons of bitches in the world! You know that?!'' the American man shouted happily at his Italian friend as they skipped through the corridors, unintentionally shoving people on their way, not bothering to apologize to them. They were like children who had received the gift they had always wanted.
People of different classes crowded the decks, and those who wanted to see the ship leave had to make sure not to collide with anyone, which was nearly impossible. That was when the moorings were removed and the ship stirred. Slowly, the engines of the Titanic had begun to execute their function. The stokers had worked hard in that disgusting heat to stoke this Queen of the Ocean. The conditions of work from below were surely horrible, but surely the salary was enough at least to have somewhere to live at the end of the month.
''You know somebody?'' an Italian voice echoed at the stern of the ship, noticing his friend waving wildly.
''Of course not! That's not the point!'' his American buddy replied, leaning against the cold, white railing in front of him to have a better view of the crowded dock. He waved his hand happily at people, having no idea of who they were, inviting his friend at his side to do the same.
''Goodbye. I'll miss you!''
''Goodbye!''
The men could care less about the fact that they didn't know anyone. They simply felt like saying goodbye to people as they headed off to America on the grandest, most beautiful ship ever built. The Titanic.
''Goodbye. I'll never forget you!''
Slowly but surely, the ship became a spot on the horizon.