1912
In Southampton, England the gleaming white superstructure of Titanic was rising mountainously beyond the rail, with funnels standing against the sky like the pillars of a great temple. The crewmen were moving across the deck, dwarfed by the awesome scale of the steamer while crowds of passengers eagerly flocked toward the pier. The atmosphere was one of excitement and general giddiness. People embracing in tearful farewells, or waving and shouting bon voyage wishes to friends and relatives on the decks above.
A Renault pulled up close to the pier and stopped, the driver opened the door and the first passenger to step out was a seventeen year old, English woman of regal bearing. She was tall, and thin with straight yellow hair pinned up high into a bun and piercing brown eyes. A beautiful woman wearing a stunning and expensive yellow dress underneath a cream colored coat. This was Lucy Heartfilia, the famous English heiress who had boarded Titanic and seemingly never returned.
Following her out of the Renault were two men and a woman. The first man was finely dressed in a suit, handsome and arrogant. He made sure that he never left the Lucy's side for one moment. He was Dan Straight, Lucy's fiancé and heir to a steel making fortune which would make him rich beyond all reason. The other man older, in his forties and also finely dressed. He was Jude Heartfilia, Lucy's widower father who had ruled their household with an iron will.
The other woman traveling with them was not dressed so richly. In fact her clothing was a modest and simple uniform. She was a pretty Norwegian maid called Levy. A faithful servant to Lucy and the only true friend she ever had. Lucy was grateful that at least Levy would be joining them on this journey.
"I don't see what all the fuss is about. It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauretania." Lucy said looking at the ship.
"You can be blase about some things, Lucy, but not about Titanic." Said her fiancé Dan. "It's over a hundred feet longer than Mauretania, and far more luxurious. It has squash courts, a Parisian cafe, even Turkish baths."
"Lucy stand up straight." Jude ordered his daughter. "And and stop pouting it is most unbecoming of a woman, especially one in your class."
"Yes Father." She said fixing her expression and posture.
Valets came to get their luggage while the four of them boarded along with all the other first class passengers. Some Lucy recognized and some she had yet to meet. From a distance she could see Mirajane Dreyar nee Strauss, the elegantly charming fashion designer from Scotland and her husband Laxus, the grandson of the ship's captain. She only knew of them and had purchased a few of Mrs. Strauss's designer dresses and gowns.
Just in front of her and Dan was a man she knew to be Gray Fullbuster. An American who's father had been a famous surgeon and had left behind an impressive inheritance after he had died. He was young and handsome in a rugged way despite being in first class, his black hair was somewhere between kept and unkept, and he had such a steely pair of grey eyes. He and Lucy knew each other from several banquets they had attended with their fathers yet despite being around he same age and their history, they were never anything more than good friends.
"Lucy you made it." He greeted her kindly.
"Hello Gray." She smiled. "How are you?"
"Excited to be going home at last." He said. "I hope my journalism classes like the research I'm bringing back."
"I'm sure they will."
"Are you excited?" He asked her. "You're finally going to see my homeland."
"Of course she's excited." Dan answered for her. "She's starting a new life in a new country, with a new husband."
Dan kissed her hand. Lucy just rolled her eyes and turned her attention down below to the third class passengers as they were boarding. It was stark contrast to the entourage of rich and Edwardian upper class passengers. They were all so diverse and eccentric looking. So unspoiled by luxury and made formidable by harsher times. Although they were much more excited about boarding the ship than anyone in the first class division. Probably because this was the most thrilling and incredible experience in all of their lives.
Lucy noticed that Levy was watching the third class as well and that two in particular had caught the maid's gaze. One was a young, gruff, and muscular Irish man dressed in a faded shirt of green and brown trousers. He was carrying two large sacks that contained what little belongings he and his family had. When he saw Levy looking at him, he smiled and waved at her. She smiled and waved at him in return.
The other was a young Irish woman the same age as Lucy, wearing a humble outfit of a simple white frock and a blue shawl over her wavy azure hair. Yet despite her third class apparel, she was just as beautiful as Lucy. She looked like a snow maiden with skin as fair as ivory, rosy cheeks, and the most tender blue eyes. She was carrying a covered basket and taking a moment to really admire the ship's glory, letting herself comprehend the unbelievable fact that she was actually boarding such a grand vessel.
She and Lucy's gazes met, she waved to her, Lucy waved back. Suddenly another woman appeared. One older, tall, and dull. A blond who wasn't bad looking and wore clothes that weren't as nice as Lucy's but much nicer than the clothes the Irish girl wore. The older woman spoke to the younger one, and it looked as though she was scolding her for something. She then grabbed the young lady roughly by the arm pulled her along.
That young woman was called Juvia, the man with her was her older brother and the woman was her stepmother. The three of them were taking this voyage with dreams of a better life in America. Lucy did not know them at this time and neither did Gray. But they would know them very soon, especially Gray. In fact, Gray and Juvia shared a common bond from the moment they were born. Both of their mothers had left this world while bringing them into it.
"Look at them down there." Dan said with disgust when he saw the poorer crowd. "I don't see why they're allowed on board, they're no different than gutter rats."
"They're here for the same reason you are Dan." Gray said. "They have dreams like you do, they feel pain like you do, they bleed like you do. They're people too."
"Ah yes, I keep forgetting that you doctor types have bleeding hearts for everyone." He joked.
"That's not being a doctor Dan." Gray said. "That's being a decent human being. Something I doubt you are."
Dan kept smiling but his eyes were looking at the American with pure hatred, and had Gray's father not been a longtime friend of Jude, Dan would have struck the young man right in the jaw.
"Levy!" Dan called.
"Yes sir." The maid said, looking away from the Irish man.
"Make yourself useful, go down there and assist the valets."
"Yes sir."
Levy went back down and was handed several suitcases. Unfortunately they were so heavy and it was too much of a load. On the way back, she tripped and fell over.
"Watch it you clumsy little fool!" Dan snapped at her. "One of those suitcases contain my cigars."
"My apologies sir." Levy said trying not to tremble.
"Please don't speak to her that way Dan." Lucy requested. "It was only an accident and I'm sure nothing is damaged."
"You're far too sensitive Lucy." Jude said. "She is the help and she is handling our nelongings, she should be reprimanded for her mistake."
Lucy wanted to say more, but if she did then things would only be made worse. She kept silent and did nothing, but luckily Gray bent down to aid the poor maid.
"Here let me help you." Gray offered.
"Thank you sir but that's not necessary." She said.
"I insist."
Lucy smiled again as she watched Gray help Levy gather up and carry the suitcases. She liked seeing people in her class treat everyone with compassion and respect regardless of how much money they had or what social class they were in. Unlike her father and her fiancé. To Jude and Dan, money and status were the only things that mattered, and your place in this world was decided on those two. Lucy's place in the scheme of things was the dutiful daughter and eventually the dutiful wife.
"Finally a smile." Dan critiqued. "All day you've been walking around in gloom, acting like we're boarding a ship to an execution. I swear Jude, your daughter is hard to impress."
"She gets that from her mother I'm afraid." Jude said. "But she'll be impressed once we're inside the ship and she sees what awaits us."
Lucy wanted to be impressed by the ship. After all it was a vessel of luxury and beauty that would transport her to a new country. A new world. She had heard many wonderful stories about America from Gray and was most eager to experience the United States. To see the Land of Freedom with her own two eyes. However the circumstances she had been given drained her of any and all excitement she may have felt before.
Titanic was the ship of dreams to everyone else. But to Lucy Heartfilia it was a slave ship, taking her to America in chains. Outwardly she was everything a well brought up girl should be while inside, she was screaming.