Titanic: An Amourshipping Story

Chapter 4

As Titanic was on its third day of the voyage, Serena's grip was slipping. Oleana made friends with other high-class women, namely Countess Muchmoney and Duchess Diantha, so she would often take Serena to join them for tea to meet other members of high society. Mivashkama would be around to wish Serena good morning and good night and join her and Oleana for dinner with Oleana's friends. Aside from that, he spent most of his time mingling with businessmen, politicians, industrialists, and high-ranking military personnel.

Occasionally, Mivashkama would send Morfious to check on Serena just so he knew where she was. Those moments unsettled Serena the most: seeing the manservant come to her with his yellow eyes filled her with fear as though one wrong move and he would attack her like a rabid animal. His bald, bony head made him look like he was the embodiment of death, dressed like a gentleman.

On the third night, Mivashkama, Oleana, and Serena attended a party with Chairman Rose and other people of high status. Serena hoped that Aunt Sonia and Timothy would be there too, as they were the only people friendly toward her. Unfortunately, Aunt Sonia was dining with other friends, and Timothy was in his cabin designing future ships with his supper brought to him.

While everyone was enjoying themselves, Serena sat down, distant from everything around her. By this point, it hit her that she was truly trapped in living her life as if she had already lived it. All that was left of her life was to marry Mivashkama, produce an heir, and otherwise attend parties, vacations on yachts, polo matches, and the like. Her passions and identity would have to be suppressed and forgotten for narrow people like Mivashkama and Oleana, who partake in mindless chatter. No one paid any mind to Serena, least of all her fiancee, who was concerned with business and politics, and her stepmother, who loved talking with Chairman Rose when she wasn't mingling with Countess Muchmoney and Duchess Diantha. As long as Serena gave herself to Mivashkama to be his wife and gain financial surety for Oleana, they had no reason to notice she was there.

Half an hour into the party, Serena excused herself, saying she wasn't hungry. Mivashkama gave her a wave of his hand and a wooden smile, and Oleana gave a half-hearted "Fine" with her eyes still fixed on Chairman Rose. Serena left the dining saloon and headed up to B Deck, ignoring any bystander who wished her good evening as she passed by. She went into the suite and flipped the light switch on.

"Molly? Molly?" she said.

There was no response. It was likely Molly was eating her own supper with the other help. Serena frowned and walked over to her room, deciding to remove her dress herself. She tried to reach for the top button at the back of her dress, using her mirror to look where she was reaching, but she couldn't get to it.

"Come on. Come on. Come on," Serena grumbled.

Finally, she managed to grab the button with the tip of her index and middle finger, and she pulled so hard that she ripped the button off, leaving a tear. Serena stood still with her left eye twitching before screaming and ripping the back of her dress. She then knocked her hair accessories, music box, and hairbrush off her dresser and began picking some up to throw them against the wall. With another scream, Serena burst out of her bedroom and out of the suite. She ran down the hall as fast as her legs could carry her, sobbing as she went down the nearest stairs to C Deck. She didn't know where she was going. She just wanted to run and let out her grief.

The next thing Serena knew, she was at the stern, leaning against the railing at the very end of the ship. Looking ahead, all she could see were stars and waves coming from Titanic's propellers disturbing the otherwise calm water. Beyond that, all she could see was darkness, and in Serena's eyes, the calm sea represented the void, which was barely any different than the situation she was in. The longer she stared at the dark sea, she considered throwing herself off the ship. If her life was already about to be lived if she stayed, there was no point beating around the bush.