Titanic: An Amourshipping Story

Chapter 13

Several minutes had passed since Titanic had come to a complete stop. A few more passengers came outside to the forward deck to look at the ice. Some wondered if there was any severe damage to the ship with the engines suddenly stopping, but the rest of the people around Ash and Serena eased up. They concluded that, with the ship showing no signs of leaning toward the water, it was perfectly fine, and the crew simply needed to inspect it before getting underway. Thus, they began playing with the ice, with some kicking it around like they were playing soccer. They laughed as they played while others watched while holding pieces of the iceberg, depicting what had happened as proof that Titanic was unsinkable. Seeing no signs of damage from Titanic's iron skin above the waterline, Ash looked up at Serena and shrugged.

"Well, it looks alright. Maybe it wasn't that much of a bump," Ash said.

Serena frowned, knowing there could be damage below the waterline. She then noticed two officers coming down the steps from B deck with the ship's carpenter, Officer Booker, all ill at ease. Serena didn't know what precisely they were investigating, but reports after the sinking explained that Officer Booker and his fellow officers walked up on deck at the very bow of the ship and heard a hissing noise. Up at the ship's forepeak, the very front was a vent: the ship's peak tank. This was the forwardmost tank on the ship, and in order to be able to trim the level of the ship and keep it on an even keel, it could be filled or emptied with seawater. The air had to be displaced, so the vent allowed air to escape out, but now it was loudly hissing, indicating that the forepeak tank was taking water at an alarming rate. The first of Titanic's many symptoms.

Suddenly, Serena heard the sound of someone cocking a gun, and she turned her head to find Morfious standing behind Ash with his gun pointed at his back. He was followed by Mivashkama, Oleana, two sailors, and the master-at-arms. Ash held his hands up, and the master-at-arms put Ash's arms behind his back and cuffed him. Morfious smirked as he backed away and turned to Serena.

"We've been looking for you," he said. "Don't worry. They'll take good care of your thief."

"Thief? What are you talking about? I haven't stolen anything," Ash said.

Mivashkama chuckled with his mouth closed. He grabbed the Gieldanstone and yanked it from Serena's neck.

"Then what do you call this? This was meant to be an engagement present to my fiancee!" Mivashkama shouted. "You used Serena's feelings to get to my safe and steal it so you can give it to her, trying to win her!"

"He didn't steal it. I opened the safe and took it. You gave me the combination," Serena said.

"There's no way you could have known this necklace exists, Serena. This was meant to be for our engagement gala next month. I wanted to publicly express my feelings for you with this," Mivashkama said, emphasizing on "publically." "Not even your stepmother or Morfious knew about it. Did you, Oleana?"

"No, Lord Herløv. I had no idea you had such a magnificent present," Oleana said.

"Morfious?" Mivashkama asked.

"No, Lord Herløv," Morfious said.

"You gave the Gieldanstone to me two nights ago after I almost fell off the ship. Ash had no idea about it until I showed it to him just a few hours ago," Serena said.

"That's right. I had no idea. I swear!" Ash shouted, trying to break free of the master-at-arms' hold on him.

Mivashkama chuckled and shook his head condescendingly.

"Poor, gullible Serena. So deluded that you would lie to defend your tramp," he said.

"That tramp happens to be my husband," Serena said. "We got married by Father Birch not two hours ago. I know you saw my note in your safe that I have signed with my married name."