My Fair Lady

Letters

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the extreme delay and confusion. I did upload a new chapter on Jan 16 but I decided to rewrite it to add some details so here's the one :)

EDIT: Sorry for the short chapter :/

Juliet stumbled home with her mind in a fog. Her sister's words rang loudly and deeply.

You aren't my sister.

There was something almost laughable about it but Juliet couldn't bring herself to chuckle or even giggle at the absurdity of the situation.

Maybe it was because deep down she knew that it was true. There was always that sense of distance between Titania and her. They were never that close like other siblings despite being similar in age.

Maybe, just maybe.

The moment Juliet reached her house, she went up to the attic straightaway. When her parents died, she had packed everything up as she couldn't bear any reminder of the truth.

The attic was dusty and there was a foul smell, having never been dusted for years. She took out one of the chests and went through them. There was nothing, except for a bundle of her parents' clothing.

Maybe it wasn't true. Her heart lifted up.

Suddenly, she froze. Hidden underneath the bundle of clothing was a stash of letters. With trembling hands, she took up one of them and read it.

Dearest Jack,

Every day, I think about you and wonder if you're safe. Do you not know how much my heart thumps whenever I hear of news at sea? But I know you won't come back because you belong out there, drifting in the ocean. I alone won't be able to make you stay and sometimes, I doubt if that's a sign that you never loved me.

Jack, I'm pregnant with a child. And it isn't Henry's. I couldn't bring myself to tell him that it wasn't his after he was so delighted and joyful. He wants a son but I know that this child will be a daughter.

I will name this precious girl as Juliet after Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. We were tragically separated, not by death, but by the sea and this girl with be a testimony to our love.

Regards,

Lillian.

Juliet dropped the letter and she sank slowly down to the ground. Her mother didn't send the letter in the end which meant that Captain Jack hadn't known the truth.

The truth was cruel, bitter and nerve-stabbing. She had been lied to all her life. It...it was..

"Juliet?" A deep, masculine voice rang out loudly.

Juliet's eyes widened. "Edmund?" she croaked out hoarsely, her throat constricted with emotion.

The door of the attic flew open and she saw Edmund standing there, looking all regal and handsome. His face etched into a picture of concern and he came towards her.

"What's wrong?" he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I....I....The letter..." Juliet mumbled.

As Edmund read the letter silently, he raised his eyebrows. "Is this true?" he asked.

Juliet nodded. She covered her face with her hands. "What am I going to do? What if Captain Jack doesn't want me?" she sobbed.

"He will, I promise," Edmund said firmly. "He's my friend and I know he would be delighted. Who wouldn't be if they realized that they had such a pure, kind girl as their daughter?"

"But...I'm illegitimate....I'm a bastard-born child," Juliet croaked out. "No one will understand. They will say that my mother had an affair. I belong nowhere."

Edmund was silent for a few moments. "Can I tell you a secret?" he asked solemnly.

"Pardon me?" Juliet stared at him bewilderedly.

"I'm not the real son of the late Duke," Edmund whispered.

"What?" Juliet's eyes widened. "Whatever are you talking about?"

"I'm a bastard born from an affair my mother had with a manservant," Edmund repeated but there was no fear on his face. He said it matter-of-factly.

"Why are you telling me this? Do you not fear that I will tell someone?" Juliet asked softly.

Edmund touched her face and his lips crinkled into a smile. "I trust you. All I'm afraid is that you will leave me because I'm not the true heir."

"Never," Juliet declared firmly.

"Do you want me to tell Captain Jack about the news?"

"I..." Juliet turned away. "No, not yet. I can't bring myself to face him as a father."

"Alright, so be it. I actually came here to discuss some details about the wedding but we ended up getting sidetracked." He gave her a boyish grin.

"The wedding?" She raised her eyebrows. "But we just got engaged!"

"The engagement was a long time ago," Edmund reminded her.

Juliet nodded. Though all the events that had happened made her lost track of time.

"My mother was thinking about a summer wedding. What do you think?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied feebly. "I know nothing about weddings."

"Me neither. Getting married is hard work," he said wryly. "Come on. Let me help you up. We can't be sitting on the attic. It's unbecoming for both of us."

Juliet took his hand and stood up slowly. Feeling a little dizzy, she leant against Edmund's chest and when she looked up, she found him staring at her with an unspeakable emotion.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she laughed but he continued to stare solemnly at her.

When he finally turned away, he merely said, "Nothing, I was just...thinking."

Juliet bit her lip. She recognized that fire in his eyes. She felt the same emotion too sometimes. Only for him.

Lust.