My Fair Lady

Council

"Who cares?" Titania shrugged. "He's such a disgusting, foul person. He's not even good in bed."

"Ayyyy!" Mrs Rosewood lurched forward and clamped a hand on Titania's mouth. "You insolent girl, take back everything you've said! Apologize to the ladies!"

Titania wriggled out of her step-mother's grasp. "I shan't. I won't!" she screeched, startling everyone. "I hate this stuffy, old life. I hate to have my life controlled by a man! I HATE IT. I REFUSE."

"Then bear the consequences, you little wretched, shameless whore," Lady Serafina said in a smooth voice. "From now on, you're to disappear from our sights and you will not be allowed to attend any functions. You will be an outcast A disgrace. We will be kind enough to allow you to remain in London but prepared to suffer in isolation."

For a moment, Juliet thought that her sister would break down in tears but instead, Titania raised her chin, turned around and glared at all the ladies huddled together.

"I pity all of you," she spat out in a scathing voice. "All of you are weak, pathetic creatures destined to be the playthings of men. You don't know how to enjoy good sex and pleasure. All of you only know how to sew in your frilly, disgusting dresses and for that, I pity you."

She then turned to face the court of ladies. "Don't worry, I won't remain in London any further. I'm going to go seek my own life." She paused. "One with better sex and pleasure."

She then spun around and stalked towards the door, leaving everyone open-mouthed.

Juliet hurried after her sister. "Titania, stop, stop!" she shouted.

"Don't come after me!" Titania spat out as she hurried down the corridors.

"Stop!"

Juliet grabbed her arm and turned her so that she could see her face. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm doing something I want for the first time in my life," Titania said furiously. "Leave me alone just like everyone else."

"No." Juliet shook her sister hard. "What happened to my sister? Where did she go?"

"She didn't go anywhere," Titania gritted through her teeth. "She just refused to be constrained by this pathetic life. It's fine for you of course but I don't want to be stuck with that old prat, Sir Bernard. I want my own life so get away from me."

Juliet dropped her arms. "Why do you hate me so much?" she asked, frowning.

"Do you know why?" Titania said in an increduous voice. "It's because because you're so....you're so....kind and pure. Even when I betrayed you, you still believed in me."

"I'm your sister! Of course, I would do that!"

"You're not my sister."

"I am!" Juliet exclaimed. "Whatever are you talking about?"

"Henry Rosewood isn't your father," Titania spat out. "You're Captain Jack's daughter. We aren't real sisters."

"No. You're lying."

"It's true." Titania glared at her.

"But-"

"When I first found Mother's letters to Captain Jack which were never posted, I was shocked. Shocked to know that you were Captain Jack and Mother's love child. I was mad, so mad. When you got engaged to Lord Edmund, I got angrier. I'm more beautiful than you. Why do I get the old prat and you get the dashing lord?"

"It's hardly my fault," Juliet began.

"Everything's your fault!" Titania snapped. "When I tried to seduce Lord Jasper, he rejected me. He. Rejected. Me. ALL BECAUSE OF YOU."

"What?" Juliet staggered back. "When did this happen?"

"When we were younger," Titania growled. "I offered myself to him and he rejected me. That bastard rejected me. I don't tolerate rejection. I'm the most beautiful woman in this town and I was rejected. All because of you, my ugly sister."

"Well-"

Titania cut in like a machine-gun. "I tried to seduce Lord Edmund too and even stripped naked but he refused. He took one look at me and he laughed."

"What? When did this happen? How did I not know all these?"

"He was visiting our house and you were out. I tried to lure him to sleep with me but do you know what he said?" Titania's face crumpled. "He told me that a beautiful body couldn't mask an ugly soul. He...he.. I was rejected twice because of you. That's why I hate you. No matter what you do, I still hate you."

"I don't need you to love him," Juliet whispered. She touched her sister's arm. "But please, stay with us. You've no one else left. Where in London will you go?"

"Don't worry about me. Wherever I end up, it would surely be better than this boring old life."

With that, Titania spun around and dashed down the corridor.

Juliet didn't even chase after her. She knew her sister. Titania was the most obstinate person and when she said that she was leaving, she meant it.

Her mind suddenly focused on one fact.

She wasn't her father's daughter.

She had been lied to all her life.