My Fair Lady

A Visit To The Witch

A/N: O.O This is my longest chapter yet. Hope it's not too long-winded.

As the horse carriage arrived back at Edmund's mansion, Juliet still felt a little dazed. To think Sir Bernard was so dishonorable as to betray her sister and hurt her best friend.

The moment she got off the carriage, she heard someone call her name. "Juliet!"

She turned around and found Edmund standing at the entrance. He looked handsome and regal as usual and he took a few long strides to reach her.

"Edmund," she whispered.

"Juliet." He smiled. "How was your trip to Lady Syvil's castle?"

"It was...unexpected," she said carefully. Syvil's matter was too delicate to mention to anyone else. Edmund was after all, noble born. He would never understand how important it was to help Syvil.

"I'm relieved," he said. "I know that you are weak and need rest but I'm afraid we need to get you to somewhere now."

"Where?" she frowned. And Edmund was right, she did feel rather tired and giddy. The anti-poison soup's effects wore off after a period of time and she was constantly afraid that she would slip off into unconsciousness.

"I've received word that we can meet the witch who did this to you," he said a little angrily. "And she has agreed after some emotional blackmailing to remove the poison and curse from you."

"Thank goodness, I was afraid that I have to keep on drinking that wretched, vile liquid forever," Juliet murmured. "Shall we be on our way?"

"Indeed," Edmund said. "Lord Jasper and Gisors will meet us there."

"Jas? He's such a busy person," she answered. "He doesn't need to be there, does he?"

"Juliet," Edmund sighed exasperatedly. "He's there for the same reasons as I am."

"Which is?"

"I will explain it to you another day."

*********

The witch's residence was located in Whitechapel. Of course, it was to be expected. Whitechapel was the dubious underbelly of the British civilisation. With squalid conditions and dark streets, prostitutes and drunkards were littered everywhere.

Juliet withdrew her head from the window and she clamped a hand over her mouth. The stench was overwhelming and she knew she would never step into this area if given a choice.

"Juliet, are the symptoms coming back again?" Edmund asked alertly.

"No," she answered. "It's just the smell. I didn't know such a place existed in Britain."

"You will be surprised at a lot of things," he said.

The carriages soon came to a stop and Edmund helped her out. The area where they were in was secluded, save for a drunkard who had passed out in a corner.

"Where is this place?" Juliet whispered. "I fear that I've a faint heart."

"I'm here to protect you," Edmund answered seriously. "Come, Lord Jasper and Gisors awaits us. We must not dally."

As they approached the tall, looming house in the darkness, two figures standing at the door looked up.

"Mercy," Jasper exclaimed in relief. "'Tis a relief that both of you are here." Sweat was dripping down his forehead and Juliet chuckled. He was probably scared of being assaulted in the darkness.

"Lord Edmund." Gisors bowed. Unlike Jasper, he looked unperturbed and his face was emotionless. Juliet began to think that there was nothing that could make Gisors laugh.