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Scene 1
Off Camera
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The clicking
of heels across hardwood floor is heard.
The noise is being made by four and a quarter inch patent black leather
strappy heeled sandals that encase the feet of none other than IWC’s “Queen”
Julia Noel. She is wearing a blue sequin
illusion lace dress with a hemline that stops to just at knee length. Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to
shoulder length. The beautiful blonde
heiress to the Noel kingdom has an appointment to keep with her “mother”
Aphrodite Noel.
This is a
meeting that is a longtime coming, as far as Julia is concerned. Ever since Gloria was accepted back into the
family, Julia has yet again been put on the back burner. She has yet again been ignored in favor of
Gloria. This is the same exact thing
that happened to her when they were both members of the Braddock family and now
it is happening again as they are members of the Noel royal family. Julia had hoped to escape Glory’s shadow and
yet it has followed her.
Julia Noel
cautiously opens the door and steps inside, her eyes meet the eyes of her
“mother” Aphrodite Noel. Immediately
Julia drops to one knee, genuflecting before Aphrodite.
“I thank you
for this audience, my mother.”
“Rise
Julia.” Aphrodite commands.
She rises up
to her feet, forcing an uneasy smile upon her face. “My thanks, mother.”
“I am due
for a bubble bath shortly. My loyal pet Pierce Manning is drawing my bath water
as we speak. What would you wish to speak to me about?”
“Mother, I
have been with you from the beginning.” Julia sighs. “I began as your lowly
servant. Do you remember this, because I
do.”
Aphrodite
nods. “I do.”
“I cleaned
this house, drew your bath, cooked your food.” Julia’s voice is growing more
and more frustrated by the moment. “I gave you everything you wanted. Including the one thing you wanted more than
anything else.”
She pats
herself on the chest. “I gave you Glory Braddock.”
Aphrodite
arcs her eyebrow. “Where is all this going?”
“Patience,
mother, I do have a point.” Now the
younger “Noel” is growing more confident. “You must first hear the background,
such as how I am the one responsible for you having Glory Braddock now under
your thumb. Me. I did this all. I could have left. You hold nothing over me any longer. And yet I have remained your loyal daughter,
much more loyal than Gloria has been.”
Julia approaches
with a confident stride. “I was loyal because as a Braddock, I was always in
Glory’s shadow. I had hoped that as a
Noel, the roles would be reversed, that she would be in MY shadow, that I would
be the star. But ever since Resurrection
my sister has gotten all of the spotlight from you, all of the attention. I am back in the same damn position I was in
before!”
Aphrodite
takes a moment to digest everything her “daughter” told her. Julia made solid
points Aphrodite couldn’t dispute. The matriarch of the Noel family tilts her
head to the side. “Whose fault is that, Julia... it’s not mine.” Aphrodite
points at her “daughter.” “It’s yours!”
Aphrodite
runs her hands through her hair. “You were the one who asked to take my place
as Queen of Camelot. It was because you paved the way for me to welcome Gloria
into our family I did not hesitate to allow you to handle the day to day
operations of Camelot. What has happened
since? You lost MY Television Champion. You caused Camelot public
embarrassment allowing Victoria however you pronounce her last name to
embarrass us. Melody Williams is no longer with us. You dropped the ball,
Julia, and you continue to do so. Tell me what you have done for me lately?”
“I admit to
some failings lately, mother, but that doesn’t change the fact that I have a
history of being loyal to you.” She grits her teeth. “Gloria has a history of
betrayal! She has turned on you and yet
you favor her over me?”
Aphrodite
narrows her eyes. “Lower your tone, Julia!!!”
“Explain to
me why you favor a known traitor to the person who willingly became your
daughter and has remained loyal to you?!”
“I don’t
favor Gloria over you. This is your problem. You have always been jealous of
your sister. I didn’t want my family to fight. You were the one who launched a
crusade to humble her. You were the one who put it all on the line at
Resurrection. You were the one who was choked out!”
Aphrodite
seeths. “This petty jealousy you harbor for Gloria needs to end. This isn’t
about Gloria, it’s about you, always has been. When it was just us, you had a
fire in your eyes. You were determined to carve a name all your own. Saddens me
you’re reverting back to the pettiness that led you to drug problems I saved
you from two years ago.”
“Yes I…”
Julia sighs shaking her head in some defeat “...I apologize, mother. You did save me from my drug problem. I should be grateful. I don’t know what came over me.”
“Who created
this situation? You did. You had a chance at Resurrection to secure your place.
Gloria choked you out. She has been a model daughter since. I forgave her. I
suggest you use your feelings as motivation. Make an impact. Bring honor to our
family name. I will never forget everything you have done for me. We can’t live
in the past. Onward to bigger and better things. Understood?”
“Yes, I
understand. But understand this…” her
face once more grows resolute “...I will NEVER accept that woman as my
sister! As far as I’m concerned she is
still the traitorous Glory Braddock.”
Julia shakes
her head. “I hope I’m wrong.”
“You are
wrong.” Aphrodite seeths. “Whether you like it or not, she is your sister!”
Coming into
the room is Pierce Manning. He kneels before Aphrodite.
“Your bubble
bath is prepared, Ms. Noel.”
Aphrodite
pats Pierce on the head. “Good boy.” She redirected her attention to Julia.
“You may go now. My bubble bath awaits.”
“Yes,
mother.” Julia curtsies before turning and making her exit.
Things go
downhill once she is out at the door.
The emotional barricade she had set up falls apart and s he immediately
the tears begin to roll down her cheek.
She passes by several of her servants, maids, and butlers, all of whom
ask her what is wrong but she ignores them all.
Finally she returns to her room, flings it open, and storms inside.
“I am sick
of it! I am sick of being overlooked and
underrated just because I am not…just because I’m not….” Julia shakes her head
“…just because I’m not HER! NOT GLORIA!”
In a fit of
rage she tears off her own dress and tosses it aside. She tears off her high heeled sandals and
also tosses them aside. Now she is
sitting alone in her room, in a lacy bra and panty. This was a symbolic act, symbolically ridding
herself of the fancy attire of the Noel family.
Julia rests
her head in her hands. “What can I do?”
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On Camera
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Mother has
bestowed upon me the gift of getting to conquer and rule IWC. But I look upon the land of IWC and what do I
see?
I see a land
of whining, sniveling, babies.
Marina
Valdivia and Selena Frost didn’t get their Queen of the Ring Title Shot at Last
Stand II. So they cried and cried until
management gave them what they wanted.
I hope you
are happy with your title reign, Marina, because it will come to an abrupt halt
very soon. By my royal hands.
My immediate
concern is Kat Kelly. You are trained by Trinity Street and that alone tells me
you have great talent and ability as well as the potential to be great. But you can’t make a living on potential and
while you have the potential to be great I AM great. I have a proven track record of success
throughout my career and soon my own path here in IWC will be littered in gold,
as well as the broken bodies of those who dare defy me.
Right now
you are in my way. But not for long.
