Maria's world spun, colors brightening and darkening, voices falling onto her ears, comprehension eluding her. She squinted, gently moaning in pain when she came to consciousness too early. A cool cloth covered her forehead, and she woke with sunset streaming into her eyes.

"Mother...?" Maria asked, eyes focusing on her mother, slowly seeing the worry lines, the little creases between her eyebrows.

"You seem to have been very sick. We were all worried." the old woman shifted her eyes "Juliet especially. She is worried, because Romeo told her of a fight. It's going to happen tomorrow morning. She's requested that you find out where... and help Romeo stop it." The mother gently cupped Maria's face. "I don't want you to get hurt, Maria. I think this may be too much."

Maria shook her head, attempting to dispel the hollow feeling within her ears. "I'll go now. I can find out..." Maria said, standing and flowing through the estate. Eventually, she stumbled across Tybalt. He smiled brightly as he saw her, laughing a greeting.

"I heard you took quite a tumble cousin! Think you are ready to stand on your own again?"

Maria blushed at the memories before her fainting. What the hell happened with Mercutio?! "Yes, I'm quite alright. In fact, I've heard that there's to be a fight between the Capulets and Montagues?"

"Yes, and it will be a glorious example of them!"

"But why is there to be another fight? Wouldn't it be better to stop? What if someone dies? You know what the Prince declared."

Tybalt's eyebrows drew together, and his smile faltered. "I've never known you to question your cousin's decidings. Have you lost faith in us?"

"No, I simply wish to find a way without unnecessary bloodshed and angry reprimands from the royalty..."

"Maria, why don't you leave the ruling to the ruling families? Honestly, peasants know nearly nothing of our struggles." Maria's face dropped, her face paling.

"Excuse me?" She whispered. Tybalt did not react. "You act as if you are so superior than I," she spat. "When all your wealth and ease and luxery comes from my labors! Come from your family's labors, and yet here you are, strutting around like a peacock..."

A sharp, fiery pain bloomed across her face. She fell to the ground, incredulous. Tybalt slapped her?

"You should learn your place." He said coldly. "Perhaps you should come to the fight. There are things you might do well to learn." He stalked away coldly. Maria held back tears as she felt more betrayed than she had in her whole life. She stood. She needed to serve Juliet. She needed to serve Romeo. She needed to serve her family. Wiping away tears, she continued on to find Romeo at the Montagues. She didn't bother the hide by taking the back routes, she plunged ahead. Time was of the essence.

Gently dancing through the Montague estate, she found Romeo packing his things in his room. "Romeo. It's me, Maria. Your cousin. I need to know where the fight is occurring." She began blankly. He looked up, back down, and back up.

"You are Juliet's servant... and your cousin...?"

"I'm your cousin. I am also Juliet's. Her nurse is my mother. Please, Romeo, the fight."

Romeo reeled at the thought, but stammered out "It will take place beneath the southern bridge." (*~ I have no idea where the actual fight was in the actual play ~*)

"Lovely. Tomorrow morning?"

"No, this evening."

"Lovely."

"You're not seriously considering coming to the fight? What would you accomplish."

Maria shook her head, and felt a deep weight pulling down on her chest. Perhaps it was gravity pulling her back to earth. "Both families's know me as their own. If I appear, publicly before both of them..." She closed her eyes. She must serve her family. She must help her friends. "It will either show them how ridiculous the feud is or give them a common enemy to unite against."

"You are willing to make that sacrifice?"

"I'm the only one who can. The only one who is willing to..."

(TIME CRUNCH)