Before Romeo and Juliet were their fathers, Lord Desiderio Montague and Lord Durante Capulet. The possible explanation for the feud between Montague and Capulet.
My Only Hate Sprung From My Only Love
"Yea! What is this that thou sayst, my Desiderio?"Desiderio Montague winced as he spoke to Durante Capulet. "Ay me! Lord, give me strength to do what I loathe most.
"My lord Durante, I dare not defy my father's wishes any longer. I am to marry Emilia, although I do so against my will…"
He gazed at the look of shock and pain in the Capulet's eyes. He had not choice but to break the union that they had made together.
"Amore, what of the countless poems that thou hath written to me, declaring that thou wouldst love none but I?"
"I do, my friend… I love thee still. Emilia holds nothing that interests me, but I am to keep my father's line from fading."
"But wherefore? Wherefore wouldst thou squander thy time with this flax-wench?
"Still, thy father hath said to me that Fiammetta hath gazed at thee as though her heart wert cleft by the blind Cupid's arrow-shaft. Is that true?"
"I care not for Fiametta!" The angered Durante fumed, barely containing his grief, "She is but a perverse cur bitch in heat, truly befitting her name."
Desiderio's shoulders sank. He knew of Durante's temper.
The Capulet sank to the ground, sobbing. He felt as though his heart were being torn in half; his beloved, his Desiderio, was saying this to him…?
…It had been a whirl of joy and passion. They'd met at a feast and had spent the whole evening speaking only to each other. From forth the heart, a love of fervor and strength that blossomed after a fortnight and lasted all of ten months…
"O! Durante, my lord, dare I speak on what gladness that I have found, lest I blaspheme it?"
The young Capulet gazed down at the lithe form beside him, nearly weeping with joy. He was so beautiful, and his great brown eyes gazed up at him with a fondness that he yet could not believe existed. Together, unbarred by clothing, free in the cloak of night to be themselves.
"Desiderio, my beloved… were it a world where we could marry, I would gladly do so," he murmured as he gingerly took into his arms the boy that he loved, "There is nothing more that I would want; even the gold of Midas is paled by thee."
Desiderio clung desperately to his lover, nestling to his breast, surrendering fully as he felt Durante stroking his raven hair, "Aye Durante, so sweet that is thy love that it pains me. I could not bear the thought of a life without thee… and I fear that my father shall arrange for me to marry-!"
"Hush," Durante gently chided him, "Think not of that now. What comes shall we weather."
A moment of silence between the two young men, punctured only by sobs, passed before Desiderio gingerly knelt to embrace his lover."Leave me in peace!" Durante snapped, his face ruddy.
"Durante, if you please-!" the Montague begged, "Forgive me! I dare not defy him-!"
"Then leave me!" The Capulet snarled, "I will not endure this more!"
"Marry, Durante! Hath thou endured this enough? We met many a time thus."
"In secret and strife will love not last," Durante's face had taken on a boiled color and his eyes blazed with pain and anger, "Leave me, for I'll bear no more of it!"
Tears also pricked Desiderio's eyes and he felt his anger building, but he tried yet to hold onto his friendship with Durante.
"Durante, love, I-!"
Suddenly, Durante lost his control and slapped Desiderio across the face. Desiderio stumbled and fell, and though the blow and the fall hurt, they were nothing to what Durante had just done to him.
Durante's face tightened with horror at what he had just done, his eyes bigger than ever.
"Desiderio-! Forgive me-!"
But Desiderio quickly rose and ran. Turning back to face Durante, he cried "Betrayal, perhaps, but I yet would have it were we threaten'd by torture! A pox upon you, Durante, for this!"
Durante went stiff as he watched Desiderio dash from sight. Their love was over. All of it was over in just those brief moments.
"And upon you, Lord Montague, for I shall wage war against you and your children until Judgement!"