The Essentials of Rosaline

The sole daughter of two lowly bakers, Rosaline Dubose, a beautiful young maiden, is always attracting the attention of men. Romeo, Tybalt, Paris, Abram…. The list goes on and on. Baking bread, deflecting men, and pleasing her parents, is the repetitive life she lives. Until one day she meets a man of sorts, with both woe than woo and enough

looks for two. This is her story and he is her love…

His golden hair was a contradiction to his midnight black steed as he rode through town. He would pass under her window soon and his heart quickened at the thought of seeing her. He was Carlisle Cullen and she, she was his Rosaline. She was petite and fair. Her long dark hair complemented her golden eyes and scarlet red lips. A sight to see, she won over many men's hearts. Yet, none but her Carlisle could win over hers.

As he passed under her window he tossed a red tulip onto her window ledge. He knew better than to place a rose as so many uneducated men did. A rose means a simple crush. While a tulip, simple and red, means eternal love and devotion. He smiled for he knew his gift would be received and rode off through town with his friends.

"Cullen, my dear Carlisle, how can you know of such love and of such compassion? To take on the responsibility of changing me was a great sacrifice of your time and love. If I cannot be with handsome Romeo or courageous Tybalt, how can thee make me strive so hard to find reason to be with thee? For thee art the perfection in a single man which girls cannot dare dream of." dear Rosaline said as she fingered her tulip delicately. He was the man of her dreams and would surely be in her dreams if she slept.

Carlisle had a plan to be with her though. He was invited by Lord Capulet to the gala tomorrow evening and there he would woo her father and ask for her hand. Oh how she will love to have some one to share her sweet sympathy and to listen to her every whim! He set out his deepest purple robes and dodged out the window to find a snack before sunrise. He wanted to be one his best behavior at the gala. His love depended on it.

The next morn, Rosaline awake to the arriving guests. Taking a large vial from her hidden chest and gulping every last drop greedily, she began her day. The streams of maids coming to pamper her was endless. Then came the countless dukes and duchesses, cousins, and royalty from all around. The lines of eligible young bachelors waiting to have a shot at her hand was never ending and never succeeding as well. These galas bored her. So repetitive and yet, this time the air seemed different, more one edge. She glanced around nervously trying to find the source of the unease of the people. Then she saw them. Her worst nightmare were there and they were headed right for her. She darted out the door and into the garden only to surrounded by the men waiting outside for her.

Carlisle stared in shock as his father, the leader of a group of townspeople who had come together to kill off all witches, werewolves, vampires and the like, grabbed his dear Rosaline by the neck and prepared himself to finish her. Carlisle could not bear to see her harmed and leapt into action, careening into his fathers side, freeing Rosaline.

" Run! Hide away at the place which we are forbidden yet accepted!" he managed to yell before the men all jumped on him. Rosaline ran as fast as she could to the church where Friar Laurence presided. As Carlisle watched her go he remembered what must be done. He fought through every man that stood in his way until finally he had his hands on his father's neck.

"This is for my Rosaline and for our kind! I'm sorry father." he cried as he snapped his father's neck taking his life, dismantling the group, and ensuring his love's safety all in one fatal swoop. The Nightingale sang out its sweet song and all was still. The party, all standing in the garden now seeing the bloodshed and mayhem, cried out for the prince to punish Carlisle and Rosaline for what they were.

"Silence!" yelled the Prince. "Carlisle Cullen, do you plead guilty to having killed all these mean and the like? Then, you shall from henceforth be banished from this town. So shall the beauty who once was Rosaline for what she is and the danger you both are to us. If you shall be found you will be killed!"

And with that Carlisle ran off into the dark woods only thinking of his beloved Rosaline. Convincing her to come away and be with him forever would be an easy task for he had faith in her love for him. Friar Laurence was waiting with the door open for him when he arrived. While Carlisle explained, Friar Laurence led him to the chapel where Rosaline was at the cross weeping. As Friar Laurence left, Carlisle wrapped his arms around Rosaline and hummed her favorite lullaby. She looked up with her big golden eyes.

"We are banished aren't we?" she whispered.

"Yes, love, but come away with me and we shall travel the world and see all that there is for us! We can go places humans never even thought existed and be together." Carlisle said excitedly. "We can go across the oceans, over mountains, and you shall be he envy of every princess!"

"Carlisle… all of that sounds swell but I want the one thing no one can give me. I want it more than I want myself…for I fear I cannot live without it. " Rosaline whispered.

" You want a child." Carlisle stated. At Rosaline's nod, his eyes glazed over. The simple morality of changing a child was a heated discussion at the moment. Carlisle, with such compassion for the human race, was completely against it. He couldn't give his morals and his life's work for a simple wish that was so complicated to fulfill. He looked at his love and into those deep golden eyes. Rosaline, seeing the answer in his eyes, began to weep softly.

"My love, that is a final sacrifice I cannot make…" Carlisle said softly.

"Then leave! Away with your and your selfish love. I do not need you to survive…" She replied defiantly. To that, Carlisle simply nodded and walked away from his love. He ran and ran until he came to the oceans, then her rode across those and ran more. He must run away from his trouble. He must run. But, it was of no use. Everywhere he went, no matter how far or wide, he still saw her face in his mind.

Carlisle found a place in Africa with a small tribe of vampire researchers. He spent his days learning the ways of the tribes around them and enjoying the freedom of the wide open plains and easy game. For a while, his Rosaline was on a fragment in his mind. Until one day, about 3 months later, a letter was received to him. A letter from his Rosaline.

"My dear Carlisle, please pardon how I have hurt thee. I regret it so much it is unbearable. I realize now that what I asked of you, was what should be asked of no man nor of a vampire. I am truly sorry for driving you away from my heart and not following after you as I should. I hope that my next actions will help ease your mind. I am being held by the Volturi, for they have captured me for the exposing of our secret and plan to extinguish my life tonight. I have written, to tell thee I love thee and that I pray that one day you will meet your real love. I will always love you.

Sincerely,

Rosaline Marie Dubose"

Carlisle tears fell on the letter as he read and reread it over and over again. Finally, with a yell of pure fury he threw down the letter and ran to the end of the continent. Carlisle dove off of a cliff into the sea and swam off into oblivion to escape his toils and hardships. At that same time, Rosaline stood in front of the Volturi looking at the picture of her beloved Carlisle Cullen. That is the story of our two lovers and their tragic demise. One will live and find another, while the other shall not stay alive.