Romeo and Juliet
The Continuation
One week after Juliet had made her sacrifice and saved the floating city of Neo-Verona, the city was in a frenzy trying to rebuild what they had lost. Curio lost himself in the work of rebuilding and allowed it take his mind off of destiny and how cruel it could be. Francisco found comfort in the assembly, using his skills to help build a better Neo-Verona. Conrad decided that he was done with changing the world. He saw the changes he'd been fighting for and the younger generation was now leading the way. He began to just enjoy life with his family and the people he loves.
Tybalt watched them all from a distance. He had never been part of the Capulet clan, even though he shared their blood. He was as far from noble as one could get. The information network he'd built up was gone, every one scattering in the destruction. He knew he could build it up again, but to what end? What was his purpose now that Montegue was dead, and there was no Princess to put on the throne and guard. It was this aimlessness that led him to the base of Escalus.
Juliet was not gone. She had become the goddess of their island nation and would need protecting. Perhaps, if the original Escalus had been protected adequately, this whole thing might have been avoided.
He found himself often in the company of the young tree. He would not have sought her out had she still been a human girl in love with his brother. As it was, this might have been the only place he felt he belonged. He stood in the shade of her leaves and considered her. The legends said she would be suffering for as long as she is alive. She is the continual sacrifice for the sin of mankind. That was a fate he had tried to protect her from, but failed. He also failed to protect Romeo as he promised her he would. With a heavy heart, he approached her trunk and placed his hand against the bark. "I'm Sorry." He said, not sure if she would know he was there or not. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect Romeo." He stood there, with his eyes closed and his hand on the tree. He didn't know if she was aware of the world around her, or if it was merely a comfort to him to finally say it. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." There was something about saying the words. Regardless of if she knew or not, he knew. "I swear Juliet, you won't suffer alone." He sighed deeply and rested his head on her trunk. There was so much he wanted to say to her. So much to thank her for and so much to apologize for. So much to yell at her for.
There was a rustling of leaves above him and he thought for a moment it must be a bird but it sounded off and when he looked up he saw a small branch bending and stretching and working it's way closer to him. He watched in confusion as the branch came to rest on his shoulder and stayed there. "What is ... Juliet ..." He didn't know what to say, suddenly faced with the idea that she was really there and he wasn't just seeking comfort in a tree that reminded him of the one time he felt he'd had a family. She was still here, and she had been all this time. He thought for a moment what it must have been like for her, trading her life for theirs, loosing Romeo, and being generally forgotten while the city set about it's efforts to get life back together. He couldn't remember the last time he was at such a loss for words, but as the meaning become clear he found a feeling of sorrow flooding through him. "Oh, Juliet." He spoke looking up at her branches and leaves and knowing now that she was indeed still there. "Juliet, I won't leave you here alone. I will protect you and if I can find a way to save you from this fate, I will." As he spoke, he reached up to touch the branch that he'd allowed to sit on his shoulder and it curled around his fingers like vines, holding his hand. They were so small and young that he wondered how she would have been able to uphold the world even if they had done it in time. How in the world could he save her now? Was it too late? Would he let everyone know and have her family and friends help him? He was the only one who knew that Juliet was still alive in the tree of Escalus. If he kept that knowledge to himself, it would be easier to protect her.
He turned to go, planning to find what legends he could, or what answers might be out there, but she seemed reluctant to let go. Her thin branches that had curled around his hand tightened slightly before he pulled away and as he took the first few steps the breeze picked up and he could have sworn he heard a plea on the wind.
"Stay." It seemed to say. He looked back at her, leaves swaying in the wind, and tried to decide if he had really heard her or if his mind was playing tricks on him. "Stay." The wind whispered to him again.
"Alright," He said, "I'll stay a while longer." and walked back to sit and lean against the tree.
The moment his back touched the bark fuzzy images filled his mind. Memories of the night he had killed the priest and Juliet had cried in his arms. The feelings that came across in those images though were strong and he knew she was trying to communicate with him. Sitting there, letting her emotions wash over him, he thought about that night. Had she been crying for the necessity of the death, or for the fact that she couldn't do it? Had she reached a breaking point with everything she was trying so hard to be and realized how hopeless it was? It was the first time she had confided in him. One of the only times, and he wasn't sure what she'd been saying. It hadn't seemed important at the time. Maybe what she was trying to communicate now was a simple desire for comfort. She'd been alone mourning for Romeo and with no one to help her in her strange new role. Maybe Ophelia would have been a bigger help as the previous Capulet girl if they hadn't killed her. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be this way and the old Escalus should have survived longer and been a source of strength to the younger girl if Montegue's hatred hadn't rotted it away before it's time. "It's alright," He said, "I'll stay as long as you need me to." Shifting his position, he settled down for a long day of standing vigil over this precious girl who had come to be his only family.