A/N: So, here's the second part, and then there will be a final part later :) Thank you for the lovely response to this story :)
Also, I am sorry for the lack of updates for On The Home Front at the moment, I wanted to get this finished, and I have limited writing time right now, but I will get an update out by the end of the weekend, hopefully, as well as the end of this :)
Warning: Major character death
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee and I do not own Romeo and Juliet.
Jeff wandered through the Duvals' orchard under the cover of the shadows of the trees. He'd separated from Wes and Sebastian as soon as he could, and returned to the Duvals' estate without a second thought; he couldn't bring himself to properly leave without seeing Nick again.
Anyway, Wes and Sebastian didn't care where he'd gone; Sebastian had no doubt disappeared to see Thad, and Wes had a meeting with his father.
As he walked, he thought about his feelings for Nick, not that there was much to think about; he was head over heels in love with the other boy, and there was no question about it.
And if Nick's reaction was anything to go by, he felt exactly the same way.
Unbeknownst to Jeff, he had managed to make his way to the line of trees that faced Nick's balcony, and at that very moment, Nick himself was just stepping out into the night air.
Jeff was only alerted to the other boy's presence when he began speaking.
"Oh, Jeff, if only you were here now," Nick sighed longingly, "I would willingly defy my father's wishes if it meant that I could be with you for all eternity. But you are of the house of Sterling, and we were born to be enemies."
He paused, and below, Jeff hid in the shadows to listen.
"But what is a Sterling when it's considered? It is but a name," Nick continued, "Nothing but a word, and why should I hate my only love on the basis of his name? For yes, Jeff, I love you, and I wish that you were here now to hear me say it. Let us leave behind this foolish feud of our families, and forge a new alliance between us."
Carefully, Jeff stepped out of the darkness and into the moonlight.
"Hear, hear," he said appreciatively, "You speak the truth."
"Who is it?" Nick asked, looking around himself in a panic, as though he had been overheard by someone who would punish him.
"It is I, Jeff Sterling," Jeff replied, "Though if you wished I would change my name so that we could be together."
At the confirmation that the speaker was Jeff, Nick leant over the balcony further in an attempt to catch sight of him.
"Oh, a boy by any other name," the brunette said, "And it would not be so bad, but a Sterling, and it appears not possible in the slightest now."
"Do not despair, love," Jeff replied, smiling tenderly up at the other boy, who blushed at the term of endearment. "I have a plan."
"But is it safe?" Nick lowered his voice. "If my family catch you here, they will not hesitate to arrest you, or worse, have you killed! It is not safe for you to be here, Jeff, I could not bear if anything happened to you."
"I will take that risk if it means that I may see you," Jeff declared boldly, "A thousand swords could not chase me from your side. I must tell you, I have an old friend, a friar, who I shall meet with tomorrow; I will discuss the possibility of our marriage with him."
"Marriage?" Nick whispered, his eyes shining brightly as he leaned over the railing of the balcony. "Tomorrow?"
"If you so wish it," Jeff promised.
"Of course I wish it," Nick said excitedly, "I cannot bear to be parted from you any longer."
"Nor I to be withheld from you," Jeff said, "So, shall it be?"
"It shall," Nick said, "Though, I must find a way to get messages through to you."
They both paused to think for several moments.
"Nick!" David's voice suddenly called from within. "Nick! Where are you?"
"I'm coming, David!" Nick answered, before turning back to Jeff. "I shall return in a short while, do not leave without a goodbye."
"I would not dream of it," Jeff said earnestly, and he watched as Nick disappeared into the house.
For several moments, all he could see was the occasional movement of a shadow behind the draped curtains of Nick's room, and he could clearly see that the two occupants of the room were having an urgent conversation.
Finally, Nick re-emerged and leant over the balcony to speak to Jeff again.
"I have told David of your proposition," he said, "And he has agreed to act as a messenger for us both. If you truly love me and wish to marry me, send word by nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
"You know that I love you," Jeff smiled, "But I shall send word regardless. Goodnight, love."
"Goodnight, Jeff, I love you too," Nick said, blushing again as Jeff winked and blew him a kiss, before they parted for the night.
It was barely after dawn, and Trent was already out picking some local herbs for his concoctions; in fact, he'd already been out for several hours, and it was just the rest of the world that still had yet to awaken.
It was so early that he went out, that he rarely encountered anyone as he walked, so to hear faint footsteps on the damp grass behind him was both a surprise and also rather pleasing to know that he had company. Slowly, he turned around to greet whoever it was.
"Friar!" Jeff's breathless voice spoke before he had a chance to open his mouth. "Trent! I need your help."
Trent resisted the urge to roll his eyes, for that would have been exceedingly uncharitable.
"You always need my help, Jeff," he said. "What is it this time?"
"I've met someone," Jeff cut straight to the point.
"And I take it that this someone is very special to you?" Trent immediately surmised, and the small smile that Jeff gave involuntarily confirmed his suspicions.
"Yes, he is," the blonde admitted, "Extremely special."
The fact that the object of Jeff's affections was male did not escape Trent's notice, and he smiled inwardly.
"And who is the lucky man?" the friar inquired, eager to know who his friend had given his heart to.
Jeff bit his lip, forewarning Trent of the revelation that was to come, although the friar was the last person who would judge him.
"Nick," he said, "Nick Duval."
Trent's eyes widened instinctively, although he tried to hide it for Jeff's sake.
"A Duval?" he whistled through his teeth and shook his head, "If I am honest, I did not foresee that."
"Neither did I," Jeff said, as he smiled involuntarily when he thought of Nick, "But it all happened so fast and so perfectly that I would not wish it any other way."
Trent nodded.
"You truly love him?"
"That I do!" Jeff cried fervently, "More than love, even, for what I feel is indescribable and it is forever." He addressed the friar once again. "So, will you marry us?"
"How could I refuse?" Trent smiled kindly, "I would be honoured. And maybe this union will turn your families' hatred into love."
"Where can Jeff be?" Wes asked, as he and Sebastian were walking down a street near the Sterling household. They were searching for their friend and companion, of whom they had had no sighting since they had left the ball the night before.
"A man cannot just disappear," Sebastian remarked rather unhelpfully, but at that moment it seemed that Jeff had done just that. "Is he not at his father's house?"
"My uncle has seen him no more than we have," Wes replied, "Perhaps even less." He shook his head. "I would say that he had read the letter from Hunter and tried to run, but the letter only arrived in my hand this morning, and it is not like Jeff to flee from a challenge."
"A challenge?"
Wes nodded.
"Hunter claims that he has tainted his family's honour through some occurrence," he said, and though he did not divulge the reasons to Sebastian, he thought that he could hazard a guess at what had happened between Jeff and the Duval family.
"So he wants a duel?"
"Yes, and Jeff will answer it; there is no doubt as to that. But is our Jeff a match for Hunter?"
Sebastian frowned.
"Why ever would he not be?" he asked.
"Hunter is the sort of man who picks a fight with even the slightest creature who threatens his family or his honour, and he thrives on the intimidation of his foe," Wes explained, "Such a challenge, such a duel, is mere child's play to him. And Jeff is little more than a boy, Seb, you know that, who toys with the idea of adventure and proving himself, yet has no experience in such things. For Jeff will throw himself headfirst into this, but to what result?"
"Maybe his swordsmanship will outstrip that of Hunter?" Sebastian suggested.
"It is unlikely," Wes said, "Lord Duval paid for Clarington's tuition, and fencing lessons were a staple subject; his skill is unrivalled in Verona, and men talk about his swordsmanship with fear evident in their voices."
"Whose voices fear what?" Jeff's bright tones interrupted them and they discovered their friend approaching them with a wide grin on his face.
"Nothing," Wes quickly amended, for he did not want to reveal his doubts. "It was just some idle talk."
"Anyway, where have you been?" Sebastian demanded to know, "You disappeared last night without so much as a word as to where you had gone."
Jeff shrugged.
"I had business to attend to," he said noncommittally.
"And was it so urgent that you could not inform your friends first?" Wes asked, narrowing his eyes as though trying to look straight through Jeff for the answer; although he had a feeling that he knew the truth already.
"Yes," Jeff said rather bluntly, and both Wes and Sebastian looked at each other in surprise; clearly Jeff didn't want to talk about where he had been.
They were interrupted by the arrival of David, looking rather out of breath. He had been waving his arms around as he hurried down the street in an attempt to catch Jeff's attention; and when that had failed, he'd almost launched himself at the blonde.
"Who are you?" Sebastian asked, looking David up and down a few times as the man tried to regain his breath. "And why are you practically throwing yourself at my friend?"
David stood up a little straighter and smoothed out the creases in his tunic.
"I bring news from my master," he said, "But it is for Master Jeff, not you two."
"That doesn't answer my question," Sebastian said insistently, "Who are you? And who is your master?"
Wes leaned over to whisper in Seb's ear that he didn't think that it was any of his business who David or his master were, but the other man just frowned and shook his head.
"I want to know what news Jeff is receiving," he said, "He's our friend, and he disappeared strangely last night. Something is definitely going on and I want to know what."
"Patience," Jeff chided, in a most un-Jeff-like manner; it would have been something that Wes would said normally, but everything seemed to be changing at that point. "If you wait, then all shall be revealed to you."
Sebastian glared at his friend.
"I'm not in the mood for riddles," he stated, "When you decide to include your closest friends in your affairs, come and find us."
He turned sharply on his heel and stalked away up the street. Wes shook his head and hurried after him.
"I'm sorry about that," Jeff apologised to David, "Pray, what news do you have of Nick?"
"Actually, sir, he was hoping to have news from you," the other man said, "Has the marriage been arranged?"
Jeff nodded eagerly.
"Yes, it is all accounted for," he confirmed, "I will be awaiting Nick at Trent's this afternoon, you know, the friar who lives on the hill just outside of the city walls?"
David said that he did know of Trent.
"Very good," he said, "And is there anything else?"
Jeff thought for a moment, for he needed to be absolutely certain that everything was perfect for such a great undertaking.
"Actually," he said eventually, "There is something that you, yourself, can do."
"Me?"
"Yes, wait for us outside of the chapel and bring a rope ladder with you."
"A rope ladder?"
"Yes, it is essential; can you promise me that you will bring one?"
David bowed rather gallantly.
"Of course, sir," he said, "And now I must take this good news back to my master."
"Take my greeting to Nick," Jeff said, sounding excited at the prospect of their marriage."
David agreed once more, before departing and leaving Jeff alone once more.
Nick was pacing in his room; he'd been from the window to the door and back again several times already, and now he was beginning to traipse up and down the balcony to while away the time.
"Where is David?" he muttered to himself, "He must have got word from Jeff now."
He paused to lean out over the balcony railing.
"Jeff loves me, I know he does," he said softly, his words drifting on the breeze, "So why am I suddenly worrying that he will not send his word. Surely, he intends to marry me, when he feels this love just as strongly as I do." He sighed. "But David, where are you, David?"
"I'm here, Nick," the very voice that he wished to hear called to him.
"David!" Nick cried joyfully, coming back through the open doors from the balcony and sitting down expectantly on a nearby chair. "What news do you have?"
David held up a hand.
"Let me just catch my breath again," he said, panting slightly, "I ran almost all the way there and back."
Nick was silent for a few moments as he let his friend recover, but he couldn't stop his knee from bouncing in anticipation; he just had to know!
"David," he tried again, "What did he say?"
"He has arranged everything for your marriage," the other man said, "It is all ready for you."
Nick clapped his hands together in joy and tried to contain the excitement that he was feeling inside. He wanted to skip and dance and shout at the top of his voice at the news, but he didn't feel that would be entirely appropriate or subtle towards the situation.
"And," David continued, "You are to meet him at Trent's home on the hill, where you will then go to the chapel; are you able to get away for several hours this afternoon?"
Nick nodded.
"I am," he said, "I will take some food with me, and I shall go immediately."
"Not so fast," David halted him, "I must secure a rope ladder, which Jeff has requested, and then I shall wait for you outside of the chapel later. Yes, go and find some food for us both, and once I have this ladder, we shall set off together."
Nick jumped up excitedly, and headed for the door. He opened it and then turned back to his friend.
"Thank you, David," he said, "You cannot imagine how much this means to me."
"You know that he will come," Trent said soothingly, "He loves you, Jeff, as much as you love him. And although I have never seen the two of you together, I just know it."
"I know, I know," Jeff said, "But I still can't stop worrying that he won't turn up. What if he's changed his mind?"
"He won't have changed his mind," the friar reassured him. "He'll get here as soon as he can. Anyway, if he's anything like you, he will not delay seeing the one he loves by so much as a second."
Jeff did not reply, for he was too busy staring intently at the door, as though willing it to open with his mind. He did not really doubt that Nick would show, but in his fevered state of excitement, he could not stop his mind from wandering onto these possibilities.
And then, just as he had been hoping, the door handle turned and, with a creak, the door opened.
Jeff was on his feet before he'd even seen who was there. But he was not disappointed, for Nick stood there, looking rather anxious as he hovered awkwardly.
His eyes searched desperately for Jeff's, and when they met, it was as though the two halves of one single soul had come home after searching for each other.
Both boys sighed at the feeling of being together again. And before Trent could speak, they had almost flown to each other in their urgency, and were embracing tightly.
"I missed you," Nick whispered into Jeff's shoulder, where he'd rested his head.
"I missed you too," Jeff replied in kind, and he buried his face in Nick's dark hair. "But after today, we shall not be apart again; I will come for you later so that we can be together."
Nick raised his head to gaze in Jeff's hazel eyes.
"I love you," he said, sincerely and earnestly.
Jeff smiled down at the other boy.
"I love you too," he said, in the same tone, before leaning down to tenderly kiss Nick's lips.
Trent stood to one side during the intimate exchange; he did not want to interrupt them, but he was mindful of the fact that they had to hurry or risk Nick's absence being discovered by his family.
Reluctantly, he clapped his hands together and broke their reverie.
"We must hurry," he said, "Come, follow me."
He beckoned to them from the door, and then he led them away to the chapel so that they could be together forever; till death did part them.
"He's disappeared again," Sebastian remarked of Jeff, as he and Wes found themselves searching for their blonde friend in another street for the second time that day.
"Maybe it's because you decided to interfere with his business earlier," Wes said dryly, "Maybe he's avoiding you."
Sebastian scoffed.
"I doubt it," he said, "I was just concerned for his welfare."
Wes raised an eyebrow.
"Since when have you started caring for anyone that wasn't you?" he asked.
"I always look out for my friends," Seb vehemently defended himself.
"Sure," Wes said, turning away.
He quickly turned back again, however, when he caught sight of who was approaching them.
"Seb," he hissed, "We need to walk away now."
"Why?"
"Because Hunter is coming our way, and I do not wish to confront him. We have no quarrel with him."
But Sebastian stood his ground.
"He is of the Duval family," he said, "Is that not a good enough reason for a quarrel?"
"Sebastian, no! You sound like Hunter now, please, just leave him be and we can all go home safely and without harm tonight."
"Why are we running?" Sebastian turned to Wes, "Why should we have to scarper when we so much as see an enemy? Where is your courage?"
"I have plenty of courage," Wes retorted, "But I know when to use it, and I do not just throw it around when I feel the need to prove myself."
Both men narrowed their eyes at each other.
"Surprise, surprise," the unwelcome tones of Hunter Clarington broke into their conversation, "I have found two of the house of Sterling bickering with each other in the street. Tell me, men, how do you wish to defend your family's name if you fight amongst yourselves consistently? Is it rather demoralising to know that you cannot even hold together loyalty between brothers?"
Wes had to suppress an angry growl at the other man.
"If you came here to insult us," he said, "Then do move on, for we are not interesting in wasting your time."
Hunter laughed.
"I did not come here for you at all," he said, "For I am looking for a kinsman of yours, Jeff Sterling."
"It seems that everyone is out looking for Jeff," Sebastian remarked aside, to no one in particular. "And we are all in luck, for here he comes now."
And sure enough, Jeff was hurrying towards them from the other end of the street, an explicably bright smile on his face.
"Good morrow, gentlemen," he said, sounding exceedingly cheery, "And to what do we owe the pleasure of your company, sir?" He turned to look at Hunter.
However, the other man did not return his warm greeting.
"The pleasure is all yours, I am afraid," Hunter said, "For it is not mine. You are a villain, Jeff, a villain that would tarnish the name of the Duvals forever if you were given the chance."
If Jeff was taken aback by this accusation, then he did not show it, for he replied in a pacifying voice.
"I feel that our definitions of 'villain' may differ," he said, "But I am sorry for any offence that I have caused you, and please accept my apologies."
The blonde boy's peaceful and calm response did not seem to please Hunter, who had clearly been expecting to incite a rage within his enemy; one that he could easily crush with force.
Jeff's reply also seemed to anger Sebastian.
"Jeff, how can you stand there and let him insult you?" Seb cried, "How can you just give in to him?"
Jeff shrugged.
"I see no reason to reply otherwise," he said simply, "And I do not wish to wrong anyone today." He surveyed the three men around him. "I would say that this issue has been resolved, then."
"Not so fast," Sebastian stepped forward boldly, and addressed Hunter. "I know that you came here for a confrontation," he said, "And I know that you challenged Jeff to a duel. So, will you accept my challenge instead?"
Wes and Jeff looked on in horror as Hunter accepted, and both men drew their swords.
"No!" Wes cried, "Stop this nonsense now! You know the law, do you want to be arrested and executed?"
Sebastian and Hunter paid him no heed, and were instead sizing each other up for their fight.
"Put your swords away!" Jeff shouted, trying to push Sebastian out of the way, but to no avail. "Stop it!"
Bravely, he stepped in between the two of them before they could get a blow in, and he held up his arm to halt them.
"Do not do this," he said, "Apart from your families, you have no quarrel with each other. You say that you fight for honour, but where is the honour in senseless violence?"
Sebastian paused for a moment to answer his friend, and that pause proved to be his undoing.
Wes saw what was to happen before anyone else did, and he shouted for Sebastian to move.
But it was too late.
Hunter swung his sword up just as Sebastian's grip faltered, and he thrust the blade at the other man under Jeff's arm.
The blonde boy in the middle saw what had happened with widened eyes, and he spun around to catch his best friend as he collapsed to the floor.
As all attention left him, Hunter realised what had done, and he ran from the street as fast as he could; but no one saw him go, nor did they care at that moment.
"Sebastian," Wes smoothed his friend's hair from his forehead soothingly, "Sebastian, talk to us."
The fallen man smiled ruefully.
"I'll talk alright," he said, "I have not had my fair share of words yet, and I plan to use them as much as possible."
"Can we get help?" Jeff asked desperately, "Surely it is not too deep a wound?"
Wes shook his head in resignation.
"There's no time," he said, "And as I have said before, Hunter is a skilled swordsman, he knew where to strike fatally."
"Maybe I should have heeded your warning," Sebastian remarked, "I suppose that I have no need for honour now."
"We shall fight in your name," Jeff vowed, "You shall be avenged, and Hunter will be punished accordingly."
"No more fighting," Wes said hurriedly, but his words went unnoticed.
"It is a foolish cause," Sebastian said suddenly, his voice growing weaker as he spoke, "This fighting between the families. I say, a plague on both your houses and let's hope that this nonsense ends soon; I am bloodshed enough."
Jeff bowed his head as Wes shifted the other man into his arms and carried him away to the edge of the street, under the cover of a doorway. A single tear slid down the blonde boy's face; this feud would cost him too many dear friends.
And Nick. What of Nick? If his family discovered that he loved, no, had married, a Sterling, what would they say and what would they do?
Jeff did not want to even consider that possibility.
"Jeff!"
It was the arrogant call of a man who had tasted victory and craved more. Jeff turned to see Hunter, returning with his sword unsheathed already, almost sauntering down the cobbles to meet him.
This time, there was no attempt for a peaceful reconciliation.
"You have killed one of my own," Jeff said, a determined fire ablaze in his eyes. "I fight for Sebastian, and I fight for the freedom of both our families."
Hunter laughed again; a cold and empty echoing sound.
He raised his sword without a word, and Jeff drew his own to match him.
As they fought, a crowd gathered around them, many simply curious, while others were anxiously waiting for the officers of the law to arrive to stop the confrontation. Fighting in the streets had been forbidden under the punishment of death, and many people were just curious as to whether the threat of retribution would be carried through.
In a moment of weakness, Hunter left himself undefended, and Jeff managed to strike him with his blade. The other man gave a hoarse cry, and then fell forwards onto the cobbles.
The chattering of the crowd became deathly silence.
The only noise was the clatter of Jeff's sword as, in shock, the blade slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground beside Hunter's lifeless body.
And then everything began to happen at once; the crowd began shouting for the law, while Wes was practically screaming at his cousin.
"Jeff!" he yelled, "Run! Go!"
As though in a trance, the blonde boy turned to stare at his best friend, who was still cradling Sebastian's body in his arms.
"Why?" he asked, completely stupefied by the situation.
"He's dead, Jeff!" Wes cried back, "You've killed Hunter! Run, Jeff, leave the city before they catch you!"
Slowly, Jeff understood what had happened, and he took off up the street before any law officers could apprehend him. His mind was racing as he realised what he had just done, but he couldn't stop running.
He did not look back, for if he had done, he would have seen Thad arriving on his horse to deal with the chaos in the street, followed by the heads of both the Sterlings and the Duvals, and their wives.
The prince dismounted from his horse and surveyed the situation. On all sides stood a large crowd, all shouting various statements:
"Murder!"
"The Sterlings!"
"The Duvals!"
Thad didn't know quite what had happened yet, but he was starting to get a vague idea.
In front of him, on the ground, lay the prone figure of the late Hunter Clarington; and if the bloodstained sword nearby was anything to go by, then it was rather obvious what had occurred to him. Lady Duval fell on her knees beside her nephew and wept openly.
But it was the scene to the side that struck Thad the most: Wes, a man he knew well, was crouched on the cold ground and holding another figure in his arms.
Sebastian.
And he was not moving.
Thad gave a strangled cry, which he attempted to muffle, and ran to kneel beside where Wes already was.
"What happened?" Thad demanded, although he could clearly see that Sebastian had met the same fate as Hunter.
Wes bowed his head; he knew of the relationship between the prince and his friend, and he did not have the words to convey his condolences at that moment.
"I'm sorry," he said, but he did not feel that was sufficient, even if it was all that he could offer.
Thad did not answer, he just shifted Sebastian's body into his own arms and held him against him for a few minutes. Tears flowed down his face, falling and staining the already marked cloth of Sebastian's jacket.
"He wanted you to know his last words," Wes said gently, placing a comforting hand on Thad's shoulder.
Thad raised his head hopefully.
"He wanted you to know how much he loved you," Wes told him.
Thad nodded, and then broke down, clutching the man in his arms even tighter to his chest.
"Who did this?" he asked hoarsely, "Whose hand did this?"
Wes nodded in the direction of Hunter's body.
"He did."
It was a simple statement, but it said everything.
Thad released Sebastian from his arms, and got up. He turned around and his expression hardened at the sight of the other man on the ground; he had already served his punishment.
"Then who killed Hunter?" he asked, frowning when he realised that he did not know who had dealt the last fatal blow.
Wes hung his head, he did not want to mention Jeff's name, but he had no choice, otherwise he would have been as guilty as the others for lying to a man of the law.
"Jeff did," he said, "Jeff killed Hunter because Hunter killed Sebastian."
On the other side of the street, Lady Sterling gave a shocked cry and leaned heavily on his husband, who stood stoically by her side.
"Is this the truth?" Thad said unemotionally.
"It is," Wes nodded, "Hunter came looking for a fight with Jeff, yet when he would not rise to the baiting, Sebastian stepped in instead. Sebastian was killed while Jeff tried to stop them, yet then Hunter returned for another confrontation, and that was when he was killed."
Thad did not want to blame Jeff anymore than Wes did, for Jeff had avenged Sebastian and in his eyes, that was admirable; but he could not excuse one person's crime, when the other had forfeited with their life.
Yet, was the punishment of death applicable when the offender had been provoked and was fighting on the honour of a fallen comrade? Thad did not think it was.
"In the light of his crime," he announced, "Jeff will have to pay for what he has done. However, because he was deliberately antagonised into this fight, he will only be exiled. Henceforth, if Jeff is found within the walls of Verona, he will be breaking the terms of his banishment, and he will be punished with death."
With his final word, Thad turned to Wes and nodded once. The other man knew immediately that he was conveying his wishes for Sebastian's body, and that while he had to leave at that moment, he would seek out Wes to discuss a funeral at a later time. No word passed between them, Wes just knew, as he always did.
For the second time in one day, Nick found himself waiting anxiously for David to return with news from Jeff; the pair were supposed to be leaving together later that evening, for, as Jeff had promised, they were not to be apart. They'd regrettably had to go their separate ways earlier that day before Nick's parents became suspicious as to where he was, and also so that Jeff could make all of their plans ready.
That had been after their wedding, and Nick had not seen Jeff since then.
Nick sighed happily, he still could not stop smiling at the memory; at the fact that he was now married to the man he loved with all his heart and being.
He couldn't wait to spend eternity with Jeff.
He thought back to his conversation at the ball with Santana, the night that he had first met Jeff, and realised that it had not been as long ago as it seemed; how much his life had changed in such a short space of time. She'd be pleased for him, he decided, if she knew how happy he was, and once he was gone with Jeff, then she could stay with the serving girl, whom she loved.
Yes, everyone would live happily ever after that way.
Nick's musings were interrupted by the arrival of David, yet the other man did not seem to enter the rooms with such vigour as he usually did, and the look on his face stopped all demands of news from Jeff which Nick had previously been about to voice aloud.
"David?" he asked tentatively, the almost hollow look in his friend's eyes was unnerving him a little.
"There was a fight in the street today," David said, his gaze fixed firmly on the window and the garden beyond. "Your cousin, Hunter, is dead."
Nick opened and closed his mouth several times in complete surprise, and he struggled to find any words to express his shock.
"How?" he managed to say eventually.
David shook his head resignedly.
"He killed a friend of the Sterling family, Sebastian," he explained vaguely, but the explanation was not enough for Nick.
"But who killed Hunter?" Nick persisted, his curiosity making everything so much harder and setting himself up for a bigger fall.
"What does it matter?" David avoided the question. "This rope ladder that I just got is useless now." He motioned to the knotted length of flax that lay on the floor near his feet.
Nick frowned; he did not understand the significance of the rope with his enquiry.
"The rope is for Jeff," he said, "It is so that the two of us can be together. I was talking of who killed my cousin, not Jeff and…" He trailed away, and looked up at David with wide eyes. "Oh, David, tell me that it is not true; my cousin was not killed by Jeff, was he?"
David cast his eyes to the floor and Nick knew that his suspicions had been confirmed.
"How could this be?" he cried, "We were married not even four hours ago, and now we are to be parted so soon! I know of the prince's rule; where have they taken him and can I see him? Can I save him from this dreadful fate?" He collapsed onto his nearby bed in almost hysterical tears.
David watched the display of fierce emotion slightly fearfully.
"The prince spared Jeff's life," he corrected gently, "But Jeff has been banished from Verona; never to set foot within the city walls under the threat of death."
Nick paused his sobs for a moment to take in what his friend had just said.
"So he is not dead?" he said, "But in exile from the city, how shall I see him again?"
"There is still hope, Nick," David reassured the other boy, "I shall go to see Trent, for doubtless Jeff is hiding out there with him, and we shall discuss what is to be done. Maybe there is still a way that you and Jeff can be together still."
Nick started up from his bed.
"I will come with you," he said, "He is my husband, after all."
David shook his head decisively.
"No," he said, "You must stay here, otherwise your parents will question where you keep disappearing off to, especially after what has just happened to your cousin."
Nick sunk back down.
"I feel that I should cry for the death of my cousin," he said slowly, "But when I already know that he set out earlier today to challenge Jeff to duel, I cannot feel any sympathy."
David patted his shoulder comfortingly.
"It is understandable," he said, "And now, I must go. Do not fret, for everything will be alright for you and Jeff."
A/N: I'm just finishing off the last part, so that should be posted soon :) Prepare for a lot of sadness, but if you know the story of Romeo and Juliet, you will know that already...
Thank you for reading, and please leave me a review to tell me what you thought :)