Rosaline
We were to be betrothed. Again. I had to say the words. It was a bit unnerving, and only partly because the last time I'd had to repeat after the priest, the square around me had blown up and people had died. One glance at Livia was all it took for me to remember why I was doing this, however, and that would steal me up for what I was about to do. My uncle had insisted that I change my clothing, that I look as though I had too many lovely gowns to wear for betrothals and had simply selected one of many this morning. I flat out refused to put on the dress of Juliet's he suggested, and after a brief flash of something akin to sadness in his eyes, he didn't push me. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of what happened when I attempted to refuse one of Lady Capulet's gowns. I refused. She refused. He would not be swayed. It was too small in some places, too large in others, and the maids were working as quickly as they could to fit it to me well enough to look appropriate. I let them as Lady Capulet glared daggers into me the whole time. As if I weren't fuming just as much.
"We're on the same side, here." I hissed at her as I walked by. "Do you think I want this? I'd rather be your daughter's maid then a lady any day, especially if this is what that entails."
"I don't believe you." She replied shakily. "It doesn't make sense. None of it makes sense. I will find out what is going on here and you will regret it Rosaline." She replied, matching my angry whispered tone.
"Come, My Lady," One of the maids called out to me cheerfully. "It is time to betroth you to young Montague. I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat.
"What is the protocol for being sick during your betrothal?" I asked no one in particular.
"Whatever do you mean, Miss?" the maid asked again. I didn't recognize her. I wondered how that was possible. I knew all of our maids. They'd been my peers until lately. Where on Earth had my uncle found the money to hire new help? He may not advertise but I'd found out about his money troubles one night after sneaking in from the stables. I knew he was in a great deal of debt. Although that debt had shrunk by about 40,000 ducats today, I thought bitterly.
"I mean feel like vomiting, and I am worried about what I am to do if as the Prince ties our hands together, I loose my breakfast all over my intended's face." I finally responded, my tone reeking of anger. Lady Capulet let out a laugh at that, looking as surprised at herself as the rest of us. Her eye met mine and she straightened up looking directly at me.
"You don't. You may feel like doing so and heaven knows you wouldn't be the first woman to feel ill at the thought of marrying an idiotic imbecile who doesn't know love or happiness and cares little for those around him," She was spitting the words out and I had the distinct feeling that she was now referring to her own betrothal rather than mine. "But you simply do not. Because woman are stronger than such frivolities. We have always had to endure more, and we will continue to do so. You are not the exception, Rosaline. You are the rule. Live by the rule, and live it well, and perhaps you will make it out of this situation your uncle has thrown us all into alive." It was the most impassioned speech I'd ever heard her make that wasn't about how much she hated me. And with that, she was off, preceding me out of our home into the courtyard, where Escalus would bind my life to a man I despised.
For a moment I wondered who I despised more, the man I had always hated with every fiber of my body, the one whose family had killed my parents in the street, or the man I had always loved, the one who was knowingly trading me and my happiness for the good of his kingdom? At the very least, The Montague was as miserable as I, where as Escalus was gaining all he could from our union. He had never loved me as much as I had loved him.
More than that, I didn't trust him. Even if right now, he proclaimed his love for me for the whole crowd to hear and begged my uncle to allow him to marry me instead, I don't think I could do it. I didn't trust him anymore. And I couldn't willingly marry a man I didn't trust.
Benvolio
Again. We had to do this... AGAIN. Because apparently one time and an explosion weren't enough for everyone. Idiot couldn't have blown up the square 5 minutes later? After Rosal- the Capulet promised to wed me? Now I had to make the promise again. Now I had say I'd marry her again. It wasn't like I didn't know she was dreading marriage more than any other human ever had. Why did we have to put her through this? And the man she loved, the one she trusted enough to want to wed, he would once again, be the one binding us. It was a horror show. This was torturous enough for me, I couldn't imagine what she must be feeling. Not that I cared. Obviously. It was only that we were victims together in this, and as my ally in our quest not to wed, I had to be conscious of her emotional state lest it have some negative effect on our plan. That was it, really. That was all.
The prince laid her hand in mine and for the second time that day, I held the soft skin delicately, wondering how it was possible that her hand - a hand which until recently had been that of a servant, of one who had to scrub floors, and work until her hands bled and callused - could be so much softer than the silken ribbon the Prince bound us with. I wouldn't exactly call it delicate. In fact, Rosaline was one of the furthest things from a delicate damsel, she was strong. Tough. A fighter. I almost envied her bravery at times. Her body belied her person. She was strong. Her arms had the soft curvature of muscles - the sort that a woman who worked had. Her sister - the one whose name I could never remember - she was soft, delicate, she was almost a whisp of a thing, second only to the cousin Romeo had wed. Now she was delicate. Delicate Juliet. Not Rosaline. She was broader, curvaceous - as a hot blooded man I couldn't exactly deny that I'd noticed - and she didn't simper, or blink coyly, or look up from under thick lashes, no. She stared you in the face and dared you to attempt to best her, her eyes all the while assuring you that you wouldn't. Altogether, she was unlike any woman I'd ever met. Not in a romantic way, obviously. Just... she defied explanation. I didn't understand her and that was fascinating.
I repeated the words (again) and the ribbon was woven around our hands. It was her turn. With a shifty glance behind her, almost as if she were checking to be sure there were no more 'engagement presents' waiting to burn her friends and family, she steadied her shoulders, looked in my eyes, and repeated the words, promising to wed me. When the Prince announced that it was done. Cheers went up from the crowd. I doubted that they would have cheered quite so loudly the first time around, but it seemed that everyone needed something happy today. Everyone needed something to cheer for. And so they cheered for us.
"Congratulations." The Prince murmured, just for us to hear. Rosaline rolled her eyes spectacularly and glared at him a moment before replying.
"Piss off." She hissed. Had I been sipping on wine, it would have been forcibly spewing back out me at that moment. I snorted out a laugh, attempting - poorly - to hide it with a cough. I rest my case. Rosaline Capulet was fearless. And she had just told the Prince of Verona to piss off. If we were forced to wed, at least I'd never be bored. My eyes caught my uncle's. He didn't look pleased. I'd have thought he'd have been pleased, but he was frowning. His eyes darted to Rosaline and back to me. Ah right. If I had just been betrothed to one I loved enough to defy two of the most powerful families in the country, I would be kissing her about now. I leaned forward but stopped short, her words about husbands forcing themselves on their wives echoing in my head. It wasn't the same thing. I knew that. Kissing her by surprise wouldn't be the same thing and I doubted that she would even hate me for it once I'd explained. Actually, she was smart as hell, I probably wouldn't have to explain, she'd probably understand and go along with the whole thing.
But I'd promised her I wasn't that man. And I wasn't the sort who broke my promises.
"Rosaline." I murmured lowly. "May I kiss you?" She looked shocked, but whether it was due to the idea of kissing me or that I'd asked in the first place I wasn't sure. "I meant what I said." I told her intently, hoping she'd understand. She did. I could see it in her eyes. She smiled. It was fake. But still, it was a smile.
"Of course, my love, you are my betrothed. You needn't ask." I mirrored her smile and pulled her in for a light kiss. The crowd's cheers grew. Her free arm, the one that wasn't tied to my own, wrapped around my shoulders, and my unbound arm, instinctively made it's way around her waist. We were pressed flushed against one another, her lips soft and plump against mine, her fingers curled inside mine, it was... romantic. It was... over. She'd pulled away with a shy smile, turning into my chest, as though she were embarrassed by such a public display of affection. It was good. She was good. Perhaps if we'd lived in a different world, she would have been an actor. I played my part and hugged her. Turning my head away from the crowd I caught a glimpse of the Prince. His sister had pulled him back, away from us as we embraced, but his eyes, his eyes looked like murder.
Rosaline
He'd asked if he could kiss me. His uncle had clearly been suggesting it, it would have been a perfectly normal thing to do, in fact the moment I'd realized what he was doing, I'd have gone along with it. We were supposed to be in love. Not kissing would have been... weird. But instead of just doing it, he'd asked. It wasn't necessary. I probably wouldn't have thought to admonish him, not with Livia's status on the line, it had helped me, but he'd asked. I had seen Escalus' expression out of the corner of my eye when he'd asked me, and it was sheer confusion mixed with anger. Well it was his own damn fault we were in this mess, so he could shut the hell up and slap a smile on his stupid face just like he expected us to do. Normally now was the time when I would be over-analyzing that kiss. It was our betrothal dinner! We were eating a veritable feast and our table was separated from everyone else's, it was just the two of us, up on a pedestal, eating, being watched, on display. Now was the time for careful consideration and thought about the day's events. But for some reason, I'd decided it was a bad idea to fixate on that kiss, so I put it from my mind, and returned to the veal on my plate.
Escalus
"I meant what I said." WHAT HAD HE SAID?! Rosaline had softened at those words, and at the intensity in Montague's voice. She had... ugh she had replied in the affirmative! She'd just let him kiss her! It wasn't a peck, the sort of soft, chaste kiss two people pretending to be in love would share at their betrothal to sell their point. He'd kissed her. It wasn't that their lips had been moving very much, I suppose in that sense it could have been much, much worse, but their hands had intertwined, their bodies were, pressed up against each other, their full lengths running along the other. Her arms had wrapped around him and his around her. They were embracing, fully. He was marking his claim, for all to see. Let no gentleman get the wrong idea, his demonstration proclaimed, she is mine. Little did he know, she'd been mine first. Perhaps I would tell him. Just so he understood. Just so he kept a proper distance. Married or not, I would protect her from the cad, and he could return to his whores and his playmates, and she would be free to do as she liked. It seemed to be an arrangement they could both live with, one that would make them both happy... so why was it that he seemed to truly care for her? Why was it that the man rumored far and wide across Verona as a regular at brothels and a careless seducer of servants, why was it that he seemed to care about her?
Author's Note: So this constant schedule change is KILLING me! I just want the next episode! Please be sure to write to ABC and support the continuation of this show! Make your voices heard! (also please review:)