A/N: Updates come much faster on weekends. Just a heads-up. And reviews would be nice too, you know. XD
Special note to any readers, I have a special Christmas story planned that will begin at around November. I love holiday stories, if anyone remembers, my most popular story, Flight Delay, is holiday-based. I'll use this story to post previews if I get enough reviews. :)
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NEITHER THE PLOT NOR THE CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY. ALL RIGHTS GO TO SHAKESPEARE AND STEPHEN SCHWARTZ.
Act 2, Scene 2
Avaric had no problem at all with throwing Frex's delicious fruit at walls in his anger. No problem at all. All of the happiness and cheer around him . . . it made him sick. Happy munchkins made him want to throw things.
Which he now was doing.
Borachio and Conrade watched on, cautious. They did not want to taste Avaric's anger, for it was not a sweet taste.
"It's arranged, then," Avaric spat, "The filthy little rat will marry Frexspar's daughter."
"Yes, my lord," Borachio piped up, much to Avaric's displeasure, for a melon came hurdling at his head. He jumped out of its path, narrowly dodging it. "But I can spoil it!" he added quickly. Avaric turned.
"Any obstacle or barrier to Boq's happiness will be like medicine to me. I hate him so much it makes me sick, and whoever can ruin his happiness will make me happy," he said, squishing a wad of grapes in his hand.
His rivalry with Boq had gone far back to their Shiz days. Boq was weak- shy and humble, everything that annoyed him. He would always laugh at him, yet he would still get all of the girls. Even worse was his upstaging during wartime, when Avaric was just getting back his fame and women, and then came he again to take it all from him.
"How will you wreck this marriage?" he asked.
"I can only do it by lying, but I can do it so secretly that no one will suspect me."
"Tell me before this damn melon meets your stupid face!" Avaric yelled. Borachio stepped back, putting his hands up.
"I think it was a year ago that I told you how much Milla, Nessarose's servant woman, likes me," he began. Avaric nodded. "I can arrange it so that at some indecent hour of the night, she looks out Nessarose's bedroom window. Sitting, of course, considering the girl's handicap . . ."
"How will that kill this marriage?" Avaric asked, "What, will he decide to marry Milla instead?" Borachio shook his head excitedly.
"That part is up to you. Go to the Prince, your brother, and tell him that he has done a terrible thing by matching the renowned Boq—whom you greatly admire—with such a tainted whore as Nessarose." Avaric raised an eyebrow.
"What will be my evidence?"
"Evidence enough to deceive the Prince, anger the munchkin brat, ruin Nessarose, and kill Frexspar. Is there anything else you wish?"
"That's all I want, and I'll do anything to accomplish it," Avaric said, "What is your plan?"
"Find a time to speak with Don Pedro and Claudio alone. Tell them you know that Nessarose loves me. Pretend to be very concerned about both the Prince, who has compromised his honor by making the match, and Boq, whose reputation will be ruined by this crippled woman who's pretending to be a virgin.
"Of course, they won't believe you without proof. Tell them you've seen the two of us at Nessarose's bedroom window, and then bring them to see for themselves on the night before the wedding. I'll arrange it so that Nessarose is away for the night, but her chair remains, so what they'll actually see is Milla and me at the window, calling each other 'Nessa' and 'Borachio'.
"It'll be such blatant evidence of Nessarose's disloyalty that Boq's jealousy will quickly turn to certainty, and the wedding will be instantly called off!"
Avaric thought for a moment. "Make the arrangements, and I'll do it." He thought for a moment more before adding, "Do this carefully, and I will reward you with a thousand gold coins."
"If you make the accusation convincingly, then my cunning won't fail me."
"I'll go now to find out the date of the wedding," said Avaric as he sauntered off, grinning maliciously at the wickedness of his plan.
