Thank you to all the lovely reviews! I'd love to reply to you all but there's so many! However, to Team Tybalt, I just want to say go ahead, and I can't wait to read it!
I think it's funny how many Tybalt-Lovers have been drawn to my stories. I love all the characters for all kinds of reasons, although Mercutio is definitely my favourite. I guess I just felt like writing about Tybalt when I started writing fanfiction because I felt sorry for him, being the Prince of Cats and not having that many friends and stuff.
Also, today I introduce you to Gabriel, Rosaline's half-brother, who also made an appearance in my other story, 'Child Swap'
Laughing, Tybalt and I walked back along the grimy roads to my house. We barely noticed the misery around us, and simply talked.
"I will never forget how we showed that Montague" I said.
"Me neither. It was too hilarious to be true" Tybalt sniggered. He twirled me around in the street and then pulled me closer to him.
"Thank you for today" I said softly "It really helped me...put things in prospective. And make my mind up"
"My pleasure" murmured Tybalt "Shall I see you tomorrow?"
"I hope so" I replied.
"That better be. Perhaps my mother will be better by then. She would probably like to see you. You know she likes you. She says you have beautiful hair"
"Ay. I like your mother as well. She is lovely and friendly"
"Thank you" said Tybalt. He cleared his throat "We're at your home"
I realised we had stopped, and my house loomed above the shadows at me "Oh. We are indeed"
"Goodnight, Rosaline"
"Goodnight, Tybalt. Thank you, for today"
The last thing I saw was his smile, and then I pushed open the door to the house. This time, I did not see a man in his late thirties or early forties, but a young boy of fifteen years. He was dressed in the most current fashion of Verona, made from exotic silks and velvet, and in the most beautiful colours of black, blue and white. He had blond hair like me, although the shade was much lighter. My blonde hair is golden, whereas his was silver. He also had blue eyes like me, although my eyes are ice blue, and his eyes were deep ocean blue. His lips were curved and feminine, and he had high cheekbones. Livia was watching him suspiciously, and my mother had her lips pressed together.
"I did not come here to mock you" he said snootily "Angelo made me come and deliver this parcel. And also to see whether you had used his gold or not"
"I do not want his money" snarled my mother.
"It is not my problem" the boy sighed "He just made me deliver this. I did not have any desire to come to this...dump"
"How dare you insult my home!" my mother cried, her cheeks flooding red.
"I shall insult people as I see fit!" he snapped back "I am leaving. I was meant to be at the home of Juno and his family tonight. They are having a small gathering. That I intend to attend"
"Then go" instructed my mother.
"Do what she says!" added Livia.
The boy held his hands up "Fine. I do not want to be here anyway. I care not if Angelo berates me for not taking the time to ask what you did with the gold. I bet you have spent it all on the drink"
Mother and Livia gaped, and the boy stood up, and made his way to the door, but I blocked the way.
"You must be Rosaline" he said, looking me up and down "A friend of Tybalt if I remember rightly"
"That is correct. What business have you with us?"
"My father asked me to deliver a parcel to you. I do not know why. He should have used one of the million pageboys we have running around our home. But no, he asked me. Enjoy" the boy tried to step around me, but I drew myself up to my full height and glared down at him. In spite of his gender, I was taller yet.
"First of all, I would like to know your name" I began.
"Gabriel. Now if you'll excuse me..."
"Second of all, I'd like to know of your relation to me"
"Well, Angelo Fulgencio is my father, and he claims that you are his first daughter from his marriage to this whore-"
"How dare you!" shouted my mother.
"And thirdly, I would like you to turn around, and apologize to my mother at once!"
"Make me" mocked Gabriel "I do not have to do anything that anyone tells me too"
The door banged open, and this time Tybalt stood in the doorway. He must have been listening at the door.
"Apologize to Lady Oftmoro at once!" he snarled. Gabriel looked taken aback.
"You heard me" Tybalt commanded, authority dripping from his deep voice "Apologize to Lady Oftmoro, and then to Rosaline for your rudeness. Or next time I shall not aide you when someone as pathetic as Benvolio Montague is pointing his sword at your throat"
"It was I pointing my sword at his throat, not he at me!" Gabriel protested.
"We both know that information is false, you little coward. Now apologize to these good ladies"
"I am sorry I called you a whore" sulked Gabriel, looking at my mother. He turned to me "I am sorry for my rudeness"
"That's better" said Tybalt "Now what business have you with Rosaline and her family?"
"I just said! My father made me deliver them a parcel. If you want any more information, then he is the person to ask, not I. Now, I must leave you, as I was supposed to be at the home of the Nightingale family for a social gathering tonight"
This time Tybalt let him pass, and he stormed off out down the road.
"What a perfectly horrible young man!" gasped my mother.
"There is no way that he is our half-brother" added Livia.
"If he is, as he claimed, the son of Angelo, then yes, he is our half-brother" I replied "But that does not mean we have to have anything to do with such a nasty boy. What is in the parcel?"
"I know not" shrugged Livia.
"Open it and find out" said Tybalt. He closed the door "I shall stay with you, less it be something unpleasant"
Livia reached for the parcel, and ripped off the brown packaging. The string fell aside, and then the contents spilled out.
"My wedding dress!" cried my mother.
"Your wedding dress?" I questioned, looking at the gold and cream dress upon the floor. Mother grabbed it, and held it up.
"Ay, it is my wedding dress! How slim I was upon the worst day of my life!"
"Why has he given you your wedding dress? And why now?" I asked.
"There's a note" said Tybalt, picking it up. He cleared his throat.
'Now that your daughters are of age, I thought to send you this dress, should they wish to marry and require a dress. As is tradition in some families, many women wear their mother's dresses'
We all glanced around at each other. I spoke first.
"I do not believe he has our best interests at heart. I think he is going to try and marry us to some gentleman, to create powerful social alliances that shall benefit himself! If he truly loved us, then he would have contacted and cared for us earlier"
Mother held her dress closer "I will purchase you a far more beautiful gown for your wedding, when the time comes. And I shall not allow you to marry someone that he chooses"
"Ay, and me neither!" added Tybalt "I shall see to that! Any gentleman, who Angelo arranges to marry you, I shall run my blade through their bosoms!"
"Do not worry, I suspect Romeo has told all his friends, who in turn shall tell their friends, that I am sworn to a life of chastity" I assured him.
"You are sworn to a life of chastity? When did you decide this?" asked my mother, shocked.
"It is a lie. Romeo Montague tried to court me at noon, and I told him that I am a sworn virgin and that Tybalt escorts me around Verona to protect my virtue"
Livia burst out laughing, as did my mother.
"You are a very intelligent young woman, Rosaline" said my mother "I am very proud to have reared you"
"What about me?" asked Livia.
"And you, Livia. You two are both very dear to me" She threw aside the gown, and embraced us both. Tybalt gave a small smile.
"I shall leave you now. Goodnight, Rosaline. Goodnight Livia and Lady Oftmoro"
"Goodnight Signor Tybalt!" chorused my mother and Livia, although I whispered my sentiment. After all, it was private.
