The day of the summer solstice dawns. Bright and early, Romeo sets out to his meeting place, to remove all traces of his presence. He has told her that he must return to his masters now, they had sent a message to his man when he last saw him, and his man had told him he must leave on the summer solstice to return to his masters. They consider his exile over.

This is only the second lie he has told her.

When he leaves, Juliet enters the cabin. His things are all packed and gathered. When he returns, they will share an early dinner, before he departs, taking advantage of the late sunset.

Except she knows that he will never leave this clearing, for she has orders too. She has orders to spy on him, gain his trust, and kill him. This must be done by the summer solstice's end. Today is the last day.

She'd lied the first time they'd met. She will not lie to him again. Poison takes time to act; she will have time to explain why. He won't seek an antidote. He won't try to kill her, not in cold blood. She knows he can't bring himself to. She can't bring herself to kill him, either. That is why she chooses poison. He will understand. They both know they have no way out. They both know the only way forward, the only way to be together.

As the sun passes the overhead mark, she begins to prepare an evening meal. Hands shaking, she pours poison into the soup she has made. Neither of them will ever leave this clearing. She will do her duty. But she will not leave him. She will not betray him.


As Romeo approaches the clearing, he finds himself thinking, of all things, about how he will do it. About how he will kill her. Will he shoot her from afar; pierce her heart with an arrow? She will almost certainly know who did it, but at least he won't have to look her in the eye as she dies. No, he thinks. He wants to be with her for that time. Will he engage her in a surprise ambush, a duel with swords? It is the most honourable thing to do, though an ambush is not honourable. If he were to challenge her to a duel, she may well win, and he would fail his duty. Or perhaps...Yes, that is what he will do. It is ironically appropriate, after all.

He has now reached the clearing. He approaches her; she is kneeling down, ladling soup into two bowls. She rises to greet him. Her tears wet his collar as she embraces him. She whispers into his ear.

'The next time we meet, it shall be as enemies.'

He whispers back.

'Yes.'

Juliet feels the prick of a dagger at her back. She looks up at him, eyes sad and teary, but accepting and resolute. She doesn't fight back, instead reaching up to kiss him one last time. He gathers his courage, and follows through with the act.

I'm sorry, please, forgive me.

Her blood soaks his clothes and hers. He speaks, saying goodbye, apologizing, holding her hand tight, comforting her.

'I'm sorry. But, as we both know, duty comes first. I should tell you, though, I only lied twice. The first time, it was on that cliff edge, when I told you my masters no longer trusted me. The second was when I said I would return to my masters, as they have recalled me. This has been my mission all along.'

She gathers her last breaths, to speak her last words.

'And mine too. Kill you, by summer solstice night.'

He masks his slight surprise. She draws the final breath.

'I love you.'

He nods. Tears are falling freely now.

'I love you too.'

Juliet smiles, draws her last breath, and dies in his arms.

He smooths over the tendrils of her hair that have come loose. There is a letter tucked into her belt: an explanation of everything she has done. An explanation for him. Her dilemma, her orders, identical to his. He feels no regret for his actions now.

Glancing at the soup she has prepared, he notices the little bottle beside it. He sniffs the remains, and he believes it is poison. He glances at her letter, and reads the final words. She'd intended to kill him by way of poison in soup. Ironic. The first time they'd met...

Romeo gulps down a bowl of the soup. It seems a shame to waste it. It is delicious. As the sun sets on the summer solstice, he falls across Juliet's body and his heart stops, a letter in his hand.

We are not so different after all. We are so alike. We will never be parted. We will be together forever. Nobody, no war, no king, no masters, will ever pull us apart. The stars have fated what they have, and we cannot fight them. Because this has been our fate, since the first time we met...


AN: That's a wrap!

This story was the first in a series of three unrelated stories that I wrote based on moral/philosophical/social/ethical questions or issues, in an attempt to give deeper meaning to my writing.

How do you think that went?

The second of these stories will be posted on Fictionpress today under the title of 'A Captain and Their Ship.'

Thanks for reading,

~TheGirlWhoRemembers