Author's Note: Chapter 10! We made it! Thank you all for sticking with me this far!
I know we're all really depressed about the show being cancelled but... okay so I'm sure you've all heard that Shonda was just hired by Netflix... is there anyway they might pick this show up when she goes over? Please, find a way to write to Shonda, or the Netflix execs, to tell them that we love the show and that we really want them to pick it up over there! PM me if you want a template to use or if you need help finding addresses or emails to send stuff to! Thanks all!
Rosaline
This was a nightmare. There was no other explanation. In the few brief moments I had before everyone else started reacting, I tried to wrap my head around what was going on.
Benvolio hadn't sent me the love letter, Escalus had.
Benvolio didn't love me.
Escalus had arrested Benvolio for some reason.
Isabella had known... and somehow thought this was a good thing for me.
Lord Montague was here to argue for his nephew's... freedom? Life? I shivered. God only knew what Escalus's plans were at this point and what I had to save him from.
I would save him. I wasn't about to let him die.
Whether this was part of the masked man's plot or now, I couldn't know, but I would stop this, and I would stop him.
My best friend was kneeling bruised and a bit bloody at the Prince's feat, his hands bound in front of him, his eyes screaming of betrayal and anger.
Then everyone started to react. Lord Montague's voice was the loudest as he yelled about a Capulet plot, and the lies and ridiculousness that was occurring. Escalus was attempting to snarl something out about what had come to light, and why Escalus was in this state, but he wasn't quite loud enough for me to make out. Isabella was berating the guards for their treatment of him, claiming that 'this is Verona! We are refinement and grace, we do not beat helpless prisoners! They are the criminals and we shall give them justice not torture!' I half agreed with her. How dare they beat him? I wanted to rush to his side, to cry for his pain, and to take him away from here, to our secret hiding place. But Isabella was wrong too. He was no criminal. Of that I was certain. The voices grew louder and louder as the guards attempted to explain themselves to a shrieking Isabella and Escalus attempted to gain order over Lord Montague who had gone quite red in the face as he spoke. I could take it no longer.
"Silence!" I yelled over the din. To my surprise, everyone in the room, shocked at my proclamation, did as I had commanded, staring at me in perfect silence. "Prince Escalus." I continued, venom in my voice. "You will explain as concisely as you possibly can, why my betrothed has been arrested." There was a pause, and for a moment he looked unsure of himself, my tone throwing him off. "Now." I growled at him.
"We have received intelligence from a spy who is currently residing in Verona, a man I've known my whole life. The masked killer roaming our streets is none other than Benvolio Montague." I laughed loudly, but before I could say a word, the men in the room began conversing like idiots.
"If there is proof of this," Lord Montague began.
"There is!" Escalus replied haughtily.
"Then Montague house has no choice but to cast out our wayward son." Surprisingly, he actually did seem upset about that.
"Uncle, I swear to you-" Benvolio began before a guard kicked him, silencing him. I stepped forward angrily, but Isabella held me back.
"Let the men rant and rave before you speak. It wears them out." She spoke softly, her tone annoyed, and her smile tilting wryly across her face.
"You have forfit Rosaline's bride price to House Capulet, as you have no heirs to offer in Benvolio's place." Escalus proclaimed. I snorted indignantly. Yes, Escalus, because people were just interchangeable like that.
"On the contrary. House Montague intends to keep its promise to House Capulet and to this city and join our two houses." Lord Montague stated, his eyes looking towards the ground. "As my nephew is no longer able to wed Lady Rosaline, I will take his place."
"Are you insane?!" I asked, my eyes darting back to Escalus. "You aren't seriously-"
"Capulet will never agree to it." Escalus told Montague. My heart sank. Yes he would. If he wanted to keep the money, he would. My eyes darted around the room helplessly. Benvolio was eyeing his uncle as though he wished he would burst instantly into flames, and when he glanced away his eyes met mine, and I saw my own helpless feeling reflected back at me. That was it. I wasn't about to let them do this to him. He was tied up, and beaten. He had done so much for me, how could I not do everything in my power to make this right. Escalus was droning on about marriage law, and treason law and I turned my eyes to him, looking as angry and powerful as I could manage.
"Dear God tell me our monarch is not this much of an imbecile." For the second time that night, the room fell silent.
"I beg your pardon?" He asked, affronted.
"The first time the masked killer attacked, was at our betrothal. When Benvolio Montague stood bare faced in front of hundreds, as a different man attacked us. The second time the man was reported out, Benvolio and I were in attendance of Her Majesty Princess Isabella." I turned to my friend. "Is that not so?" She looked nervously at her brother.
"Yes, actually, we were walking through the gardens. The city criers were there too, watching them so they would know what to report in town gossip."
"We have intelligence that states he runs a large group of masked men, who follow his command. There was a meeting of all of these men, at a brothal Benvolio Montague frequents, two nights passed, and servants of the House of Montague confirm that Benvolio had snuck out and did not return until the early morning, with two horses, and acting very suspiciously. A prostitute confirms that they called the ringleader Benvolio."
"Then he is being set up." I snarled.
"Whatever he has said to convince you otherwise, I assure you-"
"You assure me that you are an idiot! Benvolio Montague was not at a brothel two nights ago, he was with me. I will swear it in front of this entire city, and you know what? My nurse can swear it too, for she saw him return me to my uncle's home. The second horse was for me. He is being set up. I swear it Escalus, and you must release him, immediately. There is no justice here. The masked killer, or the team of killers, whatever it is, they are still at large. Your spy? Lying to you. Which means you are being played a fool, and it is a part you are clearly more than willing to play. The spy is attempting to undermine you, to force you to start killing Verona's own for crimes they did not commit. Before long you will have an insurrection over this and if Benvolio Montague is punished any further, I can assure you, it is myself, and the rest of House Capulet who will lead it to your doorstep." My eyes were watering now, anger emanating off of me.
"I sent you a letter. I told you of this situation and you came, willingly, happily even." Escalus replied quietly, looking at me as though he had never seen me before. I pulled the offending letter out of my pocket and crumpled it in my fist as I stepped forward to stand beside where my love knelt on the ground.
"You didn't sign it." I snapped at Escalus. "Benvolio and I have been hunting down the masked killer for weeks now. I thought it was from him, telling me he had found him, you fool." I dropped the piece of worthless paper on the ground.
"You... you thought it was from him?" Escalus asked, his voice rising slightly.
"Yes. I thought it was from him."
"And that's why you came in such a hurry." It wasn't a question.
"Yes. But Your Highness," I said, forcing myself to keep my voice even, "That has no bearing on our current conversation. I will ask you one time, are you going to release him, or not?" There was a long silence before Escalus, spoke.
"We will investigate the matter thoroughly. Your nurse will be brought in for questioning and I expect you to give a full accounting of the night in question, as will Benvolio, to see if your stories match. In the meantime..." He nodded his head at the guards, who yanked Benvolio up and dragged him away, my eyes latched on to his and we remained that way until they slammed the door behind him. I turned to Escalus and shook my head.
"You're a coward, Escalus." I turned my back and marched over to Lord Montague. "Sir, might you escort me home?" He nodded, and held out his arm. As we made our way down the steps of the palace I spoke to him quickly.
"I would die before marrying you." I told him frankly. "But don't misunderstand me, I am on your side in this. Well, Benvolio's side. I'm not entirely certain the pair of you are together in this, but the fact of the matter is, Escalus will free Benvolio or I will."
"I'm not sure if you realize, young Capulet," he returned. "The Prince was all too happy to break off your betrothal to my nephew. And with the way he looked at you... I do believe he intended to marry you himself. Do you really think he will give up his prize for so little an inducement as the freedom of a man he hates?" I rolled my eyes.
"I'd die before marrying him too." I snarled. "I'll need to speak with your servants."
"Why?" I laughed.
"Spending several years of my life as a servant taught me much, first and foremost being, the servants, know everything. I will send my friends to every great home in the city, and I will find out what's going on, and I will bring in the masked killer, and I will set Benvolio free. Now. Are you going to help me, or not?"
Benvolio
Everything hurt. My ribs were bruised, perhaps even broken, and my face was so swollen and tender that it hurt to blink. The guards were throwing me unceremoniously back into my little cage in this dungeon, and my entire body ached as though I'd been run over by a stampede of horses, but all I could do, was picture the fire in her eyes as she stood by my side and demanded my freedom.
She was taking my side to his. She was choosing me over Escalus. I knew she said she no longer trusted him. I knew that this was all because we were friends now, that she chose her friend over a man who betrayed her, but the kiss they had shared that I had overseen the day we were told we had to marry, it kept playing in my mind, even now. I loved her, but she would never kiss me like that, feel towards me what she had felt for him. But still. All of that aside. She chose me over him, even in an unromantic way and I could see that it was hell for the Prince. Then she went and told him we'd spent the night together and I had seen the fires of jealousy and anger in his eyes. They had turned towards me and almost promised to murder me right then and there for it, but it might have been worth it, to keep seeing him looking between the two of us like that. I would have to focus on all of these feelings, and pealing apart what was happening later, for now, there was something else I had to figure out.
I had snatched the letter up before anyone could notice when she dropped it. I held on to it, refusing to let it go. I had to know what he had written her. She had thought it from me, so it must have been ambiguous, but I needed to know what she thought me capable of writing. What she had seemed disappointed I hadn't written. None of it made any sense, like watching the second act of a play without having seen the first. I was missing all the clues. But they were here, in my hand. I held the answer.
I couldn't bring myself to open it. It was likely that it spoke of breaking off her engagement. She had been thrilled about the letter, maybe that was what she had been so happy about? But then why would she defend me so? I groaned in frustration and clenched my fist even harder, smashing the balled up piece of paper in my anguish. But still, I could not bear to look.
I had to think on something else. Something else. Anything else. I racked my brain for another thought but the only thing I could conjure up was the stabbing sensation I had endured as my uncle claimed that he would marry Rosaline. The image of him wedding her, and even worse, of him bedding her for God knew he wasn't the sort to forsake his marital rights just because his wife would prefer it, I'd had to bite my tongue so hard I tasted blood to keep from screaming out against the madness. She'd looked terrified. I'd felt helpless. I wanted nothing more than to protect her and as she was threatened, and her life played with as though she were a doll one could throw around for their own benefit, I sat at the Prince's feet, gagged, tied up, and helpless. I had failed her. I couldn't protect her anymore.
The tears were falling fast now and I didn't have the energy or pride to pretend there was anything manly about them as they fell into my lap. My hand slowly unfurled and I looked down at the scrap of paper in my hand. I couldn't possibly feel worse than I do know. If there was ever a time to break my own heart, now was it.
I unfurled the letter and smoothed out the paper being careful not to tear it.
.
My dear Rosaline,
I must speak with you immediately. My darling, I love you and I wish to wed you. I hope that after everything, you may be able to return my affections and we can move forward, as husband and wife. You see, it is possible my dear. Information has come to light that I feel I must share with you immediately. I think this may solve all of our problems and give us a way forward. Meet me at the palace at as soon as possible. Princess Isabella will be issuing an official request for your company that I believe will appease your aunt and uncle to let you escape from whatever commitments they have made on your behalf.
I count the moments until I can see you again, my love.
Yours.
.
Yours. I love you. Practically a marriage proposal.
She'd thought it all from my hand.
And she'd been joyful.
The tears dried on my face and no new ones fell to replace them as the corners of my lips turned up in a smile.
Good God.
She loved me to.