Benvolio
"I know I don't inherit until my uncle dies. And I'm not trying to speed that process up!" I exclaimed, this banker was making no sense at all. "I know that my father left me some money. That's what my uncle has been providing my allowance out of. And I know its rather substantial. I want to know how much and if it would be enough to renovate an abandoned home. Not that you need to know that last bit I just... I don't understand what you're saying!"
"There isn't a separate account for you from your uncle!" The banker replied, nervously.
"Yes. I heard you. But he's been withdrawing from it for me for years. Whenever he goes in to get his own monies."
"Sir, you misunderstand. There isn't a separate account for you from the Montague fortune. Yours is the Montague fortune."
"You are making not a whit of sense. I suggest you find your mind in your head somewhere and speak clearly."
"Your uncle has a modest account. Very large for that of a second son. But it is not the Montague fortune."
"Yes! When my father died the line diverted to him! It was in the damned will!"
"No! It wasn't!" The banker exclaimed. "He was your regent so to speak until you came of age, but you were and still are the sole benefactor of the Montague fortunes. He's been doing your banking for you for years, coming here and withdrawing all manor of sums and investing the wealth, we thought solely on your behalf, but apparently..."
"You mean to tell me that now that I am of age, I have sole control of the Montague fortune."
"Of the majority, yes. Your uncle and your aunt each have their own respective wealth, a perfectly reasonable sum, but the large majority is yours. Your uncle has been able to act on your behalf as we have your signed statement that he should be allowed thus just after your 18th birthday. I racked my brain for memory of this. I vaguely recalled my uncle asking if I would like him to continue to withdraw my expenses from my accounts for me, as he was already going into the bank for his own money and me, being the lazy bastard I was, signing something giving him permission. Why shouldn't I have? He was doing the same for Romeo and I cared little for all of that nonsense? But all this time, the money that paid Rosaline's bride price, the money that paid for the Cathedral, the money that he spent remaking our manor, or persuading this person or that... it wasn't his money at all. It was mine.
"Can I revoke that right?" I asked suddenly. "Can I demand sole access to those accounts?" The banker nodded.
"Very easily, Lord Montague."
"I would like to do so immediately. And I should like a full accounting of what my uncle has been withdrawing as soon as you can." I looked at his nervous face and thought of Rosaline. Not that my banker and Rosaline shared any great resemblance, I just imagined, when she had been a servant, and someone had given her a very large task to undertake, well she was no stranger to hard work and she was more than willing to do it... but she still deserved kindness and gratitude. "There's no need to rush that. I know that such an accounting will take a great deal of work and time, and I don't wish to load you with more than you can handle. But if you were to work on it whenever you had spare time, and get it to me whenever it was finished, I would be greatly appreciative." The banker looked surprised, but nodded instantly.
"Of course my Lord, if you'll wait just a moment, I'll prepare the paperwork relieving your uncle of his rights to your accounts." He did so and within a quarter of an hour, I was fully in charge of the Montague family fortune.
"One quick question before I go, sir." I said to the banker, who straightened up and nodded. "I am to be married soon, and I should like that my wife have full access to my accounts as well."
"Full access?" He replied, his eyebrows raising and his face reading of pure shock. "Perhaps an allowance would be more-"
"I know it is not the usual way of things. But she's actually quite good at handling money and rather frugal when the time comes to be. She is to be my partner in life, and she is my friend, and if there were a moment when she found need of larger sums than she carried with her, I should like her to have the freedom and independence to seek it on her own, rather than having to belittle herself to beg me for it each time. I should not like to see her so diminished. She brings her own money to the marriage, and while I doubt she will have any great need for mine, she may chose to act on my behalf from time to time, in which case it is only fair to have her use my funds to do so, not her own."
"Your wife will act on her behalf."
"As she sees fit. As I said, she is my friend, and she will be my partner in life, my equal. I see no reason to deny her the availability of what we share."
"I don't mean to offend, Lord Montague... but you are very much so nothing like your uncle." I smiled at the banker.
"Offend? I do believe that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."
Rosaline
Ugh. I was that girl. The one who pines. I didn't pine. But I was pining. For a boy who didn't love me and never would. For my best friend.
What if we succeeded? What if they didn't force us to marry? Would he still be my friend? Would I die a little every day knowing I could have married the best of men? He was that, the best of men. He treated me a damn sight better than any other man in my life - my father excluded - and he was... smart. And artistic. And kind. And funny. And he pushed me to think, and to be better, and... well yes he was more than strikingly handsome he was... I was in love with him. And I was pining for him.
And I would be lying if I said I didn't hate myself just a little bit for it.
But never mind all that. I would ignore the very thought of him today. I would busy myself so much that I wouldn't think of my torturous heart, of Benvolio. There was something I was supposed to do today, something aunt had spoken of yesterday, that was going to take up my whole day. I had been dreading it, so it would clearly take up my focus to pretend to enjoy it... what was it? I couldn't quite remember but if it would clear my mind of this wedding nonsense then I would be happy.
"Are you ready?" Livia exclaimed.
"For what?"
"Going to get your wedding dress designed!" Oh. Right. That was it. Because that would help me clear my mind. Great."
My designer was a rather lively man, and clearly the sort who preferred the company of other men. Not that my aunt noticed. It was rather amusing to watch their interaction, actually. Aemilius was a handsome man, tall and thin, full of energy, and a well coiffed blonde hair style perfectly set upon his head. He motioned with his hands at every word, and he liked to laugh.
"My dear, your dress must encapsulate your entire relationship. It is the canvas that helps the audience understand the couple without even hearing a word."
"Audience? It is a wedding, not a production."
"It is a production. And it will be one of the greatest productions Verona has ever seen! You must tell me everything about your betrothed. I've heard the rumors of course, and the poetry he's written you, but I must know more! You must tell me everything!"
"Hmmm." The noise escaped me as I attempted to come up with words about my relationship with Benvolio without actually thinking about Benvolio. It didn't really work. Aemilius clicked his tongue and waved his hand at my aunt and sister.
"Out. Both of you. She is distracted and I must have perfect focus. You may return in an hour to see where we have reached. I intend to try some existing designs on her to see how certain flourishes and styles appear on her frame. You may return for this but no sooner." My aunt was about to protest but with another flick of his wrist, Aemilius had thoroughly shooed her out.
"You'll have to teach me that trick." I teased in awe. He shrugged with a smile that showed he was much more pleased at the praise then he wished to let on.
"Act superior to someone like her long enough, and eventually they'll believe it. How do you think the monarchies formed, my dear. Now. Benvolio Montague. Tell me of him. Of you. Of your relationship."
"He's..."
"Dig deeper or I shall summon your aunt's presence once more."
"Kind. He's kind. I didn't expect that when I met him. I thought... well to be frank I despised him. He saves my virtue and very likely my life and still I spewed venom at him and told him of my hatred to his house and his family and most of all to him. But he is kind. And he looks out for me, even when he had no reason to do so."
"Because he loves you, my dear."
"No. He hated me in the beginning too and even still, he took care of me when I needed someone to help. It's because he's a good man. A better man than you'll find in most of Verona."
"Now we are getting somewhere. How did you realize you were in love, since you hated him so thoroughly?" He asked, excitedly.
"It wasn't love first. We were, unwilling allies at first. We had no control of the situation and we were forced into uncomfortable positions together."
"Of what do you speak?"
"Our betroth- I mean their betrothal. Romeo and Juliet. I was her closest friend, and Benvolio was Romeo's. They were determined to be together and nothing we could do could stop them. We thought it foolish then, what they were doing. We thought it would never work and that they were mad if they thought this could heal a household rivalry that goes back a century or more. Then things got... so dangerous. And people were killed, and Romeo was near arrested, it was all... it was too hard. Things were getting dangerous and I thought I'd be killed and then here comes Benvolio, a man who still hated me, saving my life and asking me if I was alright. The same sort of thing kept happening. Our families, who we were, it made everything so dangerous, but he was my friend then, and I wasn't about to abandon him. And eventually I saw that... that I trusted him. That's important to me, to trust someone. For a woman to get married, it must mean absolute trust. She is handing over her freedom to her husband and I never thought I could trust someone that much." Aemilius sighed.
"But now you do."
"Now I do." It was true. I wanted to marry him. I wanted to be his wife. The thought alone terrified and exhilarated me. I trusted him. I loved him. I wanted him. Benvolio Montague. "Soon enough that trust turned to love. And now we are to be wed, and we will do what Juliet and Romeo could not. We will bring our families together and unite Verona as one."
"As fascinating as the politics are, let's get back to your love. He writes you poetry."
"Yes. He's quite a good poet, actually."
"I heard parts of the second. There was a bit in their about marriage, was there not?"
"A marriage of true minds, yes."
"What does that mean? To you, what does that mean?"
"He isn't just after me because I bring a large dowry, or because I'm a trophy he can parade around, or even because he fancies himself in love with me. He regards my mind, my personality, who I am inside, as highly if not more highly than the rest of it all. And to me that's... that's what I've always wanted. Someone who saw past the Capulet in pretty dresses and saw me."
"Just so." A tear glistened in Aemilius's eye and I knew he understood this desire to trust someone, and for that person to love you for you. "Let us try on a few gowns so that we may choose your favorite designs before your aunt comes back to share her likely gaudy opinion. I think she lacks your touch for classic elegance, and would not understand your own style. It is best to do this while she is gone in that case."
A/N: So - what do you think her wedding dress should look like? Forget styles of the time period, this is fanfiction not a historical dissertation. What do you think she'd look best in?
.
Also, I need ideas for this story! Please Review or PM with plot or dress ideas!
xoxo - E