Chapter 2

Benvolio had checked in with the moon every night for years now, to confirm that it was time to meet Rosaline in the Sycamore Grove. He didn't need to look out his window anymore, but he still did. The moon had hit its peak in the dark sky. It was full and oddly close, and he knew it would light up the Grove and color Rosalind's dark hair with stripes of blue.

Grabbing his boots and a napkin full of dinner rolls, Benvolio blew out all the candles lighting his room and headed for the door. He silently opened his door and turned to close it behind him. The hall was dark and empty, even the servants had gone to bed for a moments rest. Benvolio headed for the stairs, his feet soaking up the cool of the stone floor as he shuffled quickly past Romeo's room where he stopped. He put his head to the door to try to hear a sound.

"Romeo?" Benvolio whispered.

There was no answer, Romeo was not in his room for the third night in a row. He was coming home in the daylight, shutting the sun out of his room and answering to noone. Benvolio knew he was heart broken. This wasn't the first time, but it was the only time he had not come to Benvolio for comfort.

Benvolio promised himself as he softly turned and ran down the stairs that he would make his cousin go out in the heat of the sun tomorrow. He knew that would help him, because there was nowhere more beautiful than Verona on a hot summer's day. Except, of course, the Sycamore Grove on a hot summer's night.

Jumping down the last few steps, Benvolio turned and wrapped around to the kitchen. He loved the smell of the kitchen when it was resting after a day of cooking. The herbs and spices took over the air, always making his stomach growl. He silently opened the door at the back of the kitchen to the yards. He always used this door because the servants kept it well oiled so they never bothered the Montague's as it opened and closed many times a day. Shutting it behind him, he grabbed his napkin full of dinner rolls and tossed them to the three hunting dogs staring up at him licking their chops. After his first time sneaking out years ago he learned to always bring the dogs a roll each night to keep them from barking, but it didn't take long for them to learn to expect it. Now they would sit obediently, waiting for him to come out with their treat.

They devoured the rolls in seconds and turned to Benvolio with their big eyes, ears back and tails wagging.

"That's all I have for you," he said.

He reached over their pen and gave their ears a good scratch each.

"Is this what you want then? I've got to go."

He propped his feet one at a time on the stoop to fasten his boots. Then tucked in his shirt as he walked, he rolled down his sleeves and the dirt that had collected through out the day fell free. He straightened his collar and fastened his vest, and headed for the Manor wall. He brushed his hands through his brown mop of hair, it just fell back where it was.

Once he reached the wall he grabbed onto a low hanging branch and swung himself up into the tree. He climbed over the wall and jumped down.

The town of Verona was very much awake; the Market was filled with Merchants selling items they could not sell during the light of day, to people who would not be seen in town without the veil of night.

Benvolio ducked behind the church. Once he hit the cover of the trees the air was cool on his face and almost damp compared to the dry dust of the town. The smell of the Sycamore Grove was always sweet. He looked up through the grove and the moon light hit the crooked branches. He took his time, stepping carefully over the jetting roots while ducking under the swooping branches. Ahead of him he could see their tree. Rosaline wasn't there yet, so he planned to sit and wait for her, but a snap of a branch made him pause.

"Rosaline?" he whispered.

He could hear her holding back her laughter.

"Rose, don't you dare sneak up on me."

He felt her cool fingers through his shirt as she grabbed his arm and pulled him away from their tree.

"Where are we going?" He asked her.

"Just follow me," she said.

They ran through the trees, she let go of Benvolio's hand and sprinted ahead of him. Her petticoat was covered in dirt.

"How long have you been in the woods tonight Rosaline?" Benvolio asked.

She just kept running. He was doing everything he could to keep up without falling or colliding into some part of a tree, but she kept looking back at him making it difficult to concentrate.

She stopped, at her feet was a stream glistening black in the moonlight. The giant Glaciers sitting heavily on the Alps had begun to melt, dripping down into the valleys of Verona.

"Wow it's beautiful," Benvolio said as he looked at her. He sat down on a boulder and took off his boots. "Have you tested the water yet?"

"No," she said, she was smiling. "I've been waiting for you."

She sat on a root, took off her shoes, and pulled up her tights. He waited for her with his feet hovering over the water.

"Ready?"

"Yes," she said.

They slammed their feet into the stream.

"Oh man that's cold," Benvolio said.

"Keep them in until the back of your knees ache."

"I can't take it."

They pulled their feet out and let them rest in the warm dry dirt lining the stream. Benvolio watched Rosaline as she leaned against the tree behind her and looked up into the stars. Every day had become about this moment for Benvolio. The moment he finally got to be alone in the woods with Rosaline. He looked at her in the moonlight and sat back against a rock. He saw she was wringing her hands anxiously in her lap.

"Rose?" He asked.

"Yes," she said.

"Let me see your eyes."

She looked at him widening her eyes as if they were being examined.

"They're blue," he said.

"Are they?" She looked back at the stars.

"How long have you been out here?"

"It was a beautiful day Ben, where else would I be?"

"What happened?"

"It was nothing really," she turned to face him. "Do you remember Tybolt, Juliet's Cousin?"

"I do."

"He's back in town."

"Does he still wear leather clothes and prance around like an angry cat?"

"Angry doesn't begin to explain Tybolt. He's filled with this need for a good fight. This morning at breakfast I had to leave. He was getting my Mother and my Aunt all riled up against the Montagues. He doesn't know any more than we do what the fight is about. And still he sat there and spoke of revenge and getting even. My Mother was excited at the idea of it all, and my Aunt, well I don't really understand what is going on with her. She gets so strange when Tybolt visits. I had to get out of there."

"Have you been out here since breakfast?"

"I have."

"Are you starving?"

She smiled. "No," she laughed. "I found Romeo out here around dinner time."

"Romeo was out here?"

"He was in the meadow writing a poem. It's very a beautiful poem, I'm sure once he reads it to whom ever it is he loves she will fall madly in love with him and he will stop being so melancholy."

"You think so?"

"I do, in fact I was so sure he would recover easily that I had no problem taking half of his lunch. He left it on a rock in the shade, a napkin full of food and a bottle of wine. I tore off some of the bread, grabbed a handful of the fixings and a chunk of the cheese, and went to the top of that boulder on the edge of the meadow and watched him all afternoon. I snuck back down and stole a sip or two of the wine and he never even noticed."

Benvolio began to laugh. "I like that you spent the day with Romeo, that you were in some way there for each other."

They sat in silence and stared at the stars. A cool breeze lifted her hair and sat it on her shoulder. Without thinking he brushed it off, feeling her silky curls against his rough hands. She didn't move away from his touch, he sat back against the rock and tried to hide his smile.

"Does Romeo ever talk about our families fight?" She asked.

"He never does. He just doesn't care about it, he is so full of passion and love, I don't think there is a place for this fight in his heart. Or maybe he is just to busy loving that he doesn't even notice it."

"You are kind of the same way Ben."

"I am?"

"I mean you're here with me."

Benvolio smiled at her.

"Well," she continued. "I guess I was thinking what it would be like if this fight could die with our parents but I know it can't. Tybolt is so angry. He could keep this fight alive all on his own. I'm afraid it will turn to death on both sides and the death will fuel more rage and the cycle will continue until we all lose everything."

"Rosaline that doesn't have to be what happens. Look at me. If Tybolt can fight this fight all by himself then Romeo and you and I can stop it."

"Sure we can."

"We can, if no one ever fights him, then Tybolt will look like a feral cat in heat, screaming all around town."

"As much as I would love to see that, you can't promise that you won't ever fight him back."

"I will do what I can to keep the peace, I can at least promise you that."

"I believe you will."

Benvolio felt settled. He could handle a man like Tybolt. He leaned back and closed his eyes and took in the smell of the sweet scent of the orchard. His mind ran through thoughts of war to thoughts of food to wondering where Romeo had ran off to, and who was hearing his poem at that very moment. The uneven sound of Rosaline's breathing began to worry him.

"Rose," he softly said.

"There's more," she said.

Benvolio looked into her dark blue eyes.

"My Mother spoke to me today," she said. "She told me that my Father is beginning to think of suitors for me to marry."

"He's what?" Benvolio said. "He is beginning to what?"

"My Mother told me that it is time to get married, she said my Uncle is doing the same with Juliet."

"But I-, what did you say?"

Rosaline smiled at Benvolio and her breathing calmed. "You're getting upset?"

"Rose I-, did she say who your father was thinking of?"

"Oh a few men on The Princes Court."

"The Princes Court?"

"Benvolio what's wrong?" She was laughing.

"Rosaline, I-,"

"What Benvolio?"

"I-, no it can't be time for you to marry yet, I could tell your Father stories about the men in the Princes Court."

"Could you? And would you be present in these stories?"

"Listen, I mean, none of those men are good enough for you."

"Not good enough for me, a man on the Princes court? Well then I think you should tell my father everything. I mean you have a strong opinion on the subject, perhaps it would be good for my father to meet you as well."

"Do you think it would be?"

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Rose I would do it. You said it yourself, I have no place in this fight. I would happily meet with your Father, give him a strong handshake, look him straight in the eye-,"

"And say what? My name is Benvolio Montague?"

"Yes."

"My Mother would have you removed before you could spit it out."

"Your Mother doesn't scare me."

"Yes she does, or at least she should if you had any sense about you. Her hate for the Montague's is stronger than any others. You know that. Even my Uncle speaks of peace sometimes. It is a lot of hate, a strong handshake cannot break through it."

"It could."

"What are you saying, Benvolio? You would like to speak to my father about my hand in marriage."

"Why not? The Montague's are just as noble a family as the Capulets."

"Noble does not win over one hundred years of hate for each other."

"Both of our families think that if we keep fighting, one of us will yield. In one hundred years neither one of us have backed down. So why do we think continuing the fight, teaching us and our children and theirs to hate each other, is what we should keep doing? Do you know how Kings would resolve such a war?"

"Concur and pillage the land," she answered.

"No, but that is a very frightening answer. They find peace by marrying the prince of one land to the princess of the other. I sit here before you tonight, Rosaline Capulet, and as a Montague, I yield in peace."

You yield in peace to have my hand in marriage?"

"Well I-,"

"And you believe that shaking my Fathers hand could be the beginning of peace?" She asked.

"Rosaline I do," he said as he stood. "I believe that love is the only thing strong enough to stop the hate our families have for one and other."

"Love Ben?"

His heart was pounding and he couldn't help but notice that Rosaline had nothing else to say. He sat back down. The warmth of Rosaline's hand was very near his, and with a pounding heart he reached out for it. Her skin was soft to the touch and he felt his hand was clammy and cold, but she squeezed it, and held it tight. Benvolio sat there despite the excitement in his stomach.

"Do you really believe that could work?" Rosaline whispered.

"I really do."

She held onto his hand as they watched the stars move through the sky, and for the first time Benvolio let himself think what this world could be like with peace between his family and hers. After all, he was holding her hand, he could find the strength to shake her fathers hand.

"Rose, I will shake your Father's hand, I will let your Mother toss me out and I will return to shake his hand again and again and again."

Pulling his hand close to her she turned and looked into his eyes, but before she could speak, she was interrupted by a startling shriek ripping through the grove.