Ciao, readers! Long time no see.

Let's get down to business then.... introduction for Chapta Nineteen.

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Enjoy!

Ricardo pulled Mercutio to Simon's home. Right on the river, it was not too far from Allegra's, and looked quite alike. Ricardo tried to pull Mercutio through the plaza. Mercutio did not know what possessed Ricardo to touch him, but did not let him. Soon, though, he came to realize Ricardo was trying to prevent the men who guarded Simon's home from seeing him, Mercutio. Mercutio ignored the fact he suddenly felt bad.

As they finally approached the back of Simon's home, they came to see all the Montagues from earlier that day, and a few other servants and friends of their's, huddled near the back of the grand house. They all spoke with hushed voices, and Balthazar jumped a foot in the air when he was Mercutio and Ricardo coming. Benvolio rushed forward, followed by Abram and -

"Valentine?" Mercutio said.
"He insisted," Benvolio said.

"Ay," Valentine said, nodding eagerly.

""Tis not safe for thee here, brother," Mercutio said.

"Do not mind him, Mercutio," Benvolio said. He gave Ricardo the evil eye.

"He hath sworn on his life," said Mercutio before Benvolio could act.

"Ay," Ricardo said. "And 'twas I who brought thy friend here. Thy friends need not fear me."

"Thou dost not follow Tybalt, then?" Benvolio asked, his face hard.

"Sir, there is nothing I care about more than the safety of my sister, I promise thee," Ricardo said. Benvolio studied him. Mercutio could tell he was believed.

By now the other men on the Montague side had joined them. All of them were either wringing their hands or looking down at their feet. When Benvolio subtly mimed Ricardo was not an enemy, the Montagues exploded with questions and worried wails.

"Nay!" Mercutio said. "None of this! Come, art thou men?"

"Mercutio, thou art right," Abram said. "There is a time limit."

"How many more minutes have we, though?" Benvolio asked.

"Ten, last I checked," Balthazar said.

"TEN? HOW -"

"Peace, Benvolio," Mercutio said, more to comfort himself. "If Allegra shall live, it will not be because of our doubting."

"Brother, art thou not afraid?" Valentine asked.

"Nay!" Mercutio said, frowning. Then he clutched his heart. "Marry, I will not lie about such a thing as this. I am afraid. I have never been more afraid."

Benvolio rubbed his temples. "I wish I had some word of reassurance for you, but I have none."

"I need none," Mercutio said, trying to stand a little taller. "I need no words. Where in the house do they keep her?"

"The bastards hath put her there on that fourth floor," Ricardo said, pointing to the window.

"Have they harmed her?" Mercutio asked, feeling himself turning pale with fear again. "Is she well, or in pain?"

Abram bit his lip.

"Abram!" Mercutio begged.

"We know not," said a few men at once.

Mercutio let out a breath he realized he had been holding in. Valentine placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, looking nearly as sick as his brother.

"Dost thou know what they plan to do to her?" Valentine asked.

"I know not," Benvolio said. "They are armed, and - HIDE THYSELVES!"

"What?" said Valentine. All the men were pulled to the other side in a sort of chain that was started by Balthasar in the front, and they held their breath as some man on the Capulets side inspected the area they had just been standing in. When the man left, Benvolio opened his mouth to continue. Mercutio hushed him, and gestured for the others to follow him.

They ran with as little sound as possible out of the property and onto the street next to it. They were out of earshot. They caught their breath.

"They are fools to have put her on a floor that high at a riverside house," Mercutio breathed.

Benvolio raised his eyebrows. "Why fools for that?"

"Shall they not push her out?" Valentine asked, "into the river, from the high window?" The others agreed.

"Then perhaps I am wrong," Mercutio said. "Perhaps they are not fools for that, but fools for their attempt to do this to a friend of the likes of us." To everyone's surprise, Mercutio's normal mischievous smile had come back after what seemed like years. Its presence took what felt like a heavy rock off of each of the men's shoulders.

"Hear me, now," Mercutio went on. "Where is the fish market?"

Benvolio's new smile vanished immediately. "Mercutio!" he groaned. "Of all times in thy life, HOW canst thou think of thy stomach now?"

"Nay, hear me!" Mercutio said. "Perhaps they have nets there?"

"Perhaps," Valentine said.

"Brother, you take a few others and find a large net there," Mercutio said. "Then, return thee to the house of Simon, and keep thyselves hidden. Do it silently."

Valentine nodded and ran off, a few others following him.

"Ricardo," Mercutio said. "Thou art a Capulet, and thank God thou art. Get thee to the house of the Prince my cousin, and no friend of Tybalt shall suspect thee. Tell Escalus it all, and make haste. We've less than ten minutes. Bring a few others, in case."

Ricardo fled. A few others, Balthasar included, followed.

"And you, Ben," Mercutio said.

"Ay?" Benvolio asked. "Tell me, Mercutio, and I shall do it. You lead well." He paused, reading Mercutio's face. "B-but I shall not fight. That is not allowed."

Mercutio thought it over. "Very well, then. You shall not fight."

Benvolio sighed a bit. "Then what is your plan?"

Mercutio looked around, lowered his voice, and told him. Benvolio was not surprised. Benvolio felt ready.

. . . . . . . .. . . . . .

Benvolio no longer felt ready.

Simon's home was large and grand. Benvolio felt like a vermin, crawling through the halls in secret.

Benvolio stayed on his toes as he climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, unseen, unheard, and seeing and hearing nothing, which scared him even more. The stairs leading to the third floor creaked. Benvolio held his breath, sweating all the way. He came close to cheering when he reached the room with Allegra.

Allegra lay wrapped in a blanket in what seemed to be a study, with a simple desk and chair across the room from Allegra, as well as many bookcases, and - of course - the window, looking nothing like a deathtrap with fine green curtains. Allegra's golden hair spilled across the floor in tangles. She faced away from Benvolio, but he saw, anyway, that she looked ill. He ran on his toes as he approached her.

She breathed, but looked almost dead. Her smooth, flawless skin was already very fair, but looked pearly white as she lay asleep. Benvolio shook her until his arms were sore.

"Allegra?"

Allegra did not move.

Benvolio felt himself beginning to sweat again. He shook her harder yet. "Allegra, oh wake, I pray thee!"

Finally Allegra's eyes opened. She let out a small groan and Benvolio squeezed her hand. Her eyes were wide open, yet glazed with a fear. It was as though she was looking at him but not seeing him, almost as though her eyes were not alive. Soon she saw him, and jumped up.

"Benvolio!" She lowered her voice when Benvolio shushed her. "What art thou doing here?" she asked. "Tybalt shall find you!"

"Fear not Tybalt." Benvolio put his hand under Allegra's hair and pushed her up so she sat. "Mercutio will take him."

"Alas, Mercutio is here?" Allegra whispered., looking around in fright. "Benvolio! Dost thou not know thou art falling into the trap? Thou shouldst leave, lest thou shalt die!"

Benvolio saw the glaze return in her ocean eyes. "Nay, Allegra. If we leave, Tybalt shall kill thee."

Allegra opened her mouth to continue, but did not.

"Have they hurt thee?" Benvolio asked.

"Last night they did," Allegra said as though she was just remembering it, "and I was knocked out."

"On they head?" Benvolio hissed. "Ay me!"

He put his hand under Allegra's bangs and examined her head.

"Thou hast no bruise," he realized. "Art thou pained?"

Allegra shook her head, very slowly.

"And they laid no more fingers upon thee?" Benvolio actually grinned; in relief, not in happiness. "Thou art quite well?"

"Well," Allegra said, "I was ill this morning."

Benvolio's smile faded. "What, from they head?"

"Nay, my head doth pain me not."

"From fear?" Benvolio asked.

"Nay, it could not be," Allegra replied, "for yesterday morning I was also ill, and the morning before that. Yet it doth go away quickly."

Benvolio, all of a sudden, found himself staring. She had been vomiting every morning. Had she not also been eating peaches, which only weeks before she had claimed she hated? This was not normal behavior - not unless Allegra was - was -

"MONTAGUE!"

Benvolio clutched Allegra as though the two of them were falling through a hole. Simon, armed and beastly, stood at the door with fierce eyes. Simon really was a picture of fear when angry, handsome as he was; he was even more maniacal in all his charm and muscle, and appeared all the more dangerous. He was nightmarish.

Benvolio was not armed. Allegra was most certainly not armed. There was nothing anyone can do. Simon, having a very thick head, took advantage of his little moment. In his mind, his dominating Benvolio and Allegra actually meant he was dominating the world. This distracted him. He did not charge them at once. Right before he thought about it, Allerga screamed.

This scream was not small and feminine. Allegra screamed with such power it was obnoxious. Her voice was high-pitched and screeching. Benvolio suddenly looked more afraid of Allegra than he was of Simon. She did not stop for what had to be hours. She kept her eyes closed, and opened them only once. Then she saw it bothered Simon, so she kept screaming. Simon could not hear himself think (though he hardly thought at all) and could not take it. There was nothing he hated more than obnoxious noise. He had never been less effected by Allegra. He shook himself out of it and charged the little screaming demon like the beast he was and pounced on her, shoving the weakling Benvolio aside. Still, though, the maiden did not stop screaming.

Aggravation stinging him inside, he groaned and clasped his hand over her mouth. She stopped screaming immediately; she could not breath. Simon felt Benvolio grab at his shoulder and pushed him off again. Allegra sunk her teeth into his hand and he stumbled backward, falling on Tybalt, who had been the 'Benvolio' who had grabbed at his shoulder.

"She bit me!" he yelled.

"Hush up, Simon," Tybalt whispered huskily into Simon's ear. "Mercutio hath arrived!"

Simon groaned. "You sound too pleased."

"Ay, but I do," Tybalt said. "My revenge doth lie open in front of me. Take her - the Montague there shall make it look perfect."

Simon grabbed Allegra and held her around the waist. Allegra fidgeted but could not break free. Simon and Tybalt stepped toward the window. Benvolio almost screamed.

"Nay, Tybalt! Not the window! Leave Allegra be! Let her alone!"

"Benvolio, stand thee back!" Allegra said. Her face had whitened, but she stood on her feet, collected. "I need thee not hurt too. My love Mercutio shall find us!"

Simon just laughed.

"He shall die first," Tybalt said, poking Allegra roughly so she stepped back a bit.

"He is only downstairs, Tibby!" said Allegra as Simon grabbed her again. "Thou liest repulsively - I heard thee tell this beast just now! Toss me out the window now, and I shall be caught in his arms."

"Thy faith in him is a little girl's!" Tybalt snorted.

Allegra moved for him. Simon clutched her back with all the force he had in his burly body and Allegra was in sudden pain. She did not let it stop her yelling.

"He hath defeated thee once and twice and will, I know, again to-day!" she sputtered as Simon continued to squeeze her around the waist.

"Draw, Tybalt," Simon said.

"Ay, coward!" Allegra spat. "Ay, feline! Draw! Out with my blood! He shall come!"

Kicking a protesting Benvolio away, Tybalt drew his sword.

"Take me, cousin," Allegra hissed. "But he shall come for me."

Tybalt froze again. He did not know what this effect was, but he had it when he looked at her. Allegra had always taunted him, since they were children. Allegra still was a child, innocent in all her play, innocently in love. He remembered the blood, the feel and look of it when it had poured over her fair skin. That had been the only bit of blood she had ever seen spilt, and surely she would never spill blood. She was a girl. She was harmless.

And yet, the thought of her shaming the Capulet name so terribly was what made Tybalt draw and stand over his little cousin.

"Thou art wrong," Tybalt said, hardly looking at her. "He is dead!"

"Is she wrong, though? For last I checked my pulse, I was breathing."

All heads turned to the smug, proud, smooth and confident Mercutio, who leaned against the door with a smirk, as though he was blind to the fact his only love was being held. Benvolio, still on the ground from the push, sighed in relief. Simon groaned, tiring of this Mercutio. Allegra beamed like an eager little dog with a wagging tail, and the relief she felt when she saw him came close to making her double over.

"Oh my love! You have come!"

"Ay, maiden, that I have," said Mercutio. "I shall come anywhere when I am needed there. I am sure no man or otherwise can stop me. Pin me to the ground, drop me down a well, fatten me for a lion - I am limber, I move quickly. I cannot be held back."

Simon laughed with a roll of his eyes. "I see thou hast pride as tall as this floor. Alas, I shall have thy pride dropped."

"NAY!" Benvolio screamed, jumping up.

"Be a gentleman, good Simon, and hold my friend back," Mercutio asked with such a casual tone one would think him to be ordering around a servant rather than an enemy. Simon have Benvolio the slightest poke in the chest and Benvolio stumbled. "Ben, let this good man speak," Mercutio said.

"Bid the slut farewell, noble Mercutio!" Tybalt said, taking one of Allegra's arms.

"Off me!" Allegra said, with dignity rather than fear. After all, with Mercutio around, she had nothing to be afraid of.

Mercutio grinned like a child and waved. "Farewell, slut."

Allegra froze. "Mercutio?" she asked, unsure whether to be insulted or sickened.

Tybalt raised an eyebrow. "I have said before and I will say again, this man's an ass, Simon, isn't he? Thou dost smile!" he pointed to Mercutio, his face twisted in an amused sort of puzzlement. "This maiden, the one thou lovest, shall fall in the river and die, and thou dost smile!"

"I believe my 'pride' is too 'tall' to be phased by a screeching girl," Mercutio said, examining his nails with no care in the world.

"Mercutio!" Allegra cried.

"Mercutio, he doth lie not!" Benvolio begged. "He will push her!"

"Will he, Benvolio? I think not," Mercutio said.

Tybalt was taken aback. He seized Allegra with Simon's help and pushed her close enough to the window that one easy flick from Simon and she would fall.

"See this, noble?" Tybalt asked Mercutio. "She is at the window! Simon will lift and drop her!"

"Ay, you two do well," Mercutio said, clapping his hands. "Bravo, bravo."

"Shall we go on?" Simon asked, lifting Allegra off to ground and hanging her feet out the window. Allegra squealed a bit, but dared not fidget. Mercutio's proud grin remained in tact.

"Thou wouldst not dare," he said simply. "Thou art a cat, good for nothing. Weak. Defeated even by me, who thou thinkest so foolish."

Tybalt clenched his teeth. His living, breathing hate for Mercutio - every last drop of it he had in his body - showed up on Tybalt's face.

"Thinkest thou so?" His voice was like a snake's.

Mercutio took a few steps forward. "Sir," he said, "you are a pussy."

Simon dropped Allegra. There was one final scream from her, and a splash was heard out the window.

Simon and Tybalt looked back at Mercutio, prouder than ever. Benvolio, though, looked so sick it was as though he would pass out.

Instead, though, he grinned.

Tybalt's mind was a black pit.

"Well?" he snapped. "We have killed her! Thou heard that splash, didst thou not? SHE'S DEAD!"

"Not quite as dead as thou art," Benvolio said.

"Quiet, you!" Simon spat at Benvolio.

"Ah, but he doth make a point," Mercutio said, his arms crossed. "Compared to thee, gentlemen, Allegra is quite alive."

"What dost thou speak of -"

"Hast thou made sure she is dead?" Benvolio asked.

"What, Montague?" Tybalt said.

Mercutio twirled his finger for Tybalt and Simon to turn around. They glared, but turned, and when they did, Mercutio and Benvolio fled the room in silence. Tybatl and Simon did not follow, for they were in too large a state of shock to move.

They had expected cries of woe and terror when Allegra was killed. They thought they were going to see nothing but the ripples in the river from Allegra's body. What they saw instead was at least fifteen Montagues and others, and Escalus, and a large net, and Allegra, smiling back at their gapes. What they heard was the sound of an applause.