i. heartease
Claudio curses and stumbles, his breeches snagging on a thorn-bush. He untangles himself, swearing as he pricks his finger in the process. He trudges on through the woods, sucking on the wound. As he goes, he slashes markers into the trees with a knife. He roamed these woods as a boy, gallivanting through the trees, swinging a large stick as he waged war against the stinging nettles. But it has been many years since he was last here and he rarely ventured this deep.
He scours the forest for a glimpse of violet amongst the mulch of browns and greens. What he is seeking must be here. He used to see the flowers growing as a boy and was taught to avoid them, the same as certain berries and mushrooms. If he doesn't find one soon, he shall have to return empty-handed or risk being late to the masque.
His boot skids in the mud; exclaiming as a branch catches in his hair. He smacks it away. He will need time to make himself presentable.
Don Pedro had sworn he would obtain Hero for Claudio at the masque tonight. But as his father always told him, a man must make himself. Claudio has faith in the Prince, but prefers to take precautions to make certain the sweet lady is his.
He is stomping over a mound when his foot catches in a rabbit's warren and he loses his balance. He cries out, tumbling down the slope and hitting the ground hard.
With a groan, he pushes himself onto his hands — and freezes as he spies the purple flower budding innocently before him. His fist closes around its slender stem, ripping it out by the roots. At last, here is what he has been searching for, love-in-idleness.
He clambers to his feet, holding the flower aloft with a triumphant laugh. He staggers out of the forest as the sun is starting to sink in the rose-kissed sky and runs back to the villa, his prize secure in his pocket.
Love-in-idleness works similarly to poisonous plants, except instead of killing those who consume its nectar, it makes them fall passionately in love with the first person they see. Like poison, the use of love-in-idleness is against the law. Of course, these things still go on; it is often joked that love-in-idleness is the perfect cure for a mutinous daughter or an ill-tempered wife. The consequences of using a love potion on someone depend on who you give it to and whether you are caught. As far as Claudio is concerned, the flower is a precaution but he is confident he will not have cause to use it.
That is until the disagreeable bastard, Don John, mistakes him for Benedick during the masque and reveals his half-brother's true intentions of taking Hero for himself. Claudio watches the Prince kiss Hero's hand, feeling as if a dagger has been thrust through his chest, gouging his heart and bleeding over the cadaver of his broken trust.
"Friendship is constant in all other things, save in the office and affairs of love," he seethes to himself.
He stalks to the drinks table, pouring two goblets of wine. Don Pedro has badly misused him, but thanks to his own forethought, he has the means to set right the scales. Claudio takes the love-in-idleness from his pocket and plucks off its violet buds, dropping them into a goblet encrusted in pearls. He watches as the petals dissolve within the wine, entranced for a second as the liquid shimmers purple before fading back to blood red.
He carries the goblets with care, cautious not to spill a drop, and goes in search of his quarry. He is not searching for long when through the crowds he spies Hero standing alone. A short distance from her, Don Pedro and her father are in deep discussion. Claudio must strike fast.
He sidles up to her, offering out the goblet encrusted in pearls. "My lady, will you join me in a toast?"
She gazes up at him with her guileless eyes and accepts the goblet, offering a coy smile. "To what do we toast, my lord?"
"To the fairest beauty in all Messina." He clinks his goblet to hers.
She blushes and drops her gaze as a modest maiden should. "Sir, you praise me highly, if it is indeed I that you praise."
"Nothing certainer," Claudio leans into her. "Yours is the fairest face here."
She giggles and gestures to the revelling crowd. "But how can you be certain? Most of the faces here are masked."
Claudio falters but recovers quickly. "I would not know. Your beauty has blinded me to anyone else."
He raises his goblet and takes a swig of wine, cuing her to do the same. He watches with held-breath as Hero drinks, puffing his chest as he waits for her gaze to return to him and the potion to take effect.
A shawl wraps around Hero's eyes and she squeals, stumbling backwards. Her goblet tumbles from her hand, its wine spilling over the grass.
"Sweet lady," Beatrice proclaims in a peculiar nasal accent, tying the shawl around her cousin's head. "Will you honour me with a dance?"
"Ack! Beatrice!" Hero thrashes against her cousin, laughing. "What are you—"
"I know not zis Beatrice of whom you speak! I am Signior Mountanto!"
"Bea—Signior Mountanto! Why have you blindfolded me—eek!"
Claudio watches in bewilderment as Beatrice spins the blindfolded Hero outwards then reels her back into her arms.
"Because, my sweet, I am horrendously disfigured!"
"O-oh!" Hero stutters through her laughter, stumbling as her cousin puppeteers her into a dance.
"Uh, excuse me—" Claudio tries to interrupt their game.
"Yes, my face is tragically grotesque. You would be horrified to look upon me!"
"It cannot be so terrible."
"Pardon, um—"
Hero shrieks as Beatrice swings her in a circle. "Alas, my darling! But it is! My only hope of winning your heart is for love to be blind!"
"Signior!" Hero protests, attempting to sound stern as she is twirled from one direction to another. "I do not like your manner—ack! My heart shall not — eek — my heart shall not be won by trickery! This attempt to — ah — to deceive me reveals a nature far uglier than your face could be!"
"EXCUSE ME!" Claudio is losing patience with this nonsense, about to snatch the blindfold from Hero's eyes.
"Oh woe!" Beatrice ignores him, cradling her cousin to her. "My love speaks truth! I am a villain! Fear not, my darling, for now I set you free!"
With a laugh, she propels Hero forwards. Claudio lunges for her but misses as Hero staggers blindly. Beatrice's cackles cut short, sounding a warning too late as Hero collides with someone.
"OH!"
The newcomer catches Hero in his arms and she reaches for her blindfold.
"NOO!" Claudio hurtles forwards but is too slow.
He watches in horror as Hero slides off her blindfold and gazes into the consternated face of Don John the Bastard.
For a moment, everything is frozen. Then Hero stirs from her trance.
"Oh, my saviour," she gasps and kisses him.
:-x-:
"What knavery is this!" Leonato explodes as soon as they are inside the house and out of sight of curious eyes. "You have seduced my innocent daughter!"
"I have not!" Don John protests, throwing up his hands in defence. "Before this night I had never even spoken to her."
"You expect me to believe that! She threw herself at you before the eyes of all! You must have made her promises!"
"I have made her no promises!"
"Then you are a villain!" Leonato lunges for him and has to be restrained by Antonio, his brother.
"Your patience, good sir," Don Pedro smoothly intervenes. "I myself am as amazed as you are by this turn of events and wish to understand. Brother, if you did give the lady any encouragement—"
"I gave her no encouragement nor spoke a word to her!"
"You kissed her hand as you passed us earlier in the hall," Leonato accuses.
Don John restrains from pulling out his hair, "That was not — I never intended — There was nothing in it! Nor did I give her reason to think otherwise."
"My love!" Hero comes barrelling into the room, flinging herself at Don John who baulks as she latches onto him. "What cruel chastisements do they subject you to?"
Everyone stares at Don John who tries to dislodge her. "Lady, desist in this foolishness. Whatever jest you mean to make of me, you shame yourself far worse."
She blinks her long lashes at him, clinging to his arm. "But, my lord, tis no jest. My love for you is true. I swear it on my soul."
Leonato makes a choking sound. "You have bewitched my child!"
"Hero!" Beatrice hurries after her cousin, endeavouring to tussle her from Don John. "Uncles, my lords! I fear my cousin is — unwell. She is — She is not herself."
"So it seems," Don Pedro muses. As usual, he is no help.
"Has she perhaps… indulged too much in the wine?" Benedick suggests from where he loiters at the back of the room.
"My cousin is not a winesop!" Beatrice snaps.
"She hardly seems in possession of her senses," Benedick retorts and Beatrice spears him with a glare.
Why Benedick and Claudio are present for this, Don John does not know, but amongst the prickle of humiliation he feels a twinge of satisfaction at the latter's reaction. Claudio's face resembles curdled milk as he watches Hero snuggle into Don John's shoulder.
"What I cannot understand," Don Pedro begins, "Is the change in her, from consenting to marry Claudio to her kissing Don John."
Claudio's head snaps around. "What?"
Don Pedro looks at him as one might a child before announcing their dog has died. "I did as I swore to you, Claudio. I wooed in thy name and thought fair Hero won. Her father has blessed the match, but it seems the lady has undergone… a change of heart."
He frowns at Hero, a silent condemnation of her faithlessness. Hero does not notice but her cousin does; Beatrice's gaze narrows and Don Pedro is forced to drop his stare.
At this news, Claudio looks even more desperate. "Then — Then she is mine?"
Leonato shakes his head. "It cannot be so. She kissed Don John before the whole of Messina, it is he she must wed."
Hero beams at Don John as Claudio keels as if from a blow. Benedick claps a steadying hand upon his shoulder. Don John had wanted to cause Claudio pain, but his victory is soured by the snare tightening around his own neck.
"This is absurd!"
Leonato glowers at him, "You will do her right."
"But she cannot marry him!" Claudio wails.
"I am sorry, Claudio," Don Pedro's gaze is pitying. "But the lady has made her choice."
"Do I have a choice?" Don John gripes, then stiffens as Hero's fingers caress his jaw.
She smiles up at him, soft breasts pressing against his bicep. "Ask anything of me, my lord, and I will happily do it."
"She loves him not!" Claudio cries. "She is under the influence of a love potion!"
All heads whip to Claudio. He freezes under their collective attention.
"A love potion?" Antonio utters.
"What love potion?" Leonato demands.
Claudio wriggles like the worm that he is. "Uhh…"
"You rat," Don John sneers, putting the pieces together fast. "You slipped her a love potion. That is why — that is why she is acting like — like this."
He tries to gesture at Hero but it is difficult when she is hanging off his arm.
"That is a slanderous accusation!" Benedick leaps to his friend's defence. "Claudio would never. Besides, it would be against his own interest to make the lady love Don John."
"He did not intend for her to love Don John," Beatrice realises, impressing Don John with her quick intellect. "He meant for Hero to fall in love with him but I ruined it when I threw my shawl over her eyes in play. She stumbled into Don John instead and he became the first person she saw."
"That is not right," Don Pedro argues. "Claudio would have no reason to resort to a love potion. I was already championing his suit."
Don John locks eyes with the squirming Claudio. They both know he had cause to think Don Pedro false. But before Don John can inform them all of this Claudio splutters, "It — It is true!"
The room roils in shock.
"You gave my niece a love potion!" Antonio bellows and Claudio flinches.
Don Pedro stares at his friend as if he does not recognise him. "Claudio?"
"N-n-no!" Claudio raises his hand in appeasement. "I was not — It was not — It was a jest!"
"A jest!" Leonato thunders.
"No — Not — I did not mean it for Hero. Please allow me to explain!"
"Please do," Don Pedro's voice is clipped, a sign of waning patience.
Claudio knows it and begins to babble, "I — uh — I meant it for Benedick."
Benedick lurches from his friend. "For me?!"
Claudio does not look at him, his gaze flitting between Don Pedro and Leonato. "Y-You see… the Prince — the Prince was eager to — to se-see Benedick pale with love and I — I wanted to do something for him as he was — he was doing me such a great service in — in championing my suit. It was meant to be a jest. Benedick is — Benedick is always making jests of others, I thought — it was harmless. When I put love-in-idleness into the wine I meant no ill. I never i-intended for Hero to drink it. I swear. It was a mistake."
Liar. Don John knows Claudio is lying and is going to throttle him — as soon as he can extract himself from Hero.
"You intended the love potion for Benedick?" Don Pedro inquires, sounding far too credulous for Don John's liking. Surely his half-brother does not believe this nonsense?
"I — Yes," Claudio answers, unblinking.
"You were going to turn me into a lovesick fool!" Benedick squawks, regarding him with a look of absolute betrayal.
Claudio glances at him as if surprised by his offence. "Um… the enchantment would have… have faded with time."
Love potions have to be re-administered to maintain influence over a person. Still, great damage can be caused in a short amount of time.
Benedick scoffs. "After I made an ass of myself and you all had a good chortle at my expense!"
"Calm yourself, good Benedick," Don Pedro intervenes, the corner of his mouth ticking upwards, "What you describe is little different to your current circumstance. Perhaps it would even improve your disposition."
Benedick does what Don John has never seen him do; he falls silent, face shuttering.
Hero's fingers distract Don John, creeping under the collar of his shirt. He catches her wrist, fixing her with a ferocious glare. She smiles back fearlessly and his stomach flips inside-out.
"A jest," Leonato shakes his head. "I never would have expected such foolishness from you, Claudio. Your uncle will be disappointed to hear of it."
Claudio's shoulders hunch, looking like a scolded pup.
"Whatever his intentions," Beatrice cuts in, with a sharp tone that suggests she at least finds Claudio's tale unconvincing. "Hero has had her free-will stolen! What justice is there for my cousin?"
Everyone looks at the lady in question, who smiles blithely at Don John. His insides twist into knots.
"Niece, perhaps you should escort Hero upstairs," Leonato suggests.
Hero is unwilling to go and Antonio has to intervene to separate her from Don John. She thrashes in her uncle's arms, uncaring of the spectacle she makes of herself. "No! Please do not part us! No! NO! Don John!"
He pries her fingers from his coat, attempting a reassuring look and feeling it come out a grimace. "Go. Rest. You shall… see me tomorrow."
This calms her at least and she blows him kisses as Antonio conducts her from the room. "Until tomorrow, my angel!"
Beatrice exits after the pair. Benedick slinks off too, leaving the four of them. Don John straightens his rumpled jacket, avoiding the gaze of the remaining men.
Leonato clears his throat. "I concur with my niece, this is a great affront to our house and the hospitality we have shown you. What is more, however harmless this jest was intended to be, the use of a love potion is forbidden in Messina. There must be consequences."
Claudio's face goes ashen. "But — but it was a mistake!"
"I am certain we can all agree that we do not want word of this matter spreading beyond this room," Don Pedro speaks, polished as silver. "Therefore, let us settle this in private." Leonato gives a nod of acquiescence and Don Pedro continues, "I propose Claudio pays you compensation of a sum I leave to you to specify."
"M-My lord—" Claudio blurts but is silenced by a sharp look from Don Pedro. He closes his mouth, pouting like a child.
Don Pedro turns back to Leonato with a well-practised smile. "Does that sound amenable?"
To Don John's amazement, Leonato appears to consider this. When he speaks it is decisively, "My daughter must be betrothed to Count John. The whole of Messina saw her — saw her embrace him, an engagement must be announced."
"NO," Claudio and Don John react at once.
"I agree." Don Pedro ignores their outcries. "It is the best course of action."
"But, my lord," Claudio whines, the sound like a needle through Don John's skull, "You promised Hero would be mine!"
The look Don Pedro gives Claudio is one Don John had seen often enough before from their father. He might have taken a shine to the bold Florentine, but one more outburst and Claudio is in danger of losing his favour.
"Hero would have been thine, if not for your ill-judged jest. Signior Leonato has every right to demand a harsher sentence, but I believe seeing the woman you love besotted with another man is punishment enough."
Claudio cringes from this reprimand looking like a small child, like a boy playing soldier. He closes his eyes for a moment then bows his head. "Y-Y-Yes, my lord. I… I thank you both for… for your benevolence."
"I am sure your uncle will be pleased to receive you for the remainder of your stay in Messina," Leonato tells him diplomatically.
Claudio flinches at the dismissal but keeps his head bowed. "I… Yes."
Don Pedro claps his shoulder, his good-will returned. "I suggest you make haste to your uncle's before he retires. We look forward to your company tomorrow."
Claudio's face is white as he nods to the Prince and then Leonato. Only when his eyes lift to Don John does he see it is not fear that drains his face, it is fury. He tenses for the attack, but it does not come. Claudio leaves the room without further theatrics.
"Then it is settled?" Leonato draws his attention, "We shall put it about that Don John is engaged to my daughter?"
"I have not agreed to anything," Don John argues. "Nor has the lady."
"She seems very taken with you," Don Pedro remarks glibly.
Don John near growls. "Because she is under the influence of a love potion!"
"I assure you, my lord," Leonato utters in haste, "Even without the… um… potion's influence, Hero would be honoured to be your wife."
Don John casts him a disbelieving look. "A moment before, you were calling me villain."
"M-my apologies. I… I did not know the truth. She is my daughter, you understand."
"It is a good match," Don Pedro says before Don John can snap his teeth. "Better than you might otherwise do. You would be fortunate to have such a worthy lady for a wife."
Don John can read his thoughts, can see he is considering the political benefits of having his bothersome half-brother married to a Sicilian noblewomen, the daughter of a close friend, a whole ocean away from Aragon. He would roll his eyes at Don Pedro's transparency if he were not seething at the cage he is being corralled into.
"I will not marry a woman who is under a love potion," Don John declares with finality.
Don Pedro and Leonato exchange looks.
"Very well," Don Pedro says simply and Don John knows the trap is coming but cannot find a way to avoid it. "We will announce the betrothal but not set a date for the wedding. The effects of the potion should fade before the month's end and then we can discuss marriage."
Don John bites down, tasting his own blood. He wants to scream, to rage, to make them listen but he knows he will not win tonight's battle (just as he had failed to win his recent insurrection). He says nothing and, just like if he were an animal, this is taken for obedience.
Leonato smiles, a different man to the one from a few moments ago. "Wonderful! We now have double the reason to celebrate!"
Don Pedro grins and shakes his hand. "Perhaps if Claudio has more love-in-idleness we might triple our reasons and find a match between Benedick and your niece."
He and Leonato chuckle. Don John feels sick.
