Tangled Hearts

Vengeance is Mine

I

"You damm murderer!"

His mind is collapsing. He had found out who murdered his mother, and that is the one who has stolen the purity of the woman he loves. That man only lived to take away everything from him. Success, attention, his mother, and now Ophelia. Hamlet was stuck believing the worst in Jacques instead of listening to him. He suffers to find out Ophelia has given herself to Jacques. The spawn got what he wanted.

But Hamlet refuses to believe Ophelia voluntarily lose her inocence to Jacques even after what he did. How could she do that? Unless it was Jacques who raped her.

"You monster!" Hamlet keeps shouting, "How can you say to love when you did nothing but evil to me? You have brought disgrace to her. You took advantage of her."

"No," they both replied instantly.

"It's not what happened," Jacques tries to explain, but Hamlet is too stubborn to listen.

"She rejected you! What else could it be!?"

"Hamlet, it is true," Ophelia, still on the sheets, finally spoke to deny the accusations. "I love Jacques," she confesses, albeit sadly because she knows it would hurt Hamlet.

He turned stunned, horrified and disgusted by Ophelia's confession. He inhaled, taking in a lot of air. It has to be a lie because Ophelia couldn't get that far with that monster. It can only be an act of witchcraft.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he takes a few steps back as he lets madness to overtake him. "No! I don't accept it! He bewitched you. You can't be in love with the murderer of your queen. My mother!"

"What?" The accusation definitely took Jacques's breath away. He was constantly called a warlock, and a queer. Now he is a murderer? Where is this coming from?

"It was in your cloak." Hamlet shows the vial on his hand and caused Ophelia to startle for she recognized the vial. "The nightshade, the belladonna that killed my mother. You poisoned her."

"No. You're mistaken," Jacques stuttered, but didn't know how to defend himself, only he could deny shaking his head.

"Witchcraft, murder, rape!" Hamlet shouted, "These are your crimes! Vengeance is mine!" Hamlet abruptly raised the sword ready to kill him right there. Jacques managed to evade the attack of the sword by moving to the side.

"Hamlet! Don't!" Ophelia screamed as she get off the bed.

Hamlet, ignoring Ophelia's pleas, continued to launch attacks, swinging his sword from side to side. Jacques was backing away quickly, but Hamlet would not give up until he caughts up with him. Already very close to him, Jacques falls to the ground. Hamlet growls like an animal just about to jab his sword towards the man on the floor.

Right before the sword reached his chest, Jacques managed to roll over and finally take a sword. Hamlet went on for another attack raising his sword and Jacques, still on the floor, managed to block the blade of Hamlet's sword. He had to have plenty of grip to block it effectively. He hardly pushed the sword out of the way, obligating Hamlet to step back, so he could have a stand.

And now the enemies are standing face to face, holding their swords. This was a duel in which only one would die.

Jacques stood still because he didn't want this, he is done fighting. Hamlet, on the other hand, only thought of revenge. He is willing to kill him. So then, he is the first to attack again, swinging his sword again. He repeatedly attacks only for Jacques to walk backwards and block every one of them. It led them out of the room.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were behind a pillar, surprised but amused by the duel between the enemies. It also amaze them to hear Ophelia yelling to them to stop.