Violent Delights

Prologue: Juliet

"Two households, both alike in dignity (in fair Verona, where we lay our scene), from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers..." - Romeo & Juliet, W.S. 

Ever since I was young I was raised at arm's length, loved yet despised at the same time. Everyone in my family knew what my future held, how I was to be nothing more than a bargaining chip to the highest bidder and expected to devote myself to whichever family's son would purchase a tie to the notoriously dangerous Capulet name. I was a trophy, created and maintained for the soul purpose of being paraded around as a symbol of status. 

And I hated it. I hated every bit of it. I never asked for this life, was never given the choice to be anything different. And even as I poured over my books and studies in college, building myself up to be successful, I knew as I came to age my freedom would come to an end and I would be at the whim of my family. And that's exactly what happened the night of my 25th birthday. 

In the middle off the night my attendant came to me, an apologetic look on her face as she woke me from my sleep and gave me a tonic to drink. I knew what it was even without being able to see the faint blue tint of the drink in the dim lighting; it was an anesthetic my father used when we were moving prisoners from other families between sites in town. And here it was, being offered to me by my attendant with no words of comfort to offer me. 

I was disappointed in her, disappointed she didn't do anything to stop this from happening. But as I brought the drink to my lips and drank, I was more disappointed in myself for not running sooner. For not packing everything up and leaving Verona and this life as a crystal doll behind. As my eyes grew heavy I felt my body falling into the dark abyss. I went numb to anything but the impending fear of what awaited.