The Divided Rose

Chapter 11 (Juliette)

“These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume.”

(Romeo and Juliet, 2.6.9-11)

            At ten o'clock I woke, and rose from my bed, feeling as if heaven's warm glow shone directly on my heart. Bursting with excitement, I pulled on a dress that was slightly fancier than the ones I usually wore, but not fancy enough to arouse suspicion from my mother or Nina. Then, attempting to be sneaky, I tiptoed downstairs and towards the back door. Evidently, however, I was not stealthy enough. Nina came out through the swinging kitchen door and I very nearly ran into her. "Nina!" I yelped.

            "Where do you think you are going, Lady Juliette?" she had one hand on her hip and was squinting at me as if I was an ink blot and she was trying to see a picture in me. "And where were you at breakfast this morning?"

            "I was sleeping." Finally, a question I could answer truthfully.

            "I see. So, where are you going?" Nina asked skeptically.

            "I.... Uh... Er.... I'm going over to the church. To help Sister Frella with the Sunday school kids." I winced hoping Nina would not see through my lie.

            "Fine. Just be back before dinner, alright?"

            "Of course. Adieu." I then hurried out the back door, and slipped behind the rose bushes.

            I continued through our garden until I reached the edge of the forest. If you turned and entered the forest and kept going straight, you would eventually reach a high wall that marked the border of Verona. When the great wall had been built down the center of the city, it had also been built around the outside. This was most likely so people did not go to other cities and see how males and females lived together harmoniously. So basically, we were prisoners in our own city. But I was probably the only one who wanted to leave. Instead of turning into the forest, however, I followed the edge of the trees and underbrush until I reached a small church perched upon a tiny hill. Opening the door, I saw a high vaulted ceiling and beautiful stained-glass windows. The floor was covered in thick red carpet, and the confessionals, were all encrusted in gold. Although the church was gorgeous, it was no longer worth looking at once I had seen Romayo standing at the end of the aisle between Friar Demarco and Sister Frella.

            "Romayo!" I cried in delight, and we rushed to embrace each other. He smothered me with kisses and I held on to him, never wanting to let go. Friar Demarco and Sister Frella had to pry us apart in order to make us stand obediently at the altar, side by side, without touching each other. I barely listened while we exchanged our vows, because I was too distracted by the fact that Romayo was standing right next to me, yet I could not touch him. Benito and Mackezio were there, as witnesses, I supposed.

            We exchanged simple golden bands, with our initials engraved on the sides. His ring said JS and mine RC. On the inside of the ring were the words I love thee. Almost before Friar Demarco finished saying the words, "You may kiss the bride," Romayo's lips were on mine, and everyone was giggling with glee.

            "Oh, Romayo," I whispered, when I was just about to leave. "How I wish I could stay here with you all night. But unfortunately I am expected home by dinner, and I fear Sister Frella will not leave until we have both left separately." We both turned to glance at Sister Frella, then laughed.

            "Fear not, love. For we will meet again tomorrow, and all our troubles will be resolved." After kissing me gently on the cheek, Romayo left the church with Benito and Mackezio on either side of him.

            I then turned to Friar Demarco and Sister Frella. "Thank you both so much for helping Romayo and I. We will be forever in your debt.”

            Sister Frella smiled and said, “Remember, await the messenger. She will come in the morning. Until then, farewell.”

            I followed Friar Demarco and Sister Frella out the door, after checking the time on the ornate Roman numeral clock. Seeing that it was 5:00, and that Nina would be serving dinner soon, I sprinted all the way back along the forest line, through our gardens, and in through the back door of my house.

            At dinner I was careful to keep my left hand hidden under the table as much as possible. Though I knew it was silly for me to risk my mother seeing my ring, I did not want to take it off. I somehow felt that by doing so, I would be betraying Romayo, and my vows. A couple of times I thought Nina had seen it, but she didn’t say anything, and so I hoped she was not going to mention it to my mother.

            Once upstairs in my room, I closed the door and slid down the smooth wood. I sighed in relief. With any luck, tomorrow everything would be sorted out, and Romayo and I could be together, and not have to hide anymore.

            “Juliette! Come to the balcony!” I looked up and saw that Romayo was standing on the trellis once again. I rushed to the railing, and offered him my hand. He pulled himself up, and I kissed his lovely face.

            “Oh, Romayo, how I have missed you. But, what are you doing here? Someone could see you.”

            “I couldn’t stay away. After all, it is our wedding night.”

            I punched him playfully in the arm and then, suddenly, my mother and Nina were standing in my bedroom door. I hadn’t even heard the door open. We were a couple of deer caught in the headlights of an angry car. There I was, standing pressed up against him, with my hands on his chest, and his arm around me.

What happened next happened so fast that I hardly even knew what was going on.

            “Get away from her, you scoundrel!” my mother all but snarled as she rushed towards us like a charging buffalo, her hand pulling back as if to strike Romayo across the face. Not pausing to think about the consequences of my actions, I threw myself in front of Romayo and my mother’s punch hit me squarely in the head.

            The world blurred around me as I stumbled and then toppled to the floor. My mother gasped and I could hear Nina say, “I will go call the Guard.”

            I could not move, the pain in my head was too great. Romayo’s strong arms scooped me up off the floor and held me close to his chest. He whispered in my ear, “Relax, sweet Juliette. I am going to take you somewhere safe. Just hold on, and don’t scream.”

            With my eyes closed, the pounding in my head lessened and I could finally concentrate on what was happening around me. I could feel Romayo begin to run towards the balcony. My mother kept crying, “Stop! Stop! Bring her back, you merciless kidnapper! Stop!” Romayo’s feet pounded across the ground as he vaulted over the railing and landed roughly on the ground below. I must have been moaning because he kept telling me that it was going to be all right, that we were going somewhere where I could rest. Drifting in and out of consciousness, I was able to deduce that we had crossed the wall and were now heading through winding streets lit with bright lights.

            Finally we stopped and I opened my eyes to take in our surroundings. Mackezio had just opened the door to a very large house, and was leading us through what I supposed were the servant quarters. In the middle of the kitchen was a painting which he swung aside to reveal a passageway leading into a cozy living room with a crackling fire and a couch covered in thick furs. Romayo gently placed me on the couch and piled about four furs on top of me. Mackezio came back into the room with a cup. “Drink,” he ordered me. “It will help with the pain.”

            And with Romayo staring at me with concern in his eyes, at last I let my heavy lids close, and gave myself over to the comfort of sleep.