Sword Crossed Lovers

An Injury and Eternal Promise by the Sun

The grand Montague Estate looms before the two as Romeo rides his horse and Balthazar walks briskly beside him.
"You never told me why you were in the gardens by the estate," inquires Romeo, casting his eyes down at his manservant. Balthazar bows his head and huskily remarks, "Forgive me once more, lord, but I was searching for thee. I did not mean to startle thy steed."
"And again from my lips, thou art forgiven a thousand times and again, fair Balthazar. But why did you seek me out? What news needs me?"
"Prince Tybalt of the Capulet House has issued a formal challenge against thee," breathes the servant uneasily. Romeo brings his hand to his side, surprised to not find his dagger there. His eyes nervously scan the fauna around him. "My knife, my good man-"
"'Tis here, sir," replies the servant, rising his master's blade beside his arm. Romeo smiles his thanks and releases the reigns. He buckles the sheath against his hip and feels better already.
"About this challenge then, what dost Tybalt want of me?"
"Thy life, sir," replies Balthazar with a daunting tune.

Attempting to sneak up to his room without being noticed, Romeo hushes Balthazar as they walk through the front gate.  Seeking out privacy and some much needed time to think, Romeo sneaks towards the gate on the side of the mansion.  A loud banging stops him in his tracks and he turns to see his mother with her hand against the front door.  "Romeo Montague!  Where have you been?" she shrieks, beckoning him to her with a flick of her finger.  Romeo lowers his head like a dog who stole from the table.

Lady Montague wraps her arms around her son and welcomes him into the house.  Wincing as her grip wraps around his hurt shoulder, he mutters a sound.  Immediately his mother steps back and looks at him suspiciously.  "Art thou hurt?"
"'Tis is a scratch, mother," he moans back, rubbing his shoulder.  Lady Montague takes a closer look at it and sees a large bruise already beginning to form.
"Gregory!  Get the lord of this House!  He needs to see his son!" she snaps as her servant.

The starry-blue-eyed Gregory nods and bows deeply, acknowledging both Romeo and his mother.  With him gone, the lady of the House leans in and brings her son close to her.  "What happened?  If those rotten Capulets-"
"Peace, mother!  They did no such thing," he retorts, pushing her away.  She stares back at him with nothing but love.  "I tripped and landed on my shoulder, nothing more," he whines, avoiding eye contact.
"What is this, my son?" huffs Lord Montague, striding into the main receiving hallway.  Romeo rolls his eyes at his father.
"Romeo!" snaps his mother with distain for his teenage attitude.
"What has my Romeo done now?" coos his father stepping close to his son.  Romeo once again avoids eye contact.  His mother looks tenderly at her husband.  "He says he fell of his horse."
"And you suspect otherwise, madam?"  Lady Montague nods and the lord of the House strokes the stubble on his chin.

Silence goes by and Lady Montague grabs her husband and looks pleadingly into his eyes.  "The damn Capulets!  Look what they did to our son!"
"Peace, woman!  It was not the Capulets!"
"It had to have been," snaps his mother, turning her harsh eyes on Romeo.  "Who else could have caused our son to fall from his steed?  Your father taught you to ride himself when you were just a babe."
"Mistakes do happen, mother," he pleads, wrapping her into his warm embrace.