A True Love of Mine

Arriving in Verona

(Isabella's POV)

I dismounted my horse in the town square of Verona. I tied him to a nearby post and went to go walk about the town I'd now be living in. However, I heard the clashing of swords. I went towards the sound to find a few servants exchanging blows. A man of obvious higher rank came up behind me.

"Madam, I do believe it would be best if step back a moment." He told me as he pulled me behind him gently and drew his sword.

"Part, fools! Put up your swords. You know not what you do." He called to the quarreling servants and tried to part them. Another man, seemingly of the same rank, angrily stormed onto the scene. He did not seem to be in the mood for peace.

"What? You've drawn your sword to fight these worthless servants?! Turn around, Benvolio, and look at the man who is going to kill you!" The new man yelled. I took another step back. This was getting out of hand.

"I am only trying to keep the peace. Either put away your sword or use it to help me end the quarrel!" Benvolio told him.

"What?! You draw your sword and then speak of peace?! I hate peace like I hate hell, all Montagues and you. Let's go at it, coward!" He went to strike Benvolio and I ran to my horse; quickly grabbing the sword I carried against everyone's wishes. I went to the men fighting in the street and quickly knocked down there swords. Benvolio stepped back the moment I put up my sword to part them.

"Gentlemen, please! Here is not the place for such a quarrel!" I said after I got them to step away from one another.

"My apologies, madam. You are absolutely right." Benvolio said with a slight bow. I did a small curtsy and then turned to the other man.

"Apologies, madam." He said with a nod. I nodded and went to put my sword away. As I put it in it's sheath, Benvolio tapped my shoulder.

"Excuse me, madam, but may I ask your name?" He smiled.

"If you will tell me yours." I replied.

"Benvolio Montague." He bowed.

"Isabella Magnolia." I said and curtsied. We both stood and smiled.

"I do not recall ever seeing you before. Are you new to Verona?" Benvolio asked. I nodded.

"Yes, I just moved here with my father and sister, Abigail." I said.

"I look forward to becoming acquainted with them as well. I do apologize for the horrid first impression of our fair city." Benvolio said.

"Not at all. I find that there are quarrels no matter where you go." I told him. Benvolio seemed distracted by an old man and a woman walking over to us.

"Are you needed elsewhere?" I asked. He sighed.

"Unfortunately. Until next we meet." He gave one last low bow and walked over to the man he had been distracted by. I mounted my horse and started to ride toward home. I was stopped by the man who had been previously fighting Benvolio.

"Madam! Madam! I wish to speak with you." He yelled out to me. I stopped my horse but didn't bother with dismounting.

"What do you need, sir?" I called back to him as he ran to catch up to me.

"I would–" he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "I would like to invite you to a masquerade ball as an apology for the street brawl you witnessed."

"I would be happy to come, so long as my sister and father may attend as well." I said.

"Of course, they are welcome as well." He said.

"What is your name, sir?" I asked.

"Tybalt Capulet." He said, sticking up his chin proudly. "And your name?"

"Isabella Magnolia." I said. I turned my horse toward home and rode off. In truth, I only accepted to be polite. I wanted nothing to do with a man so quick to draw his sword. Upon arriving home, I was greeted by my sister, Abigail.

"Sis! What news from town?" She called running out to me, not even bothering to check for mud. It covered her. I quickly told her the events of the day while putting my horse in the stable.

"We have to go?" My sister whined about the invitation. I rolled my eyes. As much as I did not want to, we had go.

"It would be rude to refuse." I told her. She groaned and dramatically threw herself into the large pile of hay.

"You know Mercutio. He lives here. You might see him. You two get along, right?" I said. Abigail perked up at the mention of her old friend.

"Yeah we did. We got in so much trouble." She laughed. They are going to get into so much trouble when they meet again. I walked into the house to tell father the news.

"Father, we've received an invitation to a masquerade." I said as I walked in. He looked up from his book.

"You've been here for hardly a day and already received an invitation to an event? Well, I'm going to be having dinner with the Capulets." He told me with humor lacing his voice.

"Actually, that's where the ball is. The Capulet manor." I said.

"Well, then I suppose it would be alright." He sighed. "We have to leave soon so go get your sister ready. I'll meet you there."

"Abigail! It's time to get ready!" I yelled out to my sister. She stomped up the stairs and I forced her into being clean and dressing nicely. By the time I also got ready and found our masks, it was time for the two of us to leave.

"Where is their home anyway?" Abigail asked.

"Come on." I said and mounted my horse. I rode in the direction that I was earlier instructed to go and got there fairly quickly with my sister not far behind. We dismounted and had our horses taken by two stable boys.

"Welcome!" Lord Capulet shouted to the guests in the ballroom as we entered. I really didn't want to dance but it was expected of me so I scanned the room for a partner.

"May I have the next dance?" A familiar voice asked. I turned around to face Benvolio.

"Of course." I said as he lead me out onto the dance floor. The dance started and we started talking.

"By the way, if anyone asks, I'm not here. Technically speaking I'm not supposed to be here." He chuckled. My eyes widened.

"You snuck in?!" I gasped.

"Yeah, it's an elaborate plot to get my cousin's mind off a woman." Benvolio explained and then went on. "My family and the Capulets have had this feud between our houses since long before I was born. I do not know why."

"So you would risk all the trouble of coming here to make your cousin happy again?" I asked. Benvolio laughed bitterly to himself.

"Foolish, is it not?" He said.

"No. Kind." I told him. Benvolio smiled to himself and we spent the rest of the dance in a comfortable silence. When the dance ended he bowed and I curtsied.

"I'm afraid I must be going." Benvolio said as he turned to leave. Almost as soon as he was gone, Tybalt came up behind me.

"Who was that?" He asked. I turned and, remembering what Benvolio had said about their families, shook my head.

"I know not." I told him. Tybalt nodded and extended his hand to me.

"May I have the next dance?" He asked.

"I need to find my sister and leave. I'm suddenly not feeling well." I said quickly as I walked off to find Abigail. I found her talking to Mercutio and a man I didn't recognize. Benvolio walked up to them.

"Abigail!" I called. She looked up as I walked up to them. "We should go."

"Why?" She whined.

"We should get going as well." Benvolio told the two men. They walked away and we followed them out the door. Abigail and I mounted our horses and rode for home. We arrived home far before our father and were asleep by the time he got home.