Sword Crossed Lovers

Hello

Without thinking, Romeo throws the cover from his back and picks up Mercutio.  He hauls the man onto his shoulders and signals to Benvolio to follow him.  They all quickly run for cover and find a small back alley to breathe.  Mercutio is losing blood but Romeo can feel his shoulder burning.
"We need to find a physician," pipes up Benvolio, stating the obvious.
"Nay, brother, I will be fine," snaps back Mercutio, trying to get Romeo to put him down.

Romeo obeys the squirming commands of his friend but the second Mercutio's leg hits the ground with weight over it, he yelps in pain and backs off his leg.
"Thou shouldst not apply weight on it," warns Romeo with a knowing tone, massaging his own shoulder.
"I know that, thank thee for thy pains," snarls Mercutio, his perfect day ruined by this whole mess.

Moments go by without any shooting and noise.  Verona is pretty quiet without any conflict and for one of the busiest hours of the day, the streets are empty.
"What could have caused this?" wonders Benvolio aloud.  Romeo shakes his head.  "I sense it to be our House's doing."
"What makest thou speakest thus?" asks Mercutio, his eyes burning with strength.  Again, the Montague sighs and draws in a slow breath.  "Last night the Capulets infiltrated our estate, Benvolio.  They attacked briefly and left to only humiliate.  Balthazar and a few other servants were wounded."
"No, surely not!"
"Aye," confirms Romeo.  "I saw the mark on his flesh for myself."

Benvolio rolls his eyes in disgust.  "Then why do they attack us?"
"I know not, cousin.  That is something we must find out."

Suddenly a shadowy figure leaps across the rooftop from above the three.  Benvolio leaps up the wall and begins to climb after him.
"Be safe!" calls Mercutio, staying beside Romeo.

Moving beside the figure in disguise, Benvolio tracks him over the rooftops.  The red rooftops crinkle under his boots but the Montague has also been trained in the art of tracking.  It doesn't take long for the figure to stop and duck into a room.  Benvolio lands silently on the balcony of the room and peers in.

Before his eyes are three men standing in union.  The figure who shot Romeo and Mercutio hands over a ring to his partner.  The leader, standing before the two figures nods and murmurs something back to his people.  "Take this back to him.  Our jobs are done here."

Quickly, the three figures dash into the falling night and Benvolio loses them on the rooftops.  These three men have been trained and under the coming dark, disappear like shadows.  Benvolio returns to the spot where he left his friends and finds them falling asleep against each other.  The Montague rolls his eyes and playfully wakes them with a slap against their faces.

Coming from sleep, Romeo is shocked and dazed.  Mercutio laughs as he is woken, the slap leaving a red mark against his face.  "Come come, Benvolio, I've been hit harder before."
"I was just waking thee, you ass."
"What of the man thou followed?" asks Romeo, bringing the three back on topic.  Benvolio sighs and takes a much deserved seat on a barrel, "Gone.  But he was with two others.  He returned some kind of ring to his leader and they fled into the darkness."

Romeo instinctively runs his finger over his new wedding ring.  Now a married man, he has another to care for.  "Where is Juliet?" he snaps, turning sharply towards the cathedral.

Not willing to stop a man who cannot be stopped, the other two let him rush back inside.  Mercutio follows him with his sad eyes.  Benvolio senses his depressed state and places a warm hand on his shoulder.  "There will be others, Mercutio."
"Aye, but none like him."

Just as Romeo enters the cathedral, he senses there is something wrong.  Smoke is coming from a back room and the smell of inscents are heavy in the air.  With the thick scents filling the main room, Romeo can feel his eyes begin to water.  He coughs and releases most of it from his lungs.  Deep inside the church, he senses another's presence.
"Hello?" he calls tentatively, moving silently over the holy ground.
"Hello," responds a voice Romeo recognizes all too well.