::story for language arts::
Don John, half brother to Don Pedro, is a very depressed and mellow character in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. When Don John was very young, in his older teens, he lost the forbidden, one true love of his life. A loss of that proportion can never be replaced. A scar like that upon the heart can never heal. This is how the story is told.
The masquerade was not very enjoyable. The orchestra was divine, the food was delicious, but the guests were rude. The rich and famous of Italy. The nobles that were better than everyone else had all gathered in one house on this autumn night. The colours of all the different costumes and masks were beautiful. All colours, shapes, and sizes. My costume was simple, a noble’s outfit provided by my brother. A faded porcelain mask covered half of my face. The other half exposed. A cape of black and red velvet draped across my shoulders. The night was young, and I was nineteen.
“Don John,” called my drunken, older half brother from across the columned hall, “come, we shall see more suitors for you!” My brother, since I was very young, had always tried to match me with girls of my own age. He had failed for many reasons, many times.
“Not tonight my brother, my eyes are set upon another,” I replied embarrassed and angrily. He gave a small drunken nod and continued down the hall. I held my mask to my face as I begun to stride down the hallway. A small smile on my face. I would see him tonight.
I crouched slightly as I strode down the hall, quickly. The quests did not bother to excuse themselves out of my way as I ducked in between them. He told me to meet him on the balcony by the river. The violins sung out over the cacophony of guests into the night. The sweet music drowned out by the conversations of the guests. I soon cleared the crowded hallway and reached the stairs. As I walked up the stairs I marveled at its grandeur. After a few more hallways I came to the balcony. I pushed aside the flowing red curtains and walked out into the cold night air. The balcony was made of a cold stone, attached to the side of the mansion. The mansion was set on the edge of a small cliff, at the bottom was a calm, flowing river. The moonlight shone on its sparkling surface and reflected the moonlight back to the clouded night sky. Trees dotted the rolling hills and landscape. A few mountains to the side, but between these mountains was the great sea. And centered in the middle of this beautiful landscape was Alexander.
Alexander was a year older than I. A bit taller. His hair was of a light brown and it just barely came to the bottom of his neck. His costume was white. A sort of toga. A small crown on his head to show his nobility. On his back was a set of dove feathered wings. They were attached somehow to the back of his outfit. They also shone in the moonlight. His back faced towards me. His head rested upon his palm as he leaned against the railing. Looking out over the landscape. Thunder rolled in the distance.
“Alexander,” I whispered as I approached him. He turned, the light reflecting across his smiling face. He took a step closer and embraced me.
“I’ve longed to see you, Don John,” whispered into my ear. “I as well,” I replied as he held me. He took my hand and led me towards the railing. I rested upon it as he spoke, holding my hands, “Don John, I’ve loved you for so long, and if our families discover this, “he paused, we both knew the consequences of our love, “I’ve wanted to ask, and I have thought upon it much.” He stopped and gave me a smile. I held my breath waiting for what he would say.
“Will you come with me, to the Americas?” he asked steadily. My eyes widened. “Will you runaway with me, to the new world?” I didn’t know what to possibly say. I was speechless. This is what I had wanted. Just the two of us together in a new place. Away from the prejudices of this land.
“I don’t care if we have to live as slaves or as fugitives, as long as I’m with you, my heart will be set,” he spoke in a tone as excited as I was. In the Americas, we would live as slaves, but we could live otherwise as we pleased. No one could call us wrong. A tear of joy and a smile spilled upon my face.
“Alexander, I- yes, yes I will!” I spoke excitedly as I jumped into his arms. My head rested upon his chest as I cried with tears of happiness. He embraced me as I told him how happy I was.
“You must go home immediately and pack everything you will need, I’ll be by in an hour and we will go to the sea. There we’ll buy our way onto a ship and sail to the new world,” Alexander spoke as he wiped the tears of joy from my face. He took my hand and we turned to go inside. As we proceeded to the doorway, a servant stepped out from behind the curtains. He stood sort of crouched and intimidating. He pulled a dagger from a sheath hidden beneath his robes.
“I’ll be needing any valuables you might have,” said the servant under his breath. Alexander took a step in front of me and removed a small pouch from beneath his shirts. The money inside of the pouch rattled as the servant took it from Alexander’s firm hands.
“That’s all we have,” Alexander said steadfastly. The man’s eyes shifted to me, “and you,” he spoke.
“He has nothing to offer you,” Alexander implied. The man snarled and leapt towards me, dagger drawn. Alexander pushed me aside and gave a small cry as the servant tackled him to the floor. The man stood up and ran inside, curtains fluttering as he ran by. Alexander lay motionless on the floor, face down.
“Alexander!” I cried as I collapsed to his side. I rolled him over into my arms. His face twisted with pain. The cold blade of the dagger stuck out of his right side. Just under the ribs. Blood quickly spread and stained the white linen. I cried and choked on my words as I called for help. His hand reached towards my face as he tried to speak. I collapsed his hand in my own against my face.
“I love-,” he whispered softly. A drop of blood spilled from his lips as one last breath retreated towards the sky. Rain began to fall and tapped the stone floor. Blood dripped from the dove feathered wings upon his back, forming a puddle of blood beneath me. I took my cape and covered his legs and chest, still holding him. Blood and water soaked it. I sat there, holding him in my arms. Tears streaming down my face. Too choked to scream, to call for help. Rain dripped from my hair as I leaned down to kiss him. I could only see my face crying in his blank, green eyes.
…………end
The masquerade was not very enjoyable. The orchestra was divine, the food was delicious, but the guests were rude. The rich and famous of Italy. The nobles that were better than everyone else had all gathered in one house on this autumn night. The colours of all the different costumes and masks were beautiful. All colours, shapes, and sizes. My costume was simple, a noble’s outfit provided by my brother. A faded porcelain mask covered half of my face. The other half exposed. A cape of black and red velvet draped across my shoulders. The night was young, and I was nineteen.
“Don John,” called my drunken, older half brother from across the columned hall, “come, we shall see more suitors for you!” My brother, since I was very young, had always tried to match me with girls of my own age. He had failed for many reasons, many times.
“Not tonight my brother, my eyes are set upon another,” I replied embarrassed and angrily. He gave a small drunken nod and continued down the hall. I held my mask to my face as I begun to stride down the hallway. A small smile on my face. I would see him tonight.
I crouched slightly as I strode down the hall, quickly. The quests did not bother to excuse themselves out of my way as I ducked in between them. He told me to meet him on the balcony by the river. The violins sung out over the cacophony of guests into the night. The sweet music drowned out by the conversations of the guests. I soon cleared the crowded hallway and reached the stairs. As I walked up the stairs I marveled at its grandeur. After a few more hallways I came to the balcony. I pushed aside the flowing red curtains and walked out into the cold night air. The balcony was made of a cold stone, attached to the side of the mansion. The mansion was set on the edge of a small cliff, at the bottom was a calm, flowing river. The moonlight shone on its sparkling surface and reflected the moonlight back to the clouded night sky. Trees dotted the rolling hills and landscape. A few mountains to the side, but between these mountains was the great sea. And centered in the middle of this beautiful landscape was Alexander.
Alexander was a year older than I. A bit taller. His hair was of a light brown and it just barely came to the bottom of his neck. His costume was white. A sort of toga. A small crown on his head to show his nobility. On his back was a set of dove feathered wings. They were attached somehow to the back of his outfit. They also shone in the moonlight. His back faced towards me. His head rested upon his palm as he leaned against the railing. Looking out over the landscape. Thunder rolled in the distance.
“Alexander,” I whispered as I approached him. He turned, the light reflecting across his smiling face. He took a step closer and embraced me.
“I’ve longed to see you, Don John,” whispered into my ear. “I as well,” I replied as he held me. He took my hand and led me towards the railing. I rested upon it as he spoke, holding my hands, “Don John, I’ve loved you for so long, and if our families discover this, “he paused, we both knew the consequences of our love, “I’ve wanted to ask, and I have thought upon it much.” He stopped and gave me a smile. I held my breath waiting for what he would say.
“Will you come with me, to the Americas?” he asked steadily. My eyes widened. “Will you runaway with me, to the new world?” I didn’t know what to possibly say. I was speechless. This is what I had wanted. Just the two of us together in a new place. Away from the prejudices of this land.
“I don’t care if we have to live as slaves or as fugitives, as long as I’m with you, my heart will be set,” he spoke in a tone as excited as I was. In the Americas, we would live as slaves, but we could live otherwise as we pleased. No one could call us wrong. A tear of joy and a smile spilled upon my face.
“Alexander, I- yes, yes I will!” I spoke excitedly as I jumped into his arms. My head rested upon his chest as I cried with tears of happiness. He embraced me as I told him how happy I was.
“You must go home immediately and pack everything you will need, I’ll be by in an hour and we will go to the sea. There we’ll buy our way onto a ship and sail to the new world,” Alexander spoke as he wiped the tears of joy from my face. He took my hand and we turned to go inside. As we proceeded to the doorway, a servant stepped out from behind the curtains. He stood sort of crouched and intimidating. He pulled a dagger from a sheath hidden beneath his robes.
“I’ll be needing any valuables you might have,” said the servant under his breath. Alexander took a step in front of me and removed a small pouch from beneath his shirts. The money inside of the pouch rattled as the servant took it from Alexander’s firm hands.
“That’s all we have,” Alexander said steadfastly. The man’s eyes shifted to me, “and you,” he spoke.
“He has nothing to offer you,” Alexander implied. The man snarled and leapt towards me, dagger drawn. Alexander pushed me aside and gave a small cry as the servant tackled him to the floor. The man stood up and ran inside, curtains fluttering as he ran by. Alexander lay motionless on the floor, face down.
“Alexander!” I cried as I collapsed to his side. I rolled him over into my arms. His face twisted with pain. The cold blade of the dagger stuck out of his right side. Just under the ribs. Blood quickly spread and stained the white linen. I cried and choked on my words as I called for help. His hand reached towards my face as he tried to speak. I collapsed his hand in my own against my face.
“I love-,” he whispered softly. A drop of blood spilled from his lips as one last breath retreated towards the sky. Rain began to fall and tapped the stone floor. Blood dripped from the dove feathered wings upon his back, forming a puddle of blood beneath me. I took my cape and covered his legs and chest, still holding him. Blood and water soaked it. I sat there, holding him in my arms. Tears streaming down my face. Too choked to scream, to call for help. Rain dripped from my hair as I leaned down to kiss him. I could only see my face crying in his blank, green eyes.
…………end