The Untold Story of Romeo and Juliet
Hey everybody,
I was pretty sure that this wouldn't fit, so I'm posting it here. The prompt is a lyric from the Dire Straits song "Romeo and Juliet". I hope that you guys like it!!
It was a warm summer's evening outside the marbled tomb marked Capp at the Veronaville cemetery, but inside the air was chilled with dampness. The girl's body lay on the cold slab as the boy approached, his eyes streaming tears. He kissed her again and again before pulling a vial from his pocket and downing its contents. He would have stopped twitching well before the girl drew an unexpected breath and sat straight, his head still in her lap.
But they were not alone. In the distant corner of the mausoleum sat the faerie king stretched in a sprawl over the head of a gargoyle. He fingered the mask on his face as he watched the unfolding scene. He could not hear her words, but her meaning was expressed in the glinting steel of her dead lover's dagger.
"There is a body slain outside this tomb that should be enjoying his wedding night and two here that will not last the hour. Must you always make sport with the mortals?" Questioned the hooded figure behind him.
Oberon's eyes glinted, "I am not certain of your meaning, Thanatos."
Death sighed, giving Oberon the distinct impression that his eyes were rolling behind his hood, "King of Shadows, your mask indicates you were at the Capp's annual ball which is where this nonsense all started and I notice your boutonniere is missing its center flower. No doubt it was purple?"
"No doubt."
"Of all the lives at that party with whom to manipulate, you choose to charm the eyes of children on opposite sides of the greatest conflict this land has seen-"
"Of course I didn't." Oberon answered plainly, "The girl's love is genuine. I merely charmed the boy away from Diane's sweet vestal. His eyes did spy fair Juliet and all love for Rosaline melted away as the snow and now their love runs a shade crimson far more deep than the purple flower that began the entanglement."
Death began pulling a chess board from his cloak and positioning the pieces, "I hate when you get poetic. It makes your vile nature sound almost reasonable. You forget that they could have had a happy ending. You could have awakened the girl before Romeo downed the liquor, you know."
"Why? So in twenty years the girl can wonder why she didn't marry Paris? So they can sleep on opposite sides of the bed wondering how they could ever feel the same way they did that night when they were both wearing masks? No. I could not do that to them. What I have done is made them a part of the greatest love story ever told. And you should thank me. For I have made you the central character."
Thanatos snorted, moving the knight strategically, "I can always tell when you're on the outs with the Faerie Queen. Titania must have really gotten under your skin this time."
"No such thing, gentle friend," Oberon replied, noticing the arrival of a fire-haired hobgoblin who immediately began whispering into his ear. "For if any splinter were to pierce my scales, I, as a serpent, would throw my skin and emerge unblemished. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must to Athensgate. There is some business to which I must attend."
The figure grinned beneath his hood, "Be careful of splinters while you're there."
"A former mistress of mine is to be wed by the next new moon. I simply desire to bless her marriage." He smiled fondly, "To bring her bed joy and prosperity."
"Mmhm…"
"As for my queen, I don't suspect our paths will cross. Athensgate Wood is a very large place."
Oberon turned to leave before being stopped by the Reaper's imposing voice, "Faerie Lord?"
"Yes?"
"Perhaps this time, try a happy ending for the mortals?"
Oberon's lips curled into a feline grin, running back to make one more move on the board, "I will take it under advisement. See you soon."
"I certainly hope not. By the way, you've put yourself in check."
"I know. The fun part will be getting out again." His voice trailed as he disappeared into nothingness.
"But it doesn't work that-" Thanatos shook his head at the empty air and looked down at the board. He analyzed the board, wondering when he would ever get a worthy opponent. Oh, well, he thought, Winning's good, too. He reached down to grab the black queen with his bony fingers to take the king, but as soon as he touched it, all of his pieces exploded into white petals from some breed of rose. He sighed, his annoyance lined with a bemused smirk.
"Faeries." He grunted, "They always cheat."
I was pretty sure that this wouldn't fit, so I'm posting it here. The prompt is a lyric from the Dire Straits song "Romeo and Juliet". I hope that you guys like it!!
It was a warm summer's evening outside the marbled tomb marked Capp at the Veronaville cemetery, but inside the air was chilled with dampness. The girl's body lay on the cold slab as the boy approached, his eyes streaming tears. He kissed her again and again before pulling a vial from his pocket and downing its contents. He would have stopped twitching well before the girl drew an unexpected breath and sat straight, his head still in her lap.
But they were not alone. In the distant corner of the mausoleum sat the faerie king stretched in a sprawl over the head of a gargoyle. He fingered the mask on his face as he watched the unfolding scene. He could not hear her words, but her meaning was expressed in the glinting steel of her dead lover's dagger.
"There is a body slain outside this tomb that should be enjoying his wedding night and two here that will not last the hour. Must you always make sport with the mortals?" Questioned the hooded figure behind him.
Oberon's eyes glinted, "I am not certain of your meaning, Thanatos."
Death sighed, giving Oberon the distinct impression that his eyes were rolling behind his hood, "King of Shadows, your mask indicates you were at the Capp's annual ball which is where this nonsense all started and I notice your boutonniere is missing its center flower. No doubt it was purple?"
"No doubt."
"Of all the lives at that party with whom to manipulate, you choose to charm the eyes of children on opposite sides of the greatest conflict this land has seen-"
"Of course I didn't." Oberon answered plainly, "The girl's love is genuine. I merely charmed the boy away from Diane's sweet vestal. His eyes did spy fair Juliet and all love for Rosaline melted away as the snow and now their love runs a shade crimson far more deep than the purple flower that began the entanglement."
Death began pulling a chess board from his cloak and positioning the pieces, "I hate when you get poetic. It makes your vile nature sound almost reasonable. You forget that they could have had a happy ending. You could have awakened the girl before Romeo downed the liquor, you know."
"Why? So in twenty years the girl can wonder why she didn't marry Paris? So they can sleep on opposite sides of the bed wondering how they could ever feel the same way they did that night when they were both wearing masks? No. I could not do that to them. What I have done is made them a part of the greatest love story ever told. And you should thank me. For I have made you the central character."
Thanatos snorted, moving the knight strategically, "I can always tell when you're on the outs with the Faerie Queen. Titania must have really gotten under your skin this time."
"No such thing, gentle friend," Oberon replied, noticing the arrival of a fire-haired hobgoblin who immediately began whispering into his ear. "For if any splinter were to pierce my scales, I, as a serpent, would throw my skin and emerge unblemished. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must to Athensgate. There is some business to which I must attend."
The figure grinned beneath his hood, "Be careful of splinters while you're there."
"A former mistress of mine is to be wed by the next new moon. I simply desire to bless her marriage." He smiled fondly, "To bring her bed joy and prosperity."
"Mmhm…"
"As for my queen, I don't suspect our paths will cross. Athensgate Wood is a very large place."
Oberon turned to leave before being stopped by the Reaper's imposing voice, "Faerie Lord?"
"Yes?"
"Perhaps this time, try a happy ending for the mortals?"
Oberon's lips curled into a feline grin, running back to make one more move on the board, "I will take it under advisement. See you soon."
"I certainly hope not. By the way, you've put yourself in check."
"I know. The fun part will be getting out again." His voice trailed as he disappeared into nothingness.
"But it doesn't work that-" Thanatos shook his head at the empty air and looked down at the board. He analyzed the board, wondering when he would ever get a worthy opponent. Oh, well, he thought, Winning's good, too. He reached down to grab the black queen with his bony fingers to take the king, but as soon as he touched it, all of his pieces exploded into white petals from some breed of rose. He sighed, his annoyance lined with a bemused smirk.
"Faeries." He grunted, "They always cheat."