Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 72

 

72.

 

The burial vault of the Montague family was situated at the outskirts of the city, lined along with similar vaults that were the properties of the rich and noted families. Each vault was built to the design of a stone- or brick-lined underground tomb, or 'burial chamber,' for the interment of a single body or multiple bodies underground. The main difference between entombment in a subterranean vault and a traditional in-ground burial is that the coffin is not placed directly in the earth but is placed in a burial chamber specially built for this purpose named the mausoleum. They all shared the stone slab entrances.

The vault held the stillness of the night, yet its darkness was dimly brightened by the lighted lamps with the faint scent from the perfumed oils. The flames of the lamps flickered when the doorway was opened with the whiff of winds that swayed it. Romeo stepped into the vault and saw the lined coffins there; some were there for a long time, but there were the two latter ones. He proceeded to the one that had the name Juliet Montague embedded on it.

“Juliet, it is me. I am here.” Romeo stepped up to the coffin. He leaned down to move the cover off. It was pinned by the nails on the sides, and the young lad used his dagger to pry the nails. He got them off and then moved the cover. The whiff of the lilac smile permeated him.

“Juliet, my love.” Romeo looked at the lady lying there. She was dressed in white, and her hands were clasped over her bosom. “I have a letter for you. Let me read it to you.”

Romeo held the letter in his hands.

“Juliet. It is me, Romeo.

Once before, you were a Montague while I was a Capulet; family names, yet a feud denies our families to be together. It may be so to split us, but could love be denied for us? I only knew that true love sprung within us.

Should it be ……. Was it too early or seen unknown, and perhaps known too late, but love blossomed within us. Ironic we never felt that. When we were together, a huge bed of flowers blossomed there. Yes, we are surrounded by thorns and weeds that deny us space, but we thrive and birth it with love.

Prodigious birth? Was it possible then? The beast and the beauty differ in appearance but cannot deny the longing of their two hearts that rhythm in unison. The sun co-exists with the moon and complements it to make it day and night. I am a Capulet and shall loathe the Montague as an enemy, but could I not love my enemy then? I deny them all, for nothing shall stand in between our love. Shed away thyself, enemies of our love, for our bed of love strives only to grow here. Love cannot be denied when it is between two who valued each other in their lives. If it was jealousy to be there, it was to us, for our jealousy was the love we held only to ourselves.

I am here, Juliet Montague. I will always be here. Whisper no more of where I am, for I am always with you. I love you, my beautiful love.

Only me, Romeo.”

“She is a beautiful love.” Romeo heard the voice. He turned to look and saw the lady there, with the basket and a bouquet of flowers.

“I am Angelica, her nursemaid. I came to place flowers on the …… coffin.” Angelica then burst into tears. “Oh, God! Why must she die young?”

“I am……”

“I know who you are, young Romeo Capulet. You are the one who roosts beneath her window at night.” Angelica cut in while holding back her tears. “I wished you… the both of you had the opportunity to be together.”

“I do love her very much.” Romeo told the lady. “She was……”

“No, my son. She was …… She still is your love. The only difference is that she cannot be with you physically, but inside of your soul, she exists. As you are in hers. That is the essence of love.” Angelica approached the coffin.

“I will … join her soon.” Romeo said. “Or she will ask for me as she once did… where art thou, Romeo?”

“Oh, she said that many times. I heard it then from the chamber next door. As her nursemaid, I am always near her, but you… you are to lie beside her like now. She will long for you there.” Angelica smiled and then looked at the next coffin. “As he was to me, but we were to remain apart. The family denies us too.”

“Who?” Romeo asked. He then looked at the other coffin. “Mercutio?”

“Yes, He was my love then. We were young, and love was the only essence of our life. We were denied like you. I am from the kitchen, and he was the lord’s family. It caused a rift in the house. To save the family embarrassment, I was wedded on the order by the lord……. Mine, and given to another lord. Mercutio, my love, was denied his love and in despair left to join the army. He told me that if the war does not take his life, he will return to me.”

“The war did not, but his family did it again. We were to leave Genoa, but he died protecting the family name.” Angelica cried. “How mean was it to me that at that stage, I was still denied his love?”

“I did not…… kill him.” Romeo said to Angelice. “It was all a mistake then.”

“Does it matter now?” Angelica looked at the lad. “You are ……. Well, it was the family curse. We are its victim.”

“I am so …… sorry.” Romeo looked away. “I wished I could turn the events back, but… it was fate.”

“Can you do me a …… chore, young lad?” Angelica asked of Romeo. “Open the cover of my love too.”

“Why? I …….” Romeo then nodded. He used his dagger to pry the other coffin cover open. The whiff of decayed flesh reached him. “He is……”

“Dead. I know. He is dead alone, but not for long.” Angelica stepped up to the coffin. “I will lie inside with him. We will be together once more and forever.”

Angelica climbed inside the coffin and lay over the corpse. Romeo rushed to pull her out, but she pushed him away.

“I am dying. Let me die here.” Angelica said with her face paling. “I had taken the poison and will die soon. Please leave me here with my love. My only true love.”

“Hear me, Mercutio. My heart is getting dulled. It will dull soon when the poison overtakes it. Then I will be free to see you. Please… wait for me.” Angelica closed her eyes and passed out her last breath.

Romeo was stunned by the selfless act of love by the lady. He stood back and then moved to restore the coffin cover over the dead couple. He then stepped over towards Juliet’s coffin. He held up the dagger in his hand.

“I am here, Juliet.” The dagger thrust into the heart was to lead to an instant death, and it did.

 It was too late for the lords who rushed there and saw the death of the lad lying beside the coffin of the lady. Lord Gencio Capulet burst into tears on the death of his son. He looked at the other lord.’

“You did this.”

“No, Gencio. We did this.” Lord Dante Montague looked at the line of coffins there. “The pursuit of the Empress Jewels did it. It was our reckoning here. We were cursed. It was the curse upon us. The Empress Jewels took its vengeance upon us.”

“I will take my son to his…own home.” Gencio stood up. “He will not be here in yours. We will never share homes. The Capulet and Montague will never be one.”