Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 66

 

66.

 

Love was in the air that day.

Juliet sat by herself at the cottage that was once the hideout of Romeo. She slept on the cot that her lover did, breathing in the scent of him from the bedcovers. She and the friar had looked everywhere she could think of where Romeo may have hidden, but nothing. She could not find Lorenzo or Jessica; she had tried the house, but the Judas family was not there too. The friar then excused himself and took to his own path.

“Romeo, where art thou?” Juliet whispered. “I need you.”

“I have to be with you, in life and death.” Juliet looked at the two bottles of potion that were given to her by the friar. Her thoughts went deep into her mind.

“Romeo, do you know I am to fake death so that we can be together? Juliet smiled. “I will drink the poison, and you will come to rescue me.”

“What if it be a poison which the friar… subtly has ministered to have me dead?” Juliet sighed. “Lest in this marriage he will dishonour our wish.” Juliet having idle thoughts. “God, is it a sin if he does not wed me before Romeo?”

“I fear it is. Your servant could be misled by the devil then.” Juliet smiled with the lewd thought. “A jest it was, God. I will not offend you. The friar is a good servant. He told me that love was to be pure, and I am still … pure. We had none yet. But when one is in love… It does happen, but not to me. Not with anyone and … yet with Romeo. It was tempting, but we did not trip into the realm of sins. Another jest, God. Please forgive me.”

“We are in love, in this life, and till death, we will be, and… in one tomb, we shall lie together. Union in love and even at death, we shall remain as one. I am to be next to him, or he in me. Just another jest here.”

“Our love, it will be our declaration of love till death; we shall remain together.” Juliet shuddered in her thoughts.

“Death…” Juliet looked at the potion. “I know death redeemed all of us in the end. But for us, we shall be together.”

Juliet laughed then.

“Life and death? Many a time we spoke of that among us young. We mock the rituals, and yet we know one day, we will see the passing of it before us. It does not matter to us. We are in love with each other.”

“Romeo, if I am to die, let it be with you. I cannot live on without you, Romeo.” Juliet smiled, and then with a manly voice, she spoke.

“Silly you. You will not die. The friar had told me that. I will wake you, my love.” Juliet mimics the voice of Romeo.

“Yes, Romeo. I will not die yet. With this potion, I will be denying death, yet… it will be a fake death. My death will be ……. The fake one will bring you to me.” Juliet looked at the potion. “The friar said it so. When will I wake up? When is the time you come to redeem me? Like in Sleeping Beauty. Or was it Snow White?”

Juliet's thoughts were in a mix.

“I can do this to avoid the real death by my own father or even his father. If I do get killed, there is a fearful point in death; I will be... be stifled in the vault. It will be the foul mouth with the foul air breathed in, and there I will die before my Romeo comes? He may avenge me, or die in the act. He will be buried, but we are not in one tomb. We will be apart.”

“Damn you, fathers. All we wanted was to be left alone to love.” Juliet was upset. “Will death satiate your anger at us in love? Mother, please help me. I hate being dead. What if I am still alive, not in my body but in my soul? Will I be interned in the vault by them? The soul lingers on for Romeo. The horrible conceit of death there with the darkness together with the terror of the place; Mother… I fear the dark.” Juliet sighed. She has a night candle lit by her bedside for that.

“Why must there be a vault for the dead… … a cold place, the vault; an ancient receptacle where, for this many hundred years, the bones of all my buried ancestors have been packed. Why can we not be buried in the open fields and have the stars shine on us in darkness?”

“All dead are interned in the vault, Juliet. They said that, but I want to be free. I do not want to be interned. I do not want to say here lies Juliet Montague. If I am to be buried, I want to be next to Romeo Capulet in the fields.”

“The vault it will be!” Juliet screeched out. “I will not go there. If you put me in the vault, you fool. I shall not be distraught with all these hideous fears; instead, I will strike at thee… my forefathers’ and pluck the mangled bones from the shroud.”

“Mother, tell them I am not dead. I am still alive. Tell them please, I await Romeo’s kiss.”

Juliet’s mind fleeted with ghostly images.

“Oh, God. I am laid in the Montague’s vault. What if Romeo is a Capulet and cannot get at me? He may be barred from seeing me. I am then left… undead?” Juliet tears appeared. “I could die …… I do not want to if I am without Romeo.”

Juliet unclasped her hands and left them at her waist. Juliet sat up on the cot.

“Why must we be in conflict? What was there before I was born? Or was it even before my mother’s time? It is a stupid feud. For that, we are not to mix. Families are meant to be bigger, and with new members to expand. Yet, we are to remain apart. A city on one, and divided by family lines.”

“Madness! With this rage, with thy kinsman’s bone, which I shall use as a club, shall I dash out their desperate brains?
O look, methinks I see my forefathers; it shall not shadow my anger. Fools! Let me… not be of a Montague. I would rather die… and with Romeo, not as Capulet nor Montague, but as myself.”

“Seek me out, Romeo. We shall be free.” Juliet reached for the potion. “Wake me then with the kiss of love. Find me quick. I will not be buried in any vault. I will only be in the vault of our love.”

“Where art thou, Romeo? Give me my kiss, Romeo. Awake me.”

Awakening was what Shylock had then when he looked at his daughter seated next to her love. He had not recovered from his conceded defeat to Bassanio. He was with them at the warehouse, waiting for the time to board the ship. He was with Leah and Abram. They had to remain hidden for fear that the Capulet would seek them. 

“We all pray for mercy, and that should teach us all to show mercy.” Those words from Ms. Belmont rang inside Shylock’s mind. In his life as a trader of money lending, he had to shelve that, for being merciful was a show of weakness in his tasks. He could not be seen as merciful, or he would be destroyed then. He had with all his might enforced it. When he had the appointment of Abram to assist him, he felt that his merciless acts were less bothersome.

“We have to let her go.” It was Leah who interrupted his thoughts. “It will be for her own future.”

“I know. It is just that she will be gone from our life.” Shylock sighed. “I do not……”

“Do or do not; that is not our decision anymore. It is hers. She could come back one day, or not. We cannot stop her.” Leah sighed. “What is important is her happiness. We shall not intrude on that.”

“Well, at least he is a Jew.” Shylock smiled. He then saw Abram, who was there, hand to his son a bag of coins. It was not unusual for Shylock to be focused on the exchange. In his trade, it was his routine.

“The lad will be fine. His father gives him coins.” Shylock smiled.

“I did too, Jessica. She will need it there.” Leah smiled.

“You did what?” Shylock was taken aback by his lover’s generosity. “You……”

“She is our daughter, miser.” Leah glared at him. “Be content with that.”

“Shylock, I am to go. I got word that Lord Dante Montague seeks me.” Abram told the other. “Please make sure they board the ship tonight.”

Shylock nodded.

“Lorenzo, I ……” Jessica held onto the arms of her lover.

“Call me, Karl. It is my name now.” Lorenzo patted the hand on his left forearm. “We will be leaving Genoa and then going to a new life.”

“I was thinking of Juliet. I wondered how she was faring.”

“Do not be concerned about her. The Montague protects their clan well. So will be the Capulet. My… stepfather will make sure Romeo is fine.’

“Why do…. Their love holds so many barriers? Was the feud that deep that they cannot be together?” Jessica

asked.

“I am…for what I knew, the feud with the families was there for many years…long before I became a Capulet. I was not allowed to act on it. Neither will my mother tell me.”

“If only ……” Jessica sighed.

“A kiss will heal it all?” Lorenzo leaned over to kiss his love. “It will be our way to seal any discomfort in our life.”

The seal of the lips was not what Portia expected of her love. She boarded the carriage and watched the porters place the huge cases onto the wagon behind her carriage. She sighed that having the first time to move her belongings, it was so troublesome.

The magistrate’s officers were present there and watched the loading of the belongings. One officer wanted to check the content, but Portia stopped him.

“On what grounds must I have the contents checked? Am I a felon form of justice?” Portia asked.

“No, Ms. Belmont. We are ……” The officer stood back from the cases.

“Then, please step back.” It was the ‘jury’ Enrico who intercepted the officer. “Ms. Belmont has the right to her rights.”

The officer stepped back while the cases were loaded. Portia looked back at her home.

“Do not worry, Portia. I am still here to manage the estate and the other belongings. Once all is cleared, I will join you there.” Nerissa held out her hands to Portia in the carriage.

“Please do. And… find Maurice.” Portia smiled. The carriage and wagon took off. Portia looked concerned on the journey, and soon they came to their second stop at Vintimille. The driver of the carriage pulled to the side near Castel d'Appio; the ancient castle with its remnant of the southern corner wall marked the perimeter of the former defensive wall.

“We are in France now.” The driver leaned over to tell Portia.

“Thank you.” Portia dismounted from the carriage. She admired the five pentagonal towers that remained visible while within the castle walls, with the remains of the large cistern, traditionally attributed to Roman times, still preserved.

“How was your ride?” Portia heard the voice from the left side. She turned and smiled.

“I am relieved we are out of Italy.” Portia replied. “I do apologize, for I was taken in by the sight.”

“It is fine. Andre here is a good friend, and he knows his way and how to pack a person into the case.” It was Jean who said it to her. It was all arranged by him with Andre, whom he knew as a trader and forwarder. It was all ready until he met Nerissa.

“Hello, Officer Jean. I heard of your escape. I am here to help.” Nerissa smiled. “You saved me and Portia from a fate worse than death.”

“I knew Andre here, and by coincidence, he was to take Portia out of Genoa. Perhaps we can assist you here. I will have you conceal yourself in one of the huge cases, and there you will be transported with Portia.”

It was a risky move, and Jean agreed.

“I will let Portia know of this. I am sure she will be happier about this.” With that, Nerissa made the needed arrangement and had Enrico assist in the supervision, for she knew the magistrate officers were watching the house. It all went smoothly, and soon, Jean was relieved.

“I would have asked for more comfort, but a felon like myself, well, we are made to do.” Jean was not complaining then. He was covered in the case by Portia’s clothes, and they all smelled nice.

“Well, Officer Jean. You are out of Italy and… can remain free.” Portia smiled. “It is my repayment to you for saving me in the house break.”

“I am honoured.” Jean looked around. It was a new place to him, the city there. “I guess I will be on my way.”

“Do you have a place to go, Officer Jean?” Portia asked. The latter shook his head. “Then join me. I am alone and need a……. man, to protect me.”

“If I may, then, can I ride in the carriage with you? The journey ahead is still far.” Jean bowed to the lady.

“Yes, you may.” Portia held out her right hand to be led to the carriage. Jean took it and held his lips to the back of the hand.

“I am honoured.” Jean smiled. “And I will protect you with my life.”

“I am delighted. Shall we ride on? Or perhaps find a place to rest here first. I am ……” Portia looked back to the castle. “I do like the seaside.”

“I am at your service, Ms. Belmont.”

“Portia will do, ……. Jean.”