Love Give Me Strength

"Go to your bosom, knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know."

July 13th

On a warm summer night, the Duchess Gardens would usually be brimming with people. This night, it was deserted because of a curfew. Even with the Montagues in mourning and the Capulets celebrating, there were plenty of people ready to slit throats in the capital. After several nights of brawling, the Ducal Guards had ordered everyone to their homes at dusk and were keeping watch nightly at popular assembly spots.

Bitter Conduct: Part Two

"But wonder on, till truth make all things plain"

July 6th

Past midnight, Capulet Manor was wide awake and full of people. When it was announced as certain that Hermia would be giving birth, Juliette dispatched urgent notes to the family. Goneril and Regan had arrived with children and brother in tow, respectively. The children were sent to keep their own company, and Kent went with them, preferring his nieces and nephew to his father. Their husbands were not present; Albany was at home, asleep and ignorant, and Cornwall was still taking every bit of business that kept him out of Regan's reach. Consort, despite his daughters' protests, planted himself among them to wait out the birth. After four children and seven grandchildren, nothing he heard was likely to shock him.

Bitter Conduct: Part I

"Two such opposèd kings... in man as well as herbs: grace and rude will."

July 5th

A long July day was winding down. The week had been unseasonably warm, driving everyone indoors for relief from the sun. Consort Capulet remained in his bed most of the day. After recurrent fits, including the first, unfortunate episode on a staircase that had endangered his life, he was slowly convalescing. Hermia and her cousin, Miranda, fled to the front room where the family sat on summer evenings. The cousins still spent a good amount of time together. With Puck slaving in his mother's shadows most days, Hermia was as in need of company as ever. Miranda, in disgrace with her mother for disloyalty, was perfectly happy to provide it at all hours.

I Dreamt My Lady Came

"There is no evil angel but love."

July 2nd

"A few moments, my lord, no more. We must seal the crypt for the night; the wind has risen too much for the patrol."

"Leave me." Antonio waved his hand at the monk who had escorted him. He had been irritated by the men of the order who oversaw the crypt many times before, but tonight he had no patience at all. Tonight, he had come to see his wife in her new home. While Claudio and Olivia had been moved to the new chamber by Patrizio, Hero had been left in the same humble place where they had originally laid her down. Antonio's first act of leadership was moving Hero to the new main chamber. It was the first step in his long-held plan to honor her.

Now is the Mad Blood Stirring

"Delays have dangerous ends."

June 27th

On another day, watching Romeo spar with Benedick might have been amusing. Romeo was slim and fast, with an almost supernatural ability to lean and thrust at odd angles. He was a challenging opponent for his brother when Romeo could be bothered to practice. Benedick's form was also heavily reliant on leaning - as a means of survival. At sixteen, he fought like a novice, swinging his sword like a baby with a toy. Once or twice, by pure luck, he had beat Romeo back. He had spent the rest of the exercise avoiding a friendly flaying.