Banished!

Oh how could the prince say banished, as though the word did not condemn him? Calling banished mercy was the same as calling the use of the rack or the application of hot irons kindness.

Banished!

Away he must fly, but, she wondered, what of his three hour wife? What was she to do? It did not take long for Juliette to answer this question and a warm rush of relief washed over her. She would not have to lose her love, nor would she be forced into a second, all together illicit marriage to that buffoon Paris.

"Nurse," she called, "come, for I have need of urgent conversation!"

"My lady what service may I render unto you."

"Go now to my father, and telling him that my earlier display of disobedience has shamed me and that I gladly consent to the marriage with Paris. Tell him also that I must go in the morning to make confession for my ill deeds of this day."

Her nurse looked horrified and made the sign of the cross over her breast to ward off evil, or madness.

"Has my lady forgotten that she was just this day married, how can she propose to marry again?"

"I have no intention of marrying again. Good nurse you are more mother to me than the lady of this house, she bore me but you cared for me. I ask you to do this and then to come back and help me fill several bags, bring also one of your older frocks, for tomorrow with your help freedom shall be ours."

Still horrified the Nurse took her leave. Juliette had no fear that the nurse would betray her, long ago she had learned what stalwart, and loyal meant by observing that woman. Quickly Juliette threw several of her lightest gowns into a small trunk, she would have the man servant carry this to a carriage for her in the morning, into a small beaded bag she poured all of the money that she had, it was an easy fit. She laughed thinking that she, the daughter of the wealthiest man in Verona was to become a pauper, and that she would be joined by her noble but now equally penniless husband.

As this thought crossed her mind she heard scrambling at her window sill and hurried to open it, outside was her rain drenched and sorrow laden love. He climbed nimbly into her room.

"My lady, my love. A million pardons do I ask for the deed that I have done, for it had undone us."

"No my love, nothing is undone, for tomorrow you will be in Mantua alive and with me by your side."

His heavenly face brightened, Juliette brushed away the tear tracks that had formed on his face.

"Weep not my love, tomorrow I will again obtain permission to go to confession, and as Friar Lawrence has bound us, he will now aid us in the preservation of that bond."

"Never has the world known such happiness. If what I feel for you be not love, then I call love a pale, pathetic thing and wonder why the poets write of it. How may I aid in your escape?"

There was a knock at her chamber door.

"A moment," Juliette shouted looking stricken, if it was her father outside the door, and if he saw her husband they would both be like to die.

"Hide my love," she hissed in a terrified whisper.

"Who calls?"

"It is your nurse my lady."

Breathing again Juliette ran to the door and opened it to allow her nurse entry then closed and fastened the lock.

"I have done as you bid, your father gives his leave for you to go to confession tomorrow at nine of the clock, but my lady he is wroth with you."

"He thinks that he is wroth with me, wait until tomorrow night. My lord, thou art safe, my nurse is beloved of me and therefore of no danger to you."

Romeo stepped from behind the curtain that had concealed him, and bowed to Juliette's nurse.

"Kindest of ladies, without your aid I would never have contrived my marriage, I am now and forever your servant. "

Saying this he took the nurse's hand and kissed it; in response the nurse blushed scarlet and assured him of her like ways undying service. Then the three of them got to work organizing, packing and plotting. They tied some of Juliette's bedclothes together and looped it around the trunk. When several hours later Romeo descended from her room the trunk went with him. The nurse left and the young lovers had many a passionate embrace and lengthy kiss before reassuring themselves that they were to be reunited on the following day. Romeo made haste to Friar Lawrence to tell him of the plan, and Juliette went to her bed, to toss and turn fretfully until dawn.

So nervous was she that Juliette took no breakfast that morning, her stomach was a whirling tempest of anxiety. Her mother commented that she looked absolutely haggard, and that she had better freshen herself before Paris arrived to accompany her to confession.

Juliette paled still further. Anticipation of leaving her home, and her family, perhaps forever had made her quite sentimental. She had spent half the night composing letters to her mother and father begging their forgiveness, and pleading with them to understand that she could not do other than as she was going to do lest she die. At these words all thoughts of affection for her mother vanished, and were replaced by sheer terror.

"Mother, the gallant Paris need not trouble himself, it is still three days until we are to be wedded. Surely he shall see enough of me in the years hence, would he not prefer to enjoy the last few days of his bachelorhood?"

"Evidently not," her mother said acidly, "he comes at half past eight to accompany you to church, so I suggest that you spend the time making yourself presentable."

Juliette turned red, though from anger, frustration, or fear she could not tell, and it did not matter. She took her leave from her mother and went upstairs to dress. This changes nothing, she told herself, nothing. My path is layed before me and I shall walk it come all the forces of heaven and hell to push me from it.

She dressed in sumptuous style, rich velvets and damask. This would be the last time she could dress this way unless her father relented, which he never did. She paced around her room, waiting as the seconds ticked by, counting them and then waiting the hour's time it took between strokes.

At last Paris arrived, she greeted him in the foyer, bowing low and telling him of the honor he did her in seeking her for his wife. They exited the house together with her nurse walking a few steps behind, acting as their chaperone and carrying a large bag of knitting supplies over one arm.

The walk was not long, a half hour or so. They might have called for a carriage, but the day was pleasant, the sky was blue with little wisps of clouds moving swiftly through the air. The sun shone brightly and Verona was absurdly beautiful, a wash in sunlight and the sounds of a now peaceful thriving city. Juliette and Paris talked lightly, he was not a buffoon she at last conceded, he may even have made a good husband for her had she not known of Romeo, and how he made her feel. Forcing light conversation helped her to calm, so that when they entered the great cavernous shelter of the church she felt almost light hearted. Soon she would be reunited with her love, a pauper in Mantua was better than the queen of Verona if in Mantua there dwelt Romeo.

"I have enjoyed our conversation today, my mother rightly calls you the Gallant Paris, but I would hate to keep my priest waiting, adieu kind Paris. Nurse come with me."

Juliette smiled sweetly at Paris, and proceeded toward Friar Lawrence's chamber.

"Yes my lady."

The nurse followed.

"My lady," called Paris seemingly perplexed, "do you not take confession in a booth?"

"Good sir, Friar Lawrence is indulgent of me, I have a terrible fear of small dark places, and he has always been kind enough, since I was a child, to hear my confession in his chambers, rather than in the confessional."

"But why do you take your nurse? Surely that is irregular."

"My good Paris, my nurse is as a mother to me, she has had the care and keeping of me since my birth, and I keep her by me always to see after any small thing that I might require."

"Huh, good to know my lady, I have always believed that the source of domestic tranquility was a mutual understanding between husband and wife of their manners and behaviors. "

"A wise statement from a bachelor sir. Again I bid you adieu for the hour grows close."

Paris bowed and smiled, then turning on his heels he walked over to the alter and knelt to pray.

Juliette and her nurse made haste to the cell of Friar Lawrence, he opened the door at their first knock and as soon as she was safely inside she breathed a great sigh of relief.

"Thank you Father."

"Do not thank me yet, none of our necks are out of the noose until thou art are safe in Mantua. I have secured a carriage and it awaits your arrival. The driver knows not the identity of his passenger and by my council thou shouldst do all in thy power to keep him ignorant."

"Yes Father," said Juliette as against all modesty and propriety, she began removing her gown. Father Lawrence turned his back and Nurse pulled an old frock from her bag of knitting. Within minutes Juliette's auburn hair was covered by a wimple and her velvets lay discarded in favor of wool. Moments later they had been showed out of the church by Friar Lawrence fleeing by a rear entrance rather than through the main where Paris knelt at his devotions and with many thanks and blessings they slipped from the church and into the anonymity of the streets.

It did not take them long to find the carriage. Juliette handed the driver a message from the priest and coins from her purse before being helped into the back of the carriage. The whip cracked and they were on their way before they had even managed to settle themselves.

"Ya!" Juliette exclaimed in joy, "Nurse what a light providence has shined upon us!" She hugged her nurse and tried to steady herself, all of the pent up excitement of the past two days gave her nervous energy and the anticipation of meeting again with Romeo gave rise to an excitement of a another variety.

Friar Lawrence watched as the two ladies disappeared into the crowd, I might still hang for this, he thought, but his intention when marrying the kids had been to bring peace to the streets of Verona, and with God's help this could still be accomplished. He clutched two letters, one addressed to Montague and one to Capulet. He prayed fervently as he stowed the letters in a pocket of his cowl, and prayed for Romeo, for Juliette, for Verona, and for himself.

The gentle rocking motion of the carriage and the dwindling of her fear induced excitement slowly lulled Juliette into a light doze. So she was not aware when, several miles outside of Mantua, the carriage unexpectedly stopped. It was the sudden press of cold steel at her throat that woke her. Had she flinched the blade would have nicked her, but she managed to stay quite still, bringing only her eyes around to peer at the man holding the knife. It was the driver.

"What is the meaning of this?" Juliette asked, keeping the panic from her voice as best she could.

"Well, I wish to know who be you milady?"

"I am not a lady," she said, every word rich with an accent that betrayed the lie, "I am a servant of the church, Friar Lawrence bid me deliver a message to one of his flock newly moved to Mantua, please good sir the blade you hold in hurting me."

"Not a lady eh?"

"Where is my travelling companion, she will tell you, what has become of her?"

"The servant? The one what helped you into your carriage milady?"

"She is a servant, true, same as I. What have you done to her?"

"Nothing, but what a priest cannot say his words over, requiescat en pace, and all that."

Sadness overcame Juliette's fear; tears fell unbidden down her cheeks. She had come so far in pursuit of her love, and it was to end here at the hands of a murderer.

Oh, nurse you were the best of mothers. I loved you better than I knew, and it has been my folly that has lead you to your end and me to mine.

The beast was speaking again.

"That was a lovely little beaded purse you had milady, enough contained within to keep a poor man like me in spirits and good food for some time I shouldn't wonder-"

"Take it," she said scrambling in her frock for the purse, "take it and leave me on the road, I shall find my way to Mantua."

"But if you are a lady, and no doubt you are running away from home or some such, I bet your father would pay handsomely for your return, not to mention the head of the servant that betrayed him."

"But," Juliette cried, "I am not a lady, merely a servant with a message to be delivered to Mantua!"

The driver smiled, it was a crooked vile looking gash in his face.

"Well if you aren't a lady," his knife made a small cut along the neckline of her frock causing some of the cloth to fall away.

Juliette's eyes grew wide, her mind could not fathom this, surely his intention could not be to- She looked into his eyes which were wide and gleaming with an eagerness that turned her stomach.

"Aragh!"

His eyes went still wider, but became blank, empty. A red wet stain began to spread from the center of his chest as a thin pointed blade was withdrawn. The man slumped over the blade falling from his now slack grip. Juliette did not understand at first, but when the man's body was pulled out of the carriage and she saw the face of her rescuer, the world resolved into some semblance of sense.

"Romeo!"

She flew into his arms, her cheeks still stained with tears, and with more of them rolling down her face.

"I was riding out to meet you along the road," He said by way of explanation, "for once my over eagerness yields positive results."

Juliette released Romeo and ran to her fallen nurse.

"No nurse, please by heaven."

As she spoke she bent over the supine woman and pressed her ear to the dear woman's chest listening for a heartbeat. As a child she would run crying to her nurse and be enfolded by her arms, her hot wet face pressed to the woman's chest. She had found comfort in the steady metronome of her heartbeat, but no such comfort was to be found today. Juliette wept as Romeo lifted her oldest companion into the back of the carriage then she joined him on the driver's seat. They left the body of the driver on the side of the road, and after tethering Romeo's horse to the back of the carriage they started off for Mantua.

Lucia had been the nurse's name, and it was the name they gave to their first daughter. The letters Friar Lawrence had delivered found their way to their intended recipients. Montague accepted with good natured geniality the news that his son had married the daughter of his enemy and that, though banished; his son looked forward to a long happy life with the woman that he dearly loved. Capulet raged for a time, but reconciliation and the promise of getting to meet his grandchildren prompted him to allow bygones to be bygone and entreat the prince to lift the sentence of exile, and allow the couple to return home.

So it was that when Lucia was three, Mercutio was one, and little Tybalt was still on the way that the families were reunited, and so never was a tale of greater joy than that of Juliette and her boy.