FreeTheLGBT: Anthology

Laila And Juliet

Entry by MJPenning

~ Winning Entry of "Write to Survive: Mark of Destiny" Contest ~

   It was during the 17th century, that the setting up of the East India company brought along with it, a huddle of traders to India.

Having travelled through seas; and passionate about Greek mythology – because her grandmother adored the myth of double bodied humans unfortunately separated by the gods – was Juliet Frances. She was feared by the men because she held the power over her father's business empire, and also the impeccable three-piece suits she chose to wear.

Juliet didn't just come with her handsome face, but she arrived in India with goods. Most of it consisted of swords which were aimed to be traded with the Mughal Emperor ruling within the Deccan part of the country. She loaded the crate and herself in an open carriage; and was on her way to the castle.

It was a path engulfed in silence, but eyes sharp like the edge of a knife; Juliet saw the oncoming arrow, and tilted her head behind while catching it in that instant. The carriage was stopped immediately, and a lone sword beside the crate was grabbed by her.

She turned her head to the approaching footsteps; her jaw ticking when her eyes landed on a young woman, about her age. Her brown skin glistened under the sun with perspiration, covered in a white knee-length Jama with similar pyjamas underneath. Her hair falling in a braid over her hips. She looked utterly delicate and alarmed.

"I apologise for the rather wild darting, sir, I was aiming for the mangoes there," the girl pointed at the tree over Juliet's head.

"You were going to get my head, young lady, but what appears to be of my concern at this very moment is the fact that me being a woman and you calling me sir, doesn't sit well together."

The girl kept staring hard, as if peeling Juliet with her eyes to find the woman underneath. When there wasn't any response in a few seconds, Juliet threw the arrow near the girl's feet and ordered the coachman to drive forward.

It was when Juliet was done showcasing the swords to the Mughal Emperor, that he ordered for one of them to be tested. Just in time, he saw someone behind Juliet, walking through the passage by the courtyard:

"Laila, my dear daughter, please come here."

Juliet turned to the subject, and was surprised to find the same girl from the forest.

"Ms. Juliet, I hope you don't mind sword fighting with my daughter."

"You think I can't handle sword fighting with a man, your majesty?" Juliet said, glaring at the girl who now stood by her proudly smirking father.

The introductions went around and Laila, upon her father's word, drew out a sword from the stands.

Laila started by attacking over Juliet's head, but Juliet prevented it by holding her new sword under Laila's old one. Their eyes met, and in that brief moment, Juliet noticed the fiery in Laila's eyes; she discerned this wasn't only a mere sword testing for Laila, but something else. Juliet growled and jerked the sword which ended up throwing Laila a step back.

Then it started: the swords clanked against each other for an eternity, till ultimately, Laila waved her sword with great force which ended up cutting the edge of Juliet's new sword; which upon a further attack went flying to the ground. Juliet huffed with her hands balled on her side, and looked at her the same way Laila did when she was told that Juliet was a woman.

"Excellent, my dear!" Her father clapped his hands, "And I shall recommend you, Ms. Juliet, to come up with a stronger sword than that. After all, we don't cut chickens, but fight wars with them."

"Certainly, your majesty." Juliet gave a sharp nod.

"How did it go with your bow-hunting?" the emperor asked his daughter as they walked out of the courtyard.

Juliet observed them while a particular scene played in her mind, along with the words of her grandmother:

Although we were destined to wander in search of our other half, we are all born with a sign, which when we meet our other half, becomes whole. The half heart on your wrist is not just a birthmark, Juliet, it's that sign.

The sign Juliet had seen only on her own hand for the past 25 years, until the moment Laila clanked her sword with her now broken one: until Laila's sleeve went up slightly during the fight, to reveal her wrist, and further, the other half of the heart.

A similar birthmark.

Even though it wasn't allowed for strangers to wander through the castle, Juliet risked it all to find her Laila. Through a range of hallways, she ended up near a room with an open door, a floral scent escaping it, calling her in.

In the fairly bright, golden room, she saw her. Now changed into a peshwaz, and adorned in jewels from head to toe, Laila looked nothing less than a goddess, waiting to be worshipped; but she immediately drew out her dagger:

"How dare you walk in here without-"

She paused when Juliet raised her hands, and the naked wrist showed the birthmark.

Laila froze.

The world around them froze except the sound of breathing.

Then the only sound was Juliet's name being yelled and Laila disappearing from her sight.

With a strong jerk, Juliet opened her eyes to the same fiery dark pair, sweaty body from workout, and a wrist adorning the same birthmark; yelling her name, waking her up.

"Laila," Juliet hoarsely whispered her wife's name.

"You forgot to iron the clothes again! Now I'm going to be late for work! You better hurry now, Juliet Frances."

Her wife saying her full name was warning enough for Juliet to throw her blanket away, jump out of the bed, and get to work.

Dreams were dreams; but if they recurred, then they must carry fragments of the truth.

THE END