Juliet

Aleron

Raimondo's sources had led him to a small town just outside of Venice. To his surprise, there were quite a few Aleron's in Italy. However, there were only two that he found that would fit to his description. After checking out the first one and finding him a married man living a modest life, he quickly checks after the only one left that could be the man that the Prince was searching for. 

There were few people to be seen around. He asks around the town about Aleron gathering as much information as he can and is led to an abbey. If everything he had gotten his information correctly, then Aleron was raised in the abbey by the nuns, and the abbess who resided over it, particularly looked after him. It seems the people were fond of her and called her 'Nonna.' From what he gathered she was kind and charitable, yet strict. The townsfolk highly respected her, more than anyone in all of Italy. 

As Raimondo stands waiting, a slot in the door opens and a pair of eyes stare at him. "Is there anything I can help you with?" She asks through the door. 

"Ah, yes. I am looking for the abbess overhead Santa Brigida." He says standing tall and upright. 

"Just a moment, she'll be right with you." She says closing the slot. 

Raimondo waits there for awhile until finally the door opens, revealing an old woman wearing a tunic and veil. "Are you Santa Brigida?" He asks.

"Yes, and who is this asking for me?" 

"I am Raimondo, a knight under The Prince over Verona." He states giving a small nod.

"Verona?" She eyes him suspiciously. "And what is a knight such as yourself doing all the way out here? It must have been quite the ride."

"Well, a matter came up involving a man named Aleron." 

The moment he uttered Aleron's name, Santa Brigida shuts the door. He hears the clanking of locks as the slot opens. "I believe you have overstayed your welcome. Good day sir." The slot closes once more, and Raimondo is left without the answers he required. However, this situation did give him a bit of a clue to Aleron, the abbess did know of him, but refused to talk pointing that something had happened and that that something was not good, to the point that Santa Brigida had to hide it. The only question remaining is what happened? As much as he wanted to force the abbess into speaking, there was not much time he could spare, and the look in her eyes already revealed that no matter what she was never going to tell him. It was something that she would take with her to the grave.

Raimondo gets upon his horse, riding back to Verona. This man called Aleron was definitely no good. There was much to fear from this mysterious man, and now since Juliet was in his grasps, there would probably be worse to come. If they were going to succeed, they needed to find this man as fast as possible, before something even more tragic occurred. He flicks his reins making his horse gallop faster back to Verona.

                                                                      ~ ** ~

Back in Milan as the sun was getting ready to set, Juliet and Aleron were packing up to leave the following morning. They would take time to sleep then awake with the sun, as well as eat a good breakfast before traveling out. To avoid bumping into anyone that may be looking for Juliet, they were going to head out to Genoa and then from Genoa travel to Florence, then Bologna then ride back to Verona traveling through Mantua. It would take days going through this route, but it was the best path if they were to avoid any unnecessary conflict. 

"I believe that is everything." Aleron tells Juliet. "We should get some rest."

"Will you be okay? On the floor that is. Is it not uncomfortable?" Juliet asks.

"Don't worry about such a thing. Just go to sleep."

Juliet frowns, "It is no good if I am well rested and you are exhausted, so for now you should sleep in the bed." She states.

"And you become exhausted. You could barely make it here without falling off your horse. You need the rest." He argues back.

Juliet purses her lips, "Then we shall share the bed seeing as there is no other choice and you want to be a stubborn fool."

Aleron stares at her wondering if she really knew what she was offering, "I am the stubborn fool?" He questions with a raised brow. "You are the one most in need and you refuse to follow common logic."

"I will not lay down, until you are in the bed." Juliet says sitting on the floor feeling angered by his words.

"No. You are not doing this." Aleron goes and scoops Juliet off of the floor. He places her on the bed then tries to move back only to find himself in Juliet's grip. Staring into her eyes, he could feel her warm breath on his cheeks. She was making it difficult for him to hold back.

"Lay with me." She pleads softly.

This time, it was Aleron's turn to give in, how could he not, when her words were like honey and her eyes so hypnotizing. "Only this once," He says in defeat. "Now go to sleep."

Juliet smiles victoriously as Aleron lays beside her in the bed after putting out the lantern. She closes her eyes, enjoying the feeling of him beside her. Her desire for him was not going to end, and now she had no intention of pushing it back. Aleron turns his back to her closing his eyes, trying to envision that he was there alone, but the warmth from her small body made her presence known to him. He wanted to hold her like he did back in Goito, but that would only complicate matters further. He had to hurry and put an end to this, before it was too late to turn back.