What Is A Youth?

Kinsmanly Love

I slept soundly as the larks sang their song of daybreak. I was sound enough in my slumber that I didn't even hear my wooden door open and wasn't aware of anyone's presence beside myself in my chamber. That is until I suddenly felt weight around and above me while I lay on my back. My eyes shot open at the sudden feeling only to see the dark green eyes and messy ginger hair of my older cousin, Mercutio inches, no centimeters from my own.

"I see my beautiful kinsman is finally awake," he started whilst smirking.

"All thanks to you, cousin, "I replied smirking in return.

He was resting his weight on his forearms on either side of my head while he rested his forehead against mine.

"You are aware that if my housemaids find us in this position that wouldn't bode well for either of us. Particularly me."

"I am. But I rather enjoy this position."

Mercutio looked down into my brown eyes with a mischievous yet caring and protective flame whilst running his fingers through my long brown hair. You could say we have an interesting relationship between us. We have always been extremely close since I was born. According to our parents, he would always insist on coming over and spending time with me. My parents thought it wouldn't affect me later in life when I would have to take on the duties of a lady. Oh, were they wrong! The more time I spent with him the more I became like my dear older cousin. I still had some sense of maturity that he didn't though.

"Oh get off!" I said exasperatedly pushing him off so he lay next to me on my bed. Or at least that is what I was attempting to do until he grabbed my hips and held me on top of him.

"So this is how you wish to play, Mercutio?"

I raised my right brow in a questioning look trying to not think about the fact that Mercutio could see under my nightgown. You see the material is quite thin on these things and the pale, white color doesn't help.

"And what if it is, Alessandra?"

Sighing exasperatedly I lifted my right leg over him so I was no longer straddling him and stood up which he let me do thankfully.

"Just get out of here for now. My chambermaids will be here any minute to prepare me for the day. I will make sure to find you when I'm ready."

"But that will take too long!" Mercutio whined. He fell to his knees in front of me and grasped my hands gently. As he pouted his lips and attempted to give me some puppy dog eyes. Before he shifted himself back onto my bed while he still held my hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry that you have to wait for so long. Try being the opposite gender for the day and I'm sure you'll know my struggle, "I replied leaning down and lifting his chin with my right-hand fingers so I was eye level with him sitting on my bed and talking in a voice as if you were to talk to a baby.

Finally, Mercutio got up and went to the door and bowed whilst saying, "I shall be awaiting your arrival, my lady." Before disappearing out the door.

I laughed quietly to myself over the immaturity of my older cousin when not a moment too soon I heard a knock at my door.

"Come in," I called.

My maids came in and prepared me for the day to come.

---

After about an hour to two hours, I finally was ready to go and meet Mercutio. He and I were to meet our close friends Benvolio and Romeo Montagues and my friend Adriana, the adopted daughter of Friar Lawrence. I made the trek around my home in search of my cousin when I found him leaning against one of the outer brick walls of the palace, arms crossed and clearly bored. Gently I lifted my skirt slightly to prepare for my next tactic. Quickly I ran past him and yelled, "Well I can't be waiting for you forever, Mercutio Escalus!"

Mercutio stood stock still for a second trying to figure out what had just happened until he exclaimed, "Hey!" and quickly ran behind me in the direction in which we were heading to meet our friends.

It didn't take long for him to catch up to me as I was attempting to run in a long, heavy emerald green dress. He quickly grabbed me by the waist and pulled me into his chest in order to keep me from continuing my mischief. We both laughed our hearts out as I sighed and said, "Alright, cousin, I give in. Now if you would kindly let me go?"

I looked back into his emerald eyes smiling softly as he looked back into my own.

"Perhaps if you give me payment," Mercutio quipped.

"What type of payment?" I began to ask before catching myself, "Wait, never mind. Knowing you I don't believe I want to know."

"Well, I guess we'll be here in this position for a while," he smirked.

"Mercutio," I began to growl as I scowled slightly out of frustration.

"Alright, cousin. I guess I can let you go," he gave in before adding with a wink, "But I may still ask for that payment later."

I simply sighed before saying, "Perhaps. But there is no confirmation of such actions, kinsman."

Mercutio proceeded to release me from his grip and we continued on our merry way down the streets of Verona to the garden of Friar Lawrence. The citizens of Verona who had the pleasure of viewing mine and Mercutio's show smiled and chuckled to themselves as they proceeded to their daily doings. Although some of the older generations shook their heads at our childishness. Everyone knew that I was a young maiden eligible for marriage to any young lord willing to have me. This meant that I was not to be running around and getting my skirts rustled and getting dirt anywhere, so to speak. Mercutio and I, Alessandra Escalus, were well known around the fair city of Verona as the young, mischievous niece and nephew of Prince Escalus of Verona.

After a while long trek across the city, we finally arrived at our destination at the top of one of the smaller hills looking over Verona. The golden sun shined bright in the northern Italian sky as the songbirds sang their songs of summer. The herbs and flowers in the Friar's garden gave off a beautiful scent that could not be matched by any other in the array of purples, reds, and many other colors and shades in the petals and leaves of the flowers that adorned the garden. 

Mercutio and I looked to see Romeo, Benvolio, and Adriana standing in the center of the garden in the midst of friendly conversation. Adriana stood in a brown maiden's dress, her long, blonde hair flowing in the slight trace of wind flowing around us. Her bright blue-gray eyes looked straight into Romeo's with a passion that she would often converse with me about. You see according to Adriana, she has had a burning love for him ever since she first laid eyes on him. Well, we both knew that Romeo simply thought of her as a close friend and nothing more, for he has his eyes set on the fair Rosaline Capulet, an older cousin of Juliet's. Sadly, though, Romeo's extreme passions are eternally in the way of any sensibility that can exist in his mind.

"Well, what do you say we join them, Mercutio?" I inquired.

"Of course!"

Mercutio snatched my hand and ran off running whilst dragging me behind him as I tried desperately to keep from tripping on my long skirt. He took part in such actions more than he ought to have. Mercutio never seems to learn from his mistakes and childishness. But I guess you could say those are some of the reasons why I love him as I do.

"Kinsmen! The beautiful Alessandra and handsome Mercutio Escalus have arrived!" Mercutio exclaimed with an exaggerated bow and I with an exaggerated curtsy for this was our classic grand entrance to start a grand and eventful day of events.