Attack on Romeo and Juliet

Chapter Ten

AN HOUR INTO THE FIRST TECH REHEARSAL

The kids had been doing great. They were mostly patient...except for Eren, but thankfully was able to be calmed down before he went completely ballistic. Act Two had begun and the balcony scene had just ended. While Hanji pulled a blackout to change the sets, Marco took his place on the pitch black stage. He waited patiently as Keith and Hanji discussed the lighting for the scene.

When the light cue was written down and the stage was bright once again, Marco gazed around holding a bible in his hand, beginning his lines.

"The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night, chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light, and flecked darkness like a drunkard reels from forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels: Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye, the day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry, I must up-fill this osier cage of ours with baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers. The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb; What is her burying grave that is her womb, and from her womb children of divers kind we sucking on her natural bosom find, Many for many virtues excellent, None but for some and yet all different."

Marco paused for a brief moment before continuing,

"O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies in herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities: For nought so vile that on the earth doth live but to the earth some special good doth give, Nor aught so good but strain'd from that fair use revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse: Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied; And vice sometimes by action dignified. Within the infant rind of this small flower poison hath residence and medicine power: For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Two such opposed kings encamp them still in man as well as herbs, grace and rude will; And where the worser is predominant, full soon the canker death eats up that plant."

Ymir entered slowly with her hands behind her back,
"Good morrow, father."

Marco turned around upon hearing the girl speak. A smile grew gently on his lips as he began to walk towards her,

"Benedicite! What early tongue so sweet saluteth me? Young son, it argues a distemper'd head so soon to bid good morrow to thy bed: Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye, and where care lodges, sleep will never lie; But where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign: Therefore thy earliness doth me assure thou art up-roused by some distemperature; Or if not so, then here I hit it right, our Romeo hath not been in bed to-night."

Marco's eyes widened with surprise,

"God pardon sin! Wast thou with Rosaline?"

Ymir shook her head,

"With Rosaline, my ghostly father? No; I have forgot that name, and that name's woe."

Marco gave Ymir a caring smile once again,"That's my good son: but where hast thou been, then?"

Ymir's smile fell slightly and she placed her hand gently on her chest,

"I'll tell thee, ere thou ask it me again. I have been feasting with mine enemy, where on a sudden one hath wounded me, that's by me wounded: both our remedies within thy help and holy physic lies: I bear no hatred, blessed man, for, lo, my intercession likewise steads my foe."

Marco shook his head,
"Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift; Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift."

Ymir paused a moment and faced Marco directly,

"Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulet: As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine; and all combined, save what thou must combine by holy marriage: when and where and how we met, we woo'd and made exchange of vow, I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray, that thou consent to marry us to-day."

Marco's expression changed from happy to shocked in a matter of seconds
"Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken? young men's love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine hath wash'd thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline! How much salt water thrown away in waste, to season love, that of it doth not taste! The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears, thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears; Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit of an old tear that is not wash'd off yet: If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine, thou and these woes were all for Rosaline: And art thou changed? pronounce this sentence then, Women may fall, when there's no strength in men."

Ymir frowned and took up an expression of displeasure,
"Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline."

Marco placed both of his hands upon Ymir's shoulder like a concerned grandparent.
"For doting, not for loving, pupil mine."

Ymir shrugged his hands away and took a step back, "And bad'st me bury love."

Marco shook his head
"Not in a grave, to lay one in, another out to have."

Ymir waved her hand dismissively,
"I pray thee, chide not; she whom I love now doth grace for grace and love for love allow; The other did not so."

Marco sighed and looked at her with indifference.
"O, she knew well thy love did read by rote and could not spell. But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your households' rancour to pure love."

Ymir's smile returned, "O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste."

Marco smiled back, "Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast."

"Alright! There's going to be a blackout here Keith!" Hanji called. "Marco, Ymir, stay where you are until the stage goes completely black."

Keith shouted an okay from the booth, and the stage went dark.

The tech rehersal, despite being long and tetitous, went very well. The kids were able to go home at a decent time that night. 

~~~~~~~~

Sorry this chapter is so short. XD

Also yay! Marco finally gets a scene!