Attack on Romeo and Juliet

Chapter Eleven

EVENING OF THE FINAL TECH REHEARSAL (AN HOUR OR TWO REMAINING)

This was it. The final rehearsal before the show. It was going by rather smoothly. There were plenty more stops and starts for music cues and other things, but overall, it was going great. Once the scene they were on ended, Hanji called for blackout and the sets began to be moved for the next scene. Hanji was back in the booth with Keith and Nanaba, who helped with the music cues. "Moblit, is everything good with sets?" She asked through her headset.

Moblit, who was sitting as one of the stage managers, glanced over onto the stage to see two figures. "Yes, everything's good."

"Great. Thanks. Alright, Lights up, Scene go!"

As soon as the lights went up, Krista entered. With a gentle sigh, she began her lines.

"The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse; In half an hour she promised to return. Perchance she cannot meet him: that's not so. O, she is lame! love's heralds should be thoughts, Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams, Driving back shadows over louring hills: Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love, And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings. Now is the sun upon the highmost hill of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve is three long hours, yet she is not come. Had she affections and warm youthful blood, She would be as swift in motion as a ball; My words would bandy her to my sweet love, And his to me: But old folks, many feign as they were dead; Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead. O God, she comes!"

Hearing her cue, Annie walked on to the stage from the opposite side with Moblit, who had to leave his station.  Krista rushed over to Annie.

"O honey nurse, what news? Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away."

Annie turned to face Moblit, "Peter, stay at the gate." Her acting wasn't the best, but she did pull emotion through her lines.

Krista watched Moblit walk off the stage, then turned back to Annie.

"Now, good sweet nurse,--O Lord, why look'st thou sad? Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily; If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news by playing it to me with so sour a face."

Annie gave the smaller blonde an 'are you serious look'

"I am a-weary, give me leave awhile: Fie, how my bones ache! what a jaunt have I had!"

Krista responded,

"I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news: Nay, come, I pray thee, speak; good, good nurse, speak."

Annie sighed a bit agitated, 

"Jesu, what haste? Can you not stay awhile? Do you not see that I am out of breath?"

Krista cocked her head to the side,
"How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath to say to me that thou art out of breath? The excuse that thou dost make in this delay is longer than the tale thou dost excuse. Is thy news good, or bad? Answer to that; Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance: Let me be satisfied, is't good or bad?"

Annie placed her hands on her hips,

"'Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man: Romeo! no, not he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare: he is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench; serve God. What, have you dined at home?"

Krista shook her head, before taking Annie's hands in her own,

"No, no: but all this did I know before. What says he of our marriage? What of that?"