The lover of Mercutio

Chapter 5 - Open fields and open doors

Mercutio stumbled through the streets of Verona, angered at Romeo and his lack of appearance. For a man so scornful of attending the party in the first place, he now did not want to leave! How was Mercutio to make sense of the boy. During the ball Romeo did not once dance with Rosaline - who was looking very beautiful tonight - but instead ran off with another young girl. Mercutio shook his head. The boy was learning far too early how to play with women's hearts. Then again, with a teacher like himself, who was to blame?

"Ah, Benvolio, you have been a fine companion for tonight, but alas, where to go now? To sleep in an open field is too cold - I feel that I must sleep in a bed tonight," Mercutio drawled, the alcohol in his blood slurring his words. 

"My friend, I think you are correct. However, do you wish to sleep in your own bed or that of a lover?" Benvolio jeered, winking and nudging his friend. 

"Oh, you are a fiend! You dare assume that I would disturb a lady at this hour of the morning?" Mercutio mocked, feigning hurt.

"I did not mean a lady - one of the brothels down the road should do. In fact, I might pay a visit to them myself - tonight's dancing has left me with certain wants."

Mercutio laughed and shook his head. "Now who is the callot? Be sure to keep an eye on your purse, for they may just take all of it! But you go on ahead, I think I will retire to my own bed."

"Then you will go to bed cold, without a woman's soft embrace, paid for or not," Benvolio teased, walking towards the poorer districts of town.

"Ah my friend, when you are with a woman, you always pay. It just may not be with coin," Mercutio proclaimed, feeling rather proud of himself for thinking something so wise.

Benvolio laughed, waving his hands at Mercutio. He turned away, bidding Mercutio a good night.

Mercutio sighed, looking up at the moon. Oh how peaceful it was, shining its soft light down on the city. But how fickle - always changing, growing and shrinking. Whilst the sun was so bright and powerful, but always constant. 

"Ah! I am too ripe for this talk of philosophy and hard thinking! I must find my way back home!" Mercutio mused to himself, ambling along the pathways. 

He wandered to a stop, looking down a street. Thinking about philosophy made him think of Vita. And Vita lived down that very street.

Looking down at the tacks at his collar, he dreamed of how it would feel to hold Vita in his arms, to hear her call his name as he kissed her all over...

It only took him a few moments to realise that he was running.

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CRASH!

Vita started awake, her hand on her chest. What was that noise? 

Fearful, she grabbed a nearby candle and lit it, carefully crawling out of her bed. The noise sounded as if it was in the garden, like a bucket had been knocked over. She cursed that her father was a deep sleeper, wishing he would be able to come help. She debated in her head whether or not she should wake him, when she heard a voice coming from the garden.

"Oh Vita, Vita, my life, my sun, my stars, please come and bless me with the presence of your, your - oh what would be the presence - your beauty!"

Mercutio. 

Her heart jumped, much to her chagrin. Why did she feel this way when he was near? Why did her heart jump so if she loathed him so much?