Tucked away in a quiet place, away from prying eyes, Julius has Romana all to himself. In such a vulnerable state, one wonders what exactly he has in store for the young lady, and if she is strong enough to handle it. 

Romana wakes, eyes fluttering open. The first thing she sees is an unfamiliar ceiling of wooden beams and bricks. Then she feels the heaviness in her body, and a pounding in her head. She groans, shutting her eyes against the pain. A gentle voice greets her.

“And she wakes from her slumber at last.”

Romana turns towards the voice and sees Julius, crouched beside her, a smile on his face and a mug in his hands.

“J-julius?” she says, her voice raspy.

“Don’t strain yourself,” he says, helping her sit up. He passes her the mug. “Drink this. It’ll help you feel better.”

She takes a generous gulp, her mouth dryer than dirt, before taking in her surroundings again. The room she’s in is bare, save a small desk and chair and the cot she’s laying in. The only window is small and near the ceiling, letting in just enough light to see.

“Where—”

“The old church basement.” Julius says. “I discovered this place a while ago, and use it sometimes when staying at home is too unbearable.”

“But how did I get here? The last thing I remember, I was lying sick in bed.”

“About that.” Julius says, an apologetic look on his face. “Had I known the medicine I gave you would have made you this sick, I wouldn’t have offered it. Forgive me.”

She grabs his hand, squeezing gently.

“No,” she says softly. “Please. I’m the one who asked you for help. You have nothing to be sorry for. In fact, I should be thanking you.” She smiles weakly. “I’m assuming my being here means our plan worked.”

“A little too well.” He dabs at the sweat on her forehead with a wet cloth. She closes her eyes against the coolness. “When Benvolio heard the news of your condition, he—”

“Oh, Benvolio! I never managed to send word to him. Oh, I hope he wasn’t too worried.” She tightens her grip on Julius’ hand. “You told him, didn’t you? That this was all a part of my plan?”

She didn’t catch the way Julius’ jaw tightened as he smiled.

“Of course,” he says sweetly. “I couldn’t leave my cousin to suffer. When I told him what you were willing to do, he agreed that you were right in taking action. With Chimere’s help, we got you out of the Capulet manor and are hiding you away here while he gets everything ready for you to leave.”

“Truly?”

He nods.

“Your dream is coming true, Romana,” he says with a wide smile.

Tears spring to her eyes, her heart filled with joy. Never did she think she’d actually manage to escape her father’s authority. Never did she think she’d actually have her freedom. She wipes her tears as they fall, joyful giggles bubbling up her throat.

“Don’t get too excited,” Julius says. “We still have to help you feel well again.” He pushes the mug toward her lips, encouraging her to finish the drink. “It’s also out of the question that you leave this room. Can’t afford someone seeing you.”

“That’s fine. I’ve waited this long. I can wait a little longer.”

⬥⬥⬥

“Step aside, Chimere,” Tybalt commands threateningly.

“Milord,” Chimere pleads desperately, blocking the door to Romana’s room, “you must give milady time to rest!”

“I have allowed her rest for three days,” Lord Capulet growls. “I demand to see my daughter now!”

Lord Capulet pushes Chimere out of the way and enters Romana’s room. His features harden as he takes in the empty bed. He turns to Chimere who trembles where she stands, head bowed and eyes on the ground.

“Where is she?” Lord Capulet demands.

“I-I—”

“Speak clearly!” he roars. “Where is Romana? Was she not supposed to be in bed?” He corners her against the wall. “Well?”

She bites her lip as tears spring to her eyes. The truth sits on her lips, begging to be freed, but if she lets it out, Julius would pay a heavy price and that is something she can not bear. Especially not when he is in the middle of helping Romana recover. 

“I-I do not know, milord,” she says meekly. “But I believe she is safe.”

“You believe she is safe?” Tybalt says questioningly. “So you admit you took part in having her kidnapped.”

“No! I just—”

“How can you know if she is safe if you don’t know where she is!” Lord Capulet shouts.

“F-forgive me!”

“Guards! Take this wench away and see if you can’t beat some answers out of her.”

“No!” Chimere cries as the guards advance, taking her arms roughly. “Please, milord! Have mercy!”

“Search the room,” Tybalt orders the remaining men. “There may be evidence of where Romana has been taken.”

Lord Capulet watches as his guards ransack Romana’s room. They leave nothing unturned. They toss clothes, pull out drawers, even turn over her bed, all in the hopes of finding some sort of clue as to where she could have gone. A guard approaches, a small bottle in hand.

“We found this hidden in one of milady’s bedside drawers, milord.”

“What is it?” he asks.

Tybalt takes the bottle, sniffing lightly. His expression darkens.

“Poison,” he says gravely.

“What?” Lord Capulet’s face turns scarlet with rage. “Bring me the nursemaid!”

The guards who escorted Chimere away, bring her back. Lord Capulet grabs her by the throat as soon as they release her.

“M-milord!” she squeaks, gasping for air. “M-mercy!”

“How dare you plot against the Capulet family. Did you think I wouldn’t find this?” He shoves the bottle in her face.

“I-I didn’t!” She claws at his hand. “P-please.”

She collapses to the ground as he releases her, choking and gasping air. The guards haul her up to stand before Lord Capulet once more.

“I doubt you have the means to purchase this on your own, so tell us,” Tybalt says, glaring, “who gave this to you and what have you been offered in return?”

“T-truly, milord,” she says, her voice strained. “I-I’ve never seen that bottle before in my life.”

“And yet Romana remained bedridden,” Tybalt presses, “sick and dying. All the while, you were constantly by her side, were you not?”

 “I would never wish milady any harm!”

“Take her to be hanged,” Lord Capulet orders.

“No!”

“Milord!” a guard calls, hurrying to Lord Capulet’s side. “We found letters addressed to milady as well as one unfinished that looks to be in milady’s hand.”

Lord Capulet takes the papers, glancing over them. He recognizes Benvolio’s script, having seen it himself more than once. He turns to Romana’s letter. Though it is unfinished, it doesn’t take him much to understand what has happened. He crumples the papers in his hands, his fists trembling. 

“How dare he?” he growls menacingly. “I will have his head for this!” He turns to Chimere. “I want answers and you will give them to me, even if I have to cut your tongue out to get them.” He nods toward the guards holding her up and they carry her away screaming. “Tybalt,” he says. “Send out word that I want Benvolio Montague brought before me. I don’t care what price I have to pay to make it happen.”

“It shall be done, milord,” Tybalt says with a bow.

“The rest of you,” Lord Capulet says, “search the nursemaid’s room. Bring me anything that looks useful for finding my daughter.”

“Yes, milord!”

Left alone in Romana’s room, Lord Capulet walks toward the bed, left on the floor after his men’s search. He picks up the sheets—they’re cold. Too cold for her to have just left. He tightens his fist as tears blur his vision.

“I will find you, my dear. And I will make those who took you from me pay.”

⬥⬥⬥

Paris storms into his library, heading straight for Benvolio who sits at a desk pouring over a book. He doesn’t look up as Paris stops before him. 

“Tell me the truth, Benvolio,” Paris growls. “Did you kidnap Romana after poisoning her?”

Benvolio looks up, shocked.

“What? Of course not! Why would I ever—”

“Well, Lord Capulet seems to believe as much. And he sure as hell makes a compelling argument.”

“And on what grounds is he accusing me of something so heinous?” Benvolio asks.

“He found an unmarked bottle as well as several of your letters to Romana. And before you ask, his lordship already sent it to someone familiar with poison and they confirmed that the contents of the bottle were indeed poison.”

“Romana was poisoned? Wait, before that, are you telling me Romana was kidnapped?”

Benvolio’s mind struggles to make sense of the news. How could this happen? Why? His heart beats hard and fast, his panic rising.

“Like you know nothing about it,” Paris sneers.

“How could I when I’m desperately searching for a way to heal her!”

“Of all the places I thought I’d find you,” Tybalt says as he enters the library, “this didn’t even cross my mind.”

“Tybalt,” Paris says. “When did you get here?”

“Around the same time you did. Your servants were kind enough to point me in your direction.” He eyes Benvolio. “They didn’t mention you had company.”

“Tybalt,” Benvolio says, rising to his feet, “I didn’t—”

“Poison and kidnap Romana?” he finishes.

“As if we can believe you,” Paris hisses.

“I told you I didn’t,” Benvolio snaps.

“Romana couldn’t have thought of this on her own,” Tybalt says, arms folded. “She had to have an outside influence. We just don’t know who.”

“Has her nursemaid not said anything?” Paris asks.

“Not yet. But I’m sure it won’t be long before she’ll talk.”

“Let’s hope that she does,” Benvolio says.

“Oh?” Paris says. “Not worried she’ll reveal your involvement?” 

Benvolio frowns. Though he knows Paris is just trying to rile him, he can’t help but feel as though he is trying too hard to point the blame in his direction.

“Are we sure Paris isn’t involved somehow?” Benvolio says.

“How dare you?” Paris says with a glare. “Why would I ever ask Romana to consume poison mere days from our wedding?”

Benvolio shrugs.

“Maybe you had an argument with Lord Capulet we don’t know about.” Benvolio’s gaze narrows. “Perhaps he changed his mind about giving Romana to you.”

“Ha! As much as you’d like that to be true, nothing could be further from the truth. Lord Capulet and I get along just fine.”

“Too fine, if you ask me,” Tybalt mutters. “You two are practically mirror images of each other when it comes to Romana.”

“You say that as if it is a bad thing,” Paris says accusingly.

“It is,” Benvolio interjects. “She finds it hard to be around her father as it is. How can you expect her to be happy married to a man who is practically the same?”

“You—”

“Enough of your bickering,” Tybalt says with a sigh. “Frankly, until Chimere starts talking, everyone who’s ever come in contact with Romana is a suspect, including you two. With that said, rather than pointing the finger at each other, we should be focusing our efforts on finding Romana above all else.”

Benvolio sighs, running his hands through his hair, desperate to find composure. Tybalt is right, and besides, thinking logically, poisoning Romana days from their wedding wouldn’t have been in Paris’ best interest. That makes him the least likely to have played a part. 

“Has a search party for Romana been started?” he asks.

“Of course it has,” Paris says, scowling. “I started it as soon as I received news of her disappearance.”

“Good. I’ll join you.”

“You can’t,” Tybalt says. “Lord Capulet has put a bounty on your head. You’ll have a hard enough time moving around, let alone aiding the search.”

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing!”

“Here.” Tybalt hands Benvolio a piece of paper. “This is why I was looking for Paris. We identified the poison. Find out who has access to it and where it most likely came from. I’m stretched thin enough as it is, so I won’t be able to dedicate as much time to tracking them down as I would like. You should be able to manage, and it’ll be less of a risk.”

Benvolio stares at the paper, jaw clenched.

“There has to be something more I can—”

“There isn’t,” Paris says. “We each have a part to play and this is yours. Just be grateful neither of us are making good on that bounty ourselves.”

Benvolio gazes after Paris and Tybalt as they leave. His fists squeeze so tight, small crescents of blood bloom on his palms. Again, Romana was in danger and he wasn’t there to save her.

“What kind of a man am I,” he mutters bitterly, tears stinging his eyes.