#r&jedit

Summary : Shakespeare’s characters of Romeo and Juliet are thrust into the the fairy-tale realm of Once Upon A Time.

Warnings : None

@dontshootmespence @reiding-and-writing

The Enchanted Forest was an excellent place for secret meetings. The kingdoms of the Montagues and the Capulets were in the middle of yet another brawl, but as was always the case with feuding foes. nevertheless, that could not stop the most powerful force in the world.

“Cuh caw!” called a young gentleman who was clearly not a crow.

“That is the least convincing signal you have ever made!” A pretty young lady with chestnut hair and sparkling green eyes came out from behind a tree, smiling as her true love discarded his poorly made tree disguise and ran to her. Romeo of Montegue picked up Juliet of Capulet, carrying her like a bride over the threshold as they kissed among the everlasting pine tree oasis.

“Have you heard the news?” Juliet asked as he gracefully set her down. Romeo shook his head and her smile faded. She knew the boy rarely kept up on politics or news, but he really needed to pay attention when the fate of their very world was on the line.

“About-” she looked his way while searching for any prying ears, “Tybalt’s curse?” Again her secret boyfriend looked dumbfounded, though a great deal of anger was added to the mix.

“What is that cousin of yours planning this time?” he asked. The so called prince of cats was a dark wizard, but he had never done anything too diabolical with his magic.

“He plans on destroying this world and moving us all to another, destroying any possibility for happy endings for any Montegue or for-”

“Us,” he finished. The lovers held each others’ hands and tried not to show their fear. Suddenly, his honey colored eyes lit up and a happy grin spread across Romeo’s face.

“My truest love, I have an idea! You have heard tales of… the Dark O-”

Juliet quickly covered his mouth with her hand, her face a mask of rictus panic. “Do not speak of that wicked friar.”

“Too late, my child!”

The pair turned to see a man in what appeared to be friars’ robes made from leather and dragon skin. His hair was slicked back and in his hand he held a vial of pink glowing liquid. Romeo, who still put a good deal of stock in chivalry, hid Juliet behind him and drew his dagger. The blade quickly evaporated into smoke. 

“How rude,” intoned the friar. “I have heard your pleas and I am willing to help you.”

"Why would you do that?” asked Romeo, trying not to appear as terrified as he was.

“Because young Tybalt will succeed in casting his spell, but you two being together… this means a great deal to me. Don’t ask why- you won’t receive an answer. Still, I have a potion that will allow you two to reunite in the next life, and if you give me one thing, you may have it.”

“And what is that?” Juliet asked, peeking out from behind her true love who was futily trying to shield her.

“Do you still have your masks from the masquerade ball, the night you first met?”

———————————————————————

In fair Verona, Maine, USA, Roderick Monty leans over the hospital bed of Judy Cappel, his secret girlfriend. After her family tried to force her to move to Texas, she swallowed a bottle of nail polish remover before they could take her away. The boy traced her cold lips with his thumb, holding back the plethora of tears she would never see him shed. He choked back sobs so hard he began coughing

This is it, “I can’t breathe without her.” He thought. Roderick thought back to his dagger at home, a present from a Renaissance fair, and how the dull thing could probably do the job if put enough force behind it.

He turned to leave. He was not supposed to be there anyway, with not being family at all and Judy’s parents hating him. As he slid his hands in his pockets, he felt something.

“Hm? I thought I emptied these.” He whispered to himself as he pulled out a venetian mask keychain, the small thing impressively decorated, and its blue lines and swirls reminded him of Judy’s matching red one. Roderick closed his fist over the keychain and gazed at his girlfriend in her hospital bed. He shuffled over, needing to give her one final goodbye as the heart monitor occasionally beeped. He bent over and gave her one final departing kiss.

In the mist of the kiss, golden light radiated from the pair. The world shook, and all throughout Verona, people remembered lives that seemed only a vivid dream.

When Roderick - no, not Roderick but Romeo - lifted his head, he saw large, caring emerald eyes staring back at him, fluttering first in confusion, then settling on hope.

“Romeo?” Juliet asked. She raised a quivering hand to his cheek stained with fresh tears, feeling the face of her true love for the first time in decades.

Richard Madden in Romeo and Juliet (dir. Kenneth Branagh).

endless list of favorites:

ROMEO AND JULIET (1968)