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The city of Verona was abuzz with excitement - people chatting and laughing joyously as they walked down the streets, upbeat music providing the soundtrack for the beginning of the Valentine’s festival.
On top of the special day being celebrated akin to a holiday in the city, there was something else for the people to look forward to. Today was the premiere of Bill the Bard's newest play, a grand tale of two lovers, and it was all the people could talk about.
“It has been quite some time since Bill the Bard's last production, right?”
“It truly has been! I bet he put a lot of work into this one - I have high expectations!”
“Actually, I did hear some talk that the actors had a rather tough time rehearsing for this new play. It seems Bill the Bard himself has high expectations for them to bring it to life.”
“What dedication! Perhaps this will be Bill the Bard's magnum opus!”
Even the Grandcypher crew had heard all about it from a very excited Juliet, and had decided to come along and visit. It seems quite a number of people had an interest in theater, or at least wanted to see what the buzz was all about. Vermeil, Aglovale, and Albert were among the former, an unlikely group chatting amongst each other about some of their favorite shows, while Feather was among the latter, the energetic blonde even trying to drag a reluctant Randall to come and watch with him.
“I already told you I'm not interested!” Randall protested, his face twitching in irritation. Despite his words, however, he was letting himself get dragged instead of actually fighting Feather's grip, which made the blonde smile widely. “Theater isn't my thing, I'd rather spend my time training!”
“Come on, it'll be fun!” he exclaimed. “Everybody's really excited about it, so it's gotta be good! Captain said the guy who wrote this play is someone really amazing too! And, and,” he practically shook in his excitement, “one of the townspeople told me there's gonna be an AWESOME fight scene! You at least wanna see that, right?!”
“A fight sc…” Randall looked stunned for a moment, before sighing and putting his hand to his face in both exasperation and acceptance. Of course there was a reason Feather was so pumped up. Part of him couldn't help but smile at how very Feather-like this kind of behavior was, but he tried to keep his expression straight as he finally relented. “Fine, fine. Their moves better be worth my time.”
“Great! Let's get going!”
The theater was already quite packed when Captain and most of the crew arrived. Luckily, Juliet had saved them some good seats at the balcony, and she was smiling as she waved them through. “Captain! Everyone! Over here!”
She was dressed even more elegantly than usual for such a special occasion, and looked every bit the radiant lady that she was. Lyria oohed and aahed, showering her with compliments, and Juliet only blushed and giggled in response. By her side, Paris nodded in agreement, a gentle smile on his face.
“It’s wonderful you could all come today,” he said. “I've never seen everybody this excited…”
“Paris is right. I didn't think it possible, but the people are even happier than they were when Verona Theater first opened. It truly is a wonderful thing, isn't it?” Juliet was smiling so widely and brightly that her happiness was contagious, and Captain couldn't help but smile in return. “One cannot underestimate the power of theater in bringing people together… Oh, if only…”
She paused, her smile faltering for a moment, and immediately the mood turned quite dim. Even though the words were left unspoken, it was quite clear what Juliet had wanted to say.
If only Romeo was here.
They were silent for a moment amidst all the buzz, but Lyria quickly tried to dismiss the cloud hanging over them. “J-Juliet! I heard rumors from the townspeople that there's going to be a dragon at the play! Is that true? Is that even possible?”
Paris breathed a little sigh of relief as Juliet was effectively distracted. “Oh, I have been hearing the same rumors around,” she said, “but perhaps it is true… The story is a fantasy, after all… Only a prop though, I believe, a real dragon would be…”
They resumed chatting excitedly among themselves, until the lights began to dim to signal the show was about to start. A quiet hush immediately came over the theater, with every single person in the audience sitting eagerly in anticipation.
They sat silently in the darkness as they waited. Finally, the spotlight shone on a lone figure on the stage, a handsome youth with a somber expression, and a deep, resounding voice began the narration.
“Once, in a kingdom far away, there lived a prince…”
It was from backstage where Romeo, the former Lord Montague who now took up the name of Bill the Bard, watched the play unfold. He had a calm, quiet expression as he did so, paying attention as the words he had put to paper slowly came to life before him, a fantasy he had dreamed appearing to become reality.
The story wasn't something entirely new - it was the tale of a prince who falls in love with the princess of a faraway land, with the two lovers unable to meet due to war and other unfortunate circumstances. One day, the prince leaves his kingdom to try and reunite with his true love, but along the way come many challenges that hinder his path. It only grows worse when the prince learns of disaster striking his kingdom in his absence, is faced with the decision to choose between duty and love.
And yet, despite how cliche this story initially seemed, there were many twists and turns that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Not to mention that the amount of emotion put into the work was truly commendable - everybody in the theater felt truly immersed in the story, the feelings of the characters resonating within them.
Whoever predicted this would be Bill the Bard's magnum opus was definitely not far from wrong.
But whether or not the play was amazing was only second in Romeo's thoughts. Behind the curtains, he watched and listened as the prince knelt and wept, having finally decided that despite having travelled so far to meet his true love, he would return home to save his kingdom.
“Oh my love, my life, my light in the darkness, my stars and my sky,
My heart weeps, breaks, crumbles,
It cries at the thought of being parted with you once more.
You are so close and yet so far; you are within reach, and yet you are miles away,
Why must we be kept apart?
Is this our destiny? To never be together, to only love one another from a distance?
How I wish to hold you. How I wish to have you in my arms, to run my fingers through your hair,
To kiss you under the moonlight and to sing to you of my love.”
As the prince continued his monologue, Romeo looked out towards the audience. Through the darkness, he could see the enamored expressions on everyone's faces as they hung on to each word. Romeo couldn't help the feeling of pride blossoming in his chest, and yet, it wasn't them he was looking at.
It was her , only her.
“But as a prince, I have a duty -
A duty to my land, to my people, a duty that the blood in my veins cries out to fulfill;
My love, my darling, my very reason for being,
Though you shall hear me not, I will make a true and honest vow -
When this war and conflict ends,
When blood is no longer spilled on the land,
When there is only peace, happiness, and laughter, when there is only love, and hope, and light…
To your arms I will run, in your embrace I will rest,
We will look upon each other once more, like lovers meeting for the first time.”
The actor’s breath hitched, and so did Romeo’s - there sat Juliet on the front row, her hands clasped together and her eyes brimming with tears. Romeo wanted nothing more than to run towards her and hold her in his arms, to wipe her tears away, but he couldn’t. Not yet.
It was silent throughout the entire theater. The actor playing the prince was looking up towards the light, the tears on his own eyes just barely visible as he smiled and continued to speak once again.
“When the time is right, my love… we shall see each other once again.
I can only hope that you patiently await that day,
That you will keep me in your thoughts and in your heart,
That you will continue to love me as deeply as I still love you.
I hope that, no matter how much time passes,
No matter how much longer fate keeps us apart,
That you do not forget me, do not forget the love we have for each other,
For I always keep you in my thoughts and in my heart,
And I continue to love you as deeply as I hope you still love me.”
The lights dimmed and the curtain closed. A brief moment of complete silence, before the audience burst into thunderous applause.
It was an amazingly validating feeling, but Romeo could focus on little else. As he pulled his hood over his head to hide his face and head further backstage, he could only think about the expression on Juliet’s face as she watched the prince onstage.
Surely… Surely she had heard him, right?
Surely she had heard those words Romeo had written just for her.
The play received a rather generous standing ovation; historians would later say it was the best premiere of any play in the entire skydom, and the play did so amazingly well that many tourists flocked to Verona in the following days to see it. Not only that, but other theater companies came personally to ask Bill the Bard if they could do their own adaptations of the play. Bill the Bard declined, though, insistent that the play be kept in its original form and be performed only in Verona.
But that is still in the future, and we are but at the present. Everybody was talking animatedly as exited Verona Theater, all of them entirely under the play’s spell. The Grandcypher crew was no exception, with Lyria, Vyrn, and the others dramatically reenacting their favorite scenes much to the delight of the rest.
Paris had a fond expression on his face as he watched, but of course, his priority was Juliet. He turned to look at his lady, studying her with concern as always; though she wore a smile on her face, he could see the sadness in her eyes, but he knew he couldn't fault her for it. After all, he understood.
He had figured it out as early as the first act. The characters and the kingdoms may have had different names, and the stories were rather on an epic scale, but the story was clearly of Romeo and Juliet. A tale of star-crossed lovers who couldn't be together, but whose love for each other ran far deeper than any ocean. Both had duties to fulfill, duties they could not abandon even if they wanted to be together. In the end, Romeo had made the ultimate sacrifice - peace between the Capulets and Montagues, at the price of never being able to see Juliet ever again.
Lord Montague had died, but Romeo still lived on, unbeknownst to most people. Paris had been the one who killed Lord Montague, but in sparing Romeo, he had cast judgment upon him to live on as a dead man. The two haven’t seen each other since that fateful day, but Paris had always felt him nearby, working behind the scenes to do what he can for Verona.
Alone. Just like he used to.
Paris couldn’t really blame him for that. After all, everybody thought Romeo was dead, and if Paris was guessing correctly, no one knew he was Bill the Bard, either. And yet… And yet…
“Juliet,” he said, smiling gently as she turned towards him, “how would you like to meet Bill the Bard himself?”
There was always some hustle and bustle backstage, whether it was before, during, or after a play. It was especially loud after a successful show, with everybody laughing and celebrating and commending each other for a job well done.
Being the mysterious playwright Bill the Bard, this wasn’t Romeo’s place. He kept to himself as always, trying not to draw any attention himself as he pulled his hood over his head and put his things together so he could leave. He was somewhat of a ghost in the theater; while he did have a bigger involvement in plays than just writing scripts, he mostly kept to himself, and everyone simply accepted it and decided not to bother him further. It only added to the mystery, and as he quietly slipped out the backdoor, no one called out goodbye, but only nodded respectfully in parting before going back to their business.
This was Romeo’s life now. It was lonely, but it was the path he had chosen.
He had a passing thought to go around town and enjoy a bit of the festival, but there were far too many people. A little slip-up and he could get recognized; he doubted the discovery that Romeo Montague was actually still alive would do anyone any good. They could still think of him as the cold Lord Montague, a threat to the peace Verona now had, and he couldn't risk it.
He sighed and turned towards the direction of his home instead.
“Excuse me.”
And he stopped.
That voice…
He didn't turn around, but he knew. Behind him, a few feet away, stood Juliet, her shaking hands clasped to her chest and her eyes wide with both curiosity and hope. By her side was Paris, a solemn look on his face as he watched the scene.
No… This isn't… She wasn't supposed to see him. Romeo’s breath hitched just knowing Juliet was within reach. She was so close and yet so far, and he couldn't possibly -
“You are… Bill the Bard, correct?” Juliet paused, fumbling, trying to find the right words to say. “I… I wanted to thank you for sharing your work with us, the people of Verona. Your play was truly wonderful and resonated with everyone's hearts, and… I believe all of us were united in our love for the tale you told. On behalf of the people, I… I wish to express my sincere appreciation.”
Oh Juliet. Oh, Juliet . It took all his power for Romeo not to run towards her and reveal himself, to tell her the truth and let her know he was alive, to hold her and tell her he loved her. But all he could do was stand in his place, unmoving, not knowing how to answer her.
Juliet was silent as she waited, and finally, Romeo turned to face her, his hood low enough to cover his entire face as he bowed deeply. He heard her gasp in surprise, not expecting the response. He stayed like that for a moment before he stood up and began to leave.
“I… I heard it!”
Again, he stopped. This time he felt his heart stop in his chest as well, if only for a brief moment.
“I… I heard it… I heard you … I heard the words you wished to say from the bottom of your heart.” Juliet’s voice shook from the emotion she felt, but she willed herself to stay strong. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke again.
“My prince, oh my beloved prince,
The love of my life and my reason for being,
Words are not enough to describe how I ache without you by my side,
How my heart weeps, aches, crumbles,
That you are so far away,
That fate continues to keep us apart.”
Romeo felt the tears sting his eyes. These words… They were the words he had written for the princess, and now he was hearing them from Juliet's lips. They felt so alive, so wonderful in that beautiful voice of hers. They were real .
She had heard him. And now, he heard her too.
“But it is because of my love for you, my prince,
That I understand why it must be this way.
Even though I want to be selfish,
Even if I pray to the gods above to let us be together,
I know that things will not be so easy,
And we must let nature run its course, until our fated day comes at last.
And so, I will wait,
I will wait for you, my prince, my love;
I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes,
I will wait until the time comes for us to meet again.
I will wait, until the war and conflict ends,
Until blood is no longer spilled on the land,
Until there is only peace, happiness, and laughter, until there is only love, and hope, and light…
In my arms I will welcome you, in my embrace you shall rest,
We will look upon each other once more, like lovers meeting for the first time.
Until then, my love,
I will wait for you,
And I hope, I pray, that when that day comes,
You continue to love me as deeply as I still love you.”
It was only when Juliet finished that Romeo realized he had been holding his breath, and tears were streaming down his cheeks. Juliet was crying as well, but she stood firm and did not waver as she looked at Bill the Bard… No, Romeo before her.
There was no way he could leave her hanging like this. Not when she heard him and answered him, baring her own heart and soul to him like this.
Not when he knew now for sure that their feelings for each other were stronger than ever.
“Your words have reached me,” Romeo said, to both Juliet and Paris’ surprise. It really is him, Juliet thought, the warm feeling of relief spreading through her chest. “Please continue to wait for me, princess. I promise you that we will meet again at the fated time.”
“Yes… Yes, we will.” Words couldn't describe the happiness Juliet felt as she smiled and nodded. “Until then, my beloved.”
Their feelings had reached each other at last. As Romeo turned and left to continue living as Bill the Bard, and as Juliet returned with Paris to mingle with the people of Verona as the Capulet princess, both knew that their love could withstand the test of time and distance, until the day they could be in each other's arms finally came.
Someday for sure, without question, they would be together once again.