Mystery's Short Stories.

Version 2 Romeo and Juliet Narritave

This is my second submission to my teacher for the narrative. I brought my grade on the submission from a low A to a higher A with a 49.75 points in total.

Again first POV 
Friar Lawrence POV

I should have expected to find the Nurse in the room of the late Juliet Capulet. The bed only wrinkled from where the Nurse had sat on it to grieve. It had been a hard blow to each of the families. Two, deaths on each side:

For the Montagues: Romeo and Mercutio.

For the Capulets: Tybalt and Juliet.

Two were taken by another's hand. The other by their hand. Romeo in grief killed himself with poison. Juliet also taken by grief used her love's knife to take her life.

"How are you?" I cautiously asked walking up to the Nurse.

"Two deaths within days of each other. Tybalt hurt but, Juliet was taken from this world at such a young age. Not even fourteen summers," She timidly replied.

I nodded. Death took a toll on everyone close to those deceased.

"It will never fully leave us, but the hurt will get better with time," I tried to comfort the Nurse.

"Maybe," she stuttered, before bursting into tears again.

I couldn't help but start to tear up. Romeo and Juliet had been so deeply in love that within days of meeting each other they had gotten married and then taken their life for the other.

"At least this has helped their parents see that fighting each other is close to useless." I tried to look at the silver lining, "Maybe now we will have peace for a while."

"Hope can be fickle," the Nurse wisely stated, using her hands to emphasize her point, "When one fight ends another has begun. It is a cycle that will take generations to break."

"Maybe, but for now let us not focus on the future but on the present. How can we help the peace along?"

"The few ideas I have may not be effective, but it would be nice to try and bring peace before I leave this Earth."

"Tell me your ideas, and we may be able to make a plan," I gently told her. Maybe a distraction is what she needed to get her mind off the grief she was feeling.

"One idea I had is maybe we could try to make a treaty to help them along." the Nurse mused, "We could make it into a compromise for both sides."

"We may be able to go through the Prince for the treaty," I tried to help her form a plan.

If we could get in touch with the Prince for a treaty between Lord Capulet and Lord Montague, then maybe a diplomat can be assigned to help negotiations along. The plan has holes in it, but it was a solid plan that has a chance of success.

"I do not know if I can do that, but a letter could be sent to the Prince telling him of our idea to bring peace, "I tell her while trying to give her comfort through a reassuring touch.

"NO!" the voice of Lord Capulet boomed from the council room, "I WILL NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS!"

"Why not Lord Capulet. Lord Montague's demands seem reasonable," the Prince calmly stated.

"I do not wish to give away my city."

"Now, now we do not want another war between families." The Prince calmed the fuming, Lord.

"My Lord it is only fifty precent of the city." I spoke up, "You both would have equal land mass of Verona. Citizens could freely come and go, but you and Lord Montague would never have to see each other but to negotiate."

"I still do not agree with this, but I have a demand of my own."

"And what would that be Lord Capulet?" Lord Montague asked.

"I want competence for my daughter's death. After all it was your son who took her from me," Lord Capulet said.

"Your daughter willingly took her own life when Romeo took his. I see no reason to pay you for her death."

I was inclined to agree with Montague, so I nodded along with his words before speaking, "Romeo and Juliet truly loved each other and gave their lives for each other. It wasn't anyone's fault for their own actions."

Slowly with both me and the Prince talking him down he grudgingly agreed to not pursue his demand for competence for Juliet's death. For the rest of the meeting, I feared a fist fight could break out any minute if the glares the two Lords were send at each other was anything to go off of.

"That went well," I chuckled as I spotted the Nurse in the hall.

"Your tone implies something different Friar," she cheekily replied.

"Your right though, " I sighed, "The meeting started out okay but then Lord Capulet demanded pay for Juliet's death. Luckily, he was talked down."

"Luckily," the Nurse replied amused.

I smiled, "For now, I think we have a peace treaty worked out. Both families will get fifty percent of Verona. Citizens are free to walk between them as they please. Lords Capulet and Montague shall not have to see each other unless, A (They want too or B (they need to negotiate."

"Sounds reasonable," she hummed in reply.

The treaty was signed with no problems from either side. The Prince officiated it with his royal seal. Until mankind decides to do what they do best and bring about another war Verona was at peace.  

Enjoy? 

Last Story Update: 1/1/2023