Forced

Rosaline & Romeo

Rosaline and her mother had stood arguing in Rosaline’s room, "You have to break up with Romeo!" Her mother declared.

Rosaline had stared at her mother with despair in her twinkling blue eyes, “I can’t mother and you know that!”

Using a different approach her mother said, “I’ll give you a week before I shall interfere myself. You are the only young Capulet girl that is fit to swear the vow. It’s not up for discussion.”

It had become clear to Rosaline, the place she had called home had become her prison. A place where she had no will, her breath caught in her throat and she fell to the floor sobbing. Her mother had turned her back on Rosaline and walked out of the room not wanting to deal with her. She would have to swear a Vow of Chastity – it was a vow that meant that she would have to be a maiden forever, never have the chance to love or get married. All Rosaline had ever dreamed about was becoming a mother, getting married, and settling down; Romeo would have be a perfect husband, whomever shall hold his heart is a lucky woman.

Rosaline made her way down the servants’ stairs and into the kitchen, the cook was like a second mother to Rosaline – even though they were below her status at that point it didn’t change their relationship. “It isn’t fair for the parents curse to fall upon the child,” Rosaline had stopped when she heard cooks voice.

Suddenly the scullery maid, Iris, was the one to have spoken up, “I know, but it is also not for the servants to gossip or cuss on such trivial matters of the master’s family. This curse is as old as the hills, there is not changing that.” Rosaline had decided that she had heard enough and slipped back up the stairs, she had only just made it back into her room when her mother had come barging in.

“It’s a letter from Romeo,” Her mother said coldly, Rosaline was sure that her heart had turned to ice, “Get ready and go break up with him already.” As Rosaline had opened the letter she had known that she would treasure it forever and keep it close to her heart for a long time after this.

My dearest Rosaline,

Meet me at the Sycamore grove. I shall be waiting for you at noon today. Do not worry, I will provide a delectable lunch.

Love from your Romeo.

Romeo had this sweet, romantic heart – Rosaline couldn’t have dreamt of breaking his heart and letting him go. She had slid into a new dress, the dress that Romeo had gotten her for her seventeenth birthday. She had loved the dress, it had been a simple gesture but that had been what made it even more special to Rosaline. Rosaline had quickly slipped out of the house before she could change her mind.

Rosaline had walked through her town thinking of what she was going to say, eventually she decided to explain most of what she had to do. But nothing to do with her family otherwise Romeo would have slaughtered them so that they could have been together.

"Romeo?" Rosaline said as she approached her love.

“Your skin as soft as silk, your voice is as clear as a bell, your cheeks like the petals of a flower,” Romeo said as Rosaline’s cheeks had turned as red as a tomato.

"I have to tell you something important, so please, just listen and do not interrupt me until I have finished speaking," Rosaline paused for a moment to see what Romeo would say.

"Anything you wish," Romeo said smiling.

"Please don't be mad with me dear Romeo. I am swearing a vow of chastity in three days; that means this is the end of our relationship. Romeo, it's not you - it is me swearing off all men and becoming a maiden. Can you understand?" Rosaline begged him hoping that he would understand.

"Of course I understand, beautiful. And I respect your judgment, just grant me one last wish and then you shall be free," Romeo whispered.

Rosaline had looked at him with love in her eyes as she whispered back, “Anything.”

“Kiss me, one last time,” Romeo whispered. As Rosaline pulled away from her last ever kiss she felt the emotions that had come down as quickly as a sled on an icy mountain. “Good bye my sweet,” Romeo said as he walked back into the thicket of trees. That’s when it shattered, her heart had never love another since her Romeo.