Romeo and Juliet (retold): What really happened at the Capulet's party.
Please note:
All characters are at least 18 years old.
Your thoughts are always welcome in the comments and thank you for reading.
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A young girl sat on the ornate stone bench on her balcony watching the comings and goings below. She sighed grumpily and slumped her head into her hands. Her nurse busied herself tidying the room and turning down the bed sheets ready for her charge to retire for the evening whilst trying to ignore her obvious and increasingly audible sighs.
"I don't understand it. I'm being punished, mother must be offended again, though I know not what offence I've caused."
"Juliet, I will not comment on your mother's motives and you must not question them either. But I will say she is not being unkind my lady. I believe the party is not the place for a young impressionable girl. You are barely days into your eighteenth year Juliet. I expect your mother will not keep you waiting long, your debut will be a very special occasion, with Princes and suitors and a dance too. It will be a magical affair not like this corruption of moral purity tonight. Be patient Juliet, your day will come and your mother will have you by her side."
Juliet's interest was suddenly aroused, she pressed her nurse further on this news. "Oh, nurse. I expect you are right. I'd much prefer a party all of my own. So...exactly what morals are being corrupted tonight?"
The nurse gasped and threw her hands in the air, "oh. Shame Juliet. I've said too much, I will not speak of it more and you will confine your thoughts to this Latin text until bedtime. I won't think on it..." The nurse mumbled as her cheeks flushed red and she hurried from the room flustered. Juliet covered a snigger with her hand. When alone Juliet once more turned her attention to the activities below. She stared avidly as staff upon staff brought crate upon crate of flowers, decorations and fine foods into the house.
"If I can just find a way, I cannot be left out. I won't be left out. Oh, how to conceal oneself when I'm plain as day a Capulet in this Capulet home. I'm not letting my mother ruin this night. But oh! If only nurse hadn't been so embarrassed, what is it that made her blush so! What dance perhaps can there be that my eyes must be shielded from? Or is it humour, so course that my ears must be muted? Surely nothing she hadn't heard from her kinsmen, her cousins don't keep their thoughts clean even in my audience."
Juliet's frustration grew as she paced up and down fidgeting with her hair. She slumped down again by the window and resumed her sighing but wasn't kept waiting long before an unexpected opportunity presented itself.
Juliet jumped to her feet and smiled with glee at the latest arrival. A rail was wheeled towards the house, it was covered in elaborate dresses and sitting on top was rows of ornate and jeweled masks. "Oh, why did nurse not say, she kept it from me, a masqued ball. Perfect. But, oh, how?" As if the gods were listening Juliet's prayers were being answered before her eyes. The servant rolling the rack of costumes was suddenly called away to help with a heavier load from the cart that just pulled up.
The rail stood against the wall, unchecked, unmonitored. Juliet did not hesitate, she darted from her room, careful to check the hall was clear before heading to the back staircase leading to the servants' and trademans' entrance beneath her bedroom. Juliet ducked instinctively as she heard her cousins voices parade past but managed to evade them. As soon as she made it to the staircase she ran down the spiral stairs dodging the busy and flustered servants.
Juliet was given no notice, the staff were used to the young nymph dashing in and out, playing in the kitchens, evading her nurse or winding up her mother. Juliet dashed speedily out to the entrance and skilfully crept along the outside wall ducking behind the rail hidden by the elaborate costumes.
Eagerly she fingered the materials hoping for something she could conceal and steal but would hide her at the party. To her delight her nimble fingers pulled out a glistening gown, it's short length and fitted bodice would be perfect on her slender frame. She caressed the shimmering satin gown and brushed it along her cheek, shuddering slightly as she did. Attached to the gown was a a delicate translucent pair of wings matched with a small opaque sequinned veil draped from a silver diadem. Juliet gathered it up, fearful of crumpling the fine gown.
With a youthful sprint Juliet darted back into the house, up the stairs and shot across the hall and into her room quickly but quietly closing the door behind her. Juliet's heart pounded, her breathing was fast with excitement. Spreading out the gown on her bed, Juliet punched the air with satisfying glee. "I'll not be kept closeted Mother. Not anymore, and you'll never know."
Later that evening, Juliet watched from her balcony as a long line of patrons filed across the courtyard to the grand entrance. This was her chance. Juliet slunk back into her room. She removed her blouse and skirt and carefully lifted the gown onto her shoulders. She let the material fall and fastened the claps at the back as well as she could. The moved to the mirror and straightened herself.
She was used to wearing no support as her chest had failed to blossom. Her dark coloured panties however were obvious beneath the shimmering white gown. Not hesitating Juliet pulled them down and kicked them off. Her delicate gown moved freely in the breeze and Juliet was satisfied she could get away with wearing no undergarments.
Finally she lifted her wings into place across her back and placed the diadem fixing it into her hair and draped the silk veil across her face. 'Perfect' she thought.
Silently as before Juliet moved quickly across the empty corridor and down towards the back staircase. Once at the bottom, the noise from so many people and rush of the servants gave excellent cover. Juliet could hear the music playing from the ballroom calling to her. Not able to enter with the other guests after all she did not possess a ticket to get past the guards, but she hoped the service door to the ballroom would not be guarded and headed to the rear of the kitchen.
It was more and more obvious that Juliet stuck out from the servants who busied around her, repeatedly knocking her wings. "Should I just go in?" She pondered worried that having come so far she could be caught out at any moment.
Just as Juliet's confidence was about to fail her she turned to see from across the kitchen a parade of costumed guests. A line of girls were being moved through the servants entrance into the house by a guard. "Be brave, you can do this Juliet" she reassured herself as she ran to catch up with the end of the line of girls.
Just as she hoped, the girls were escorted directly to the ballroom, a side entrance opened and the girls were beckoned to enter. Once inside Juliet wanted to slip away in the other direction but the line of girls were directed into a possession around ballroom. Juliet tried to keep up as the girls followed their escort. She watched in wonder as the guests cooed and clapped as they walked on by.
At last the parade finished the guard directed them to stand in line against the far wall. Juliet began to follow slowly and just as a guest obscured the view of the escorting guard she stole away into the crowd. She stopped to take breathe and gazed across the ballroom. Reams and reams of decorations draped from the chandeliers across the ceiling like a multi-coloured canopy. Juliet watched as the crowds gathered.
