Romeo & Juliet
It was dark. Half past midnight at least. She quietly ran down the hallway, holding her breath and tiptoeing as she passed her parents room, running when she was in the clear. It was these nights that she loved the most, under the light of a thousand stars and a million different galaxies.
“Left twice, then right, down the stairs, then left again,” she whispered to herself.
For no reason, she had the entire castle mapped out. She knew this exit by memory since she had snuck out countless times before.
She checked for guards as she closed up to the library door. She moved forward when she did not see any.
Even though her father has doubled the guards, he still had no idea how easy it was for her to escape.
She opened, then closed the door as quietly as she could, and raced to the window atop the shelves. She climbed the bookshelves with ease, careful not to make a sound.
A calm breeze flooded into the library as she made her way outside, leaving only the echoing of the grandfather clock to toll its lullaby to the already sleeping castle.
Her feet hit the ground. The drop from the window was not large, only a few feet at the most. She didn’t look back, just dusted her night gown off and ran.
Past the slightly wilted carnations and the newly blossoming asters in the royal garden, she fled off into the darkness with only the late summer fireflies, and a path of dandelions to lead her way.
ॡ
She flung herself into Lexa’s arms and held her like her life depended on it, crushing the flowers she picked for her in between their chests. She hugged her back with even more passion, she kissed her face multiple times, just to hear her laugh. When she finally put her down she grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit down next to her. She caressed her cheek, and she melted into her touch.
“It has been too long Clarke,” lexa whispered.
She placed her own hand over hers. ”I’m sorry Lexa. My Mother ordered more guards to watch at night. It’s easy but getting harder as the days go on.”
She wished there was a better way for them to see each other. Sadly her father and mother have a suitor waiting to marry her when she turns eighteen. Clarke could never ask her parents to marry Lexa, they would never approve.
She prayed to the gods, hoping at least one would listen to her. She desperately hoped someone would save her, and let her live with the woman she loved, and not some complete stranger her mother wanted to pawn her off to.
Lexa could see the sadness in Clarke’s eyes, and could tell she was thinking hard. Ever since she found out she was intended to marry a man whom she did not love, the light that once filled her eyes had faded. She knew Clarke was thinking about her fate, and she knew that light would never be the same, if it was to ever return.
“We’re together now, I’m here, and you’re here,” Lexa said, as she offered a small smile. “Don’t think about the future, don’t think about your eighteenth birthday in a few days. Just think about us now.”
Lexa pulled her into her lap. Just like that, all of Clarke’s worries vanished as she laid her head upon Lexa’s shoulder. She closed her eyes, listening to her breathing, thinking how her heartbeat reminded her of a lullaby.
“Think about this night sky, the stars and planets in that sky, and us together right now under the heavens,” Lexa said. She opened her eyes as she shifted so he could point towards the dark blue eternity that was their sky. “Not the past, not the future, only the present.”
She pulled her hand down and placed it over Clarke’s heart. She thought how at sunrise Clarke would need to go back. The thought of her leaving left Lexa’s mind when she felt her own heart clutch in her chest. Her eyes began to water with tears that threatened to fall.
No! Clarke is with me right now. Now the stars are shining. Now the night is still night. Don’t think about the past, don’t think about the future. Only think about the present, only think about now.
Lexa wiped at her face, feeling the ghosts of tears that wouldn’t dare fall, as she looked up at the sky, then down at Clarke. She smiled ever so slightly, drinking in the image in front of her, savoring it as though this was the last time she would see her like this, and not thinking that it might be.
ॡ
The sun began to rise. The stars said their goodbyes as night lost the battle to day, and darkness surrendered to light.
Clarke got up, her light blonde hair faintly swaying as her night gown rustled with the summer-soon-to-be-autumn breeze. Lexa stood up, leaning on a tree. They stood there for a few moments longer than they should have: Lexa taking in the sight of her, thinking how she had never seen something else more beautiful, treasuring how peaceful and at ease with the world Clarke looked; wishing this moment could last forever.
Clarke thought about the way Lexa’s dark brown hair moved delicately with the wind… The way her whole body and face were clean and not covered in ash like usual from her father’s blacksmith workshop…
Their moment was cut short when the lark birds began singing their song. Lexa knew Clarke needed to leave now if she wanted to make it back home in time.
Clarke walked closer to Lexa, wrapping her arms around Lexa’s neck, her arms—not a second later—encircling her waist. She put her head on Lexa’s shoulder and she said with a sigh, “I must go. Only a few more days till the first day of autumn. Only a few more days till my eighteenth birthday.”
She looked up at Lexa and continued, “The day before my birthday—” was all she said before Lexa kissed her. Their kiss was slow and lasting. The world disappeared as they cherished the kiss, trying to make the memory of it last. For Lexa, it was a goodbye kiss, as she believed it to be their last, but for Clarke it was a promise—one she was going to keep.
Lexa pulled away slowly, as she said, “You have to go.”
ॡ
Passed the slightly wilted carnations, and the newly blossoming asters in the royal garden she ran. Her light blue nightgown was covered in dirt. She climbed up into the window, not bothering to dust off.
Using the vines that grew into the wall to lift herself up, she made it to the open window. Carefully, she pulled herself inside, just as there was a knock at the door. She quietly but hastily closed the window and grabbed the closest book she can find.
The door was pushed open and her mother queen Abby walks in.
“Clarke what are you doing here? Your father Jake and I have been searching everywhere for you! And why is your night gown dirty?” Abby demanded.
Clarke looked down at her nightgown, then back at her mother. “I guess the maids forgot to wash my laundry and I didn’t notice,” she said as she faked a smile.
“Never mind that Clarke, you must get ready; we are meeting the king and queen of Miroidia. And your suitor, soon to be your husband, Prince Finn,” Abby said as she walked out of the library, leaving the door open, motioning for Clarke to follow.
ॡ
Her dress was a pale yellow, and was so extremely tight that she could barely breathe. It was long and, despite the refreshing breeze, she was still burning hot. The tiara on her head was silver with little diamonds and rubies. Clarke hated it in every way: the dress, the tiara, the prince. Any other princess would love it, but her heart already belonged to someone else. Her heart belonged to Lexa.
She followed her mother and father into the courtyard. A carriage soon arrived, it drove right over her blossomed hydrangeas and blooming chrysanthemums. The king came out first, then the queen, and lastly the prince. He had long floppy brown hair, and a smirk that made Clarke feel sick to her stomach.
The king introduced himself as King Henry, then he introduced his wife, Queen Florence. Finn walked right up to Clarke, took her hand in his gloved one, and kissed it sloppily.
“Hello darlin’, I’m Prince Finn,” he said. It seemed as if his smirk was permanently plastered onto his face.
“Welcome King Henry, Queen Florence, and Prince Finn. Clarke will be happy to give you a tour around the castle, then show you to your rooms. Right Clarke?”
“Yes father,” she replied, trying to hide her disdain.
“Very well, during dinner we shall discuss the wedding! It is only seven days away,” Abby said in a cheery tone.
Clarke started walking towards the castle. Looking back at her now ruined flowers, she motioned for her guests and soon-to-be-husband to follow her.
Finn ran up behind her and grabbed her hand, his smirk still present. Ariel did her best not to show her disgust, pretending to be happy holding hands with him.
ॡ
Candles flickered as the butlers began bringing food to the table. There were two whole turkeys, a roasted duck, and a boar the kingdoms hunters had recently caught, along with too many side dishes to count.
Clarke sat in between her mother and Finn. Halfway through the dinner Finn started resting his hand on her thigh. She tried not to gag. Droplets of sweat started to form on her forehead as she heard her mother and Queen Florence discuss the wedding.
Finn finally removed his hand when Jake stood up to make a toast.
“To the soon to be newlyweds. May your children grow strong!” He put his glass down when he finished.
Clarke spit out her water after she heard what her father had said. She took her napkin, wiped her face, and then excused herself.
She ran through the hallways. She was too far away to hear her parents in the dining room so her footsteps and the grandfather clock were the only things echoing through her ears. When she finally arrived at her room she launched herself into her bed, hiding herself under the silk sheets.
A family? Children with—with Prince Finn? How can I marry anyone besides Lexa? How can my parents just sell me off like a cow to a man I don’t even know?!
Thoughts and sorrow flooded her mind. She brought her hands up to her chest and prayed, hoping it would work this time, hoping someone was listening.
ॡ
Little did she know that someone was listening. On Mount Olympus, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, heard Clarke’s prayers, and took pity on her. Aphrodite called upon Zeus and pleaded for his help.
In five nights time her prayers would be answered.
ॡ
It was dark, half before midnight. She quietly ran down the hallway. She held her breath and tiptoed as she passed her parents room. She did not let the breath out until after she passed the guests’ rooms also. She ran when she was in the clear.
It was this night that she planned to savor and love the most, for it was this night that would be the last. The last night under the light of a thousand stars and a million different galaxies. The last night with Lexa. The last night of her being happy, of her being with her true love.
“Left twice, then right, down the stairs, then left again,” she whispered to herself.
As she made her way to the window in the library, she heard the grandfather clock echoing down the hallways. She unlocked the window and jumped out.
Her feet hit the ground. The drop from the window was not large, only a few feet at the most. She didn’t back nor did she bother to dust off her night gown, she just ran.
Past the wilted carnations, and the fully blossomed asters in the royal garden, she fled off into the darkness, and into the emerald turned auburn leaves.
Lexa was always there first. And she did what she did just last week, flung herself into her arms, crushing the flowers Lexa brought, just like last time. The only difference was Clarke clutched her with such force, as though if she let go, her world would fall apart. This time when she did it would and her life along with her heart would break.
Lexa didn’t let Clarke go, though. She just backed up into a tree and slid down it. Clarke on her chest, Lexa holding onto her and softly caressing her back as Clarke melted into her touch.
Lexa shifted them so she could see the sky: an endless eternity of stars and galaxies. They stayed like that for what felt like forever.
Forever didn’t last as long as they hoped. The grandfather clock struck twelve and echoed louder than ever before. Aphrodite’s pleas were answered as Zeus’s plan was enacted.
ॡ
Clarke’s vision began to blur and the stars started to dance. Lexa witnessed the constellations rearrange as her love was slowly stripped from her grasp.
She blinked and Clarke wasn’t in her arms any more. Lexa tried to understand what had just happened. She looked up and saw a new constellation, one she had never seen before. Lexa could faintly see the outline of a girl that reminded her of Clarke. Suddenly and without reason, she had this feeling, she just knew the constellation was Clarke.
Nothing made sense now, nothing was the same now. But now when she looked up at the sky she would always be reminded of Clarke. The girl who came into his life like a shooting star, so bright and beautiful yet powerful in every way.
It’s better now, Lexa thought. She dragged herself up from the ground and moved towards the sharpest object she could find. It was an arrow head, from one of the royal hunters. She held it up to her heart.
“My beautiful Clarke, without you there is no light in my life, and I do not wish to live in the dark,” Lexa whispered the last part as she plunged the arrow head into her heart.
Her grey blacksmith’s shirt became discolored with blood and scarlet stained her hands as she fell to the cold ground.
ॡ
In Mount Olympus, Aphrodite’s eyes went wide with horror as she witnessed the death of two young lovers. Her mind started racing and she felt guilt fill her body, for it was her fault. Guilt morphed into rage as she stormed out to find Zeus.
“Zeus!” she roared “How could you? This isn’t what I meant! This isn’t what I asked for!”
“You asked for the girl’s heart to not feel pain, and I made it so she has no heart” Zeus said calmly.
“You changed her into a constellation, into stars. I wanted her and her love to be able to be happy together. Instead you took away not just pain but her ability to feel. You must fix this!”
“How?!?” Zeus asked, slightly annoyed
“I don’t know! Just fix this! Make the girl into stars also!” she screamed
His eyebrow arched and with a simple flick of the wrist he did what she asked.