Introducing Benvolio

[keep_the_peace]

Waking up in a strange bedroom, in a strange house, was bad enough, but then when Benvolio finally made his way to the front door he was greeted by snow outside. Summer might be coming to an end, but it definitely is not snow weather yet, nor is Benvolio dressed for such, in his black silk doublet, black and blue trimmed trunk hose, and black stockings. He does have shoes on, thankfully, though he can't imagine how he would have fallen asleep wearing shoes. It's not like he's had much opportunity to celebrate to the point of blacking out lately, after all.

Regardless, he takes one look at the snow outside and decides to shut the door and instead turn his attention to the table covered in different pamphlets and papers. He has many questions.

Comments

[chariestmaid]

Ophelia nods. First fishing the canister from her pocket, she withdraws a little roll of developed film and deftly unrolls it -- when she holds it to the light, the pictures shine in stark contrast, semi-translucent and somehow ethereal. Pictures of the family chicken pecking at the morning feed, of an egret with one long, dark leg raised above the water, of the bright flash of a kingfisher with its wings a-blur.

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio looks at the film, at the tiny images that only appear when there's enough light, bizarre and see-through. "These are..." he can't actually think of a word to describe them with, and just trails off mid-sentence.

[chariestmaid]

"Made of light," she says, using the King's expression. He seemed particularly enraptured by it, whenever he started explaining the chemicals required to develop a photograph. "These pictures represent the positive space, the places where light shines brightest. I also had a copy which showed the negative -- it emphasized the darker corners." This is a lot of explaining, and she feels self-conscious, as if at any moment this boy will start to look bored.

[keep_the_peace]

But Benvolio is listening closely to everything she says, fully amazed by the whole thing. "I would not have imagined such a thing possible."

[chariestmaid]

"There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy," she says, more confident than ever of its truth. "To make a picture like the one on the wall ... these smaller pictures must undergo an alchemical change. But you should take pictures of your own first. Of whatever catches your eye."

[keep_the_peace]

He blinks. "With -- with your ... device?" If she told him what it is called he has forgotten. "Or are there more of them?"

[chariestmaid]

"Camera," she repeats. "I'm lending it to you."

[keep_the_peace]

"...I am worried it may break if I am responsible for it," he says, with full honesty. He doesn't want to break her camera. It's probably special, since it's so neat.

[chariestmaid]

She considers the possibility, and deems it likely. Though she's only met Benvolio, and he seems careful and kind as any other young man she's met, young men will still break things despite all their care. "Then I'll come with you."

[keep_the_peace]

That seems fair. "Where shall we go?" He doesn't know where anything is yet, after all. She is by far the expert here.