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

[keep_the_peace]

His dog. His. Right. "He! Many apologies, I am not yet used to ...how things are here, and that men may ...care for one another in that way." If it looks like he's blushing you're clearly imagining it.

[sagramore]

Sagramore softens. "Yes, things are easier here. There's no need to be anyone but who you are, or love any way but how you love. There's freedom."

[keep_the_peace]

"It seems... near too good to be true."

[sagramore]

A laugh, in spite of himself. "Aye, I know. Well, the trick of it is there's no leaving. The freedom is all in the customs."

[keep_the_peace]

“That bothers me not. I would rather be here than in Verona.”

[sagramore]

"You're not the only one. --Wait, Verona? Are you one of Mercutio's friends? --or I suppose enemies--"

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio perks up. "Mercutio is one of my dearest friends. I am ...much relieved, to have found him alive and well here."

[sagramore]

"Oh, he'll be so pleased to see you, he chafes for want of his friends. He's been low since Tybalt came and went."

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio gets up at that (sorry, Szari), his entire demeanor changing at once to something resembling being on alert. “Tybalt was here?” Mercutio did not mention that. “He didn’t hurt Mercutio again, did he?”

[sagramore]

"Only broke his heart a little," Sagramore says, a bit gentler -- he assumes Benvolio is aware of the obvious romance, such as it is, between Mercutio and Tybalt. "They didn't get a chance to sort many things out before Tybalt left."

[keep_the_peace]

"What -- what mean you by that? Sort what out?"

[sagramore]

"You know, the mutual pining, the tension. --Wait, you don't know."

[keep_the_peace]

"With Tybalt?!" Benvolio's entire world is just crumbling around him, nothing to worry about here. "Tybalt who killed Mercutio?"

[sagramore]

"Jesu, I'm sorry, I thought it was obvious, I didn't mean to just--" Sagramore looks moderately flustered at having inadvertently outed his five-hundredth adopted child; the fact that Benvolio's world is tilting on its axis hasn't entered the picture yet.

[keep_the_peace]

Obvious. He thought it obvious. Images of Mercutio, covered in blood, lying limp in Benvolio's arms flash through his mind. Yelling at a panicking Romeo to run away, and that being the last he saw of Romeo as well... Benvolio tries to take a deep breath to steady himself. Mercutio, at least, is here. Alive. That's not nothing.

"I -- I must be on my way, many apologies -- I -- it has been nice to meet you," he manages to sputter out before turning and heading down the hall to the room he supposes is his now.

[sagramore]

"Wait, wait, lad--" Sagramore darts after him, Szarka at their heels. Her new friend is Upset. "Wait, don't go. I was stupid, I was careless."

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio really does not want to, but he does slow to a stop. He can feel tears starting to form. Ugh. He doesn’t want this stranger to see him crying. “‘Tis not you I am angry with,” he says, still not looking at Sagramore though.

[sagramore]

He's not just going to leave an upset child alone, especially when he caused the upset. He puts a hand on Benvolio's shoulder. "He has longed for thy coming. Don't let my stupidity turn thee against him."

[keep_the_peace]

The thought of turning against Mercutio is so absurd he nearly laughs at it. If Tybalt was here, rescued from death somehow as Mercutio has been, and he claimed to care for Mercutio? That’s ridiculous. He killed him. Last time Benvolio checked, most people don’t kill someone they care for. Whatever Mercutio’s feelings on the matter are he can find out later, but for Tybalt to show up and do anything that clearly toyed with Mercutio further (if, as this man claims, Mercutio has been upset by it all) it — it makes Benvolio incredibly angry.

“Do you know how Mercutio died?” he asks, still not looking at Sagramore.

[sagramore]

"I do know. He's made light of it, of course, but-- I'm not surprised." The reasonable part of him, the part that keeps him from anger and always understands why people do the unfair things they do, has never had any trouble sympathizing with both Tybalt and Mercutio, or seeing why a man might love and forgive his murderer.<sup>1

1</sup>:)

[keep_the_peace]

“Mercutio could make light of any slight done to him, no matter how grave. — Which, in this case, it was.” Slights done to others he cares about is a different story entirely, but Benvolio has seen Mercutio laugh off the worst insults and injuries, whether it was from a random person on the street, his own father, or anyone in between. He acts like none of it stings in some attempt to brush it away sooner, but Benvolio knows his friend. He knows how deep those things can run with him, and he finds it ridiculous that someone else wouldn’t understand how big a deal this situation is. “I do not think the man who caused him to die in my arms could possibly care for him, and if, as you say, Tybalt hath been banished back to hell then we are all the better for it.”

[sagramore]

"I hear thee. I was wrong to speak so lightly of it. A man may count his hurt no slight aloud and yet carry the wound close to his heart."

[keep_the_peace]

Another question comes to Benvolio now though. “I thought us all to be trapped here together. How was Tybalt able to come and then go?”

[sagramore]

"There are days people pass through. Last time it was my brother. Just a day, here and gone."

[keep_the_peace]

“I am sorry,” he says, softening slightly. “That must have been hard, to lose your brother after only a visit. How is everyone certain I am here for good though? If some come and then go just as quickly?”