The Wordsmith
The Wordsmith
1
The Living Martyr
Twenty-four minutes after I was born, and right after interpreting my birth-prophecy, the Blue Doctor announced to my family that the greatest moment of my existence will be when I end my own life. The only problem I will face when that moment arrives is that I will not die alone; someone whom I am going to be deeply in love with shall, willingly, share the same fate with me.
Later, my family and I understood that my birth-prophecy referred to the long-feared curse. No Blue Doctor had ever graduated without thoroughly studying this curse. A blessing - as they had called it - that would only appear as a warning sign once the number of living lovers had fallen below seventy-seven million.
The moment that sacred number of Love is breached; the curse will manifest itself. And the way it does this is by choosing the firstborn of a loving family. Someone who will be raised during a time of war, yet - despite all the hatred around him - will succeed in keeping all the love units in his heart intact.
Such an individual is destined for nothing less than changing the world. However, the price for this honourable mission is for him to offer his life as a love sacrifice. With this sacrifice, he not only will end that ongoing war, but also, he will restore the balance in the Circle of Love. The Blue Doctors call it ‘The Blessed Curse’, and I am cursedly blessed with it.
The cursed part of this story is obvious: I must die. It can’t be an accident and I mustn’t get killed. I must take my own life for the one I will fall in love with. The Blue Doctors explained to my family that that would be the only acceptable action that proves - beyond any doubt - that true love is something worth dying for. The blessed part of this dark narrative is that my sacrifice will never be forgotten; on the contrary, it will inspire the upcoming generations of lovers for eternity.
I am not quite sure how many times the curse has manifested itself before, but I find it hard to believe that any family - despite all the temptation of the promised eternal blessings - will calmly accept their firstborn’s destiny, and willingly offer him as a “love sacrifice”. I’m sure it has never been easy for any family, let alone my family; after all, I am Romeo, son of Montague, and my family is one of the two most powerful families here in Verona.
I have no doubt that my family would love nothing more but to end the ongoing war between our family and the Capulets, but surely not at the expense of my own life! That’s why they have never lost hope that there could be a way to break such a ‘blessing’. And as a result, and through the whole sixteen years I have been alive, my family and I have visited every Wizard, Lotus Eater, and Heartsmith here in our city. Unsurprisingly, no one would dare to break such a blessed curse.
That is until the news came one day that a skilled English wordsmith from the town of Stratford-upon-Avon arrived. One, they say, who has found a cure for every soul-problem, and one who promises and offers his visitors only one remedy for any heart-curse: immortality.
So, here I am, next in line at the door of where he is staying. His assistant has just admitted a beautiful, gentle, and very sad young girl to enter, one who is carefully holding what seems like an old scroll. A girl whom she addressed as Juliet.
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2
A Hidden Prophecy
Dear Mr. Shakespeare
My name is Juliet. I am the daughter of the head of the House of Capulet. I presume further introduction will not be needed.
Words of your profound wisdom, and kindhearted writings have reached us here in Verona. In addition, your reputation as a famous and skilled wordsmith, one whose words are known for offering remedies for every heart-curse has encouraged me to present to you a long-kept secret in our house. One that my family has been hiding since the moment I was born.
Fourteen years ago, the Blue Doctor who was assigned to read my birth-prophecy refused to offer an interpretation for its lines. He claimed that there would be a great cry throughout all the land of Verona if he did so. And that he couldn’t bear to be the one to open such a gate of sorrow. The only prediction he agreed to give us was that my birth-prophecy marked the beginning of the end for the ongoing war between our house, the House of Capulet, and our rivals’, the Montagues.
My family couldn’t but hide my birth-prophecy, fearing its foretold consequences. I had no doubt of their good intentions, but after all these years I believe someone must take a step and put an end to that bloody war. Therefore, here I am, putting this prophecy in your hands, and hoping for your honest interpretation.
“beware, beware, thy crossing star,
and a name for a dead,
starting with ‘R’,
with blood he endeth
and addeth no more,
to thy nev’r-ending burning war,
as thirty is not
what thou couldst mean,
at which hour thou addst
fourteen and sixteen,
yet thou hast to rememb’r
and at each moment realise,
not one but two,
are needed sacrifices.”
I shall not claim to be wise enough to interpret much of it; but it is clear that a sacrifice has to, willingly, be offered. A sacrifice that I am ready to make if it is in the best interests of my house.
As I am sure that you are aware, the interpretation of any birth-prophecy is fulfilled once spoken out loud, either to the same person or to one of his family. Under this acknowledged belief, it would be highly appreciated if you could consider paying a visit to my homeplace, the beautiful city of Verona. Such a visit will surely be a great opportunity to meet you and listen directly to your interpretation of this prophecy.
Juliet Capulet
Veneto, Italy
* * *
Reimagining Shakespeare.
A love tribute to the English wordsmith whose words have blessed his characters with the forbidden remedy to every problem for every human being: immortality.
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