simplestgift | Twelve Bells: [WRITTEN/ACCIDENTAL VIDEO/ACTION] The winter of our discontent.

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Meet me this evening? I'll come by your flat to walk you to dinner. I've a surprise for you.
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It has come to my attention that every copy the library has of Richard III is missing bits of his famous speech. I've noticed it in other places as well. Romeo and Juliet is lacking the lines when she wakes up and they reunite before he remembers he took poison. All for Love is also just a bit different from what I remember. Far as I can tell, The London Merchant is whole, but quite a lot of older tragedies are missing bits and pieces. Can anyone explain this?

There's something about the fight between Tybalt and Mer

[The writing stops. A second later, the journal hits the floor, showing a lovely view of the carpet in one of the many apartments in the village. In the background, Archie's voice begins, sounding a little flustered.]

Horatio, I'll be back in a few hours. Damn, damn.

Archie? [The immediate confusion is quickly replaced with a concern that he tries to make sound less pressing than he felt it.] What is it? Where are you going?

[Archie's voice comes back, less frantic but still speaking quickly as some jangling is heard from picking up his sword.] Nothing. In trying to get you settled this week, I completely forgot to practice. I'll be out back, behind the building, wishing I was dead.

Ah, of course. The pirate. [A beat.] Shall I wait here, then?

[A pause.] I suppose two could practice.

If he'd prefer to deal with only one, I would be content to just watch. [Not that he's trying to put off the inevitable-- that sooner or later, he has to let Archie out of his sight for more than a few minutes. ...To distract from that idea, he chuckles.] Besides-- would be hard for two to practice when only one is armed. Perhaps once I have a sword again, you can teach me what he's taught you.

I don't have a lesson today, Horatio. We could stop by the weapons' shop and find you something more than suitable. [He sounds slightly wistful.]

[The thought of not yet having to deal with the pirate whose boat he borrowed? Perks him up.] I'd like that.

Very well, Mister Hornblower. I challenge you to a duel!

And, as a gentleman, I cannot refuse. I am afraid, Mr. Kennedy, that in a matter as serious as this-- [the smile on his face is betrayed by his tone] --there can, naturally, be no quarter given.

[What follows behind CH1 is two navy boys gleefully trying to chop each other up. It's more akin to horseplay than practice, but it appears that "the twins" are having fun, at least. Onlookers feel free to look on.

Later, Archie will do a little honest practice on his own in the same place.

OOC: Anyone whose character knows stuff about lit history can point out that a lot of older plays in the 18th century were rewritten just a little to update them for a "modern" audience.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, sure they would, but teenagers aren't exactly masters of clear thinking.

There's quite a difference between "not thinking clearly" and "not thinking clearly enough to be suicidal." [A pause before more words appear.] At least over love.

But that's part of the tragedy of the matter, isn't it? If everything else had gone according to plan, they'd have been the former, not the latter.

[Turns out I skip words if I try to watch Star Trek and type at the same time. SORRY ABOUT THAT.]

I find the heart of the tragedy that the two people these young people went to for help did nothing but make the situation worse by urging silence.

There's tragedy all over this story, isn't there? They might've sent Romeo and Juliet to an even quicker grave if they'd told their parents what was going on, though.

A quicker death perhaps. Perhaps. But a death where they were trying to change the situation, rather than accepting their "fate."

I take it the story of Juliet and her Horatio would have ended rather differently?

[The reply comes after some time. He's put thought into this answer.]

Yes.

[...No explanation seems to be forthcoming, for as long as it took him to put down.]

The story of Kathryn and her Romeo would probably have been fairly similar to Shakespeare's, though I'd like to think it'd involve two deaths fewer. You must have been far more level-headed than I was at that age.

[She's teasing you, Horatiooooo.]

I wasn't as level-headed as I thought I was, but I handled things differently than Romeo did.

Yes, I suppose you did. Whatever you'd have done, I'm sure it would've been a fine play itself.

Twelve Bells: [WRITTEN/ACCIDENTAL VIDEO/ACTION] The winter of our discontent.

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