Hellen

After all the introductions, Charles and I tagged along on a trip to the market with Edmund and his fiancé. Edmund was being extremely quiet, paying attention to nothing but the scenery. As Charles’ twin, I could easily read his facial expression, and right now, I had the urge to protest, so I did. “She’s engaged, Charles. Lay off it.” 

He ignored me and instead spoke in his annoying poetic tone to Charlotte, after he threw a rock at a window, causing it to break, much to my despair. “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and you, Charlotte Jones, thou art the sun.”

She rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, “Charles, o’ Charles, I’m engageth, Sir Charles.” 

“O you doth teach the torches to burn bright. It seems thou hang upon the cheek of the night as a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear.” 

Charlotte stopped abruptly and scolded my brother in a very unladylike manner: “Listen up, Mister Page. I don’t know how things work in London, but I doubt it involves going around and flirting with another boy’s fiancé. Especially, the fiancé of a boy who is being so kind as to let you stay in the shelter of his own home! I don’t care how many times you quote Romeo Montague; it isn’t going to work! I’m to marry Edmund, and that’s final!” 

Edmund refocused at the sound of his name. “What about me?” 

“Nothing,” answered Charlotte. “Let’s go.” She and I continued walking, but Edmund and Charles stayed put. 

“Are you flirting with my wife-to-be?” questioned Edmund. 

“Charles, Edmund, come on! We don’t have all day!” I called to them. 

“No, Hellen, wait,” protested my brother. He then faced Edmund. “You think she’s yours, do you?” 

“Well, we are engaged, Page.” 

“Engagements mean nothing when it’s an assigned marriage.” 

“Well, were you the one who kept her from breaking her skull yesterday?” 

“No, but have you read Romeo and Juliet?” 

“What’s that got to do with anything?!” 

“Juliet—that’s Charlotte—was engaged to Count Paris—that’s you—but then she met Romeo—that’s me—at the party, and fell in love. Who’s to say that isn’t this exact situa—” 

Smack. 

Edmund slapped Charles across the face. My twin’s face turned bright red with anger. Charlotte’s eyes widened with fear and her eyes glossed over like she wanted to sob. “This is going to get ugly. Charlotte, grab Edmund,” I told Charlotte. We ran up and she grabbed Edmund by the arm while I restrained Charles.  

“Let me at him!” he said. 

“No!” I argued. “We can’t fight. There’s a war for that. We need to get to the market and buy the ingredients for supper. We don’t have time for this. Charles, you must understand that Charlotte is going to marry Edmund and that’s final. Edmund, I apologize for my brother, but he’s taken a liking to Charlotte and there’s nothing I can do about it. He will eventually come to his senses and stop going all Romeo on Jul—I mean Charlotte.” 

Charles managed to free himself from my grasp and crossed his arms, turning away from the three of us.  

The boys scowled as we continued on our journey to the market.