Mark of the Wanderer

London, England, 1604

Plop... plop... A crimson river flowed from my veins onto the floor. Through my thick vision, I managed to focus on the puddle on the ground and its source. Beautiful... the way life nourished the soil like the Summer rains in Verona; however, it was coming to a halt. I must remedy this drought. Metal bit my flesh and tore God's shameful brand in two. I barely felt it. More rain fell, and I was satisfied by the phantom fire my left forearm felt. God would surely send me to Hell for doing something like this... to destroy something that was made in his image. I no longer cared, I just want this to end. My life, my agony... I just want it all to stop. Lightning flashed outside my window, followed by the peal of thunder. I slowly reached toward the dark heavens, "When shall we meet again? In thunder... lightning... or rain?" I whispered.

The door suddenly slammed open, a furious Shakespeare stood there, followed by his frightened daughters. "Master Shake-" I was hoisted up my collar, but I had no strength to fight any longer.

"What are you doing?!" The man sounded furious, just like the heavens outside. I could only smile weakly as my fingers loosened around the weapon of mercy.

"I only..." My voice failed me, and I felt my emotions well up. "... what is life without Verona's walls?!" I managed out feebly. "What is life without heaven's gates? Where Giulietta resides within... WHERE I SHOULD RESIDE WITHIN!" I was thrust into my wooden stool and I slumped down, far too tired to sit up.

"Ungrateful...!" I felt a sting across my cheek, but the pain was swallowed by the abyss of my grief.

"Father!" One of the girls shrieked, unable to comprehend the action which their loving father had bestowed upon me.

"You have what men seek for their entire lives! You have a power that even the king cannot obtain, and you have the gall to disown your life?!" Shakespeare's voice was full of fury, but I cared not. Giulietta is dead... and with every day, a little more of me dies. I thought I could handle it, I tried to handle it, but knowing that I'll never see her again fills me with agony. My chest burns more than it did when I ingested the vile poison that ended my first life.

"I just... want to die..."

"Father, stop it!" Judith came to rest before me, her arms spread as protective wings to shield me from a blow that never came. My heavy gaze finally rose to meet the man with anger rippling from his very core. Lines of frustration marred his withering face.

"Tomorrow... and tomorrow... and tomorrow... creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time... and all our yesterdays..." My voice hitched, as I thought of how morbid everything has become. "... have lighted fools the way to dusty death... but not I." The corners of my lips rose with agonizing pain. "Why will you not allow me into death's embrace?"

"It is not I who denies you death's embrace. 'Tis God's, and God's will alone that judges that."

"God seeks to torture me."

"God seeks to remedy your sins." The man replied, a somber expression upon his face. "You cannot die, and I do not seek to watch you torture yourself further."

London, England, 2013

"Wow, strong grip." Paul released my hand first, grinning with amusement.

"Thanks... I've been told that." I forced a smile to my lips. I've lived long enough to understand when I should smile, when I should talk, and when I should shut up.

"Well, I've got to run. I have a meeting to get to, can't be late for that! It was nice meeting you, Roydan." The man didn't stop smiling once, and for some reason that really made me angry. "Babe, give me a kiss for the road?" He leaned down toward, offering his cheek. Julianna giggled and pushed him away.

"No. We're in public, dumb-butt." Paul shrugged,

"Was worth a try. I'll be seeing you later then." He leaned in and pecked Julianna on the cheek and waved before leaving us in peace.

"So... your fianceé, huh?" I questioned, diverting Julianna's attention away from her soon-to-be-husband's receding silhouette. A blush washed over her cheeks, and she glanced up at me, either ashamed or embarrassed.

"We got engaged last week."

"Don't you think you're a little young to-" I paused mid-sentence, remembering what age myself and her had been when we married. Nothing was to say she was my Giulietta, but nothing was to say she wasn't.

"What? Get engaged?" A slender eyebrow arched as she looked at me.

"Well... yeah... in today's standards." She laughed a little at my addition at the end.

"You sound old when you say that."

"Well... I-"

"Do you want to... I don't know... get something to eat and drink at the pub? My treat. Daddy has always told me to take better care of guests." She smiled, offering it nonchalantly as if it wasn't a big deal. Is it possible that she doesn't know?

"Uh.. sure..." Wait. No. My ID says I'm still only 17. "... I mean, yeah to the food, no to the drink. I'm still... underage." I breathed the word out with contempt. If anything, Julianna appeared surprised.

"Strange... I got the impression you were older than me." Of course she did. I was always older than her, and on a technicality, I still am.

"Well, it was wrong." I grinned, showing her some youth to back up my statement.

"Well, I'm off in a few minutes. You can take a quick look around, and then we'll leave, yeah? I feel like we will have a lot to talk about, Roydan" She spoke my modern name with such a lilt, that I knew she had caught me lying red-handed. I mustn't let her in on my true history, that would expose her to too many dangers.

"Sure." I watched her leave before turning to the records before me. I opened a recreation of Da Vinci's notebook and studied it for a while. The notes were incoherent... as if pages were missing. That's where the royal copy of Da Vinci's notebook must come in. Before I could even pull it out though, Julianna returned and we were walking out of the library before I knew it.

We were sat down at a noisy booth and Julianna just told the waitress to give us the specials. "So, we are definitely playing a game of 20 Q." Oh no, not this game. It requested me to answer honestly, and even though I knew I could lie, my code of honour bound me to honesty.

"Sure... what do you want to know?" I sighed.

"First of all, what is your real name?"

"Romeus." I wanted to tell her my name is Romeus Montegue. Whatever names I had in between my first and last, I have long since discarded. All she ever needs to know is that I am Romeus, and she may just be my Giulietta.

"Why did you say your name was Roydan?"

"Excuse you, if I remember the rules of this game, it is my turn to ask a question!" I reminded her with a playful tone, and she could only smile.

"Alright then, your Highness, please ask away!"

"Have you read Da Vinci's manuscripts? The stuff from your father's library." The playful mood seemed to vanish instantly, replaced by a cautious one.

"Yes... why?"

"Tell me... did you read anything about a Marchio di Eden?"

"You have an accent..."

"Just tell me!" I demanded, slapping my hand against the table and drawing close to her. Tell me... tell me how I can love you without fear, Julianna. Tell me how I can know for sure I won't be leaving you in heaven's gates by yourself again.

"Y-yes! I did! Da Vinci mentioned a mark scorched into his arm, and it let him see the future. That's why he could sketch diagrams of helicopters before their time. Please you're scaring me."

"Da Vinci had the mark too?" I muttered to myself, slowly receding into my chair, not comprehending this piece of information. "That doesn't make any sense..." I stared at the polished surface of the table, finding a murky stain.