Roses for Rosalind

Almost from the time she could remember, Juliet knew that she had a cousin named Rosalind Anderson.

This cousin's health seems to be too bad. It is said that when she was young, she often fainted because of some trivial things.The husband and wife invited all the well-known doctors in Verona, and the cousin's condition gradually improved.

Therefore, in Juliet's imagination, this cousin Rosalind should be a delicate lady with blond hair, blue eyes, pale skin and frail body.She should speak softly, and perhaps cover her mouth with her hands; her favorite pastime would be to pass an afternoon sitting quietly by the fire doing embroidery.

Like a princess living in a castle in a fairy tale, Juliet thought.

But when she really saw this cousin in person, she realized how wrong she had been before.

"Huh? Miss Capulet?"

Her voice was soft and lazy, and the ending sound slightly hooked with her surname's honorific title, which was very nice.When other peers called her respectfully, they would bow their heads respectfully, but she was the only one who kept looking up at her, with a gentle smile in her clear green eyes.

Her skin was indeed as white as the first snow, but the rosy flush on her face showed her health; she never covered her mouth with her hands when she smiled, and the way she smiled was very beautiful.

She had never seen such a dazzling look in anyone's eyes, it was so bright that one couldn't help but want to keep looking at it.

She was still as pretty as a princess, Juliet thought, though this princess didn't like embroidery at all, but was very, very fond of reading.

Cousin Rosalind, oh no, Juliet prefers to call her "Sissy" affectionately.Sissy is also a very unique person, sometimes, uh, even a little weird:

Sometimes Sissy would say words that she didn't understand.For example, one day she just woke up from a nap, rubbed her eyes and yawned sleepily, Sissy screamed and hugged her into her arms, kept saying "so cute, so cute" and asked her what she meant She just smiled foolishly and refused to explain.Similar situations have happened several times, and every time I asked her where she heard the vocabulary, she said that she read it from books.However, I have never seen such a strange word;

When the weather is fine, Sissy always likes to run to the nearby hills by herself.She was curious, and followed her once.But there was nothing on that hill except thorny vines and trees, and she got bored after staying there for a while, and never came back again.But Sissy was happy to run there over and over again;

Sissy also likes to be in a daze very much, and she often goes out of her mind when half of the work is done.Her dazed look was very interesting, she gritted her teeth for a while, and then smiled, so she couldn't bear to disturb her;

one more time...

"Juliet?"

"Huh?" Juliet raised her head to look at her: "What's the matter?" She had been sneaking a look at herself for a while.

"...That," Sissy slowly closed the book in her hand, "Have you...have you thought about who you want to marry in the future?"

"..." Juliet's face turned red little by little.She pulled one side of the pillow to cover her face, and her voice became muffled because of this: "...Why did you ask this suddenly?"

"Just ask casually." Sissy put down the book in her hand, ran to sit next to her with great interest: "Come, let's talk about it."

She lowered her eyes in embarrassment, her heart beating fast.After a while, he shyly said: "He, he must be handsome, personable, and have strong arms... He must be very good to me, willing to go through fire and water for me... If possible, I I also hope that he can be a gentle person..."

"Prince Charming." Sissy smiled lightly upon hearing this, "Sure enough, she's still a little girl."

Thinking that she was mocking her for not growing up, Juliet suddenly became a little unhappy: "Aren't you the same?" You are only one year older than me.

"...Oh, yes." She scratched her hair: "Me too."

"..." Juliet pursed her lips: "What about you? Don't you want to marry someone like that?"

"Me? No." Sissy shook her head.She kicked off her shoes two or three times, and the whole person shrank into the chair.If Mrs. Binns, who teaches etiquette, sees this, she will hold her chest and be speechless for a long time, Juliet thought to herself.

Sissy put her hands around her legs and put her chin on her knees: "I want to marry someone who doesn't have to be handsome or personable, in fact, as long as he doesn't have an overly big beer belly or Mediterranean A big bald head is enough. However, he must be someone who sees me as his wife, not as his vassal - what I want is someone who will hold my face and say marry me You are my lucky man."

Juliet looked at her in a daze: "I don't quite understand what you said..."

"It's normal for you to not understand now." Sissy said, "When you grow up, you will naturally understand."

Sissy has always been such a unique person.

She never chooses dresses deliberately, she can wear whatever is given to her, and she can even read books all day in her pajamas with disheveled hair.In her eyes, there is not much difference in color, white is white, blue is blue, soot gray white pearl white ghost white, in her opinion, they are all the same.

My etiquette is better than her, and my dancing posture is more beautiful than her. The teachers are full of praise for me, and my aunt and uncle have sighed countless times and asked her to learn from her, but she never cares.

I may be a little envious of her, Juliet thought.Sometimes she didn't want to dance, and the complicated etiquette made her feel extremely bored.

But she has always been a good child.

She has always listened to her father and mother, and never disobeyed them.Her mother told her that as a woman, the most important thing is to marry a good husband; the nanny also told her that as long as a woman has a man, she should feel rich.She nodded obediently, and silently hid those childhood jokes deeply in her heart, and never mentioned them again.

It's just that in the dead of night, she would occasionally think of Sissy's words, and the opera about the poor boy and the rich girl that she and Sissy went to see together.

"You are my soul, like a butterfly in a dream..." she sang softly with memories.Then, the deepest part of my heart would vibrate involuntarily as if being stimulated by something.

She couldn't help repeating: "You are my soul..."

Juliet didn't understand why she remembered it so deeply even though it was just an ordinary line in an opera.When it crossed her throat, it was so vivid that she wanted to cry.

If it was Sissy, she would definitely understand.Juliet thought vaguely.

On the Harvest Festival when she was 14 years old, her father suddenly wanted to hold a dance to celebrate the harvest.On the eve of the dance, her mother specially called her over, took her hands and told her carefully.

"Juliet," said her mother, holding her hand and smiling triumphantly, "there is good news—the young and handsome Earl Paris has come to propose to your father."

Juliet's eyes widened in shock.

how come?

She and that Count Paris... only met once.

"He came from a noble family and is very rich. Both your father and I think he is a good marriage partner." Mrs. Capulet continued, "It is for this reason that your father decided to hold the ball." Yes, you will be able to see him again tonight...Young Paris is like a precious book, only one frame is missing to match his cover. If you make his cover, then all his It's all yours—what do you say? Can you like this gentleman?"

Juliet squeezed the corner of her sleeve quietly: "If I can develop a good impression after seeing him, then I am ready to like him." She said softly: "But the flying arrow in my eyes, if I don't get With your permission, I dare not launch it boldly." 1

The Viscountess smiled meaningfully: "Then, dear." She said: "Now, your mother allows it."

At the ball that night, she saw Earl Paris again.

It is undeniable that Earl Paris was indeed handsome.But whether it was the first meeting or this time, his expression was not gentle.His whole body was cold, without any temperature.

She was a little afraid of him.

But he could be her future husband.

Juliet took a deep breath, and was about to force a smile to Earl Paris, but someone suddenly snatched her hand from the earl.

The body temperature of the person holding her hand is very hot, and the warmth has been conveyed to her heart.Juliet stared blankly at him as he walked away from the count, at using his back to block herself, and at him turning around, showing a bright smile to herself.

So she couldn't help laughing too.

The mask made of eagle feathers blocked his face, but it couldn't stop the intense joy and joy that filled his body.This person's eyes are very dark, as dark as the deepest night before dawn.But at this moment, he was staring at her continuously and deeply with a focused gaze that she had never seen before.

"You warmed my bleak evening with your heavenly smile." Feeling the hand being held tightened suddenly, the man stared closely at her eyes, bent down slowly, and made an inviting gesture Come: "I can't repay you, my dear lady, I can only repay you by inviting you to dance." He put her hand to his lips, and kissed lightly: "If I The dust from common hands has desecrated your sacred temple, then, these two lips, these two pious believers." His lips slowly rubbed and moved on her naked skin: "...willing to use a Kiss to beg your forgiveness."

She nodded yes.

"Do you know, my dear lady." The man led her and danced to the melody of the music: "Before I met you, my soul was made of lead. It nailed my steps to the ground , keep me from dancing."

"However, after meeting you, Venus gave me Cupid's wings." One of his hands pulled her around in a circle, and the other hand took the opportunity to gently support her waist, making the space between him and her The distance shortened in an instant: "...I used his wings to fly high and released my whole soul." 2

"And all of this," he said softly, looking directly into her eyes, "is all because of you—my dear, dear lady."

【You are my soul. 】

She heard her heart beating like a drum.

In a trance, she suddenly remembered an opera she and Sissy went to see together a long time ago.

"You are my soul~ like a butterfly in a dream~" Sissy hummed softly following the voice of the singer on the stage, and while watching the performance on the stage, she slowly approached her ear: " I'm telling you, Juliet," Sissy said in a low voice, "if a man really loves you like his soul, don't hesitate to marry him."

At that moment, she forgot about the ball, Paris, and even her parents' instructions.She was almost obsessed with staring at those dark black eyes in a daze, seeing that only her own figure was clearly reflected in them.

【You are my soul. 】

The feeling of heart shock is so strange, yet so familiar.

【You are my soul. 】

She thought, she waited for that person.