Juliet, The Crown Jewel

"There were three things that I was absolutely certain of. 1, Natalia and the Dark Army were coming to capture and kill me. 2, Romeo and Leonardo were now both dead. 3, Everything and everyone that I ever loved had been taken away from me. Vanished when Midgard died, along with the rest of my world.

Considering all things, I knew that I would die. If I were to die here, in their world, against my free will, I wouldn’t be going silently. Not without a fight…"

-Juliet, The Crown Jewel

Juliet

THE CROWN JEWEL

Juliet

M. R A N D A L L

MPRINT

ENTERTAINMENT

PUBLISHING

MPRINT

ENTERTAINMENT

PUBLISHING

Copyright @ M. Randall, 2017, MPrint Entertainment, 2017, Mprint Publishing, Cover Illustration by, MangaMetz (Mana Tellez)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and the copyright owner.

"The course of true love never did run smooth."

-William Shakespeare

This is for everyone that's ever believed in me. For all that I’ve lost along the journey to Juliet, and for all that I’ve gained. Most importantly, this is for the better days ahead. Let the good times roll.

-M. Randall

C O N T E N T S

INTRODUCTION: PREFACE

TRAPPED

ACT: I

WHEN WE WERE

1. THE GOLDEN COIN

2. KNOCK, KNOCK

3. SURPRISE PARTY

4. PARTY FOUL

5. THE MARK OF THE BEAST

6. WAITING ON DEATH

7. WAKE UP, JULIET

8. IMMORTAL JULIET

9. WITH EVERY GIFT

10. GODS & MONSTERS

ACT: II

WHEN WE WERE NOT

11. A MOTHERS PRAYER

12. THE KINGS ROYAL BALL

13. SHE IS, JULIET

14. HE IS LEONARDO

15. BETRAYAL

16. HIDE & SEEK

17. KILL ROMEO

18. I DO

19. I WILL

20. CONFESSIONS

21. ROMEO MUST DIE

22. FORGIVENESS

23. QUEEN OF GOLD

24. DANGEROUS WOMAN

25. INNOCENCE LOST

26. FORSAKEN LOVE

27. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

28. WEDDING DAY

29. ALL OR NOTHING

30. SURPRISE GUEST

31. A MOTHERS LOVE

32. DEATH POTION

33. DEATH WISH

34. GOODBYE, JULIET

35. WELCOME TO YOUR RULE

ACT: III

WHERE ART THOU

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE

TRAPPED

I felt trapped. Trapped in a horrifying nightmare. I wanted her so badly to tell me that she was being humorous, making an awful joke. I wanted it all to be untrue, but I knew the answer. That much was clear. The fury within her eyes told me it was all, true.

I was a murderer. A killer. How could it be? I thought, wrapping myself around the leg of the wooden table that I’d fallen alongside.

She slowly kneeled down beside me, eyes now staring intensely into mine. She was searching, that much was visible. Her gaze was cold and piercing. I turned away, afraid now for my own life.

When I looked back up at her- I was greeted by an outstretched diamond hand. I examined it closely and carefully. She had become unrecognizable.

Her skin sparkled and glistened. What once was chalky pale white skin had been transformed and now covered in diamonds. The gold ring around her finger, with the red stone in the center, began to turn a fiery reddish, orange color. Every few seconds, an electric current would quickly circle around the ring.

Her eyes burned the color of the ring. Her entire body now sparkling and gleaming like beautiful rare jewelry. Not just any jewelry, but fine, ancient jewelry. The kind that doesn’t exist anymore or never existed in the first place.

The kind that you’d find only in these unknown worlds, where monsters were real, vampires did exist, the night-watchers were real, the outerverse was real, angels and demons were real. All the myths and legends were true. It was all, real.

That would explain the woman before me with skin made of diamonds. I must admit, she or it was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen, I couldn’t think of anything more beautiful and or colorful.

My tears slowed, eventually drying completely. I contemplated reaching for the diamond hand. Those piercing eyes, burning like the sun, encouraged me to do so.

Take my hand, a voice spoke softly pronouncing each word carefully and slowly. I ignored it, burying my head between my legs while maintaining the death grip that I’d placed on the leg of the wooden table.

I’ll show you the way. Accept what you are, my dear Juliet. Accept your destiny. Accept your throne. The voice spoke again just as soft, except this time with more urgency.

I snapped my head in either direction, searching for the owner of the mysterious voice. I couldn’t quite distinguish the gender of the voice. It was neither male nor female. It was just a sound, softly echoing throughout the room.

I knew for sure it didn’t belong to the diamond statue, because her mouth hung open, and golden rays of light escaped outward.

We were alone in my bedchambers. I turned my head back to face the diamond beauty, now glowing- projecting a light, more colorful than a rainbow and brighter than the sun.

I watched in astonishment as she gleamed and sparkled- something so beautiful was obviously hand crafted by God and the angels. This too made it all much more believable.

If I were to die here in their world against my free will, I wouldn’t be going silently. Not without a fight.

Dying for a cause that I hadn’t decided upon for myself didn’t seem fair. This was never my intention, being a Queen and ruling the Region’s Capital, where both, Gods and monsters lived. I was fine in Central Peak. Why didn't she just let me die along with the others? I didn’t have to come here. No one ever asked my opinion. I never agreed on being part of their world.

I wanted to go home, for it all to be over. Sadly, the truth was, I had no home to go back to, no place of belonging after Midgard was invaded and destroyed.

I felt like I should have done more. I blamed myself. If it were not for me, they would all still be alive today. I’m not exactly sure if I was the only survivor, though, I wouldn’t call being locked away in a castle actually, surviving.

I couldn’t allow myself to die so helplessly, with my head buried and my tail tucked. I knew that if I wanted to live, I would have to fight to stay alive. Because without a doubt, they were coming, and when they found me, I knew that they would take my life.

That realization alone pushed me to a nomadic place, a point of madness.  I was in survival mode, a mode I never knew I had. I guess it wasn’t something I’d ever needed up until this point.

Before I could stop myself or second-guess my decision, I went for it in one motion, grabbing the outstretched, diamond hand awaiting me.

I flinched upon contact, pulling my hand back and inspecting it thoroughly, expecting burns or bubbling, blistering skin. Her palms were on fire, like I’d stuck my hand into a furnace.

Surprised and equally relieved, I discovered my hand to be just as I’d last remembered it, without a single trace of the burning pain I’d experienced only moments ago.

I was positive that there would be some sort of damage, but there was nothing. I massaged the center palm of the hand that should have been burned with my free hand, looking up at her.

My next move shocked me. I’m not exactly sure what prompted it. I believe it to be a mixture of all things considered; curiosity, rebellion, fear, acceptance, the new life that awaited me, and death that now haunted me. The nagging thought that death was after me, which made me terrified and brave, somehow.

I knew that if I wanted this, if I wanted a true chance at freedom, I would have to kill again. I would need mother’s help in doing so. I thought, warming up to the idea.

It is time, that you accept your journey, my dear Juliet. This is your destiny. You have magic inside of you. One does not choose the crown of life, it chooses you, and with it my dear, we are capable of doing marvelous wonders. We will hold all of the world's powers within our hands, within a single crown, she said, extending both hands, finally breaking her silence. She still glowed and sparkled, as the colors of the rainbow danced freely with the golden rays of light.

There was something different about her voice. The tone was different. There was a pleading in addition to a fierce viciousness, both asking and demanding at once. I knew what she was capable of. I knew if I didn’t agree to help her now, I would regret the decision later.  I would not only have to fear Natalia, and the Dark Army wanting to kill me, but my mother as well. Figuring it was much easier

with her rather than without, I leaped out from underneath the wooden table, taking the gleaming outreached hands into mine, pressing my palms firmly against hers. I closed my eyes, anticipating the burning sensation that never came.

I waited before I opened them again. I wondered if the burning I felt earlier was my imagination. I went on with that theory for awhile- half believing it, until unfortunately for me, that thought was interrupted by the burning fire that was now slowly creeping throughout my entire body. The same fire I’d felt previously but worst. I felt like I’d been torched or like I was the torch. I tried screaming, but there was no sound. I was mute.

Her mouth parted into a wicked, yet pleased smile as the diamonds and rainbow began to spread from her skin onto mine. I screamed and cried in silence, as my body burned in the fiery furnace.

In disbelief, I witnessed my flesh being burned, melting away as diamonds replaced the skin- revealing solid gold underneath. I couldn’t comprehend any of it. I watched as the gold and diamonds intertwined with one another, becoming one until the gold was completely covered in diamonds.

After awhile, I began to drift off. I felt myself weakening, my head spinning, and my heart slowing. I thought I might vomit from the dizziness the spinning was causing. It wasn’t long before everything was a blur, and I felt nauseous. The taste of copper mixed with blood in my mouth returned. I was helpless at this point.

That’s it, Juliet. Accept your truth, my mother said, catching my collapsing body into her arms. The gold ring around my finger, with the green stone in the center, began to light up. I felt the sting of fire circling my finger. The ring turned that same reddish orange color as mothers with the familiar electric current circling the ring religiously.

This puzzled me, as the ring was unfamiliar. I’d never seen it before in my life. It sat on the exact finger in which I’d received my wedding ring from King Romeo. The rings had been swapped. Without asking, I already knew the answer.

My eyes shut tight in agony and paranoia…

ACT I:

When We Were

THE GOLDEN COIN

1

I tried pretending that today was just another ordinary day, that there was nothing particularly special about it. Well sure, it was the day of my birth. I struggled with finding the significance for even that event. I wasn’t good with the attention, which I considered to be harassment. I never looked forward to it. I get anxiety just thinking about it.

Each year she’s up to her antics. It never fails. I can honestly say that it wasn’t so bad, up until last year when she convinced me into wearing a dress that I felt was entirely too tight from the very beginning- and I told her that I couldn’t breathe. I also told her that I couldn't walk in the dress. I was totally out of my comfort zone. I was more on a flat surface, sneaker- kind of girl. She knew that. Everyone knew that. So when she pulled out high heels, I gave up.

I knew there was no chance of me, breathing, moving, and or walking. My mother insisted, along with my father and Ben, who both got a kick out of seeing me actually look like a girl. I think I gave my father the death stare several times- and Ben definitely received a few accidental blows whenever he wasn’t looking- that made me feel a lot better.

Ben and my father’s mockery wasn’t the worst part. My younger brother, Piper, found my new threads amusing as well.

Ew, Julie. Why are you dressed like a girl? Piper said, in an eight-year- old, boyish voice. He appeared genuinely confused.

Sure I didn’t wear dresses or heels every day and my hair was normally pulled back in a ponytail, in my usual, jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers. I wouldn’t say that I was the girly, girl type. I liked girl stuff. It was just, after awhile, girls bored me with their girl talk. I preferred hunting and the action, rather than toenail painting, and gossip.

I almost did it- bit Piper’s head off, but truly it wasn’t him that I was upset with.

I noticed Ben and my father laughing hysterically at Piper’s comment, who now, was repeating it louder, of course being encouraged by Ben and my father. One thing about Piper, he was one great businessman. I knew they must have agreed to pay him. Julie- looks like a girl. Julie- looks like mom. Piper said jumping up and down.

Mom, I said, repeating Piper, then turning my attention to my mother who had just come back through the door.

Come on everyone, it’s photo time. She said, cheerfully, holding up a small, digital camera.

I sucked my teeth and rolled my eyes. I can’t believe I let mom talk me into this, I said under my breath, feeling like a circus clown- I knew something would go wrong. I knew I would be the laughing stalk. I started to rethink the decision.

None of that was as bad as when I made my grand entrance down the stairs. The way life and gravity, and all the odds would have it, of course, the unthinkable happened. The heel of the shoe got stuck in the dress.

If there was an award for best grand entrance, I most definitely won, the reigning champion. Not only did I make an entrance, but- I gave a show. Because, I tumbled down the stairs, head first. I think I remember feeling my body hit every single step. I slid right into the party, chin first. If that wasn’t embarrassing enough- imagine the entire room going silent, so silent, that you could hear a pin drop. I pulled myself from the floor and dusted the dress off. "The dress!" I thought, fuming. It was responsible, the reason behind the disaster.

Ben saved the day. Sometimes I was thankful to have him as a friend.

Ladies and gentlemen- how about a round of applause for Juliet, the lady of the hour. Happy birthday. Ben said, nodding his head toward me, then winked, trying to hide the smile forming on his lips. I knew that I would hear it later.

I cringed at the thought of last years fall, dreading every moment of it.

Needless to say, I made them all promise, no parties this year. I wanted to pretend that today wasn’t my birthday- I decided I wouldn’t remind anyone, nor would I mention it, and the world would carry on like nothing, like I never existed. Or at least I painted that picture for the world, only fooling myself.

My pretending didn’t discourage my co-workers at the bookstore, where I worked weekends, from throwing me a surprise birthday party, in the break room, during my shift. There was cake and ice cream, and they’d even pitched in on the happy birthday song. This wasn’t unusual at all. Every corner I turned someone was wishing me a happy birthday. I perhaps could have gotten away with it- if it weren’t for the fact that Sierra pinned a tag on me, penciling in with a blue permanent marker Today is my birthday. I was a team sport and reluctantly played along. That was all still very normal, as strange as it may sound.

Nevertheless, it was a slow business day for us, considering we were a couple months out of holiday season, so business was typically slow during this time of year. Surely, I enjoyed seeing the store being filled with fellow book lovers during the holidays- but I’d missed the store being my sanctuary. On my days off, I spent most of my time here reading and learning. I’ve always had a superior ability for reading and obtaining information after seeing something once or even hearing a single word, my mind visualizes it, remembers it, and takes a photo, storing all information- a photographic memory.

Regardless of where I am, I can always navigate myself home, or wherever it is that I am going. It’s like my mind has access to the entire address book of the world.

And every so often, I saw blurred visions, sometimes faces, or voices, or locations, people or all the above. I can’t ever understand the visions. They come in quick flashes- and the pain that follows doesn’t allow me to give much thought to anything other than it all just stopping. It happened once before, here at work, a few times at school. It happened once during class. I felt it coming on and headed for the door, but the pain and the visions started before I could exit. My body collapsed lifelessly onto the floor as I convulsed and shook uncontrollably.

When it was over I excused myself from the classroom and ran to the restroom. I didn't return to class. In fact, I skipped chemistry for over a week. I was humiliated. I still managed getting the assignments done and turned in through Ben.

The day was wrapping up, and I only had a couple hours of my shift left. I was hoping to go home, read one of the new books that I hadn’t started reading yet, and get in the bed early for the night.

Julie, to the registers, please, Julie to the registers. I hear Lacey call from the overhead intercom. Indicating that she needs my help with customer checkout at the registers. I was the backup cashier, whenever assistance was needed.

There was a sudden burst of customers, the line had suddenly wrapped around the store and it was busy- we hadn’t been used to that.

As the line grew, we were getting them out of the door, just as fast- until the old wrinkled man, with the white scruffy beard- and what looked like might have been food or worse- caked inside of his beard. His clothes were ripped and torn and hanging off. He was old, old and gray, with yellowing, cat-like eyes. I’d say about sixty-five and hunched over.

The old man with the white beard stepped up to my register- where I began checking him out, treating him no different than any other customer- despite my suspicion.

Hello sir, how are you? I said- grabbing and scanning his book.

You ever read this book? He asked while placing his filthy plastic sandwich bag onto the counter top.

I looked down at the book for the first time studying the title. (The Seal of God in Creation and the Word) I hadn’t seen this book in the store before. It was old and ancient looking. I was positive that I would have remembered it. I took a second look at the title, storing it in my mental memory database, gathering as much information as possible.

I can’t say that I have, I admitted honestly. Deciding to keep it short- and move him along swiftly.

How much do I owe you? he asked, changing the subject.

$20.00, sir, I respond, shocked at the price, while watching him fumble through the sandwich bag. He moved his hand around shifting things in search of something. I was unsure of just what. By this time he had removed the cash from the bag, giving me the exact amount.

After shuffling around in the bag for a while, finally, he pours the entire bag out onto the counter- now separating coins. I couldn’t help noticing his long, chipped- dirty claw-like, fingernails, yellowing in color.