Silviet's lines are from Romeo and Juliet, and the song is from Hamlet.

Witness to Destruction,
Interlude Two

"...Come, go, good Juliet. I dare not stay."

"Go to thee hence, for I will not away. What's here? A cup closed in my 
true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl!-drunk 
all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips. 
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them to make me die with a restorative. 
Thy lips are warm."

"Lead, boy. Which way?"

"Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O, happy dagger, this is thy sheath! There 
rust, and let me die."

"That's good for today! Wonderful job, Silviet. The death scene is much 
improved."


"Thanks. I tried to get into her head a little more, y'know, think about 
how I'd feel in her position."

"Well, it's working. Keep up the good work, everyone!"

Xander watched from the seating area of the theater as the cast and crew 
prepared to leave. He liked to sit here when Silviet was rehearsing, he 
felt it gave him a more intimate knowledge of her soul. To him, all her 
innermost passions and emotions were visible when she was performing. It 
was if it made her somehow more alive. He brushed a strand of white hair 
out of his face and stood as Silviet descended from the stage and 
approached him. She was still wearing her costume, a deep blue dress with 
silver trim that matched her sapphire eyes. Her a portion of her dark hair 
was twisted back, and the rest hung around her pale face in raven rivulets. 
Truly beautiful.

"What did you think?" She asked, looking into his violet eyes hopefully. 

"You were wonderful, as always."  

She blushed slightly. "Thank you. I have to change, then we can go." 

"All right." He followed her back stage, and waited in front of her 
dressing room door. A snatch of song floated to him as she sang to herself.

"...Larded with sweet flower, which bewept to the grave did-not-go with 
true love showers..."

Yes, his Silviet. At times, he wondered what sort of spirit she was, for 
she had a habit of flitting from one character to another. She played 
Juliet just as well as she did Ophelia, and Desdemona as well as both 
others. It was as if, in these times, there were no true substance to her 
will, that it flowed freely and took on whatever form it wished. To him, 
she was exquisite in both her beauty as well as her mystery. She emerged 
from the dressing room. "Shall we go?"

"Of course." She said, taking his hand; fine boned with long tapered 
fingers. "I want to stop by Ann's, though, just to make sure she's all 
right."

"All right. Afterwards, do you want to go out to dinner? I have to go 
back to the gallery later this evening to take care of a few things, but 
it won't take me long."

"I think I'd rather stay in, if it's okay."

"Hmmm, candle light, a nice wine, and you. I can't think of anything I'd 
like better."

"Oh you." She slapped his arm playfully. "You spoil me, you know."

"I can't think of  a person who deserves it more." He purred.

"Now your distracting me. Let's stop by Ann's, then we can go home, Prince 
Charming."

"What ever you say, M'lady." He bowed then swept his arm out dramatically.

"I thought I was the actor." She pouted.

"It must have rubbed off. What can I say?" He gave her a cocky grin.

She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the building to the car. "Save 
it for later, Xander."

"I'm sorry." He opened the car door for her, and she climbed in. 

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just worried, is all."

"Well, we'll go see Ann, and you'll find out everything is just fine." He 
got into the driver's seat, and glanced over at her. "No worries, Love." 
He ran a finger along a crease in her brow, as if to erase it. "It'll be 
just fine, you'll see."

"I hope so." She said distractedly.


End Interlude Two