Work Text
Hero watches from a window as her father and Antonio talk to the prince and Claudio. She thought she loved Claudio, but he is a coward. How did she fall in love with him? Or was it a mere infatuation? She shakes her head as she spots a group approaching them. She cannot tell who they are from that distance, but she notices that two men are in chains. What did they do? Should she go and find out?
No. Her father made her promise to stay away from people. Should they find out she's alive before the wedding ceremony, there will be a lot of explaining to do. Not to mention that Claudio could reject her AGAIN. How dare he assume that she knew what being married felt like! She rolls her eyes before her gaze lands on Don Pedro. She feels her heart speed up and pushes herself away from the windowsill. She must marry Claudio; it is what her father wants.Hero wanders around her room and sighs. She's separated from everyone; the only people she talks to are Beatrice, her father, and her uncle. How can she continue living her life like this? All she can hope is that things will change soon. But how soon is that?Darkness falls, and Hero and Antonio watch the funeral procession leave, the bright lights showing their trail. Antonio turns Hero away from the sight and kisses her. "I know it is hard, but things will get better."
"Are you sure?" Hero's voice is quiet.
Antonio nods and kisses her forehead before he leads her inside. "Tomorrow will be a better day." Claudio heads to bed, thinking about what the morning will bring. He will marry Hero's cousin, who, according to Leonato, looks exactly like the Hero he killed with his lies. He trusts the man; he raised Hero himself. The only person he cannot trust is himself. Can he go through with the marriage after what he did to Hero?Claudio starts crying. He hates himself. He wants to get out of the marriage. He runs out of the room he is staying in and flees down the stone steps. He misses one of the stairs and falls, his body thumping against the stairs until he hits his head at the bottom. Claudio wants to groan, but no sound comes out. His vision grows blurry and black around the edges. No! This is not how it is supposed to end. He must marry tomorrow. People will believe he easily breaks promises if he doesn't turn up.The darkness claws at him. Claudio thinks that he will be reunited with Hero. He willingly lets the darkness take him.It is morning when Claudio is found at the bottom of the stairs. To make the situation worse, he was found by Don Pedro. The prince falls to his knees and weeps. "My dear Claudio, what have you done?" He knows he must break the news to Leonato. How the man will take it is another matter. Don Pedro closes Claudio's eyes and stands up. Tears fill his eyes as he turns away from the body. He heads to the courtyard, where he finds Leonato and the Friar. Four women hurry away along with Antonio, leaving the two men with Benedick. "Signor Leonato?" Don Pedro calls out.
The men turn to face him. "Good morrow, Prince," Leonato says, "how are you?"
"To be honest, signor, I am sad. I just found Count Claudio's body."
"What?" Benedick asks. "But he was as healthy as a horse yester night."
"I know, Benedick. Unfortunately, Claudio suffered a fall during the night and fell down the stairs."
Leonato closes his eyes and sighs. "Where is the body?"
Don Pedro leads the men inside and shows them. "I dread to think how he suffered before he died." Don Pedro closes his eyes, wishing that the image of Claudio's body would leave him.
Leonato nods. "While Claudio cannot be my nephew, I want you to take that role, my lord." Leonato's voice is heavy, and it takes Don Pedro a moment to realise what the man is saying.
"Are you sure?" He looks at Leonato, then Antonio. "You want me to take Claudio's place?"
"If you want my revenge to end, then yes."
"But first, we must allow Claudio to rest," the Friar says, "is there anywhere we can lay his body until a funeral can be arranged?"
Together, the men carry Claudio upstairs to the room he has been staying in and place him on the bed. "I cannot believe this happened," Benedick says, "and to think that I accused him of such evil doings!"
The prince puts an arm around Benedick's shoulders. "He was like a brother to you; we will not leave him unmourned."
Benedick nods. "I know, but leaving him like this..." His voice trails off, and he covers his mouth with my hand. "Sorry."
"Do not apologise." Don Pedro turns Benedick so he is looking at him. "If you cannot attend the wedding, I understand."
"I will be there." The men leave the room and make their way towards the chapel. When they reach the chapel, with everyone from Messina following, Leonato whispers to his brother, telling him what happened. "Good morrow on this sad day, Prince," Antonio says. "Are you determined to marry my daughter?"
"I will not change my mind."
"I will bring her," Antonio says. He opens the doors to the chapel, and four masked women step out. They seem to look in confusion, looking for Claudio. When they do not find him, they use a cloth to blindfold Don Pedro and spin him around.
"Wo is the maiden I am meant to marry?" Pedro asks. "Please, let me see your face."
"No, not until you agree to marry her before this friar," Leonato says. Pedro eventually falls to his knees. "Give me your hand before this friar. I am your husband if you wish."
Hero removes her fabric mask and helps Don Pedro stand. "And when I lived, I was Claudio's other wife." She lowers Pedro's blindfold, and he jumps back.
"Another Hero?"
"Not quite, my prince. When you and Claudio framed me for something I did not do, I hid myself away until my innocence was proven." Hero smiles at him. "As long as I live, I am a maid."
Don Pedro walks over to her and pulls her into a hug. "I know I am not the man you expected, but Claudio suffered a fall last night. He—" Don Pedro blinks back tears. "He died of his injuries."Hero steps back and covers her mouth with her hand. "Oh, poor Claudio. My heart breaks for the loss of his life. He was too young to die." Tears pool in her eyes, but she brushes them away. "But while I grieve his life, I must admit that I was not keen on marrying him. I only went with it because I thought everyone else wanted that."
"Then what do you want, fair Hero?"
Hero cups Pedro's face in her hands. "I want you to be my husband if you accept me."
"Of course." Pedro and Hero kiss and the audience begins clapping. Both Pedro and Hero know it will be a long journey ahead, but they are happy in each other's company for the moment.