Work Text:
Hero was amazed at how fast the staff could turn a funeral into an impromptu double wedding reception. The somber banners had been exchanged for brightly colored flowers. Multiple tables had been set up outside for guests. The cooks out did themselves with a feast fit for a king. And the music continued with everyone grateful for a reason to dance.
So it was strange to find her mother sitting at a table by herself at the edge of the crowd with a wistful expression across her face. Concerned, Hero approached and asked, "Mother? What troubles you?"
Innogen smiled warmly. "Oh nothing, my dear. I wanted to take a moment and remember everything I can about this day."
Relieved, Hero sat down next to her and Innogen kindly patted her daughter's hand. "And I needed to reconcile the fact that both of my girls are married and will be leaving home."
Hero struggled with her words, wishing she could say something to comfort her mother. Much as she was excited to start her life with Claudio, Hero realized her parents would be left with no one to look after.
"Maybe reconciling one daughter a little more than the other?" Hero suggested, hoping a little humor would lighten her mother’s mood.
It worked as Innogen chuckled. "Well...I think your father had long since given up on Beatrice ever marrying."
"You also I'm sure?"
Shrugging, Innogen hummed thoughtfully. "I'd... suspected for many years there was more to Beatrice and Benedick's merry war than just words. I was just waiting for them to see it."
Hero huffed. “I was too.”
Innogen chuckled. "Nonetheless I'm glad they got a push in the right direction." She leaned closer to her daughter. "Don Pedro told me what you all did after the masquerade ball. I'm very impressed."
"Thank you," Hero replied proudly, almost hiding her smirk.
"Your cousin has had many suitors over the years, but I could not hope for a finer gentleman than…." Innogen's words trailed off as her brow furrowed. Turning, Hero followed her mother’s gaze and was surprised to see a pair of legs sticking out from under a nearby table as it appeared someone was kneeling. Someone with long legs and large black shoes.
"Benedick?" Hero ventured and there was a thump followed by some muttered cursing.
Sure enough, Benedick emerged from under the table, rubbing his head. He immediately straightened when he saw Innogen and Hero.
Clearing his throat, he clasped his hands behind him. "My apologies, fair ladies." But then Benedick noticed the front of his suit was dusty so he proceeded to wipe it away.
"What were you doing under there?" Hero wondered.
"I ah, was just...well, see I had given the prince my resignation letter earlier, and, uh, I wanted to rescind,” Benedick rambled nervously. "Unfortunately he said he misplaced it somewhere in the chapel. I had checked there, but..I couldn't find it so I thought it might be out here.”
Hero cocked an eyebrow. “Under a table?”
“Leave no stone unturned.”
"I haven't seen any parchment laying about," Innogen replied. "Anything in the chapel would have been cleaned by now. The staff has done a marvelous job keeping everything in order out here.”
For whatever reason that deflated Benedick as his shoulders sagged and he sighed heavily. "Oh. Well...I'd just wanted the letter to dispose of it myself, but I guess my words will be good enough for the prince." He gave a polite nod. "Thank you."
As he went to walk away, Innogen called his name. When he turned around Hero could see her holding a crumpled piece of paper; the one that Hero clearly pilfered earlier from Beatrice.
"I didn't find your resignation letter, but might you want this?" Innogen asked impassively.
Benedick's face lit up as he took a couple of swift steps back. "Yes! Yes!" He excitedly retrieved the paper, clearly happy to have it in his possession. "Thank you! Thank you, dear lady."
Innogen chuckled at Benedick's enthusiasm. "Of course." She waved to the throng of guests. "You best be getting back to the reception. I'm sure your wife is looking for you."
"Indeed!" Benedick seemed reenergized as he carefully placed the love letter in his jacket pocket. "Thank you!" He practically skipped back to the party.
"We'll keep an eye out for that resignation letter!" Hero called to him, smirking when Benedick didn't reply as he had rejoined Don Pedro and Claudio for another drink.
Innogen and Hero laughed quietly together. "As I said," Innogen began seriously, though her lips kept curving up. "He is a fine gentleman for Beatrice."
"I doubt she'd agree, but she did marry him. Speaking of..." Hero trailed off, noticing a new visitor walking up to them.
The sound of swift high heels on concrete grew louder. Beatrice stopped at the table, her mouth fixed in a straight line and eyebrows drawn together. She appeared awfully serious for such a festive evening.
Beatrice began speaking to Hero, the annoyance evident in her voice. "I looked everywhere and couldn't find it so that means you have it."
Hero's eyebrows drew together. "Have what?"
"Don't be coy, I know you have it."
"What are you talking about?"
Beatrice huffed. "You know what I'm talking about."
"No, I truly don't."
"Yes, you do. Don't make me say it." Beatrice spoke in a clipped whisper.
"Say what?" Hero was truly perplexed at this point, looking to Innogen for help as no, no she had no clue as to what Beatrice was wanting.
Beatrice looked around to make sure no one was listening...even though there was no one nearby. "I want Benedick's sonnet back!" She hissed through gritted teeth.
Before Hero could give a snarky reply, her mother piped up. "Hero doesn't have it, because I have it." Sure enough, Innogen produced a second wrinkled piece of paper from her purse. "I picked it up when we were leaving to come outside for the reception."
Beatrice opened and closed her mouth several times. "Oh…"
"Yes," Innogen nodded sagely, handing over said sonnet. " Oh indeed. I believe you owe Hero an apology."
Hero turned to her cousin with a wide triumphant smile. It was like their childhood quarrels all over again, except for once Hero didn’t have to apologize.
Beatrice cleared her throat, taking in a deep breath. “I was...wrong and I...am sorry.”
"I knew you knew those words, but I never realized you knew how to put them in that order.” Hero spoke with quiet sternness.
Before Beatrice could fire back, Innogen interrupted warningly, "Hero…"
"All right, all right.” Hero rolled her eyes, relaxing her face. “Apology accepted."
Beatrice carefully folded the paper and stuck it in the pocket of her dress. "Thank you," she said to her aunt.
Innogen inclined her head. "You're welcome, my dear."
Beatrice started to take a few steps away from them, but suddenly stopped and turned back on the ball of her foot. She returned to give her aunt a fierce hug.
"Truly,” Beatrice's voice shook when they parted. “Thank you.” There were years of unspoken gratitude in the words. While Beatrice never fully voiced it, Hero knew her cousin was grateful for Innogen never getting fed up and forcing her to take a husband.
"How about some adulation for your dear cousin?" Hero teased.
"No," Beatrice deadpanned before embracing Hero.
As Beatrice headed back to the party, Innogen shook her head and sighed. "Oh dear. I almost feel bad."
"About what?"
"I gave Benedick his own sonnet back as I did with Beatrice."
Hero cackled and then covered her mouth when she realized a few people were looking in their direction. "Mother!"
"What?” Innogen shrugged, a smug expression open on her face. “I am an old woman and do not see as well as I used to.”
Hero giggled, rolling her eyes. She knew her mother had absolutely no problems with her vision. “Why did you do that?”
Innogen smiled cryptically, but before she could answer Beatrice was back at their table. “The paper you gave me was...the letter...I...wrote,” she stammered out nervously. “You… you do not happen to have...Benedick’s sonnet, do you?”
“What is this? Is this my dear Lady Disdain looking for proof of my sworn love instead of hearing a dog bark?” Benedick questioned smugly as he joined the group with the enthusiasm of a court jester.
“It seems you are as well,” Hero said casually pointing to the paper in his hand. Benedick had apparently forgotten he was carrying it and he quickly hid it behind his back. Clearly he returned as well hoping to get Beatrice’s sonnet.
Luckily Innogen clearly found amusement in the ridiculousness of the situation as she chuckled heartily. “You both are wanting those proofs of love.” She eyed Beatrice more than Benedick, knowing who was the more reticent and stubborn. “It is okay to want to keep these kinds of things. No one will judge you.” Innogen’s face had softened just a tad.
Hero held up her thumb and index finger with only a small space between them. Only a little bit , she mouthed to Beatrice. Hero smirked when Beatrice narrowed her eyes darkly at her.
Hero’s victory was short-lived as Innogen gently kicked her under the table. “The fact is you both wanted those sonnets back no matter what front you put up earlier,” Innogen went on.
“Benedick so much that he was looking under a table,” Hero said not so softly, causing Beatrice to laugh.
“Hey!” Benedick protested, throwing his hands in the air at the betrayal.
Innogen sighed, raising her eyebrow as she eyed her daughter. Hero rightly decided to be quiet. She knew how to toe the line with her mother, rather than cross it; she didn’t feel the need to be properly reprimanded by a parent at her own wedding reception.
“Now you two can exchange them knowing you both are on equal footing.” Hero barely managed to cover her snort in time after Innogen's statement; that was exactly what her mother wanted to accomplish: neither would have the upper hand, much to their chagrin. And that would drive them crazy.
Hero watched amusedly as Benedick and Beatrice engaged in a silent battle of wills before they reluctantly held out the sonnets to one another. They snatched the ones they wanted just as quickly before tucking them away in their respective pockets. The pair looked away from each other, pretending the whole ordeal never happened.
Beatrice cleared her throat before muttering, “Thank you.”
Benedick adjusted his suit coat. “Thank you.”
Resting her face in her hand, Hero shook her head in exasperation. Their merry war held no signs of tiring out. For what on earth had equal power to war than love?
Innogen smoothed her dress down as she stood up. “Now that that is over, you can thank your new mother-in-law with a dance,” she said pointedly to Benedick. He immediately straightened and gallantly offered his arm to her.
Hero was nowhere near as proper as she snatched Beatrice’s arm and caused her to yelp. “And you can thank me with a dance as well.” And the four of them headed gleefully back to the party.