Kicking Roses

“Twenty-eight years have passed and I swear, your life is just beginning and my life...” Spoke Thomas from the ladder adjacent to the bookshelf. “Is coming to a steady downfall!”

“Come Thomas, you’re only thirty-nine.” Called a young, charming man from down below. “That’s still youthful in my eyes.”

That younger man, aged twenty-eight and already deemed one of the most handsome men in their isolated yet lively town, was none other than Charles Acton. A tall man and well-built man, he sported a chiseled face with brazen features. Dark brown hair, bright blue eyes and a lionhearted spirit, he was easy for anyone to get along with.

“Charles you are too generous.” Thomas had crawled down from his ladder, a paperback in his hand.

“One of your boring law books?” Charles chided.

“No, it’s actually a fantasy novel. Made me think of you; I plan to read it later on today.”

Thomas Pembroke, the older man, took a seat in one of his sitting room chairs, inviting Charles to do the same.

Thomas was a man of thirty-nine, who sported curly hair hazel and light brown skin. By many he was deemed kind , charming and attractive. Due to his welcoming personality, he was quite easy to get along with and upon coming to this town years ago, he grew a reputation for having an earnest character. He was tall, yet not as tall nor as heavy built as Charles, who was known for casual wrestling in his youth and early adult hood.

His face was kind, and his brown eyed expression warm and inviting.

“Now tell me, Charles what can I do for you today?”

“You aren’t used to me visiting by now?” Charles sank back into the arm chair. “Five years of visiting your home and I have to have a reason?”

Thomas chuckled. “Don’t scold me! You have a look in your eyes! There’s something you want to tell me.”

Charles ended up sighing in defeat.

He shrugged, nodding slowly. “You are right. I do have something to tell you.” He reached into his waist coat and withdrew an envelope. It was addressed to Thomas, and he handed it to him. Carefully, Thomas opened the letter, reading over it once or twice before responding with a smile.

“Congratulations! You’re getting married--to whom may I ask?”

Charles replied with a smile but somewhat drifted away at Thomas’ question. “You know how nobility works...we aren’t...we don’t know each other. It’s just for family ties; a distant cousin.”

“You are a Duke after all.” Thomas leaned forward. “Be happy for this. A new life...a new family...youth. I envy you for that youth Thomas, but may you stay young forever.”

“And I envy you, as a common man. Free to marry, love and live how you want.”

“So if you could, would you marry another?” Thomas inclined.

“Let’s just say, I would marry someone I’ve grown to love on my own.” He chuckled. “But enough somber prattle, will you come or not Thomas? I’m here to ask you...personally to be my best man.”

Those brown eyes lit up and Thomas did not hesitate to nod. “Being the best man, at a Duke’s wedding? How could I decline such an offer?”

Charles stood. “It’s settled then. Now I must leave. My wedding is in a few months, there are many preparations to be made. Henceforth, you and me, will be seeing more of each other.”

They said their goodbyes and Charles made way to leave Thomas’ home. Thomas let him out and the two waved as Charles mounted his grey stallion tied just outside of the Pembroke residence. One final farewell to his long time friend and Charles was down the bleak, muddy road.

He had business to attend to; meetings, wedding arrangements and family traditions.

In respect of ‘family traditions’, Charles pondered on what Thomas had said specifically regarding his youth.

The fact of the matter was that, Thomas need not worry about Charles not staying young forever because in all truth, he would.

Unbeknownst to Thomas, and many in that small village, Charles was immortal.

As was his family, his kin and even the person whom he was to marry. It was said that Charles and his kin had come from the woods, centuries before kings and queens ever roamed the land. Yet as magic left and religion came, the immortals changed and blended into mundane society. Like all fairy tales ended, so did their reign of spell work and divination and in silence, they passed into legend.

And now here they were, blended into Christian society like any gentleman or lady. For the most part, immortals were normal yet--they were not all the same. There were those like Charles and his kin, who simply lived forever. Then there were others, who were rumored to live forever yet at the cost of taking souls for non-immortals. Luckily, Charles had never met any of them nor did he intend to.

What all immortals had in common however was that they could, with a kiss, turn humans into one of them--immortal. For Charles and his kin, there simply had to be true love between an immortal and a human and that was it.

And that brought Charles to another question Thomas had asked.

So if you could, would you marry another?

As Charles rode home, that question weighed upon his chest like a cinder block. As a new immortal, meaning that whilst he was an immortal he was really only twenty eight years old and wouldn’t age, per family tradition Charles was to marry another young immortal. The arrangement was made when he was a child and again, per family tradition--he just went with it.

Yet, there was another he loved. Another he cared for more than life itself. Charles didn’t know too much about Thomas’ love life, nor if he had lovers in his past. Yet the first time he met him, those five years ago and until now, he seemed alone.

Charles however, had been in love with Thomas for some time now. Aside from him being handsome, he had a kind heart and a warm soul. He was welcoming to everyone and even on the bleakest of days, he made things better for Charles. Charles was so in love with him, that despite his castle being on a different side of town, an hour away--he made the trip to visit Thomas daily.

He was so enamored with Thomas that for the past five years, he’d spent all his Christmas and Easter dinners with him and on both days bringing him gifts yet also sending him gifts anonymously--simply pretending to be as confused as Thomas when said gifts made way to his doorstep.

As bold as Charles was, he was just as much shy when it came to confessing his love to Thomas. Now, he’d pay the ultimate price and for him, it wasn’t as simple as not getting with Thomas. No, Charles would have to watch him age....he’d have to watch him die and for an immortal, that was worse than a death they could never receive.

He groaned, the sounded muted by his stallion’s hooves striking the pavement.

It was time for him to get his head out of the clouds, no matter how much he yearned for Thomas. Family tradition was family tradition and no matter what, he had to marry another mortal. He had to fulfill his destiny.

No matter how much he detested it.