Steel Roses

A Life for a Rose

Beldon looked at the fabrics that lined the stall in front of him, trimmings for bonnets. Apparently – according to his second sister, Marie-Fey – trimmings were a necessities. She had ordered him to collect something nice for her. Why? Because she wanted to show it to her friends so they might see how she had suffered these past months – with no true style in anything apparently designed to trim bonnets.

It was barely ten seconds before Beldon gave up and moved on. If his sister wished to use people's livelihood to demonstrate her torture, he would not help her.

Instead he made his rounds, collecting vegetables for that night's dinner – he was also the only one in the family who had any ability to cook, having learnt from neighbours – goodness knows how his family would have coped otherwise.

He carefully set a dozen eggs in a bag, which he kept separate from his satchel, repositioning them as he began to make his way back to his horse, mentally checking items off a list, trying to think of anything else he might need.

The hand that caught his arm was a shock and he had no time to adjust himself before he was pulled into the shadows between two houses, his satchel and the bag of eggs falling from his grip, a disheartening crack of the eggs making Beldon wince.

He looked up to the person who had caught him and quickly turned away.

"Why would you do that, Tian, now look at what you've done," he said, crouching down, reaching for the bag.

Christian, both taller and broader then Beldon, easily pulled him back to his feet, turning him around.

Beldon grimaced, looking at him – up into dark eyes and cropped brown hair. Christian was the first son of a local farmer, powerfully built but rougher in his ways then his delicate name night suggest.

At first, Beldon had been drawn to him; he had reminded him of his oldest friend, Raoul. Beldon had soon found that – though they were a physical match – their personalities were not similar.

"I hear you're rich again," Christian said, his hold irritatingly tight on Beldon's arm.

Beldon looked at him. "Perhaps, if my father's business all goes well," he said curtly, trying to pull away. Christian moved him back instead, right into the house wall, trapping him. Beldon glared at him. "Let go, Tian," he said, calmly – some days Christian was fine to talk with, but this was clearly not one of those days.

"Does that mean you'll leave?" Christian said, ignoring him.

"Perhaps."

Christian's tightened hard enough and suddenly enough to make Beldon jolt, jerking away.

"But you want to stay, don't you?"

"Perhaps," Beldon said again, trying to shake him off.

"Then you should take my offer and stay here, with—"

"I'm not a girl, Tian," Beldon hissed, shoving him away, "You cannot just take me in without people talking. And I have told you for a long time, you hold no interest for me."

"Are you still thinking of your friend, Raoul?"

Beldon glared. "You would do well to not mention him," he said, pushing him back and walking away.

Christian caught his arm. "Is he not getting married?"

"That has nothing to do with you, nor me for that matter," Beldon said, looking away.

"There is nothing left for you at home, Beldon, why go back?"

Beldon rounded on him.

"Bel?"