Discipline

Briar was reading the letter Sandry sent him for the umpteenth time today, and although it was nearly dark, he could still see from the glass globe that Tris and Daja had worked tirelessly on perfecting. He was sitting under a willow tree with his dark head bent over the wrinkled paper and long legs stretched out slightly apart, too absorbed it the letter to notice Evvy creep up from behind.

"Are you reading that letter again?"

Briar jumped.

"What did I tell you about not sneaking up on me like that?" Briar asked.

"You didn't." She said flatly. At thirteen, Evvy was still in that awkward time of growth. She looked at him with her almond shaped eyes jokingly.

"Now come on. We don't have time for you to be mooning over Sandry right now." She smirked. "Besides, if we hurry up, you'll see her sooner." Evvy gave him a cheeky smile, the flounced away. Briar just shook his head

Was I such a pain in the ass at that age? Briar thought, then shook his head as he remembered her comment about Sandry. Is it really that obvious?

Briar didn't exactly remember when he'd started to like Sandry as more than a sister or friend. He'd try many times a day to get his mind off her, but all he could see were those big cornflower blue eyes and beautiful golden brown waves cascading down her slender back. The very thought of her caused his eight inches of manhood to twitch involuntarily.

At five foot nine with dark brown hair, bronzed skin, and startling grey-green eyes, Briar had nearly any young woman entranced, Some older than his seventeen years of age. However, Briar was not interested in any of them.

You're going crazy, Briar, he told himself many times on his, Evvy's and Rosethorn's trip back to Emelan from Chammur. Just forget about her. She is your foster sister. It won't work out. He shook he head, as if to get rid of his thoughts of Sandry, then walked over to their wagon and grabbed a few blankets and a pillow, more than ready to go to sleep.

"Briar!"

He could here Sandry cry from Discipline's door. She ran towards him, giving him a bone-crushing hug and having it returned to her with just as much enthusiasm. He took in the sweet fruity scent of her. Fresh and pure. It matched her perfectly, he thought as he took her in his sight after pulling back from the hug. What he saw blew him away. Gone was the girlish body she had before Briar had left. She was wearing a beautiful blush pink satin dress which flowed over her slender, delicate curves like water. A soft glow seemed to emit from her form, like a goddess.

"Wow, um, Sandry, you look- well, you're, you look beautiful!" Briar managed to say.

"Thank you! You've certainly grown taller! But what happened? Did they starve you in Chammur or something? Your frightfully thin."

Briar laughed out loud.

"No, no starving, only barely adequate food. What do you expect after being spoiled by Dedicate Gorse?"

Sandry shook her head and chuckled.

"So where are Rosethorn? Oh, and Evvy especially. I'm dying to meet her!"

"They're unpacking our things from the wagon," Briar replied.

Sandry shook her head.

"And you aren't helping them? What has the world come to, men expecting us women to do all the work?"

Now it was Briar's turn to shake his head.

" Weren't you the one who charged into me and gave me that hell of a hug? Honestly! What has the world come to?"

Briar could swear he saw Sandry's cheeks turn a delicate shade of pink before he turned around to help unpack.