A/N: This a little one-shot song fic idea I had that I wanted to get down. I've had an idea for an actual chapter story for this genre but with all the rest I have going I wasn't sure if I should try to start another one. This little fic is going to take place after Shatterglass but not with the Will of the Empress.
Originally Published: 1/20/07 (Originally published under Descendant of Doom)
Disclaimer: It doesn't belong to me, it belongs to the most wonderful and talented woman Tamora Pierce. If it belonged to me would I be writing here? So please don't sue me. Oh and the song belongs to Live.
The Dolphin's Cry
Briar Moss sighed as he sat on the roof of Discipline Cottage. He had only been home three days after being away for so long. Tris and Daja would be home in a few days themselves but for the time being it were just Sandry, Lark, Evvy and Rosethorn in the house. Lark's newest student had managed to enter back into normal population a few months ago so their home was back to normal.
A light breeze ghosted across his skin and he closed his eyes a moment just taking in the fact that he was home. He turned as he heard the back door open. He watched as a shadow holding a crystal full of light moved through Rosethorn's garden and headed down the moonlit path towards his garden, his sanctuary. The shadow tucked the crystal away following the path by moonlight alone.
Briar sighed as he slipped down the side of the roof and gently landed on the pillows on Rosethorn's workshop. He dropped to the ground soundlessly. As he followed the shadow, he remembered his last night at Winding Circle.
Flashback
Briar walked into his rose garden. He had worked on it for three years as a project on Rosethorn's request. The sound of the water fountain was relaxing. As he turned the corner he saw a figure sitting on the edge of the fountain bathed in moonlight.
End flashback
Briar gave a small smile as he saw her bathed in moonlight once more as she sat in his rose garden.
The way you're bathed in light
Reminds me of that night
God laid me down into your rose garden of trust
He relaxed as he saw light bounce off honey brown hair in twin braids. He smiled as he continued to remember that night.
Flashback
Blue eyes, the colour of the sky, stared at him sadly. He moved closer as Sandry looked away and down to the cloth in her hands. Briar stood before her, just looking at her. She turned to him with a sweet smile.
"I'm sorry I didn't know you would be here. I'll leave you alone with your garden." Sandry said standing gracefully. She looked at the cloth in her hand before handing it to him. "It's so you will always find your way home." She paused unsure if she should say more. "Also so you won't forget me."
Sandry smiled before turning away when suddenly Briar grabbed her arm. She turned to look into the grey-green eyes of Briar.
And I was swept away
With nothing left to say
"Briar, what is it?" Sandry asked unsure. Briar looked down into her soft eyes. She blinked up at him in confusion.
Some helpless fool
Yeah I was lost in a swoon of peace
Briar sighed wrapping Sandry in a fierce hug. Sandry smiled, returning the hug. He realized in that moment he didn't want to leave with Rosethorn for fear of losing her and leaving her all at the same time.
"Thank you." He whispered, referring to her gift as he breathed in her sweet smell reminding him of the rose garden they stood in. 'I am at peace in her arms. Why?' He thought silently to himself.
"I'll always help you find where you belong. I'll never let you be lost. I will make sure you make it home." Sandry replied fiercely.
You're all I need to find
So when the time is right
Come to me sweetly, come to me
Come to me
Briar pulled out of the hug reluctantly. He looked down at Sandry who looked back up at him with a smile that made her look even more beautiful in the moonlight. In a sudden movement, Sandry stood on her tiptoes pressing a soft kiss to Briar's lips. Before he realized what happened, she was half way down the path.
End flashback
Briar watched Sandry. After so long apart, it was strange to see her again. It was like a dream had happened in between. He had missed her so much and he had never had a chance to talk to her about the kiss. What had it meant? Was it just a way to say goodbye or was it more? From the all the time apart though, he had realized something; he was in love with her. The scariest part was, not knowing if she felt the same about him.
Love will lead us, alright
Love will lead us, she will lead us
Can you hear the dolphins cry?
See the road rise up to meet us
It's in the air we breathe tonight
Love will lead us, she will lead us
Briar walked forward silently, his feet not making a sound on the pathway. He breathed in taken away with the beauty in front of him. Why hadn't he seen it before? Why hadn't he even realized before what was right in front of him? Suddenly those bright blue eyes turned to him in surprise.
Oh yeah, we meet again
It's like we never left
Time in between was just a dream
Briar stood nervously before her. His boot scuffed the pathway in front of him. Sandry smiled at him almost shyly. They didn't say anything for a moment but just stared at each other as if when they said something it would break the spell that was wrapped around them.
"Briar." Sandry said in greeting, finally breaking the silence.
"Sandry." Briar replied softly.
Did we leave this place?
This crazy fog surrounds me
You wrap your legs around me
All I can do to try and breathe
Silence seemed to engulf them once again in a thick fog as if Tris herself had blanketed them in it. Briar moved to sit down beside her. A vine slipped towards him, she watched as he plucked the rose from the vine and gently handed it to her. She took it with a shy smile, making her whole face light up with happiness. In that moment, he never wanted that look to go away.
Let me breathe, so that I
So we can go together
Briar looked at her happily as she flushed while breathing in the scent of the rose. His hand itched to reach out and touch her but he knew if he did, it would be like touching something so forbidden to him that he would surely be locked away for the rest of his life.
"I missed you." He said before he could stop himself. Shocked blue eyes stared up at him. They took in his face as if memorizing it over and over again like the patterns she formed with thread.
"Really? You're not joking are you?" She asked softly almost scared that he was. He shook his head wanting to erase the fear he could see in her eyes.
"Really." He replied.
Love will lead us, alright
Love will lead us, she will lead us
Can you hear the dolphins cry?
Sandry blushed and turned towards the fountain to cast a shadow on her face. He wanted to so much be able to see the emotions that were flying through her eyes. Briar gently tugged a braid in teasing, hoping that it would allow him to see her eyes again. She turned to him.
"Why are you here, Briar? Why did you follow me here tonight?" She asked, staring into his green eyes hoping that they held the answer to her question. He sighed, turning his face away from those eyes.
"That's a good question. That is a very good question." Briar replied.
See the road rise up to meet us
It's in the air we breathe tonight
Love will lead us, she will lead us
He turned to push a strand of loose hair behind her ear. 'It would never work. I'm just a thief and I'll always be just that. She's a noble. She could never love me. We could never be together.' He thought miserably.
"I just couldn't sleep and I saw you, that's why I'm here. No special reason, Sandry. I'll leave you to your quiet time." Briar stated lying as he rose slowly. He started to leave when he heard her rise.
"You never took it off, did you?" She asked so softly he almost didn't hear her. He stopped rolling up his sleeve and holding up his wrist to show the cloth bracelet that she had given him before he left.
Life is like a shooting star
It don't matter who you are
Briar lowered his arm looking at the rose she had created on the bracelet. At that moment he wanted to run and keep running but he couldn't hide what he was feeling for her even if he buried it under a thousand green things in the earth. He turned slowly to look at her and what he saw almost made his heart break. Tears slipped down her cheeks slowly at first and then faster and faster.
"Sandry, please tell me what's wrong? I can't fix it, if you don't tell me." He whispered, moving to wipe a tear from her cheek. She caught his hand before it moved away from her skin. She pressed his palm against her cheek and she leaned her face into it.
If you only run for cover, it's just a waste of time
We are lost til we are found
This phoenix rises up from the ground
And all these wars are over, over, over
Singing la da da, da da da
Over
Come to me, come to me
Singing la da da da, da da da
Come to me
He sighed. What could he do? Why couldn't he stop her from crying? He didn't even know why she was crying but he would do anything to stop the tears that were falling from her blue eyes still. She gave him a watery smile.
"Sorry I'm being silly." She said pulling his hand away and reaching for her handkerchief. Briar gave her a smile, pat on the hand and turned away so he didn't have to see her tears.
Love will lead us, alright
Love will lead us, she will lead us
Can you hear the dolphins cry?
See the road rise up to meet us
It's in the air we breathe tonight
Love will lead us, she will lead us
Briar's instincts were telling him to run but his feet didn't want to move. His heart was beating so fast that it had felt like he had run a marathon. Why was his whole being crying out to tell her but his mind didn't want him to. Sandry placed her hand on his shoulder.
"It's good to have you home." She said, her hand crinkling the fabric of his shirt. He nodded his whole entire being battling to say what he wanted to say.
"It's good to be home." He replied.
Life is like a shooting star
It don't matter who you are
If you only run for cover, it's just a waste of time
We are lost til we are found
Sandry gave him a sad smile before letting go of his shirt and brushing past him. He watched her walk away for a moment before his feet finally moved and he caught her arm. She turned to stare at him confused.
This phoenix rises up from the ground
And all these wars are over
Over, over, over
Briar looked at her, pushing away all the fear in his heart and all the doubts in his mind as he steeled his nerves. He brushed the last tear from her check and leaned in, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. When his lips touched hers, it didn't matter anymore if he was one thing and she was another all he knew was he loved her. He pulled away and looked down at her. He waited for her eyes to open and see the hate fill them but when they fluttered open, he only saw hope shining back at him.
"Sandry?" he whispered unsure of what more to say.
Love will lead us, alright
Love will lead us, she will lead us
Sandry smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. He sighed in relief and wrapped his arms around her possessively. He wasn't sure what to say and he wasn't sure if he should. She pulled away but didn't leave the circle of his arms.
"I have known for a long time that I loved you but I was afraid that you didn't love me like that back." She stated her voice barely audible. He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear once more.
Can you hear the dolphins cry?
See the road rise up to meet us
It's in the air we breathe tonight
Briar leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead and he just basked in her presence before he decided to answer her.
"I love you, Sandry. You don't have to worry about that but what about everything else to think of? You're a noble and me, I'm still marked as a thief and the highest I'll ever be made is a mage." Briar said with a sigh. She smiled up at him shaking her head.
"None of that matters for now as long as I have you." She replied, giving him a fiery kiss. When they pulled apart, he smiled down at her. Offering his arm to her, they returned home to Discipline Cottage. When they entered they found their own rooms were occupied by their students. Sandry smiled as she slipped into Rosethorn's workshop where Briar had a pallet on the floor. He shook his head at her.
"Sandry we can't stay together tonight." He whispered as to not wake anyone. She shook her head curling up on the pallet and patted the stop beside her. He shook his head before lying down beside her. She curled up beside him and soon fell asleep. Briar smiled down at her and knew things weren't perfect or resolved but he had his Sandry and he wasn't going to let go.
"I love you, Sandry." He whispered as he gently fell to sleep beside the girl he loved.
Love will lead us, she will lead us
The End
Well I hope you liked it. I'm still thinking of doing a chapter story for this genre and particular pairing but having nothing to do with this fic. Well let me know what you think about this one and if you think a chapter fic would be a good idea. Please Review.