This story is dedicated to Eihwaz, since she gave me really sweet reviews
and made my day, so I thought I would write a fic for her. This was only
going to be one chapter, but I'm going to have to make it longer. I've
never done more than 1 chapter, so hopefully I'll be able to continue :D
~~~
Crane sighed in frustration, throwing his trowel to the ground. He was distracted. Very distracted. So distracted, in fact, that he couldn't even concentrate on his tomatoes.
Yes, today was the day. So what? He was simply annoyed that Rosethorn would be back, and further hinder his work. Things had been so beautifully peaceful here without her.
Without the boy.
Crane closed his eyes, dropping into the nearest seat. This was not happening. Absolutely not. For four years* he had been trying not to think about the boy.
Briar Moss.
As much as he lied to himself about it, he knew he wasn't distracted because Rosethorn would create competition.
The thing was, Briar didn't remind him of his father, or his old friend, as these things usually go. He didn't remind him of anyone. Briar was completely unlike anyone he had ever met in all his years. The boy was rude, uneducated, impudent and a thief. Despite these factors, he was also extremely smart, witty and charming. He unwittingly drew Crane in, every aspect of the boy fascinated him. He was so young, yet his view of the world was so jaded.
He wondered how much he's changed. Would he be much taller? Would he have the same voracious appetite? Would his eyes be as bright as he remembered them?
He can't believe he's thinking about it. Here he was, thinking he gotten over this silliness. Crane shook his head, opening his eyes. Just as he was reaching for his trowel, he spotted Dedicate Lark out of the corner of his eye. She was half-running down the path, skirts held up. She was heading towards the gate.
Rosethorn. Briar.
He turned back to his tomatoes, hands shaking slightly as he began work again.
Thirty seconds passed before he dropped his trowel, turned on his heel, and calmly walked down the path towards the Northern gate.
~~~
He stood a fair distance from the scene, standing warily back. Lark could no longer restrain herself, and began sprinting towards her old friend, tears spilling down her cheeks. Rosethorn slipped off the horse, just before she was caught in a ferocious hug. After a moment, Briar was pulled ungracefully into the hug, and received a kiss on the cheek from Lark. He smiled, shaking his head, before hugging the motherly woman back.
He was taller, as Crane had predicted. His hair was a little different, it was now about two inches long, sticking up in messy spikes in every direction. His eyes were still as bright as he remembered, perhaps even brighter. His smile was the same. Crane's heart clenched.
He stood back, unnoticed. A stranger. After a few more uncomfortable minutes of hugging, laughing and crying, the moment he was both waiting for and dreading came. Briar looked up, locking eyes with Crane. Crane's breath caught in his throat, he didn't dare blink. After what seemed like an eternity, Briar looked away, following Rosethorn and Lark down the opposite path.
No smile. No wave. Nothing.
Crane smiled bitterly. What was he expecting? Briar would grin, and beckon him over? He would hug him as tightly as Lark had Rosethorn? He would invite him back to Discipline? No. He didn't belong, and he was ten kinds of fool to even come here. He turned away, retreating up the path towards his Greenhouse.
~~~
To be continued!
*I'm not sure how old they where when they left the Winding Circle, so I'm just saying it was four years ago.
~~~
Crane sighed in frustration, throwing his trowel to the ground. He was distracted. Very distracted. So distracted, in fact, that he couldn't even concentrate on his tomatoes.
Yes, today was the day. So what? He was simply annoyed that Rosethorn would be back, and further hinder his work. Things had been so beautifully peaceful here without her.
Without the boy.
Crane closed his eyes, dropping into the nearest seat. This was not happening. Absolutely not. For four years* he had been trying not to think about the boy.
Briar Moss.
As much as he lied to himself about it, he knew he wasn't distracted because Rosethorn would create competition.
The thing was, Briar didn't remind him of his father, or his old friend, as these things usually go. He didn't remind him of anyone. Briar was completely unlike anyone he had ever met in all his years. The boy was rude, uneducated, impudent and a thief. Despite these factors, he was also extremely smart, witty and charming. He unwittingly drew Crane in, every aspect of the boy fascinated him. He was so young, yet his view of the world was so jaded.
He wondered how much he's changed. Would he be much taller? Would he have the same voracious appetite? Would his eyes be as bright as he remembered them?
He can't believe he's thinking about it. Here he was, thinking he gotten over this silliness. Crane shook his head, opening his eyes. Just as he was reaching for his trowel, he spotted Dedicate Lark out of the corner of his eye. She was half-running down the path, skirts held up. She was heading towards the gate.
Rosethorn. Briar.
He turned back to his tomatoes, hands shaking slightly as he began work again.
Thirty seconds passed before he dropped his trowel, turned on his heel, and calmly walked down the path towards the Northern gate.
~~~
He stood a fair distance from the scene, standing warily back. Lark could no longer restrain herself, and began sprinting towards her old friend, tears spilling down her cheeks. Rosethorn slipped off the horse, just before she was caught in a ferocious hug. After a moment, Briar was pulled ungracefully into the hug, and received a kiss on the cheek from Lark. He smiled, shaking his head, before hugging the motherly woman back.
He was taller, as Crane had predicted. His hair was a little different, it was now about two inches long, sticking up in messy spikes in every direction. His eyes were still as bright as he remembered, perhaps even brighter. His smile was the same. Crane's heart clenched.
He stood back, unnoticed. A stranger. After a few more uncomfortable minutes of hugging, laughing and crying, the moment he was both waiting for and dreading came. Briar looked up, locking eyes with Crane. Crane's breath caught in his throat, he didn't dare blink. After what seemed like an eternity, Briar looked away, following Rosethorn and Lark down the opposite path.
No smile. No wave. Nothing.
Crane smiled bitterly. What was he expecting? Briar would grin, and beckon him over? He would hug him as tightly as Lark had Rosethorn? He would invite him back to Discipline? No. He didn't belong, and he was ten kinds of fool to even come here. He turned away, retreating up the path towards his Greenhouse.
~~~
To be continued!
*I'm not sure how old they where when they left the Winding Circle, so I'm just saying it was four years ago.