The Circle Ends: Briar & Sandry

Chapter 2: Reasons Collide

Death: the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism.

Sandry sat in a plush chair, still gripping Briar's hand. When she'd awoken and seen her uncle's haggard face she knew that whatever news Gospard had brought was not of the good variety. The only time she'd seen him so aged had been just after his heart attack, deep lines had formed in his face after that and if anything those very same deep lines had deepened in the past two hours.

Now as they all sat in his study as they waited for him to speak Sandry couldn't quell down her nervous fidgeting. Finally with a huge sigh Vedris looked up from the rich wood of his desk and at her "Sandrilene, you remember my eldest son Colderran?"

She nodded, Colederran had been the heir to the duchy but had been disinherited years ago for reasons that no one in Emelan knew. She'd personally only met him once when she was very small his arms and legs had looked like tree-trunks to her three year old self and he'd had golden blond hair like his mother Miliana. "Yes I do."

"I disinherited him years ago because he wished to marry a woman who I didn't approve of at the time." Sandry jumped with surprise, the Duke had never stuck her as the type to deny someone marriage to the person they chose.

"I see that look Sandrilene, I was a very different man back then. I didn't want Colderran marrying a woman who would distract him from his duties." Vedris offered her a weak smile which she managed to return "Anyways, I sent Gospard here to find him. With the question of who would be my heir floating around I wanted to try to patch things up with him." her uncle became very quiet and Gospard stepped up from his position behind his father and continued. Sandry had known about the rumors and she'd always assumed that Gospard would eventually step up seeing as he'd be the perfect Duke.

"I searched all along the coast of the Pebbled Sea and eventually found him in Sotat." Gospard began and Sandry straightened with surprise as she forced herself to keep her eyes on Gospard even though she felt Briar stiffen next to her.

Do you think it's a coincidence? She asked Briar in her head.

I'm beginning to think that coincidences don't exist. Was all he said.

"It took me a month or two to convince him and his family to come with me and try to patch things up. But unfortunately before we could get out of the Kingdom a coup erupted and a militant leader came into power. He is known as the General to most and very few know his name. The General ordered all those of the royal family to be captured and executed." Gospard paused for a moment before continuing "The woman that Colederran wished to marry was the third daughter of King Mythril of Sotat, Princess Linissa, she and Colederran were killed before we could flee the country."

Sandry gasped audibly and turned to her uncle who wouldn't look up from his desk, "Are you sure?" she asked Gospard who nodded.

"I saw it with my own eyes."

"But Sotat has always been a fairly peaceful country!" Sandry protested "How have we in Emelan not heard of this?"

"We have… kept it quiet here in Emelan. It was a very recent development and…" the Duke was cut off by Sandry's indignant reply.

"A ruler should never keep things like this from his people. Were you worried that they would revolt because Sotat is? The people of Emelan are not unhappy Uncle." Sandry's tone was sharp and the Duke winced.

"Sandry, lay off him." Briar turned to his foster-sister, speaking for the first time since they'd entered the room. "He is trying to keep his country safe by any means necessary." Sandry's mouth snapped closed and she turned back to her uncle with her cheeks flaming. Briar had been right she'd had no right to reprimand her uncle.

"It's quite alright Briar, she is correct in this matter. A good leader should have no fear of his or her people." The Duke regarded his niece for a moment with pride in his eyes before continuing.

"I'd originally feared an uprising because I was forced to raise the taxes on some staples such as flour and grain. Both of which are majorly imported from Sotat, but I managed to fix the problem rather quick and I'd intended to let the information from Sotat flow in the next few weeks… but now the news of Colderran's death…" the Duke sat in his chair looking desolate.

Sandry stood up, releasing Briar's fingers which she had still be gripping, and hurried around the desk and threw her arms around her Uncle. It wasn't proper, and it would have made the Duke look weak in any other company than that of his close family and friends, but Sandry didn't care. The Duke patted her back awkwardly as she hugged him for a moment before pulling away.

"There is nothing we can do right now, we shall watch the situation and see if it worsens. If Emelan must intervene then it will, why don't you go try to get a few hours of sleep I get the feeling that today will be a hectic day." The Duke patted her hand with a small smile.

Sandry nodded and headed towards the door which was being held open by Briar, with one final look at her very sad uncle.

As the door clicked shut the Duke turned towards his son, "That should ward her off of the subject for a few days."

"Yes it should, but father I still think you should have told her the full extent of what was going on and how there are certain factions in Emelan that agree with the General's militant takeover. She is your future heir afterall."

"I have not told her that I will be choosing her yet Gospard, Franzen would throw a fit." the Duke said referring to his youngest son "She doesn't want that much power, but no one in Emelan can deny that she would be a fantastic leader. More so than Franzen and since you've made it very clear that you have no interest in the post."

"I love being out on the open sea too much to be chained to the shores of Emelan father, but I don't mind playing the heir until things calm down." Gospard replied.

"I thank you for that, but I fear that Sandry's position is the topic of many rumors a crossed the land. No doubt they have reached Sotat which puts her in danger."

"Sandry believes those rumors to be false, she doesn't think that you would pass over your sons for her." Gospard added "But everyone else does. Franzen definitely does, and my brother can be a bit… ambitious if he wants something." Gospard could still remember the horrible temper tantrums his youngest brother would throw when they were small and he did not get his way. Unfortunately the adult Franzen was no better but had now become violent with his tantrums.

The Duke sighed "I know but Franzen will have to simply get over it. The people would never support him as a leader as they've seen his temper one too many times for comfort."

"Colderran would have made a fantastic leader, he did always have a mixture of yours and mother's temperaments." Gospard's voice was filled with sadness. He wished that he could have saved his brother from his fate.

"Yes, he would have." the old Duke replied sadly before standing and heading out of his office, he needed to meet with his advisors.

Sandy couldn't sleep, instead she dressed in her clothing for the day and met Briar down in the main foyer. She looked him over filled with nervous energy and glared at a stain on his shirt which seemed to slither off the fabric and evaporate into the air.

"You shouldn't bully my cloths Sandry." Briar joked as he tugged at the now clean and lineless fabric.

She ignored his quip "Come on Briar we're going to winding circle." in her mind she reached out and mentally pinched Tris awake. Daja had been awake for hours, she was currently working in the forge-Sandry could feel the heat lick her skin.

Ow! What was that for? Tris asked irritably as she sat up in bed.

If you could both head over to winding circle that would be great. Was all Sandry said as she pushed an attendant to the side and began to saddle her own horse.

What's the matter with her? Tris asked Briar noticing he was with her.

Briar mentally shrugged, not wanting to tell his sisters anything that would upset Sandry. The only time she'd been anywhere near this upset was after he'd saved her from the magical box that Finn had trapped her in. He watched her fingers shake as she tugged at the leather saddle straps and with a sigh he stepped forwards and took over for her.

"Thank you." she said as he finished up tightening the saddle and swung onto it and held out a hand to her.

"We can saddle you a horse as well Briar." Sandry protested.

"Nah, no time. Besides by the time we get another horse out here to be saddled Tris and Daja will already be halfway to winding circle."

With an aggravated sigh Sandry took his hand and he swung her up onto her horse behind him.

"Shouldn't I be directing my horse?" she asked.

"You ride too slow, I can get us there faster." Briar replied sweetly and Sandry glared at his back.

I do not ride slow. Was all she said and he laughed as he kicked the horse into a run. Sandry, who hadn't been prepared for the sudden speed almost fell off the back of the horse but she managed to grab the back of Briar's shirt and wrap her arms around his middle.

Wind whipped at her hair yanking it out of it's braids and sending it tumbling down Sandry's back. Briar slow down or i'll look like a tumble blown waif! Sandry protested even though she was laughing.

I happen to like the tumble blown waif look, princess. Briar replied curtly before spurring the horse even faster. He was glad he'd finally gotten her to laugh, he'd been worried for a moment.

By the time they finally reached winding circle and Briar helped Sandry down from the horse her golden brown curls were completely loose around her face. Something he rarely ever saw. The soft looking hair hung around her waist and she tried to pat her hair down but the windswept look remained.

"You are in so much trouble Briar Moss." Sandry scolded as she tried to replait her hair.

"Why? It looks better down than in all of those braids." Briar asked with a little shrug of his shoulders.

"Because it's not proper!"

Briar shot back another quip and they continued to bicker all the way up the stone path until they reached Discipline. Daja and Tris stood in the front garden with eyebrows raised.

"We could hear you from all the way up here." Tris said closing the book she'd been reading.

"Well just take a look at the state of my hair I look like Medusa!" Sandry had gotten her hair halfway plaited by that time and Briar grinned wolfishly next to her.

"You look fine, now, what is the problem?" Daja, who had been disturbed in the middle of her work, was anxious to get back to the forge.

Sandry filled them in on everything she'd learned from her uncle and cousin, she skimmed over the fact that Briar had gotten a letter from Sotat and Briar was grateful for that.

Daja contemplated the information for a moment, her dark eyes going far away for a moment "So we just wait?" she asked.

"No, yes, I don't know." Sandry said tying off her braid and smoothing it down.

Tris had be silent the entire time but now she chimed in: "I'll keep watch."

"With your wind?" Briar asked.

"No with my nose, yes with my wind. Now if you'll excuse me it's just barely seven o clock in the morning and I am not a morning person unlike you three." Tris replied irritably and turned to head back into Winding Circle presumably to catch a quick nap with Glaki, her student, who was surely sleeping soundly.

"Well, we'll find out more as the days pass and then we'll decide what to do. Now I don't know about you but I could really use some of Lark's blueberry tea right about now."

- Author's Note -

Chapter two is here! I'm so glad that I finally finished it. These chapters are a little longer than what I'm used to but I think it's a bit cleaner that way. Anywho chapter three should be out eventually please be patient!

Please read & review!

-LittleMoonLover-