Ch. 15
AN: well…I haven't quite gotten 35 reviews ( I don't think that all those reviews from one person counted…ahem) but I'm going to update anyway. Maybe. I have to take the ACT on June 8th, and daddy made me promise I'd study 4 hours a day till then, just so I can get my 32. I am not completely convinced that I need to study to get a 32. Oh well. My point is, I won't have tons of time to write until then, so you might have to bear with me as I go about this rather slowly. Also, I'm working on my little boyfriend problem, and I was almost in the clear, when my damn sister had to interfere. And I'm not quite sure how she did it, b/c she's in NYC right now. Damn her. So, if I get all that patched up w/my Al, then I'll be able to write less. Heeheehee. I'm sure you can figure out why……(. So on with the story….
Briar was walking through the wide stone hallway of the castle, completely unaware of his surroundings. As he turned a corner, a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Fingers dug into his muscle. Taken by surprise, Briar had no choice but to stand there until his captor told him what was what. It didn't take too long.
"Stay away from Sandry, dirt-boy. She doesn't like you, she only hangs out with you because she feels sorry for you. She could never love dirt like you…she's practically royalty, she needs someone closer to her standards. So if you so much as talk to her again, you will regret it. Don't you forget about this, stick boy." Briar turned around as soon as his captor let go of him. His eyes widened in shock as he recognized who it was…what was---
"Briar! You look like you've just seen death itself! What's the matter?" Daja was fiddling with a spoon as she gazed inquisitively at Briar.
"Erm, nothing much…I just thought of something. No worries, kiddo. Found yourself a spoon, I see?" Daja ducked her head and blushed, nodding. "Right. I'm going to go out to the gardens, I guess. Would you like to come?"
"Erm, no, I think I'm going to go talk to Umgala. He's a servant here," she went on, seeing Briar's confused expression, "he knew my parents." Briar nodded. He knew that Daja always longed to speak to those who knew her parents, just to talk about them. The two went their separate ways, and Briar headed out to the gardens.
Sandry was there. She held a small tin watering can in her hands. She turned at the sound of Briar's footsteps and smiled at him. His heart fluttered a bit. 'She's here. She smiled at me. Just me!'
"Briar, what brings you out here?"
"Well, I am a plant mage, you know." He smiled teasingly.
"Yes, I do know that Briar. Now tell me what my Narcissus Paperwhites have to say. They haven't been looking very good all season." Briar knitted his brows together for a few seconds, concentrating.
"Aphids." Briar's callused finger turned a leaf over; he pointed at a small green bug. "There's your problem."
"Wonderful Briar!" Sandry beamed at him. "I'll simply have to talk to Uncle about you staying here more often! All of my flowers would be so perfect if you were here all the time…" She smiled shyly up at him. "All of Menfreya* would be perfect if you were here…I mean, it would be more fun, and exciting, and…" She blushed, not sure where she wanted this to go.
"Menfreya?"
"The castle. It's called Menfreya."
"Oh. It's certainly beautiful here."
"Yes, it is. Uncle spends a lot of time making sure everything is as it should be. Well, he—" Sandry glanced over Briar's head. Her mouth opened in surprise. "You! What are you doing here? And who are you?" Briar turned around, and saw none other than------
AN: muwahahah. That's what you get for not reviewing. Meanwhile, I am still quite depressed, b/c something terrible occurred b/t me and my ALMOST b/f. and I was so damn close ( I can cuss b/c the rating's R). Oy, well, I've changed some things in this chapter, so I've got it how I pretty much want it. And oy! My almost b/f is not my almost b/f anymore! He's now my messing around and shit partner. Oh well. Close enough. Oh, btw, *Menfrey is from a Victoria Holt book: Menfrey in the Morning. It's very good, I would highly recommend it! I would recommend all her books. The name Umgala came from a Victoria Holt book: Daughter of Deceit I think it was. Read it too. That's also where the idea for the model house came in. Don't worry, that'll mean something later….heeheehee…. Review Please! Babooshka
AN: well…I haven't quite gotten 35 reviews ( I don't think that all those reviews from one person counted…ahem) but I'm going to update anyway. Maybe. I have to take the ACT on June 8th, and daddy made me promise I'd study 4 hours a day till then, just so I can get my 32. I am not completely convinced that I need to study to get a 32. Oh well. My point is, I won't have tons of time to write until then, so you might have to bear with me as I go about this rather slowly. Also, I'm working on my little boyfriend problem, and I was almost in the clear, when my damn sister had to interfere. And I'm not quite sure how she did it, b/c she's in NYC right now. Damn her. So, if I get all that patched up w/my Al, then I'll be able to write less. Heeheehee. I'm sure you can figure out why……(. So on with the story….
Briar was walking through the wide stone hallway of the castle, completely unaware of his surroundings. As he turned a corner, a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Fingers dug into his muscle. Taken by surprise, Briar had no choice but to stand there until his captor told him what was what. It didn't take too long.
"Stay away from Sandry, dirt-boy. She doesn't like you, she only hangs out with you because she feels sorry for you. She could never love dirt like you…she's practically royalty, she needs someone closer to her standards. So if you so much as talk to her again, you will regret it. Don't you forget about this, stick boy." Briar turned around as soon as his captor let go of him. His eyes widened in shock as he recognized who it was…what was---
"Briar! You look like you've just seen death itself! What's the matter?" Daja was fiddling with a spoon as she gazed inquisitively at Briar.
"Erm, nothing much…I just thought of something. No worries, kiddo. Found yourself a spoon, I see?" Daja ducked her head and blushed, nodding. "Right. I'm going to go out to the gardens, I guess. Would you like to come?"
"Erm, no, I think I'm going to go talk to Umgala. He's a servant here," she went on, seeing Briar's confused expression, "he knew my parents." Briar nodded. He knew that Daja always longed to speak to those who knew her parents, just to talk about them. The two went their separate ways, and Briar headed out to the gardens.
Sandry was there. She held a small tin watering can in her hands. She turned at the sound of Briar's footsteps and smiled at him. His heart fluttered a bit. 'She's here. She smiled at me. Just me!'
"Briar, what brings you out here?"
"Well, I am a plant mage, you know." He smiled teasingly.
"Yes, I do know that Briar. Now tell me what my Narcissus Paperwhites have to say. They haven't been looking very good all season." Briar knitted his brows together for a few seconds, concentrating.
"Aphids." Briar's callused finger turned a leaf over; he pointed at a small green bug. "There's your problem."
"Wonderful Briar!" Sandry beamed at him. "I'll simply have to talk to Uncle about you staying here more often! All of my flowers would be so perfect if you were here all the time…" She smiled shyly up at him. "All of Menfreya* would be perfect if you were here…I mean, it would be more fun, and exciting, and…" She blushed, not sure where she wanted this to go.
"Menfreya?"
"The castle. It's called Menfreya."
"Oh. It's certainly beautiful here."
"Yes, it is. Uncle spends a lot of time making sure everything is as it should be. Well, he—" Sandry glanced over Briar's head. Her mouth opened in surprise. "You! What are you doing here? And who are you?" Briar turned around, and saw none other than------
AN: muwahahah. That's what you get for not reviewing. Meanwhile, I am still quite depressed, b/c something terrible occurred b/t me and my ALMOST b/f. and I was so damn close ( I can cuss b/c the rating's R). Oy, well, I've changed some things in this chapter, so I've got it how I pretty much want it. And oy! My almost b/f is not my almost b/f anymore! He's now my messing around and shit partner. Oh well. Close enough. Oh, btw, *Menfrey is from a Victoria Holt book: Menfrey in the Morning. It's very good, I would highly recommend it! I would recommend all her books. The name Umgala came from a Victoria Holt book: Daughter of Deceit I think it was. Read it too. That's also where the idea for the model house came in. Don't worry, that'll mean something later….heeheehee…. Review Please! Babooshka