hey, this is almost the end! i think...aww, this chapter is mostly "romance." its badly written too. oh well, you can deal with it right? RIGHT?! if not...hey, too bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandry ran into the field of wildflowers. The stalks reached almost up to her chest, they had overgrown so much. "Briar, look! Lilies!" Grabbing his hand, she dragged him over to the cluster, far to the left of the dirt road.
Groaning, he followed her as he was pulled along at high velocity.
Daja had settled herself by some orange flowers, with long petals and freckles. Kethan sat next to her, placing his staff next to hers on the soft grass. "Tiger lilies!" He fingered one of the silky petals with his long fingers.
Playing with her thick braid, Daja just watched as a small sparrow with a speckled breast chirped at her friend. Giggling, she saw the small creature nuzzle against his skin before flying away.
Turning back to her, he grinned. "I used to run away from staff practices to talk to animals."
She smiled back. "But you learned it anyway right?"
"Staff? Yes, unfortunately." His eyes twinkled. "Do i hear a challenge?" In that instant, they both swept up their trader instruments and squared off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandry knelt in the patch of white and lavender lilies. "They're so pretty, i just want to hug them!"
Briar grinned. "I dont think they would like that too well, you think?"
Sighing, Sandry sat on the grass. Staring up at her surroundings, she mused, "I know now why they don't let small children into this meadow. They'd be lost, because even sitting my head doesnt even show over the top of the flowers!"
Curious, Briar sat next to her. Even with his taller height, he was invisible to anyone on the road. Taking advantage of this privacy, he suddenly kissed Sandry, leaning her backwards from her sitting position until her hair almost touched the grass.
Blushing, the girl exclaimed, "Briar!" Then she paused. Why was she being shy? Didn't she want to kiss him?
Rolling over, she collided with him. They rolled over a few times before finally "stopping" against a tree. "Ow," Briar joked, before he was completely overwhelmed by Sandry, who was intent on only him.
Pressing her deeper into the soft grass, he was also entirely occupied. He stroked the straying tendrils of hair away from her face, slightly unnerved by their supine position.
The sweet scent of her hair blended enticingly with the perfume of the lilies, and he kissed her repeatedly, starting with her forehead and slowly down to her mouth. Sandry buried her hands into his grass-entangled hair, breathing in his kisses as if she were drowning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tris was wandering in the field when she heard a thwack right next to her. "Watch out, Tris!" Kethan yelled as he dodged a staff blow from Daja. Watching in curiousity, Tris saw the ebony of their weapons meet, bend slightly, and hold as their full weights collided.
Feeling way more respect for Trader weapons, Tris walked up the dirt road. Feeling the wind whip through her curls, she paused. It felt...different.
Ignoring it, she continued her walk. Where were Sandry and Briar? Her heart pricked her a bit before she shook it off. He loves her, and she loves him. It didn't matter anymore what she thought. It saddened her for a second, but she recovered quickly. Which proves, she said to herself, her love wasn't very deep.
She looked around her. She had walked slowly away from the gate, which was now a small dot in the distance. The moist winds returned, picking at her arm. What was wrong with it?
Reaching with her magic, she felt rather than saw the huge mass moving quickly towards them....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daja greatly respected Kethan's skills. Why, she could barely defend herself, let alone attack. "Trader, you're good."
Gasping, the boy shook sweat out of his eyes. Laughing silently to herself, Daja thanked her parents for sailing in hot areas: she didnt sweat even through the most difficult exercises. "Gods, Daja, when was your last lesson?" Struggling to return her par, he jumped out of the way just in time.
"When I was nine."
His mouth dropping open, Kethan stared. "What? NINE? And you're still this honed..." His guard dropped for a second, and Daja immediately took the advantage to attack.
But then their staffs met, and it quickly turned into a press-as-hard-as-you-can situation. The dark girl groaned. She hated this part, where the two staffs locked and the only way out was through brute strength. Her smithing arms could hold out for a while...yet...
Their close proximity suddenly closed in on them, and surprise clouded both their eyes. Faces only inches apart, they froze.
Kethan blinked, then ever so slowly kissed Daja. Pulling back, they stared at each other for a few more seconds before Daja broke the stillness by tripping him with her staff.
Laughing, Kethan got up. "Hey, Daja!" He wondered if her action was in anger for his intrusion, or because she just felt like it. The Trader boy just stood there, unsure what to do next.
Abandoning her staff, Daja only threw her arms around his neck, continuing their new game. His staff soon followed suit, rolling down to the ground to join hers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Briar! We need your help now! Rosethorn screamed through the lilies minds.
What? Briar looked up from his embrace, confused. Rosethorn? Sandry, in contact with him, could also hear her frightened plea. She tried to sit up, but was sandwiched tightly between Briar and the ground.
Boy, there's a storm coming, full of magic. We need you all to urgently- she paused- Boy, what are you doing?! she shrieked, angry.
Briar blushed, struggling free of Sandry in that instant; his movements were futile, since their arms and legs were so thoroughly entwined. Managing to roll away, he helped Sandry up as they brushed grass off their clothes sheepishly. Nothing.
Briar, stop- Rosethorn cut herself off. Nevermind! You have to stop this magical flood, or all of Winding Circle and the Duke's city will be destroyed!
~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandry ran into the field of wildflowers. The stalks reached almost up to her chest, they had overgrown so much. "Briar, look! Lilies!" Grabbing his hand, she dragged him over to the cluster, far to the left of the dirt road.
Groaning, he followed her as he was pulled along at high velocity.
Daja had settled herself by some orange flowers, with long petals and freckles. Kethan sat next to her, placing his staff next to hers on the soft grass. "Tiger lilies!" He fingered one of the silky petals with his long fingers.
Playing with her thick braid, Daja just watched as a small sparrow with a speckled breast chirped at her friend. Giggling, she saw the small creature nuzzle against his skin before flying away.
Turning back to her, he grinned. "I used to run away from staff practices to talk to animals."
She smiled back. "But you learned it anyway right?"
"Staff? Yes, unfortunately." His eyes twinkled. "Do i hear a challenge?" In that instant, they both swept up their trader instruments and squared off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandry knelt in the patch of white and lavender lilies. "They're so pretty, i just want to hug them!"
Briar grinned. "I dont think they would like that too well, you think?"
Sighing, Sandry sat on the grass. Staring up at her surroundings, she mused, "I know now why they don't let small children into this meadow. They'd be lost, because even sitting my head doesnt even show over the top of the flowers!"
Curious, Briar sat next to her. Even with his taller height, he was invisible to anyone on the road. Taking advantage of this privacy, he suddenly kissed Sandry, leaning her backwards from her sitting position until her hair almost touched the grass.
Blushing, the girl exclaimed, "Briar!" Then she paused. Why was she being shy? Didn't she want to kiss him?
Rolling over, she collided with him. They rolled over a few times before finally "stopping" against a tree. "Ow," Briar joked, before he was completely overwhelmed by Sandry, who was intent on only him.
Pressing her deeper into the soft grass, he was also entirely occupied. He stroked the straying tendrils of hair away from her face, slightly unnerved by their supine position.
The sweet scent of her hair blended enticingly with the perfume of the lilies, and he kissed her repeatedly, starting with her forehead and slowly down to her mouth. Sandry buried her hands into his grass-entangled hair, breathing in his kisses as if she were drowning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tris was wandering in the field when she heard a thwack right next to her. "Watch out, Tris!" Kethan yelled as he dodged a staff blow from Daja. Watching in curiousity, Tris saw the ebony of their weapons meet, bend slightly, and hold as their full weights collided.
Feeling way more respect for Trader weapons, Tris walked up the dirt road. Feeling the wind whip through her curls, she paused. It felt...different.
Ignoring it, she continued her walk. Where were Sandry and Briar? Her heart pricked her a bit before she shook it off. He loves her, and she loves him. It didn't matter anymore what she thought. It saddened her for a second, but she recovered quickly. Which proves, she said to herself, her love wasn't very deep.
She looked around her. She had walked slowly away from the gate, which was now a small dot in the distance. The moist winds returned, picking at her arm. What was wrong with it?
Reaching with her magic, she felt rather than saw the huge mass moving quickly towards them....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daja greatly respected Kethan's skills. Why, she could barely defend herself, let alone attack. "Trader, you're good."
Gasping, the boy shook sweat out of his eyes. Laughing silently to herself, Daja thanked her parents for sailing in hot areas: she didnt sweat even through the most difficult exercises. "Gods, Daja, when was your last lesson?" Struggling to return her par, he jumped out of the way just in time.
"When I was nine."
His mouth dropping open, Kethan stared. "What? NINE? And you're still this honed..." His guard dropped for a second, and Daja immediately took the advantage to attack.
But then their staffs met, and it quickly turned into a press-as-hard-as-you-can situation. The dark girl groaned. She hated this part, where the two staffs locked and the only way out was through brute strength. Her smithing arms could hold out for a while...yet...
Their close proximity suddenly closed in on them, and surprise clouded both their eyes. Faces only inches apart, they froze.
Kethan blinked, then ever so slowly kissed Daja. Pulling back, they stared at each other for a few more seconds before Daja broke the stillness by tripping him with her staff.
Laughing, Kethan got up. "Hey, Daja!" He wondered if her action was in anger for his intrusion, or because she just felt like it. The Trader boy just stood there, unsure what to do next.
Abandoning her staff, Daja only threw her arms around his neck, continuing their new game. His staff soon followed suit, rolling down to the ground to join hers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Briar! We need your help now! Rosethorn screamed through the lilies minds.
What? Briar looked up from his embrace, confused. Rosethorn? Sandry, in contact with him, could also hear her frightened plea. She tried to sit up, but was sandwiched tightly between Briar and the ground.
Boy, there's a storm coming, full of magic. We need you all to urgently- she paused- Boy, what are you doing?! she shrieked, angry.
Briar blushed, struggling free of Sandry in that instant; his movements were futile, since their arms and legs were so thoroughly entwined. Managing to roll away, he helped Sandry up as they brushed grass off their clothes sheepishly. Nothing.
Briar, stop- Rosethorn cut herself off. Nevermind! You have to stop this magical flood, or all of Winding Circle and the Duke's city will be destroyed!
~~~~~~~