u guys like Zak? he's in one of my other stories too, same characteristics, same broken nose, but slightly older. he's my universal guy. im probably going to use him a lot...i like him. he's fun and cheerful and funny and cute in a weird way...well, i donno, im dreaming about a fake guy i made up. well, im tired, and i have a big test tomorrow, so i can afford to be nuts.
its mushy and awful in this chapter. it will be worse the next, but then it will pick up...slowly...
~~~~~~~~sandry, 16
She combed her long hair slowly, letting the ivory teeth run gently though the well-worked strands. "Today," Sandry told her reflection, "And Tris tomorrow!" The news had been delivered this morning, and she felt as if the world had been handed to her on a silver platter.
Sandry was scared silly, for the first true time in her life. Even the dark cellar, the net of nothingness, the time her magic had whispered to her of the woman's murder, those had been calculated fears. She knew what to do, or what she should be doing, and so therefore her hands had some small strip of sanity to grasp. But this...was entirely unknown.
How would she act? What would happen? And most importantly, did he like her back? For she had this strange feeling, as if her heart was already given away, and if he did not care for her as she did him life would not be worth living.
But she had only a few hours to wait. Dammit.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey," Briar shouted. "Zak, we're here. All you do is sleep, wake up you lump!"
He groaned. "Yeah."
Ashmer banged the side of the waggon. "Now, get out, you all. We're here, and its a pretty bit of stone, don't you think?" His arm gestured widely to the large palace and gardens.
"Home sweet home," Briar mumbled. "C'mon, Zak, there's a back way in." Grabbing their bags, the two boys waved merrily as Ashmer drove his cart away to the stables. "It's secret, you know. Don't tell-" he began, before a dark shadow slipped through the bushes ahead of him. "Aw, I guess it ain't a secret, after all. Wait up!" he called to the figure, who slipped through the hedge and managed to disappear.
"Who was that?"
"Dunno. Doesn't matter, does it?"
They emerged through the hedges into the spectacular garden, blooming beautiful flowers that called out to him happily. Where's the string-girl? he asked them.
The blossoms clamored for his attention. The thread mage? She's near the roses, and did you know she can talk to us a little bit? a daffodil said, her slightly empty mind quite content with the simple life of a garden plant.
She can?
A little bit.
Thank you. He walked quickly towards the section that smelled of roses, Zak following behind in awe.
"We're staying here?" he asked, oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place. "Here?" His open face registered absolute shock. "It's awfully nice. Look at this place!"
"Well, yeah. It's the Duke's." Briar kept a steady pace, down the small path to the rose garden, the pale pink petals already visible. Turning a corner and nearly nicking his elbow on a large thorn, he caught sight of a figure sitting on a stone bench, playing with a tiny grey kitten. He stopped, breath caught in his throat, as she turned. The gauzy pink scarves woven into her long, loose golden-brown hair trailed to her waist, and lovely blue eyes blinked in surprise. "Briar?" she called out. "Is that you?"
Zak stood still, mouth gaping. "Oh, wow, Briar. You sure pick 'em. Not that you've picked any in Yanjing, but not that I blame you...Gods..."
"Shut up," he hissed. Zak grinned a little bit at his friend's anger, fingering the bend in his broken nose.
Sandry stood up, the kitten placed gently on the bench. "I can't believe it!" she cried aloud, running up and colliding with such force that they spun around twice as his bags were abandoned on the pavement. "It's been so long already!"
Her arms felt marvelous around his neck, but he forced himself to forget that aspect at the moment. "I've missed you so much!" he blurted out, but she smiled shyly anyway, staring up from her shorter height, at least two handlengths below him; she dropped her arms hastily but yet clasped his hand in both of hers.
"I'm forgetting something," he muttered. "Zak, this is Sandry, Sandry Zak. Niko went to get Tris, right, so I brought him. For some reason. He slept the whole time."
"Hello," she said, smiling cheerfully. Her arms had slipped away from her embrace, sadly, but she still retained his hand in hers. Briar doubted he could remember much more than his name and perhaps the words "I like Sandry" at the moment, for she would not relinquish his hand. Not that he wanted her to, after all. "I've heard about you from Briar. It's nice to meet you."
Zak gaped a bit more, like a fish, before mumbling a quiet, "Hello."
"We have to tell Uncle! He'll be so pleased," she said happily. Picking up the kitten, Sandry turned back to the two boys. "Ready to go? This is Rosie," she told him. "I found her in the rose bushes, and adopted her." The kitten wrinkled its tiny pink nose and purred at him, batting at his curly hair with a tiny paw. "I think she likes you." Sandry smiled up into his face, and Briar blushed while Zak grinned and stared longingly at Sandry until the plant-mage shot him a warning glare.
"Let's go! The banquet is tomorrow, and we still have to find you two something nice to wear! I'll check the Stores, there should be something..." She tugged at his sleeve in the direction of the castle, and the flowers chuckled to Briar as his mind clouded over and his face flushed. In fact, he was so caught up in the moment that he entirely forgot about the shadowy figure in the hedges.
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