The Unexpected Gift

"Checkmate."

It was mid morning of the next day and the end of Brecc and Evin's third chess game. Miri sat next to the chessboard, laughing at Brecc's disgruntled expression after losing for the second time.

She had tried to leave the room last night, and after several tries, she realized that someone must be using their Gift to ensure that she remained in the room. Knowing that fact made her grumpy and reticent with the Riders.

Thorn, who lay on the bed, was staring out the window and having a conversation with the tree that stood right outside and her staff, which she still didn't have yet.

::That's not exactly correct, Thorn.:: her staff said to her. ::Plants cannot grow simply because you ask them too.::

::But that's what I always do--::

::Not exactly.:: her staff said again. ::When you ask a plant to do something unnatural, like moving over or bending down in a certain way, don't you find yourself more tired than you do when you just ask a plant to grow?::

::Well…yes.:: She said a bit uncertainly.

::Exactly. Plants don't naturally move over or grow to it's complete adult form within moments. And since it's not natural, you have to help.::

The tree outside the window expressed its curiosity.

::Every time Thorn asks a plant to do something that is unnatural, she has to offer the plant some of her own…energy so that it could fulfill her request. When she wants a plant to grow quickly, she only needs to offer it a small amount of her strength since growing is natural, but the speed with which she wants is not. But when she wants a plant to move unnaturally, like bending over or turning a certain way, she has to offer much more energy since movement like that is not natural to the way a plant grows and is. That's why she becomes more tired from asking a plant to do something like that.:: Her staff said.

Thorn quietly pondered on what her staff said. It made sense after all. Growing things like mushrooms and vines was easy. Manipulating rose bushes so that they grew a certain way and moved a certain way was not. And she was always exhausted after one of the raids in which she had to use her plants to help in the destruction of villages.

::But what about you? I didn't feel any pulls of energy or any tiredness after you pulled that stunt with the rose in front of Torhte and the rest of the bandits.:: she pointed out.

::Well, I've been around you so long that some of your power has leaked into me. I have your strength stored inside my wood, and whenever I need to do something unnatural, like dig into the hands of loathsome bandits, I can do so without calling on your power. As a result, I'm a totally different case and not in the least comparable to a normal plant.::

The last statement was said in a way that was just so human that she laughed out loud.

The tree which stood outside her window rustled a warning at her.

"Well, Thorn, would you mind sharing with us what you found so laughable?"

She blinked. "What?"

Evin was glancing at her inquiringly while Brecc just cocked his head and gave her a curious look. Miri sat between them, looking about uncertainly.

"I know that Brecc losing for the second time this morning is a funny concept," Brecc snorted, "but it isn't that funny." Evin drawled.

"I was just laughing at some private thought." she conceded.

"Would you mind sharing it with us?"

"Does the word 'private' have any meaning to you?"

Evin stood up and stretched, not in the least bit miffed. "Not the last time I checked." he said. He grinned mischievously at her. "When was the last time you washed behind your ears?"

"Excuse me?"

He reached over with one of his hands and before she could pull away, brushed his hand softly against her ear. When he pulled away and opened his hand, she saw that there was a pretty white daisy lying delicately on his palm. "You never know what sorts of things can be growing behind your ear."

She gasped in surprise, one hand instinctively going to the ear that he had brushed. And while she was still looking at him in surprise, he closed his fingers back over the flower again and flicked his wrist. When he opened his hand, the flower was no longer there.

She gasped again. "What --"

"Oh, don't worry." he assured her. "It's right here." He lifted his other hand, the hand that had been by his side all the while, and when he revealed his palm she saw that the daisy was now lying there. "I have a bit of Player's talent running in my blood." Evin said as a way of explanation.

Brecc sighed and shook his head. "He never gets tired of using that trick on the girls, does he."

"Apparently not." Miri murmured in agreement.

Evin feigned a hurt look. "I don't use the trick on all the girls."

"Nope, just the ones that you like." Brecc turned to glance at Thorn slyly. "Not that he's that picky." He said to her. "Nope, just as long as they're all pretty and --"

"Don't listen to him." Evin interrupted with a grimace. He leaned toward her and whispered conspiratorially, "besides, he's just jealous."

"I heard that." Brecc said.

At first she thought that Brecc was insulted, but as she studied him, she realized that he wasn't insulted at all. Bantering like this must be common between them, she realized.

How wonderful, she thought wistfully to herself, to be able to have friends like these to banter and joke with all you wish without having to worry about insulting one another. She was never able to talk to Asianna in such a way…

"Is something the matter?"

Evin was glancing over at her from beside her bed with a look of concern.

She quickly shook her head. "Nothing I can't handle myself." She said.

"You shouldn't do that you know."

She frowned. "Do what?"

"Keep it all inside. It isn't good for you."

Before she could give a scathing reply to his patronizing concern, he stood up and motioned to the other two Riders. "Perhaps we should go now. Thorn looks tired." He opened the door and let the others leave the room first. Then he turned to her.

"You should try having conversations with people. Who knows, maybe they'll be as interesting as the tree outside your window."

She flushed as she comprehended the fact that he had realized what she had been doing during his chess games.

And before he fully closed the door, he leaned out one more time. "And you might want to check your right hand." Then he closed the door.

"My right hand?" She said to herself with confusion. She lifted her hand and realized that she was holding something. Evin must have snuck it into her grasp while he was leaning over her, she realized. She opened her hand and stared down at what she held. A delicate white daisy.

A.N. - thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter! I'm glad everyone liked it. Now, perhaps you'd like to comment on this chapter too?

~Krizsta