A/N: It has been brought to my attention that I made a mistake in chapter
one concerning Daja's book. Just so everyone knows, I have only read
Sandry's book and the first few pages of Briar's book. Please excuse any
mistakes I make pertaining to the books.
Disclaimer: I dun own nuttin cept the plotline. That's mine. But nothing else is. Oh, Mian and the "master" dude (yet to be named) are of my creation too. MINE I TELL YOU! ALL MINE!
A/N: I am hyper.chocolate ice cream yeeheeheehee! F is for fire that burns down the whole town U is for Ukranium.bombs! N is for NO SURVIVOOORRRRRRRS! Haha that's from Spongebob! Lol. Ok now on with the story.
~*~Chapter Three: Niko's Visit~*~
The four young mages were especially anxious in their work during the morning and few hours of the afternoon before Niko arrived. They jumped at every sound and glanced towards the front gate in vain. Finally Niko appeared in the doorway. Briar approached him and looked him straight in the face. "Niko, we need to talk to you; me and Tris and Sandry and Daja. It's important," he announced
"All right, just give me a moment to tell Rosethorn and Lark that I am here. Then we will find a nice quiet place and the five of us can talk." Niko replied patiently. Finally Sandry, Briar, Daja, and Tris led him up to the roof where they could talk in peace. "Ok, what's the problem," Niko asked.
"We've all been having strange dreams . . ." Briar started.
"Dreams about what?" Niko questioned. He listened carefully as the four young mages took turns telling him about their nightmares. When they had finished, he was silent for a moment. Then he spoke. "The man Mian is well known for joining up with plotters and aiding them. He is a coward at heart, but vicious as an angered boar when he is threatened. He is a valuable asset to any who wish to use him for evil because he will do exactly as he is told without a second thought. It is a result of his stupidity."
"So you mean someone really is after Uncle Vedris?" Sandry asked worriedly. She smiled halfheartedly at Briar, who shot a concerned glance her way.
"I am afraid so, Sandry," Niko sighed. "Until I can find out who is causing all this trouble, I want you four to always stick together. Never leave Discipline alone and always tell Rosethorn or Lark if you leave and who you are with." He looked at Daja. "Of course, it will be fine for you to go to the smithy with Frostpine. You are safe in his care. I will notify all of the mages in Emelan of our foreign attacker and we will get to the bottom of this soon." Niko glanced at the sun. "I regret to say that I must leave you now, I have some important business to attend to," Niko informed them. "Remember my instructions. Two of you together are strong enough to hold out long enough for me to reach you if need be."
As Niko left, the four mages began to go about their days again; all but Sandry that is. Around an hour later, she was still on the roof. Briar decided he would make sure she was ok. "Are you all right?" he asked gently.
Sandry forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine, Briar," she lied.
"You don't seem fine," he remarked, peering into her light blue eyes.
"Briar . . ." Sandry looked away. "I'm worried about Uncle Vedris. What if we don't find out who's behind this? What if we can't stop Miad and his new master?"
Briar thought about this for a moment. Those were his exact fears. He decided that sharing this with Sandry would only upset her more. "We will. Don't worry. With Niko to help us everything will be fine." He finally said, much more confidently than he felt. Sandry smiled at him; his insides melted. He wanted to slap himself. 'Don't go getting like that Briar,' he told himself harshly, "This is Sandry we're talking about!' His thoughts paused for a moment. He couldn't help thinking that maybe he should just go for it. He had nothing to lose did he? After deciding that he might as well take a shot, Briar moved closer to Sandry and wrapped a tentative arm around her shoulders. He expected her to move away, and was surprised when she leaned against him. He relaxed his arm and sighed softly. Then a shout pierced the stillness of the night.
"BRIAR! SANDRY! Where ARE you two?" Rosethorn yelled. Briar noticed that the sun was setting. He stretched and stood up, reaching a hand down to Sandry in a gesture to help her stand. She blushed every so slightly and took his hand, releasing it the second she was standing and clearing her throat softly. She started towards Discipline's first floor, hearing Briar walk softly behind her. There was something about him that made her stomach flutter. Maybe it was that he had grown to be tall and handsome. Of maybe it was the way he had matured and it was now hard to picture the same person back on the streets picking someone's pocket. There was just something about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but whatever it was, she found herself attracted to him in a way she had never thought possible.
Disclaimer: I dun own nuttin cept the plotline. That's mine. But nothing else is. Oh, Mian and the "master" dude (yet to be named) are of my creation too. MINE I TELL YOU! ALL MINE!
A/N: I am hyper.chocolate ice cream yeeheeheehee! F is for fire that burns down the whole town U is for Ukranium.bombs! N is for NO SURVIVOOORRRRRRRS! Haha that's from Spongebob! Lol. Ok now on with the story.
~*~Chapter Three: Niko's Visit~*~
The four young mages were especially anxious in their work during the morning and few hours of the afternoon before Niko arrived. They jumped at every sound and glanced towards the front gate in vain. Finally Niko appeared in the doorway. Briar approached him and looked him straight in the face. "Niko, we need to talk to you; me and Tris and Sandry and Daja. It's important," he announced
"All right, just give me a moment to tell Rosethorn and Lark that I am here. Then we will find a nice quiet place and the five of us can talk." Niko replied patiently. Finally Sandry, Briar, Daja, and Tris led him up to the roof where they could talk in peace. "Ok, what's the problem," Niko asked.
"We've all been having strange dreams . . ." Briar started.
"Dreams about what?" Niko questioned. He listened carefully as the four young mages took turns telling him about their nightmares. When they had finished, he was silent for a moment. Then he spoke. "The man Mian is well known for joining up with plotters and aiding them. He is a coward at heart, but vicious as an angered boar when he is threatened. He is a valuable asset to any who wish to use him for evil because he will do exactly as he is told without a second thought. It is a result of his stupidity."
"So you mean someone really is after Uncle Vedris?" Sandry asked worriedly. She smiled halfheartedly at Briar, who shot a concerned glance her way.
"I am afraid so, Sandry," Niko sighed. "Until I can find out who is causing all this trouble, I want you four to always stick together. Never leave Discipline alone and always tell Rosethorn or Lark if you leave and who you are with." He looked at Daja. "Of course, it will be fine for you to go to the smithy with Frostpine. You are safe in his care. I will notify all of the mages in Emelan of our foreign attacker and we will get to the bottom of this soon." Niko glanced at the sun. "I regret to say that I must leave you now, I have some important business to attend to," Niko informed them. "Remember my instructions. Two of you together are strong enough to hold out long enough for me to reach you if need be."
As Niko left, the four mages began to go about their days again; all but Sandry that is. Around an hour later, she was still on the roof. Briar decided he would make sure she was ok. "Are you all right?" he asked gently.
Sandry forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine, Briar," she lied.
"You don't seem fine," he remarked, peering into her light blue eyes.
"Briar . . ." Sandry looked away. "I'm worried about Uncle Vedris. What if we don't find out who's behind this? What if we can't stop Miad and his new master?"
Briar thought about this for a moment. Those were his exact fears. He decided that sharing this with Sandry would only upset her more. "We will. Don't worry. With Niko to help us everything will be fine." He finally said, much more confidently than he felt. Sandry smiled at him; his insides melted. He wanted to slap himself. 'Don't go getting like that Briar,' he told himself harshly, "This is Sandry we're talking about!' His thoughts paused for a moment. He couldn't help thinking that maybe he should just go for it. He had nothing to lose did he? After deciding that he might as well take a shot, Briar moved closer to Sandry and wrapped a tentative arm around her shoulders. He expected her to move away, and was surprised when she leaned against him. He relaxed his arm and sighed softly. Then a shout pierced the stillness of the night.
"BRIAR! SANDRY! Where ARE you two?" Rosethorn yelled. Briar noticed that the sun was setting. He stretched and stood up, reaching a hand down to Sandry in a gesture to help her stand. She blushed every so slightly and took his hand, releasing it the second she was standing and clearing her throat softly. She started towards Discipline's first floor, hearing Briar walk softly behind her. There was something about him that made her stomach flutter. Maybe it was that he had grown to be tall and handsome. Of maybe it was the way he had matured and it was now hard to picture the same person back on the streets picking someone's pocket. There was just something about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but whatever it was, she found herself attracted to him in a way she had never thought possible.