Disclaimer: HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN IS MYNE! Everything else is Tamora Pierces.
(and no. . . MY Hayd isn't in the story but he's still MYNE!)
Lady Sandrilene: yea there's some upcoming Sandry/Briar fluff. Teehee.
A/N: sorry it took me so long to update, I was trying to scrape up some inspiration.
~*~*~Chapter Six: Unexpected Discoveries~*~*~
It had been nearly a week since Tris's encounter with Snakethread, yet the nervous energy about The Winding Circle had not faded. If anything, it had increased. The four mages were especially affected by the incident. Even Daja seemed reluctant to leave the safety of Discipline to go to Frostpine's smithy. Sandry kept to herself, weaving or spinning. Tris's nose was constantly stuck in a book, her face pale and scared. Briar, however, dwelt in anger and hatred for Snakethread. This man was trying to kill Sandry's uncle! He heard a knock at his door. "What?" Briar snapped, not caring if it was Rosethorn or if he was about to be scolded.
"Briar?" It was Sandry. "Briar, can I come in?" she asked softly.
"Fine," he said exasperatedly. Sandry came in and shut the door carefully behind her. She peered up at him.
"Briar, what's wrong?" She inquired.
"I wish I could just crush that man!" Briar glowered a moment, then took a deep breath and calmed himself. "No . . . don't look at me like that, I'm not going after him. I wish I could but I'm not that stupid." He studied her face a moment. "Sandry, are you alright?"
"I'm afraid," she said quietly, as if it were shameful.
"We're all afraid, Sandry," Briar admitted. He had not told anyone else that he was afraid and had no idea why he was suddenly spilling it to Sandry. She looked at him as if his confession had eased her somewhat, but looking into her eyes, Briar still saw a desperate fear and helplessness. Without even thinking, he pulled her into a firm but gentle embrace. He was determined to rid her of her unhappiness. Much to Briar's surprise, Sandry did not struggle away, but wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the embrace. For a brief moment, Briar realized what was going on and thought of stopping himself. Then he thought better of it. Sandry was obviously not going to object. She met his eyes. They were warm and . . . she saw something else within their emerald depths. Slowly he brought his face down towards hers.
'He's going to kiss me,' Sandry realized. Somehow she was not surprised. She tilted her head back slightly. He pressed his lips onto hers, sending a wave of warmth throughout her. For that one long moment, everything melted away. Her worries, her fear, even the threat of Snakethread were gone. She returned the kiss and buried her fingers in his dark, curly hair. Sandry realized that she had been denying her feelings for Briar for a long time, and now she was sure that he felt the same way. To soon for Sandry, the kiss ended, though Briar did not remove his strong arms from around her waist. He looked at her and smiled; she could not help but smile back. Briar brought his lips close to her ear and whispered softly, "I love you." Then, slowly, he moved away from her and walked over to his shakkan. She watched him a moment before quietly slipping out the door.
Lady Sandrilene: yea there's some upcoming Sandry/Briar fluff. Teehee.
A/N: sorry it took me so long to update, I was trying to scrape up some inspiration.
~*~*~Chapter Six: Unexpected Discoveries~*~*~
It had been nearly a week since Tris's encounter with Snakethread, yet the nervous energy about The Winding Circle had not faded. If anything, it had increased. The four mages were especially affected by the incident. Even Daja seemed reluctant to leave the safety of Discipline to go to Frostpine's smithy. Sandry kept to herself, weaving or spinning. Tris's nose was constantly stuck in a book, her face pale and scared. Briar, however, dwelt in anger and hatred for Snakethread. This man was trying to kill Sandry's uncle! He heard a knock at his door. "What?" Briar snapped, not caring if it was Rosethorn or if he was about to be scolded.
"Briar?" It was Sandry. "Briar, can I come in?" she asked softly.
"Fine," he said exasperatedly. Sandry came in and shut the door carefully behind her. She peered up at him.
"Briar, what's wrong?" She inquired.
"I wish I could just crush that man!" Briar glowered a moment, then took a deep breath and calmed himself. "No . . . don't look at me like that, I'm not going after him. I wish I could but I'm not that stupid." He studied her face a moment. "Sandry, are you alright?"
"I'm afraid," she said quietly, as if it were shameful.
"We're all afraid, Sandry," Briar admitted. He had not told anyone else that he was afraid and had no idea why he was suddenly spilling it to Sandry. She looked at him as if his confession had eased her somewhat, but looking into her eyes, Briar still saw a desperate fear and helplessness. Without even thinking, he pulled her into a firm but gentle embrace. He was determined to rid her of her unhappiness. Much to Briar's surprise, Sandry did not struggle away, but wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the embrace. For a brief moment, Briar realized what was going on and thought of stopping himself. Then he thought better of it. Sandry was obviously not going to object. She met his eyes. They were warm and . . . she saw something else within their emerald depths. Slowly he brought his face down towards hers.
'He's going to kiss me,' Sandry realized. Somehow she was not surprised. She tilted her head back slightly. He pressed his lips onto hers, sending a wave of warmth throughout her. For that one long moment, everything melted away. Her worries, her fear, even the threat of Snakethread were gone. She returned the kiss and buried her fingers in his dark, curly hair. Sandry realized that she had been denying her feelings for Briar for a long time, and now she was sure that he felt the same way. To soon for Sandry, the kiss ended, though Briar did not remove his strong arms from around her waist. He looked at her and smiled; she could not help but smile back. Briar brought his lips close to her ear and whispered softly, "I love you." Then, slowly, he moved away from her and walked over to his shakkan. She watched him a moment before quietly slipping out the door.