A/N: I am beginning to realize that almost NOBODY likes the idea of Briar/Evvy—and I AM sorry. But that's just the way it goes. You'll see, in Ch. 5, why this is so important—but for now, please just trust that I have my reasons and keep up all the good R/R!!

I, myself, was partial to either Briar/Sandry or Briar/Tris—there's not a whole lot of male-half-of-the-relationships available, are there?—but the fact of the matter is, I feel that TP's consistent reference by Briar to the other girls as "foster-sisters" indicates that there IS no other thought of them in his head—esp. that pointed "girls who were not his housemates" line in Street Magic. And there are what I feel are VERY good indications of Briar/Evvy in the same book. And there really are REALLY good reasons for not putting Sandry w/ him—I promise. If you really hate the idea, you don't have to read it…but I love my reviews, I really do, and I really like the idea that SOMEBODY out there is reading these things…So pitty pease?

I do want to assure all of you that NO, Sandry and Pasco do NOT, at any time, wind up together…just in case you missed the impossibility of it in the previous chapter.

Oh, and hey: YES, I decided to give them mage names…Sandry will still be fa Toren in the noble world and Daja, Kisubo in the Trader world, but other than that, they're best known as Sandrilene Spindlespun, Daja Forgespun, Briar Vinespun, and Trisana Stormspun. The Spun Circle—they're very, VERY well known by this point, what w/ the meeting year and all they've done since three-fourths of them left Summersea.

Anyway, yeah, disclaimer still applies, yadda yadda…

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Briar walked into the small antechamber, arrayed in Sandry and Lark's best work, and determined to do his best not to disgrace any of the women he was representing that night—between Rosethorn's tongue, Lark's very-easily-shown disappointment, and the girls' presence in his head, he knew he would very shortly afterward be very sorry.

The room was crowded with bright colors—Sandy had overridden the dedicates' objections to their guest-of-honor status, and had also decided that now was the correct time to present Pasco to the social and magical elite of Summersea and the outlying districts. Briar found himself bumping against people as he walked over to Daja.

Sandry herself was chatting quietly in a corner, but when she saw him come in, she and her companion began to tread carefully between trailing hems towards the usual "I'm nervous" conversations that always precludes formal public events.

Spotting her bright purples as she wove her way towards them, Briar turned to ask, "Are you sure it's too late to…"his voice trailed off as he demanded mentally, 'who—how—what have you done to Evvy, Sandrilene fa Toren?'

She only grinned her very sweetest dangerous smile at him, and said innocently, "Too late to what? Run? Dearest, if you try to run in those clothes you'll simply ruin all my hard work on that embroidered hem."

'Sandry…' "Very true. I suppose I'll have to give up the idea, then," he managed, smiling a trifle forcedly.

Evvy shot a despairing look at her mentor…that hadn't sounded terribly thunderstruck to her…

'What? I haven't done anything to her. Surely you want her to look nice? After all, I've arranged for some of the handsomest and most talented young mages in Summersea to be here tonight…and I really don't think Daja wants them all…'

"Daja, will you look after Evvy for me? I really must go and stand by Uncle and Aunt for a few minutes before they begin the introductions. Now, remember…Briar, you walk in with Evvy," raising her voice slightly, "Pasco? Remember to escort Mistress Daja. And you three walk in together," she added, looking at the dedicates grouped in a corner. "Now, I really must fly…Gaharan will let you out at the right time."

As she left, she whispered to her nervous charge, "Don't worry. I promise you, I heard his real reaction, and it was a great review."

"You look very nice, Evvy," Briar said, kicking himself mentally for the inanity of the remark. (A/N: Yes, I know it's cliché, but I'd like to think that in this case, the old ones are the best ones.)

"Thank you, Pahan Briar," Evvy said softly, looking at her slippers as though they held the secret to granite's steadfastness.

The awkward pause continued. Daja contributed nothing, highly entertained by simply listening to Briar's mental agitation (really, you don't want to hear the exact wording…it's not only cliché but also involved a great many words that are not appropriate for children and young girls to hear), and Pasco was eavesdropping on the conversation between Rosethorn and Frostpine.

The staid footmen received his signal and opened the doors. "Master Pasco Acalon. Mistress Daja Kisubo Forgespun, of the Spun Circle."

Daja jumped a little, and Briar was suddenly distracted from the tension of his situation. Below, in the ballroom, Sandry's chin went up a little higher. She would have a word with that title-obsessed footman later, she vowed. That was not part of the script.

Duke Vedris looked down at his niece, amused by the sudden snap in her eyes.

"Master Briar Vinespun, of the Spun Circle." Sandry's eyes flashed again. "Mistress Evumeimei Dingzai, of Yanjing."

"Dedicates Rosethorn, Lark, and Frostpine of Winding Circle Temple."

Sandry, the duke, and the duchess went to meet their guests.

"Welcome home," Sandry said simply. "We have missed you."

The duke, too, spoke without pretension. "Know that your presence here is always a glad occasion. Shall we open the dancing, my dear?"

"Thank you," Yasmin replied, taking his hand and walking to the center of the floor. Briar silently bowed to Evvy, who (having been trained by Yasmin for the past month) swept a graceful curtsy and laid her hand in his. Frostpine asked for the pleasure of Lark's hand, and Daja accepted a dance with Pasco.

Sandry turned to Rosethorn with a smile. "Shall we sit this one out?"

"No need," a haughty voice informed her from behind. "May I have the honor, Dedicate?" Crane asked.

"Thank you," Rosethorn said.

"Well then, go on, shoo," Sandry smiled.

Once the couples had taken their place, music began to play. Sandry smiled, assured that at least the first dance would pass without awkwardness. She returned to her seat, a Sandry-smile playing on her lips as she considered her next steps.

When the dance ended, she swept up to Briar and Evvy. "You really have been practicing, Evvy, haven't you?" she congratulated the girl. "And now you must meet a few of my friends. Excuse us, Briar, will you?"

'Sandry! What am I supposed to do now?'

'Well, I think it would be nice if you asked Daja to dance. And I must dance the next with uncle, of course, but you may have the third, and then you'll have Lark and Rosethorn, and Aunt, and your friends from Winding Circle…and there's food somewhere. You know how balls work, Bri.'

"Oh, Slagi! Allow me to introduce you. This is Evumeimei Dingzai, a very dear friend of mine. Evvy, this is Slagim Obsidian, a fellow stone-mage. And a very good dancer. And, let me see…this is—"

Even as Briar bowed and asked Daja to dance, he kept a wary eye on the crowd that Sandry was so confidently sailing through, Evvy's arm linked to hers, introductions working like oars.

"Your Evvy is very pretty, Briar," Daja said matter-of-factly, as the waltz began. Evvy was now dancing with somebody-or-other Diamondchisel.

"Yes, she is, isn't she," Briar said absently, twirling Daja on two instead of three.

Daja gave up and concentrated on not getting her feet stepped on. For amusement, she once again was forced to very softly crept up behind her foster-brother's stream of consciousness to listen in.

Having done the duty rounds, and eaten well, Briar tried to approach Evvy for a second dance, but she was always whisked away by Sandry or Daja just before he arrived there. He asked a few other girls to dance, but his heart was not in it, his eyes spent all their time following Evvy almost as closely as her shadow, and he had never before been more relieved to see a last guest go.

'I suppose,' he thought grumpily to Sandry, 'I can walk her back up to her room.'

'Why don't you ask her? It isn't up to me, you know.'

Well, he might be a man, but he knew better than to take that at face value. Thinking things not lawful to be uttered, he walked over to his student. Letting the old Briar charm take over, he joked, "May I see you home, my lady?"

Evvy played along. "Of course, my lord."

But as he turned to offer her his arm, she threw a triumphant glance back at the woman who, after all, had known what she was doing.

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Aieeee! I know I promised the exciting part in this chapter, but it's going to have to wait until next. And the real story won't be in until Ch. 5, I'm afraid. I AM sorry. But next chapter we will see Tris (my personal favorite) and a very, very fun conversation. If that makes up for it at all.

Thank yous:

DreamingReader: Thanks! I'm glad you're willing to give it a try anyway. I know what it's like to read a fic with what feels like a weird ship, but for reasons I absolutely cannot reveal now it is truly VITAL that Briar not be w/ Sandry. And I'm a little sorry for him too, but it was never really more than a schoolboy crush…I promise he'll get over it.

Andrea Rimsky: Geez, girl, you must be psychic! I know I hadn't mentioned Tris's name yet…how did you know that was what I'd decided on? Sorry if I confused you, but I had them all settled in my head before she released any of Circle Opens, and since she didn't replace my ideas with hers, you're stuck w/ 'em. If you missed what I'm talking abt, exactly, explanation in the author's note at the top.

Miaka: Flattered by most of that—thanks! I hope you decide to stick w/ the fic, anyway…please see what I said to DreamingReader.

I love you all dearly.

I remain,

Yours 'til the kitchen sinks,

El