Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce as you can clearly tell from my
writings. I don't own any of the characters so far, the plot is mine but I
suspect that some things that will be written here may appear in some of
TP's future books.
NOTE! I haven't read Shatterglass, the finale to the Circle Opens quartet. If something I write conflicts with this book please inform me politely.
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Sandry awaited her carriage calmly, standing at the front entrance to Duke's Citadel. She was clothed in one of her nicest dresses, handmade by not herself but by Lark. The peach material with tiny orange flowers, green leaves, and beige trim went nicely with her fair skin and in her single braid she had tied a beige ribbon. A delicate pearl necklace hung around her neck showing off the square cut neck of the dress and her bust. Drops of pearl hung on each ear lobe and on one finger she wore a dainty gold ring, crafted for her by Daja Kisubo, one of her foster siblings.
A black carriage pulled by two black horses, and with a driver and coachman clothed in black uniforms came to a stop. The door was opened and the coachman helped Sandry into the coach and the driver set off. The mysterious teacher was not in the carriage but on the seat across from Sandry sat a single green leaf. It looked so familiar to Sandry, and yet she couldn't say why. Coincidence, she thought, living with a plant mage for years, of course you would recognize a leaf.
The carriage stopped and the coachman opened the door offering Sandry his hand. She got out and looked around. She was right at the edge of a forest where a path led deep inside, candles showing the way. Following the path Sandry notices that there was a small creek running near by and she enjoyed walking in the near darkness listening to the water run. After a few minutes the path led into a small clearing surrounded by candles. There was a blanket on the ground but not a single person in sight. Sandry sat down and fingered the leaf. It look SO familiar.... What did it come from?? But just as she was starting to remember something a voice broke the silence.
"Lady Sandrilene." Sandry spun a round to look for the owner of the voice but he must have been standing just out of the light. "I am pleased that you have joined me."
"Who are you?"
At this the voice was startled. "The petal didn't give it away? I would have thought that the second you saw it you would have known who I am."
"Well I don't. Come closer, into the light, please."
"But that would ruin all of my fun. Oh all right." Sandry stood up. A person a lot younger than Sandry expected walked into the circle of candles. He was wearing a long cloak and at his side was a brown bag, almost the same as the one Sandry had made for herself.
"Long time no see Sandry!" The boy said. Sandry almost screamed with glee. She ran over and hugged him so tight that he couldn't breath. "Whoa calm down!" He said but hugged her back almost as hard.
"BRIAR! Ohmigod, I need to sit down." She moved over to the blanket pulling her foster brother Briar Moss, the plant mage with her. "Is it really you Briar?"
"It is, Sandry, it really is." Briar answered.
And suddenly something clicked in... "The petal... Briar it was from your shakkan! Oh I should have recognized it!"
"Yes, like I said I thought you would have. Oh well."
"Wait! If you're here then Rosethorn must be too! Where is she?"
"Discipline. She went to see Lark."
"Oh Lark is going to be so happy. She really missed you guys. Rosethorn especially."
"I know. Rosethorn has been talking about home for weeks."
"Home... Briar... Discipline isn't my home anymore." Sandry told him. "I live in Duke's Citadel, ever since uncle's heart attack."
"Sandry Discipline Cottage will always be your home. You know that as well as I. It was where you learned about your magic, about your skill, and where you learned to weave. Remember?" Briar reassured her.
"Oh I suppose your right Briar. But there was one thing in particular that makes Discipline my home."
"What's that?"
"I met the three of you there silly!" She said laughing. Hugging him again she said, "I'm so glad your back."
"I am too Sandry, I am too. Well now enough of this mushy stuff... Let's eat!" Sandry laughed again. Briar... Still afraid he'll not get a next meal! The girl that had invited Sandry to Dinner came into the clearing carrying a basket filled with... Dedicate Gorse's cooking.
"You've been back to Winding Circle already?!"
"Just to the kitchens. I was waiting to see you before I went back."
"Good, then let's go after we eat. And who is this young Lady? Didn't she call you her teacher?"
"Lady Sandrilene Fa Toren may I present Evumeimei Dingzai, my student."
"She is a mage? A plant mage?"
Evy laughed, "I am a stone mage, Lady."
"So the how did you manage to come into Briar's care? There must be other stone mages in Chammur, the city being made of stone."
"He almost made me go to Jooba-Hooba! But I wouldn't."
"The only stone mage in Chammur," Briar explained. "Jebilu Stoneslicer, he forced all the other mages out of the city. I wouldn't have let Evvy stay with him after I saw how mean he was." Picking up a pastry, he continued. "Rosethorn had a talk with him..."
"Oh Mila Bless... I bet she straitened him out."
"Ill tell you more about it all later." Brair started eating, and so did Evvy, so Sandry dropped the subject and picked up a meat dumpling.
When they were finished eating they packed up the wrappers and got to their feet. "Can we go to Discipline now? I want to see Rosethorn again!"
"Yes, I need to introduce Evvy to Lark."
"Oh! Did you hear? She has a new student as well as us. He had thread magic as well, his name is Comas."
"As well as us? You have a student as well?" Briar started to walk through the forest.
"Oh, Pasco, yes. Very strange magic he has, he dances. Thank goodness Lark used to be in the circus. Otherwise I'd be completely lost." Sandry got into the coach, followed by Evvy and then Briar. They spent the ride to Winding Circle Temple talking about what had happened to them over the past yea, Briar with his gang wars, and Sandry with her unmagic.
The long ride seemed to take no time at all in such good company and as they disembarked onto the dirt road that gave winding circle it's name they could see lights on in their cottage. They walked quickly up the road, through the gate, and into their home. Lark was sitting in a chair facing away from the door and Rosethorn was across from her. As soon as she saw Sandry she stood up and came over. Lark went straight to Briar and strangled him in a huge hug. Rosethorn just stood a foot away from Sandry staring at her with tears in her eyes. Sandry wrapped her arms around her teacher, and started crying. Rosethorn returned the hug, patting her hair.
Someone cleared their throat from near the door. Briar and Rosethorn turned around to look at Evvy. Briar coughed, "Uhmm Lark this is Evumeimei Dingzai, my student. She has rock magic."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Evumeimei."
"Evvy." With a stern look from Briar she added, "It is a pleasure
"Where is Comas?" Sandry asked.
"Oh dear! I forgot to tell him to come down." Lark said. "Comas come in here! You need to meet some people." Comas opened his door and came out shyly.
"Well my boy! We finally meet. I am Dedicate Rosethorn the other adult at Discipline. My boy here is Briar." Briar grinned at Comas who was still acting shy. "We are both plant mages, although I'm sure Lark told you all about us."
"She did, yes Dedicate."
"Oh my. Stop being so formal boy you aren't in the dormitories now. Lark haven't you told him that?"
"I'm sorry, Dedicate." Comas murmured apologetically. Rosethorn glared at him. Lark saw and broke things up.
"Rosie, Briar, Evvy come, lets sit down and have some tea. You can tell me all about your trip. And Evvy can tell me about how she came to be in the care of these 2 terrors."
As they talked the time flew by and it was after 2 in the morning before they split up, Sandry going back to the Citadel via Briar's carriage, and the others going into their rooms to fall asleep.
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A/N: Hahah it was Briar! Did anyone guess? I thought it would be a cute surprise for Sandry and Lark if him and Rosethorn showed up! Not a very exciting chapter:( I'm kind of stuck for ideas on where the story should go so if you have any please share, but I guess it is my story so I should be thinking up the plot ehh?? :S Well I'm sure it will come along. Please tell me what you think so far:)
To: an anonymous geek- I think that romances between the 4 are cute but I'm not writing one because Sandry, Briar, Tris, and Daja are like siblings, so I doubt that they would fall in love with each other. I was going to write like an action adventure, but I don't really know where its headed. Any ideas for me?
NOTE! I haven't read Shatterglass, the finale to the Circle Opens quartet. If something I write conflicts with this book please inform me politely.
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Sandry awaited her carriage calmly, standing at the front entrance to Duke's Citadel. She was clothed in one of her nicest dresses, handmade by not herself but by Lark. The peach material with tiny orange flowers, green leaves, and beige trim went nicely with her fair skin and in her single braid she had tied a beige ribbon. A delicate pearl necklace hung around her neck showing off the square cut neck of the dress and her bust. Drops of pearl hung on each ear lobe and on one finger she wore a dainty gold ring, crafted for her by Daja Kisubo, one of her foster siblings.
A black carriage pulled by two black horses, and with a driver and coachman clothed in black uniforms came to a stop. The door was opened and the coachman helped Sandry into the coach and the driver set off. The mysterious teacher was not in the carriage but on the seat across from Sandry sat a single green leaf. It looked so familiar to Sandry, and yet she couldn't say why. Coincidence, she thought, living with a plant mage for years, of course you would recognize a leaf.
The carriage stopped and the coachman opened the door offering Sandry his hand. She got out and looked around. She was right at the edge of a forest where a path led deep inside, candles showing the way. Following the path Sandry notices that there was a small creek running near by and she enjoyed walking in the near darkness listening to the water run. After a few minutes the path led into a small clearing surrounded by candles. There was a blanket on the ground but not a single person in sight. Sandry sat down and fingered the leaf. It look SO familiar.... What did it come from?? But just as she was starting to remember something a voice broke the silence.
"Lady Sandrilene." Sandry spun a round to look for the owner of the voice but he must have been standing just out of the light. "I am pleased that you have joined me."
"Who are you?"
At this the voice was startled. "The petal didn't give it away? I would have thought that the second you saw it you would have known who I am."
"Well I don't. Come closer, into the light, please."
"But that would ruin all of my fun. Oh all right." Sandry stood up. A person a lot younger than Sandry expected walked into the circle of candles. He was wearing a long cloak and at his side was a brown bag, almost the same as the one Sandry had made for herself.
"Long time no see Sandry!" The boy said. Sandry almost screamed with glee. She ran over and hugged him so tight that he couldn't breath. "Whoa calm down!" He said but hugged her back almost as hard.
"BRIAR! Ohmigod, I need to sit down." She moved over to the blanket pulling her foster brother Briar Moss, the plant mage with her. "Is it really you Briar?"
"It is, Sandry, it really is." Briar answered.
And suddenly something clicked in... "The petal... Briar it was from your shakkan! Oh I should have recognized it!"
"Yes, like I said I thought you would have. Oh well."
"Wait! If you're here then Rosethorn must be too! Where is she?"
"Discipline. She went to see Lark."
"Oh Lark is going to be so happy. She really missed you guys. Rosethorn especially."
"I know. Rosethorn has been talking about home for weeks."
"Home... Briar... Discipline isn't my home anymore." Sandry told him. "I live in Duke's Citadel, ever since uncle's heart attack."
"Sandry Discipline Cottage will always be your home. You know that as well as I. It was where you learned about your magic, about your skill, and where you learned to weave. Remember?" Briar reassured her.
"Oh I suppose your right Briar. But there was one thing in particular that makes Discipline my home."
"What's that?"
"I met the three of you there silly!" She said laughing. Hugging him again she said, "I'm so glad your back."
"I am too Sandry, I am too. Well now enough of this mushy stuff... Let's eat!" Sandry laughed again. Briar... Still afraid he'll not get a next meal! The girl that had invited Sandry to Dinner came into the clearing carrying a basket filled with... Dedicate Gorse's cooking.
"You've been back to Winding Circle already?!"
"Just to the kitchens. I was waiting to see you before I went back."
"Good, then let's go after we eat. And who is this young Lady? Didn't she call you her teacher?"
"Lady Sandrilene Fa Toren may I present Evumeimei Dingzai, my student."
"She is a mage? A plant mage?"
Evy laughed, "I am a stone mage, Lady."
"So the how did you manage to come into Briar's care? There must be other stone mages in Chammur, the city being made of stone."
"He almost made me go to Jooba-Hooba! But I wouldn't."
"The only stone mage in Chammur," Briar explained. "Jebilu Stoneslicer, he forced all the other mages out of the city. I wouldn't have let Evvy stay with him after I saw how mean he was." Picking up a pastry, he continued. "Rosethorn had a talk with him..."
"Oh Mila Bless... I bet she straitened him out."
"Ill tell you more about it all later." Brair started eating, and so did Evvy, so Sandry dropped the subject and picked up a meat dumpling.
When they were finished eating they packed up the wrappers and got to their feet. "Can we go to Discipline now? I want to see Rosethorn again!"
"Yes, I need to introduce Evvy to Lark."
"Oh! Did you hear? She has a new student as well as us. He had thread magic as well, his name is Comas."
"As well as us? You have a student as well?" Briar started to walk through the forest.
"Oh, Pasco, yes. Very strange magic he has, he dances. Thank goodness Lark used to be in the circus. Otherwise I'd be completely lost." Sandry got into the coach, followed by Evvy and then Briar. They spent the ride to Winding Circle Temple talking about what had happened to them over the past yea, Briar with his gang wars, and Sandry with her unmagic.
The long ride seemed to take no time at all in such good company and as they disembarked onto the dirt road that gave winding circle it's name they could see lights on in their cottage. They walked quickly up the road, through the gate, and into their home. Lark was sitting in a chair facing away from the door and Rosethorn was across from her. As soon as she saw Sandry she stood up and came over. Lark went straight to Briar and strangled him in a huge hug. Rosethorn just stood a foot away from Sandry staring at her with tears in her eyes. Sandry wrapped her arms around her teacher, and started crying. Rosethorn returned the hug, patting her hair.
Someone cleared their throat from near the door. Briar and Rosethorn turned around to look at Evvy. Briar coughed, "Uhmm Lark this is Evumeimei Dingzai, my student. She has rock magic."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Evumeimei."
"Evvy." With a stern look from Briar she added, "It is a pleasure
"Where is Comas?" Sandry asked.
"Oh dear! I forgot to tell him to come down." Lark said. "Comas come in here! You need to meet some people." Comas opened his door and came out shyly.
"Well my boy! We finally meet. I am Dedicate Rosethorn the other adult at Discipline. My boy here is Briar." Briar grinned at Comas who was still acting shy. "We are both plant mages, although I'm sure Lark told you all about us."
"She did, yes Dedicate."
"Oh my. Stop being so formal boy you aren't in the dormitories now. Lark haven't you told him that?"
"I'm sorry, Dedicate." Comas murmured apologetically. Rosethorn glared at him. Lark saw and broke things up.
"Rosie, Briar, Evvy come, lets sit down and have some tea. You can tell me all about your trip. And Evvy can tell me about how she came to be in the care of these 2 terrors."
As they talked the time flew by and it was after 2 in the morning before they split up, Sandry going back to the Citadel via Briar's carriage, and the others going into their rooms to fall asleep.
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A/N: Hahah it was Briar! Did anyone guess? I thought it would be a cute surprise for Sandry and Lark if him and Rosethorn showed up! Not a very exciting chapter:( I'm kind of stuck for ideas on where the story should go so if you have any please share, but I guess it is my story so I should be thinking up the plot ehh?? :S Well I'm sure it will come along. Please tell me what you think so far:)
To: an anonymous geek- I think that romances between the 4 are cute but I'm not writing one because Sandry, Briar, Tris, and Daja are like siblings, so I doubt that they would fall in love with each other. I was going to write like an action adventure, but I don't really know where its headed. Any ideas for me?