Part Four- Intertwining Magic
The next morning, Sandry got up really early, excitement pulsing through her body.
"Sandry." She told herself in the mirror. "Don't get too excited. You are just going to see some people. It's not that important."
But somehow it felt important. Sandry got the feeling that this day would change her life, though, if asked to, she couldn't explain how or why she thought this. She just did.
After dressing and brushing her hair, Sandry went downstairs to have breakfast. Her uncle was sitting at the dinning room table looking over some documents. Sandry smiled, he was always up before her, and he was always looking over some sort of documents. It was funny, how this was like an unplanned routine. She said good morning to her uncle, before a maid placed a bowl of porridge in front of her. She ate her breakfast, and just as she finished, another maid came to tell her the people from Winding Circle were here.
"Bye sweetie." Her uncle said, looking up from his documents. "Have fun."
Sandry smiled excitedly in return. "I will."
When Sandry went to the cart she didn't expect to find someone she knew. But the person driving the cart was Niko.
"Niko." Sandry said. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to take you to Winding Circle," He told her. "As a personal favour to Lark."
Sandry nodded, as that reason made sense, and got in the cart. As they rode up to the temple, Sandry had a nice conversation with Niko. They talked about the weather, the current affairs of Emelan and such.
"Sandry, how have you been?" Niko asked, abruptly. "Have you been happy?"
"Uh...its nice living at my uncle's." Sandry replied a little shocked.
Niko nodded. "Of course it is." And began talking about random things again. Sandry was shocked by his question, but by the time she got to Winding Circle she had forgotten about it.
Niko dropped her off in front of a cottage, and told her that it was discipline, where Lark and Rosethorn lived with Briar, Tris and Daja.
When Sandry knocked on the door, Briar opened it and gave her a look of surprise. Luckily Lark came and smiled warmly.
"Sandry, welcome, please come in." Lark stepped aside, allowing Sandry to enter. "You too Niko." She called out to the man who was standing by the cart.
Sandry smiled as she walked into the neat little cottage, followed by Niko.
"Would you like some tea?" Lark asked both of them.
Sandry nodded. "Please."
Niko also accepted that offer, and Daja, whom Sandry had just noticed was in the kitchen, brought a pot of tea over.
Sandry sat there sipping her tea, like a perfect lady, in silence.
"So, Sandry how have you been? Has Rosethorn's ointments helped your bruises?" Lark asked.
Sandry nodded. "They are still sore, but no where near as bad as they would have been without it." She looked at Rosethorn. "Thank you."
Rosethorn nodded and gruffly said. "Your welcome."
More silence followed that, as Sandry finished her tea.
"Would you like a tour of discipline?" Lark asked and Sandry nodded. "Briar." Lark said, startling the boy who was sitting there staring into his cup. "Would you like to give Sandry a tour?"
"I...uh...yeah." He said and stood up. He turned back to Sandry. "You comin'?"
She jumped up and followed. He pointed out Lark and Rosethorn's rooms, the spare room and his own, before taking her upstairs.
"This is the Trader's â Daja's room." He pointed. "And this is coppercurl's room." He said and opened the room, to reveal Tris reading a book on her bed.
"What do you want?" Tris snapped.
"Hello. We never really got introduced yesterday, I'm Sandry." Sandry smiled and held her hand out at the other girl.
"I'm Trisana Chandler." Tris said, emphasizing her last name, and not bothering to shake Sandry's hand. "What's your actual name?"
Sandry began to blush. "Uh... Sandrilene fa Toren?"
"See." Tris pointed out. "You're a noble. Nobles don't mix with merchants, or Trader's, especially not thieves."
Then it was Briar's turn to blush.
"Why?" Sandry asked. "Why can't I have friends?"
Tris saw the pain in Sandry's eyes and almost regretted her words. "You can have friends." She replied calmly, trying not to show any emotion. "With other nobles."
Sandry looked down. "Fine." And she left the room quickly, hoping they didn't see the tears, which had started to form in her eyes. She didn't want to go back downstairs to Lark like this, but she couldn't stay in the hall. An answer presented itself when she found a door on the ceiling.
'This probably leads to the roof.' She thought and went up to the roof. It was nice, Sandry decided. Sitting up her, with nothing but the wind to trouble her. She continued to cry, until tears didn't come anymore. Sandry knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't help it. Someone telling her so bluntly that they didn't want to be her friend was painful.
A movement coming from the door to the roof startled her. She spun around to see Briar coming to the roof.
When Briar saw her he froze, like he was doing something he shouldn't be.
"What, aren't we allowed on the roof?" Sandry asked, panicking. She didn't want to get in trouble with Lark, who had been so kind to her.
Briar relaxed. "Nah, I'm just used to being like this. Coz I was a thief."
Sandry blushed. "Oh. Do you want me to leave?"
Briar shook his head. "Nah. Ya can stay 'ere if ya want."
Sandry nodded, and they sat in silence. Briar was extremely friendly, but at least he was nicer than Tris.
"So, Briar?" She thought out loud. "It's a nice name."
He shrugged. "They told me ta make up a name fer meself before comin' 'ere."
She nodded. "So, you chose it yourself?" She inquired, quite surprised.
He nodded. "af'er th' plant, coz I really like..." He went silence, like he'd told her too much.
Sandry sat and thought about this. He liked plants; that was unexpected, but kind of sweet. Sandry figured that there was more to him than the tough thief exterior.
"Why did you come here?" Sandry asked, once again trying to break the awkward silence.
"Coz." He shrugged. "It was 'ere or th' docks. I didn't wanna go to th' docks."
"Why were you going to go to the docks?" Sandry asked, knowing she was probably sounding annoying and pathetic by asking so many questions, but couldn't help it. He was an intriguing person.
"Coz I'm a thief." He said, obviously. "and once ye caught as a thief three times it's to th' docks." He held out his hands as proof and Sandry saw an X's between the thumb and forefinger on each hand. She recognized that as a thief brand.
"Where did you live?" She asked, and even she found no point to this question.
"Hajra in Sotat." He replied, and she could hear some irritation in his voice, but at least he hadn't refused to answer her questions.
"Do you miss it?"
He snorted. "What's there to miss?"
She nodded, and understood what he meant. She didn't miss any of her old homes, the only thing that gave them meaning were her parents. Now, they were just laces on the map.
At the thought of her parents she felt tears form in the corner of her eyes. She wiped them away furiously, feeling stupid. They'd been dead for months, yet she still cried at their memory.
"What's wrong?" Briar asked gruffly, then blushed. "I mean...er...what's wrong?" He said, trying to put on a caring voice.
Sandry laughed, coz he sounded like he'd never had to act concerned for someone before.
"Nothing, I was just thinking aboutâ no, it doesn't matter." Sandry said, not wanting this boy to think she was just an emotional noble who can't accept death.
"Boy!" A loud voice called out, and briar tried to hide. "I know your up there boy, is the girl with you?"
When Briar didn't replied, Rosethorn sighed. "Come down boy, we wanna talk to ye all."
Rosethorn disappeared and Briar sighed. "We should go down there. Come on."
Sandry followed Briar back to the kitchen where Niko, Lark and Rosethorn were sitting with Tris and Daja.
"Take a seat." Lark said to them, and Sandry and Briar both sat down.
"Now, we thought we'd wait to tell you this." Rosethorn said to them. "But Niko thinks you should no now, before it gets too dangerous."
"Er...do you want me to leave?" Sandry asked, feeling like this was some sort of private 'family' thing.
Niko shook his head. "No, this will effect you too Sandry."
"You have all been tested for magic, correct?" lark asked, and they nodded, except Briar.
"Have any of you been told you have magic?" Lark asked.
"I was told I have demons." Tris mumbled.
"Well, we do." Lark continued, ignoring Tris' comment. "I have magic in weaving, Rosethorn in plants and Niko is a truthsayer and seer."
They all looked at them in surprise. Tris, Briar and Daja were all in awe that they had been living with mages.
"Magic is the reason you are all here." Niko stated. "I have seen highly unusual magic in each of you."
"Magic?" Sandry said. "In me?...but that's...that's impossible."
"We all 'ave magics?" Briar asked stunned. "In what?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Niko asked, surprised. "You have plant magic. Daja has magic to do with metals and Tris, is a weather witch."
Sandry looked at them all in surprise. Briar's she understood, as he had said he liked plants, and she guessed the others had been compelled to things to do with their magic.
"What about me?" she asked, deep down knowing what it would be.
"You tell me?" Niko said.
"I...I...can't...I'm a noble." She said. "I'm not allowed to."
"What?" Briar asked.
"Weaving" Sandry said. "I've never been allowed to weave, but I've always wanted to."
Okay ppl. Please review, and if you have any ideas, I would really appreciate them. Thank you.
