Sandry, Daja and Briar were panicking. It had been a few hours since they had received the mind-thought of panic from Tris, and they had heard nothing else since. They had told Lark and Rosethorn, but the only thing the two teachers had been able to tell the trio, was to be patient, and that they would find out what was happening as soon as they heard from Tris again. Briar had tried to point out the faults in this theory; as far as he could see, if Tris had reason to block them out, it wasn't overly likely that she was going to drop her shields within the next couple of minutes. But Lark and Rosethorn were already stressed over Duke Vedris, and hadn't been paying attention to Briar.
The Duke had dozed off soon after he had awoken, his slumber was still restless, and he murmured incoherently a lot. He was still very weak; so weak that Lark, Moonstream and Rosethorn suspected that the arrow had been poisoned with an unknown type of magic. Sandry sat beside her uncle; still refusing to rest. 'I hope nothing interfered with Niko following the attackers,' Sandry said in the silence. Briar glared at her, but had enough sense to send his thoughts to Daja, not Sandry. :We have no idea if Tris is safe. But as long as we find the Duke's attackers everything is fine,: Briar mindspoke Daja angrily.
:She didn't mean it like that,: Daja soothed, :I know that she is worried about Tris too.: Briar frowned, but did not reply. Once again he sent a thought to Tris, but came up against a solid shield. Briar bit his lip in worry. He couldn't even tell how far away she was.
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A few hours later
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Briar was dozing in the armchair by the window looking out at the pathway. He was awoken suddenly by heavy hors hooves trotting up the main trail outside. He glanced out of the window and saw Niko step down out of a dark coloured carriage. 'At least it's stopped raining,' Briar irrelevantly thought as he rushed out of Discipline. Briar barely stopped to open the gate as he ran to the hors drawn carriage. He paused when he looked at Niko; Niko appeared to be haggard, and his eyes were red as he watched Briar approach.
'Tell the girls to get Lark and Rosethorn out her. And Frostpine too.' Niko's tone, so devoid of emotion, scared Briar, who immediately followed Niko's instructions.
:But they're tending my Uncle,: Sandry protested, torn between her family and her friend.
:Now Sandry!: Briar thought yelled at her, terrified of the way Niko looked and was behaving. The five people exited Discipline at a run.
'What's wrong?' Lark asked, concerned. Rosethorn did not waste time with words; instead she exchanged a quick look with Niko. She opened the carriage and looked in. Rosethorn's eyes widened in horror, and she gasped as she took an involuntary step back. The others all quickly stepped up to see what had horrified Rosethorn. Tris was lying across a litter, covered by a black coat, her arms and face heavily bruised. Miniature lightning bolts created a glowing force field around her, not allowing anyone to come within a foot of her.
'What happened?' Sandry whispered. Daja and Briar only grimaced. They were more aware of the horrors of the real world, than Sandry was, courtesy of her sheltered upbringing.
Rosethorn snarled and snapped at Niko, 'who?'
Niko shook his head and replied, 'We have to get her inside. Don't touch the lightning; it's already killed.'
Everyone looked up in surprise, aware that Tris usually had her magic under strict control, but Rosethorn muttered, 'good.'
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TBC
Thanks to everybody who reviewed.
I've read what you have said and I changed it so from now on mind speech is in : : and normal speech in ' '
I changed the other chaps as well.
I promise I'll write another chap soon.
Please review.