Disclaimer: I own nothing except Vian. The rest is Tamora Pierce's
Tris saw a tall young man filling the doorway. He had light brown hair and birght green eyes. "Vian!" Tris cried. "I can't believe you're here. Since when are you a mage?" "Our uncle had me tested for magic again right after they heard that you had it. They figured that maybe since we were cousins some of your magic carried over to me. It turns out, that for once in their lives they were right. Once they figured out that I could do something to them if they made me mad they sent me to a merchant caravan to learn with their mage. When he died I took over. And now I'm here." "Could you all leave?" Tris asked her foster siblings and teacher politely. "Vian and I have a lot of catching up to do. He was the only relative I had that was treated almost as bad as me." Quietly her friends exited the room with Briar looking upset.
"There's something funny about that Vian guy." Briar blurted out once he, Daja, and Sandry were in his room. "Ohh. Is Briar jealous?" Sandry teased. "Shut it Sandry." he muttered. "You know, it's kind of obvious that she likes you." Daja mentioned as she was inspecting some of the nails she had made that morning. "She just hasn't realized it yet." "What!" Briar exclaimed. "Quit lying Daja." "She's not lying. It's sooo obvious." Sandry said quietly. "How is it I didn't know that?" Briar asked. Daja and Sandry just looked at each other and laughed.
"How have you been Vian?" Tris asked. "Are our relatives still as horrible?" "I've been doing fine. Our relatives are worse. Any other questions?" "Just one." she said. "How did you know I was here? I haven't told anyone. Oh and I forgot, how old are you now? Because Sandry seemed interested." "I thought you only said one more? Anyway, Niko told me you were here. We met a while ago at a conference. And just for the record I'm only eighteen so you can tell Sandry that." Vian told her all this and Tris shrieked, "Niko knew you and he never told me! I can't believe him! Hold up, did you say you're only eighteen? All of us are already seventeen. When we were young it always seemed like you were so much older than me. Sandry is going to be happy but she'll kill me for saying that if she finds out." All of a sudden she heard a voice calling up the stairs. "Tris! Vian! Come downstairs for lunch! Now!" Tris winced. "That's Rosethorn." she explained. "Briar's teacher." With that she got up from her bed and hobbled downstairs since she hadn't used her legs in several days.
"Tris," Sandry said at lunch. "Daja and I need to talk to you after lunch. Alone." She said the last word looking pointedly at Briar. When everybody was done they helped clear the table and left Briar to his dishwashing duty. The girls ran up to Sandry's room and settled onto the multicolored pillows on the floor by the window. "Tris." Daja said. "Who is Vian? Briar and I don't like him. Of course Sandry happens to think he's handsome." "I know." Tris said, grinning. "I told him that. He's only eighteen you know. Just right for you Sandry." Sandry shrieked and threw the pillow next to her at Tris. Tris caught it with the breezes she had twirling around her and whipped it back at Sandry. "Back to your first question." Tris said, laughing, "He's my cousin. He was the only one who was treated almost as bad as me at my aunt and uncles house. We got really close over the years and then my stupid relatives sent me away. Don't worry, he's not like Aymery if that's what you're concerned about." "Good." Daja said. "We were just checking. Now about you and Briar...." "What about me and Briar?" Tris asked, puzzled. "Is there something wrong with him?" Sandry giggled and then started laughing with Daja until both of them were rolling on the floor. "You two are just so oblivious." Sandry gasped out. "You have no idea whatsoever." Daja managed before succumbing to another fit of laughter. "What do you girls think you're doing." they heard a stern voice ask. "I can't think with all that giggling going on. Now be quiet." "Yes Rosethorn." the girls chorused and Sandry and Daja collapsed in now silent laughter. Tris just shook her head and wondered what on earth was going on.
778 words. I'm getting much better. I'll try and even longer one the next time I actually have time. Anyway please keep reviewing. Thank you to those of you who have reviewed faithfully and tried to help the hopeless me (Cough, sunstorm2, cough). I hope I did better on this one. I'm hopeless when it comes to details.