By Faronon Star Wolf
Author's Notes: I have to say, I didn't expect to write an Emelan fanfic. But this one waltzed up, shoved a gun in my face, and demanded I write it. In any case, written in response to the Briar/Fear prompt at the circlefic LiveJournal community.
Tris was the first to find him in his hiding place on top of the roof. She watched him studying the writhing green mess on the backs of his hands for a few minutes before asking acidly, "Are you afraid?"
He jumped and turned to face her, his grey-green eyes wide in his bronze face. "No," he denied instantly. Tris raised an eyebrow, knowing him too well to be put off by his lie, even if he had closed the connection between himself and the three girls. She could read the fear in the slightly slumped shoulders and the way his eyes darted around the roof, looking for a way off if there was a need to run.
"You should be. Sandry is furious," she said conversationally, settling herself on the peak of the roof, looking down at him. He fidgeted, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Her best silver needles disappearing, and then being returned a few days later, bent, tarnished, and otherwise damaged." Briar's wince was obvious, and he ducked his head. "You should be glad that you blocked her out, because you don't want to hear what punishments she's planning. Daja isn't very pleased either. She spent hours making those needles, and now she'll have to either repair them or make new ones."
Tris looked at the ashamed look on Briar's face, then added one more thought.
"And what will Rosethorn have to say when she sees your hands?"
The boy's head shot up, his eyes widening even more.
A shout rose from the cottage beneath them.
"Come down here, boy!"
Tris had to laugh when Briar jumped, and then scrambled to the side to jump onto the roof of the workshop below. She watched for a minute as Briar fled to a more secure hiding place, then opened her book and began to read.
