(A/N) This is a sweet chapter. This is the first 'romance' story I've ever
written, so it may be a little awkward. Thanks to those of you who have
reviewed me. Those few reviews have made me get back to work on this story.
I've kind of strayed from the 'Matchmaker' plot, so Pasco and Evvy aren't
really gonna play Cupids. Things are just going to happen btwn Sandry and
Briar now.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Chapter 3: Dreams
The next night, Sandry's nightmares returned. Except this particular dream wasn't like the rest. In this dream, Sandry watched helplessly as Briar was slowly being swallowed by the unmagic. Briar's face contorted with fear as the unmagic covered him from the waist down, pulling him deeper into it. Tears streaked down Sandry's face as Briar called to her for help. She wanted to move – she wanted to help her friend, but was being held down by unseen hands. Sandry woke with a start just before the unmagic engulfed Briar completely. Sandry decided she had to see Briar; if only to prove to herself that the dream was just that – a dream.
Sandry took her light crystal out of the pouch that dangled around her neck and exited the room. She padded through the house to Briar's room and opened the door. To her surprise, Briar wasn't asleep. He was simply sitting on the edge of his 'nest', a mattress on the floor, with his head in his hands.
Briar looked up when he heard the door open. When he saw whom his unexpected visitor was he blushed slightly, thankful that the only light in the room was the moonlight flooding in the window. "Hey," he said softly.
Sandry, too, blushed. Now that she was there, she was regretting that she had come. "Hi." She stepped into the room and shut the door quietly behind her. Silently, she walked over to the window.
Briar watched Sandry step into the moonlight, and for the second time his heart skipped a beat when he saw Sandry's beauty. After a long moment, he managed to tear his gaze away. "What brings you here so late?" Briar asked, though he was secretly pleased that she had come.
"I couldn't sleep." She shivered at the memory of the dream that had awoken her. "Why are you still awake?"
Briar shrugged. "Same. Bad dreams?" Briar had asked Sandry about her nightmares and he could understand why she didn't want to be alone after having another one. Sandry nodded and motioned for her to sit next to him on the bed. She told him about the dream and began to cry. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. Briar knew from past experiences that his friend only cried when something was really serious. After a while, her sobs subsided, but Briar didn't let go.
Sandry looked up at Briar, embarrassed for crying in front of him. "I should go." She stood up, but Briar caught her wrist before she got too the door.
"You could stay." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. To his surprised delight, Sandry gave him a water smile and nodded. They had often fallen asleep together as kids, mostly when Sandry had had a nightmare and Briar had comforted her, but this time it seemed different. It felt somehow forbidden. Taking a deep breath, Briar climbed into the far side of the bed and lifted the sheets for Sandry. Nervously, she climbed into the bed and took the sheets from Briar's up-raised hand, never meeting Briars eyes. Lying awkwardly, they fell asleep on their backs.
Briar opened his eyes and was pleased by the sight that greeted him. Sandry's face was a few short inches away from his own. Her hands were placed gently on his chest, and Briar realized that he was holding her tight around the waist, but he didn't dare move for fear of waking her. Briar also realized that during the night, their legs had become intertwined. Sandry's soft touch sent sparks through Briar's body. It was then waking up next to Sandry that he discovered the thing that frightened him the most – he was in love with her. Briar stared at Sandry, shocked at his realization. He knew that she wouldn't return his feelings – she was a noble, and he was an ex-street-rat. They could never be – Briar's thoughts came to a halt when Sandry opened her bright blue eyes. For a long moment their eyes met and neither could look away. Finally Briar greeted her, "Morning." Sandry smiled sweetly. "Morning." She looked out the window at the grey dawn. What time is it?" Briar's stomach did a flip when Sandry smiled. He looked out the window. "About six, I think." He looked back down at Sandry to find her watching him again. Sandry frowned. "I think I should go before someone else wakes up." She got up slowly, not wanting to leave Briar's embrace. Briar opened his mouth to say something to keep her there, but no sound came out. He watched Sandry pause at the door and smile at him before leaving.
Chapter 3: Dreams
The next night, Sandry's nightmares returned. Except this particular dream wasn't like the rest. In this dream, Sandry watched helplessly as Briar was slowly being swallowed by the unmagic. Briar's face contorted with fear as the unmagic covered him from the waist down, pulling him deeper into it. Tears streaked down Sandry's face as Briar called to her for help. She wanted to move – she wanted to help her friend, but was being held down by unseen hands. Sandry woke with a start just before the unmagic engulfed Briar completely. Sandry decided she had to see Briar; if only to prove to herself that the dream was just that – a dream.
Sandry took her light crystal out of the pouch that dangled around her neck and exited the room. She padded through the house to Briar's room and opened the door. To her surprise, Briar wasn't asleep. He was simply sitting on the edge of his 'nest', a mattress on the floor, with his head in his hands.
Briar looked up when he heard the door open. When he saw whom his unexpected visitor was he blushed slightly, thankful that the only light in the room was the moonlight flooding in the window. "Hey," he said softly.
Sandry, too, blushed. Now that she was there, she was regretting that she had come. "Hi." She stepped into the room and shut the door quietly behind her. Silently, she walked over to the window.
Briar watched Sandry step into the moonlight, and for the second time his heart skipped a beat when he saw Sandry's beauty. After a long moment, he managed to tear his gaze away. "What brings you here so late?" Briar asked, though he was secretly pleased that she had come.
"I couldn't sleep." She shivered at the memory of the dream that had awoken her. "Why are you still awake?"
Briar shrugged. "Same. Bad dreams?" Briar had asked Sandry about her nightmares and he could understand why she didn't want to be alone after having another one. Sandry nodded and motioned for her to sit next to him on the bed. She told him about the dream and began to cry. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. Briar knew from past experiences that his friend only cried when something was really serious. After a while, her sobs subsided, but Briar didn't let go.
Sandry looked up at Briar, embarrassed for crying in front of him. "I should go." She stood up, but Briar caught her wrist before she got too the door.
"You could stay." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. To his surprised delight, Sandry gave him a water smile and nodded. They had often fallen asleep together as kids, mostly when Sandry had had a nightmare and Briar had comforted her, but this time it seemed different. It felt somehow forbidden. Taking a deep breath, Briar climbed into the far side of the bed and lifted the sheets for Sandry. Nervously, she climbed into the bed and took the sheets from Briar's up-raised hand, never meeting Briars eyes. Lying awkwardly, they fell asleep on their backs.
Briar opened his eyes and was pleased by the sight that greeted him. Sandry's face was a few short inches away from his own. Her hands were placed gently on his chest, and Briar realized that he was holding her tight around the waist, but he didn't dare move for fear of waking her. Briar also realized that during the night, their legs had become intertwined. Sandry's soft touch sent sparks through Briar's body. It was then waking up next to Sandry that he discovered the thing that frightened him the most – he was in love with her. Briar stared at Sandry, shocked at his realization. He knew that she wouldn't return his feelings – she was a noble, and he was an ex-street-rat. They could never be – Briar's thoughts came to a halt when Sandry opened her bright blue eyes. For a long moment their eyes met and neither could look away. Finally Briar greeted her, "Morning." Sandry smiled sweetly. "Morning." She looked out the window at the grey dawn. What time is it?" Briar's stomach did a flip when Sandry smiled. He looked out the window. "About six, I think." He looked back down at Sandry to find her watching him again. Sandry frowned. "I think I should go before someone else wakes up." She got up slowly, not wanting to leave Briar's embrace. Briar opened his mouth to say something to keep her there, but no sound came out. He watched Sandry pause at the door and smile at him before leaving.