A/n: Sorry this has taken so long! I promise they'll be more regular from now on, but I've been on holiday. I'm afraid I don't see Vedris physically coming over to Tortall, but we'll see.
Tris pulled her sheer black shawl closer around her, biting her lip. The back streets and dark alleyways of Corus were not her ideal trip for a sunny afternoon, and the cold darkness of the shadows were making her uncomfortable. A tiny part of her was beginning to wish that she had never waylaid Briar, but her more determined self quickly thrust it back. "Are we nearly there?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at her grinning companion. Briar was clearly enjoying her discomfort. He laughed and tugged one of her braids.
"Relax, merchant-girl. Nothing's going to jump out at you."
"You say that." She retorted, glaring. "I was brought up decently, remember? I don't exactly have a great deal of experience with dark alleyways."
He smirked. "You should of tried it. I did, and I turned out fine, didn't I?"
"That's debatable-" Tris began, but before she could finish her comeback he had grabbed her wrist and they had gone careening down yet another side alley. Tris yelped, and only just managed to stop herself from screaming at Briar's behaviour. All this dragging round the city was beginning to wear her down.
Once she had caught her breath and contented herself with shooting daggers into her foster-brother's back, she managed to get a look around. They were standing in a relatively wide street, lined with inns and houses. Despite the fact that it was the middle of the day, all the curtains in the upper windows were drawn, and there was a chorus of shouting and revelry coming from the inns. Tris had been warned about places like these. If only her great-aunt Tabitha could see her now.
"Briar," she said, a little worried. "Are you sure we should be here? This place doesn't look…"
He grinned one of his easy, disarming smiles. "Relax, Coppercurls. You wanted to see what I've been doing, didn't you?"
"I'm beginning to reconsider that decision." Tris muttered under her breath, but she held her tongue. Briar gestured towards the inn they were facing, an old, ramshackle place considerably quieter than the others they had passed. Over the door, an inconspicuous and slightly shabby sign read: The Dancing Dove.
He smiled, and took her once more by the wrist. Opening the door- she noticed that to prolonged squeaking was a little contrived, as if somebody inside wanted due warning of any visitors- and pulled her inside the room. She gasped, very slightly, as she stumbled into the warm, smoky chamber, brightly lit by fires and candles and some high windows through which the sunlight streamed. There was a sudden silence, as everybody in the room turned to look at Briar's visitor. At the back, next to the fire, a chair scraped as a man rose to his feet. Tall, dark-haired, green-eyed- oh, he was handsome alright, but there was something else to him. He swept a mocking bow towards the two of them, and smiled a crooked smile that lit up the whole of his face.
"Briar." He said, leaning back to half-sit on the table, grinning at the young green mage. "Back so soon? And with a lady friend as well? My, my, the surprises ever end."
Briar grinned back. "George," he said addressing the man, "This is Tris Chandler, a friend of mine. Tris," he released her wrist, "This is George Cooper, the King of the Rogue."
A/N: Afraid you'll have to wait until next time for the Sandry/Jon stuff. However, 'next time' will almost certainly be tomorrow or later today, so don't freak out!