i dont own anything it all belongs to Tamora Pierce

Chapter 2: market day

The company decided to spend the night with duke verdis in an inn in the town of Saret. The duke was to visit with the towns major the next day before proceeding onto Summersea the day after. Though all 4 wanted to reach Summersea they felty better riding in the large group, all still slightly shaken from Namorn.

Daja awoke as the sun streaked through her window, she absently rubbed her hand and the living metal that covered it. She washed her face and pulled on her fresh tunic and breeches before descending the stairs into the common room. Tris soon followed suit wearing a dark blue cotton dress, and gave Daja a smile before helping herself to some porridge.

Briar sauntered in from outside, dirt already streaked his arms though none stayed on his clothes thanks to Sandry. He had already been out in the garden talking to the plants. After washing up Briar reappeared and plonked himself on a chair.

'So what you up to today,' Briar asked giving Daja a wide grin as she pushed the porridge towards him.

'I thought maybe we could go to the market in Saret, it would be a change to riding all day, and I need more thread.' Sandry had just appeared in the doorway. Her hair was tied back in a braid and she looked more rested.

Being with the Duke must be doing her good. Briar said to Tris and Daja who voiced there agreement.

'How'd you escape this morning?' Briar asked referring to the over attentous maids.

'I think Tris could put a whirlwind in there and they wouldn't wake.'

'I say the market sounds good and at least we won't have the servants after US either,' Daja replied.

Tris shrugged, she scared the maids so they didn't bother her anyway. 'the weather will be good today and it beats sitting inside.'

'Not that you'd mind shopping in a storm hey coppercurls'' Briar quipped.

Tris pulled a face at Briar, who merely grinned wolfishly back. Daja and Sandry grinned at each other. This is what they had missed before they had reforged there circle.

2 hours later they left the inn and followed the main rode towards the market. It wasn't hard to locate the market, many more people flooded the streets all moving in the same direction.

Before long the market came into view. For a small town the market was huge, covering the entire southern quarter. The size was matched by variety as many sellers stoped here on the main road to the North from the port of Summersea.

Tris immediately dived into the nearest bookshop and began to rifle through the boxes of books, pausing to pull out a volume every now and again.

Daja wandered towards a srtall selling small wooden figures, carefully studying the intricate carving.

Sandry and Briar carried on walking, each engrossed in their own thoughts.

Its so nice to just be ourselves again like we were before everyone went away. Except were all different now. Tris hides her talents from everyone but us, Daja mourns over bringing a murderer to justice. Briar has seen things no one should have to see, and me...well I guess I'm just older. And thinking all manner of things I shouldn't about people I have no right to fell like this about! Quipped another side of herself.

'Hmph'she thought and looked over at Briar.

He's my foster-brother! But it wasn't her brother that made her get goosebumps when he looked at her or her knees turn to jelly when he smiled.

Briar was also thinking about the four of them, but not about how they'd all changed. Instead he worried what would happen if Sandry found out how he felt and if it could break there circle again.

I can't loose the girls again. Their the only family I've got. If I ignore these feelings they'll probably go away, I mean it's just a stupid crush………….isn't it

But as they walked along Briar started to tense up. They were close enough that if he lifted his hand it would brush against Sandry's.

'Oh look there's a fabric stand,' Sandry pointed across the road and veered towards the stall. She looked very much like Tris did at the book stall, except Sandry started cooing to the thread and cloth as she picked it up.

Briar clenched and unclenched his hand, they had been so close!

Instead of following this treacherous line of thought Briar decided that he should go calm down by seeing some plants. He thrust out his magic and felt a vine nearby that was been suffocated by a fungus. He fixed his jaw and jogged in the direction of the vine. He soon spotted the vine and walked upto it.

'gosh it's got you good mate,' Briar gently stretched towards the vine and began to burn off the fungus. When he'd finished he let out a gasp of pain. The vine in it's rush to embrace him had bitten deep into his arm. Slowly he managed to get the vine to release him and stepped out of it's hold.

'fine way to thank me I'll say.'

He glanced down at his arm which was bleeding through his tunic, the tears had already rewoven themselves. Best get back to the girls and get this cleaned up.

Sandry turned round after purchasing several spools of thread and some cloth for embroidery. Tris and Daja both had some purchases aswell and were queuing at a nearby food vendor's stall. Sandry wandered over to them in time to order a turnover for herself and an extra one for Briar, who was always hungry.

'Where has that boy got to,' she joked, but the smile didn't reach her worried eyes. He always finds trouble.

'Here he comes,' Daja pointed to Briar as he wound his way back through the crowds towards the girls.

'You ladies nearly finished shopping yourselves to death, I need to get my mages kit, I left it back at the inn.'

'Whatever do you need your kit for?' Tris asked.

'Vine got over friendly whilst I was healing it,' he replied and lifted his sleeve back so the girls could see.

'Briar! Here let me bandage it for you.' Sandry said, worry clear in her voice.

Daja unstopped her water bottle and poured some water over Briars arm to clean away the blood.

Sandry reached out gently and took Briars arm, she ordered his tunic to reform into a bandage and a short sleeve, and bound the wound tight.

'I'm not a bleater Sandry, I'll survive till we get back,' he answered but made no move to withdraw the arm from her grasp. Instead he watched as she bound the gashes in his arm with small amounts of shooing of the cloth.

Sandry still held Briars arm and didn't seem to notice that she'd finished.

'Erm are you gonna give Briar his arm back San, I don't think its gonna fall off.'

'Sorry Briar' se gasped and dropped his arm like it was a hot coal.

'Come on we'd better get back, Briar will want to put some of his foul smelling goo on that,' Daja teased.

Briar pulled a face at her, 'that goo is only the best healing salve you'll find, thankyou very much.'

They walked back towards the inn.

'What was that about?' Daja asked Tris

'I think we should keep an eye on them, something's up.'

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