Post by com05 on Jan 24, 2011 9:32:52 GMT 10
Summary: After a delegation from Chammur visits Emelan, Briar is reunited with an old friend who needs his help. Set after WOTE. Tris, Daja and Sandry are included as well, but the story is mainly about Briar. Briar/OC, some violence and heavy/sad topics in later chapters.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 1:
Sandrilene fa Toren inspected her dress and smoothed out the wrinkles, grateful that she liked to dress well. If the amir of Chammur was going to arrive a day early, at least she looked prepared. Although, her foster siblings didn't entirely.
"Oh we don't look that bad," Briar said, reading her thoughts. "I mean we always dress up a little when we come to the palace."
"We could just leave," Tris offered.
"You could, but Uncle invited you to stay, so that would be rude," Sandry said tartly. She dusted her hands over the skirt Tris was wearing and watched the wrinkles fall away.
"Well, if we're not presentable-
"Tris! I didn't mean you weren't presentable, I just wish you were a little more dressed up. It is the amir's delegation."
"I don't know that he should meet me," Briar said, it was the third time he'd mentioned it. Sandry could see his point, he did destroy the home of Lady Zenadia, the amir's anut, and uncover evidence of the series of murders she had committed.
"Uncle smoothed that over a long time ago," Sandry said, moving on to smooth Briar's pants. "She was murdering people after all. The amir himself came out and condemned her crimes and Winding Circle mages are helping tame the wild jungle you created in her house. It's all smoothed over now. In fact, Uncle said they are going to turn the house into a public garden and park."
"I heard that's only because it's been years and none of the mages can restore the property to its original condition, so they don't really have a choice," Daja said. She had just finished coiling her braids into a neat bun.
"Well, that city could use some greenery, it's dry and dusty everywhere else," Briar said.
Sandry surveyed her foster siblings, and decided they looked nice after all. Their clothes looked new and they had all neatened their hair. Briar hardly needed to, his cropped hair was only about an inch long. He looked handsome in the dark green breeches and cream colored tunic she had made for him.
"Satisfied Duchess?" Briar asked.
Before Sandry could think of a reply, a knock sounded at the door. Gedruny, the maid Sandry had hired in Namorn, said the delegation from Chammur had arrived.
The four mages went into the great hall of the castle to wait with Duke Vedris.
"Thank you for staying to meet our guests," he said as they came and stood behind him. "Some of the other nobles could not come on such short notice, and they might be offended if their welcoming party was not sufficiently large."
"It's no trouble," Daja said.
Speak for yourself, Tris and Briar chorused in their minds.
I hate these sorts of events and I don't know if the amir will really care to see Briar, Tris said.
Sandry glared at them, but immediately adjusted her expression as the doors to the great hall opened. She counted twelve people enter Two of them were mages and she counted six servants, though there were probably more out back tending the horses and carrying bags.
It was easy for Sandry to spot the amir and his delegation. They were all dressed beautifully in rich, bold colors.
Sandry was intrigued by the queen's outfit, she had never seen Chammuran fashion. The queen wore a long, magenta skirt and shirt that cut off above her stomach. A long purple sash hung across her right shoulder and fell diagonally , covering her stomach. She wore a sheer purple veil over her head and it flowed behind her over dark, straight hair. Sandry desperately wanted to inspect the veil's fabric. It was sheer, but still held dark, silver embroidery.
But when she looked at the top of the Queen's head to further inspect the fabric, another woman caught her eye.
The woman-Sandry assumed she was the princess-looked stunning. Her outfit was a blue and turquoise version of the queen's, but the sash covering her stomach was sheer like the veil. It revealed a flat, tight stomach and a small waist. Around her belly button Sandry could see the outlines of a circular henna pattern that continued down to the top edge of her skirt.
The woman had long, black hair that feel in loose ringlets around her pretty face. The blue and turquoise fabric made her blue eyes look both dark and bright and she had full lips.
She is beautiful, Daja said, reading Sandry's mind.
They both waited, expecting confirmation from Briar, who rarely failed to express his delight at seeing a beautiful woman. But none came.
Sandry stole a glance at Briar and saw that he and the woman were staring at one another. They both looked shocked for a moment, then the woman's eyes brightened and Briar flashed her a quick smile.
She was about to smile back when Sandry saw the amir's son, the prince, glance over at her. She immediately dropped her gaze to the floor and Sandry saw Briar's smile fade into an expressionless face.
Did you see them?
Before Daja could answer Sandry's question, Duke Vedris was speaking.
"Radhman, your highness."
He shook the amir's hand.
"I'm glad you arrived safely."
"I'm sorry to come so early, we moved more quickly than I expected," the Amir replied. "Let me introduce my family: Queen Sariya, Prince Harusha and his fiancée, Mai."
Sandry felt Briar stiffen at the word fiancée, she glanced up at him, but his face was still blank.
The Duke introduced them and Sandry and her siblings bowed and curtsied in turn.
"Ah yes," the amir said after Briar was introduced. "I was hoping to meet you Pahan Moss, I want to offer apologies regarding my aunt's behavior towards your student. After her husband died, she was never quite right again."
"Water under the bridge," Briar said, though Sandry could feel anger emanating from his mind. "I just hope you can forgive any damage I may have done to your family's property."
"Nonsense, we're going to make it into a public garden, it's looking quite lovely."
"I'm glad to hear it, your highness," Briar said.
Duke Vedris smiled at them and invited everyone to the dinning room for lunch. As they walked down the hall, the duke, the amir and the prince fell into conversation and Sandry knew it was her responsibility to entertain the queen and Mai.
She spoke with them about their journey, but only the Queen responded to her questions. Princess Mai looked at her politely, but didn't seem to be listening. Instead, she kept darting glances back towards Briar, who was walking a few paces behind with Daja and Tris.
Find out what is going on!
We tried, he told us to mind our own business, Tris said irritably.
Sandry decided she would have to figure things out herself, but it would be too impolite to ask Mai anything directly.
"So, when are you and the Prince getting married?" she asked.
"In about six months," Mai said.
"How exciting!"
"Isn't it?"
Mai didn't sound particularly excited, she sounded rehearsed. Even the inflection in her voice sounded as though she had trained herself to sound happy.
"How did you and the prince become acquainted, family friends?" Sandry asked, as that was usually the way marriages worked among the nobility.
"Their match was rather unusual," Queen Sariya said. "He met our dear Mai when she was working at a restaurant. And he was smitten right away."
So the prince was not marrying nobility, in fact she was probably lower-class. It was uncommon, but not unheard of, especially not with a girl as beautiful as Princess Mai.
"How lovely!" Sandry said. The Queen and Mai gave quick smiles. Sandry was fumbling for a way to make conversation. They did not seem interested in discussing Mai, so Sandry started asking about wedding plans. The Queen seemed grateful for the shift and began describing flower arrangements, food and music at length. Mai nodded politely and seemed to disappear into her own thoughts again.
At the table conversation between the duke and the amir dominated the lunch. Sandry observed both Mai and Briar throughout the meal. They both spent most of the meal carefully avoiding looking at eachother, but they each stole glances from the corners of their eyes.
Sandry waited until the lunch was over, the Chammurans had gone to get settled and Duke Vedris had left to finish work before she rounded on Briar.
"You must know that girl!" she said. "Who is she?"
"Prince Harusha's fiancée," Briar said.
"Briar!"
"You're not going to get it out of him," Tris said with a sigh. "Daja and I have been trying all afternoon."
Sandry looked over at her foster brother. He simply shrugged. Sandry probed at his mind and found it closed off.
"Argh!"
"I should get going," he said. "My shakaans need pruning. I'll see you girls at home, and you too next time you come by, Duchess."
He nodded to Sandry and started walking out of the dinning room. But before he had left the room, Princess Mai came dashing into it.
"Pahan Briar!" she nearly collided with him. "I wanted to talk to you, I-
But she glanced back at Daja, Tris and Sandry and her eyes widened.
"Yes, about the miniature trees," Briar said.
"Yes, the trees," Mai said quickly. "We are considering an arrangement for the wedding, and I have heard you are quite gifted with shakaans."
"I was on my way out, if you don't mind walking with me, we can discuss whatever questions you have."
"Of course."
Mai followed Briar out of the hall and Sandry turned to look at her foster siblings.
"What on earth was that about?"
"Not miniature trees, that's for sure," Daja said.