Title: Brother No More

Summery: Oneshot. Pure Briar/Sandry fluff from Will of the Empress. A scene that could have been, but never was. So I wrote it!

A/N: This starts on page 409 of the Scholastic Press Hardcover edition. That's right after Sandry's little temper tantrum while Briar's bandaging her feet.

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Sandry's voice stopped him with his hand on the latch.

"You don't have to come. I can't offer you an empire to garden. And you're still my brother, even if you choose to stay here."

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"Do you really think that of me?" said Briar softly, "That I'd abandon you just because some Empress offered me her flower patch? Shows how much you know."

"Oh, Briar, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way," Sandry said, starting to tremble. "I-I just-"

The day's events finally caught up with her and she started to cry.

"Come on, Sandry," said Briar going over to her, "It's ok. I'm not angry. But that's not what you're crying about is it? What's the matter?"

She started to give him a fierce answer, but then she looked at those grey-green eyes of his. This was Briar. The boy who tugged her braids and teased her when they were little. The boy she could always talk to.

"I'm scared," she said finally. "In Emelan, I'm a girl, not a thing! I hate being treated like I'm some little court ornament, made to breed and look pretty. I'm a mage! I can do things that matter. But no, they want to keep me here in this pavvo riddled country!"

Briar put his arms around her. "Come on, Sandry. It's not forever. They can't keep us here, no more than you could stop sewing, or I could stop gardening. It just won't happen. And I- we won't let anything happen to you. Besides, you are a force to recon with. Have some faith in yourself."

She leaned into Briar. "I know. But they're offering Tris power, and Rizu's here for Daja. And you…" she trailed off.

"What do they have here that I don't have at home?" he asked.

"What about Caidy?" she whispered.

He pulled back, then looked away.

"A man can't give himself to someone when he's in love with someone else."

"But, Briar, who?"

"I can't tell you."

"But why? You can always tell me anything."

"What if I told you it was someone you know? A noble."

"What noble? I want to find this girl who-"

"Who shapes her thread as Tris does the winds, and Daja her metal," he interrupted.

"Who shapes- oh. Oh, my. Do you mean it?"

I have never been able to lie to you, Sandriline, he mind-spoke.

I love you, Briar, she replied

And I you.

Will you two be quiet? Interjected Tris crankily. Some of us are trying to sleep!

Your mind-voices were so loud, I thought my mind would explode. Stop being all lovey-dovey and go to bed! Said Daja.

A very shocked Briar and Sandry quickly put up a wall to the other girls.

"Now," he said, "Where were we?" He gathered her into his arms, and kissed her.

Ha, mind-spoke Daja, You owe me a silver astrel. I told you they would figure it out before we left!

Humph, grumbled Tris, Very well. This is going to be hard to explain, since all the people here think Briar's really her brother!

We'll let them handle it. They can tell the Namornese that it's a custom in Emelan to marry your brother. Night, Tris.

Night, Daja.

Four very happy mages went to bed that night. Sandry's last thought before slipping into slumber, safe in Briar's arms, was that she was glad that Briar was her brother no more.

A/N: Well, hope you enjoyed my little venture into the land of SandryBriar fluff! Please review!