Personal Plot: Sanga: The Twisting of Hope

[quillkeeper]

*It was late afternoon, getting opn toward Evening when Tyram knocked on the door to Briar's Room, in his arms he held a box tied with a ribbon. It had been over a month since Briar had run and returned. Tyram had bearly left her side since. He was slowly twisting her memories, filling her depressed mind with doubts.*

*He comtemplated this next action as he waited for the rply to come, this was to be the most extravagent night of his prized toy's life. She would eat out of his hand for days after this.*

[Aurea]

*Briar was lying on her bed, eyes closed and relaxing, when the knock came*

"Come in"

*She sat up immediately, running a hand through her hair to direct it out of her eyes. She waited for the door to open*

[quillkeeper]

*Tyram opens the door and walks in all smiles. He sees Briar is wearing the blue dress the Emmy miraculously managed to save and his smiled become broader. The dress really didsuit her.*

*He walks over to the bed and places the box at her feet.*

"A gift for you."

[Aurea]

"For me?"

*Briar picksup the box and places it on the bed next to her.
She glances up at Tyram's smiling face and then looks down and pulls gently on one of the brightly coloured ribbons.*

"What is it?"

[quillkeeper]

*Tyram let out a little chuckle.*

"If I told you it would ruin the surprise. THat is the point of gifts. OPen it and find out."

*He steps backs to give her some space.*

[Aurea]

*Briar loosens the ribbons and takes the lid off the box.
She stares silently at the contents for a few seconds, unable to say a word.
At last she pulls out the dress inside and holds it out in front of her.*

*She didn't know an awful lot about clothes... but anyone could see that this was expensive. It was beautifully made, the quality made all the other expensive dresses in the wardrobe pale in comparison.*

"For me?"
*she whispered incredulously at last, not noticing that she was repeating herself*

"...thank you"

[quillkeeper]

*Tyram's eyes widen as Briar hold the dress in front of here, it was made to enhance Briar's featues without revealing the Brand on her breast. It was more a gown than a dress. Of an elegant but demure cut.*

"For you. Please put it on, it was brought for you to wear this evening. If you are willing off course. It is only part of the surprise."

*He waits for her reply.*

[Aurea]

"Only a part...?"
*Briar trails off, unable to comprehend any more.
What could he possibly have planned?
He'd spent almost every evening here with her, but nothing had ever waranted a dress like this one*

*She didn't argue or ask questions.
Obediantly she got changed, drawing up the teal satin bodice so that the halterneck fitted snugly in place, revealing her shoulders.
With a finger she traced the small rubies woven into the neckline.
Were they real? ...she decided that they probably were.*

*Crossing over to the full length mirror, the flared skirt swished around her feet allowing her to move freely. The colour faded from teal to a paler turquoise with a train that glided across the floor two feet behind her.*

"It's beautiful..."

*Briar turned from the mirror back to Tyram, then round again.*

"Is there some special occasion?"

[quillkeeper]

*Tyram barely contains his glee as Briar changes in front of him. As she admires the gown in the mirror he walks over and ties the fabric of the crimson cumerbund, leting it loose end drap down behind her to the backs of her knees.*

"There now it is finished. As for a special occasion? No, you have simply seemed down since I rescued you from Uthred. I thought I would treat you in an attempt to cheer you up."

*He retrieves the platinum braclet that has sat on the dresser since he brought her her and places it on her wrist before walking to the door.*

"I will have a drink brought up to you whilst I get changed myself. I will have to scrub up well to compare with your beauty."

*He waits just long enough to see if she blushes before leaving the room.*

[Aurea]

*Briar heads for the window, glad to feel the cool breeze on her slightly reddened cheeks. She waits until she hears the door close before turning to check he has left the room.
Satisfied that she is alone, she turns her attention to examine the bracelet in more detail.
Once again she is astounded by the amount of money he appears to be spending on her.*

*Her mind is a confused muddle of questions and conflicting thoughts.
He’d never taken her out before, what was he doing?
Despite herself, she couldn’t help feeling a bit excited. She hadn’t been out of the house and grounds since Tyram had rescued her from Uthred and Kerrigan. *

*Except for the time…
No… that was a dream.
Sometimes it was so hard to separate dreams from reality.
The dream where she had been running through the streets…escaping… that had been so realistic. What had she been running from? She struggled to remember.
It was a kidnapping… Uthred and Kerrigan had kidnapped her and she was running, running… trying to get away.
And then she’d woken up, and she was back here in safety. Tyram was there to comfort; to protect… like he always had been…
Or had he?*

*A weak memory struggles to the surface. Tyram’s face twisted in a cruel grin as he hit her again and again. She shudders in horror… where had that come from?
Surely that wasn’t real? …but she couldn’t swear either way.*

*It was much easier not to think; just to let herself be swept away on a tide of apathy.
Why did she need to know what was true anyway?
What was wrong with spending each day in a dreamlike blur?
She had everything she needed right here. Food, clothes, shelter… more better quality than she could ever earn out on the streets.
Then why did she still feel as if something was missing?*

*She shook her head to clear the awkward questions, and sits patiently waiting for Tyram to return… twisting the bracelet round and round her wrist.*

[quillkeeper]

*Long minutes passed before a knock sounded again at the door. Tyram waiting for the reply before entering. He was dressed in a way to compliment Briars gown, a tunic of velvet the most noticeable feature of his garb.*

*He smiles again as he sees her ensconced in the gown, his subconsious mind slightly shocked expecting to see the miserable waif he raised, but his consious mind remebering what he had given her quickly wins over. He holds a hand out to her.*

"Are you ready Briar? I promise a night you will not soon forget."

[Aurea]

*She takes his arm and walks without speaking by his side.
They leave the house, servants watching silently from the sides.
In the street, Briar glances both ways, a vague interest in her eyes.
It feels strange being outside with no protecting walls like the garden.*

*She edges slightly closer to Tyram for safety, remembering his warnings, and the kidnapping in her dream.
After a few minutes however, she relaxes back into her usual apathetic state, and the distance between them widens again.*

[quillkeeper]

*As she draws nearer to him fightened Tyram smiles inwardly, he was making her sure that he was the only one keeping her safe. As she drew away silgtly again he marked that still some doubt remained to be crushed before she was completely his of her own will, but what did that matter, she was his regardless of her will or not.*

*He waited with her at the top of the steps down to the steet and waited. He counted in his head, the timing of the next part must be pin-point. Tewnty- eight, Twenty-nine, Thirty. He stepped forward gently leading her down the steps as a hired coach rolled down the street and stopped outside the house. The coachmen dismounting and opening the door just as Tyram and Briar reached the cobbled Street.*

[Aurea]

Briar’s eyes travelled wordlessly over the coach, and she remained speechless as the door was opened and she was helped inside.
This really didn’t help her attempts to separate dreams from reality!

There was a childhood story like this… a girl from the gutter who became a princess. Although… didn’t she have an evil sister? Or was it two? …and wasn’t there some spell that had to be broken? A time limit?
She couldn’t remember.

It had been ages since she’d heard any stories like that.
There was a time when her mother would tell her a story every night before tucking her up in bed. That had been the best part of the day. Just the two of them sitting enclosed in their little den, transported away into a land of fantasy… far away from debts, poverty and the grime of Sanga’s backstreets.

But it always came to an end… her mother would sigh and kiss her goodnight, instructing her to be a good girl and go straight to sleep: not to make a sound or show herself, no matter what she might hear going on in the hovel.

That was when the harshness of real life destroyed even the best fantasy. Shayna would have to get ready to work for the evening, looking around at the hovel, her life and that of her little daughter… wondering where it had all gone so wrong…

Briar ran a hand over the soft furnishings of the carriage and watched the world pass by the carriage window. She turned to look at Tyram; still scarcely able to believe that this was real.

[quillkeeper]

*Tyram silently noted Briar's confusion with immense satisfaction. He makes no moves whilst in the coach. The Drivers were imployed to take the most convoluted route to their destination possible. The sound of the clattering Hooves and wheels is all that reaches Briars ears for long minutes. Eventually Tyram speaks in gentle tones.)

"A Rava for your thoughts?"