The Chapter Thirty

Briar

We had journeyed for a long time after our talk and though the scenery was uneventful during that time, at least our camaraderie was still in one piece amongst us all.

I'd exclaimed many thanks over the gift Mistress Garnet and Ruby had made for me which pleased them a lot. There was also some teasing on the subject of men from Ruby and some genuine concern laced through it as well from both of my friends.

I was glad to still have them by my side honestly. I would need their support in whatever decision I would make in the future about all that I had recently learned. But as the time passed peacefully between us all as we travelled along, my recent worries might have lessened slightly but my thoughts had not, was what I found.

I would catch myself drifting down half thought avenues of aimless direction, feeling lost and not knowing what to think about the whole mate thing and then again thinking too much about it all as well and getting wound up. Not even one of Mistress's Garnet's purloined books deemed of 'safe' topics for a human to read, could distract me enough from my thoughts.

Despite all of this, night had finally found us and whilst everyone had been setting up the campsite earlier on, people were retiring for the night now, drifting away in the smoke of the campfires and the shadows of the night. Mistress Garnet and Ruby had eventually bid me goodnight as well, preparing to a tent for themselves and I found myself left to my own devices in this long sleepless night ahead of me.

I sat down on the step of the carriage now, alone and looking up at the night sky and studying the stars, whilst fingering the still dark pink, cool to the touch crystal around my neck as I did so.

'There you are!' A familiar voice exclaimed to the right of me and a familiar head of wild curls was entering too close to my field of vision to see more than that glimpse. The hair looked more red now, backlit from the light of all the camp fires all around us now that greeted my sight.

'Hello,' I greet the mender from this morning cautiously and moved my head back to see him properly, '...Hunter?' I hazard at a guess.

'That's right! You remembered my name already,' he states happily, 'and you, my lady are called Briar,' he smiles at me congenially.

'No, I'm not a person who has any titles, I'm just a person who worked as a maid and as kitchen help as well, so just call me Briar please, anything else is kind of uncomfortable,' I tell him and wave him off with my hands as I explain away my discomfort and Hunter just looks at me with a funny expression almost suspiciously like a smirk as he rocked back on his heels.

'If you're ok with that, then I will do as you say my l- no Briar, but I think it's something you might have to get used to though in the future, there might be a lot of titles heading your way,' the last bit he was almost saying to himself and my forehead wrinkled as I was trying to understand what he might mean by that mysterious comment.

'Anyway!' Hunter shook himself and clapped his hands together and gave me a mischievous expression, 'I've come to collect you, to keep me company,' he tells me, 'it's only fair now that we go through the withdrawal together,' he cajoles me with a grin.

'I don't exactly know about that..?' I come off sounding like I'm asking a question, unsure of this stranger and his motives. Menders weren't exactly my favourite people to be around in my short existence nor does their presence exactly set me at ease. In fact the exact opposite of what most people felt being around them.

'Come on,' the mender wheedles, 'it'll be boring sitting here on your own in the dark and I need company if I can't sleep and obviously I can't work because I'm in the middle of nowhere like usual,' he flaps a hand to indicate the vastness of the forest around us. I stare at him, trying to weigh him up.

'Look,' Hunter tries to convince me, 'I have a campfire going and we can play card games or read the books I bought with me-,' my attention perks up at that and Hunter notices, 'do you like to read?' He asks me eagerly.

'I wasn't exactly allowed the privilege or the time to read but yes I do,' I admit shyly to him.

'What kind of books do you like? He asks, probably hoping to lure me in this way to keep him company I think to myself.

'Whatever books Mistress Garnet could get us, there was always something to learn from them,' I say and try not to to think too much about the snatched moments over nighttime I had with such books before they had to be put back again before they were missed.

'I see, so you're not a choosy reader yet, that is,' he says with no pity in his voice directed at me, 'so lets get you started on appreciating some of the classics before a certain someone rots your tastes with his own choices,' he says to me with a big grin.

'Who's he...?' I begin to ask as the mender extends his hand out to me to help me up but conveniently 'forgets' to answer my question, judging by his smile and talking excitedly about other stuff we can do tonight.

'I have snacks, hot drinks and we can talk and swap stories as well, so let's do this right and have the best sleepover ever to make everyone jealous of us tomorrow!' He says really joyfully as he starts to tug me along behind me. I found myself kind of helpless to refuse this happy whirlwind that has blown into my life.

Later

As the night began and the people grew less and less around us until it was just the guards passing us by quietly, Hunter had already taught me a few card games to play, made me gooey sweet treats over the fire and now was contentedly looking through a pile of books for something to read just like me, while our hot herbal teas cooled down before us.

'So I heard from someone that you were going to have a talk about what's been happening to you earlier on today,' Hunter began as he put his book aside and rifled through the stack for another as he used his other hand to gesture profusely, 'you know the Mate thing,' he says casually to me and I stop reading the book I chose about plant based medicines and look at him carefully. Hunter hadn't passed one single comment on my choice of reading material if he had any to say that is and that made me relax a little bit around him.

He had loads of books I wanted to look through but I may never have another chance to read this kind of book again when we parted ways in the future I thought and so I claimed this prize to read by the lantern lights dotted around us. I curled my body over the book almost protectively, keeping it close to my chest and I tried to gather my scattered thoughts on the topic and opened my mouth to speak a moment or two after.

'Yes, Mistress Garnet did speak to me this afternoon about Fae believing in destined Mates,' I carefully began to say and Hunter snorted loudly and reached down to take a sip of his cooling tea.

'Sorry but your choice of words 'believing in' it, was a little funny back there,' he tells me and explains, 'I think your current Mates would definitely argue about their existence and their link to you,' Hunter said, still chuckling lightly.

'I'm sorry,' I began to apologise to him but Hunter waves me off again casually.

'Don't be, honestly until I saw the process happen three times in front of me today, I would've had questions myself about the validity of such things as they've long since fallen into the territory of fables now. But the bonds do exist and when we get back, I'm going to be doing a lot of reading up on the subject,' Hunter tells me, 'it's all so really fascinating don't you think?'

I just look at him a little uncomfortably, 'I don't really know what to think really,' I tell him the truth of my thoughts.

'Ah, I see, if I was in your place I guess I be the same,' he says sympathetically to me with a wry expression colouring his features, 'so tell me, how're you feeling about it all? Really?' He asks me kindly and continues to drink his tea and I relax my grip on the book and closed it shut and placed it on my lap now as I decided to reach for my own drink to buy me some time.

After taking a sip of the aromatic, steaming beverage I clear my throat and hold the cup close to me to warm my hands up before I spoke up again, 'I feel overwhelmed and a little scared about what will happen to me,' I admit quietly and the seedlings wrapped around my wrist, reflexively squeeze me tighter to remind me that they are there for me and the voices of my seed family tied to the ornate belt on my hip also call out softly to me as well in my distress to offer me some portion of comfort.

I let myself get comforted by them, needing them in this moment as I gather myself and continue to take small, controlled sips of my hot drink in the silence between us before Hunter speaks again after his thoughtful silence on what I had just said.

'Tell me, are you afraid because of the relationship side of this matter or because your magic has been revealed?' Hunter asks me perceptively and waits.

'Maybe both,' I said after a pause, his continuing silence drags the answer out of me unwillingly, 'but more because my magic has been outed,' I offload my worries to him.

'I can understand how it feels to be vulnerable and under someone else's control because of your magical gifts,' Hunter said after some length, 'but where we are travelling to, people like you and me are treated fairly and not enslaved because of the circumstances of our birth,' Hunter turns to look at me fully, 'some people in this world are unlucky and are discovered and some are very lucky to have not been,' He says and I can see his eyes are lanced through with pain with whatever happened to this Fae man before me but he blinks it away quickly and downs the contents of his drink.

'I also strongly believe that you can't be with anyone better for your choice of destined mates, they each would protect you with everything they have, right down to their very last breath and the three I know well, actively work on issues of freedom that plague all the people,' he tells me this confidentially and my forehead crinkles into a frown.

'Wouldn't that get them into a lot of trouble?' I ask Hunter and he laughs out loud at the question.

'For most it would, for them it wouldn't,' Hunter answers my query obtusely, 'well believe me anyway that they're safe enough to do what they want to do,' he tries to reassures me.

'Mistress Garnet said something similar like you too,' I said, 'about believing that she thought my Mates were good men from her observations and couldn't hope for anyone better for me really, whoever they are,' I said, 'and that they would do me some good,' I finished saying.

It's Hunter's turn now to frown back at me this time. 'Don't you know who your Mates are?' He asks me genuinely confused by the matter.

'I know that Lucas is one for sure, but no one else has come forward and actually announce they are for certain,' I mumble the last part quietly into my cup.

'Honestly?' I nod yes to Hunter and he scowls off into the distance of the night, looking around in any vague direction, trying to find something. 'Those three idiots, I'll give them a talking too, don't you worry,' he mutters and goes to put his cup down.

I place my arm on his to stop him from leaving me alone here, 'Hunter it's ok, I guess they haven't had time or they presume I already know somehow,' I try to say and convince him to stay and not cause any trouble this night.

'Mistress Garnet tells me I should already have a feeling about who they are anyway if I trust my instincts well enough,' I tell him and Hunter stops moving to leave me and looks back at in question.

'And?' Hunter asks me, Do you think you know the answer to their identities?' He waits for my reply, searching my face for any tale-tell hint of unsureness about my answer.

'I think I do,' I answer him honestly and he breathes deeply through his nose and lets it out, seemingly content at my reply and relaxes back down besides me.

'You mentioned reading into the subject when you get back home?' I ask Hunter and he nods enthusiastically at me, 'Can I do some research with you? I want to know more about these bonds, like can they be broken if needed to be if the pairing was troublesome to everyone involved for instance?' I ask Hunter and he looks at me in abject horror at such an idea for a moment and then relents as he tries to understand it from my point of view.

'There is so much I don't know about the topic,' he hedges with me, 'but you have a valid point to worry about if both parties of the bond were to be unhappy over something that could not be got over...then surely the Gods would have left some clue behind about how to break such connections,' Hunter looks truly sad over the notion and he looks like he's thinking about how to broach the topic gently to me.

'To us Fae we were taught to revere such things but for this to happen to an outsider who is not taught in the same way, it could be very confusing and frightening I guess,' Hunter concedes to me. 'So yes, I would like your company in the future Briar, as I research into the topic. Hopefully what we both find and learn about together will put you at ease over any of your concerns at least,' Hunter says and nods decidedly.

'Thank you for understanding me at least Hunter and not shutting me down completely,' I say to him, 'I was frightened of asking Lucas and of how he would react about it. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings who are too involved with the subject,' I tell him and Hunter gives me a sympathetic look of understanding.

'So an outsider like me is perfect to turn to in your hour of need,' he says to me and I agree with what he has just said.

'Yes,' I tell him truthfully and Hunter shuffles on his stool awkwardly for some reason and claps his hand together to get rid of the awkwardness of the situation.

'So, change of subject,' Hunter declares to me, 'how are your little friends on your arm? They've been quiet all night,' Hunter asks and points to my left arm where the sickle thorn saplings remained safely hidden or so I had thought.

My right hand almost lets go of my cup of tea to reflexively pat my left arm down in some kind of reassuring protective gesture, for me and for them, but the saplings don't react at all about being found out and that makes me suspicious. 'You've met?' I ask and cock my head to the side to carefully watch Hunter's reactions.

'We did,' he answers with a smile, 'it was really fascinating that we could communicate,' Hunter tells me enthusiastically.

I arched an eyebrow up at him in surprise, 'They liked...you?' I asked not quite believing that such a thing was possible and I wondered what was up with these particular sickle thorns to be so different from the rest of them that people feared.

'They did like me,' Hunter tells me and continues to carry on speaking, 'but not as much as they liked the others apparently,' he remarks rather wryly to me.

'The others?' I asked hollowly wondering how many people knew of them and my magic.

'The others being your Mates that your little companions made to bleed on you and activated the bond between you all partially,' Hunter tells me with all eagerness and his eyes alight about the subject.

'Do you think it was instinctual on their part because they sensed something about you all or did they actually know or were they seeking a way to help protect you?' Hunter's mind is busy conjecturing aloud to himself and I suspected he wasn't really expecting an answer from me at the moment either.

I look down at my arm where the saplings lay hidden still beneath the fabric and I muttered quietly to them, 'What did you do?' And the response that I got from them was a sheepish remorsefulness kind of feeling they projected towards me and I narrow my eyes at them and I'm sure they knew it too. I wasn't exactly happy with what they've done but it was too late now to go back and stop it.

'Hey there, don't be too hard on the little guys, they meant well I'm sure of it,' Hunter calls out to me whilst patting me gently on the shoulder to try and cheer me up. Surprisingly I felt the mood of those little guys perk up at Hunter defending them.

I look at Hunter and tell him in surprise, 'You're right, they actually do like you?'

'Hey now! Why does that sound like it surprises you so much?' Hunter asks while laughing, 'It has been known to happen once or twice you know for me,' he remarks with a twinkle in his moss green eyes.

'Besides Mistress Garnet and Ruby being the only people I know and trust, my little family have shown no interest in others til now,' I tell him awkwardly, his eyes gleam with understanding at me and he points at my left arm.

'Are they your 'little family then'?' Hunter asks me and I nod yes but say nothing else. Not willing to lie anymore than I have to or reveal more than I need to as my usual habit.

'I hope we get to know each other better as time goes on, you and your family,' Hunter says in a kind, warm tone and I nod, unaccustomed to making new friends.

'Tell me though, do you need to put them in a plant pot or something? How are the little buddies surviving?' He asks in genuine wonder and a little concern too is colouring his voice over their welfare.

'They, uh, adapted themselves,' I say, feeling a bit uncomfortable about discussing this secret about ourselves to someone new, 'and they feed on my magic until they can become self sustaining with their own supply and then all they need once in a while is to have a top up from me when they've expended too much energy on something,' I explain to Hunter and he nods, his face lights up, probably thinking about the possibilities and when he looks at me again, he realises he is making me uncomfortable and reigns his enthusiasm in a little.

'Sorry about that, my life is all about learning new stuff and I don't realise that I might make others uncomfortable if they end up becoming my sole focus for a while,' Hunter says apologetically, 'just tell me to back off when that does happen, I've lost a lot of people who could have been my friends because of it,' he says with a sad expression, looking down at his clenched hands in his lap and he shrugs his shoulders about his past experiences.

I watch him for a moment and decide to concede a little and give Hunter a break, 'Ok then, I'll do that if you'll also be ok with me not trusting menders easily and be patient with me for a while and understand that it will take me some time to get over that particular hurdle right there for us to be friends in the future,' I tell him and Hunter looks up from his hands and smiles gratefully at me.

'That's a deal then,' Hunter says and holds his hand out to me to shake on it and I reach out to clasp his own after a moment's hesitation and shake his hand back, not used to such a gesture being used on me.

Letting go of my hand now, Hunter talks again, 'Now that we have mostly talked about everything tonight, there's one more topic that we got to discuss!' Hunter says to me with a cheeky smile and sends a wink my way.

'And that is...?' I ask a little confused and look at Hunter bemusedly.

'Boys!' Hunter exclaims loudly and I frown at him and he goes onto elaborate, his hands twisting in the air besides him in gesture, 'You know the other question I asked you that you said you were also worried about? The relationship side of the Mate bond or in your case multiple?' He reminds me with a raised eyebrow at me and I bite down on my lip in worry now that I'm reminded about that side of things as well.

'So tell me is there anything you want to ask me in my professional capacity as a mender, I can answer many questions for you...? He asks and then wavers after watching my face grow redder with blushing, 'I'd heard you were Courtesan's Ruby's personal maid on the Courtesan wing and I presume you saw things and had things explained to you while you worked in that capacity...?' Hunter trails off timidly but then forges ahead and asks me delicately, 'do you have any experience in that area?' he waits quietly for me to calm myself down and I answer him slowly.

'I was taught about things...alongside Ruby from her mother, Mistress Garnet, when we needed a thorough understanding of the subject,' I hesitantly replied back to Hunter, 'but I have never chosen to experience such things, maybe I should have? I don't know?' I shake my head at the things only I can see and remember from my past that happened to me, 'It might have made my existence easier,' I whispered and I find myself looking down but I can still see Hunter from the corner of my eye and he shakes his head at me in denial.

'Or maybe it wouldn't have Briar,' he says with some conviction, 'sometimes a Fae or a human won't let go once they have a taste, even if they knew it was making you miserable,' he says with a shake of his head at me and his thoughts on the topic reconfirmed my convictions that I had held onto for my short life so far.

'Thank you I guess,' I swallow around a lump in my throat and look back up at a surprised Hunter, 'for being the first Fae to get that,' I tell him, he smiles softly at me and nods his acceptance of what I am saying without words.

'Well like you, I guess I have no physical experience in this area either but I think it's more about my life, about what my work entails and lastly as I keep getting told, my odd personality that eventually repels everyone,' he owns up to these facts or statements from other people he was told as facts and it's almost like I can feel his loneliness as a physically ache inside of me and I reach out and place my hand on top of his to give him a comforting squeeze and he looks up to shoot me a grateful smile my way and speaks again.

'For me I guess, I would've been more hurt if I had been rejected after initiating that level of intimacy with someone and then they left me after because they grew tired of my ways,' Hunter tells me and places his other hand on top of mine and pats it.

'It's ok to wait Briar, is what I am saying and if you feel pressured to do anything beyond what you're comfortable with then come and tell me,' Hunter says to reassure me, 'I'll protect you and have your back for whatever it is and I'll have no problem whatsoever telling whoever it is to back off,' he reassures me whilst keeping steady eye contact with me to show he means every word of what he's just said to me.

'Thank you Hunter,' I say to him, overcome with feelings for Hunter's odd but sweet protective nature about himself and I give him a small smile, 'you're a really great person, you know that? Anyone who let you go because of such stupid reasons like that you've told me about and that they never gave much thought to it as well seems like they really didn't know what they were missing out on,' I say supportively to him and actually mean that, my conviction of Hunter ringing through my voice.

'Well that's what friends do for each other, so it's no trouble at all you know,' Hunter tries to lightly brush my thanks away as no big deal because he's getting slightly embarrassed now with my direct focus and compliments about him, 'besides I know your Mates weaknesses and I'll learn Lucas's soon as well. I have my ways to get the message through,' Hunter says mysteriously and waggles his eyebrows at me suggestively and I burst out laughing at his silliness.

Hunter smiles and takes his hands back from me and watches me wistfully but I don't know why, 'See, if you can laugh like that now, maybe the future might not be so bad for you if you give it a chance as you've given this mender here a chance after you openly admitted to fearing my professional kind,' Hunter points out to me and I think over the point he's just made.

'Maybe you could be right about that,' I concede with a small smile dancing about my lips. Hunter really was an easy person to get along with and him being a mender didn't deter me as it usually did but would I feel the same way around four strange males that I probably had nothing in common with when I met them properly in the future? I couldn't honestly answer that question yet and I still felt full of dread at the idea but I kept that thought to myself.

'So,' Hunter says gathering our cups, my tea gone forgotten and cold now, 'how about a fresh cup of tea and we read into the night til the morning comes then?' Hunter asks me with a hint of mischief, his head slanted inquisitively at me.

'Yes, that's sounds like a really nice plan,' I tell him, my gaze falling to the book still in my lap, 'but first I need to go relieve myself,' with a little embarrassment I own up to it and I put the borrowed book down carefully on the floor and retrieved a lantern from nearby as I go to stand up.

'Ok,' Hunter says, not in the least bit bothered by what I just said, 'be careful out there and don't go too far into the woods,' he calls out a warning to me as I begin to step amongst the trees further from the campsite as he busies himself with starting to boil more water and preparing the tea things in advance. I give a distracted wave as my acknowledgment to what he's just said as I hurry to go look for a spot in the dark woods.