Later, Briar would only recall a blur of activity after Rosethorn's announcement. Sandstorm's face had turned as white as a sheet, but she quickly began to send out orders to collect and count supplies, boost the medicinal stores, and distribute weapons. Dedicates began to stream in and out of the office. By their expressions, Briar guessed that few of them were surprised to hear of the coming war.
Finally, after sending two Earth dedicates to begin shoring the gates, they were alone. Sandstorm leaned back in her chair and sighed. She snapped her fingers and a flame burst into life in her palm. She toyed with it, deep in thought.
Briar smiled, and touched Rosethorn's hand. Have you ever noticed that you do that with the cotton in your sleeves? It gets all excited and tries to blossom.
I do not.
When you're thinking about something you do.
Name a time I did it.
Last time Crane was at Discipline and he showing you his keep-awake tea.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
I can name other times. Like the time Lark-
She wrenched her hand away, and gently smacked his leg. "Briar!"
Sandstorm blinked, and the flame vanished. She looked up at the mages. "Are you planning on leaving or staying on here? I wouldn't blame you if you chose to leave. You're far from home in a dangerous situation, as Alyssa put it so nicely. If you want to leave, I can find spaces for you on the next ship out of Yinjong Harbor."
Briar could see Rosethorn's expression in the early dawn light. She had made up her mind. He knew what she was thinking, even without touching her hand. Despite that, he let his fingers brush her's.
I'll follow you wherever you go.
He felt a burst of young magic on his other side, and then Evvy's voice echoed in his mind.
I want to stay. I want to help.
Were we ever going to do anything else? Rosethorn sounded completely calm, as though she were choosing what to cook for dinner.
"Honored Sandstorm, we are at your service."
The dedicate looked relieved. "Thank you. Shurri Firesword bless you." She stood and walked to the door. "I'll take you to one of our guest houses." She began to lead them down the dusty road. "Do you have any spare clothes?"
"A spare set of Emelanese habits."
Sandstorm shook her head. "I'd like to give you some of our clothes. It's dreadfully hot during the day, and it's cold at night."
Sandry would love this, Briar thought. "What are they?"
"We have loose pants, tunics, and loose-sleeved shirts." Sanstorm plucked at her own clothes. They were made of thin cotton, very loose, and bound tightly at her wrists and ankles by wide ribbons. "There's scarves and cloaks too. Do you want sandals?"
Evvy stared at the the dedicate's shoe. She hadn't noticed before, but it was akin to a sandal, except for the two bits of wood, under heel and toe, that elevated the sandal. She glanced at her teachers. Briar was the only one looking unsurprised.
Sandstorm smiled slightly. "They're really quite easy to get around in, after you find your balance."
Rosethorn gave the shoes a final, questioning look, then nodded. "We'll do that. Might as well try to blend in."
Sandstorm led them to the house. It was on the far side of the temple, near the wall. "House" was also a generous name. It was truly a more of a large, mud-brick igloo, with a hole in the top to serve as a chimney.
"Most of the temple is quite old, and the mud-brick and adobe structures are originals. We're in the process of renovating some parts. The new cellars, for example, are stone, half set in the earth. You'll probably see them if you go to the kitchens." She ducked through the low door, and showed them the inside space. It had several bed rolls on one side, next to a large basket of blankets and pillows. A stone-bordered circle in the middle served as a hearth. Sandstorm tapped another basket with her foot. "There are spare clothes in here. Feel free just to look through and find what works. Most of our people just wear the brown clothes with a colored tunic. If you aren't too tired, come and meet me up on the battlements when you're done here." She smiled, bowed, and slipped away.
Rosethorn flicked the door-curtain across the entry-way. "What colors are you two going to wear?" She sat on the ground and began to riffle through the clothes.
"Green, I suppose. Evvy?"
She frowned. "I'm not near old enough to be a dedicate."
"White, then," Rosethorn muttered. Having found what she wanted, she tossed clothes to the others. "Turn around, get changed. I'd like to see what Sandstorm wants to do."
A few minutes later, they stood blinking in the sun, once again. All three were wearing the loose pants and shirts in various shades of brown. Rosethorn's were neatly tied off in black ribbons. She and Briar both wore long green tunics, and Evvy's was snowy white. The tan cloaks buttoned onto the tunics. Rosethorn held her scarf in her hands.
"Evvy, how are you supposed to wear this?"
The girl ran it through her fingers, finding its length. "I suppose it's meant to be wrapped around your face. Like this." She pulled it across her head, then around her face, then threw the ends over her shoulders. It covered her hair, and most of her face. Only her eyes were visible. "I think it's meant for keeping dirt out of your face. It's what we did in Chammur when the dust storms came."
Rosethorn nodded, then quickly followed suit. Briar sighed. "Rosethorn-"
Evvy giggled. "Briar, didn't you ever see any of the takamers wearing their scarves? They don't wear them like the takameris. You just tie it over your face, so it come just over your nose, and knot it." She snatched his scarf and tied for him. Briar shot a glance at Rosethorn. He couldn't see her face, but the corners of her eyes were crinkled up, like she was laughing.
He grinned at her, then turned towards the battlement. In the daylight, he could see the temple clearly. The walls were made of speckled gray granite, smoothed by hundreds of years of use. Briar trotted up the stairs, pausing at the top for Evvy and Rosethorn. He looked over the walls, examining the view.
The barren landscape stretched for several miles, full of scraggly shrubs and sand. It eventually broke into trees that hid the road from Yanjing.
"Briar."
He turned to look at Rosethorn.
"Come on." She began to walk down the battlement. Hwangwalker and Sandstorm stood on the wall over the main gate. A large map rolled across the crenelations. Hwang was stabbing a point on the map with his finger, and Sandstorm was listening closely.
"The only way they're going to be able to come up here is through Lailan's Pass, where the main road is. They can't come through any other way."
"Only Lailan's Path," Sandstorm laughed grimly. "Only the biggest trade route for hundreds of miles. Welcome," she added, glancing at Rosethorn. She moved back slightly so they could see the map. "I suppose you heard most of that. Our little temple would be a wonderful place to be besieged at, aside from the road. I've suspected something like this for a while, since the Yanjingi ambassador stopped pretending to enjoy our shows of magic. The Emperor never liked magecraft much anyway, so I suppose it was just a matter of time before he decided to stamp us out. At any rate, I've stored up grain and water for-" She glanced at Hwang. "Nearly a year now. A few of our smiths have been making spears, arrows, and pikes and training some of the dedicates and novices to use them."
"We sent scouts out for reconnaissance, and a few of them are coming back in. They're confirming your reports," Hwang said. "I don't know how the Emperor managed to mobilize his army so quickly, but his troops are already moving across the Gygonxe border. We have days, maybe a week or so before they arrive."
"And that is why we need to begin preparations." Sandstorm beckoned two Fire dedicates to her. "Redbrook, I need you to alert the bellringers to sound the bells for war and danger. Cherrydrop, check with Fern about the supply levels, then report back to me. Oh- Redbrook, after you're done, please see if the front gates are shored up properly."
The dedicates nodded at hurried away, breaking into a trot when they reached the ground.
"Honored Sandstorm," Rosethorn began. "What would you have us do? I'd rather not stand around tripping your people up."
"You could join our sentries. We can use more eyes."
Rosethorn nodded, and then a strange expression came over her face. "Is there a job Evvy could do that isn't. . . up on the parapets?"
Evvy's mouth dropped open. "That's not fair! I can do as much as you can! I don't want to be stuck safe somwhere while-"
Rosethorn gripped Evvy's chin and leaned forwards. "I don't want you to be hurt, girl. I like you, I know you're good with your magic, and that's why I want you safe," she whispered fiercely. "If something happens- not that anything will- but, just in case, I want you to be able to get to Winding Circle. You'll have a good life there, and good teachers who can teach you more that Briar and I ever can." She stepped back, eyebrows raised.
Evvy stuck her chin out mulishly. Her eyes watered, and she blinked furiously. No one's going to see me cry. "Fine."
Sandstorm glanced between them, then sighed. "Evvy, would you rather work in the kitchens, the infirmary, or with the smiths?"
"The smiths." I don't want people yelling at me, or telling me to magic stuff to help them. A smithy should be better.
Briar flashed her a small smile. She glared back. He broke into a grin.
"Have fun, kid."
"Oh, yeah, loads."
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