Blackfridayrule

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Ajoran watched the hawk swoop down onto Ridahne's shoulder with some amazement and awe. He'd seen his fair share of the birds, as they were popular and practical pets for court members and even hunters in the mountain village he was from. But he wasn't aware Ridahne ever had one.

"Since when do you have a bird?"
"I don't. He's Darin's really, but he likes me well enough. His name is Taja, say hello."
"...Taja? Is he..." Ajoran reached out a finger to gently stroke Taja's breast feathers. "Is he her guardian too?"
"Initially? No, that's not how he got his name. But he's earned it alright. He's the most battle ready bird I've ever met."

Ajoran seemed to appreciate this with some respect. If this bird had indeed earned his title, then Ajoran was pleased to share it with him.

Ridahne smiled down at Darin "Ah, there you are." The smile faded a little though as Darin suggested putting off seeing Khaltira's grave until morning. Ridahne supposed there was no real need to go now, it wasn't like she was going to pay respects. Anything but respect, actually. But her insides twisted a little at the idea of leaving it for later. It was a cloud hanging over her she wanted to blow away, a leech still clinging to her skin. But she could wait. She'd waited this long, she could wait a night. Ajoran seemed to sense some of this in her and reached out to touch her arm with hands almost to gentle to belong to a former smith. He did not speak, but it was a quiet reminder that she was, indeed, allowed to push the issue. But Ridahne simply put her hand on his and rubbed the back of it with her thumb for a moment before saying, "Honestly, I think I'm quite ready for a bath. C'mon. You too, Ajoran."
"Isfahan, I think I'm supposed to check in with my Sol...I'm on duty."
Ridahne grinned wolfishly. "No you aren't. Not anymore. I saw to that. You belong to me until we travel north."
Ajoran smirked, trailing after them. "Oh do I, now?" He chuckled.

The palace was only two floors, though for Azurei standards it sprawled. The upper levels were mostly barracks and a small library, while the lower levels held dining halls, studies, storage, a garden courtyard, armories, and of course, the bathhouse. At the entrance were two doors--merely heavy gray fabric that draped richly over the openings--and Ajoran split off and entered one of these. Ridahne led Darin into the other. Ridahne explained that there was a small room where they could disrobe and leave their clothes. A young girl sat in the room as an attendant, making sure that there were clean towels and that old clothes were replaced with fresh ones. She asked them if they'd like new clothes, and Ridahne nodded that she at least would like some. She'd let Darin decide if she wanted to don the garb of the Azurei during her stay, or to stick with her usual sets.

Ridahne led Darin to a little chamber with a wooden reservoir of water suspended above them, and when Ridahne shifted a little panel, little holes were revealed to rain water down on them in a measured stream. There they scrubbed the majority of their road dust off of them. This was so that many people did not overly sully the large pool in the next room, which was communal and already shared by three other women. The room itself was large and relatively unadorned with wooden walls and floorboards, but the pool itself was tiled with a mosaic of cobalt blues, whites, yellows, and blood reds in tones ranging from jewel to earthen. The pool was as large as some ponds, and the edges were lined with built in benches to sit on while the middle sections remained waist deep on Ridahne. A sheer fabric screen split the pool in half, and vague shadows could be seen moving about or lounging in the water on the other side. Ajoran was seated near the panel, merely a dim silhouette. It allowed for privacy between the men and women while still facilitating conversation. Within their half of the pool, however, none of the women seemed to take any note of each other's nakedness. Such things were inconsequential in Azurei culture. The men's side seemed to be much the same.

The water itself was not hot like a traditional bath, but was instead somewhat cool. It seemed like an odd thing in theory to have a lavish bath be cold. But in Azurei's hot climate, it was needed and welcomed. It was also not just pure fresh water, either. A special kind of mineral salt had been mixed in. Ridahne explained that this not only kept it sanitary, but the minerals had soothing properties for sore or tense muscles. The Sols, knowing their court would be men and women who worked physically demanding jobs, built it with that in mind. The Sols demanded much of their subjects, but they in turn made sure to see that they were taken care of.

"When we are done soaking, we go back to the rinse room and use scented soaps and hair oils--the ones I told you about. It sounds so silly, I know, but trust me, it's a wonderful luxury," She explained. "It makes your hair so soft..."
Ajoran chuckled from the other side of the divider. "It really does. So! What do you think? Does it live up to your expectation, Darin?"

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Sure!

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Ridahne’s beaming face melted into a somber frown as Darin made her exit, souring the moment just a little. It wasn’t Darin’s fault, but she felt a twist of guilt at knowing Darin was upset, and it had something to do with Ajoran’s actions. She wanted so badly for Darin to love him like she did, for her to love him like Darin loved her. She hadn’t worried about it much until now, as Ajoran was the sort of man far more deserving of immediate and unquestioned love than she, and Darin loved her anyway. Still, she’d hoped for a good first impression and this wasn’t it.

Ajoran’s shoulders drooped a little as he saw the exchange play out and heard the sigh escape Ridahne’s lips. He looked mortified. For all that he was a fierce warrior, Ajoran was actually quite softhearted. And she loved him for it. “What did I do? Did I…do something wrong?”
“No…it’s…no, it’s not really your fault. Martin was Darin’s father.”
“Was…?”
“He walked out on her and her mother, abandoning them without a word overnight. As soon as duty allows, I’m going to find him and retrieve him for her. And Astra help him, then.”
Ajoran winced, though there was a small smile hidden in there too. He knew precisely what kind of damage Ridahne was capable of inflicting on a person, and not all of it would be physical. She knew the psychology of fear and wielded it at will as smoothly and effortlessly as she swung her sword. Ancestors above, she was a terror. But she was his terror. “Astra help him indeed…that’s quite a blow, particularly for humans, is it not?”
“Aye. But she’s all stone, that one. She tended the family’s farm by herself while her mother, from what I understand, sort of just…gave up. Some day I hope to meet her, too.”

Ajoran nodded as Ridahne sat up, combing a few bits of hay out of her wavy hair with her fingers. “So...Darin Torzinei?”
Ridahne smiled. “Officially adopted into the clan. Hadian and I just sort of…decided. It seemed right. But truth is, my family is not yet whole. A year and a half ago, I would have suggested becoming Teleisun, but…well, if you’re up for it, I’d sort of like to stay Torzinei. Ajoran Torzinei has a nice ring to it anyway.”
Ajoran blinked, struggling to process all that she’d said and left unsaid. He felt a blossom in his chest that felt like it would burst out of him, but he tried to keep it under control until he knew for sure. “Ridahne is…is that an acceptance to my proposal…? After all this time…?”
Ridahne looked away, nervous. “Only if you still want me, and if there isn’t anyone you’ve met since I left…I’ve been gone for a long time you know, and I wouldn’t really blame you if…if…well it’s not like I had any hope of really coming back and so it’s not like I expected you to wait for me and—“
Ajoran cut off her ranting with a sudden and vigorous kiss, and she melted into him. They allowed themselves this outburst for some time before he laughed joyously and leaned back to look at her face. “Isfahan, I would wait my whole life for you, with or without hope.”
Ridahne was crying, but they were good tears. She did not wipe them away. “I was sort of hoping you’d say something like that. Because I was hoping to claim you as mine for all to see before we left. I’ll have to leave—our mission isn’t done yet, and I know what you’re going to say—you should stay here. Someone needs to watch out for Hadian and Nyyvai. But…I’d like to have the ceremony by the sea, and I’d like your parents to be there, and I’d like Darin to perform the rites.”
“Absolutely! I’ll have a message sent right away to my parents and have them ride out to Atakhara, and we’ll do it under the light of the moon and…” he started to choke up. “Damn, if you haven’t made me the happiest man alive.”

The two of them spent a couple hours catching up on everything, and Ajoran was the perfect audience. He wanted no detail spared, no explanation shortened. He was particularly interested to hear about Darin, and who she was, what sort of person she was, and what kind of power she held. He asked after the seed, to which Ridahne replied, “I’ve got no idea what it looks like. I’ve never seen it. In all this time traveling with her, I’ve never asked to see it and never needed to. It’s best hidden, anyway.” She told him of her new tattoos, and how she’d come to a conclusion on their design, and showed off her new banner. She told him of the Tree, and how marvelous it was to see it in person, to see it alive. Though she did not wholly describe it as thriving. She knew the Tree was strong, but only by the efforts of those like Ravi. It would not remain strong forever. And she told him of the Red Hand, and even showed off a few of her scars.

Ajoran’s face darkened at that. Like Hadian, he had an anger that was slow to rouse, but a horror to withstand if it ever was stirred. “Eija Salei told me she’d seen you. Though she never once mentioned you were with the Seed Bearer of Astra. She said you’d been traveling with a young farm boy you claimed to have taken as an apprentice. I understand what she said better, now. But she described to me what they’d done to you. I nearly left Tasen that night to find you, but she warned me against it, saying I’d just as likely get lost than find you, as the two of you were taking great care to travel in secret. But when they started showing up here, going around the marketplaces and the docks and asking after you…” His fists clenched, and his corded muscles flexed under his brown skin. “The moment I had authorization I eviscerated two of them in the streets in broad daylight. It wasn’t the best way to do it, but they did steer clear of Tasen for a while after that. And then they found Hadian…not one of those survived. I tracked them all down, even the ones who planned the assault but hadn’t gone themselves.” He was shaking with rage. “The Sols offered him and Nyyvei shelter in the palace, but they refused. And anyone heard asking about you or the Seed Bearer was put on surveillance until it was determined whether they were just gossipers or the Red Hand. They really want Darin dead, and by extension, you. I don’t understand why.”

Ridahne sighed. She didn’t fully know either, really. Or rather, she knew but did not understand. “You and I know better than most how corrupt people can really be. The way they see it, if the Seed is not planted and the Tree withers and dies, they can use the resulting chaos to reshape the world as they see fit, with them in seats of power. And then some just want to watch Astra burn. I don’t think it’s that simple though, and I don’t think Astra would let them. Still, we don’t leave any alive.”

Ridahne stood, brushing off her uri. “Come, we should find Darin, now that we’re all caught up. There’s one thing I have to do tonight, and then I’m desperate to visit the bathhouse again and to get some food. I want Darin to be there with me for it all. Let’s go find her, and then will you take me to Khaltira’s grave?” Ajoran nodded solemnly and the two of them left the stables in search of Darin.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Ridahne looked on at the door that Hanasha-Sol had come through, her head spinning with a mix of thoughts and feelings she wasn't sure what to do with at the moment. On the one hand, there was a haughty resentment towards this place and everything it had ever meant for her. This place ruined her, in some ways. Or maybe it merely ruined what she could have been. Should have been. Ridahne looked at Darin again. No, not 'should have'. She was doing what she should have been doing all along, and she didn't really regret that. In other ways, this place represented the part of her that despite everything, had felt whole. It wasn't perfect, no, but she had a home and a culture and a man and her brother and the ever-shifting hills of the Dust Sea. It represented something that had been stripped from her, and the actions and words of the Sols were essentially granting it back to her. This, which she never thought she'd lose and yet came to think she'd never see again. Her home. There was elation and anger and some little residual resentment and relief and an unease she didn't know how to deal with.

Ridahne's eyes went glassy and empty for a moment as Darin suggested she make the warrior her own personal Taja. It made sense, and she kind of already was, but the implications of that among her own culture...It wouldn't change anything between them, not really. But it would drastically alter her title when she was among her own. The whole mix of things just kind of came down on her at once and it was a rare thing, but Ridahne sort of shut down for a moment. She was a person who operated well under pressure but just this once she couldn't quite grasp it all. The episode was brief, and outwardly her expression remained still, if a little vacant. But inside her mind was racing, trying to process everything.

"Aye...I suppose I am already in all but title..." But title means a lot in Azurei. She was silent as Darin went on, and when her sister finished speaking, Ridahne blinked and came back to herself a little with a small sigh. "It's complicated, I know. Convoluted and twisted and confusing. It is for me too, in my own ways. But I don't really blame them for what they did to me. It brought me to you. And I know you say the Tree likely would have called but...Darin, I'm not really sure I would have answered back then. Not that call. I think the Tree spoke to me in the way it knew I would listen, speaking my language if you will. But fate had to break me, first. I don't expect you to really forgive them, not yet anyway. But I don't want it to ruin Auzurei for you. It's my home, after all, and at one point those people were my Sols. They both are and are not, now. They are a part of me." Ridahne offered a small, knowing smile and said, "But it's not like personal grudges are easy to be rid of. Trust me. Speaking of...I...I want to visit Khaltira's grave. I need to. But I..." the words stuck in her throat. "I...I don't want to go alone," she admitted softly.

Footsteps, heavier this time, sounded outside the door, along with a softly muffled male voice. Ridahne straightened, eyes fixing on the door. Her gaze flicked to Darin for just a moment, flashing a mischievous smirk her way before melting into the shadows behind a stack of hay. She put one finger to her lips.

The door opened, and a tall, broad, well-sculpted man entered. His sash and wide silver collar across his chest marked him immediately as taja, but the carnelian spiral in his ear that was identical in make to the one Ridahne wore around her neck marked him as Ajoran. His spiral was blank in the center, unlike hers. It would be presumptuous to carve Ridahne's clan marking into it when she had not officially given him answer to his proposal, but its blankness was a signifier of his waiting. He carried a scimitar at his waist--one he likely made himself once upon a time--and did not wear shoes. Shoes in Azurei seemed exclusively a utilitarian thing, and it was not uncouth or unseemly for someone of high status to not wear any. His eyes were darker than Ridahne's, more a burnt orange than a light honey amber. He also wore little silver plates in his ears like Ridahne's that sat fitted in the tapered curve of each helix, and a silver hoop in one nostril. He was a tall, imposing sort of man, though there was a softness in his eyes that belied his mountainous build.

Ajoran strode in, shoulders straight, looking at Darin with an expression of polite confusion. He lifted his chin. "I was told to--"
Ridahne sprang out behind him, though the moment she clapped her long hands over his eyes, his own whipped around to clamp down on her wrists. He yanked her forward and with a heave, hurled her over his head and slammed down on the ground. His sword was out in the next instant, but as he heard the familiar laugh coming from the prone woman, he dropped the weapon.
"Ri...Ridahne..." he could only breathe the word. He dropped to his knees so his face was just over hers, though each seemed upside down to the other.
Ridahne was laughing, though she was wheezing a little from having the air knocked out of her. "I had to...make sure you...hadn't gone soft on me..." She didn't have much more chance to explain, because he went right in and kissed her, and she was happy to kiss him back. Long. Deep. Passionately.

They came up for air and Ajoran helped her up, tears in his eyes. "It really is you...you're alive, you're alive, you're alive! Y--" He caught sight of her ojih for the first time and squinted at it. "There's a lot I don't know..." this was a statement of fact. He traced one thick finger over her newest tattoos. "What...are these?"
Ridahne could have melted under that touch. But instead she hooked a thumb over her shoulder at Darin and said playfully, "Don't ask me, ask her..."
Ajoran blinked. "Her.....?" And then they both got to watch realization blossom on his face. "By the Tree...you're....you're...her." And like Hadian, Ajoran marched right up and scooped up Darin in a massive, crushing hug. He even picked her up and swung her around in a circle, and it was nothing for him to do so. But he put her down suddenly and jumped back a step, looking nervous. "Oh! Can I--am I allowed to do that?"
Ridahne laughed. "Careful, squeeze her any harder and I might have to draw steel on you." Her tone was light. "I'm the Guardian of the Seed bearer, Seed Chained. Someday I will be Seed Honored."
Ajoran did not need an explanation to know that was an incredible honor indeed. He bowed once to Darin and said, "Thank you for bringing the Moon back to me, my Isfahan, my Ridahne. I can't repay you enough."

In Dark Seas We Sail

Rohaan's vision seemed to blur with rage as he paced Berlin's quarters. Or was that tears...? He wiped his eyes and pushed over a wooden chair with a violent shove and a primal howl that did not sound wholly human. If a beast could cry with the voice of a human and yet in the language of its animal soul, it might sound something like what came from his lips. He was just so ANGRY. Berlin knew. He knew what happened to him and who'd done it, and there Berlin had just struck a deal with them. THEM. The ocean was silver that day his whole life was destroyed, stained by the blood of his elders and those he had loved and who had loved him. But Berlin loved him, didn't he? It's not like either of them had said it out loud but...well, he did. He would not have allowed the use of Rheoaan otherwise. It had been offered to him because Rohaan loved him like a father. And he knew by now that Berlin loved him like a son.

But then why would he do this? THIS. This of all things!? If this ship was not his home he would burn it down. Burn. Burn. BURN. He should have lit the whole world on fire that day. He should have lit the ship that bore him away into raging flames. It would have killed most of the other kids, but it would have been a mercy compared to what he knew they all suffered in the end. He should have torched the port shopkeeper who beat him when he was starving, the one who broke his rib that never set right. If he had the strength to shift then, he might have. He should have burned the whole port down. If only he could have.

But then...he never would have failed in picking Pieter's pocket, and Berlin would never have found him. AND BERLIN WOULD NEVER HAVE BETRAYED HIM LIKE THIS HOW DARE HE HOW COULD HE. He clawed at the linens on the bed and flung them to the ground with all the force his wiry arms could muster. It was so hard not to really wreck everything. He wanted to unleash the part of him that was cyradan, to smash the windows and claw at the walls and bite through the floorboards and let it BURN but this was his home, this was Berlin's, he couldn't just...destroy it. So he resorted to throwing linens.

Rohaan closed his eyes, arms wrapped around his middle like it ached him. And like a sudden fog he was surrounded by his mother's cool and desperate touch and the heat of flaming palm trees and grass huts, the crack of rifles and the fading cries of his elders--some human, some animal. A gripping panic, a disorienting throbbing pain in his head, the smell of blood and shit and the dark laughter of men mingling in a discordant melody with the low, fearful sobs of children he played in the waves with. Kaga-met holding a lantern in one hand and a barely conscious girl in the other. No...not Kaga-met...he wasn't there, it didn't happen like that...did it? No, no, it didn't. That was a woman who did that. But in his mind's eye was Kaga-met all the same. The woman hoists the limp girl up by one wrist. Kaga-met drags the girl across the ocean-damp floor. The woman ascends the stairs as the girl's heels catch and drag on each step. Bump. Bump. The girl's name is Kheyala Khali Kei Rai'asha. She used to pick on Rohaan all the time. Kaga-met finishes his ascent up the steps, passes through the door, and takes Khali with him.

NO!

It was supposed to come out as a word, but instead his body morphed and he became a cyradan and roared.

----

The ship lurched suddenly starboard like a great weight had been dropped onto the deck as the dragon roar pierced through the wooden walls of Berlin's cabin. Berlin and Uban both spilled their wine a little, but the practiced seamen found their balance quickly. Berlin stood with his feet spread wide for stability as the ship bobbed and rocked, still listing a little to one side even as it steadied. He had one hand upraised but was otherwise perfectly still. He did not look particularly surprised, though his gaze was intent on his cabin. "As long as that door doesn't open, I'm gonna let him be. He's got to work this out." And, knowingly, he warned, "Brace yourselves. There's going to be less weight on this ship in a moment, I know it." Sure enough, a moment later, the ship bobbed up, rocking suddenly to the port side and then freely swinging into an equilibrium after that. The door did not open. Berlin breathed a sigh of relief. He could contain the shifter if he had to, but Rohaan needed to figure this out on his own. The cabin quieted altogether after that, and the captain relaxed. Aboard this ship, such things were not strange.

Berlin eyed Kaga-Met ruefully. "Really sorry about that. I'm...a little embarrassed I couldn't host you in better circumstances but..." he sighed. "Wild things will always remain somewhat wild. You understand now, I think, what this pursuit means to us." He offered a small smile. "But please, have more wine! There's plenty. Ah, you know--" He turned to Uban. "Uban lad, fetch your lute, why don't you?"
Uban beamed. "Aye sir, I think I will!" He disappeared below deck and came back with a very well-used lute, which he briefly tuned before gently plucking a quiet, ambient tune. He looked at Millie, and tried to glean what he could about her from one glance. He wasn't really sure what to make of her, except that she seemed stoic enough to be one of Wheel's friends, so at least that checked out. "Got any requests?" he asked her. Uban could have a social life in a graveyard.

Berlin made his way over to Wheel, sipping his cup of wine. "Old friend of yours, I see?" he said in a private volume. "Who is she?" He was as much curious for his understanding of Wheel as he was for his understanding of these new allies. "She as much of a juggernaut in a fight as you?"

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Haha no worries! An Eija (hand) is kind of like a policeman or a soldier. They go out and keep peace, arrest people, send messages for the Sols or can be security if there’s like, a big event. Eija are often conscripted by other nations to handle local bandits, escort caravans, etc. an Eija-alihn (Hand of death) is an assassin. They do all that Eija do, but also have license to seek out especially bad people and kill them on sight. They can sometimes be more like bounty hunters/trackers to bring in especially elusive people. They may command Eija.

Taja (arm) are specifically protectors of the Sols. On duty, they are not often found roaming Azurei without their respective Sol unless it’s a mission of secrecy and top priority. They may command eija or eija-alihn. They’re like secret service bodyguards and don’t do so many tasks. Sometimes they act as servants or advisors to the Sols simply because they are always around.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

The Sol who'd been wearing a smirk on her face full-on smiled as Darin pointed to her. She seemed older than Ridahne, though not by much. It was hard to tell, except for a general air of an additional helping of a sedate confidence that came only with age. Still, remarkably young for a Sol. The successors, each of them standing by their respective Sols as they took in the situation, learning from the wisdom and folly of those who came before them, ranged from Ridahne's age to as old as one or two of the Sols themselves. Unlike the rule of kings, the line of succession was not determined by blood, but by an early choice and centuries of training. Promising individuals were either brought before the Sols, or were found by scouts and observed for a few years before being brought on in an official capacity. This new Sol did not have one just yet, as she herself had barely (in the reckoning of the elves) been selected for her position as Sol. She lacked a cold loftiness that all the others seemed to have either adopted, grown into, or had from the start. Her posture was very...relaxed, too. Very civilian, Ridahne thought.

This woman shook her head softly, silver beads clinking in her braids done in a style similar to Ridahne's. "Don't speak too quickly now. It's not at all about what I know, or think I know." She chuckled. "It's about what I see. But forgive me, I'm new to this." And more privately but still out loud, she said to the Sota-Sol, "Evidently, Amaiera-Sol, she does not like you...I'm not so sure you'll win her over."
Amaiera-Sol sighed, briefly lamenting to herself the other woman's brevity before she looked up to consider, her, then Ridahne, and then Darin. She nodded once, slowly. "Perhaps not. We will speak later, Astra-Sol. I would not deprive you of your answers."

Ridahne sort of numbly followed behind Darin, though not so numbly that she forgot to stand up straight, hold her banner high, and flick her hair back away from her face to better show off her ojih. Inside, she might be a jumbled mess of emotions, but on the outside, she would have each of them remember her pride and dignity. But once they were at the stables and seeing to their animal companions (who had been given cool water, fresh hay, and a white sliver of shelled coconut as a treat) she loosened up a little and let her feelings surface. She kept touching the nimarih, and more than once she admired her reflection in the polished surface of a buckle. She felt...free. Almost. There was one more demon here she needed to face. But the bulk of her anxiety had melted away...until she caught sight of Darin's expression.

Ridahne thought the exchange had gone remarkably well, but Darin seemed to feel otherwise. And in that moment, for the first time ever she felt caught between her homeland and its traditions and ways and her identity there, and Darin. The pent-up joy and relief she'd been feeling melted away in an instant and Ridahne sighed, sounding defeated. "On this one...I think I disagree with you. Or rather, your assessment. Knowing what I know of how they are, and how WE are, I'd say that was a remarkable and noteworthy exchange. I...actually thought it went well. I know you've never been fond of them, and you don't have to love them. But maybe I've villainized them too much, I don't know, because it feels...well did you hear what she said back there? Not only did they take what I'd told them seriously and do an investigation and also some serious introspection, but they outright admitted they'd done wrong--publicly, mind--and called me 'the most honest servant of Azurei'. I don't think you realize the gravity of that statement alone. You might call what she said 'excuses' but...first of all, I would have done the same in her position, to a degree. And she might not know real war, but a riot would be just as devastating to us. Azurei's survival in this land has always been tenuous and it doesn't take much to tip that out of balance. I would have killed me too, if it would prevent that. But she's got a point. If things hadn't happened the way they did, you wouldn't have me. Yes, I got hurt in the process. But it won't be the last time I am hurt for Astra's sake. For your sake." She said this softly, kindly, like it was a gift she was eager to give. "That is my place in this world and I will not lament it, and neither should you."

The door opened and Ridahne turned, expectant, but she released her held breath when a woman in white silk entered. It was Khaltira's replacement, and she strode right up to the pair of them without pretense or preamble. She bowed. "Hanasha-Sol. We never got properly introduced."
Ridahne's eyes narrowed, trying to decipher her intentions. "What do you want?"
Hanasha-Sol tilted her head a little, a faint hint of that smirk showing up again. "Aren't I technically your Sol? You are of Atakhara, correct?"
Ridahne, who stood taller than the other woman, merely answered, "I killed my Sol." It was a cold threat. I do not answer to you. Ridahne had really been thrilled by the meeting earlier, but she'd be a liar if she said she didn't harbor some level of mistrust, there. And so, despite defending them moments before, she had an edge to her tone now.
Hanasha-Sol chuckled. "That you did, that you did. I suppose I have you to thank for my current position. I'm still getting used to it. I'm still getting used to the food. It's not at all like Atakhara."
"Are you from there?"
"Yes. They thought it would be best if the next Sol did not come from a wealthy family--someone who knew the life of her own people."
"Mmm." It was noncommittal, but Ridahne did approve of that decision. Sols were not necessarily always chosen from wealthy families--the qualities they looked for had little to do with money or resources. But most of Azurei's poor were too busy scratching out a living from the land or the sea to give much thought or inclination towards leadership.
Hanasha-Sol bowed specifically to Darin. "Apologies, Astra-Sol. I think you and I got off on the wrong foot, as they say. I'm sorry if I offended you, but I assure you, I meant no disrespect. Actually, quite the opposite. I've heard many tales and legends about both of you, and I was eager to see how you lived up to the stories. I couldn't have hoped for better. I was smiling because I liked what I saw, and also because it's refreshing to have someone come before us and not melt into a puddle of politeness and circuitous pleasantries. I think this palace could use a few more of your sort around here. Speaking of, Ridahne, have you given thought to what you'll do...later?"
"Sort of," Ridahne answered, her tone clipped. Truthfully, she hadn't thought about it enough and had no answers for even herself, and didn't like admitting it.
And with a casualness and bluntness much like Ridahne herself, Hanasha-Sol asked, "Want to be my successor to the throne?"

Ridahne actually coughed. "Excuse me?"
"This place needs more people who are willing to set aside tradition and do what needs to be done. I have the right to choose my successor as I please, and none may tell me otherwise. But only if you're willing."
"No," Ridahne practically blurted, bewildered. "No, I'll have no part in..." she gestured around her, indicating the whole of the palace. "This. I don't blame the Sols for my path in life--not anymore. But I don't want to be one of them."
Hanasha-Sol shrugged, sighing. "I guessed as much, but I had to try. I want to surround myself with people who would rather see me dead than let me poison Azurei. You seem to have a good handle on what's right and wrong, and what's really going on under the surface, and what is best for Azurei. So I thought..." she shrugged again. "I could make you a Taja, you know."
Ridahne blinked. "You can't make me a Taja, there are no women Taja."
"Yet." Was all Hanasha-Sol said with a smirk.

She was right though. It was unheard of, but possible. Male Taja had been the tradition for so long, but there was no good reason she could not be the first female. And if a Sol wanted her to be, she could be. But did she want to be? Really, she didn't know. Part of her wanted to wash her hands of all of this and never be a tool again. But then again, she would not be a hand, she would be an arm, a shield. To defend and protect and occasionally advise. And what was she supposed to do, get back into fishing?

"My duty is to Darin and Astra first. None other." There was an unspoken I'm not going to deal with this right now undertone to her words.
Hanasha-Sol nodded knowingly. "Of course. Well, think about it, Ridahne. Pardon my intrusion, Astra-Sol. I will leave you both. Safe travels." And with that, Hanasha-Sol left the stables, leaving behind a somewhat more exhausted Ridahne than before.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

There were a lot of people in the room, and all but the Sols started to murmur as Darin introduced herself as Torzinei. It was obvious they were not related by blood in any way, but that she had been adopted into the clan had not been missed by anyone. Obviously, those who did not know Ridahne's purpose now knew who Darin was and they could make some guesses now as to why Ridahne had been released after her crime. And all of them wanted to know about the new Seed Bearer of Astra. The reactions to Darin's outrage and attitude and disrespect of their queens was...oddly mixed. Absolutely no one wanted to go against the Seed Bearer. They genuinely held her in high regard, but they were also uncomfortable with her disrespecting their Sol. And the youngest Sol openly wore a smirk on her face, though what it meant wasn't clear. No one moved, however, until Darin brought the water up in a point of ice in front of the Sol's face.

Immediately, one Taja moved behind the Sol and physically pulled her back while five others stood between her and the ice spike, weapons drawn. No one would dare move against the Seed Bearer of Astra, but they would defend their Sol with their lives. The Sol herself looked impassive, unafraid, and as majestic and unchanging as a mountain. Ridahne, however, went from a composed, confident warrior, to gripping Darin's arm and looking at her with wide, pleading eyes.
"Darin, don't, please I'm begging you...please stand down..." There was something deeply shaken about her tone, about her body language, about the force of the grip she had on Darin's arm. This wasn't about politics and royalty anymore. The fear in her eyes said so. "You remember the Red Hand, how one of them tried to cut my face, you remember how I was after. You remember this." She was speaking in a hushed whisper, but at a rapid pace. "Please, I never want anyone to feel what I felt in that moment. Never. Please Darin I'm begging you, don't do this it's not worth it..." She really was quite emotional about it and hoped that Darin would at least do it for her sake if not anyone else's.

But Amaiera-Sol, high queen of Azurei, was not so shaken. "Peace," she said, raising one slow hand as she straightened and gave a nod of thanks to the taja who had pulled her away. "You are upset, Astra-Sol," she said, using the same title Hadian had used when he first met Darin. It didn't exactly mean queen of Astra, because 'queen' inherently implied some measure of rule and control over Astra, and the Gardener was less a ruler and more of a cultivator--someone who tended buds and pulled weeds from the world. It was more a way of signifying Darin was the most noble of all of Astra, a person to be respected over all others. There was something sacred about the term, and with it she openly put herself beneath Darin. "No doubt because we have a tenuous history, and she is yours. I take that to mean she has performed well and has been satisfactory. Good. I would be ashamed to send forth anything less than excellence." She made a slow, graceful movement that was somehow a more elevated, eloquent shrug. "If the Great Tree sees fit to remove me from this world, then it must be because I have lived the full length of my life. And if you must destroy my ojih, then it must be because my soul is not worth preserving. Kill me if you came here to do so, and let none stand in her way. But if that's not what you came here to do, do not threaten me. I too, have things to say. Be angry, Astra-Sol, but threatening me will not serve either of us. We are beyond such things."

As if she'd merely slipped rather than had been threatened, Amaiera-Sol picked up her fallen chair, smoothed her silk robe, and sat as gracefully as a cat. Then, as if the air had now been cleared, she spoke in a matter-of-fact tone to answer Darin's questions and accusations.

She turned her attention to a still somewhat shaken Ridahne, though she would occasionally look to Darin as well as if to show she might be speaking about and somewhat to Ridahne, but she was answering Darin. "We have learned much since we last spoke, Torzinei. It was well that you confided in your brother and your partner, because they were able to tell us more of what led you to that night. There are things we know now that we did not know, or could not confirm that night. And I, Amaiera-Sol, owe you something of an apology."
Ridahne couldn't breathe. A what?
"You had been nothing but honest, but we did not yet believe you. Khaltira-Sol was close to us, to me, and we did not want to believe that we had been so wrong about her. And we were angry. That night you made me not only face the grief for the loss of someone I loved, but the anguish in knowing I had given such love and respect to the wrong person. But you know this anger, because you felt it with Takhun, did you not?"
It was true. Ridahne didn't like being seen through quite like that, but it was true. "Yes, Sol. I do."

Amaiera-Sol's attention fixed a little more heavily on Darin, speaking more to her now. "In some ways, I acted in that anger that night. However, your Guardian put me in a difficult position. Whatever I did, it had to be swift, or I'd have the entirety of this nation burst into riot and uproar at the loss of their ruler. Those people did not know Khaltira-Sol or her crimes, and so they loved her. If I let her murderer walk free, not only would she receive a knife in the back some dark night, countless others would die in the chaos, livelihoods would be destroyed, harbors would burn, and the tenuous grasp Azurei has on prosperity and comfort would shatter. I am older than I look, and with these eyes I have seen the devastation of war with my own eyes. It would not have been war, but I have seen suffering on such a scale and it would have been terrible. I am tasked with caring for the whole of this nation, and I could not let it suffer and wither for the sake of one killer, however justified. The fact remains that Ridahne Torzinei broke the law when there were other ways she could have put an end to Khaltira-Sol's reign. Had I known she was abusing her station as she had been, I would have cast her out and chosen a new Sol myself. Yet..." her tone, which had a slight edge to it thus far, softened a little. "You spoke another wisdom that night that took me time to understand, Torzinei. You said that you were what we made you, and you merely performed you duties. I admit, we did hand you a sword, teach you how to use it, and on what sorts of people. Blood was the language we taught you and so blood was the language you spoke. I understand that now.

My regret that night was not holding you longer, and questioning you further, and taking the time to explore the facts before making my verdict. You would still have your mark, you know this." Ridahne nodded solemnly, knowingly. "Laws are still laws. I could not allow you to return home, and yet I should not have so quickly sentenced you to death. I should have instead exiled you and spirited you out of the borders before anyone could try to kill you themselves. Thankfully, the Tree intervened. We of Azurei hold the Tree of Astra to be the most sacred of spirits, and essential to the wellbeing of not just Azurei, but the whole of Astra. I would sooner cast myself into the sea than do harm to the Tree, and by extension, you. Anyone who attempts to hinder you within my borders, Astra-Sol, will suffer immediate death," she added as if swearing an oath. The Red Hand had been a pain to deal with and she would not have it said of her that she allowed soulless fiends to destroy the hope of Astra.

"Torzinei told me of her vision and I did not ignore it. I could not. To do so would be folly. And so it was that your Guardian was spared, and given a justice I could not myself dispense. I have the Tree to thank for giving me a way to avoid national unrest and chaos while still doing justice to an albeit guilty but perhaps the most honest servant of Azurei I have yet seen."

A murmur went around at that. It was no small thing to say, and Ridahne could not believe she was hearing it. This isn't at all how she expected this exchange to go. She'd been prepared for their cold loftiness--she knew it well. But Amaiera-Sol was outright honoring her. It wasn't a perfect honor--it came with darkness and guilt and grim deeds--but it would not be truth without those things, either. Ridahne was determined to keep her fortitude amid so high of company, and so though her face was still and her lip did not tremble, her eyes still flooded with tears.

"I know you are angry that one of us did not hear the call of the Tree before Ridahne did. But then, if we had, you would not have your guardian. Fate works in strange ways, and we must often pass through darkest night to see through to the dawn." She rose from her chair, and with the grace of wind she stepped down from the dais to stand before Ridahne. She extended one cool, wrinkled hand to touch Ridahne's traitor mark with all the force of a feather in the breeze. "Ridahne Torzinei, Seed Chained, Guardian of Astra, Ghost of the Sands, Daughter of the Night Sky..." Notably, she did not use any of Ridahne's other, less favorable titles. "Your task is not yet finished. There will come a day, I think, when Astra stands with you in your victory as you Mark the completion of this chapter of your life. But until that day, let Azurei know your story is not yet finished." She lifted a hand as if expecting someone to put something in it, and quickly one of the palace servants disappeared and quickly returned with a thin, black leather circlet that curved down to a gentle point. At the crest of that point, the circlet was studded with a faceted opal and surrounded by embroidered designs stitched in silver thread. Amaiera-Sol took this and placed it over Ridahne's head, and the point touched the top of Ridahne's traitor mark.

Amaiera-Sol took her seat once more, and the tense, hostile air from the warriors around them seemed to lift a little. "There. Let none hinder you either, Guardian. Do you wish anything else of me?"
"Actually..." Ridahne's voice was not as steady as she would have liked but...well...she was frankly impressed she was as composed as she was at the moment. She'd cry of joy and relief and maybe a little bewilderment into Darin's shoulder later. "I have a boon to ask of you, Ailinde-Sol..." She looked to Amaiera-Sol's right to a relatively short (for an elf) woman with dark hair that framed her head in tight ringlets. The Sol shifted a little, inclining her head as if silently instructing her to go on. "There is a Taja that belongs to you that is dear to me."
"Ah, yes...Taja Ajoran Teleisun."
"Yes, Sol. I would ask that he be relieved from duty for the duration of my stay in Atakhara, and when we move on I will return him to you."
The woman barely considered before coolly and aloofly answering, "Granted." Was that a tiny smile in her eyes?
"Thank you, Sol. One more thing...there are new marks that must be added to the ojih records. I have diagrams that can be given to an archivist." Ridahne explained the significance of each of her newest marks and, holding up her banner added, "My sigil has changed, too. Let the records reflect this."
A different white-haired sol, who sat with her fingers steepled as she watched the proceedings, asked, "You require a new sash pin. One will be made for you before you depart." It was stated, though really it was more of a question, an assumption.
"Yes...actually, I need five made. Only two need be rushed. Taja Ajoran should receive one, Hadian Torzinei should receive one, and his wife, Nyyvai Torzinei. But the two for me and Darin, we will need before we go. All those of my house should bear my sigil with pride." It had already been established that Darin was an adopted Torzinei now, but Ajoran was still a Teleisun, which meant only one thing. Ridahne had just openly declared her intention to marry Ajoran, and no one was going to stop her.

Ridahne looked to Darin. She was finished here and had spoken her piece, though she wanted Darin to have the opportunity to say more if she wished. As soon as this meeting was over, she was going to find Ajoran and bring Darin to the bathhouse. It was getting late, and it made the most sense to stay overnight at the palace with Ajoran before heading back to Atakhara at the first light of dawn.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Hadian was not as familiar with the routine that Ridahne and Darin had fallen into when it came to breaking camp (they'd gotten very efficient at it) but he was a good hand at figuring out how to be helpful, when to stay out of the way, and how to manage horses. He even took a moment to introduce himself to Talbot as he studied the plow horse. Certainly different than the quick, sleek Azurei breeds, he noted. But a good temperament. It was good to see Tsura again too. He was never really Hadian's, though he'd ridden him plenty of times. He had always worked best under Ridahne's hand, because they were of similar cloth, as the Azurei saying went, and understood one another.

Ridahne looked up from her own saddle straps to flash Darin a wicked grin. Her expression was knowing, as if she had an idea or two about why Darin had asked to introduce herself to the Sols. Evidently, it pleased her in some grim, deeply justified kind of way. "It would be an absolute thrill to watch that interaction. Yes, please do..." She laughed a little, perhaps a bit darkly, as she checked the final saddle strap.

Halyih did not wear a saddle, but instead was draped with a soft blanket with shell-beaded tassels, dyed a reddish orange color like the hue of the sands, so Hadian was waiting for them when they finished. "I'd sort of...wanted to see that too, if I'm honest. The Sols are a force to be reckoned with, but..." he looked between the two women and snorted a little, shaking his head. "If the palace does not crumble in the wake of your verbal storm, I'll call it a victory." He was teasing, but good naturedly. "But I think I'll leave you two as we pass Atakhara. My wife will hang me out to dry if I don't give her some warning that she's going to be hosting the Seed Bearer of Astra. We'll keep your presence here a secret, though. It will probably come out anyway," he said with a resigned sigh, "But it won't be because of me."

The trio mounted and rode along the seaside until a flag, whipping in the coastal wind, appeared on the horizon. Ridahne explained that roads--paved with stones or densely packed and maintained dirt paths--were rare in Azurei. "It's hard to follow a road if the wind blows sand all over it," she explained. "We post flags to mark the way instead." And when they passed it, Ridahne explained how to read the symbols that were woven into it. If one was familiar with Ojih, it would be easy to then determine without explanation that the symbols were distinctly Azurian. They were not the same symbols, but like handwriting, it carried a certain signature that made it easy to identify.

It was a difficult ride. Ridahne insisted on a slightly slower pace than they might have pressed up north, and as the sun rose higher in the sky, it became quickly evident why. The sun pressed down on the land with an intensity not found in the north, and the wind felt more like dragon's breath than a cool breeze. She also stopped and let the horses graze if there was any vegetation along the way that would be good for them to eat. There were cactuses too, and varieties that were not found on the Orosi side of the desert. One of these, Ridahne dismounted to inspect, slicing off a bulbous yellow growth from one plant. Both the plant and the fruit were prickly, but Ridahne knocked off the spines of the fruit with the edge of her blade and a skill born of many years practice.

"Don't eat this," she told Darin. "But if you peel open the thick skin, its gooey inside. Squeeze that out and rub it on your skin, especially your face and shoulders. It will help keep them from burning."

Along the way, Hadian pointed out rip tides and told Darin about how to avoid them, or what to do if she was caught in one. The siblings told her the names of small lizards or rodents that peeked out at them from their sandy burrows, and shied away at the sight of Mitaja. They did pass Atakhara sometime in the afternoon. At that time of day, it was oddly still and quiet, and most people were inside or lurking under tattered awnings. The village itself was truly humble. Homes were made of mud bricks and layered palm fronds, with cloth hangings for doors or windows, and were very, very small. Everyone's kitchens seemed to be outside rather than inside the house, and every pot and jar had to have a tight fitting lid to keep out the ever present haze of dust that hung in the air as people moved about, or as the wind blew through. The dust gave everything a monochrome, washed out sort of look. The village blended into the seaport, which was slightly busier than the residential area but still quiet for a port in daylight. A thriving market, filled with colorful stalls and wafting scents of fresh fish, pungent spices, and roasting meats lay at the edge of the seaport. Hadian split off to return home to his wife, but Ridahne skirted around the whole town rather than traveling directly through it. She would reveal herself soon, but not yet.

The sun was low and reddening by the time the palace came into view. There was one little village between Atakhara and Tasen, though it seemed much the same as Atakhara. Dusty, poor, and dilapidated. Ridahne avoided it too. Tasen was more lively though, and evidently more prosperous. The city had easier access to fresh water, which meant its residents had to spend less time fetching it and more time being productive. Tasen was a center for art and music, both of which pervaded the streets like the reach of the wind, flowing and ever present. Still, the palace could not quite be considered opulent by human standards, at least when it came to royalty. Of course, the marble structure was huge in comparison to everything else, and the craftsmanship put into its arched doorway was eloquent and superb. But it lacked the kind of overflowing sense of excess usually found in the palaces of human royalty. Yet, when one considered the context of the land it was placed upon, and the relative display of wealth and importance it showed in contrast to the homes of the nearby citizens, it was stately and magnificent in its own way.

It did not take long before the pair was accosted by two pairs of taja, who came at them with weapons drawn. Their demeanor was aggressive immediately, but they did allow Ridahne to speak. They stood as firm as carved statues, though just before entering Tasen, Ridahne had at last revealed the banner she'd commissioned in Orosi. Her own standard. The fabric rippled in the wind, and each of them subtly kept trying to sneak glances at it, studying it. There was a long, tense moment as they studied her Ojih, too. They'd expected the mark between her brows, but the others....? They couldn't read them. And while they tried to puzzle out what this meant, Ridahne said with a confidence that would shake mountains and still the sea, "I am Ridahne Torzinei, Sol-Slayer, eija-alihn, Oathbreaker, Traitor. I seek the Sols."
"Come to finish the job, Sol-Slayer?" One snarled coldly.
Ridahne lifted her chin. "They know of my purpose. They will want to see us."

The us made each of them flick their attention to Darin. They did not know outright who Darin was, but more than one of them had a decent guess. They nodded slowly. "You will come." It was not a request. The four of them surrounded the pair, two in front and two in back. They were as much an escort to the Sols as a visible warning to those milling around nearby (who were now staring or openly jeering at Ridahne) to mind their own business. When they reached the stairs of the palace, one taja said, "You will dismount and leave your horses here." Two more taja and a pack of eija had joined the group, but Ridahne gave a small nod to Darin as if to tell her it was safe to leave the horses. The animals were immediately brought water. The Azurei, after all, loved and valued horses dearly. "Make no mistake," the man said to Ridahne. "You will be watched. One sudden move, one flash of steel--"
"I did not come to kill anyone, Taja-Uvaru." Her confidence and the use of his name silenced him, like he'd forgotten that once they'd dined together.

The palace was abuzz. There was a formidable pack of warriors forming around the pair, all of them with their weapons either drawn or hands resting on their hilts. But outside that throng there were others moving about, conveying messages, flitting in and out of lengthening shadows. What training Ridahne had, evidently they all received a similar sort. Ridahne took in a long, slow breath and looked to the arched doorway. "I'm ready," she said to both herself and to Darin. And so, flanked by a dozen warriors, the pair headed inside.

The marble and granite floor showed signs of heavy wear over the ages in high-traffic areas; just before the five thrones was a very smooth, slight depression where countless feet had scuffed and knees had knelt and worn away even the stone. Carved stone pillars stood like frozen white trees on either side of the wide hall. At the end of the hall was a small dais, a mere raised platform on which sat five carved wooden chairs with indigo cushions. Directly in front of the dais was a shallow pool lined with a mosaic of blue ceramic tiles; Ridahne approached this immediately and stooping down, she cupped water in her slender hands and cleaned her face with it. A moment before she finished, a young page was at her side to offer out a small hand towel to even her, the most notorious criminal in Azurei. The ritual itself was sacred as well as practical. After travel, it was customary to wash ones ojih before seeking an audience with the Sols, so that the true nature of their life story and their souls could be bared for the world to see. Ridahne stepped back and finally lifted her eyes to the five figures seated in those chairs. Four she recognized, but one she did not. So, they've replaced Khaltira... The younger successors of each Sol stood like elegant statues behind their respective mentor, but the youngest Sol did not have one, not yet. Ridahne did not deign to speak first, though for a while, neither did the Sols. However, Ridahne realized that they were studying the two of them, and their expressions shifted from deeply grave to a veiled reverence.

It was not hard to tell who the Sota-Sol was. None of them wore crowns, and all their clothing was equally fine and well made. But one gray haired woman had an unmistakeable air of command above even the other four. She spoke, and her tone was lofty. "Ridahne Torzinei. I banished you from Azurei on pain of death, except if you fulfilled the task you set out to do. The task which you were spared to complete." There was almost a warning here, but it faded as she looked more fully at Darin. Her gaze was the weight of mountains and the heat of the sun, the tempest of the sea. Unflappable, unshakeable, cold, though not unkind. And wise, too. The others, though lesser than she, had a similar effect, and it was easy to see why people spoke of them with some mixture of reverence, respect, love, and fear. The youngest one, the one who replaced Khaltira, leaned forward in her chair a little as she squinted at Ridahne's ojih. Tilting her head as if in some understanding and some curiosity, she sat back. The Sota-Sol spoke again. "You were not unwise enough to walk back through these doors without reason." It was both a statement and a question, but Ridahne did not speak. The elderly woman's cold, stately gaze was still fixed on Darin. Was that a flicker of disbelief in her ochre eyes? "Child," she began. Darin was no child, but to an elf so ancient as the Sota-Sol of Azurei, most everyone was in her eyes. "Are you the Seed-Bearer of Astra we have heard rumor of?" How very Azurian to be so direct so quickly. Despite this bluntness, there was an air of reservation about all five of them, like they had yet to decide how they judged the entire situation and Ridahne's place in the world.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Hadian blinked, frowning in confusion as Darin informed him Istaerih thought he was cute. Like a kitten. "...Cute...?" There were men in Astra who might have found this an insult to their manliness or toughness, but not Hadian. Anyone who wanted to question his would have to hoist sails and nets all day before he'd give their opinion on the matter any sway. Instead he was mostly confused. He'd never thought of Istaerih like that. A fickle mistress, yes, both a tempest and the cool caress of a woman's touch, but he never imagined anything seemed cute to her. Such things always seemed beneath her might and power. But he supposed he was honored anyway. It was a good thing to be liked by the sea when you took from her bounty. He understood keenly, too, that just because Jaisih had died did not mean that Istaerih was displeased with him. Darin had that right. When a life was owed to the sea, a blood price to be paid for the livelihood they made in the waves, she would get her due. All sailors knew this.

Ridahne knew this too, as she'd spent enough time on the sea in her younger years to understand its ways. But the mention of their father spoken of in such high honor got both the siblings emotional. As always, Hadian was a little more stoic about it as he studied the ground, and Ridahne openly wiped away a tear or two. Their mother, at least, they had time to prepare for. They had all known she was dying for some time and got to say their goodbyes. The death of Jaisih felt like something being ripped away from their souls, suddenly and painfully. They missed them both terribly.

A huge release of tension eased the subtle clench in Ridahne's shoulders as she let out a breath she'd been holding. She looked so relieved as Darin clarified her plan. Ridahne didn't say it in words, but she gave her partner a look that said, 'you'd do this for me?' But then, of course she would. She was Darin Torzinei, and she had shown time and time again that Ridahne was loved. "Thank you," she said softly. It was going to be a whirlwind, these next several days. It was good to know her partner was there to support her along the way.

At the comment about a "seasonless heat trap", Ridahne guffawed and gave Darin a playful shove. "Oh come now! It's not so bad! Especially at night, it cools down a lot. We'd call it cold, but I'm sure since you've seen snow before, you have a different understanding of cold. Deserts don't hold a lot of heat, see. They get scorching hot in the daytime, but at night when the sun is gone, they keep almost none of that heat." She laughed. "Why else do you think we're called Children of the Night Sky? In the summer we almost turn nocturnal. Not exactly I guess, but we do very little in the middle of the day when it's hottest. And even in the winter, we are not exactly quiet at night, not like the North. We stay up much later. Speaking of, we should probably sleep. We'll want an early start tomorrow before it gets too hot, and if we get a good pace, we can reach Tasen by nightfall. We'll have our meeting, I'll introduce you to Ajoran, and I'll see if we can get into the palace bathhouse. It sounds frilly and excessive, but trust me, after the ride we're going to have tomorrow, you'll want it. And it's the only honest bath you'll get here in the south. It's different in the mountains, but on the coast, we don't have much fresh water, and we spare very little for bathing. Most 'baths' are a quick scrub with some soap and a jug of water dumped over you for a rinse." Ridahne buried the fire since the night was reasonably warm on its own and the moon was bright enough to see by. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, but finally, finally, she was ready.