Blackfridayrule

Looking for Story tellers!

I’m not into smut or even romance frankly. I’m ace IRL so it’s never been interesting to me, fair warning. I’m an advanced player and a crusty old RO veteran so I write a lot and fairly often.

I like the pirates idea. I’ve actually got a set of characters that fit well for such a story:
A relaxed captain with a heart for the weird, strange, and unwanted folks of the world. He sees misfits as an opportunity, not a hinderance. Not overly violent for violence’s sake but won’t shy from it when it’s called for. Tough without being domineering. Has magical powers of coercion via touch.

A young shapeshifter boy with an ugly past. Chaotic-neutral. Wary of strangers and expects the worst of humans, who have always mistreated him. Two steps from outright feral, he’s as much animal as he is humanoid.

A former farmer-turned-pirate with an upbeat attitude, friendly, gregarious, a musician. Charming. A little uncultured. Has magical powers of summoning and wielding electricity.

The captain’s teenage daughter. No magical powers but she’s a good thief and a better gunner.

We could have a pre-established crew or the captain could recruit yours. Maybe their first job is to steal a ship (or steal one back?) and we can kick things off and figure out a more solid direction from there. Whatcha think?

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

sorry my post is so short, I guess i was feeling brief lol.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Ajoran laughed coolly, counting out a few coins and handing them over to a merchant. "I knew what you meant. Ridahne told me, and honestly? It would be the greatest honor to both of us if you did. Not just because you're Astra-Sol," he said with a note of formality, "though that does add to it. More importantly, you're her sister, and therefore you'll be mine, too. Hadian is the only surviving family Ridahne has left so that means a lot to her to have you. You've been through a lot together, and you've accepted her for who she truly is, gritty history and all. The means very much to her, and it would mean very much indeed for you to marry us. It's really because of you that we can even be doing this," he added. "If it weren't for you, Ridahne wouldn't be alive. And for that I thank you."

___

Ridahne steepled her fingers, touching her forefingers to her lips contemplatively as she studied Harai. She was quiet, her expression stony and unreadable for an excruciatingly long span. She let that tension build for a moment, then, "I think there's more. You may not be hiding it on purpose, but I think you know more. I'll hear it." It was not an ask. Ridahne took the rope still tied around Harai's neck and strung through a pulley on the ceiling and, pinching it delicately between her slim thumb and forefinger, gave it the gentlest little tug. It was only enough to make the noose shift upward a little, a little reminder and nothing more.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

No worries take your time!

I'm not sure exactly what I had in mind when I started rolling with him but if I think of anything I'll let you know

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Ok cool :)

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

"Ridahne described it as cooked apples inside of a baked shell of some kind, not quite bread but bread-like. Neither of us are sure if we even have an equivalent down here, but if it requires chilling, it would make sense that it has not made its way down here. Near Khiras, my home, you might have the conditions you seek if you climbed high enough. But we do make something that might be similar. It's a bread that's very light and airy inside, and it's wrapped around various fillings--sometimes a jam made from the fruits that come off cactuses, sometimes curry, sometimes ground meat and onions and potatoes and a lot of spices. But then it's fried in a pot of very hot oil, and it comes out very hot and crispy on the outside but soft on the--oh, what am I saying? Why bother describing it to you when I can show you? Come, I will buy you one, and the ingredients for this apple pie, and anything else you might want, my treat. Maybe I can show you how to make the fry bread, and you can put your apple filling in it."

Ajoran led her back towards the marketplace, stopping at various booths to negotiate heatedly with their owners. Most, however, stopped haggling when they realized who Darin was, and instead bowed and insisted she try whatever specialties they had on hand. The apples were the most expensive part of the whole lot, as they had to be imported, but Ajoran's purse did not seem too small for the task, not in the least.

Ajoran took a deep breath. "How do I explain wedding ceremonies...?" he mused. "Well, for one thing we dress nice." he laughed. "Ridahne and I will have headdresses. Usually they are passed along from parent to child, but Ridahne's parents are no longer alive and I'm not sure they ever had them. My parents were reasonably wealthy, considering their trades, but Ridahne's family came from nothing. I mean, really nothing. I don't know if she told you, but she admitted to me once that there were nights they went hungry, or Hadian would give her his portion and lie and say he'd already eaten. But I'alahne will no doubt pass hers on to Ridahne, as she has not daughters of her own to give it to, and Jaheil will give me his. People gather around--on the beach, if the wedding is going to be in Atakhara--and the officiate, you, will stand before them. You will ask the two clans, meaning Hadian and my parents, who among their clan is to be joined, and they will present us. Ridahne and I will walk hand in hand through the crowd to stand before you, and we will not unclasp hands until the ceremony is finished. We'll each announce ourselves and give our various titles, and you will ask if the other accepts all of the titles and names and all that comes with them. You will then ask which of us will surrender their clan name and take on the other's, I will answer that it's me, and I will surrender my ku'o to you. Ridahne will then offer me the ku'o of house Torzinei and put it in my ear, and I will put a new one in hers that shows her clan, but shows also that she has ties to the northeastern province where I am from. I gave it to her a long time ago. You've seen it before--that carnelian pendant around her neck. It will replace the bone one she wears in her ear now. When all that's done, you'll say that the community witnesses this union and sees that it is good. They will agree, and you will name your titles, and what authority you have, which for you is obviously being the Seed-Bearer and the adoptive sister of Ridahne, and by that authority you will give your blessing to the union. Then a tattooer will come and mark our ojih, and then..." he grinned impishly. "Then the real fun begins. There will be food and drink and a bonfire as big as you've ever seen, and music and dancing and storytelling. And the Atakharans throw wild parties." he laughed. "Don't worry, you can have notes if you don't think you can remember it all."

---

Ridahne listened, noting all the names for later use. But the last two were of interest. This Hopesong woman was of interest because she'd directly recruited him, but at first she did not give any significance to the name Martin Aliceson. Martin, after all, was not an uncommon human name. But as he spoke further, some memory clicked into place, and a suspicion began to grow. She kept her face impassive and sat silently with that information for a long time, to such a degree that Harai began to wonder if he'd somehow said something wrong. At length, Ridahne poured a cup of water and brought it to him, helping him drink it. She even cracked open the heavy door so that a cool breeze wafted in. She did not leave it open long, but just enough to drop the temperature of the room noticeably.

"See? It's in your best interest to cooperate, and I will not harm you if you're honest and forthcoming. Do as I ask, and you'll be rewarded. Refuse..." she glanced toward the brazier. "You know where that leads." Ridahne actually sat down on the floor, crossing her legs in front of her. "Tell me more about this...Martin fellow." her tone was nonchalant almost, and did not betray the sharp interest she held in the information about this man. "You only met him once. What was he like? Do you remember what he looked like? Color of his eyes, hair, any scars? Where did you meet him? Do you know where he was from? Any guesses on where he was before he went into hiding? If you can tell me why he might have disappeared on account of hearing about Martin Lively, I'll make it worth your effort." Her tone was a little softer now, a little more coaxing and less forceful. He'd already been broken, and now he needed to know his cooperation would be rewarded, and it would bring him closer to his release. But to mistake that easing-up with being soft would be dangerous indeed, for she herself was still dangerous even in her mercy.

Privately, Ridahne filtered everything he'd said about Martin through what she knew about Darin's father. And if she had not sworn to guard and protect Darin, she might have dashed off that very afternoon to hunt him down. It was, after all, what she'd been trained to do, and few were able to elude any Azurei eija for long if they were being actively tracked. For so many reasons, both personal and in the name of duty, Ridahne wanted to find this Martin. She wanted to find him and break him. To show him the meaning of fear. A boiling fury began to rise up in her, and it was all she could do to keep it controlled for now. When she was finished with Harai, Ridahne would need to take a moment to herself to deal with that still-building rage, but for now, she had work to do.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

sRidahne squatted down so she was at eye level with Harai. It was not a friendly gesture made to help him feel less intimidated. Ridahne merely wanted to study him up close as he spoke, and it had much the opposite effect. Ridahne's gaze was intense, searching, and there was a wrath in those golden eyes that could not be ignored. A wrath that was, for now, restrained. So, the Red hand supposedly wanted the Seed in better hands, did they? The elf had no doubt that this man told her all that he knew, but she wasn't exactly satisfied. There was more to that story, whether Harai knew it or not.

Still, Ridahne couldn't help the flash of memory that surged back to her with force as she watched Harai look up at her from where he was collapsed on the ground, looking defeated and desperate. "Ask her," he said, and for just a moment it was not Harai the Red Hand that was kneeling before her, it was Nailih, the man she'd slain on Khaltira's orders who had planted the seeds of thought that eventually led her to her current path. She suppressed a shiver. This was not the same and she knew it, but the memory had come unbidden anyway. Unlike then, Ridahne had no doubts about her current master. She would always be a blade, yet the hand that now held her was steady, firm, and gentle. Merciful. All things Khaltira was not. No, she did not have the same doubts about Darin as she did about her former master and her motives.

Ridahne straightened. "I believe you," she said without betraying any of her more private thoughts. "I believe you, but I don't buy it, and I'm sorry that you do. Ask yourself, Harai, who stands to benefit from the creation of such a group? You and I both know the nature of people is that, in time, one will always rise as a leader, and others will follow. What power that person would have! No, Harai, I doubt very much that your precious leaders want solely what's best for Astra. I'd tell you to start asking questions to find out for yourself, but with the Moon as my witness, I'm not letting you go back to them."

Ridahne poured another cup of water from the large pitcher and poured it directly on him. This was not a cruelty, but a boon. "For the record, I do think it's currently in the best hands. Who better to nurture a seed than a farmer? And perhaps if you'd seen what those hands were capable of, you would not believe what you do now." Absently, Ridahne realized she'd never actually seen the Seed itself. Ridahne knew where it was kept, but in the year or so since they'd traveled together, the elf had never once made any attempt to see it for herself. She chuckled softly to herself at the realization, but knew, too, that she did not need to.

"Still feeling cooperative? I have given you water and allowed you to sit, but never forget that the moment you stop complying, I will string you up once more, stoke the coals, and leave you here until you feel more cooperative. Given that knowledge, perhaps you'll tell me more. Who commands you? Who do you report to?"

--

Ajoran returned her gaze solidly, his dark burnt-orange eyes meeting hers without wavering. Ajoran was a little softer around the edges than Ridahne, but not quite so smoothed as Hadian. If Ridahne was fire, and Hadian water, Ajoran was steel. Cool and steady, but sharp also. "Ridahne spoke briefly of your father, and with no small amount of ire, mind you. Astra help him if she ever crosses his path." He chuckled. "But I think Ridahne's departure was different because she did not disappear like a breath of wind in the night. I knew where she was going and why. And I did not follow because it was what she wanted, not because it was what I wanted. I did it for her, just as she made me turn her in for my own sake. Did she ever tell you that?" he laughed, like recalling a funny story. "She made me turn her in. It killed me to do it, but she was right. If I hadn't, I would have been under severe scrutiny, if not outright disgrace."

"But enough about that," he said, waving a hand. "I would hope the man she fell for and the real me are the same man," he chuckled, "but I can only hope. Well...let me think...I grew up in the north, in one of the mountain towns--Khiras. My mother, I'alahne, is a tattoer, and my father, Jaheil is a smith. He used to do everything from nails to horseshoes to pickaxes, but he learned blades as a lad and eventually became a legend for it. Naturally, he taught me the trade and that's what I did since I was small. He taught me his secrets and I became almost as good as him after a decade or two. That's how Ridahne and I met. She was beginning her journey as an eija and it was time for her to pick her specialty weapon. Jaisih brought her to our home and Jaheil showed her around the smithy. I have a suspicion my parents and her father had spoken about us, because we were encouraged to speak to each other. I guess they had a hunch we might get along." He grinned, a little foolishly. "When I actually was making her blades, the two khukri she keeps at her back, I used to intentionally balance the handle and pommel a little wrong in the mockup just so that she'd send for me to come and change it. But once I think she finally figured out what I'd been up to, because she sent for me, and when I came to Tasen and held it, the balance was perfect. That was about when I got scouted out to be a Taja, and I decided to give up smithing to focus on my training. And it meant we both would live in Tasen and stay in the palace..."

Ajoran wiped some rain from his face, a little vainly. "I belong to and serve Ailinde-Sol. She rules the northwestern province where I'm from, and has been good to me and my fellow Taja. It's been an honor to serve her. But I think someday I will retire and take up smithing again when I've had enough of being a Taja, and maybe after I take and train an apprentice." Ajoran shrugged and added, "I also am partial to corn, when I can get it as it does not grow here, I am a mediocre swimmer, and I once climbed nearly to the peak of a mountain because I was told there are flowers up there." He smiled. "There are. I am also very intrigued by this thing Ridahne described to me, apple pie? I must know what it's like someday. Is there anything else you wish to know?"

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Ridahne nodded, a little distracted but it was clear she'd mull over those words as she walked. She knew she could not speak openly and at length just yet, it wasn't the time for it. But she did reply, "It's not punishment I seek. Punishment is for crimes. It's information I want." And the grim set to her eyes implied she'd get it. One way or another. Ridahne was gone in a breath, melting into the crowd as she sped away. Ajoran watched her go, his expression thoughtful, and he turned back to Darin. He could see why she liked the human; she had a strong spirit. She might not have Ridahne's bite, but Darin had an indomitable will behind her gentle demeanor.

Ajoran smiled softly. He could see he was not her preferred company, but he understood that too. He was a stranger to her, after all, and Ridahne was not. He'd do his best anyway to make her feel welcomed in this land in his fiancé's stead. "Marriage is...well..." he thought in silence for a moment and then continued, "it's a bond. It's committing to share your life--and all that's in it--with another person. You are no longer just you. You're one part of a larger whole, like...like...like two dancers. One can dance alone, but when you dance with someone, together, in unison, it's a different dance. And when I say all that is in it, I do mean all. Ridahne tried so hard to isolate me from the...events that brought her to you, even after she'd been spared execution. I tried to tell her I did not care what shame she carried, I still wanted to share that bond with her. To help her carry that shame, if need be. But I think she herself had not yet come to terms with it, and could not fathom foisting what she had yet to process onto me. But I would have taken it anyway. I think she knew that, too. It is that unconditional commitment to stand by someone that I speak of."

He paused, wiping away a strand of black hair that had stuck to his rain-soaked face. "I'll admit, there's a lot I don't understand about the bond you and Ridahne share as Seed-Bearer and Guardian. But she spoke briefly to me of this notion of being Seed-Chained. Bound to the fate of another. From what little I understand, it's not dissimilar. It is a bond for life, or is intended to be. Do you not have a similar tradition by some other name where you are from? Most of my interactions with humans have been on business, and I know little of your customs."

---

Ridahne spoke briefly with the two Taja that Ajoran had recruited before entering the chamber. The wall of dry, stifling heat hit her forcefully as she stepped inside, but she did not let any of that show on her face. Ridahne closed the door quickly to keep the oven-like heat in and surveyed the chamber. This was a common technique, and it rarely failed. Stubborn people would always fold in time when the needs of their flesh outweighed their will. The only variable was time.

The man, on his toes and with shaking legs, also surveyed Ridahne as she entered. The brightness of the exterior light through the open door blinded him momentarily, and he only saw a tall shadow standing in its center. He knew her at once. Ridahne, after all, was exceptionally tall, even among Azurei men. As the door clanged shut and his eyes adjusted to the dim red glow of the coals in the brazier behind him, he saw that she was drenched in water. It made her clothes cling to her skin and her hair droop in lank black strands that dripped water on the floor with soft rhythmic patterings. He swallowed. His throat was dry, and the realization hit him just then that he was very thirsty. When was the last time he had a drink of water?

The specter of a woman just watched him, unmoving, unwavering. She held something in her hands he could not yet identify and concluded it must surely be some weapon. A surge of anger boiled over inside of him. "You can't hold me here. I've done nothing."
"Actually," she said smoothly, "I can."
"You're no Taja," he snorted.
Ridahne laughed, and there was joy in it, but none that he could share in. "Think again."
"But you're--"
"The first female Taja in Azurei history. Surprise," she said drily.
"Still..." he swallowed and his mouth was still dry. "I've done nothing. Will you have it said of you that you're a butcher?"
"Done nothing? Perhaps. Certainly nothing to me..." Ridahne set something down on a small table by the door with a thunk. She let the silence hang uncomfortably long. "But I'm certain you know something." She leaned in very close, so close he could feel her breath on his ear. "It's information I want. And I'll have it. Tell me your name."
The man tried to spit on her, but he couldn't muster the saliva. He felt a few droplets of cool water from her hair drip onto his feet. His thirst intensified, and the cool splash of it reminded him just how unbearably hot it was inside this room. Still, he remained silent.

Ridahne straightened and moved back to the small table. She picked up a dark object and moved a second one that rested on the table; the sound of flowing water filling a cup became suddenly the only thing the man could hear. She poured slowly and with the pitcher raised high so each little drop and splash roared in his ears. She heard him swallow thickly. Ridahne lifted the cup and drank from it savoringly, and when she'd finished, she breathed out a relieved sigh. "It's terribly hot in here. But you know what helps? A glass of crystal clear...cool...water..." Another indulgent sip. "You know, if you cooperated with me, I'd make sure you had all you could drink. But I know your type. Too stubborn and strong-willed to fold for such a trivial thing as a sip of water. You won't give." She drained the cup. "So I guess that means more for me. Will it bother you if I pour another?"

She slowly poured another from the large clay pitcher she'd brought and leaned casually on the little table. Gently, the sound of rain on the roof could be heard as a soft pattering rumble. Ridahne was silent and let that sound fill the room. For a long time, the two had a silent test of wills, each wondering when the other would fold or change tactic. The minutes ticked by. Once, the man gently lowered himself off the balls of his feet to hang by the rope for just a moment to give his burning muscles some relief. Ridahne heard him gasp an intake of breath as he painfully lifted himself back up. She could see the signs of heat exhaustion setting in already, but she stayed as impassive as ever.

Ridahne drank and poured another glass of water before finally he muttered, "Harai. My name is Harai." He thought that if he could surrender some trivial information that she might give him water, and he could last longer and stave off questions of more importance.
"There we go. Was that so hard?" Ridahne picked up the cup and stepped forward, and she could see the greedy anticipation in his reddened face. But she kept the cup just out of range. She guessed his tactic. "Now, Harai, we have two options on how to proceed, here, and I'll let you choose. You can answer me--after you swear by the Tree itself to tell nothing but the truth and take the mark of the liar if you fail to do so--and I'll not only give you all you can drink, I'll let you out of here. You'll swear an oath by the Tree to never associate with the Red Hand ever again and not only will I show you the true meaning of fear if you should fail, but by Astra, you shall be stuck by lightning for your treachery." Ridahne was fairly certain she didn't have the kind of authority to command such a thing, but she was guessing that Darin would at least come up with some fitting punishment for any double crossing.

"Option two. You resist me, lie, or otherwise withhold information from me. I will leave, I will feast and bathe and sleep in a soft bed with cool linen sheets, and I'll leave you to bake in here until you're ready to either tell me everything you know, or your legs give out and you choke."
"You don't have it in you to do that, Guardian," he snarled mockingly.
At this, Ridahne allowed an edge to creep into her tone. "Would I not? Do you not know who I am? Sol-slayer, Oathbreaker, Betrayer, Eija-Alihn. What about that list of names leads you to believe I would shy away from doing a little violence in the service of Astra? Of Azurei?"
"You'd live with that blood on your hands? The blood of an innocent man?"
Ridahne laughed darkly. "You would not be the first."

There was a heavy silence as Harai began to really grasp the kind of person he was dealing with. He had not realized until now that the Seed-Guardian was the infamous Torzinei, Sol-Slayer. It was a mistake going to the market. It was a mistake getting so close to the Seed-Bearer. It was a mistake looking at her so directly as he'd done, giving himself away. He underestimated the Guardian watching over her. As he was lamenting his own foolishness, Ridahne evidently had decided she'd waited long enough for an answer and shrugged, rising and making for the door.

"I'd like for you to consider that while it's unbearably hot in here now, it's raining outside. Tomorrow, when the skies clear and the strong Azurei sun shines out again, you may find the situation to be a bit less manageable." Ridahne turned the handle.
"Wait!" Harai broke, crumbled. His legs were visibly quivering. "I'll talk. I swear by the Great Tree of Astra and the stars in the night sky that I'll only speak the truth, and may Astra strike me with lightning if I don't. Just...let me sit, and let me have some water...please...I'm only 32, I don't want to die."
Ridahne released the handle of the door and moved to where his noose was hitched up on the wall. She gave him more rope and allowed him to collapse to his knees before hitching it back onto the cleat, though she kept some small amount of tension on the rope as a reminder that he was still tethered. Harai audibly sighed, groaning with the sweet pleasure of release. Ridahne brought him the cup and helped him drink the whole thing, as his hands were still bound behind his back.

"Good choice, Harai. Now. Tell me the goals of the Red Hand. Why do you seek to hinder the Seed-Bearer?"

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Tasen was abuzz with the change in weather. Morning was always a chaotic time in Azurei as people scurried about to get tasks done before the heat of the midday sun drove them indoors. Evening was much the same. But there was something about this late morning that was different than usual. There were more children out, excused from some of their regular chores for a moment. And the elderly that usually sat outside barking orders at said children were now couched under awnings, or just inside their homes with the curtains that served as doors flung aside. People in the market were sometimes less jovial about it, as it meant that they had to protect their wares with cloth and couldn't hock them as well--especially spice traders. They were often found standing together, brewing up a pot of Orosian coffee and grumbling, but not too hard. And when Darin came by them, they all genuinely smiled and waved at her.

The sailors loved her. Whether it was because they had a deep connection to the sea and to the sea spirit Istaerih and could sense her love and joy for Darin, or if it was simply because the turbulent wind and seas made for bad fishing and therefore gave them the day off, it was hard to say. But they seemed to love her as much as the children did, of which there were many in her proximity. The sailors begged her to play a gambling game with them, though they used wooden chips instead of money and happily offered some so she could play. One even offered to give her a tattoo right then and there. Not an Ojih mark, for he was not qualified to give someone their first and it was not a step to be taken lightly, but a more ordinary tattoo. Ridahne explained that was a true act of friendship and love to offer up the work of one's hand to mark permanently the body of another. They all marveled as the sea spit her back out onto the dock like it was a kind of game. Ridahne, who laughed and stood beside her, was drenched and her red uri clung to her knees, but she did not care. The rain was warm and refreshing.

But Ajoran was not there. Somewhere between the market and the docks, he had disappeared. Ridahne knew, and knew also what he was up to, though she did not let on that he was even missing. For one thing, it was not necessary. The work Ajoran was doing was best done in secret, and no other ears needed to know of it. More importantly though, she and Darin were having fun, and she did not want to sour the moment for Darin by telling her that she'd sent him away to apprehend the man who'd stared Darin down in the marketplace. Ridahne had seen him at once, and when Darin was busy chatting with a shopkeeper, she had strayed beside the man and leaned in close, whispering into his ear.

"I am a ghost of the sands. I am the shadow behind every door. I am the chill of a moonless night. I am the blade, and I am death. Be awake, Red Hand. For I will haunt your nightmares."

To all appearances, she was an amicable stranger, or perhaps a known friend come to speak a private word. There was even a soft smile on her face. But nothing about Ridahne was soft, and to those that knew her, the softness alone betrayed her intentions. She left him and rejoined Darin before she'd finished her conversation with the shopkeep, and the man was left with a cold thrill in his chest. He watched as the she-ghost spoke, seemingly lovingly and flirtatiously with the man she was with, and he caught her amber eyes one more time as she looked back to him as if indicating him in particular without pointing. He saw the man nod slowly, and knew he had to run. But he could not afford to make a scene, so he tried to slip quietly away and slink far enough from them that he could move more openly and with more speed. With every step, his heart pounded harder and harder, and he looked all about him like a hunted rabbit scenting a trailing fox.

And indeed, the fox came. The man got further than he'd hoped, but with that time his fox had gathered two more foxes, and all three penned him in. Two wore Taja sashes, and the other, the first, he guessed was also a Taja just by his bearing. The man swallowed hard. He thought bitterly that he was about to die for the cause, for the true freedom of Astra, but instead of slaying him openly, the three led him away quietly to a building not quite attached to the palace, though it was considered part of it. And he was placed in a dark room lit only by some low burning coals in one corner. A thick rope was slipped over his hands and another over his head, closed around his neck, tightened. But it did not wrench. There was just enough tension in the rope that if he stood flat on his feet, it would press at his throat and make it difficult to breathe. But if he stood on his toes, he could breathe clearly enough. Eagerly, lusting for air, he took the chance and stood on the balls of his bare feet and felt at first like he'd cheated the foxes. But then, as the coals were stoked, and all three Taja exited the room and shut the door with a clang, the man realized that this hope, and the building heat, was made especially for his torment. And if he wanted to survive, he had to keep it up.

--

The sailors were pointing out different kinds of small shellfish that clung to stones or dock pylons, and telling Darin all the information or legends they all knew about them, when Ajoran came back. He kissed Ridahne on the cheek and said in a formal tone, "Taja Torzinei, you're awaited."
Ridahne kissed his cheek in return and looked at Darin, and for the first time she gave away some hint that there was anything but joy happening today. There was a determined, hardened glint to her eyes. "Darin, sister, there is a task I must see to urgently. It cannot wait. I'll tell you everything over a meal tonight, but it's dark business, and best told in brief and beside the cheerful crackle of a fire in the hearth. In the meantime, Ajoran will stay with you."

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Ajoran was not the kind of man to try and stop someone from doing something he thought unsafe with the usual, 'wait, don't!' that most people immediately gave. He used to be the sort, but Ridahne had practically trained it out of him after their many long years together. He had simply learned that she was a force and it was not his place to reign her in any more than it was to dictate the ebb and flow of the tides. Sometimes he sighed, sometimes he grumbled, but he knew there was no stopping her. He felt similarly about Darin already, partly because she was associated with Ridahne and partly because she was...well, Astra-Sol. Even so, it really caught him off guard when Darin just...stepped off the roof. He gasped involuntarily, but Ridahne's cool hand on his chest reassured him. He looked at his fiancee and found only ease, not surprise or alarm.

Ridahne smiled, shaking her head. "Show off," she laughed, as if this happened all the time. In a way, it did. Ridahne was used to Darin doing odd and incredible things by now.

"Ah!" Ajoran laughed, looking up as a deluge suddenly poured down from the turbulent sky, drenching him faster than he'd expected. He laughed again, holding his arms out with his face tilted upward. The sky felt...alive. He'd always felt that way during a storm, but this felt different. Bigger.

Darin beckoned for them to follow, and the two of them inched their way to the edge of the now slippery roof. "We do not have wings!" Ridahne called, her hair sticking to her face. But then, she had a feeling. She couldn't describe it right away, but it was the similar sort of itch she felt when Darin had brought the rains in the small Elosi village while Ridahne was recovering from battle wounds, or when she'd roused the sea. Ridahne had a thought, and it did not entirely make sense, but she simply said to Ajoran, "I have been commanded to come, and so I must come." A smile played on her lips as she stepped off the edge of the roof, taking Ajoran with her. Darin had told her to come, and Astra was eager to please today, so the winds swept up and softened their descent so they landed without injury, much like it had done for Darin. Ajoran was awed, but Ridahne felt so...whole. As if the deep magic that bonded her to Darin was pleased with her trust.

Already, children were sprinting through the narrow alleys and muddy streets, splashing with each step and giggling with wild joy. Young couples danced in the downpour, and the elders set out barrels and clay pots to catch the valuable water. Rain, especially out of season, was a welcomed change of pace for the residents of Azurei, and all of Tasen was abuzz. Thankfully, there had been a gentle drizzle earlier in the day to warn people of inclement weather, so most vendors at the market had already prepared tarps or awnings to cover any goods that could not get wet, like the mounds of spices or racks of fine clothing.