LadyAnnaLee

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

I am so glad to hear that you got back to work! That's so exciting! Best of luck readjusting. There's no rush with the post at all. I promise.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin gave her head a shake, “You misunderstand I have not decided to bring the rain to Tasen. Astra, The Sky, The Sea, The Stone, specifically of Tasen and the near by areas, have decided to bring this rain here.” There was a slight spiral of wind that lifted Darin a few inches into the air, but did nothing else as Darin laughed lightly in response, “ This is the first time in all my travels that I’ve introduced myself properly. I believe that Astra is celebrating.” The wind died and she dropped back to the ground, “I’m disinclined to disagree.” She turned her gaze back to the Sota-Sol, “I can’t go home. So, Astra is bringing home to me for just a little bit. The rain will only help Tasen. So, I cannot find fault with this plan, even if only for selfish reasons.” She sighed, the look in her eye forlorn, “Speaking of home, I plan on writing messages to send home via The Farm as I have messages for them as well. When they are written I would appreciate your help in making sure they are delivered.” She shrugged, “For now that is all I can think of.” She nodded again, “Thank you for your patience. I’ll take my leave now.”

She didn’t wait for a dismissal as she exited the room. Darin didn’t think that Ridahne would be able to find fault with how she handled the interaction, but for some reason she couldn’t help but wonder what Ravi would think. What would her mother think? She paused in a hallway with her fingertips lightly brushing the wall. Sometimes she didn’t think she acted like a daughter Talia would be proud to call her daughter. Darin wasn’t even sure that mattered. Talia basically took a year off from being her family, much less her mother. Then Darin never cared what Talia had to say about anything, running the farm herself, her short hair, wearing pants, not getting married. So, why did she care about the fact that Talia would call her rude for making the Sols wait and then just leaving when she was done? What type of woman was Darin turning into? Petty and mean? That was the last thing she wanted.

Darin clenched her fists tightly and she began striding back down the hall to the room she had been provided. This was not the time for attacks of self-doubt. This was not the time for crises of faith. This was not the time to slip into depression or whatever. The only person she had to help her with things like this was Ridahne, and this was her home. The warrior was having a mostly okay time. Darin didn’t want to get in the way of that. She knew she was supposed to talk to Ridahne about stuff like this. She had promised. Darin told herself that she would talk to Ridahne … later, much later. When she could get Ridahne away for Ajoran, which might not be for a long while.

Darin suddenly turned to punch the wall, “Stupid.” She quietly cursed in common as she continued to punch the wall, “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”

She was just tired, and she knew this. That’s why all these self-doubts were plaguing her. That’s why she currently hated herself. That’s why petty thoughts about Talia and the Sols and Ajoran were sneaking into her brain. Darin didn’t really mean it; she didn’t think. She really needed to just go to bed. She knew that. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to stop punching the wall. She could only use one of her hands since Taja was on the other shoulder. Her knuckles were swiftly becoming bloody and if she didn’t stop, she might break something. Why couldn’t she stop? She wanted to stop. Didn’t she?

A clatter and a voice filled the air, “Astra-Sol!” Darin looked up to see a servant of some sort with their hands other their mouth and a dropped tray by their feet, “Is everything alright?”

The sudden noise shocked Darin out of her actions and she quickly took a step away from the wall. “I’m fine.” She inclined her head on the wall, “I apologize for the mess.”

The servant shook their head quickly, “That doesn’t matter.” They took a few hurried steps forward, “We need to get you to a healer right away.”

Darin quickly darted away form them, “I’m fine.” She forced out a hollow sounding laugh, “I just need rest.”

She ignored the cries of the servant as she quickly hurried on her wall. With her luck news of her little fit would be all over Tasen in no time at all. That was exactly what she didn’t need, but Darin at least understood living with the consequences of her choices. Right now, what she needed to do was get her knuckles washed and bandaged. She thought she might have some bandaging in her pack in her room. She would take care of that and head towards the stables. She couldn’t be alone right now but didn’t want to deal with people. Talbot could probably keep her from doing something completely stupid. Hopefully.

Somehow Darin managed to keep to the plan. She carefully washed her knuckles in the water basin filled with clean water and wrapped the clean cotton tight around her hand. Ridahne probably would have done a better job, but Darin didn’t want to see her. Well, she did want to see her sister, but just her sister, and she would feel guilty of she dragged Ridahne from Ajoran after so long apart. Soon, it would just be the too of them again, so Darin decided to try and be patient. She made it to the stables with out anyone seeing her and finally tossed Taja off her shoulder. The bird didn’t protest as he flew to the rafters to go back to bed. Talbot whinnied sleepily as his human pulled of her boots and sank into the hay near him. Now, Darin just needed turn her brain off and sleep. That might be more difficult that she wanted to admit. Her fingers hurt, reminding her of her many, many flaws.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin clapped with the beat as she watched Ridahne dance with Ja'heil. It was clear that they were both passionate dancers, but Ridahne had a touch more skill. Ja'heil looked relived as he traded places with Ajoran. Darin clapped a long for a little bit at the start of the new song, but then promptly forgot to as she watched the perfectly matched dancers basically fly across from each other. They were in such perfect harmony, in such perfect synch, that if the Red Hand came in right now, Darin fully believed that the two of them would deal with the threat without even missing a beat in the dance. Darin was thrilled to watch and almost upset when the hypnotic spell was broken as they came to sit back down.

She clapped vigorously, “Bravo!” She left off clapping as she leaned over the table, “Now that was a sight to see! I both eagerly await watching the two of you spar and dread it. That dance plus the inclusion of knifes and swords. I can only assume, correctly of course, that such a dance can be deadly.” She stood and tripped over the bench as she moved away from the table, “Ah ha!” She pointed at Ja'heil, “I told you! I’m clumsy!” She turned her attention to Ridahne, “I have on more errand to run tonight and then I am off to bed. I told you where I will be tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She bowed towards Ja'heil, “Thank you for your company this evening Hama Ja'heil. It has been an honor to get to know you.” She then pivoted about to head out of the dining hall, “Good night to all!”

Then she was into the hallways of the building just as fast as she could go. Darin had to ask for directions a few times, but soon she was heading in the right direction. She heard Taja screech and held out a arm to catch him as he dove from his flight. Darin had a suspicion that Taja had been given leave to fly wherever he wanted in Tasen. She had yet to see another bird inside the building, but it was possible that she just hadn’t noticed them. She paused for a moment as Taja walked up to her shoulder and pressed himself against her cheek. It took a moment, but soon the bird was comfortably dozing, and Darin felt safe to begin her trek to the Sols’ audience chamber.

Determined to be polite Darin stop at a respectful distance and bow slightly, “Good evening Sols.” She rose from the bow to look the Sota-Sol dead in the eyes, “I bring news from Astra regrading a peculiar weather pattern that will come to Tasen not tomorrow, but the next day. On that day it will rain steadily, but not enough to flood. The ground will be covered in water but will do no irreparable damage. The sky will remain grey.” She spread her arms out as Taja let out a mild sound of protest before settling down again, “Do you have any questions about this that I can answer for you and the people of Tasen?”

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

The Seed-Bearer listened carefully as Ja’heil spoke of his training. It honestly sounded very similar to an apprenticeship. There were similar concepts in Eluri and in Orosi. She was willing to wager that every culture had a concept of taking in a young adult that wanted to learn a trade. Yes, it was true, that the Azurei version was harsher than others, but Azurei was a harsh land and being an Eija was a difficult job. A strict training now, meant a person would be less likely to perish in the future. It did explain some of Ridahne, and for that, Darin was grateful.

Darin considered what she had been told, “I guess an Elaitih, or any master teaching a student, is a bit like a parent. Protecting and taking care of a student in exchange for their obedience and willingness to learn.” She smiled at the boy across the table, “And you do seem willing to learn.”

In a way being The Seed-Bearer was like being an apprentice Gardener, not that there was a Gardener to act as her teacher. It was more like a self-taught apprenticeship. Suddenly, Darin was struck with a realization with blinding clarity. Ravi had said that it had always been her, that The Gardener had always been searching for her to give her The Seed. She always assumed that it was because she was a farmer. But what if was because she had been a self-taught farmer? She had learned how to take care of her tiny plot by eavesdropping and watching and listening wherever and whenever she could. She was basically doing the same thing now. She was learning how to take care of a land, a people, a home, by eavesdropping and watching and listening wherever and whenever she could. Planting The Seed was just sowing on a larger scale. Everything that came after was just farming on a larger scale. Suddenly Darin was reminded of the memories of The Gardener’s life before he received his Seed. He had been a gardener. She wouldn’t be The Gardener. She would be The Farmer, and somehow that was both easier to accept and harder to comprehend.

She whispered the two words in the language of her home under her breath and just to herself, “The Farmer.” Then she gave her head a shake as she forced herself to smile up at Ja’heil, “Humans dance.” She shook her head with a laugh and a toss of her hair, “I don’t.” She nudged Ridahne with her shoulder, “Taja Ridahne can attest to that! I mainly stumble around clumsily in a poor imitation of dance.” She shrugged, “Human dancing isn’t like Azurei dancing.” She paused as her finger came to tap against her lips, “I can’t really explain the difference. Both are beautiful and I’m bad at both, but it’s hard to compare the two.”

This was not the time to be worried about personal revelation. Darin hoped that no one had noticed her wide eyes and the brief moments that she spaced out from the conversation, but she didn’t have much hope. At the very least she knew that Ridahne had noticed. The two girls knew each other far too well, and the others in the room were either training to be or were Eija and Taja. Darin didn’t particularly care to answer anyone’s questions, save Ridahne’s and knew her sister would wait to ask. Maybe she could distract everyone else.

She smiled at Ja’heil, “I do like seeing Azurei dancing.” She flashed a smiled down the row towards one person in specific person, “Do you think your master would give you leave to demonstrate for me?” She playfully joked, “I can play The Seed-Bearer card if necessary.”

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The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

I am so sorry to hear that. That sounds terrible. If you don't mind I would like to keep you in my prayers. Would that be alright?

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Did you figure out if you need surgery? I hope not, but I do want the best for you.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Just checking to make sure you're okay. Hope you're doing well!

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin shook her head as rubbed at her eyes, “I’m tired Ridahne, bone deep tired. I’ve been up since dawn and it got hot today, and I did two workings with Astra’s help.” She counted off on her fingers, “I want to eat, I want a cool bath, and I want to sleep. I will work on my letters and my portrait tomorrow. You are more than welcome to stay up. I know you say a lot of business happens at night, but I literally feel like I’m about to drop.”

A voice filled the Seed-Bearer’s mind, “Darin! Darin! We are going to flood the market not tomorrow but the next day and it will rain all that day as well. Not a heavy rain and the flooding won’t be bad enough to hurt anyone or anything, but it will be just enough to play! Yes? Do you approve?”

Darin knew instantly what type of rain and circumstances The Sea and The Sky wanted to create. She heard The Stone hum in approval as well. It was like when the forest of Lihaelen had bent to show her the stars. The part of Astra that was Tasen wanting to make her feel just a little bit more like home. The sky would be gray. The misty rain would cut the heat as it cooled the air. The water from the harbor would come up just enough to soak the ground and create puddles to splash in. If something like this happened at home farmers would be grateful for the moisture for their crops while children would splash in puddles. Darin wasn’t sure how the people of Azurei would react to the unfamiliar weather pattern, but she would be out in the market to splash and play. She had told The Sea that It could create one more grand gesture as long as it gave her warning. It had done so, so she would not stop it. The Sky exclaimed in triumph as Darin mentally approved. Now all the Seed-Bearer had to do was relay the warning.

She stopped in front of an Eija she didn’t know, “Can I give you a message to give to the Sota-Sol?” As the man nodded, she told him, “I would speak to her and the other Sols when I am done in the dining hall. I do not know how long I will be, but I will make my way to their audience chamber when I am done.”

The Eija nodded and accepted the message. So, Darin felt comfortable returning to Ridahne to continue the journey towards dinner. Once there she did her best to avoid the gazes of the people staring at her. It seemed like news of their adventures in the market spread quickly. She didn’t care, or at least she was telling herself that she didn’t care. To be honest, now that the energy of the day was wearing off Darin didn’t like the attention as much as she had. She still found herself smiling as Ja'heil cam to sit across from them. She had wanted to speak to him again, and now she got the chance to do so.

Darin nodded as she answered the question, “Yes. It was me. I speak and Astra listens. Astra speaks and I listen.” She flapped a hand at him, “But enough about me, and my name is Darin, tell me about you. What is it like to be an apprentice Eija? Tell me about your travels. What do you like about your life? What do you not like? What is the one thing that peoples get wrong about it? Tell me about you.”

That was what Darin did. It was how she learned about all the different people of Astra and their lives and their cultures and their hopes and dreams. It was her duty to learn all about Astra and its Children before it was far too late. Learning about others was more interesting anyways. She would question everyone in this room as long as they were willing to tell her. Hopefully, the fact that they knew who she was wouldn’t hinder them or make them shy or reluctant to do so. Absently, she realized that she was making the Sols wait on her whim, but she just didn’t care. She still didn’t like most of them, and she had a job to do. At least that was how she was justifying it to herself.