Darin turned back to look at Ridahne gripped Ajoran tight and then leapt off the roof. That wasn’t entirely what Darin was expecting, but it was incredibly perfect. The Seed-Bearer could feel Astra pleasure at this display of the Guardian’s loyalty and The Sky rewarded that trust. The two Taja joined the human as the last of the animals hurried off to find dry places to rest or their own puddles to splash in. Darin took Ridahne’s wrist in her hand and tugged the other woman with her as they hurried to the market. They were there in moments, or maybe it just seemed like moments because of how excited Darin was.
At the edge of the market Darin pause just to observe for a moment. The market looked almost completely different. Wares were covered by the waterproof canvas that Darin was intimately familiar with. There were pots everywhere. Adults hurried, apparently eager to complete their chores and errands quickly in order to get out of the rain. Less people lingered at the edge of open-air stalls. Some things were still the same. Children and teenagers still raced about, eager to jump in puddles and other games. Some people were still playing some sort of music even if they did it from under cover. Tasen was still alive and moving. It was just a different type of alive.
Darin tugged at Ridahne again before letting go, “Come on!”
She hurried into the market to cries of “Astra-Sol!” from children and adults. Several children came over to throw arms around her knees or waist depending on how high they could reach. Darin returned each as she raced through the market splashing in puddles and constantly pushing her wet hair out of her face. It had to be a sight, The Seed-Bearer playing in the rain with the children like she was a child, but no one protested. In fact, Darin saw many smiles returned as she smiled at everyone. Many of the adults laughed at the shenanigans and more than a few took a moment to splash with her as she grabbed hands and wrists to spin them about once or twice before letting them return to their days. There were few protests, but they were good natured protests. Astra was having fun and the people of Tasen was having fun with It.
There was one brief moment, so short if she wasn’t The Seed-Bearer Darin would say had never happened, that wasn’t fun. She had paused for e moment to get a cup of some warm soup or curry or stew to drink. The stall owner leant her the think clay cup and waved her off with a laugh. Darin ducked into a small overhang with her hands wrapped around the warm vessel gratefully. She as laughing at something someone, maybe Ridahne, possibly a stranger, could have been Ajoran, had said when she felt a pair of heavy eyes on her. She looked up suddenly to see a human staring daggers at her. In that moment Darin knew the man with the dark eyes was Red Hand and wanted her dead. She also knew the Red Hand would try nothing in Tasen, possibly all of Azurei, but now one of them knew what she looked like and as people continued to call her Astra-Sol and Seed-Bearer, there would be no hiding that knowledge. It wouldn’t be long before the entire Red Hand knew her description. Well, it was inevitable and there was no taking it back now. SO, Darin refused to worry about.
Darin finished her meal as it started to cool before smiling at Ridahne, “Come on! I want to see the harbor.”
The Seed-Bearer returned the cup before returning to play. She darted though the market to check on the harbor. The waves weren’t small, but they weren’t large enough to threaten the boats. She waved to Captain Rheisun as a wave came up just high enough to drench her in cool salt water. There were a few alarmed shouts that quickly faded as Darin began to laugh at The Sea’s playfulness. Now she was covered in both rainwater and saltwater. Others joined in the laughter as she began to flit among the harbor as she had done in the market. Occasionally she slipped off the docks only for The Sea to step up and push her back where her feet belonged. Sometimes her steps would be just a little higher and take a little longer to come down as The Sky caught her midstride. She moved from the docks to the beach and her feet would sink a little lower as The Stone cause the sand to grab her. This was Astra. This was The Seed-Bearer. This was the two dancing in unspoken harmony.
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