Darin didn't seem inclined to press about the issue and Ridahne looked visibly relieved, releasing the deathgrip she had on her reins. "Yes," she said, "We should get moving. We could be there tomorrow if we are swift." She could practically feel the knots in her stomach untwining. Yes, she had resolved to tell Darin what exactly her job entailed, and all about how it had gone so...wrong. She had decided that the Seed-Bearer had the right to know if she wanted. If it was important to Darin, she would reveal that secret at least. But no part of her wanted to. Her own honor demanded that she present the option to her, but inside the rebellious spirit of hers kicked and screamed and tried to squirm away from the thought. But, darkly, she thought that soon it would come out anyway, no matter how she felt about it. She had never been this close to The Tree in her life and they were getting closer with every step. She had absolutely no idea what the experience would be like for her in particular, but she wasn't looking forward to it. 

Maybe that's why it was so hard for her to come clean about her past. It had not generally been something taboo--by the Tree, it was literally tattooed onto her ojih. Everyone back home knew what she was, though not all of them fully understood what she did. And when she had left Azurei, she hadn't thought much of it except that she had her own personal regrets. But the thought of looking Darin in the eye and telling her straight made Ridahne's stomach twist. Maybe it was the Seed. Maybe it was the proximity of the tree since she was closer than she'd ever been. But she felt the guilt so much stronger now. The shame. The regret. 

Ridahne reached out and took Darin's things without a word, looking glad to have something to occupy her hands with, even for a moment. Darin got settled on Talbot's back and she passed the items back to her in trade for a bright red fruit that made an odd, almost hollow noise when it struck her palm. Breakfast, apparently. She gave one to Tsura who gleefully snapped it up and chomped it with obvious delight. But Ridahne continued to study it a bit before taking an almost hesitant bite. It was sweet, crisp, but also a little tart, too. And crunchy. "Is this...an apple? That's what it's called?" She had never seen one before, though she had heard of them. "I like it. I have never seen one before. They do not grow in the desert, but we have coconuts near the coast and pomegranates, lemons, limes...though those last two are usually cultivated and not wild. They must be common here?" she looked around her as if trying to spot one in the trees. Ridahne, who grew up a bit poor and also did not know about apple cores, ate the entire thing except the stem. She spit out the seeds, as they were too hard and bitter to eat. She was never one to let food go to waste if she could help it. 

They rode on, falling into the dull rhythm of travel. Ridahne looked back at her. "Do you feel...well, how do you feel about seeing the tree? Are you excited? Nervous? I...I have a feeling in my chest, in my stomach whenever I think about it." [I]Tell her what you feel, Ridahne...[/I] she thought. She did need to work on being more of an open book with Darin when it didn't involve things that she wanted buried. "I feel dread," she said after a moment's consideration. "I am very nervous. Both to see what state it is in and...I don't know...what the...experience will be like."