Darin seemingly paid more attention to her fingernails as she answered, “Well maybe, if we need to put some time between now and heading to Azurei we could head more due west. If we kind of zigzag though Eluri lands we could enter Orosi lands in the border by the seashore. Then we could zigzag though their lands before heading Azurei. Then we could zigzag though Azurei before heading into human lands. Then we could zigzag there. Our last stop in human lands would be Lively.” She paused for a moment, “And my home. Then we could do the same in the Siren lands.” She let her hand drop as she smiled weakly at Ridahne, “Lots of back and forth.”

Suddenly, with stunning claryity Darin could see the path she wanted to take in her head. It was not an easy path, and Darin had a feeling that someone she didn’t want to would figure it out sooner or later. She wasn’t sure she cared. She just wanted to get this whole thing over sooner rather than later. She wondered if Ridhane knew what was really happening or if the warrior still thought The Seed-Bearer was still looking for a place to plant The Seed. Darin was still doing that, but it wasn’t the primary goal anymore. That was a long way off. She was a sheltered farmgirl. While she knew the importance of hard work she didn’t know much about the world. If she was going to save the world, she supposed she should learn about it and its people. She still hadn’t met any Sirens outside The Farm and they only half counted.

Darin’s attention was back on her fingernails, “I know it doesn’t seem efficient, but I have no real destination in mind. This journey is going to be a long one and I feel like we’ve been talking about Azurei as the final point. It’s not. Even if you do get married there you can’t stay. You made promises to me that cannot be broken and hitting Orosi second makes sense. There would be less backtracking. I already have to backtrack though a part of human lands because I didn’t know what I was doing, I was hopelessly lost, and I hadn’t met you yet. Besides there is something in Greyrock that I need to do. I’m still learning and as such I’ve already put something off for longer than I should of.” She took a shuddering breath, “I would like to avoid doing that or backtracking moving forward.”

This Seed-Bearing thing didn’t come with an instruction book or a teacher. Darin had very little idea of what she was doing. Some of it just made sense like wandering Astra trying to make friends. Some of it she didn’t know she could do until it was done like Chaining Ridhane to The Seed or making Harris a Seed-Friend. Some of it was instinct like how animals listened to her and how she could understand them or stopping the rain. That didn’t mean she knew how she did. The Tree had a fairly decent idea of what she could do but not how or when. The Tree was not human. It could not teach The Seed-Bearer. It could council and advise but not teach. The only one who could have was dead, buried, and had no teacher of his own. That was at least one blessing of this whole thing. Darin would not be expected to teach the next Seed-Bearer. She would be dead. 

Darin was still studying her fingernails. They were longer than she liked but she wasn’t sure how to cut them on the road. Back home she would use a paring knife and a great deal of concentration. Darin did not want to try to do that with a sickle. There was dirt under her nails and that was a surprisingly comforting thing. Her hands herself were clean since she had washed them this morning. She had a depressing thought that this would be the last time she would feel properly clean for a long time. She already missed it, but she supposed she could expect to remain pristine while trampling though Astra. That was one miracle too many.

Darin finally turned her whole attention to her traveling companion, “I need to see as much of Astra as possible. I need to meet as many of the Children of Astra as possible. I cannot do that alone. I warned you about this when we meet. Azurei is just one stop. I don’t know when this journey will be over. It will take years at least. However, just because I don’t know where I’m going doesn’t mean I want to be foolish on this trip. Zigzags and back and forths seem like the best idea.” A strange aura came over The Seed-Bearer as an odd glow entered her eyes, “What say you, Ridahne Torenzi.” 

The Seed-Chained bit was left unsaid due to the lack of privacy, but the unsaid title hung silent in the air. It was not quite a challenge. Darin truly wanted The Seed-Chain’s advice in the manner. That was the purpose of the people, past present and future, that had or would be Chained to The Seed or The Tree. They were to protect and serve either The Tree or The Seed and by extension the Gardener or The Seed-Bearer. The Gardener was no more. There wouldn’t be any Tree-Chained induviasl for a long, long time. Ridahne Torenzi Seed-Chained was currently the only present member of Darin Seed-Bearer’s, for lack of better word, court present. There were others; Thomas, Mila, Jack, Workers that wanted to be, Harris, but right now, as the only one traveling with Darin the Azurei had the unfortunate honor of playing multiple roles. She had already proven herself as protector and Darin was extremely hesitant to make her play servant. Still Darin needed advice so Ridahne would fill the advisor role. The posture and energy of The Seed-Bearer practically demanded it. That didn’t mean she would listen to it.