Darin let out a bright laugh that almost betrayed the solemnity of the moment as Ridahne made her oath. Oh, how it differed from the oath that the Eluri had given. Oh, how Darin cherished it. The Seed-Bearer had no doubt of her Seed-Chained’s loyalty. She had no doubt that if she had reached for the blades they would have been given willingly. Darin felt like she could sing, and that Astra would sing with her. Ridahne stood by her, guided her, bent to her whims. There was no doubting the warrior’s loyalty and, dare Darin say it, love. Those Sols had no idea whatsoever what they had given up. No matter, The Seed-Bearer was more than happy to reap the rewards of their folly.

Darin smiled at her friend one last time before turning back to the Council, “Now that that is settled, how did you know who I was?”

President Silen sighed as she flapped a hand at the human, “Visions child. The Eluri are graced with visions. They are unpredictable. Legally it is required to report visions. That is not always the case. It is possible that others know of you.”

Not just possible and being called “child” cause Darin’s nose to wrinkle. She wasn’t sure why. When she had first meet Ridahne she had insisted that she needed no fancy titles, that she was just a farm girl. Well, farm girls didn’t mind being called “child” by people that were certainly their betters the way President Silen was not only in age but authority as well. Months ago, it wouldn’t have bothered her. Darin would have simply raised an eyebrow and moved forward. Of course, the person Darin was months a go wouldn’t have any dreams to meet the President of the Eluri. Things and changed, and while she knew it was connected to being The Seed-Bearer she wasn’t completely sure how or what it meant for her.

President Silen was not privy to the young human’s thoughts, “That’s why we would appreciate you not exciting the trees of the forest. We don’t want any unsavory characters being able to find you.”

Well that was a thought that was long overdue. Unsavory people had looked for and found her already. They also tried to kill her. Ridahne had said to look for the Red Hand. Darin was starting to wonder if the president was listening or just heard what she wanted to hear. If she only wanted to hear what she wanted to hear that would make telling the truth that much harder. Darin was not looking forward to harder. Harder was not what her tired mind needed right now. Absently she lifted a hand towards the uloia. One landed on her extended finger. Darin hadn’t asked for that. It simply wanted to be closer to her. With wide unblinking eyes focused on the flashing insect Darin slowly moved her hand towards Ridahne’s face. Slowly her hand reached out towards her complanion and the uloia took flight again to land on the Azurei’s nose. Darin giggled at the sight. Other uloia took heart at the noise and moved to land in the warrior’s hair and face. Darin watched for a moment, a craftly but gleeful smile on her face, before turning back towards the Council.

Her truth was simple, “I’m not. I’m not exciting the trees or the creatures that live in the forest. They know I am here and grew excited on their own. I do not control their actions now nor will I in the future. Occansionally I ask them for something, and they oblige me, but in the end the choice is theirs. That is the greatest gift that any citizen, whether human, Elf, Siren, tree, animal, Sea, Stone, or Sky have; the gift of Choice. The Children of Sea and Stone and Sky have to make choices with consequences that are more complex than the choices that plants or animals have to make. Yet they still have the right to their choices; just the same as you and I. The Tree and The Gardener refused to take their choice just as They refused to take ours. I do not have visions so I do not know what the future I am trying to create will be like, but I do known that is one choice I am happy to make; the choice to let others make their own choices.” She gestured out with empty hands, “So the trees are excited I am come. The rains are eager to please me. The ground trips me as to drag me close. That is their choice. I choose to respect it.” She paused as her hands dropped and she grew more serious, “I have asked them not to bend as to show the stars again, and they have agreed. I will ask them behave, but I do not know what they will say.”

Darin decided that if President Silen was going to call her a child she might as well act like one. She was tired and tired children pouted. Without thinking too much about it Darin wrapped her arms around Ridahne’s neck and slumped her head on to the warrior’s shoulder. She upset the uloia that were landing on the Azurei and they took flight quickly to avoid getting rattled further. Darin paid them no mind as she pressed her face into her friend’s shoulder. Taja had still been running his beak though Ridahne’s hair and let out a screech to protest. Darin didn’t pay him much mind either. The bird pouted as he fluttered to regain his balance. He started to run his beak though Darin’s hair since she was now available.

Darin spoke in quiet Azurei, “Ridahne. Will you tell them about the Red Hand so we can go? I’m tired. It’s been a long night. And we have things to discuss. Just the two of us.”