Darin reclaimed the stones from Ridahne as she thought about that. It didn’t surprise her that the children knew. Children tended to be better listeners than people gave them credit for, and they certainly listened to The Tree better than adults seemed to. It wasn’t the first time that a child had realized that she was more than she claimed to be. Thankfully that hadn’t led to gifts like it was here. If the gifts kept coming it wouldn’t be long before an adult saw it and bribed the child with a treat or something to tell them why they had given that foreigner a gift. What happened next depended on what the child told them. It might also depend on what happened during her conversation with The Sea.

Now that she was standing by the port proper Darin could see the choppy waves that were keeping some of the sailors in port. She couldn’t blame them. Istaerih’s actions early today were in no way something that The Sea normally did. No one wanted to fall to an early grave when the warning signs had been clear. There were a few ships that looked that they were getting ready to head out. They looked like outsiders or younger Azurei, people who hadn’t had the time to learn the lessons that the older sailors knew by heart. It looked like a few younger sailors were heading the words of their elders. Darin didn’t think anyone would come to harm today but wasn’t sure and the ships preparing to set out were making her nervous.

She did laugh at Ridahne’s definition of nicely, “Yes. I suppose you are right.” She linked arms with Ajoran, “Why don’t you see if you can find someone to ask very nicely? Someone older who will need the business today. Ajoran and I will stay here. It will give me time to see if I want my sister to marry him.” She smiled brightly at the Taja, “It’s a human tradition to toughly examine your siblings’ potential partners. It’s one I did not think I would take part of. I am an only child, but not that I have a sort of sister I plan to interrogate you severely.” She winked at Ridahne, “Don’t worry sister. I won’t scare him off too badly.” Once Ridahne had gone to inquire about boats to rent she turned to Ajoran, “Tell me Taja Teleisun. Do you love Taja Torzinei? And if you do, what are your intentions towards her?”

She had used the title Taja for Ridahne on purpose. If she was to be Astra-Sol then that would make her guardian a Taja, if Darin understood it correctly. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to be Astra-Sol, but to be honest, Hanasha-Sol’s attempts to seduce Ridahne to her side right in front of Darin, did not sit well with Darin. Ridahne was her Seed-Chained. One day, sooner or later, Ridahne would be her Seed-Honored. Yes, that meant that Ridahne would be free to make her own choices again, but her first loyalty would have to be to The Seed, and by extension, The Seed-Bearer. Darin was selfish enough to not want to share with another, especially a woman who smirked at her. It was petty of her and Darin knew that, and her pettiness made her insides squirm uncomfortable, but she didn’t know what else to do about it.

She spoke again, “She won’t be able to stay after the two of you get married. She has a responsibility to The Seed, to see to its safety. You have responsibilities here. Are you okay with her leaving, this time by choice?”

As she was speaking another child came up. Darin accepted the small token with a smile and a ruffle of the boy’s curls. He giggled as he hurried off. This time it looked like a piece of small driftwood that had been carved into a rough heart shape. Darin couldn’t help but run her fingers over the grain smoothed by its time in the ocean. She could see the rough tool marks and could only assume that the child had done the heart himself. Looking up Darin saw a woman who looked older than Ridahne looking at her with question in her eyes. When she realized Darin had caught her looking, she hurried looked away. Well, it seemed that her identity wouldn’t be a mystery for much longer. Darin was surprisingly okay with that.