The Sols murmured softly amongst themselves when Darin lifted herself from the floor with a twist of wind. She had shown them how she could call water to her will when they'd first met, but this was still largely new to them. Their taja tightened grips on spears, staves, or swords, and a few moved just a few inches closer to their respective Sol, but the matriarchs waved them away with small movements of their hands. Nobody specifically mistrusted Darin, but the taja were simply trained to react to anything unusual. 

Hanasa-Sol smiled. She, being new to the position, had less of an affectation or aloof bearing and still showed some of her lack of matriarchal training in her free expression of moods and thoughts. "We will not complain about rain here. Our soil thirsts for it, and if it is caught in rain barrels, it will save many a goat herder a long, arduous trek across hot sands."
"We thank you," Another Sol with short black hair and light brown eyes added. "For water is precious to us here. And we welcome you as openly as you come, Astra-Sol. We are glad to have you among us." 
The Sota-Sol added, "We will assist you in every way that we can. And we will make sure your letters arrive in a timely manner. We will send a pair of eija to personally deliver them, and with honor. You must tell us about your home before you leave Tasen, if it pleases you. We are very curious to know your origins, Astra-Sol." 

Whatever could be said about the Sol's remote loftiness, or how they'd handled the situation with Ridahne, they were at least unfailingly polite to Darin, and held her title in high regard. Higher, perhaps, than even themselves. Whatever complicated feelings that lay between them and Ridahne, of which there were many, there were none between them and Darin. Though they were increasingly beginning to regard them as a bonded pair rather than separate entities. The Sols made gestures of reverence to her as Darin excused herself, and the women let her go without argument. Very few people were permitted to excuse themselves from the presence of the Sols without permission, but Darin was one of those people. 

---

Ridahne and Ajoran socialized for a while longer in the main hall before they made their way to the small palace archives, and the master archivist's quarters there. He stood patiently by while Ridahne talked through the new ojih marks extensively with the master archivist, a small woman with wrinkled skin and hair that had long since turned white. By elvish standards, she was ancient, and spent most of her time seated. The woman studied Ridahne's face extensively, taking notes on how the marks should lie on the face, and then had Ridahne use a brush and ink to paint the marks on thick paper multiple times. The master archivist, at last, had Ridahne record the marks in an ancient, well-maintained tome filled with pages of animal parchment, not paper. Ridahne tried so hard to keep her hands from shaking, but she took a few deep breaths and recorded new ojih marks in the official record book of Azurei. 

Ridahne felt so free after that. While she had resolved to make the marks true and official, and while they were accurate and honest in their telling of her own story, it had been gnawing at her that she alone had marks that were not officially recorded. To have that dealt with at last lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. She wished she could tell Darin. She would, eventually. 

Ridahne and Ajoran sent a letter home to Ajoran's family, informing them of their upcoming wedding and asking them to come, and then retired for the evening. Ridahne did not need to guess to know where Darin was, and for once did not feel the need to fuss over her protection. This palace, even the stables, were heavily patrolled and guarded, and no one moved in and out without someone's knowledge. And anyway, if Ridahne was needed, she knew how to get to the stables quickly.