Harai took a few deep breathes after drinking the water before answering the question, “Security. No one knows where she plans to plant The Seed. If she even plans to plant it at all. Do you even know if she plans to plant it? The two of you have been wondering Elven lands for close to a year. This seems more like a sightseeing trip than a trip to save Astra. Who knows how long we have until The Tree finally withers and dies? She’s wasting time. Even when she does plant it, how will one-person alone care for it. The Red Hand has a spot prepared for The Seed and people from all races prepared to care for it. We told The Gardener this. He told us we were fools. Before leaving. We know nothing about this Seed-Bearer. Why does she walk in secret? Is she hiding secrets of her own? Giving all this power to a … a child seems foolish. Surely a group is better than a person.” He seemed desperate, “Ask her. Ask her what she plans for The Seed. Then ask yourself if her hands truly are the best ones to carry It.”

Was it truth? Harai wasn’t lying, but that didn’t mean it was true. It could just be something the Red Hand used to recruit people. And it was strange how often power got mistaken for security by those used to having both or those who always wanted more. Right now, that did not matter. What mattered was that the man had told Ridahne what he believed in a desperate attempt to gain some relief. Then again, it was surprising what a person could delude themselves into believing when they were desperate. Harai didn’t actually know much about the upper echelons of the Red Hand. He was a scout and nothing more.

He told the taja that, “That’s all I know I swear. I don’t need to know more. The less individual know the easier it will be to keep things neat.”

Meanwhile, down on the coast, Darin considered what Ajoran had told her. That was basically what Ridhane had told her when she asked. That was what those of her village did even if there was nothing legal binding them. Would a legal binding have kept Martin with Talia? Darin looked at the burn scar in the center of her palm as she thought of home. She wasn’t sure. She could say what could have been. No one knew what could have been, not even The Gardener, not even The Tree. Her gaze turned from the horizon of the sea towards the direction of home. How long would it take to get home if she just rode Talbot nonstop. She couldn’t run now, or honestly, ever again.

She found herself speaking, “For reasons we have yet to decipher my father left and for a while I thought Ridahne was just like him. Talia would have followed Martin anywhere and as far as I can tell Ajoran would do the same for Ridahne. But unlike Talia you didn’t quit.” 

She found herself reaching up to grab Ajoran’s chin in her hand to look him dead in the eye. He was taller than her, so she had to crane her neck to lock their gazes. This was the man that Ridahne had chosen, but even her love for him wouldn’t stop her from doing what she thought was right. She was doing her best to like him, or at least she thought she was going her best. She knew it was important to her sister that they got along, but now that she thought about it, she didn’t know all that much about him. She knew more about Hadian and that need to change. Maybe that would help.

The Seed-Bearer let his chin go, but didn’t remove her gaze, “Tell me about you Ajoran Teleisun. Tell me your hopes and dreams and aspirations. Don’t tell me about the man that my sister fell for. Tell me about you.”