"Ridahne described it as cooked apples inside of a baked shell of some kind, not quite bread but bread-like. Neither of us are sure if we even have an equivalent down here, but if it requires chilling, it would make sense that it has not made its way down here. Near Khiras, my home, you might have the conditions you seek if you climbed high enough. But we do make something that might be similar. It's a bread that's very light and airy inside, and it's wrapped around various fillings--sometimes a jam made from the fruits that come off cactuses, sometimes curry, sometimes ground meat and onions and potatoes and a lot of spices. But then it's fried in a pot of very hot oil, and it comes out very hot and crispy on the outside but soft on the--oh, what am I saying? Why bother describing it to you when I can show you? Come, I will buy you one, and the ingredients for this apple pie, and anything else you might want, my treat. Maybe I can show you how to make the fry bread, and you can put your apple filling in it." 

Ajoran led her back towards the marketplace, stopping at various booths to negotiate heatedly with their owners. Most, however, stopped haggling when they realized who Darin was, and instead bowed and insisted she try whatever specialties they had on hand. The apples were the most expensive part of the whole lot, as they had to be imported, but Ajoran's purse did not seem too small for the task, not in the least.

Ajoran took a deep breath. "How do I explain wedding ceremonies...?" he mused. "Well, for one thing we dress nice." he laughed. "Ridahne and I will have headdresses. Usually they are passed along from parent to child, but Ridahne's parents are no longer alive and I'm not sure they ever had them. My parents were reasonably wealthy, considering their trades, but Ridahne's family came from nothing. I mean, really nothing. I don't know if she told you, but she admitted to me once that there were nights they went hungry, or Hadian would give her his portion and lie and say he'd already eaten. But I'alahne will no doubt pass hers on to Ridahne, as she has not daughters of her own to give it to, and Jaheil will give me his. People gather around--on the beach, if the wedding is going to be in Atakhara--and the officiate, you, will stand before them. You will ask the two clans, meaning Hadian and my parents, who among their clan is to be joined, and they will present us. Ridahne and I will walk hand in hand through the crowd to stand before you, and we will not unclasp hands until the ceremony is finished. We'll each announce ourselves and give our various titles, and you will ask if the other accepts all of the titles and names and all that comes with them. You will then ask which of us will surrender their clan name and take on the other's, I will answer that it's me, and I will surrender my ku'o to you. Ridahne will then offer me the ku'o of house Torzinei and put it in my ear, and I will put a new one in hers that shows her clan, but shows also that she has ties to the northeastern province where I am from. I gave it to her a long time ago. You've seen it before--that carnelian pendant around her neck. It will replace the bone one she wears in her ear now. When all that's done, you'll say that the community witnesses this union and sees that it is good. They will agree, and you will name your titles, and what authority you have, which for you is obviously being the Seed-Bearer and the adoptive sister of Ridahne, and by that authority you will give your blessing to the union. Then a tattooer will come and mark our ojih, and then..." he grinned impishly. "Then the real fun begins. There will be food and drink and a bonfire as big as you've ever seen, and music and dancing and storytelling. And the Atakharans throw wild parties." he laughed. "Don't worry, you can have notes if you don't think you can remember it all."

---

Ridahne listened, noting all the names for later use. But the last two were of interest. This Hopesong woman was of interest because she'd directly recruited him, but at first she did not give any significance to the name Martin Aliceson. Martin, after all, was not an uncommon human name. But as he spoke further, some memory clicked into place, and a suspicion began to grow. She kept her face impassive and sat silently with that information for a long time, to such a degree that Harai began to wonder if he'd somehow said something wrong. At length, Ridahne poured a cup of water and brought it to him, helping him drink it. She even cracked open the heavy door so that a cool breeze wafted in. She did not leave it open long, but just enough to drop the temperature of the room noticeably. 

"See? It's in your best interest to cooperate, and I will not harm you if you're honest and forthcoming. Do as I ask, and you'll be rewarded. Refuse..." she glanced toward the brazier. "You know where that leads." Ridahne actually sat down on the floor, crossing her legs in front of her. "Tell me more about this...Martin fellow." her tone was nonchalant almost, and did not betray the sharp interest she held in the information about this man. "You only met him once. What was he like? Do you remember what he looked like? Color of his eyes, hair, any scars? Where did you meet him? Do you know where he was from? Any guesses on where he was before he went into hiding? If you can tell me why he might have disappeared on account of hearing about Martin Lively, I'll make it worth your effort." Her tone was a little softer now, a little more coaxing and less forceful. He'd already been broken, and now he needed to know his cooperation would be rewarded, and it would bring him closer to his release. But to mistake that easing-up with being soft would be dangerous indeed, for she herself was still dangerous even in her mercy. 

Privately, Ridahne filtered everything he'd said about Martin through what she knew about Darin's father. And if she had not sworn to guard and protect Darin, she might have dashed off that very afternoon to hunt him down. It was, after all, what she'd been trained to do, and few were able to elude any Azurei eija for long if they were being actively tracked. For so many reasons, both personal and in the name of duty, Ridahne wanted to find this Martin. She wanted to find him and break him. To show him the meaning of fear. A boiling fury began to rise up in her, and it was all she could do to keep it controlled for now. When she was finished with Harai, Ridahne would need to take a moment to herself to deal with that still-building rage, but for now, she had work to do.