LadyAnnaLee

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

As Darin slowly walked back to the fire she found her thoughts drifting backwards though time again. This time they were about the person she could see at the fire. Ridahne Torenzi Seed-Chained had changed just as much as she had over the past year, if not more. She was still subdued and wary, but it was so nice to know that the warrior considered the human family. Darin had learned so much from her; sailing songs, how to build sandcastles, how to swim on the waves of salt water, how to build fires that would last all night, how to defend herself. Darin could only hope to return the favor one day. Even though the coming days promised to be stressful Darin had never seen Ridahne freer, mentally and emotionally, then the last few weeks.

Darin may have been lost in thought, but she still heard the tone of Ridahne’s voice. Without thinking she quickly hurried over to stand behind the warrior. Her hand reached behind her to hold on to the handle of her sickle, but unlike Ridahne she didn’t draw it immediately. Talbot stood nearby. Sometimes it was better for Darin to flee and sometimes it was better for her to fight. She wasn’t sure which one it was yet. Though the next few minutes revealed that their would be no fight at all and Darin couldn’t help the large smile that etched on to her face as the identity of the person who had come to see them was made clear.

It was Hadian Torenzi. While Darin had never seen him with her own eyes before she had seen him once via The Tree on that night so long ago when The Tree had spoken to Ridahne and she had been left to wander Astra. Even if she hadn’t gone on that journey the human would still know who it was, not only buy Ridahne’s actions but by his looks as well. He was so clearly Ridahne’s sibling even if his Oijh was simpler and there were more lines on his face, but he was still her family. Seeing her Ridahne so happy made Darin want to laugh from pure joy.

For a moment her smile faltered as he started to bow Luckily Ridahne stopped him, but the hug that followed caught her completely off guard. She could barely remember the last time she had been hugged like this. Hugging Ridahne was nice and Darin lost count of how many times that had happened, but those always seemed desperate as they each searched for confirmation that the other was alive and well and safe. This was tight and firm and loving. For a reasons Darin couldn’t explain it felt like coming home. She quickly got a hold of herself and returned the hug in kind. Hadian may have been a stranger to her, but she could easily see herself falling in love with him the same way she had fallen in love with Ridahne, not the same way Ridahne loved Ajoran, or the way her mother loved her father, or the way that she thought Thomas and Milla might love each other, but still love, like family, like home, like peace.

She couldn’t contain herself any longer and she started to laugh as she finally pulled away, “Hadian Torenzi! It is so [i[good[/i] to meet you at last. I have heard nothing but good things.” Her cheeks hurt from how widely she was smiling, “I am Darin, daughter of Martin by Talia, Seed-Bearer of Astra.” She took his hand and pulled him close to the fire so they could all sit, “Come, sit. Tell me of Azurei. My Guardian.” Darin flashed Ridahne a gleeful look as she reached out to lightly touch the mark that confused the newcomer, “Has told me some but I love hearing of new places from many different people. Tell me of your life, your family, your work. Your sister tells me you are a fisherman. What is that like? You’ll have to teach me the basics at some point.”

Darin’s full attention was on the man in front of her with an intensity that she hadn’t known she could possess a year ago. Yet it had come to the surface more and more as the days had passed. Hadain was not the first person to be on the other end of Darin’s piercing gaze as she sought to learn and to know. She would practically hang of his every word as she asked question after question. She was no longer afraid that he questions would make her look like a fool. Being a fool was the first step to wisdom after all. She could be a bit intense and she hoped she didn’t make him uncomfortable. It’s just this was Ridahne’s family. She wanted to know him not just because he was a Child of Astra, but because he was the family of one of her favorite people in the whole world. Tonight promised to be one of those sleepless night that no one could regret because they were well spent.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin looked in the direction they had come. This was the last night that they were spending in Orosi. Tomorrow they would enter Azurei. Darin was both looking forward to it and dreading it. She had heard stories of Ridahne’s homeland for close to 15 months, ever since time at the cliff where the Guardian had introduced herself as Veerkari'e, Ghost in the Sands. Well, tomorrow, or soon thereafter, Darin would finally see the sands. Soon she would meet the Sols and the Solta-Sol. She would finally get the chance to meet the women who had almost literally changed the course of history.

Right now, Darin was standing overlooking the sea. The small little group was currently camped in the southeasternmost part of Astra where Azurei, Orosi, and the Sea meet. It was not the first time she had seen the ocean. Darin’s lips twisted up in a smile as she remembered that. She had stood in shock as she watched the water crash against the Eluri shore. Ridahne had to literally drag her away. Even then she had snuck away later that night to stand in the waves. A strange sort of calm had come over her and she had to resist the urge to run headlong into the waves and past The Roots that made the Barrier. She had stood there all night, letting the serenity of a world older than even The Tree and The Gardener combined wash over her. It was a cycle. Sometimes the cycle was broken. Yet, the world was bigger than the cycle. If she failed the world would recover. For the first time she had felt peace with being The Seed-Bearer. Ridahne had found her the next morning adding her own salt water to the endless waves. When the Guardian came up in concern The Seed-Bearer had suddenly started laughing as she kicked at the water in a sort of manic dance. Darin had not regretted spending the night submerged to her hips even though she had a fever for three days. She now understood that as long as she did her best no mistake, no matter how big, was unforgivable. Being The Seed-Bearer wasn’t just some sort of title Darin was carrying. She was The Seed-Bearer and just by being herself she was doing an incredible job.

That night had begun a process of growing for Darin. Slowly but surely, she went from being a nervous wreck to a strong confident woman that made decisions that she was proud to make, that she wouldn’t question. She threw herself into learning about people and customs and society. More often than not She would introduce herself to new people before Ridahne got a chance to. She spent many sleepless nights asking people about their lives, their hopes, their dreams, their fears. The days not spent restocking, or recovering, or traveling, were spent helping people with whatever they needed help with. She listened more than she talked. She tried foods she had never dreamed of. She tried to dance dances she had no hope of mastering. She played every instrument pressed into her hands without fear or apprehension. She played with children and animals alike. She gained better control of her temper and while she learned to listen, she also learned to make herself heard without snapping. She was still a person of passion, determination, and an unwillingness to compromise on doing the right things.

This meant that she had made new friends and even made a few new Seed-Friends. The total was currently six. Jack was the human that had insisted on her taking Talbot with her. That wasn’t official, but it was close enough hat it counted. Harris was the Eluri farmer who saw her stop the rains that first time. HE was also the first official Seed-Friend. Mrixie as the first to choose to swear to The Seed. He had given Ridahne the space she needed and help Darin find a book on controlling her emotions that she could actually understand. Jules, an Orosi, betrayed the Red Hand, the only family she had ever known for The Seed and the hope that brought the Children of Astra. She died mere moments after Darin had named her Seed-Chained. Even thinking about it broke the human’s heart. Umi, a shipbuilder and a Deepblood, a type of Siren that lived close to the Barrier, had saved chosen to save a child rather than Darin at the risk of his life at her order. He had been pulled aside for a private word after he had proven his worth. He had taken one look at Darin’s rough designs, swore himself to secrecy, and promised to figure it out. She had been unable to tell Ridahne that secret as it was connected to being The Seed-Bearer. Sarah was the human merchant that had taken one look at Darin, known she was a girl, and was the first to teach Darin about dressing feminine while still being practical in her attire. For the first time in her entire life Darin had felt pretty.

Of course, it wasn’t all friendship and happy memories. The Red Hand had increased their efforts to kill Darin. She had lost track of the number of times she had almost lost her life. She could count the number of lives she had taken, eight. She could still remember their eyes and when even if she knew none of their names. She knew Ridahne believed it was better that way, but she still hated herself for it. She also had Cursed one man in Orosi. He had preyed on boys, young boys, in the worse matter possible. Ridahne had been injured and he was getting away to escape to a new hunting ground. Darin had screamed to sky and Astra Listened. I Curse you! The Seed Curses you! Let all of Astra know! You are cursed! Let no one know you! Be banished in a land you may never leave. May the Sky storm down upon you! May the Sea rise up against you! May the Stone quake under you! The plants and the animals hate you forever! Let no Child of Astra see you again! I am Darin Seed-Bearer! And I Curse you! Be Seed-Cursed till the day you die! Darin couldn’t regret that. She wouldn’t regret that. The man was a monster, not a Child of Astra. She was unconscious for a week due to the amount of power she had used, but it her harsh justice had been worth it. She only hated that she hadn’t caught him sooner.

Her skills at wielding her sickle in battle only increased under Ridahne’s tutelage. The Elf had managed to train some of the clumsiness out of her as well. Darin would never be as graceful as the Eija-Alihn, but she couldn’t call herself just a farm girl anymore. She rode Talbot like she had been riding most of her life. She could climb just about anything and run without tripping. Her skill at setting up and taking down camp had improved. While Ridahne’s grace was almost lithe and most certainly deadly Darin had earned a grace that, for lack of better words, blunt and stocky.

Skills, knowledge, and self-assurance weren’t the only thing that had changed since she had left home. Darin’s physical appearance had changed as well. She still gave the name Martin Lively to strangers, but she couldn’t’ remember when she had stopped traveling as a boy. It had just kind of happened as she grew more confidant in herself. Under Sarah’s tutelage Darin had learned what it meant to like what she saw in her reflection. Her hair had grown and using her meager skill in braiding Darin plaited in in a braid that ran down the center of her skull and ended right at the nap of her neck. This showed off the sharp angles of her cheeks and nose hat Sarah said were her best features. She had also let the merchant update her wardrobe. Right now, she wore shirts without sleeves that left her shoulders bare, with high collars that wrapped around her neck. One shoulder and arm had her falconry gear. The other arm had a leather bracer with two loops around her index and middle fingers. Her pants were much the same as they always were, but her boots were knee high riding and hugged her legs over her pants. Around her waist was a wide belt to show off what little curves she had. Her cloak was still the same one her mother had made with care, but due the heat it was currently in her pack. The scars from Taja’s talons were visible. The knife mark from one encounter with the Red Hand on her back peaked out from behind her shirt. Her eyes, once boring brown, had slowly, so slowly Darin didn’t realize it had happened until it was done, turned apple green. (Now that she thought about it, The Gardener’s eyes had been red, the same color as The Apples on his Tree. Darin wondered what that said about her Tree.) She would never be beautiful, but she definitely didn’t blend into the back ground any more.

Right now, The Seed-Bearer watched the waves as she thought about how far she had come and how far she still had to go. Tomorrow they entered Azurei. To be honest Darin was glad it had taken so long to get her. She would not have been ready for this a year ago. She lost her temper too quickly then. Now, well now she still lost her temper, but she managed to not let it get the better of her. A year ago, she was lost, sacred and confused, a child playing at being a grown up. Now she was still young, but she knew who she was, she knew what she was, and she wasn’t afraid of it anymore. She was a force to be reckoned with. The Sols best look out for her.

Because she was The Seed-Bearer. When she spoke, Astra listened. After countless hours of practice at controlling the Sea, the Stone, the Sky, after hours of learning to control her emotions rather than letting them control her she could wield her strange power as The Seed-Bearer with almost ridiculous ease. She tried to be careful how she used it. She knew it was changing her into something … else when she did, but sometimes it was unavoidable. The Tree was slightly alarmed by how natural it came to her. At this point in his journey The Gardener was still struggling to speak to the Sea, of the three the easiest to speak to. From time to time Darin would be distracted as she had conversations with all of Astra. Of course, The Gardener had been a different person from Darin with a different personality type. That was another thing Darin had come to accept. She would never be able to do this the way any of past Gardeners had. She had to do it her way, and that was okay.

She carefully directed her thoughts away from both the past and the future to the here and the now. She had told Ridahne she had needed a few minutes to just think. Darin had done her best at doing as the Azurei had requested in Lihaelen and had gone to the warrior when she normally had run. It was a difficult habit to break at first, but Darin learned to at least say she needed to be alone. Tonight, she had asked for a few minutes to give Ridahne a few minutes as well. Tomorrow was the first time Ridahne would be home in over a year. Darin had no desire to crowd her close and dearest friend. They could both use some peace before the storm that would come tomorrow. Now, however, she had no desire to be alone tonight. She wanted the companionship of her strange, mostly animal, misfit family.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

I still want do a bit about how Ridahne has changed from Darin's point of view, but that can wait until after your post. If there is anything you don't like about mine and what me to change or you have questions let me know.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

More honesty. I was kind of hoping you would say Azurei. So, I have a vague idea for a "recap" post to cover the roughly 12 to 15 months it will take them to get from Lihaelen to Azurei. I can work on it and have it posted sometime tomorrow. Then, your post after can be the introduction. Will that work?

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

I have to be honest. I'm slightly bored of the scene in Lihaelen. Would it be alright if I moved us to the next one in my next post? I don't care if it's Darin seeing the ocean for the first time, actually making it to Azurei, some encounter with the Red Hand, Ridahne and Ajoran meeting up, or something else. You can pick and tell me in the OoC. I just want to move the story along. Please and Thank you.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

That's alright. Please take the time you need to feel better and if there's anyway I can help let me know.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin looked at the tattoo with something akin to awe. It was gorgeous and looked right on Ridahne’s face. She wasn’t sure she liked the red puffy state of he face, but Darin knew that it would heal quickly enough. Darin felt the corner of her lips twist upwards in almost grim satisfaction. Now everyone, well at least everyone that could read Oijh, would know that Ridahne Torenzi was something that Astra had never seen before or would see again. That was the best news Darin had gotten since this wholed thing had started and she had had a part, a very small part yes, but still a part in making it happen. Now any Azurei that saw the traitor’s mark would had to at least wonder what the new mark meant.

Her voice was a cross between a harsh sound of satisfaction and a hiss of pleasure, “Yes. Perfect. My Ridahne Torenzi Seed-Chained.” She let out a laugh that was nothing but a good sound, “Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.”

It was a phase that Darin thought had meant nothing for the longest time. The elders used it to try to encourage people to do something with their lives or make a change that the elders wanted them to make. It had never made sense to Darin. Everyday was the first day of the rest of her life. That was just how time worked. Yet that was the point. Yesterday was over. The past was something that would be left in the past. While past actions would influence thoughts, it was gone and done Darin could do nothing about it. The choices that Darin made today that would shape the rest of her future. She could only hope to make the right ones.

She held out a foot to show off her boot, “I need to find a cobbler to resole my boots. If I do too much more walking my toes will pop out.” She looked up from her boot to Ridahne’s face, “Do you think we can do that after you finish breakfast? We woke up late and I don’t want to waste much more of the day. There’s a lot to do before we leave Lihaelen and now that we are done with the Archives we should start getting ready to move on. There’s lots to see and lots to do.”

Darin could think of more than a few things. Ridahne had purchased supplies the first day they were in the city, but was it enough? Darin needed to resole her boots and get a new waterskin. A hair cut would not go amiss either. She also needed a chance to talk to regular people even if she wasn’t one hundred percent how to do so. She just knew that she needed to. She knew nothing about city life and she needed to know about as much of Astra and the Children of Astra as possible. There was more than just farming to any functioning society and Darin could only hope that one day she would have the understanding of it necessary to comprehend it all. She had left The Farm to seek a better understanding of culture and walks of life and to do that she needed to talk to regular people and learn from them.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin sighed, “There’s just so much Ridahne. It’s hard to believe that I’ll ever be ready. I’m not even sure what it means to be ready.”

Darin fought a yawn and was the loser of that battle. She let her eyes slip close. She supposed that some sleep was better than no sleep even if it wasn’t much. She figured she should move from where she was sitting to return to her own bed, but she was just so comfortable right now. She would regret it when her back ached in the morning though. With that in mind she forced her eyes open and then forced herself to stand. She felt like it was the hardest thing she had every done even though she knew that couldn’t be true at all. It was still no fun to cross the room.

As she practically collapsed on the bed, she told Ridahne, “I told Mrixie to go away and to take Ulice with him. He said he would be back later tomorrow, or rather today now, I guess. I still figure we’ll have the morning free of him. We should try to get some sleep though so we can make the best use of our unsupervised time.” She yawned again, “I’m going to bed. Good night.”

Darin slept, but if she dreamed, she didn’t remember any of them. It felt late when she woke up, but there was no sunshine coming from the window for her to judge the time. How did people live in this ever-present twilight? She was ready to be on the way from Lihaelin, but The Seed wasn’t, and she didn’t think the trees of the forest were ready for her to depart either. Besides there were still things that needed to be done. She still needed to get her boots resoled. They might still need to gather supplies. Darin wasn’t so sure about that one. She knew Ridahne had gotten supplies the first day they were in the city, but she didn’t know if that was enough to get them to their next destination.

Darin rolled out of the bed and landed on the ground, “Owe.”

It was a soft sound that was followed with a ground as she desperately tried to get herself untangled from the blankets and rise to a vertical position. This process involved lots of cursing in both Common and the language of home. Once she was vertical, she made the bed. It was an easy enough task. That was followed by pulling on her boots and making her way down to the tavern on the first floor. She was starving. The last food she had had that she had managed to keep down were the dumplings yesterday morning. That had been more than 24 hours ago.

Though she was nervous Darin managed to ask the person running the inn at the moment for breakfast. She was brought a bowl of something that Darin thought looked like boiled wheat mixed with milk or cream. She supposed that was a standard breakfast anywhere. When she tasted it, she decided it wasn’t wheat but barley. She supposed boiled grain mixed with milk or dairy was a good standard breakfast anywhere. Back home it was wheat because that’s what she grew. She wouldn’t be surprised if different grains were used across Astra. This bowl tasted like it had just a pinch of salt and hint of sweetness. She decided she liked it and finished it quickly.

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin let out a disgruntled noise, “I guess. That doesn’t mean that I have to like it. Right is right. I can’t believe we need laws to tell us that.”

Why couldn’t people just know what right and wrong? She had known people that didn’t do something just because it was against the law. The implication was that if it wasn’t illegal, they would totally be doing it. Then there were people that sis what was right despite the law. It seemed to Darin that the law was kind of pointless. Maybe she would look up books about the law at the Archives. Though she doubted that would help. The books today had only made her head hurt. It didn’t help that the words looked like they were swimming and that only got worse the worse her headache got. Reading was one of her least favorite things ever.

She asked a question that completely changed the subject, “Do you think I’ll have to read stuff as The Gardener. I know he wrote letters. Reading is probably something I should practice isn’t it?”

She stuck out her tongue as she let her head fall on Ridahne’s shoulder. She was tired, and probably needed rest, but she could feel that it would be dawn soon. She knew she wouldn’t be able to see the sunrise, but she could sense it. That had nothing to do with being The See-Bearer and everything to do with being a farmer. She woke with the sun. She slept with the sun. Yet, her sleep schedule was all messed up. This was the second night in a row that she hadn’t gotten proper rest. She should probably sleep in, but the thought of that felt so fundamentally wrong that she didn’t even know how to process it.

Darin sighed again, “I should practice a lot of things. I need to control my emotions betters. I need to learn how to talk with kings, and councilpeople, and Sols, and other rulers. I need to practice reading and writing and probably math. There’s so much Ridahne, and time moves so fast. I can’t slow it down even if I wanted to. Is that how you felt, when it became obvious what needed to be done, that there was so much to do and so little time to do it? Did it feel overwhelming?”

It certainly felt overwhelming to Darin right now. She had felt overwhelmed before, when she made the decision to farm the land herself. Those feelings had passed though, once she had the skills necessary to do the job. Would the same thing happen here, in this case? Would Darin fell so overwhelmed until one day she looked around and realized that she hadn’t felt overwhelmed in a long time? That seemed equal parts likely and unlikely and she wasn’t sure which one she wanted it to be. There was a lot that Darin just didn’t know, and she was getting sick and tired of felling that way. There had to be appoint where it leveled out, right?

The Tree of Astra (LadyAnnaLee and Blackfridayrule)

Darin knew that Ridahne was right. She just didn’t like it. She supposed that she should be grateful that the Sols had decided to be done with Ridahne. That meant she got Ridahne. The Sols honestly didn’t know what they were missing. Though it still didn’t mean that Darin liked them. How had Ridahne been the only one to know what Khaltira was doing? Were the other Sols blind by choice or was the traitor just that good at hiding her crimes? Whatever the answer was Darin wasn’t sure she liked what it said about Azurei culture and laws. She wasn’t sure it was something she wanted The Seed to take into Its Planting. She rubbed at the scar on the palm and back of one of her hands. Maybe Ridahne had a point about law breakers having to be punish.

Suddenly she held up a hand to show Ridahne, “See this?” She laughed a little, “Well, it’s kind of dark so probably not now, but I’m sure you’ve seen it before.” She dropped her hand to her lap to study the old injury as best she could in the dark, “There was a man back home named Phillip. He was a lazy incompetent fool. He was also a bully who was always drunk.” She sighed, “He had this dog named Max. When he was a pup Max was as sweet as could be, but years of training and abuse from Phillip turned him mean. So, Thomas, one of the best men I ever did know even if he is my age, got all us kids together to rescue Max. We bribed a trader in Lively to take him. Well, we weren’t as sneaky as we would have liked. Phillip found out and reported us for theft to the elders. We were a crew and we all lost the privilege of going to the next dance in Lively. The crew leader would get a physical reminder of the crime.” She wrinkled her brow, “It was the first time I asked anyone for help since my father left. I asked all the other crew members save one to lie to the elders. When the elders asked who lead the group Thomas stood to tell the truth. George was the first one to provide a conflicting the story. Then Milla. Then Jess. Then Samuel. Samuel was a terrible liar. That’s when the elders knew which of the two stories was truth, but it was easier to believe the lie, especially when I scoffed at the sheer absurdity of Thomas, Thomas of all people, looking to cause trouble. Of course, Thomas was being noble and self-sacrificing, I mean who did the elders think had caused this much trouble. Who was the only one to ever cause this much trouble? They ran my dominant hand thru with a red-hot poker. They treated it to avoid infection; they were looking to punish me, not torture me. And then Thomas didn’t speak to me for two months. That hurt more than the burn.” She finally turned her attention to Ridahne, “So, I get what you mean when you say that the law has to be follower. Criminals must be punished. What I don’t get now, what I didn’t get then, is why is good considered a crime, just because it conflicts with the law. Why is the law automatically higher than doing what’s right? I know that the law is there to keep order, but sometimes chaos is good.” She shook her head, “I don’t expect an explanation that makes sense from you or anyone. It might be something a little more complicated than a farm girl can understand. I think that because I didn’t understand why getting a victim away from their abuser was less important than theft. I think I will never understand it because I don’t understand how saving an innocent is less important than killing a monster.” Her gaze dropped back down to her hand, “An elder. Nicoli, who’ve I mentioned before, came to my farm a few days later. He told me I had done the right thing. I asked him what thing I had done right. He gently took my burnt hand in mine and said, “You took the fall.” Then he left. Why was there a need to take the fall for a good man trying to do the right thing? Why was there a need to let a good woman trying to do the right thing have just one last conversation with her fiancé? Why will right always be less than the law?” She scoffed, “And I know that you will say that there is a difference between stealing a dog and killing a ruler, but boil it down to its essence oh you warrior who has spent time in the highest courts of Azurei. Think of it not as an Eija or an Eija-Alihn, but as a fisherman’s daughter. Is there a difference between a small right and a big right? Can you really say there is a difference in the abuse of power over others? I am Darin, a famer’s daughter.” She laughed, “I was picked because I am a farmer, soil, sun, water, and seeds. There’s a simplicity there that people seem to be forgetting all across Astra. It’s the simple things I think we need to remember.”