| abstract | - There was something chilly about the air as tinges of darkness crept into the evening sky. The winter season was approaching, and the last of Sanghelios' suns was fading in the horizon, much earlier than it did any other time of the year. But Katin 'Zulmar knew it wasn't the climate that was holding such an effect on her. She was sitting on the stone steps outside her keep, observing the flourishing grove that encompassed her home and listening to the sounds of the wildlife inhabiting the thickset trees surrounding her. There was someone she was expecting, but he was not due to arrive just yet, and so she was content to wait outside and enjoy the tranquility of the evening. Katin had always believed that the Zulmar Keep was one of the most magnificent places on Sanghelios. Its aft side and courtyard were situated next to a crystal-white lake that rolled up along the shore in slow waves. The keep’s front entrance was enshrouded by a massive forest. Unlike most families who favoured growing fireproof kafel trees around their keeps, the Zulmar Grove was made up almost entirely of stout riaca trees that grew pale blue leaves in dense clusters. At night, the leaves emitted a faintly visible glow that gently lit up the keep and the path leading up to its doors. And yet for all the natural beauty around her, Katin found that she could not set her mind completely at ease. She knew it could not have anything to do with the person she was expecting; he was an old friend, and the premise for their meeting was not unpleasant. But she couldn't figure out what was giving her such an uneasy feeling, and that was what really bothered her. There is change coming, she thought. She didn't know why she was so certain of it, and at the same time so unsure of what was yet to come. Katin's eyes were drawn back to front as she noticed two distant figures that appeared at the end of the forest path, lined with two straight rows of riaca trees on either side. One was a tall adult male, and beside him was someone much smaller. She stood up placidly, unconsciously running her hands down her robes to smooth out the nonexistent crinkles. It was a courtesy to remain standing when greeting guests to one's home, whether it be a keep or a common house. Her visitors had come a long way to reach the State of Zulmar, and she was pleased to see that they were respectful enough to leave their transportation in Strateas, Zulmar's capital city, to walk all the way to the keep. As the newcomers approached, she felt a familiar self-conscious twinge now that she could make them out more clearly. She had known them for a long time, and although they were polite whenever they visited, just seeing them reminded her of their differing societal classes. Katin was an aristocrat and she had several key family members in both the Sangheili military and political caste, and her status was clearly reflected in her appearance. The robes she was wearing were an elegant dark red, sewn from the finest cloth materials harvested from the tropical forests of Eayn. Forerunner symbols were woven down the back and along the wide sleeves hanging over her hands, with the Zulmar family crest embedded over her chest in silver. Clasped over her left heart was a perfectly circular piece of ruby Forerunner stone that held her ornate robes together. In stark contrast, her visitors were both clad in plain travelling robes, slight torn around the edges and faded from white to a dull beige. Their garments were made to be more durable than Katin's lavish robes, but were clearly unflattering. Another custom of appearance when visiting other keeps varied again according to the individual's societal class; while politicians, nobles, or anyone else of prestigious status were expected to show their importance through looking their best, warriors were usually clumped in with commoners and children, and instead garbed themselves in simple attire. A poor reflection, more often than not, Katin thought, taking measured steps as she stepped forward to greet the newcomers. In particular, she held these two Sangheili, even the child, in higher regard than a great deal of the slippery politicians she often had to deal with in her career. The adult male placed one hand over his second heart, palm open as a gesture of respectful greeting to a civilian of high status. The child beside him did the same. “Good day to you, Katin 'Zulmar,” the adult said with a slight dip of his head. Katin placed one clenched fist over her first heart, in recognition of his status as a warrior. “And to you, Sesa 'Refumee.” She turned her head to address the child. “It is good to see you again, Shinsu.” “Thank you, mistress Katin,” young Shinsu replied politely. In her entire life, she had never seen any child of his age stand as straight-backed as he did. Yet he radiated humility in equal measure to discipline, which was even more rare among the young males she had met. “Please, come in.” She turned around, her robes sweeping the ground as she did so. She opened the doors to the keep and led them inside. As they walked down the main corridor, which was empty at the moment, she observed Shinsu in her peripheral vision. He was keeping pace with Sesa, but was looking from one wall to the other. The child was clearly fascinated by the images inscribed on the walls, many of which were depicting Katin’s ancestors inventing new technologies with Forerunner artifacts. It was something that the Zulmar family was well-known for, and a major reason that many of them held prestigious titles today. Not that our bid for these creations was easy, she thought to herself. Before there was a Covenant, the San-Shy’uum tried vehemently to suppress our curiosity. In the ancient ages, the San’Shyuum had claimed that it was blasphemous to alter Forerunner technology in any way. As a result, the Zulmar bloodline had been heavily targeted when there had been war between the two species. Tulan, Katin’s brother and one of the youngest Sangheili in history to become Kaidon, was greatly contemptuous of the San’Shyuum. “Blasphemy? More likely the miserable cowards were afraid we would eradicate their arrogant lot with our creations,” he had said scornfully. The Zulmar family’s less-than-friendly relations with the San’Shyuum was still well-known among both sides. But with their previous conflicts now ancient history, and the common goal of finding more Forerunner relics before the humans did, most of the former adversaries were willing to let go of the past hostility. Or at least, that was what they wanted everyone to believe. “The Kaidon is not in, I presume?” Sesa asked, bringing Katin out of her thoughts. She stopped at the door on the far end of the corridor. “He is serving out-system with Commander 'Vadumee’s division,” she replied. Tulan may be Kaidon, but he was young and still had an obligation to build his legacy like every other warrior in their family. She turned the latch on the double doors and stepped into the common room. There were a number of Sangheili lounging in the room, some immersed in reading tomes, others gazing out the massive window on the opposite wall that offered a spectacular view of the courtyard and the lake below. Upon hearing Katin enter, young and old alike got to their feet almost simultaneously to greet her, palms over their hearts. “As you were,” she said. Seo, the oldest among her brothers after Tulan, hastily gathered up the books he was reading from a nearby table. “We can leave if you require the common room, mistress,” he offered. “Thank you, Seo,” she said. As the occupants moved for the doors, she picked out one of the children among them. “Mylu, you may stay.” Mylu, who was even smaller in stature than Shinsu, halted immediately. “Yes, mother,” he said. Katin gestured for Sesa to sit in one of the large chairs placed next to the common room’s window. She sat down across from him, noticing how the warrior maintained his rigid posture even as he settled into the chair. Once a soldier, always a soldier, she thought with just a touch of exasperation. She felt no need to pay it any mind, and leaned back comfortably against her seat, and placed her arms on the rests on either side. She noticed that Shinsu and Mylu had remained standing, and were waiting for her to say something. “Mylu, why don’t you show Shinsu what the elders taught you yesterday?” Her son bobbed his head once and ran off to retrieve his things from the far side of the common room. Shinsu stared after him for a moment, then walked away after him. Once they were out of earshot, she turned back to Sesa, who still hadn’t said a word since entering the keep. She decided to open the conversation. “It is good to see you again, my friend,” she said, allowing herself a tone of warmness. “I am as honoured as ever for your invitation,” he replied, relaxing just a bit now that they were alone. “It’s not often that High Charity comes to Sanghelios for such a prolonged period of time. And I heard that the Supreme Commander granted you time off-duty, so naturally I thought you would rather come here than to what used to be your family’s keep.” She stopped as a servant entered the common room, no doubt sent by Seo to accommodate them. He was bearing a tray of food and a pot of riaca tea, brewed from the Zulmar Grove’s leaves, which he set down before them with a bow before leaving again. She poured two cups of steaming hot tea and offered one to Sesa. “Besides, when I heard the news, I had to invite you here.” He accepted the cup with a nod of thanks. “Of course. I guessed that word would get to you one way or another.” Katin smiled. “Congratulations. I wish the best of fortunes upon you and Senta. I trust that she is doing well?” A spark entered Sesa’s eye. “She is recovering, yes,” he said absently. “And it’s funny that you mention ‘fortune’, Katin. You will not believe who came to High Charity to see us...” She thought about this for a moment, and decided to hazard a guess. “Fayta?” Sesa blinked. “How did…?” “I deal with aristocrats more practiced in the art of subtlety than you, my friend,” Katin replied with a small laugh. “And I had a feeling that she had something to do with persuading the Supreme Commander to take you off-duty. But enough with the guessing game, tell me about your newborn.” “His name is Tuka,” Sesa told her, his voice softening with a rare affection when he spoke his son’s name. “Senta named him after my father, actually. Shinsu has not seen him yet, but Master Yeshen has given him permission to accompany me to High Charity. We are leaving tomorrow.” “Tomorrow?” she asked in surprise. “But you have just come here, surely you want to stay longer―” “I would have, if it had been my choice.” He leaned forward, lowering his voice even though there was no one else in the common room. “Fayta managed to keep her presence there a secret, but I was wondering why Fayta would risk exposing herself to the others in the Covenant. But when she saw Tuka, she told me something very unexpected.” He glanced around furtively, making sure that they were alone. “Katin, my son is a diviner.” Katin set down her empty cup gently, as if afraid someone would hear it. “Fayta has told you this?” she murmured, instinctively speaking quietly now too. Sesa nodded. She let out a slow breath, contemplating the information. Fayta 'Refum, better known as the Seer of Sanghelios, was a mystery that not even the most religious of Sangheili could figure out. Some believed that she had been given a gift into the divine by the will of the Forerunners themselves, although she neither confirmed nor denied this. How much she understood about her own abilities was unclear, although in her long life she had often been the reason that the Jiralhanae’s attempts to push the Sangheili out of the San’Shyuum’s favour were unsuccessful. But for reasons she didn’t explain, she never wanted to help the Covenant locate and eliminate the humans or their numerous colonies. She had been taken in by the Refum family after being abandoned as an infant, and was not actually related to them by blood. But Katin suspected that the Seer, who often kept herself secluded by all but the ones who wanted to find her the most, did not see Tuka out of familial reasons. Had she foreseen the child’s abilities? And who could have possibly passed down the trait to him? “I need your help,” Sesa said seriously. “Once I take Shinsu to see his brother, I...I want to bring them both back to Sanghelios.” “What?” she said, wincing at the sound of her voice carrying throughout the room. “But his training―” “Can be completed here, just like Shinsu’s,” he finished. “I cannot leave them together, it would be unsafe for Shinsu. But if Tuka is to be kept at High Charity, someone will discover who he is, sooner or later. Fayta has warned me to hide him, especially from...” He looked around again, and Katin could see the tendons in his arms tightening slightly. “...especially from the San’Shyuum.” It was then that she knew what he was saying. And she was so unprepared to hear it even though she already knew what he was about to ask of her. The shock that coursed through her being was so overwhelming that she didn’t know whether to be elated or terrified… He could clearly see it in her eyes, for his voice took on a nervous edge. “Katin, I want you to take in Tuka. Here, as one of your own.” Katin became aware that she was shaking her head, and even though she knew it would disappoint him, she found that she couldn’t bring herself to accept his plea. It gave her a twinge of guilt, but it was quickly smothered by the potential consequences should she do what he wanted. Sesa wasn’t quick to give up, however. “Katin, your family is one with a greater distrust of the San’Shyuum than any other...I am sure that the others could be persuaded to keep Tuka a secret...” Katin gripped the ends of her armrests tightly as if grasping at her own composure. “And if we are found out, what then?” she asked, fighting to keep her voice steady. “I know this is not an easy burden to take on, but if I am seen sending another one of my children away, the San’Shyuum would become suspicious...” “We would be exterminated,” she answered for him, cutting off his feeble reassurance. “The San’Shyuum have always had their eyes on us. They would not hesitate to declare us heretics for smuggling a child away from High Charity without their consent, and a diviner too, no less. Fayta is well-practiced in keeping her identity a secret, but your son will not be. One unpreventable mistake could result in the deaths of my family as well as yours.” She closed her eyes with a sigh of regret. “I am sorry, Sesa. But I cannot help you this time.” Sesa closed his mandibles, and looked down slowly. “Alright.” “I do know someone who can solve your problem, however,” Katin continued, not willing to leave her friend to his dilemma alone. “His family has none of the notoriety that mine does, and he is a renowned blademaster that will undoubtedly train Tuka to be as skilled as your brothers would have done. It will keep your son well out of the San’Shyuum’s scrutiny, I can promise you that much.” His gaze returned to her immediately upon hearing her words. “And who would that be?” “His name is Roni 'Visagee,” she told him. “I believe hiding your son in plain sight would be best for him. Since you intend for your stay to be brief, we should see him personally before you bring Tuka to Sanghelios.” Sesa got to his feet, encouraged by the plan. “We should be on our way then. Tonight.”
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