Obligations
by Wiebke Fesch

Same disclaimers and notes as Part 1.

-----Part 2-----

The boy could almost have been har, or rather a harling -- just on the verge of Feybraiah. He was just about the right size with a slight lingering softness in his face, the traces of childhood. What marked him as human, however, was not any major divergence but something subtle; his cheeks and chin were covered with curling reddish blond stubble, the beginnings of a beard.

Tarra stepped sideways to take Ranat by the shoulders. "My son," he introduced. With one hand he gestured to the strangers. "Ranat, these are Gelaming."

Ashmael was the first to introduce himself, followed by Seel and then Swift, who offered his hand. The boy took it gently without fear before stepping back.

Afterward teenager eyed the newcomers speculatively with the same light gray eyes as his father.

His father.

Tarra.

Swift wondered if the boy had any idea about his father. Did he know what Wraeththu were? Did he know the difference between har and man? They had been living in isolation. How long it had been since they had lived in society? So many questions.

It was Ashmael who finally broached the subject. With a quick glance to Tarra, gently he addressed the boy. "Ranat, do you understand what we are?"

He nodded. "Gelaming."

"We are not like you," Ashmael continued calmly.

"No," Ranat replied confidently, "you're Wraeththu. Like my father."

It had been confirmed. He _knew_.

"Yes," Ashmael confirmed. "Exactly." He spoke this time to Tarra. "Now would you be interested in coming back to the village with us? We can offer you shelter and there is no chance of your coming to harm."

"No Varrs to take my son from me," Tarra said softly.

"Had they tried?" Swift asked.

The father nodded. "Many times."

"They wanted to kill him," Seel said flatly.

"Yes," Tarra replied with a sharp intake of breath. "That was it. For years. But then recently it was too much -- I had to get away from them all because the time was coming near... We needed to be safe." His eyes fell on Ranat, the boy on the verge of becoming a man -- or Wraeththu. "But this is a matter to discuss later. Right now, I'd be happy to come with you. The house isn't ours -- we were only hiding -- but can you carry any of our things? We have clothes, books, inconsequentials..."

Ashmael nodded. "Of course. Let me have my hara bring the horses to the front." With his mind he summoned the soldiers from the back yard. When he saw Tarra taking note of this, he chuckled. "Impressive show of powers, by the way. What is your level?"

"Acantha," Tarra replied.

"Really?" asked Seel, who had been keeping quiet. "That display earlier seemed rather above that."

"Perhaps." He shrugged. "I've been alone out here for a long while -- two years actually. I practiced some on my own and of course being so fearfully angry gave me extra power when I needed it."

Presently Ilga and Troniel appeared in the doorway. "The horses are ready, Lord Ashmael," declared Troniel. Both of them eyed Tarra and Ranat with curiosity but kept their questions to themselves.

"We'll be outside," Ashmael said. "Just gather your things and come outside when you're ready. If we leave within a half an hour we can make it back to the village in time for dinner."

"Good Gelaming food," Ilga added. Swift and Seel both noticed the special look in his eye as he looked over to Tarra, a har who had not been looked upon by Wraeththu in two years but was certainly getting eyed in the present.

Ashmael was already out the door. The others followed momentarily, leaving father and son the task of packing.

"I can't believe it," Swift whispered. "His _son_! He's human!"

They were all facing one another but taking care not to huddle. The cottage no longer had a front door and if Tarra looked out and saw them whispering together he might be distressed.

"It's quite possible," Seel whispered back. "The boy's probably about fourteen. Fourteen or fifteen years ago, Tarra could have been human, could have fathered a son."

"And coupled with a human female?" Swift asked.

"That's how it's done," Ashmael replied dryly. "You wouldn't know about it -- you're pure-born -- but I do. I... did that."

Seel looked at him, surprised. "You did?"

Ashmael nodded. "I did. Not all of us had your predilections and," he added, quickly, "anyway, at the time I must say I enjoyed it."

Seel laughed and with that, the whispering was over. They waited a few more minutes and finally Tarra and Ranat emerged, travel bags in hand. Really they didn't have much but it hardly mattered. After they left the little stone house in the woods, they would be starting a new life.

TBC...