Opening Notes:

The long-awaited third chapter in this story. While life has become quite a bit busier on my end, my dedication to this and my main story hasn't diminished. Also, while the Halo TV show sadly didn't live up to expectations (at least for me), hopefully, this next chapter delivers on what was originally promised.


III: Iridescence


"You're late, human."

The human in question pulled up next to the large Sangheili on his Mongoose, wearing a worn desert poncho and a set of blue eyes, which he immediately shielded from the morning gaze that reflected off of the sentry's combat harness. The subtle thrum of the Astlehich river could be heard around them.

"I'm sorry, Cosze." The human shut off the vehicle's engine, turning his back to the Sangheili to undo a set of heavy straps that held a sizable crate to its rear seat. "I slept in after a long night out in the oasis."

The Sangheili chuckled at the boy's admission, noting the airholes on the side of the box before continuing. "I feared that the kali'thra had returned, only to pull you into its burrow."

"Not likely, Cosze, especially with the changing of seasons."

The alien shrugged. "Would've been a problematic discussion between the Keep and your outpost either way. Even so, not a week has passed since you've been allowed to traverse these sands alone and your duties to this union are already at risk of slipping."

"Hey! I brought something that'll make up for it once I'm inside the hut," the human countered, rotating back to the Sangheili with the covered crate now in his hands. He tore his attention skyward as the musical notes of the valley's fauna continued through the leafy greens. The completed Sangheili Keep stood erect in the distance and appeared to carry the weight of the horizon on its shoulders.

"Oh, is that so? Only a cycle in and the female already has you delivering her gifts out of appeasement."

"Who said it was a gift?"

Cosze offered a hearty laugh. "Come now, Ethan. Your defensive tone has already worked against you." The Sangheili leaned in closer to the budding adolescent. "But if you insist, perhaps it's best that I take a look my—"

"Absolutely not!" Ethan cried out, clutching the crate even tighter to his chest and pivoting away from the armored sentry. "It's meant to be a surprise and is for Xeva's eyes only."

The reaction earned him another laugh and what he'd long since come to know as a Sangheili smile.

"Of course, human. We wouldn't want the elder's niece going on another one of her famous tirades. Besides, he's far too busy to attend to such matters and I fear the idea of having to discipline her myself." Cosze shuddered and looked to the Sangheili hut behind them, which languidly rippled in the morning breeze. "I suggest that you get moving, otherwise she might grow bored and find another bauble to wear down and discard."

Ethan frowned at the thought but knew better than to get into a shouting match with the Sangheili, who actually proved to be one of the more cordial guards assigned to watch over the valley during their meetings. The boy nodded his head and said his goodbyes, picking up his pace to make it to the red turtle shell across the sandy courtyard, which now served as the midpoint between the two territories.

It had been a little over six months since he'd first set foot in the valley. During that time, Xytan 'Rotam had stayed true to his word, allowing their outpost and the Keep to meet regularly to discuss matters pertaining to the region as a whole. From what meetings he was allowed to be a part of, they spoke of methods of irrigation, hunting and trapping of wild game, supply line disputes, and so on. At least for him, such matters were secondary to the fact that Xeva was also allowed to take a seat at the table.

Afterwards, they were given a brief window of time to themselves, where he would assist Xeva with her English and she would offer further insight into Sangheili culture. He was amazed at how quickly she picked up the language, so much so that she was beginning to correct him on his mistakes. Sadly, he'd yet to be offered a window into hers. And it wasn't until more recently that they'd begun to meet daily and separate from the duties that were left to the clan elder and his father, who remained reluctant to have the boy dawdle in the river valley for extended periods of time.

Regardless, with tensions in the region finally settling down and him proving that he could reliably travel back and forth from the Addax outpost to their meeting spot, he was given his own means of transportation to uphold his end of the bargain. However, just because Cosze remained cordial, didn't mean that the other Sangheili followed suit. In fact, recently the hardest part of his visits often involved—

"Human…"

Ethan traced his eyes off the pebbled surface, up an armored leg, and was quickly met with the venomous gaze of his typical tormentor, who just so happened to be stationed outside of the Sangheili hut and now blocked direct entry into it. Despite being on the small side for their species, the alien still managed to tower well above him.

"Good morning, Fusa," he managed to force out.

"Hmm…it would appear that you're late again, Runt." The Sangheili adopted his usual cocky grin after the utterance of the last word, which had become a sort of pet name for the boy. Thankfully, no hard shoves followed from the alien gatekeeper.

The pair had performed this song and dance multiple times in the past week and it was beginning to wear on him. Fusa had evidently held a higher position at the Keep before being assigned to the Sangheili unit guarding the area. Unfortunately, this allowed the alien to get away with heckling the human adolescent while out of earshot of the others. To make matters worse, Ethan hated confrontation, so despite being perturbed and armed with his trusty Sidewinder, he simply chose to weather the blows in the hopes that Fusa would eventually grow bored of his presence and move on.

He sighed and tried to look the alien directly in the eyes.

"Look, I'm already late after being held back at the outpost, so if you could just…"

"Why didn't you signal that this was the case?" The Sangheili answered, taking a step forward and forcing the human to pivot himself towards the walls of the hut. "Your sudden disappearance would've caused quite the stir in the Keep and more importantly leave me exposed to further judgment." Ethan inwardly groaned, knowing that he was now stuck in another one of the Sangheili's arrogant spouts for dominance.

"Uhm, well…the communicator that was given to me failed shortly after I—"

"Another worthless excuse. However, at this point, I shouldn't be surprised at seeing such a deprived human fail at even the simplest of tasks." A cloudy eye marred by an elongated scar shifted off the boy's desert poncho and towards the crate in his hands. "And you're sure that this has nothing to do with it?" A clawed hand then shot forward towards the box, forcing Ethan to retreat and narrowly avoid capture.

"Come on, Fusa. Please just let me pass. This is meant for Xeva's eyes only."

Fusa snorted at the mention of the Sangheili female. "Oh, I'm sure that the elder's niece wouldn't mind if I take a closer look." The armored guard took another heavy step forward, shaking the ground and successfully pinning Ethan against the hut. With a triumphant laugh, Fusa moved to lift the cover off the crate, taking his time to relish the way in which the human squirmed. "After all, it's for her protection and we wouldn't want to spark—"

The Sangheili suddenly released a pained exclamation as his mandibles twisted alongside his wrist, which was swiftly torn from the crate and suspended in the air. Both parties noted the additional scars that were left to bake in the sunlight.

"Another war," his assailant finished. A pair of emeralds appeared through the darkness of the hut and fell to the human. "One that neither side can afford to fight at the moment." The slits were then accompanied by a show of teeth. "And if there's anyone in need of protection, it's you, Fusa."

"Release me at once!" Fusa snarled, attempting to break free of the powerful grip that held him in place. However, the dark blue appendage used the Sangheili's momentum against him, throwing him off balance and careening towards the other side of the hut, where he was quickly pacified by the second Sangheili, who boxed him in and now stood at eye level.

"Of course, Runt." The assailant relaxed their grip and took a long stride back towards an equally stunned human. "After all, we wouldn't want you damaging the other side of your face and losing what little remains of your honor."

Fusa roared at the open threat but looked to Ethan instead. "Calling upon the aid of a female to fight your battles? You humans are truly without honor. I bet she—"

"Enough!" The female bellowed and seized the other Sangheili's collar, drawing herself within centimeters of his face. "You will either fall in line, or I'll make sure that Xytan 'Rotam is made keenly aware of what transpired today, and that you'll live the rest of your days hiding from giant rak'tha in the Karfu mountains."

Fusa snarled once more but immediately checked himself, tearing his arm away from her loosened grip, placing an armored fist across his chest, and then ceding ground to the female as he back his way towards his original post. "Of course, Xeva. I seem to have momentarily forgotten my place and ask that you refrain from speaking to the clan elder about our little…verbal disagreement. I only wish to keep the both of you safe."

The female scoffed at the faux show of regret. "Just do as you're told, Fusa, and I won't have to strip you of your honor by gouging out your other eye." She then looked down at the human next to her and immediately corralled him with a long arm towards the entrance of the hut, making sure to use her larger body as a shield against the other male.

"Look, Xeva…" Ethan began as the pair passed through a series of burgundy curtains, which she turned around to hastily seal behind them. "You really didn't have to step in right there. Fusa and I were just…"

The boy trailed off as the Sangheili approached him, cuing him in on the fact that she had forgone wearing her usual combat harness. Instead, she wore an ornate helmet that sported a set of angled cheek guards, which ended with four golden bars protecting her mandibles.

A flowing dress was wrapped around her frame and fell to the ground in a series of serpentine wisps. The dress was further held in place by a silver buckle that lay offset on her hip. Its split collar guarded her long neck and contained gold lining that traveled down a diamond-shaped cutout on her chest, which hung loosely and was further wrapped in a mix of desert tones. The cutout also drew attention to her necklace, which contained three suns surrounding what looked to be another celestial body.

A pair of golden sleeves covered her forearms, yet also allowed her leathery hide to remain on display. The outfit was completed by a set of matching boots that traveled up her toned, digitigrade legs, which were further masked in bleached coverings.

While he had grown in the past cycle, the Sangheili before him had long since left him in the dust as she continued to shoot up like a weed, rivaling that of some of the male guards, who were quick to give the budding female a wide berth. However, given that she remained the only female of their race that he was allowed to see, he had mostly figured that these were just normal occurrences.

Nevertheless, her current stature left him about level with her chest, and as a consequence, forced him to tilt his head backwards to hold her powerful gaze, which softened as soon as their eyes met.

Still caught off guard by her sudden change in attire, Ethan made a move to speak, but Xeva leaned over to place a long finger across his lips—a human gesture that he'd taught her to avoid reproach from the adults during one of their more heated meetings. Although, with her, everything had to be transferred into physical interaction.

"We'll speak about this once we're in a more private setting."

She proceeded to give him a warm smile before spinning his body around, placing a supportive hand on his upper back, and then guiding him through the second pair of curtains, where another set of guards hastily filed out as soon as Xeva barked a series of commands in her native language—she sounded especially annoyed today.

Ethan was directed towards his usual seat, which he entered after securing his contents on the large table that sat at the center of the hut.

Each side of the central chamber had long since been decorated with relics pertaining to the given species, with the Sangheili showcasing intricate tapestries of Sanghelios and other, more militaristic objects that remained an integral part of their culture. As for the humans, well…their side of the wall largely lay empty, given the relative disparity that still existed between the two parties. Although, his secondary caretaker, Sonia, was now in the middle of creating colorful art pieces that would hopefully better represent their kind during future meetings.

Xeva took a moment to appraise the crate, brushing a large hand across its surface and trailing it along the decorative table cloth that had been created in commemoration of their agreement. She found her place across from him, pausing to straighten her dress as she turned her attention to a series of sharp daggers and intimidating pikes hanging on the closest wall. Her focus then bounced back to him, accompanied by a set of flared mandibles.

"Did he threaten you?"

"Who, Fusa?"

"What other Sangheili would we be talking about?" A concerned expression strewed across her face. "You mean to suggest that there are others?" Her eyes narrowed as another name came to mind. "Cosze."

"What? No Xeva, Cosze hasn't done anything outside of lighthearted jokes." Ethan paused, deciding whether or not to tell her the truth. While they'd become close over the last cycle, she had the tendency to overreact and throw her weight around, which tended to land her in hot water with her uncle. "It's just been Fusa. And while it's mostly just name-calling and light shoves, it's been this way…for a little while now."

"I see."

One of Xeva's predacious eyes twitched and she was immediately on her feet, no doubt intending for a second confrontation with his alien aggressor. Ethan was quick to intercept the raging bull, however, she easily pinned him against the closest wall while her other hand began to work at the first set of curtains. "Stay in the hut, Ethan. I'll be sure to make this quick."

"Please Xeva, we've talked about this. You can't go looking to pick fights and solve every situation with your fists."

The Sangheili pulled the final curtain aside, allowing light to once again flicker into the room. "I'm not going to use my fists; we're just going to have another 'verbal disagreement.'" She looked down at the hand that was currently spread across his chest. "He could've hurt you."

Up to this point, he saw her as the overprotective, big sister that he wished he had while growing up in the colony. Despite the outward kindness that she'd shown him since their first meeting, the fact remained that she was a force of nature once riled up and ran on a hair trigger, which often led to disastrous consequences. And while he was grateful that she would likely come to his defense without question; he wasn't helping her by letting her act this way. The boy placed both of his hands on her wrist, massaging it in a manner that usually worked to calm her down.

"But he didn't and won't ever take things that far, not when you're here by my side."

"But when I'm not, what then?" Her other fist tightened along with the seams of her dress.

She was seeing red again and he was close to losing her.

"Then I'll stand up for myself. Please, just stay here and we can start our lesson like normal."

Xeva gave him a look of uncertainty and gazed towards the entrance of the hut. "I'm sorry, Ethan. I can't take that chance, especially with you." She then closed her other fist around his poncho, momentarily lifting him off his feet to reposition him safely behind her. "That kiniji has to learn his lesson first."

With that, Xeva made a move for the second set of curtains, however, again the human managed to intercept her by stepping onto and grabbing hold of the ends of her dress, which stretched as a result of their sudden tug of war. After several failed attempts, the girl appeared to swear in her native language and then cast a long shadow over him.

"Let go, Ethan! I need to handle this myself."

"No, I'm not letting you get yourself into trouble again!"

Xeva gave another forceful tug on her end, nearly causing him to lose his balance and tumble to the ground. While Ethan remained steadfast and dug his heels further into the intricate fabric, he was still painfully aware that she stood head and shoulders above him and was still holding back. Indeed, she again flared her mandibles and latched onto the garment with both hands, which had now been stretched to its breaking point.

"This is your last warning."

He momentarily gazed down at the fistfuls of fabric still in his possession and then looked her straight in the eyes, noting the red tinge that had consumed it. "Thanks, but I'll take my chances."

It took Xeva a moment to register the meaning behind his words, but her hesitation dissolved in an instant and the fire in her eyes burned even brighter. A low, menacing growl then filled the room.

"So be it."

The Sangheili proceeded to give the human her very best, which proved to lift him clean off his feet as his body registered the shockwave that resulted from her violent yank. Between shouts, Ethan's world tilted in favor of the vaulted ceiling, producing various shades of red as gravity took over and the back of his head struck the hard surface of the table. As his vision blurred, he heard what sounded like a stampede of elephants move through the tent and towards his position.

Ethan closed his eyes on instinct and accepted his fate.

He then felt a large mass fall upon him, causing him to blackout.

Thankfully, the boy's senses soon returned to him and the sharp pain receded, allowing him to register the fact that he'd somehow ended up in a seated position. Long legs serving as guard rails stretched towards the entrance of the room, while the stray wisps of a frayed dress now lay draped across his own. A warm breath washed over him, followed closely by the sound of someone repeatedly choking in a foreign language. Ethan twisted his body to investigate, finding a pair of steady streams pass through a field of green—the girl that he currently rested upon had broken out into tears.

"X-Xeva?"

Her reptilian slits once again fell to him after the Sangheili fussed over his vitals like a mother hen. She then switched back to English for his benefit. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…I'm sooooo very sorry!"

She continued to repeat the same apology over and over again, breaking down even further until it became practically unrecognizable. All the while, her body continued to contort against the side of the table, letting off a series of sharp tremors, which bounced him across her lap. However, the boy would be remiss if she were allowed to stay this way.

Tempering the waves, Ethan moved a free hand towards Xeva's head, brushing the moister that hung from her snout.

"Wha-what are you doing?"

"You're crying and I wanted to make you feel better." He repeated the gesture on her opposite side, noting his reflection in the golden bars that guarded her face.

"But why would you help me…d-don't you hate me?"

The boy lifted an eyebrow at the audacity of her second question. "Am I supposed to?"

His answer flustered the girl even further and she threw her arms up in response. "Yes! Every time that I get worked up and fail to control myself…" The arms wilted alongside her broad shoulders. "You end up on the receiving end."

Ethan shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I kinda deserved it this time."

"But what about the time we first met, or when we were reunited on the beach?" She continued her line of questioning, no doubt hoping to convince him to act like the other Sangheili and avoid her wherever possible.

"And calling you an 'oversized, scaled lizard' and 'lumbering theropod' doesn't allow for some form of retaliation?" He surprised himself with his answer but figured that he was in the wrong either way.

Xeva took a moment to suck in a great lungful of air. "I mean…those words did hurt, and I didn't even know what the last one meant at the time." She appeared to be finally calming down. "But just because I'm bigger than you, doesn't excuse my physical responses to such words, and today…" Fresh tears began to stream down her face. "I'm nothing but a tyrant and could've easily killed you," she finished in a shallow whisper.

The Sangheili raised her hand, appraising the damage that it had also transferred onto her dress. Her mandibles morphed into a show of revulsion, then, without warning, she began to repeatedly bash herself across the head. "Stupid. Lumbering. Oversized. Spiteful. Girl. Can't. Even. Get—"

"Xeva!" Another pair of hands shot up in an effort to lock hers in place. The power that she threw into each blow was frightening, but he somehow managed to find the strength to hold her back. Now he was the one who was on the verge of tears. "Please stop hurting yourself."

"Why? Even my own kind are afraid of me, and all I do is leave a trail of misery and destruction in my path. It's…what I deserve." She deflated even further, pulling her arm towards the unsympathetic ground alongside her gaze. While Ethan was pulled down in return, he refused to let go and transferred her hand into his lap, where he tried his best to massage away the pain.

"Xeva?"

Though the girl failed to verbally respond, her body started to gradually sway under his influence. A deep thrum traveled through her core, displacing her passenger but also suggesting that his methods were working. He paused to take hold of her other hand, crossed it on top of the other, and then resumed his efforts, eliciting another heavy purr from the alien.

"Xeva, please talk to me. I'm here for—"

"Why are you always so nice to me? You of all people should be terrified of me…"

Her final response came in the form of a hopeless whimper, hinting at the fact that her mouth may have just revealed one of the darker fears that her brain had yet to allow surface. Although, silence ruled the red tent for but a moment, as Ethan had no reason to lie or manufacture a response outside of what he already knew in his heart.

An ocean of blue then looked towards her emeralds, which lifted off the dusty surface and shimmered thanks to the natural lighting that she had just forcefully pulled into their lives.

"Because you're worth it, and it's as simple as that."

Another tremor threatened to throw him off her, but Xeva was quick to save him by pulling him deeper into her hold, causing the back of his head to rest soundly against the cutout in her dress. Her body was now a furnace and he couldn't help but seek out its warmth while leaning further into it. Though, the boy was quickly met with surprise as his body settled against a pair of soft mounds, which he hadn't recognized before.

"Thank you…" The girl tickled his ear with her breath, then to his further astonishment, began to sing a melody in her native tongue. And while he couldn't decipher the message, he was enraptured by her precise inflections and the musical notes all the same. A set of beating hearts came to match his own, which was sent in a flutter. For she had a beautiful voice, one that reminded him of his mother.

How he'd come to miss her.

His thoughts of the past then began to pull him towards a darker place, but thankfully her angelic voice called to him once again.

"Ethan?"

"Yes, Xeva?" Looking back up earned him a concerned expression.

"Is something wrong? You started trembling in my arms." She loosened her hold as her mind began to jump to conclusions. "I made you uncomfortable again, didn't I? Apologies, I still need to work on controlling my strength, especially around humans."

The boy's eyes widened and he drew her arms back around him. "No! You were very gentle and I was quite comfortable. I guess that I'm just…cold all of the sudden."

Xeva smiled at his reply. "Leave it to a 'deprived human' to be unable to manage their body temperature." She used a hand to pool even more of her dress across his body, effectively winding him into a tight cocoon, then pressed him further against her body. "How's that?"

Despite her efforts, Ethan failed to respond, as he was now too focused on running a hand across the rich mosaics lining the outfit's golden edges. It was absolutely stunning and served to accentuate the finer aspects of her alien form. "Beautiful…"

The Sangheili immediately tensed up and a high-pitch squeak sounded above him. "What did you just say?"

Again, Ethan let his juvenile mind wander and in doing so told her the truth. "Your dress, it's beautiful, just like your voice."

The alien produced a sharp meep that sounded more like a bird than anything else. However, she quickly fell silent and allowed an air of awkwardness to fill the room. Ethan shifted his eyes back up to her out of concern, finding that the exposed areas around her cheeks had now shifted several shades darker. She quickly turned away from him, a response that he remembered from when they first met.

"Xeva, are you unwell? Your cheeks, they're—"

"N-No…I'm fine." After regaining her composure, she wrapped a thick arm around his body to keep him in place as her free hand shifted to assess the dress. She made sure to scoop his smaller hand into hers while closing her four fingers around the same piece of fabric. "This dress used to be my mother's. She would always wear it and sing that same song whenever, before she, before I…" Her other hand collapsed into a tight fist and the muscles held across his chest flexed. "I'd rather not talk about her right now if that's okay?"

Ethan nodded his head. "I understand and sometimes find it difficult to talk about my family, given that we, well, you know…" He sighed. "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

Xeva glanced up at the depiction of Sanghelios on the wall. "Don't be. I'm the one who chose to wear it, even though I'm much more comfortable in my bare skin than any dress."

"Why is that? The dress part that is, if you don't mind me asking?" Ethan hastily corrected himself.

"A very good question…" She looked to the crate on the table above them and her usual confidence returned. "I'm not sure that you're aware, human, but like most planets, Rakoi orbits the entirety of its star after a set period, marking a full cycle and a day of remembrance before the next cycle begins anew."

"I may be aware of such an occurrence, but the next Rakoi calendar has already begun." Ethan continued to use Rakoi instead of Carrow for her benefit. "What makes today so special?" He feigned ignorance but failed to hide a crafty smile. "Seems like just another ordinary day to—"

His foundation suddenly shifted, ending with him once again sprawled out on his back.

"Every time…" Ethan mumbled under the veil of his poncho, which he now found draped over his face. He forced it back into position, only to find an alien girl looming high above him. She made sure to plant a heavy footfall next to each side of his body for added effect, however, an anxious smile betrayed her actions. Ethan made sure to rescue her with a reassuring one of his own, a reaction that compelled her to stick her snout straight into the air and resume the role.

"Hmpf. A Sangheili female willingly sheds her armor and goes out of her way to dress up, yet he's unable to keep track of the days and only thinks for himself, typical male response."

"Uhm…thanks?"

Xeva buried her head in her hands, releasing an exasperated groan. "You're the absolute worst when it comes to speaking to girls."

"Especially the pretty ones," he added with a raised hand, triggering a darker shade of blue to form around the exposed parts of her cheeks. "Now, uh…would you mind doing me a favor and helping me back to my feet?"

"Do it yourself."

"Oh, come on…don't be that way. I'll make it worth your while."

Xeva gradually relocated her hands to her hip as the coloration on her face returned to normal. "What could you possibly hope to offer me that would undo such a thoughtless act?"

The boy thought for a moment. "Well, a nice hug and an apology for starters. After that, I guess you'll just have to trust me."

The girl gave him a dirty look. "Further body contact, now you're just pushing your luck." Xeva paused to adjust the cutout in her dress, giving him another glance at the shallow knolls that failed to hold it in place. She then shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose I can just use you as target practice and then toss your body in the river if I'm left unsatisfied."

"Shoot…" Ethan replied. "I guess that I'm stuck between a rock and a…" He finally registered his verbal blunder. "Wait—ignore that first part!"

"Are you sure?" Xeva unfastened the plasma pistol from her side and leisurely waved it through the air. "You keep using that word, but I do not think it means what you think it means. Perhaps we should settle this little…cultural distinction here and now."

"Alright, now you're actually starting to scare me."

"I tend to have that effect on people."

"Xeva…"

"Fine, fine. Don't shoot the defenseless human who may as well be groveling at your feet." She holstered her weapon and then stepped to the side in order to place a supportive hand in front of his face. "Now hurry up before I decide to go looking for another human to torment."

"You're cruel."

"I know." She beamed down at him. "But you're stuck with me."

He was on his feet in short order, but Sangheili didn't stop there, pulling him into another tight hug, which he returned in kind.

"Thanks for playing along," she whispered, taking a moment to massage his hair like normal. Xeva then looked towards the crate on the table. "I knew that you wouldn't forget—you're not like them."

While he had no idea what she meant by the last part, Ethan was grateful that she cared enough to surprise him on this special day, even calling back to the little misunderstandings that marked their first interaction.

Ethan shifted his gaze skyward and found her eyes. "I try my best. But what about your moth—I mean your dress?" He made an attempt to look away, but a leathery hand shifted up to lock him in place.

"Stop. I refuse to allow you to risk your honor to cover for my actions. Besides, I know of a certain Unggoy back at the Keep who's quite the little seamstress. I'm just glad that you like it." Xeva let go of him, encasing his hand inside of hers and allowing her warmth to flood his body. "Regardless, I do believe it's time to take advantage of that sacred human trust that I've been hearing so much about," she finished in a musical voice and a wink, which was something else that she'd managed to pick up from their lessons.

"Oh, right. Uhm…please follow me." He felt blood rush to his face, which earned him a soft chuckle from on high and a light squeeze. Xeva seemed to be actively going out of her way to hold his hand as of late, at least privately. Although, he was more than happy to oblige because if anything, he loved seeing the way her mandibles shifted into a genuine smile.

The boy then directed the girl to her usual seat and repositioned his gift in front of her. Given the height disparity, Ethan chose to stand next to her to remain at approximately eye level, much in the same manner as the later parts of her lessons, where she often requested him to be as close to her as possible.

A wave of anxiety overtook him. "I thought long and hard about what I wanted to get you for a present. And…I hope that I picked out the right one."

Despite the unshakable warrior's persona that she often projected while around other Sangheili, he learned early on that she had an affinity for animals, which took the form of an endless stream of questions about the creatures back on Earth and how they compared to those on Sanghelios and the different Sangheili colonies.

He eventually managed to convince his father to make a trip to Suraka to obtain several encyclopedias as well as allow for him to start documenting their own discoveries of the creatures that walked, slithered, and skittered across Carrow's surface, all material that Xeva consumed in record time while confined to the Keep and this hut.

In the end, he felt bad that she lacked the same freedoms as him and was ultimately unable to explore Carrow's surface firsthand.

Xeva finally noted the airholes on the side of the crate, causing her emeralds to light up and her legs to shuffle back and forth in giddy excitement. However, she was quick to correct herself before glancing his way and clearing her throat.

"You didn't."

"I did."

The girl failed to suppress her second wave of elation as she removed the cover and dipped a hand into the box.

Naturally, Xeva enjoyed some animals more than others, namely large reptiles. However, the creatures that spanned Carrow's deserts, caves, and narrow pockets of green were practically all outfitted with several means of skewering, maiming, poisoning, or just outright crushing his delicate human form. And what was large to a Sangheili was positively massive to a human, a trait that the creatures of Carrow managed to carry in spades.

However, after careful research, a subtle nudge in the right direction from Xeva herself, some help from his father, and a lot of luck, he managed to locate a suitable match in the outer reaches of the Masov Oasis, or so he hoped.

"She's beautiful…"

Xeva raised the colorful rope of dark-brown, iridescent scales out into the open, allowing it to slither from her hand and around her arm as though it were a tree branch. An orange tongue steadily lapped in the air, while a pointed snout and curious slits gazed straight into that of the Sangheili's. The serpent, which was about as thick as his forearm, appeared to be held in some kind of trance thanks to its exciting new environment.

"It took us over a month to track one down. However, in the end, we actually came across her by accident. She was hiding behind one of the rear tires of our Warthog, under the cover of darkness, and was probably displaced from her original network of tunnels," he explained.

"A Masov Sunbeam." The Sangheili tucked in her mandibles to look as nonthreatening as possible and then brought her snout within centimeters of the comparatively tiny snake, whose shoveled horns and dorsal plates had yet to fully develop. "And a neonate at that."

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry that I couldn't find anything larger."

Xeva waved a hand at him. "Nonsense, they're rare enough as it is, and she would've likely not lived long enough to form a new burrow. In fact, I feel privileged just by being able to hold one in my hands…"

While the Sunbeam lacked venom in a traditional sense, the enzyme that they secreted to develop their tunnels could still be used alongside thick coils to pacify their prey, which at this size was predominately scaled lizards. However, if they were able to successfully avoid their own predators during their first few years of life, they would eventually come to rely on them for food as well.

"…especially since she'll become far larger than either of us if she's given enough time."

"If the stories recorded by the original settlers turn out to be true."

Xeva laughed. "You humans do tend to exaggerate things." She stopped to allow the inquisitive serpent to pivot around and slowly slink back down her arm. "Regardless, I wouldn't mind seeing her live long enough to create tunnels that even a fully grown Sangheili could walk through unhindered, or watch from afar as she lays her sand traps against an unsuspected herd of enubaro."

The boy shuddered at the thought of an entire enubaro being swallowed whole after falling into one of their tunnels. Despite being long-lived and able to grow to indefinite sizes, the one on Xeva's arm would likely take years to even reach the point that Xeva just described. Also, they appeared to be quite lethargic during the daylight hours, which he found to be rather ironic, given the name that the original records used.

"Or an unsuspected human," he joked.

The girl frowned. "Sunbeams are said to be highly intelligent and able to differentiate between what is and what isn't a meal, or a threat should one accidentally mistake their tunnels for shelter. And outside of feeding, they become very tolerant to the presence of another species, even seeking them out in times of distress, which is probably why you stumbled across her in the first place. Besides, I bet a native enubaro tastes better than any strange, foreign human."

While she was likely right and a Sunbeam was relatively low on the 'guaranteed to make this your last day on Carrow' list, it paid to have a healthy dose of respect for every creature that called this planet home.

"I really hope that's not you speaking from experience…"

Xeva pouted and gave him a light shove. She then pulled the snake next to her face and leaned in close to him, making sure to give him the Sangheili equivalent of puppy dog eyes. "Do we really look like we'd go out of our way to eat an unsuspected, kindhearted human such as yourself?"

The Sunbeam also turned its head to him, tickling his face with its forked tongue several times before deciding that Xeva's helmet required further investigation. He noted how its scales shimmered against the natural lighting as it continued its slow ascent, pooled itself on the very top of her head, and then poked its own head out from between a set of coils to gaze upon its golden reflection.

"Uhm…no."

"Good answer. Otherwise, Utssi would've had to watch me repeatedly dunk your head in the Astlehich river, and she's probably traumatized enough as it is."

"Utssi?" Ethan asked, looking back up to the snake, whose head had since disappeared behind an array of carefully aligned coils.

"Yes, I've already picked out a name for her." Xeva carefully maneuvered the snake back into her arms. "I think that it fits her personality well," she beamed, moving to shield 'Utssi' from the excess lighting and stroking her scales as an additional layer of comfort. "After all, she's another misunderstood soul who's just looking for a place to call..." The girl's voice fizzled out as she continued to stare longingly at the colorful serpent.

"H-Home…"

Xeva let her shoulders fall in a show of defeat as reality finally set in.

"I can't bring Utssi back to the Keep. While I could probably hide her in my bed-chamber to prevent discovery, I'd struggle to adequately feed her and she wouldn't have the life that I'd want for her, especially once she started growing in size."

The girl looked inside the empty box, acknowledged its four walls, and sighed. "And while words cannot describe how thankful I am for this glimpse into what Rakoi has to offer on the outside…" Her arms maneuvered towards the opening. "I think it's best if we just return her to the Masov Oasis and continue to pretend like she'll be—"

"I'll raise her," Ethan announced, moving both of his hands to support the weight of the serpent alongside Xeva. "At least until she's large enough to fend for herself." He then looked the girl straight in the eyes. "And you'll get a chance to visit her regularly."

"You seem so certain."

"I…" The boy faulted, suddenly realizing the responsibility behind his previous statements. "Well, how hard can it be? There's no shortage of scaled lizards around Addax, and the sandstone structure that I live in is pretty much isolated from the rest of the compound. Also, I'm sure that it wouldn't take too much to convince my father that it's for a good cause, given that he helped locate her in the first place."

"And me?"

"With my father on our side, your uncle would have to listen to reason and allow you to visit. He can't keep you locked behind those walls forever."

Xeva released a bitter laugh. "If only you knew the Sangheili that storms those halls."

Ethan took sole possession of Utssi and gently placed her back in the box, closing the lid afterwards to allow her to escape the Sangheili's sudden mood swing. "Surely he's doing it for your protection and cares about what you—"

"The only thing that my uncle cares about is our clan's preservation. My happiness will always be secondary to his personal aspirations. Also, I don't need his or anyone else's protection!"

Xeva stormed out of her seat, moving to tower over him in an attempt to shut him down through sheer intimidation—a Sangheili tactic that he'd become all too familiar with over the past few months. However, his past interactions with Xytan 'Rotam went against her declarations, and he wouldn't let her make such sweeping accusations without further evidence.

"I'm having a hard time believing that," he finally responded.

"Then you're a fool who will only be left disappointed once his true colors are shown." She pivoted away from him, grabbed hold of her tattered dress, and once again looked to the worn depiction of Sanghelios on the wall.

Ethan sighed, taking a step forward to place a comforting hand on one of hers. "Your uncle cares for you, Xeva. He has to, otherwise…" He motioned around the room. "All of this wouldn't have happened. And we…" The boy massaged the girl's wrist, "…would've never had the chance to see each other again."

Ethan attempted to pull Xeva's hand away from her dress. Luckily, she humored him and he soon found his hand buried within hers.

"You don't know my uncle, Ethan, or what he did during the war."

"Maybe, but I do know you."

The Sangheili gave him another rueful laugh. "You've only been allowed to see my better half…" She squeezed his hand to the point of discomfort to emphasize the fact. "I'm so much worse underneath." She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "And like every Sangheili female, I'm just an object to be passed around by those who have little regard for what I actually want in life."

"Are…are you saying that you never wanted us to be friends?" Ethan looked to the ground in dejection.

"No!" Xeva lifted his chin with her opposite hand. "What I'm saying is that I'm prepared for the worst and…a world without you in it." She then looked away. "Sorry for ruining what was supposed to be a special day. It's just…sometimes I wonder whether my life has any meaning, or if I'm just supposed to continue bludgeoning my way through it, angry…and alone."

Ethan didn't immediately know how to respond. There were clearly still layers of her past, which left her in isolation, and she didn't want them trudging through. And though he was curious to uncover the finer details of what made her tick, what she really needed right now was someone to help her mend in the present. He thought back to what she had said earlier.

"And what do you actually want?"

Xeva paused, taking another moment to reflect on his final question. "To live a life worth living…" She looked down at their hands, "…and enjoy it with someone who understands the deepest parts of me."

Ethan couldn't help but smile as he wrapped himself around her wide frame, a move that she accepted without question. "Xeva, as long as we're together, I'll do my very best to make sure that you get to live that life."

He felt a heavy hand press against his back, refusing to let go as Xeva lowered herself and came to rest her head on his closest shoulder. She released a series of sharp shudders but otherwise remained silent in their continued embrace. For the first time since he'd met her, Ethan registered the scent of clean feathers radiating off her body, which surprised him considering that the Sangheili currently wore none. He then felt her voice tickle the hairs on the back of his neck as her golden mandibles brushed up against them.

"You're too good to me."

After a short pause, Xeva released him from her hold, returned herself to a standing position, and then smiled down at him. "Despite not knowing how to talk to girls, you always seem to stumble over the right words when talking to this one," she stated, bumping a generous hip into his side and throwing him off balance.

Upon recovery, Ethan went red as a beet, pivoting away in feebled attempt to hide his face.

"What's the matter, Ethan? Are you unwell?" She teased, mimicking his voice while failing to suppress a series of giggles. "Your cheeks, they're—"

"I get it…"

A nearby hiss directed their attention to the box, where a familiar serpent had since broken out of her cage and situated herself at the end of the table, gazing back at them with what looked to be concern.

"Did you come to check on us, Utssi?" Xeva cooed, causing the Sunbeam to tilt her head and wiggle her tail like a dog. "While we appreciate the concern, Ethan and I managed to work things out."

"We did?" He jested, earning himself a death glare and a sharp jab to the shoulder. "Ow, I mean…yeah, I guess we did."

Xeva's gaze softened as she turned back to the Sunbeam. "Ignore the whiny human, Utssi. His kind isn't exactly the brightest or the most articulate for that matter."

"Hey! What's that supposed to—mmph!"

The Sangheili smothered the boy with a single finger. "Hush, the adults in the room are talking." Ethan gave her an indignant pout but held his tongue, giving Xeva enough time to bundle the serpent back into her arms. "Regardless, thank you for coming to check on us, Utssi. I hope that we weren't too loud?"

Even though the Sunbeam lacked any form of shoulders, she appeared to shrug all the same. Much to their astonishment, Utssi then prepared a bed of coils in the Sangheili's arms, deciding that it was the best place to rest her wedge-shaped head.

Xeva responded to the show of trust with a low purr, proceeding to coax Utssi into a deeper slumber with what he could only assume was another Sangheili lullaby. After finding success, Xeva turned to him. "I think she's made the decision for us."

Ethan nodded his head. "What do we do now? Though I had another lesson planned and everything, I think it's best if we just call it a day."

The Sangheili gave him a funny look. "What else would we call it?"

"What else would we…Oh! Sorry. 'Call it a day' means to stop working," he clarified, surprised that he'd yet to use the expression during their previous lessons.

"Human idiom?"

"Yeah…human idiom."

"And to stop working would also mean that you'd have to go back to Addax?" Xeva continued her line of questioning while also gently running a hand across Utssi's scales.

"Yeah…"

Both of them looked at the empty crate on the table.

"Ethan, how much of what you said today was true, about me and your willingness to see things through until the end?"

"Every word of it."

"On your honor?"

"On my honor."

The girl turned back to the boy and grinned.

"Want to kill two disobedient Kig-Yar with one particle beam?"

[—]


"This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, this is so very—Oof!"

Ethan closed one of his eyes in an effort to block out the residual pain and kept his attention on the dunes in front of them, which continued to disappear under the tires of his Mongoose. "Why did you just hit me?!" He shouted back to his disorderly passenger.

"You were having another panic attack and scaring Utssi," she replied, shifting her hand back around his waist to check on his second passenger, who was no doubt peeking her head out of the box to assess the added commotion. "The worst is almost over, Utssi. I promise that we'll be there soon," the Sangheili cooed.

"How can you say that?" Ethan continued to yell over the four-stroke, hydrogen-injected rocket that they all currently sat upon. "Xeva, we practically drove off right in front of Cosze, who was about as angry as I've ever seen a Sangheili. When news spreads of your disappearance…" The boy's color drained from his face. "We shouldn't have departed towards Addax. We should just turn around and—"

"Keep moving, Ethan. I want them to come for us. Because if this alliance has any true meaning in my uncle's eyes, he'll be forced to respond in our favor."

"Or just decide to separate us forever." He glanced back into her emeralds, failing to hide the worry that was etched into his own. "I didn't want our last day together to be today. Maybe if I drop you off along the path leading back to the hut and take Utssi with me, they'll just forget about what happened and we'll—"

"Lose all of the leverage we just gained. No, I expect to discuss terms while in your territory and nowhere else. Besides, the way Fusa's mandibles twisted in horror upon discovering our departure under his watch was more than worth it. Now, eyes forward before you kill us both."

Ethan sighed, frustrated at her persistence and the cowardice that he now wore on his sleeve. "Fine, but we have to be smarter about…" The boy faced forward, only to find himself careening towards a set of jagged boulders.

"Crap!"

Ethan swerved the Mongoose as hard as he could to the side, causing two of its wheels to momentarily leave the ground as they narrowly averted disaster. After regaining control and pointing the vehicle back in the right direction, he allowed himself a few precious breaths, registering the death grip that Xeva still held around his body. He also noted the fresh divots in his favorite poncho thanks to the Sangheili's sharp claws.

"Too…close…" He managed between breaths.

The tension around his waist released. "Now I know why my uncle wouldn't stop ranting about human transports after his return. Your piloting skills also need some work."

"Piloting? Says the Sangheili who's never actually driven a Mongoose before," Ethan countered, directing his attention towards the red cliffs that began to box them in on both sides, marking their close proximity to the human outpost.

Despite their less than stealthy departure from the river valley after using a side exit in the Sangheili hut, Ethan had no intention of going through Addax's main passageways. Colts and company would surely be on the lookout and stop them as soon as they noticed the 230 or so centimeter tall alien clung to his body.

"First impressions are everything, and you've yet to impress on that front." He suddenly felt Xeva shift her bulk, forcing him to apply another overcorrection to prevent the Mongoose from rolling over and smashing into a nearby rockface. "Isn't that right, Utssi?"

A muffled hiss came in agreement, provoking a groan from their driver.

"Well, it doesn't help that the path keeps narrowing and you two keep distracting me. Also, we're carrying a lot more weight than I'm used to, so everything…" He paused to dodge another set of rocks, "…is far less responsive."

"Did you just call me overweight?!" The girl made sure to clock him across the head a second time, albeit much softer than before. "Just because I stand a head taller than most Sangheili my age, outmatch even some of the males in terms of strength, and look after my body through carefully regimented workouts and constantly sparring with the few Sangheili willing to approach me, doesn't mean that you have any right to sit there and say that having a little extra muscle means that I'm—"

"Xeva!"

"What?!"

Ethan cut the power and awkwardly maneuvered himself back onto solid ground. He then faced the enraged female still perched on the rear seat of the Mongoose, who stuck out her chest and had another fist pulled back in anticipation of a brawl, despite still being outfitted in a dress.

"We're here, so please keep your voice down and holster your uhm…weapon. Also, you're scaring Utssi."

Xeva briefly looked around, realizing that they had in fact reached the outskirts of Addax. She then glanced down to the crate still locked in her opposite arm, discovering that Utssi had indeed chosen to seek refuge behind its unfastened, flimsy cover.

"Oh…"

Xeva's cheeks immediately turned several shades darker. The Sangheili transferred an opened fist to the bottom of the box and brought it to eye level. "Sorry about that, Utssi. When I get angry, I tend to throw punches and ask questions later. Can you come back out here so we know that you're okay?"

After a brief pause, a pointed snout timidly pushed open the lid, allowing for a pair of yellow eyes to shimmer against the sunlight. Utssi then tilted her head, letting out a soft hiss before deciding to tickle the Sangheili's snout with her orange tongue.

"Thanks, Utssi. I'll make sure to better control my anger when I'm around you." Xeva nuzzled the serpent out of gratitude, then slowly directed her back into the box. "But I need you to stay in there for a little longer, you're almost to your new home."

With Utssi safe and sound, the Sangheili turned to glare at him. "Well, aren't you going to say something as well?"

"Huh? You seem to have calmed her down on your own."

Xeva huffed and tossed a long leg over the side of the Mongoose with the grace and dexterity of a gymnast, forcing him backwards as she departed the vehicle. She made sure to stretch herself out before grabbing hold of the box once more. "To me, you idiot."

"Oh, uhm…" Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, looking up to give her a nervous smile. "You're great with animals?"

Her emeralds took on an even sharper edge as she slowly pushed the box into his hands.

"Males…"

Xeva stomped away from him, allowing the wisps of her dress to lightly brush against the dusty trail as she quickly determined the correct direction to Addax without his assistance.

Ethan sighed. "Girls…"

He looked down at the box, making sure that enough airflow was still available to the little Sunbeam, who poked her head back out to regard him with concern. "Don't mind her, Utssi. While she gets kinda moody sometimes, she's a gentle giant once you really get to know her."

"I heard that!"

The boy internally kicked himself at his poor word choice, clearly not learning from his past mistakes. Luckily, Utssi distracted him with her thoughts, which came in staccato-like hisses that one would normally associate with a snake. Although, it was still weird being in the presence of one whose intelligence was likely even more advanced than that of a chimpanzee back on Earth. For some reason, Ethan was now filled with giddy excitement at the thought of getting to raise her, even though there would likely come a day where she'd grow to be far too large for Addax to handle.

An odd picture then entered his mind, one that involved him riding through the desert wastes on the back of Utssi like she was some kind of bronze stallion. While he doubted that she'd ever let him do such a thing, the image still provoked a stupid grin out of him, causing Utssi to give him an equally funny look.

"Oh, I just imagined what it would be like once the roles are reversed and you'll be the one carrying me around," he answered truthfully, provoking another series of hisses that he failed to understand. "Yeah…pretty silly, huh?"

Utssi gave him another one of her little shrugs and then pulled herself back into the box to escape the harsh sunlight.

With Utssi sorted out, he refocused his attention further up the path that Xeva had chosen, which led to a steep gradient that winded up the side of the red cliffs. After taking a moment to collect his other belongings from the Mongoose, Ethan quickened his pace to catch up to the Sangheili female, trudging through the narrow pockets of desert foliage that lay strewed across the uneven surface.

While Addax had two main passageways, there were several hidden paths such as this, which allowed one to sneak to and from the compound unnoticed. In the past, there were times when he needed to distance himself from the rest of his kind, upset at the cruel twist of fate that had befallen him back on the colony.

A dead mother and a presumed to be dead brother.

The cost of a war that no one wanted, yet even as ghosts from the past came to torment him in the late hours of the night, one night in particular set in motion a chain of events that lead him here, catching up to a member of the race that was responsible for slaughtering half of his family.

Yet he now thought of her as family.

Strange how time seemed to mend a wounded heart.

Although, he figured that her attitude still needed a little bit of work.

Nevertheless, Ethan continued his way up the sawtooth slope, which fell away as he crested its peak and revealed an all too familiar Sangheili inspecting the courtyard below. He took several additional steps to join her side and note the activity as well.

Despite still being early in the morning, the latest wave of caravans passing through the region had their tents pitched in a wide semi-circle and stalls pulled open, offering everything from medicinal remedies to provisional weaponry, basically the absolute necessities needed to survive out on the frontier. Given the high volume of wildlife roaming through the area, all manner of furs and pelts were collected with the intention of bringing them back across the Uldt desert and towards Suraka in the far east.

Though the current populace was overwhelmingly human, a small band of Kig-Yar found themselves on the fringes of the sizable courtyard, offering up an array of glittery objects that caught the light at different angles. They had apparently traveled some distance in the service of their Matriarch, out of the way of either human or Sangheili territory. Of course, Colts and John wanted them gone as soon as they appeared on their doorstep because, at this point, it was well known that every Kig-Yar chick yearned for the life of piracy, something that went against the very nature of Addax.

However, these Kig-Yar proved to be particularly friendly, offering their services practically free of charge to anyone willing to provide them information on the movement of their own kind, which he found rather odd given that they were the only clan that Addax was readily aware of. Nevertheless, his father had the final say in the decision, which saw to it that the strange aliens would be safely sheltered within the red canyons after their supposedly arduous journey, yet also under constant watch due to harbored suspicions.

As for him, he stayed well clear of the giant space chickens, especially after he accidentally bumped into one while heading out to do his midday chores. Their darker skin matched a crown of genuine feathers, which was sent into disarray as the two collided and his smaller mass was sent tumbling. Naturally, this earned him a series of angry squawks before John stepped in to defuse the situation. While the particularly large Kig-Yar eventually left in peace, he still felt their angry eyes track him on several other occasions as he went about his day.

He'd be glad once the unsettling, bird-like creatures finally decided to pack up and leave. After all, he already had an entire henhouse to deal with regularly and didn't much care for having to constantly look over his shoulder while traversing what he'd like to think was his home.

Ethan shifted his attention to the Sangheili next to him. "Addax has changed quite a bit since you last visited."

"I can see that," Xeva replied in a caustic voice, tearing her gaze off the gaggle of Kig-Yar. "We should keep moving, the birds are known to stick their beaks in places they shouldn't."

Xeva swiftly latched onto him, apparently forgiving his past deeds in favor of being as close to him as possible. Like before, she was quick to determine the best path forward, hugging the side of the rockface while keeping the back of his head pressed against her chest.

Thankfully, the morning disputes surrounding the courtyard covered their advance and it didn't take long for the pair to make it to ground level, only a dozen or so meters from the nearest sandstone structure, which had an all too familiar hutch attached to its side.

"Lead me to your bedchamber, Ethan. We'll wait for them there," the Sangheili female whispered in his ear.

He nodded his head, taking the lead after shifting the box in his arms so that he could grab hold of her hand. "Follow me and be light on your feet. We don't want to disturb—"

"Hmpf. A Sangheili warrior doesn't bumble around like some flatfooted Orzeha…"

Ethan exhaled, realizing that his questionable word choice had managed to set Xeva into another frenzy. He allowed her to get halfway through an exhaustive list of sacred pillars of something or another before a characteristic squawk made his blood run cold, compelling him to set Utssi's box down in favor of reaching up with both hands to force Xeva's mandibles shut.

"Shush…or else they'll hear you!"

Xeva was quick to overpower him and break free from his grasp, flexing her mandibles as if to verify that everything remained attached and in working order.

"I thought we agreed that I'd be the one who does the shushing? And who's they?" She answered with a raised eye ridge.

"Well, by 'they,' I actually mean—"

The sound of incessant squawks cut him off as his dark-feathered, avian aggressor finally chose to make their presence known, stepping out into the open. A crimson comb stood alert alongside a matching wattle that jiggled with each tyrannical step the creature transferred to the sands beneath it. After flaunting their presence even further, they came to an abrupt halt, casting a long shadow down the narrow alleyway that led to his shelter.

"Ethan…what's that creature in front of us?" Xeva asked, continuing to whisper out of what almost seemed like fear, all of which directed towards the tuff of feathers in front of them, who cocked their head and then decided that the stray pellets of feed beneath them required attention.

"Huh?" He couldn't help but laugh. "You're telling me that you don't know what a chicken is? Or…" He scratched his chin. "I guess a rooster in this case."

His question flustered the supposed Sangheili warrior. "Those encyclopedias that you got for me weren't exactly in the best condition, and pages were missing. This creature…" Xeva motioned to the clucking rooster, "…was definitely one of the ones left out. Is it dangerous?"

"Is a rooster dangerous?" Ethan turned back to the miniature dinosaur, who not only served as his alarm clock but was also the most single-minded, pigheaded, and disruptive chicken under his care. And his claws were more than sharp enough to leave deep scratches. "Well, as far as Rakoi is concerned? No. They're domesticated birds; pretty much harmless as long as you don't go punching them in an open courtyard," he joked. "Although, I still wouldn't consider him to be safe."

The rooster looked back up at them, clucking several times before deciding to start his usual jaunt around the edge of the building. He also made sure to puff out his chest and look as threatening as possible to the strange alien that towered above him.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Well, for starters…his name is Bandit, and he's an asshole."

Xeva gave him a questioning look. "Asshole? I'm not sure what you're—"

The Sangheili was immediately cut off by the irate rooster, who let off a cacophony of predatory squawks, then charged headlong down the alleyway as fast as his stubby legs would carry him, fully intending to defend the henhouse from a supposed intruder.

Xeva was quick to respond with a raised heel but was prevented from punting the little dinosaur into orbit by an iridescent noodle, who slithered out of her box and placed herself between the warring factions, brandishing a set of pearly fangs in an attempt to look as menacing as possible.

Surprisingly, the serpent's added presence proved enough for Bandit to stumble and backpedal up the shallow ramp leading to the coop, now focusing his entire attention on the colorful serpent and her flurry of shrill threats. However, the battle for supremacy eventually fell in Utssi's favor, causing the rooster to retreat fully into the hutch itself.

With an outcome determined, Utssi turned back to them, wiggling the end of her tail before another wave of fatigue overtook her. She looked to the sands beneath them for shelter, but Xeva moved to cradle her in her arms, shielding the little Sunbeam from the harsh sunlight that now came to beat down on their heads.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue, Utssi. I'm not sure how well I would've faired without you," the Sangheili uttered softly, earning herself a series of slowly dampening tail shakes as Utssi's snout collapsed onto her leathery bed. Xeva then shifted her gaze down to him. "We should get her inside."

He nodded, peeking out of cover to gauge whether they'd been detected as a result of Bandit's most recent spout of overconfidence. Luckily, the din of courtyard squabbles continued to leave them unnoticed. He picked up Utssi's crate and directed them towards the entrance to his sandstone home.

"Sorry about the rooster, his primary job is to protect the hens, which are typically much more docile."

Xeva gave him another confused look after matching his stride, which was probably becoming painfully slow by her standards. "And these 'hens' are female chickens, correct? What's their purpose?"

"Well, we mostly rely on them for their eggs and…wait." Ethan's brain finally registered the fact that the coop had been left wide open and unattended. "It's strange that the rooster was out here in the first place." He changed directions and leaned down in front of its opening to get a proper headcount, determining that all chickens were still accounted for. Regardless, something didn't quite sit right with the boy.

After receiving a face full of feathers thanks to its upset gatekeeper, he managed to resecure the door, then looked back to find himself now faced with an equally unamused Sangheili.

"Hens are just glorified incubators, aren't they?"

"Well, I guess that's one way to put it," Ethan replied, unsure as to why such a fact would upset her. "Anyways…" He attempted to redirect the conversation. "I couldn't have possibly left it open after I departed for the river valley."

Xeva raised an eye ridge. "You suspect that another creature may have broken in?"

It took all of his willpower not to say that he suspected foul play.

"Maybe."

Ethan shuffled the box in his hands as the uncomfortable thoughts began to once again flood his mind. He looked towards his shelter in an effort to ignore them. "It was probably nothing, let's escape this morning heat so Utssi has a chance to rest under the cover of darkness."

The girl nodded, keeping a protective hand over the Sunbeam. "Understood, now lead me into your bedchamber."

The boy returned the gesture, letting a bloom of uncertainty guide them until they stood before his home, which was guarded by a door that had seen far better days. Ethan gave it a few good tugs before its hinges submitted to his will and allowed it to fall inwards, kicking up a cloud of dust that was left to fall across the threshold.

While he'd never seen Xeva's room, the term that she continued to use to describe it already made him feel inadequate. After all, their completed Keep served as a constant reminder of his poor upbringing and made it hard to think of her as anything but royalty.

He took a deep breath and then crossed the threshold with renewed haste, sorting and straightening any stray object that would serve to block Xeva's path. After placing Utssi's crate on his dresser at the far end of the room, he turned back to witness the Sangheili duck her head underneath the canted doorway.

Still holding Utssi in her arms, Xeva placed herself in the center of the room, using the chiseled-out skylights to see through the otherwise dimly lit area. She scanned it in its entirety, one section at a time, no doubt noting the hard mattress that lacked any form of support or bedframe, a creaky wardrobe that only held dated outfits compared to the one he currently wore, an even worse off desk that served as a cluttered reading space, and the plethora of posters depicting human colonies, UNSC and post-covenant spacecraft, Carrow's wildlife, or various pre-war cinematography. In fact, Xeva's frayed dress remained the most elegant piece within the sandpit that he called a room.

"S-Sorry, I'm afraid that it isn't much."

"But all this is still yours," Xeva replied, looking down to adjust her mother's dress before situating herself on top of his poor excuse for a mattress, which deformed under the added weight. She then patted what little space remained next to her. "Come sit next to Utssi and me, I'm sure that—"

The walls around them suddenly began to shake as the telltale sound of impulse drives flooded the room, waking the little Sunbeam and sending her into a fit of uncertainty. Finding no immediate escape, Utssi attempted to hide within her coils, however, Xeva was quick to run a comforting hand across her serpentine form.

"Shhh…everything is going to be alright, Utssi." She brought her attention back to the skylights, whose beams of light reflected off the broken shards of dust that were produced thanks to the prolonged vibrations. "That's just my people coming to visit us in your new home. However, I'm going to need you to lie still for a little while, and then Ethan will let you know when it's safe to come out. Can you do that for me?"

The jittering scales soon ceased, compelling Xeva to nuzzle Utssi one last time before looking down at him with a newfound determination in her eyes. "Put Utssi back in her box and make sure to latch it. I don't want her out for what happens next."

"Are you sure that—"

"Please, Ethan. Just trust me on this."

"I…" He let out a burst of air before moving to his bedside to take sole possession of Utssi. "Okay, I trust you."

Ethan followed through, latching the yellow pair of slits behind the only barrier available to the little neonate. "I'll be sure to let you out soon enough, Utssi," he promised and then looked back to the emeralds. "What now?"

"Come, sit with me."

The boy pushed himself across the room, taking his station on the hardened mattress next to the girl that he'd come to know over the last cycle, who despite her prickly personality, still managed to pull him into her gravity well.

"What now?"

"We wait."

The occupants in the room fell into silence and were left unsure of how to proceed, trying their best to drown out the muffled shouts that no doubt originated from the courtyard. After all, the worst could very well happen and they'd both be left without the other. Despite the persona that Xeva liked to project, it was now falling to pieces and the consequences of their actions were beginning to take hold.

"Should…we talk about something?" He asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"About anything in particular?"

"Anything…"

While the vibrations outside of the room ended, the Sangheili next to him failed to suppress the ones in her legs, the closest one brushing up against him as she looked across the posters on the wall, eventually stopping on the last one, which contained a verdant, Earth-like world that served as the very antithesis of the one that both refugees now found themselves on. A photo of his family was also pinned to its bottom corner.

"Was that one yours?" She asked.

"Yes," he answered, realizing that he never divulged specific details about his birthplace and always used Earth as a substitute whenever she asked him about human life.

"Tell me about it. What was it like and what's it like now?"

"It…was a beautiful place. We had a temperate climate, rich minerals found in vast mountain ranges, and fertile soil—a golden world by all accounts. But our future was always in question."

He paused to collect his thoughts.

"In fact, in the early days, two parties sought to develop the world in different ways, with the second one eventually winning out after years of political strife. Despite everything, we were prosperous and a cultural center that soon thought itself impenetrable thanks to our military garrison and orbital defense grid."

Ethan stopped, shifting his attention off the depiction of his homeworld and up into Xeva's foreign eyes, which looked back in concern.

"At least until the Covenant, until the war, and until…well, us," she finished. Xeva looked away as a means of escape but quickly found a human hand brushing across her nearest wrist as a means of comfort.

"Yes," he responded, now tracing his eyes around the great circle that outlined the colony's surface. "Given the military significance of what lay within our world, we became a high priority target for the Covenant. And while we repelled them for a time, the cost…" Ethan looked down at the photo of his family, "…eventually proved to be too much."

"And now?"

Xeva's final question only served to trigger the repressed memory, whose ash-choked screams failed to escape a world of fire and brimstone brought forth by a heavy lance of plasma, which cut through a blackened sky dotted with even more foreigners, more invaders, more…Elites.

How he'd come to hate that word.

Bodies of water vaporized in an instant and fertile land left to erode as a nuclear winter took hold. Yet one scream came to eclipse them all, followed closely by the characteristic swoosh of the energy sword that ultimately silenced it.

Always the voice of reason, hope, and benevolence in a world too focused on what tomorrow would bring. Though rapture did eventually come to pass, it claimed her as its angel without a second thought, leaving Davy and him without a mother in the hellscape that she ultimately left behind.

Then another scream.

One that matched his own yet remained muffled between the mounds of debris that came to separate them as their home continued to collapse around them.

A promise made.

A promise broken.

A brother lost.

And a world transformed into something else.

"Ethan?"

Xeva's musical voice cut through the haze and brought him back to the present. He then registered the warmth flowing through the hand that had come to collapse around his. Two worlds joined and a pair of oceans left to trace the set of emeralds hanging overhead.

"Glass. Nothing but glass…"

The word itself turned to ashes in his mouth, leaving only a bitter sensation. A colony that birthed a generation of refugees, him being one of them. And though he knew he wasn't alone, the thought did little to wash away the pain that had seeped into the very depths of his subconsciousness.

"I'm sorry..."

"Y-Yeah…" The human gave the Sangheili a contrite laugh of his own. "And I am too."

He placed his free hand on top of hers. "But what happened to my world has no connection to you, and even if it did, you're slowly changing my opinion on the Sangheili race."

Xeva's mandibles shifted into a smile at his confession. "Only in a positive way, I hope."

Ethan offered her a shit-eating grin. "Well, first impressions are everything, but I'm afraid that you've yet to impress on that front."

"Oh, stop it."

The girl tightened her grip and pivoted him around her body, forcing his back against the firm mattress while she moved to stand at its base. From there, she stretched herself towards the ceiling to appraise his human form from on high, allowing an almost predatory gaze to slip through her golden mask. However, the hunger in Xeva's eyes was immediately replaced with that of penitence. The Sangheili then took hold of her tattered dress, appearing to zone out herself.

Her prolonged silence compelled the boy to pull himself back into a seated position and reach out to her as an outsider.

"Xeva?"

"Y-Yes?"

He pulled her hand away, noted its sudden chill, and then placed it across his chest as a means to offer up his own warmth. "Is everything alright?"

She didn't immediately respond, instead looking from an inconsequential spot on the dirty floor to Utssi's improvised cage, and then finally to the human that refused to let her go. After further reflection, her mandibles morphed into a genuine smile and her usual confidence returned.

"No. But given time, I'm sure that it will. Now, in case anything happens and this is the last time that we're allowed to see each other, I just want to let you know that I—"

"Ethan? Ethan, are you in here?"

A third voice cut Xeva off, one that befitted the middle-aged woman, who pushed against the weathered door in an attempt to maneuver herself into the small enclosure. Despite the desert heat, a heavy apron lay draped across her stout frame, alongside an assortment of wooden spoons and other baking utensils. In fact, every additional pouch that was stitched into her attire overflowed with various objects that she'd collect over the course of the day. Though, she somehow managed to keep track of everything.

"Oh, heavens above!"

The sight of a Sangheili standing at the base of Ethan's bed caused the woman to place a hand over her heart out of fright. However, she was quick to put two and two together after noting Xeva's dress. The woman then adjusted her own outfit before shuffling her way towards the comparatively massive alien, who in turn pulled her hand away from the boy to hover it close to her weapon.

"Well, hello dear. My name is Sonia Bellerose." The woman performed a short curtsy while fastening each of her hands to a set of embroidered roses, which lined the entire length of the apron. "I'm Ethan's primary caretaker when his father attends to matters of his post. It's a pleasure to finally meet you after hearing so much from Ethan."

The caretaker took another step forward in order to reach up and cup the side of Xeva's face, taking a moment to rub a coarse thumb across the golden bars. "Such an exquisite thing, it's no wonder your kind chooses to keep you tucked away from the likes of us."

Xeva flinched at the sudden contact but made no move to retaliate against the other female. Regardless, the girl's discomfort didn't sit well with the boy and he opened his mouth to protest.

"Sonia, please let go of her. She's clearly—"

Ethan never got the chance to finish as a wooden spoon was sent his way with the ferocity of a hotheaded cobra, striking his exposed wrist in a harsh thunderclap of pinpoint accuracy.

"Hush boy! The adults in the room are talking. We'll get to your part in this mess later."

"But I—"

Another smack was swiftly dealt his way, causing even the Sangheili to wince alongside him.

"If I hear another word out of you, you'll be sleeping in the coop for the remainder of the week. Am I understood?"

Despite the searing pain and his rising frustration, Ethan knew better than to run his mouth against his caretaker, choosing instead to hang his head in shame. However, movement above him immediately brought his attention back to Xeva, who now carried a pilot light in each eye and a set of clenched fists.

Sonia must've noticed the rising tension in the air as well because she briefly pulled away.

"You struck him."

"I did, dear. And I will rightfully do so again if he chooses to speak out of turn. Why, does this fact bother you?"

"Yes." Xeva continued to reply in a curt fashion and made sure to stretch her height even further towards the ceiling, looming over his caretaker, who only smiled at the show of strength.

"Good. It means that you care for him and the stories I've heard are true."

"What stories? Also, this Sangheili has a name, and it isn't some 'dear' as you continue to refer to incorrectly."

The woman's smile widened even further.

"That she does, and I'm sure it's as beautiful as the Sangheili who bears it. Now, I've honored you with my name, so would you please offer me that same courtesy?"

Surprisingly, the Sangheili looked to the human boy, unsure of how to proceed and unable to hide the heavy blush that worked its way onto her face. He made sure to offer her an encouraging nod, which she returned before turning back to his caretaker.

"My name is Xeva. And…" A spark reignited across the emeralds as purpose once again found her. "I wish to discuss arrangements with your outpost's elder about being allowed to visit Addax openly and without reproach."

"You've already been granted that privilege, Xeva. Elias Summers made it so since the first meeting along the Astlehich."

"That's not what I meant."

"Of course, Xeva." Sonia latched onto the alien's arm, causing her to abruptly pull away and raise a hand in preparation for a heavy strike.

The overreaction earned the Sangheili a soft chuckle from the caretaker. "A wildfire in your belly through and through. I mean you no harm, Xeva, so please put those claws away before you ruin any chance you have of getting what you so desperately desire in this world."

Xeva allowed her shoulders to slump. "Apologies, honorable caretaker. I just wanted the opportunity to see Rakoi from beyond the Keep's walls and…to see Ethan's home."

Sonia laughed at the manipulation of her title and slowly nodded her head. "And saw it you have." She looked down at the tattered dress, tracing the golden lines back to its owner. "Now rest easy, because you're in the company of friends and are safe here."

After adjusting her own outfit, the caretaker turned to the boy. "Ethan, I need you to go find your father. With luck, he should still be in the courtyard settling matters with the Sangheili detachment sent to collect Xeva."

"But shouldn't I stay with Xeva in case—Ow!"

A third smack resounded throughout the sandstone structure, leaving him to nurse his other wrist.

"No buts! I can assure you that you'll get a chance to speak with her again once the matter is dealt with. However, until then, do as you're told and tell your father to have everyone meet inside the central structure. I'll bring Xeva there once I've had the opportunity to speak with her in private."

The boy was on his feet in an instant and bowed his head. "Yes, Sonia." He then gave Xeva a worried look but departed towards the exit nonetheless.

With one final glance back, he saw Sonia move to take his place on the bed, gently patting the spot next to her.

"Come Xeva, let's take a moment to look at that dress of yours and see if we can't mend this situation to work in your favor."

[—]


Closing Notes:

More revealed yet so much more to be revealed. As time continues to move forward, expect other characters to be slowly brought into the fold.

Again, thank you for your continued patience and support for this project. And as always, feel free to let me know how I'm doing in the comments/reviews!