(Author's note: Minbari words used in this story are from John Hightower's Minbari dictionary – translations at the end.)

CHAPTER 1: A GREAT SACRIFICE

Among the stars, far away from Minbar, the Grey Council cruiser Valen'tha glided silently through the darkness of space. The war was over, and the damage caused to the ship's hull by the fatal encounter with the humans had been repaired so well that only the barest trace was left. Many Minbari had died over the past two years, and there were few on board the Valen'tha(1) who had not lost a clan member or a friend, but the losses were small compared to those of the humans. Besides, warriors were heedless of their own lives in battle, and did not fear death. It was only now, several months after the Battle of the Line and the surrender order which followed, that Minbar was in danger of being torn apart.

The Warrior caste obeyed the surrender order which had, after all, come directly from the Grey Council itself, but they did not do so happily. Resentment was growing all over Minbar, with the Warrior caste blaming the Religious for demanding a retreat so close to victory. Shai Alyt Sinoval, dead by his own hand rather than give the command to surrender, was spoken of as a hero. The Religious caste, in turn, called the Warriors barbarians and blamed them for involving all Minbari in genocide. For the first time in a thousand years, Minbar was close to civil war.

In the council chambers of the Valen'tha, the Nine stood in their pillars of light. Although their grey obran'ver(2) robes had to be worn at all times while the Council was in session, the heavy hoods which covered each individual's face were not required, and would usually be worn only when an outsider was summoned to appear before them. Since the surrender order, however, the Nine had chosen to keep their faces hidden. This should have blurred the divisions between castes, and reminded each Satai they were serving all Minbari rather than their own clan. Instead, it only seemed to be making matters worse.

Satai Hedronn, of the Warrior caste, had pulled back his hood earlier as the debate grew more heated. Now, he paced back and forth impatiently as he spoke, throwing each barbed comment at a different cloaked figure. "This cannot be allowed to continue!" he roared. "You have all heard the reports of what is happening on Minbar, just as I have. Our people are turning against each other in their anger and grief. Is this what Dukhat's death has brought us to? A holy war that failed to avenge him, and a world descending into madness?"

"No Minbari has killed another for a thousand years," another Satai replied; Hedronn recognised the voice of Rathenn, of the Religious caste. "Unless you believe the Warrior caste are prepared to change that?"

"The Religious caste call them monsters and murderers," Hedronn snapped in response, "after the Warriors gave their lives for Minbar."

"If they are as close as you say they are to declaring war on other Minbari, maybe the Religious caste are right."

Hedronn spun around to face him, the very air itself seeming to come alive with fury. "You would dare -"

"Enough!"

Both the arguing Satai fell silent, staring at the figure who had interrupted, and who now lifted her hood back from her head. As the chosen of Dukhat, Delenn's wisdom was unquestioned, but until this point she had not spoken in any of the discussions about what was happening on Minbar. "Enough," she said again, more softly. "Satai Hedronn is right. We must find a way to create peace between the Warriors and Religious."

"And do you have any suggestions?" asked Satai Morann of the Warrior caste, anger mixing with concern in his voice. "The Marka'ri Minsa(3) can do nothing, it seems. The Religious caste will not listen. The Warrior caste will not listen."

"Then we shall make them listen." Delenn half-turned to a fellow Religious Satai, still hooded, who nodded for her to continue. "In the time before Valen, when Minbari still fought and killed Minbari, wars would be ended when the winning clan gave a female to the ones who lost, as a symbol of life and hope. The Warrior caste feels wronged by the Religious, and the Warriors suffered most – although not all," she added pointedly to Hedronn – "of the deaths in our war with the humans. We will give them a female of the Religious caste, in marriage."

Hedronn considered this, and the other Satai waited in silence. "I believe the Warrior caste would accept such a gesture," he said eventually, "if the correct individual could be found. And if we could find a Warrior of sufficient rank, who is respected by all clans, and who would consent."

Morann nodded. "Alyt Neroon, of the Ingata," he said. "He fought well in the war against the humans, and while he obeyed the surrender order, he is highly thought of by all Warriors for stating his disapproval on many occasions since. If he was to be married to your Religious caste female, the Warrior caste would accept this as an attempt to make amends. Assuming he would agree to this, of course."

"He will," Delenn answered, the tone of her voice making it clear that anything else was simply not a possibility. "If Shai Alyt Branmer requests this of him, he will obey, and I have no doubt that Branmer will do as I ask." She glanced once again at the still-hooded Satai standing beside her. "Satai Khadiri has searched our archives for a Religious caste female who would be suitable."

Satai Khadiri, a tall woman whose intricately carved dun'ri(4) suggested Warrior caste heritage as well as her Religious caste origins, lifted back her own hood. "A thousand cycles ago, Valen foretold the birth of the Chosen One," she began, and even the Warrior caste Satai bowed their heads in respect at the words. "A child born to the Religious caste who would save us from our worst fear and greatest threat, who would carry the destiny of Minbar in her hands. The Sisters of Valeria have found her, and raised her in their temple."

"The Chosen One?" Rathenn was trying to keep his voice calm, but all present could clearly hear his amazement. "She has been born to our people?"

Satai Khadiri nodded, and the half-whispered exclamations of awe from the other Satai grew louder. Only Delenn, Hedronn noticed, did not seem impressed, and was frowning slightly as Khadiri described the intricate details of the prophecy which foretold the Chosen One's birth. It was not unusual, he supposed, for Religious to fight amongst themselves over the finer points of prophecy – but surely Delenn could not doubt the Chosen One? "The Warrior Caste will accept this," he said, making sure to look directly at Delenn as he spoke. "No Minbari would deny the importance of the Chosen One."

Delenn sighed. "I do not doubt her importance," she said, "only whether the prophecy refers to this marriage. But Satai Khadiri has spent a lifetime studying the ancient scrolls, and I will abide by her interpretation."

Anger flashed across Khadiri's face for the briefest of moments, and then was gone. "It is decided, then," she said. "Lúthienn of the Faithful Hearts shall marry Neroon of the Star Riders, for the good of our people. Satai Delenn will inform the Sisters of Valeria of this on our return to Minbar."

The lights in the Council chamber blinked back to darkness. On Minbar, Lúthienn of the Faithful Hearts was sleeping peacefully, unaware that her destiny would so soon come upon her.

TBC

(1) - Valen'tha – 'Valen's Fist', the Grey Council ship

(2) - obran'ver – Outer robe

(3) - Marka'ri Minsa – Council of Caste Elders

(4) - dun'ri - Headbone