Chapter 4
Blood Earth Chapter 4
Pairing: Clexa
Rating: A-okay for kiddies
The Commander watched from the tents entrance as her people worked. Arkadia had been quickly transformed. Tents were set up in orderly lines, large tarps drawn up and over cooking stations, and tables piled high with herbs and medicine had been constructed in less than a day’s time. Warriors had been sent out to hunt, messengers sent for more healers, and the healers already present had gotten to work immediately. The Skykru had been organized into groups and assigned to healers. Their weapons taken away and put under guard. There had been little protest at her orders. Every Warrior and Second had understood that the victory was theirs, and, as through tradition, it was required to treat fallen foes with respect. Thus, the people of Arkadia were now the Coalitions responsibility.
Sighing, the Commander turned away from the organized chaos that was occurring outside. The inside of her tent was dim, only a few candles dotted around the structure provided any light. Her throne sat off to the side in a corner, not needed now that the conflict was essentially resolved. A large table, half covered in maps, occupied the majority of the space, while over to the side a large curtain separated off a sleeping area. Very few things had been brought from Polis; only the essentials, leaving the tent barren and empty. Striding over to the separating curtain, she lifted the partition carefully to check on her guest.
Lexa’s face softened at the sight of Clarke, pale but breathing, swaddled in furs and blankets. Her breathes were shallow and sounded pained. A cool damp cloth had been laid with care across her brow in an attempt to ward off the encroaching fever. Stepping closer, the brunette could see shivers rattle the blondes body. Sliding into the chair next to the cot, Lexa laid the back of her hand against the other girl’s cheek. Fever still radiated off her in waves, but her overall temperature had seemed to have gone down.
Removing her hand, the brunette stood once again. Despite her desire to only care for Clarke, she had other duties to attend to. Donning her long coat, she exited the tent, heart clenching harder in worry the further she traveled from the blonde. When they had found the field of dead warriors, the Commander had felt betrayed. She had thought the relations between the Coalition and Arkadia had grown stronger with Kane’s taking of the brand, and the death of Queen Nia, but it seemed her assumptions had been false. Lexa took comfort in the fact that Clarke hadn’t been apart of it, despite her affiliation with Skykru. At the very least, it will give the grounds for a pardon, seeing as she had no knowledge of her people’s actions. However, the blonde needed to survive this illness first.
Her last thought was sobering, bringing her attention back to the present. The Commander travelled across Arkadias grounds, stopping near the table Nyco sat at as he ground herbs with a pestle and mortar. Sitting across from the healer, she waited patiently for him to finish his task. The gentle scrape of the tools was relaxing, lulling the Commander into a calm state. Minutes pass without her realizing before the halting of the sound brings her back to awareness. The large man was packing up his tools, then he directed his attention to her.
“What can I do for you, Heda?”
Lexa sat up straighter in her chair, collecting her thoughts before speaking.
“I would like a report on how Skykru are doing.”
The healer nodded and dragged a bundle of plants towards him. He began to pick small leaves off the bundle and placed them into piles as he spoke.
“Well, Arkadia is definitely not ready for the Winter months. They have an alright store of food, but their medicine supply is low. They have few good blankets and they will freeze every time they step outside with the clothes they have now.”
The brunette nodded, storing the information for later. If the Coalition and the Sky people are able to come to an understanding, the Trikru would have to teach the Skykru their ways, otherwise, war wouldn’t be the thing that kills them. Nyco continues.
“As for how they are physically, the Sky healers have all finally fallen sick. Abi is not very happy about that. She keeps attempting to get up and help. The illness itself is rather common to those of the ground, but it seems, because they’ve never been in contact with it, it is quite deadly to sky people if left untreated. Three Skykru have already perished because they ignored the symptoms before we got here.”
The Commander frowned, worry for Clarke worming its way into her thoughts. She pushed it away and returned her focus to Nyco.
“I am… deliberating on what to do with the Skykru. You have interacted with a few of its more common people and I would like your opinion.”
He nods, continuing his task of sorting herbs, but obviously thinking seriously on the matter. After a moment, he speaks slowly, choosing his words carefully.
“The Sky people are proud. They thought themselves to be the last of their kind in the known universe, having only themselves to rely on. They have kept this mindset since coming to the ground, but many have attempted to reach out. The ones who have not are afraid. They seek to survive in the only way they know how, following those with a commanding presence. Ones such as Clarke, or that man, Pike. They follow in fear.”
The Commander nods, urging him to continue.
“The common people are not to blame. Find those who committed the crime. Take blood where it is deserved.”
With his piece said, Nyco packs up the remaining herbs and takes his leave to check on his patients. After a parting nod signalling his ability to do as he pleases, Lexa returns to her tent. The healer had given her much to think about. Returning to her seat next to Clarkes bed, she digests his words. She lays her hand across the blonde’s forehead, checking her fever, while she replaces the damp cloth that had been resting there with a fresh one. Satisfied that her illness had not gotten any worse, Lexa settled in to think.
The grounder way had always been “Jus drien, Jus draun.” Blood will have blood. A punishment equal to the crime. The only difference would be that those punished would be more specific. Slowly, a plan formulated in the Commanders mind. Root out the guilty, and punish them equal for their individual crimes. However, she herself didn’t know who the guilty was. I need to speak with Abi. She would know. Getting up from her chair, she heads toward the tents entrance, only to stop at the sound of shuffling and a groan. Whirling around, her eyes take in the sight of Clarke, groggy but awake, gazing up at her from under her furs.